HOME GENTER MERGHANT

Bill Fishman & Affiliates

11650 lberia Place

San Diego, Ca.92128 o I can remember years back when I was asked for my driver's license by a police oflicer, after examining it, he addressed me as "Willie." Now police officers call me "Sir." o My spiritual leader is now younger than me. o I was 52, with both my kids still unmarried. On a flight East, I was in seat l1A, an infant was in llB and the mother in 1lC. The baby smiled at me. I smiled at the baby, The baby smiled back. The mother leaned toward the infant and said, "Does the nice man remind you of Grandpa?" I immediately went on the Scarsdale Diet and dropped from 255 to 218 pounds. r On my 55th birthday I worked around the clock to complete a client's report. Tired and hungry, I stopped for breakfast at Denny's and was faced with a tent sign on the counter reading "Senior citizen discount for over 55." o I am no longer ashamed to use my AARP card for maximum discounts at car rentals and hotels. o When our San Francisco meeting ended early today, I headed straight for Fisherman's Wharf. The USS Pampanito is permanently moored there and can be toured. The price sign reads: $3 for adults, $1 for children and seniors. I plunked down my buck. The guy behind the counter said, "You don't look 62, sir, that'll be $3." I paid. and smiled the rest of the day. o I avoid the supermarket at which in answer to a question I had asked, the young cashier quipped to me, " and you remember how it was when you worked."

I'VE BECOME very sensitive about I my aging. Some classify me as a "senior citizen." At 61 I don't feel old and I'll match my 70-hour a week work schedule with any young Turk. When I look in the mirror I don't look old to me.

How others see me. however. is probably relative to their own age. But it's sure a big turn-offto me when people pigeon-hole me in a broad group with the aged.

What's all this got to do with selling lumber and building materials? There's a lesson to be learned here by retailers. Read on.

Because of an incident on a U.S. submarine today, I've been remembering milestones in getting older.

. At age 45, I got my private pilot license.

A recent article in /rc. quotes statistics indicating that people over 55 are approaching a percent ofthe population that is larger than the youth category. They are now and will continue to be a major spending force at retail lumber and building material outlets. I know. Within the past l2-months this senior has replaced shower heads, installed a closet system, assembled a barbecue grill, stained the outdoor redwood furniture, replaced all the circuit breakers and there's lots more.

To keep seniors as a customer base, retailers must be careful not to group all these customers in one "senior citizen

May 1988 category." A working 55-year old does not picture himself in the same grouping as a retired 65-year old. And, I imagine that a 65-year old would deeply resent being classihed in the same category as an 80-year old. Retailers must learn to be sensitive to the senior market. o Don't shout. We're not all deaf. o Don't speak to us as you would a child.

Here's my list of don'ts when dealing with the senior market.

. Don't assume senility comes with gray hair & wrinkles.

Don't assume we are no longer in the work force.

Treat seniors with the same courteousness and consideration as the 18 to 54 group.

On second thought, keep those special discounts coming. and maybe you can make the type a little bigger!

KEY SlLEStrlEll: A giant key symbolized the grand prizes of 1988 Chrysler Le8aron convertibles awarded to the top American Woodmark cabinet sellers for Builders Souare last year. Lelt to right: Frank Denny, Builders Square pres. and ceo; Bill Brandt, American

WAYNE GARDNER executive vice president

THE AREA meetiqgs for this spring

I are all over. The subject matter "Slow GrowthNo Growth" and how to deal with it was well received. The do's and don'ts of how to deal with slow growth groups were presented as well as some of the horror stories associated with areas where slow growth initiatives have been proposed.

By using different speakers at each of the meetings a message relating to each area was presented. It certainly never became boring for those who attended each meeting.

The Second Growth meeting for June is taking shape. Speakers for Saturday will be Lee Shapiro and his wife Jean. Shapiro and his wife make presentations to groups jointly. Each is an accomplished platform speaker in his own right.

Communication and dealing with people will be their subject. In this busi- ness we are all dealing with people at work and at home, so it's essential that we become better at it. The Saturday program will be exciting and all those 40 years ofage and under should plan now to attend.

The Sunday morning speaker was not selected at the time this article was written, but the planning committee was meeting to make the selection.

The Saturday night party will have a '50s theme. Those planning on attending should be thinking about what to wear now. Music of the '50s, and other cultural aspects will be a part of the evening.

On Ocrober 13-15, the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association will have its annual meeting at the Wyndham Hotel in Palm Springs. The incoming president will be Merle Mensinger from Northern California. A large California contingent is expected. Mark your calendars now. It will be an excellent time to meet your retail counterparts from across the nation, plus hearing some excellent programs on the industry.

In November, LASC will have its annual meeting at the Marquis Hotel in Palm Springs. A number of people from the Arizona association will be joining us this year for the first time. This exciting meeting will afford a great opportunity for the Southern Californians to get to know their Arizona counterparts. Since the metropolitan areas of Arizona are so similar to our metropolitan areas, it will be most valuable.

So there you have the meetings. Second Growth will have a dinner meeting in September and another one in December. This group alway,has exciting meetings. Plan accordingly and we will see you there.

For The Record

A typographical error in Lumber Association of Southern California executive vice president Wayne Gardner's April Column resulted in wrong information about lumber grades. The sentence which read "Stud grade is now an adequate substitute" should have read "Stud g"rade is NOT an adequate substitute."

-alco-Loc is manufactured from Palco s architec- ptural quality Certified Kitn Dried Catifornia I redwood. lt is finger-jointed and electronically end glued to produce durable, long-length pieces. Manufactured with exterior waterproof adhesive, Palco-Loc complies with building codes for exterior applications.

Stays Straight and Flat

Even in the widest widths and longest lengths, palcoLoc redwood is perfectly straight and has more dimensional stability than solid pieces of the same size. lts easier to apply and resists cupping or crooking. One inch nominal Patterns and S4S are a full 3/+" netfor added stability.

Long Lengths

Palco-Loc redwood exterior siding is usually purchased in 16' to 20' random length packagesalthough other lengths can be ordered.

Clear All Heart Vertical Grain

This is the highest grade of redwood, unmatched by other species. Palco-Loc exterior siding is carefully machined providing a high quality surface. lt also has little or no pitch resulting in superior paint and stain retention.

Economical

Palco-Loc redwood exterior siding is considerably less costly than solid long length pieces of the same grade and the convenient lengths reduce application costs and waste.