Home Depot Opens lts Biggest Yet

As part of a $l billion renovation plan, Home Depot recently opened its largest store yet-a 205,000-sq. ft. giant in Anaheim Hills, Ca.

The location selected for the new store was ideal because of high incomes and a growth in housing in surrounding areas, and the store's desire to provide a more convenient. expanded shopping location.

"The Home Depot is proud to open our newest store in Anaheim Hills, a store that wil meet the diverse needs of Orange County residents all under one roof," said store manager Jerry Evans.

The store replaced a Super Kmart, the structure of which Home Depot is utilizing. For example, the roll-up doors in the former Kmart auto center are now used for a will-call service.

The new store is part of a $l billion renovation program for 2004 aimed at keeping pace with fast-growing Lowe's.

The nearby Yorba Linda branch closed Jan. 28, a day befbre the new unit opened.

The replacement store has several advantages over the Yorba Linda location: it is visible from the freeway, has several easily-located entrances and exits, holds more sup- plies, and has been designed for do-it yourselfers, contractors and landscapers. Items such as lumber and cemenl materials are housed in their own separate locations in the store, making it easy for contractors to get in and out quickly.

The extra space allows for more products. Items such as bamboo patio furniture, outdoor fireplaces, and kitchen appliances are now available to customers.

A 64,000-sq. ft. garden center features a drive-through lane for large purchases and devotes 20,000 sq. ft. solely to boxed trees of all sizes

In addition, the store features a tool rental department that is three times the size of a regular-sized Depot and larger displays of designs for the kitchen, bathroom, closet, and patio.

The BBQ & Patio showroom measures 4,500 sq. ft., the appliance showroom is 2,700 sq. ft. (1,450-sq. ft. larger than the average Home Depot showroom), the Kitchen & Bath showrooms are 2,275 sq. ft. (523 sq. ft. more than average), and a Design Place measures 2,650 sq. ft. Approximately 240 employees will work at the new store.

Orgill To Open Western DC

Hurricane. Ut.. has been selected by Orgill Inc. to house its new western distribution center. The site is located in the south we ste rn re gion i n

Washington County.

"The site's logistics and location were perfect for us because we will be able to service customers in the western U.S., east to the Rocky Mountain

States," said Bill Fondren, president of Orgill.

The new distribution center is scheduled for completion in 2005, and is expected to measure 520,000 sq. ft., with the option to expand to as much as 750,000 sq. ft.

Orgill currently has distribution centers in Memphis, Tn.; Vandalia, Il.; Tifton, Ga., and Martinsburg, W.V.

Timber Sale Gets Green Llght

A controversial timber sale near Gardiner, Mt., that had been stopped by environmental groups is moving ahead with the approval of the U.S. Forest Service.

Call the experts: r Randy Jensen r Jim Duckworth r Gordon Watts r Tom Butterfield

Forest Prod.rrcts Sla.leg

249 W. Vine St., P.O. Box 57367, Murray, Utah 84107 (800) 666-2467 (801) 262-6428 Fax801-262-9822 a dlvlaon of Noyo Investmelt Co.

CO.

- Mendociao CountyWholesale lumber products Redwood, Fir, Pine & By-Products

P.O. Box 800, Fort Bragg, Ca.95437 (707196,4-6,377

FAX707-96r-O935

Fred Holmes, 3470 Iowa City Rd., Marysville, Ca. 959OI (53O) 743-3269 FAX 530-743-15,37

The Darroch-Eagle sale was first proposed in 1998 as a way to financially assist the Big Sky Lumber land swaps, which called for the Forest Service to sell $4.5 million worth of logs. That money would pay for sections of BSL land in the Taylor Fork drainage.

The sale calls for harvesting 1.5 million bd. ft. from approximately 195 acres in Jardine. Mt.

Last year the same sale was stopped in San Francisco, Ca., bY the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, citing that the logging could chase grizzly bears to a neighboring sheep allotment where the bears could be in danger, and an increase in roads in the area.

It is not yet determined how much money the sale would generate.

Xmas Tree Stand Award Cut

Home Depot's liability for illegally copying the design of a patented Christmas tree stand has been reduced from $13.6 million to 47 .8 million.

Jim and Rhonda Boucher, owners of Decorations for Generations, Turlock, Ca., are appealing the decision in the Ninth District court in Sacramento, Ca.

In addition, Home Depot will appeal the judge's rejection of its request for a new trial.

In May, a jury found Home DePot

A SOLID CORE OF LUMBER

. OUARAITTEED FOR 20 YEARS AGAINST: TERiitrEs, DRY ROr; CRACKING, Cl{lPPll{G, PEELING AND FADING

- BUTLDS LIKE STANDARD LUMBER, 1{O SPEGIAL TOOLS REOUIRED

. THE IDEAL If,AINTENANCE.FREE MATERIAL

Please call JOEL (800) 521-3633 ext.205 or email us

JOEL@WOOD-GUARD.COM engaged in unfair competition against Decorations for Generations by giving one of its Santa's Sturdy Christmas Tree Stands to Mutual Allied. a Chinese manufacturer, for mass duplication at a lower cost.

Evidence allegedly showed Depot then reduced its purchases of the Bouchers' stands and displayed an imported product in similar packaging, and under the same price card and stock number.

In chopping the $10 million punitive damages to $2.19 million, the judge cited 2003's U.S. Supreme Court decision. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. v. Campbell, which said punitive damages that exceed four times the amount of compensatory damages "might be close to the lie of constitutional impropriety."

SYP Targets For Consumers

Southern Pine Council has selected advertising agency The Hauser Group, Savannah, Ga., to spearhead its first consumer-focused ad campaign in three decades.

"Hauser has many years of experience in the homebuilding products industry, and clients have helped them clearly understand the homebuilding industry," said SPC's Richard Wallace.

Previous efforts have been tradeoriented, but their first project will target homeowners. Set to launch in mid-2004, the campaign will likely include radio and print ads.

The Merchant Magazine welcomes Letters to the Editor. Please send to Editor, 4500 Campus Dr., Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca.92660; Fax 949852-0231, or via e-mail to dkoenis@ bui lding -pr o duct s.c om

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The Hardwood Resource, Inc. 988 Howe Rd. Martinez. Ca.94553