West takes a shine to woodwindows

THE WINDOW & Wood Works

I is a specialty store that devotes the bulk of its efforts to the sale of wood windows and patio doors. In its three-year existence, the firm has grown from one to four stores with more on the drawing board as homebuilding activity improves.

Expansion of this magnitude is worthy of acclaim in its own right. However, what makes the growth of the Window & Wood Works even more significant is the location of its outlets: Reno, Nv., and Sacramento, Fresno and Redding, Ca., none of which is traditionally known as a strong wood window market.

According to president Ed Keefer, the firm would like to expand still further, but stagnation in the new construction market has prevented that action for the time being. "In retrospect, the timing of our expansion in 1980 probably couldn't have been worse," he says, "but we were able to survive by going after the remodeling market."

Asked to describe the secret to selling what is essentially a new product in the western areas, Keefer terms it simply a combination of promotion, perseverance, product knowledge and product displays.

"You just can't sit back and take orders that happen to come in because you're offering a product that's unique to the area," he says. "You have to go after orders via promotion and get them from both the trade and the public. And, once you start going after them, you can't stop. You have to persevere."

"Next, you need detailed product knowledge, both of its features and its installation. After all, if you've never installed a wood window yourself, it's hard to show someone else how to do it. Finally, all these

Story at a Glance

Wood window specialty store thrives in West ... expands lrom one to four with more ahead .. pror{otion, perseverance, product knowledge, product displays credited for success.

efforts must be backed up by a wellorganized display area that gives prospects the opportunity to see the product in a wall."

In this respect, Keefer builds all

(center) makes it a point t0 describe every feature of the product because western buyers are not lamiliar with wood window advantages such as factory-applied weather- of his own displays. One r€&Su' ^o that the windows in manufacturersupplied displays are usually prefinished. "When customers such as ours, who are unfamiliar with wood windows, see this, they think that's what they're getting. Consequently, the interior side of all windows in our displays are left unfinished. It eliminates a lot of misunderstanding. "

The Window & Wood Works had its start in 1978 outside of Reno. As Keefer recalls, "It bothered me that so few dealers in the area carried wood windows. And, in the stores that did, the displays were usually tucked back in a corner and the sales personnel were not very knowledgeable. I always felt that if a dealer came along who would aggressively promote wood windows, he could eat away at the aluminum window market." That dealer turned out to be Keefer himself when he decided to open his first window store. His marketing philosophy was successful as evidenced by the three additional stores the firm opened two years later. "I chose Sacramento as the new headquarters because I'm a Sacramento native," he says. "Fresno and Redding were chosen because they're in growth

(Please turn to page 68) stripping

If the termites were really smart, they'd eat this ad. ftt"n vou might n"u"inrh out Louisiina-PacifiCii now a major source of treated +H^ lumber. Offe-ring you trigtr quality wood from itgl- own forests. Aird first-rate treatment Ir$\ at its new Ukiah, CA facility.

So you can sell a complete line: L-P Wolrnilrized@ lumber for sill plate and other above-ground uses. And L-P Outdoor@ wood, available pre-stained in Cedartone" color for decks, patios and fences.

But it's too late now. Word is out. For treated lumber, call Louisiana-Pacific. And if the termites don't like it, they can write their congressmen.

To order, call our LJkiah plant: (707) 468-5874. Or your L-P Distribution Center.