f^l *, HOUSE'' SENSATION.

There's nothing wrong with stucco."It's 'iust that it can get a little, wbll, anonymous. Thatts where TruWood' comes in.

. A strategic application of .:.

O* wo.iod sidiqltx 4 minimum oJ lruWood Siding can separate , 50o/o reD'fud and ruovndJibr. one production'stucco home from the nekt, and turn a development into a real nerghborhood. With, we migHt a[it, 4 minimsm oftime anc experse. ,' .' durabiJity with realism and 'icurb appeal" that vinyl and fiber cement' ' -.: j .'-l, r .:.

,slqrngs caa'r approacn. tinally, lruWood is backed by a grouhd:' breaking 3o-year warrdnty fully transferable to all owners. a For more deails, cill or vi5id,our'web site. Before another hapless .a home.owner risks stumbling into the wrong foyer" i: ":

As for quality, TruWood ii meticulously primed and crafted I ryith the rough-sawn look ofwestern Cidar. The result is time.tested Distri but,,d,A,J we.yirhoeuset I Crfi us ar 8oo.4r7.3674

- Come see our products ot PCBC"in the Cqllins TruWood b"oqth

FOR A unique look, blend species and finishes that complement, not match. Maple cabinetry

A RE your homeowner and pro cus-{a.tomers stressing over finding a perfect match for their hardwood cabinets, floors and furniture? Relax! Suggest they forget about matching and mix it up with a variety of woods and colors.

Oak. Cherry. Walnut. Maple. Ash. Poplar. These are just a few of the American hardwoods that add natural warmth and style to any room in the home. Familiarize your customers with all of their hardwood choices by showing a Species Guide, such as that at www.hardwoodinfo.com. Then encourage them to blend several of woods for a unique look and feel.

In the kitchen, try using different hardwoods for the cabinets and floor. suggests Heather Dilger, senior designer for MasterBrand Cabinets. In addition. consider base cabinets with a finish that complements, not matches, the wall cabinets. Or scatter a couple "different" cabinetseither different species or the same species with contrasting finishes-among those on the walls and floor. Finish off the look with a contrasting finish for the island and floors.

Kim Dunn, Wellborn Cabinet Inc., says one popular look combines maple cabinets finished in antique evergreen and a contrasting honey tone. Giving one layer of stacked moulding a different finish that ties in with the cabi- netry is also very effective. "You can pull different areas together or create a focal point," Dunn says.

To make a small kitchen look larger, consider installing lighter cabinets and a darker hardwood floor, says Sarah Reep, design director for KraftMaid Cabinetry. "Having lighter tones at the horizontal eye level will make the area seem larger, and the darker floor will help warm up the room," she says.

Maple is an especially flexible hardwood that mixes well with oak. hickory and cherry, Reep says. Hickory also works well with oak and cherry, she adds.

Reep recommends working with a designer and always combining samples to pull a palette together. "Put samples of the products together and look at them as a family," she says. "Before you place an order, make sure your choices all go well together."

Limit the number of contrasting wood tones in the kitchen to about three. Reep advises. "Sometimes people think more is better, and that's not always the case," she says.

Winter Park, Fl., interior designer Jennifer Haddock put these principles to work in a recent kitchen project. A darkly stained oak floor complemented red painted walls. White cabinets contrasted with a cherry bead board back splash. The cherry bar stools with upholstered plaid seating complemented a darkly stained kitchen table.

"There are so many things you can do with wood," she says. "You can bring out so many different colors."

Many of the guidelines for choosing wood in a kitchen apply to other rooms of the house as well. "We're really trending away from everything matching," says James Nauyok of Baker furniture. "There are no hard rules. You could mix virtually any species in any room. Just consider the finish, the style, the look."

Nauyok likes to envision a party when he furnishes a room. "You don't want everyone at the party to look the same, but you do want them to look like they are going to the same party," he says. "Make sure the different personalities work together. If something is over- or under-dressed, it sticks out like a sore thumb."

He suggests blending light, medium and dark tones in hardwood furniture with contrasting floors. "You don't want your furniture to disappear into the floor," he says. "If your furniture is dark, you might want a mediumtoned wood floor. If the furniture is light, you might want a darker floor."

According to Susan Sargent, an author and artist known for her rich use of color, "We've come a long way in empowering people to do a room in stages, mixing old pieces and new. You don't have to worry if the wood tones don't match. In the end, it all comes down to personal taste."

Painted pieces, especially accessories, help complement stained furniture, Sargent says. "Wood is a fantastic neutral with a lot of depth, lines and structure. It can help balance the soft textiles and vivid colors that make a room cheerful and comfortine."

Dark wood stains look great with fabric that has wanner yellow tones or cooler blue tones, Sargent says. Warmer wood stains look best with fabrics in warm tones (like paprika, olive or red)-not cool tones, Sargent says.

Mouldings, like furniture and cabinetry, can be finished in an endless variety of stains and paints. For painting, consider using poplar, which is especially stable and less expensive than some species, suggests Memphis, Tn., architect David Kenoyer.

White trim paired with stained hardwood floors remains a favorite. but painting trim in a neutral tone a couple shades lighter than the wall also is growing in popularity. Kenoyer says. "lt gives a little more richness to the wall," Kenoyer says.

Stained moulding does not have to match the floors. Kenoyer says. Again, compare samples side by side to see how they pair up.

Solid homes. Solid value.

By Carla Waldemar

ll I'ARTY Johnson hangs his hat on IVlservice. In fact, that's exactly why he signed onto the sales force of Farmington, N.M.-based Construction Supply.

He'd earned his stripes as general manager of a yard in Durango, Co., in the '80s, then spent the past few years with a builders' association (including a term as president). "But," he explained, "I was eager to get back to the retail side of the industry-very dynamic these days. Here, I looked at its salespeople (led by general manager Roger Rick), looked at the team and the company's reputation, which is really important to me, its commitment to customer service."

Johnson recognized that the sales group had the same values he had, assuring him that in his absence they would take care of his customers, and he would do the same for them.

"It's vital that a sales team have the same values," he said. "We're located in a very competitive environment. with four independents, a Home Depot, and a Lowe's coming in November, which makes it real challenging. So it boils down to, how can we take care of our customers? Customer satisfaction is everything. If you do it well. you've got a competitive edge. Price is not foremost when people are investing in a lifestyle; they want to be confident in a well-built house that won't fall apart. They look to experts for that confidence-a professional that takes interest in their project, not only with the contractor, but the homeowners themselves."

The entire sales group has been assembled to serve. "The consumer is faced with an extensive list of decisions to be made and needs advice,"

Johnson counseled. "lt can be overwhelming, and we help them focus and make informed choices. We salespeople here have no specific areas; everyone's pretty much trained to wear many hats. Sure, it's easier to specialize, but that might be a danger if you can't answer all of their questions. Instead, we educate everyone at our product-knowledge meetingshow things are handled, sold, and used. The experienced staffers answer questions for the less-experienced. It's teamwork."

General manager Rick empowers the staff. "He's established a policy that people be self-contained," Johnson noted. "If there are customer issues that need a solution, you make the decisions-even if there are mistakes. Then, at meetings, we back up and see if we could have done it better. Lots of people are afraid to make decisions, but here, just use good, common sense and share it with the group later to see if there's a better way. Part of every sales meeting is dedicated to these issues."

He added, "There's also a suggestion box, and it's taken seriously. Many companies don't make the effort to follow up, but here, each one is reviewed and feedback given on if it's not used, why not. In fact, in everyone's annual evaluation they Iook at, do you make recommendations to improve the business?"

And that harks back to the key factor that separates the successful from the failures: how they take care of their customers. "What business solutions can we bring to the table?" asks Johnson. "How can we help our customers work efficiently time-wise and logistics-wise-make them money and save them money, too? The fewer times I talk to my builder, the better, because that means fewer issues."

Those solutions are arrived at slowmo style, one by one. Johnson analyzed his community of 45,000 anchoring New Mexico's wide-open Four Corners spaces; "Everyone in a 10O-plus radius comes here to do business. The community is right in the middle of a gas field so, as prices rise flike now], the economy booms. But only 250 permits are issued each year, so we're too small to have tract builders. There are 25 or 30 custom builders, and every one builds differently. We thrive on our ability to take a look at each contractor and literally sit down and ask, 'What do you need?' They can go to Depot and find product, but they cannot find a construction coordinator to integrate a whole job."

He cited a recent conversation with a new contractor who was unaware of the help he needed planning and with the construction schedule. "He didn't realize that, because this town is off the beaten path, it takes longer for materials to get here," Johnson related. "If he doesn't understand that, he'll order doors and then have his crew sitting around idle for weeks, which significantly impacts profits. "

He reiterated, "You can get product at Home Depot. They do a good job merchandising; they have a wider range of products; they're open weekends. They've put $17 million into their land and new facility-yet they can't operate any cheaper than I can: same bills for lights, gas, drivers. They create a wonderful impression as price-competitive, but what about the service concept? They can't tell you what you'll need to complete a pro- ject. I listen to your crew, your employees, your homeowners. Anyone can sell lumber at a cheap price, but a sales professional can help homeowners build a quality investment. That's our competitive edge."

And it's sharpened by word of mouth, which Johnson considers the most effective kind of advertising"better than having an ad or a banner. I'd rather hear, 'Go down there and talk to Construction Supply; they know all about hardware.' Then they go and talk to that person, confident that they've got the right professional resources.

"I was brought on to suggest new ways to grow the business." Johnson recapped. "I suggested looking into installed sales. Here, we've got a group of progressive thinkers who decided it would be smart to be first in the area [to do so], so we're investing our time and resources in equipment, training. And with more boxes coming, you've got to provide business solutions like this to stay in business. The ones that can't figure it out won't be around to compete the next building season."

Back to that competitive edge. He figures builders will eat it up, especially as product liability presents more and more drains on profits. "It puts contractors at risk. Look at mold," he said, pointing to poor installation of windows and doors. "Contractors are saying, 'Wait a minute! I can't afford to send my construction team for installation training, and I can't be certified with l0 different manufacturers.' But as a salesperson with product training, I have resources to do this inhouse and offer him peace of mind, reduce risk and answer questions if problems arise. Remember, if a builder's risk goes up, so does the cost of construction. So at a certain point. consumers can't afford to build houses or build them smaller, which affects the whole economy of the area."

"It's a really exciting time," Johnson smiled, brimming with passion, "and good for anyone able to take care of his business."

Trade Secrets: Government Business

Construction Supply has been a landmark in the Four Corners area, serving customers since the 1870s. Over time, the company has added two locations and some big government accounts. "The Bureau of Indian Affairs is doing lots of construction, both remodeling and building new houses," according to Johnson.

Yes, they're lucrative; and yes again, they're mighty challenging, starting with the bidding process. "The government requires three bids on every project, and the competition's pretty fierce," he said. "But when you win a project, you'll sell them several hundred thousand dollars' worth of product. And, because it's big enough, you can bid truckloads direct from the manufacturer - sheeting, drywalland never have to handle it first; that's how we can afford to operate on a lower margin*lower than 107o. Some below 5Vo."

The challenge, Johnson explained, "makes you work really hard to get the bid and keeps you real sharp. And it takes quite a bit of paperwork. But for those hundreds of thousands of dollars, it's worth your time to plug it in."

l:rrrt:ns

Weyerhaeuser Co. has sold to developers the property that its retail operations, Fisher Lumber Co., Santa Monica, Ca., and Malibu Lumber Co., Malibu, Ca., sit on; the yards will close by March ...

Glen Avon Lumber Co., Glen Avon, Ca., is closing this month after 62 years in business

Rupert Lumber & Paint, Rupert, Id., has been opened by Jason and Sarah Lynch; other employees include John and Gena Manning and Shaun Morgan

Trona Hardware & Lumber, Trona, Ca., has closed

Pine Grove Ace Hardware & Lumber, Pine Grove, Ca., recently held a grand opening to celebrate a remodeling that included doubling the size of the paint department and installing new flooring, fixtures, lighting, a customer service desk and lumber sales desk ...

Zentz Lumber has relocated to a 9-acre site in Billings, Mt., twice the size of its previous home ...

Ace Hardware is opening a 17,000-sq. ft. location in midSeptember at a former Target site in Greeley, Co. (Rick Thomas, owner) ...

Dolan's Lumber, Benicia, Ca., recently repainted its store, is putting in a new plumbing department, and has become the chain's new Hq. location ...

White Cap Construction Supply added a branch in Apache Junction, Az. ...

Home Depot opened new stores Apnl29 in Morgan Hill, Ca., and Apnl22 in Nampa,Id. ...

Home Depot received permission to build on 1l acres on the border of Glendale and Burbank, Ca.; plans a 131,863-sq. ft. store in Eugene, Or.; is debating with residents from Long Beach, Ca., over a proposed 159,000-sq. ft store that would require zoning changes and allegedly could damage a nearby ecosystem, and is facing resident opposition in Santa Cruz, Ca., over zoning changes for a proposed 150,000-sq. ft. store ...

Home Depot broke ground on 11 acres in Moses Lake, Wa., and on 15.45 acres in The Dalles, Or., for late October store openings; has begun construction in Cedar City, Ut., and Selma, Ca., and is considering sites in Crescent City, Or.. and Lincoln. Ca.

Home Depot acquired 2O-unit retailer Home Mart, bringing its store count in Mexico to 39

Lowe's opened new 116,000-sq. ft. stores April 30 in Marana and SW Tucson, Az. ...the chain got the go-ahead to build in Rohnert Park, Ca. ...

Lowe's has begun construction on a rash of new 116,000-sq. ft. stores with 25,000-30,000-sq. ft. garden centers to open in the fall in Bend, Or., and Santee, Ca.; in late 200,4 in Kalispell, Mt.; Clackamas, Or.; Santa Fe, N.M., and Greeley, Co., and in early 2005 in Fairbanks and Wasilla, Ak., and Lancaster and Huntington Beach, Ca.

Wronslr:nr/tlrurrcrur:rs

Hampton Affiliat e s, Portland, Or., is closing Fort Hill Lumber Co., Willamina, Or., at the end of July due to a lack of large-diameter logs in the area ...

Welco Lumber relocated its Puget Sound, Wa., distribution yard to Tacoma, Wa. ...

Capital Lumber Co. has leased 3 acres next to its Phoenix, Az., property to accommodate growth ... Capital Building Materials entered into a logistics partnership with Estenson Logistics LLC

Potlatch Corp. curtailed its Clearwater lumber mill, Lewiston, Id., May 7-I7 to install new scanning and optimization equipment at the reducing band saw

Fremont Forest Products, Long Beach, Ca., is bringing in the first barge of an expected regular threeweek service of dimension lumber from Coos Head Bay and Swanson Group, Glendale, Or; Dunlap Towlng, Lake Connor, Wa., is the cflner...

Simpson Timber Co. relocated its sales and traffic group offices to Tacoma. Wa.

Hughes Supply has acquired plumbing/electrical distributor Standard Wholesale Supply Co., Las Vegas, Nv.

ForestExpress, Atlanta, Ga., was renamed Liaison kchnologies ...

American Millworks LLC, Post Falls, Id., was destroyed by a Mpy 2O fire:' owner Chris Luppens estimates that $20,000 to $30,000 worth of wood products, $10,000 to $12,000 worth of supplies and equipment, and more than 1,000 bd. ft. of lumber was destroyed ...

Housing starts in April (latest figures) fell2.IVo to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.969 mil-

(Please turn to page 43)

FAX us your news!

Have a notice of your recent expansion, promotions or other company changes published in the next issue of The Merchant Magazine.

Just FAX your news to 949-852-0231.

(a free seNice)

Reliabilaq, Stability, Strength, and Workability.

When a builder selects a piece of Swanson Douglas-fir, he knows he has the best plywood, stud, or dimension lumber available. Doug-fir is the preferred species because of its superior stability, strength, stiffness, and workability in residential and commercial framing. Swanson Group's precision milling and rigid quality control ensure that every product meets the highest industry standards. We back our products with excellent sales support, timely delivery, and unsurpassed service. Contact your distributor about purchasing any of Swanson's Doug-fir products.

. Doug-fir/llemFir Studs

. Doug-fir Dimension Lumber

. Doug-fir Plywood Products: Sturd-I-Floor SandedPlywood

Plywood Siding Plywood Sheathing