The transformation from traditional

DROFITABLE growth and exPan' I sion are the mark of a successful retail operation and Plains Lumber Co. of Garden Grove, Ca., is a beautiful example of a well-run independent that has done just that over the past 20 years.

Started in 1947 by the owners of the Pacific Valve Co. of Los Angeles, supposedly because they were miffed at the lack of service at a local area yard, the firm had two more changes of ownership before George Eyer, the late father of the present owner, Don Eyer, bought a one-third interest. When Don came out of the service in 1957, they acquired the remaining two-thirds.

Then these two hard-working, for' ward thinking men went to work. The original building, a small frame structure of decidedly modest proportions, began to grow, as it would through several enlargements until it reached its present size (see photos) following an enlargement and renovation in 1974 when Plains Lumber added a home center operation to its lumber yard and construction division.

The present store has about 9,000

Story at a Glance

Addition of home center to traditional lumber and building materials yard blends old fashioned service with newer retailing concepts transformation included successful expansion of old showroom and joining a national buying co-op. sq. ft. of carpeted showroom, complete with air conditioning. It is backed up with another 9,000 sq. ft. of covered area immediately adjacent through glass doors where lumber, paneling, and additional building materials are situated. There is some 300' of frontage on the street, paved parking for about 55 cars and it all sits on about four acres of property.

Owner Don Eyer gives a lot of the credit for the success of the home center to v.p. and general manager Jim Gladd, who joined the firm in 1973, several months after George Eyer's death. Jim's background is in mer' chandising (manager of Solana Lumber, Solana Beach, Ca. and buyer and merchandise manager of Build'n Save chain stores). He quickly went to work getting the home center operation functioning up to its potential.

Both men credit the Cotter organi zation's True Value hardware program for their success in being competitive in price with the chain operations. "It's a great program for independents," notes Don.

"The chains need about 43%-457o markup and we can get by with 5%-7% lower markup, so the buying power of Cotter allows us to be price competi tive with the big boys," Don observes.

In designing the center, they worked with the hardware associations and visited other operations and poured over trade magazines to get exactly the display and layout mix they felt

(Please turn b Wge 27)

MANSARD roof tops handsome remodeled showroom for home center (l) note True Value logo, prominently displayed. (2) Paint dept. line is now True Test; suspended signs are described in story. (3) low gondolas give clean, open look, inventory is compact, neat.

(4) Carpet lhruout showroom, aisles are kept clear. (5) Home lighting center is above display ol vanities, opposite customer service counter. (6) Double glass doors lead to paneling, lumber and building materials in covered area behind showroom. Fluorescent light, white ceiling elfectively illuminate area.

(7)iGood housekeeping, note covered racks to slore plywood, elc., roofing rolls in background. Roofing sales went from $5200 to $27,000 in 1 year. (8) Dimension, boards, doors and mouldings are vertically stacked.