u American Forest Products Corporation

NATIONAL SALES DIVISION

2740 Hyde Street San Francisco. California 94'109

(415) 929-6202 oSIl'o-o""

Publishcr A. D. Bell, Jr.

Editor-Mrr, David Cutler

Contributing Editor Dwight Curran

Advertising Prodrtion Mgr.

Ms. D. Hamil

Art l)inector Martha Emery

Circuhtion Marsha Kelley

EDITORIAI, OFFICES

WESTERN LUMBER & BUILDING. MATERIALS MERCHANT ls pub- llshed monthly at !?t So. Lakc Ave., P&rodenl, Ca. 0ll0l, Phonc (218) ?02-362S or (2lt) ?02-{00t by Callfornla Lumber Merchant, Inc. Second-class postage rates palq at Pasadena, Ca., and addltlonal offlces. Advertlslng rates upon request.

ADVEIITISING OFFICES

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA E PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Jerry Holtz, 580 Market St., #400, San Franclsco 94104. Phone (415) 392-3365.

SAN FBANCISCO BILLING OFFIOE 2030 Unlon St., San Franclsco, Ca. 94123. Phone (415) 346-6000.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Carl Vann, 1385 Westwood Blvd., Los Anseles. Ca. 90024. Phone (213) 471 -7593 0r t2t3t 792-1623.

MOUNTAIN STATES

Fronk L. Beckstead A630clat€!, (Denver) 3505 Miller Court, Whqqt Rldge, Colorado 80033. Phone (303) 42r-2692.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Ohrnrc ol Addrot.-Send rubscrlp' tlon orderr and addresg changes to Ctrculatlon DeDt., Western Lumber & Bulldlns Materlalr Merchant, 5?3 so. Like Ave.. Pasadena, Ca. 91101. Include address label from recent lssue lf posstble, Plus new addrels and zlp code.

Subscription Rates-U.S., Canada, Mexico and Latin America: $5-one year; $8-two years; $ll-three years. Oveiseas: $7-ohe vearl $l l-two Vears. Single copleg ,$ I .00. Back copies-$ I .50 wnen availaDle.

Tho MGrcnrnt Maratlno serves the memberr of the: arlzona Lumber & Butldert Supply Assoclatlon, Phoenlx: Lumber Merchantr A!soclatlon of Northern Caltfornla, Lot Altos; Montana BuUdlnSi Mate- rlal Deeler! Assoclatlon, Helena; Mountaln States Lumber Dealer! A!soclatlon, Salt Lake Clty and Denver; Lumber Assoclatlon of Southern Cellfornle, Lo! Angeleri Weltern Buudlna Materlel Arsoctatlon. Olympla, lyarhlnSton.

Tltt iltncltAilT ie on independmt magozine, for the lumber oruI building motcriolc induetr! in the IE Wcctorn atotec, eoncentroting sn mcrchondicing, monogertuent and occurote, foctuol ncuo.

Lumber Yard, Trucks Lmded Witlmtt Delay For OAK, BEECH, ond MAPLE FLOOR.ING

Areo Code 213 752-3796

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LAM-LOC TIMBERS

Just one number to dial and you have a team of specialists who can give you immediate answers on price, delivery, building codes, certifications and dozens of other technical questions that can affect your quote on laminated timbers. We can get you the best combination of price and delivery. Once your order is placed, it becomes our problem to tollow-up on shipping * dates, handle transportation and assure fropJr ! certification. For the fastest, most economical way to sell laminated timbers, call Fountain first!

Western

Lumber for decking, siding, cabinets, mill_ work and paneling, material for fences. patio decks and planters. any application where the superior characteristics of Westem Red Cedar are demanded can be supplied from our 1/z million foot Standard stock includes 1 x 6,9, 10,12,, and 2 x 6, 8, 10, 12". tt is supplied in speci_ fiedrtridths and lengths with many paiterns.

Don't "lmprove" lt To Death

NE of the strongest and most positive trends today in our industrY is the conversion, either totally or partially, of many retail operations into what is generally called a home center. Some were, in fact, already that, and only a name change was needed. Others now call themselves that, but fall short by varying degrees of really qualifying. But whichever, there is no doubt that the trend to conversion is strong.

We are all for modernization, store improvement and the like, but a small note of caution needs to be voiced.

Conversion to a home center is just not a universal panacea; it is not going to work for every operator; for every town, for every situation in the marketplace. We think in X number of cases, a perfectly good operation is going to be "improved" away from what the iustomer knows, wants, and feels at home in, into a hybrid that contains neither the virtues of the previous method of operation while incorporating all the vices of a home center.

If, for example, you have a small, cozY, comfortably unfashionable store that customers love because of its atmosphere and browsability and you triple the size, brightly light the interior, sterilize it and staff it with torpid, discount house type clerks, all you may have accomplished is to have "improved" your business to death. You might drive away the bulk of the business because they preferred it the old way. There are more than one or two cases in this world where the store that grows like Topsy had best be left untouched for fear of destroying the very flavor that gave it the character customers like.

It is the customer, after all, and not the smooth talking consultant who preaches for the home center nor the other owners of home centers that matters. It is the man or woman that puts the money in the till that matters. Rudimentary, but true.

Speaking of money, if you expand into a large home center, how many years will it take to retrieve your investment? Perhaps so many that you would be better off with-t6'at money in Treasury Bills or a similar limited risk investment?

Don't get us wrong, we're all in favor of home centers but not for everYone. Before you "improve" your business to death, make certain that what you do will be best for your particular situation and that you are not just falling prey to that old herd instinct.