Hardwood wholesaler starts second lOO years

celebrates its centennial this summer. "We've had a virtual love affair with San Diego-and its small businesses-since our inception," says G.T. Frost Jr., co-owner and member of the third generation in his family to run the company. "It's been the cornerstone of our values, and a key reason why we're so optimistic about the next hundred years."

The family's hardwood history began when Albert Frost Sr. saw an opportunity to purchase a single rail carload of hardwood flooring and travelled around town selling literally door to door. One car led to two, and soon the young firm established its first storefront in the then-small downtown area.

Following World War II, Albert Frost's sons-Gordon and Albert f Tenv LITTLE REMATNS THE salrp, in Y San Diego, Ca., that existed in 1911. The seaside town was home to only 39000 residents and didn't even boast its first permanent U.S. Navy base. Quiet and unassuming, its people were focused on looking out for one another both professionally and personally.

Fast forward 100 years later. San Diego County holds more than three million people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in the United States. Its economy is as diverse as its population, complete with a host of tourist, high-tech, life sciences, and defenserelated businesses. Even the city's "Old Town" section recently received a renovation. At first glance, nothing seems to be as it was.

Not so, says Frost Hardwood, as it

.joincrl the conrl)ln\ lrnrl bcglLn to cryrlntl thc plocl uct lincs to other irrpoltctl Iiurcln oocls lrnrl Iurninates bclirr-c pussing the tor-ch to thc cLlffent linc ol'Flosts to rrur opclutions.

Toclay'. (;.T.. Bruce arrtl .l rnt []rost manaqc thc conrpan\ orrt Ol ir t\\ ostorr'. fi0.(XX)-stl . f't. facilitr on \c\cn acres ol' lrinil irr thc scoulaplric cclltcr of San I)icgo. It plinrarill,ri,'lrolcsirlcs harciuoocl lrrnrbcr ancl spccialtt solt, r"ood luntbcr-. plywood. particlc bolrtl. ntelaminc. Ncvlrnrar clccot'atir c lunti nute. ancl othcr closclv rclatccl protl rrcts to the nootlrior-king industl'r.

Irrost Harrlrr ootl sLrpplies lrccounts in Sun Dicgo. Olungc lncl Impcr-ilrl (lounties as rrcll lrs sorrrc Mcxiclrn conrnrunitics ltclr thc bolclcr. TItc conrl)any also clcvclopctl crltort calta bilitics and otttrs cLrstont ntilline antl nroLrlrlirrg serliccs in ntorc than -50 stockcrl hurcln ood s1'rcc ics tr.r,'o Worlcl Wars. linrl scr cnrl fc-cc: rioltr likt tlli' ()ltL \\r"l\' \'lltftLill-l l'r'onr to(lli\ sAvs []r'Lre c I;r'ost. "Thc kc\ t() r'i(linL ur-rt thc torruh tintcs ancl r-clishurc tlrc goocl oncs hus bccn 1o not rtlrir.'t lliltll ()UI L()tL' Lr)il)iltilllt\'nl [(' .tllr]l lrrtsirtt.:s. Ftirttt lirtrtrlttlt. rrrlrttt.tlacltrlcrs urrri r,ioocluorkcrs. elbinct nrakcrs lrttrl Iocal floolirtr slrops to boat r-cplrrl lrncl constructiolt srrbeorr tfactoIs. \\c |ce()gltilc thirt orrI succcss is thcil sucecss. lnrl uc cltn't srrccccrl unlcs\ tlrc\ (l()."

I)cspitc the slou tlt in ltrtlrluct lir.rcs ancl scrr rcc areas. Flost I lal'tlwood is stcacllastlt cornnrittcrl to thc scrvice luspccts ol ils business. "Wc'r'c seen just ahorrt cvcrv ecoll()lnlc clt\ lronment. irrclLrtling the Grcat [)cprcssion.

Flost's ttnw'uvcr-ing cleclication lrlsrr cxtetrds to its stall'. rvitlr sontc cnrplorccs having l'cccntl\ surpassctl tltcir lhirtieth r clrr- ol u orking for tltc e orrr punr. lt's ull in u tlll\'s rrolk lrnrl. luccolclir.tg to thc currcnt gcnclation ol' ()\\ ncrs. e-sscntilrl to its lonqcvitv.

"l:rr'lrolte irt ()ut ()t!iulizlrli,'norrlel clerks. sulcsrrcrr. rnillntcn unrl tluck rlrivcrs-knol s llrlit tltc kc\ to ottt lottg te fln sLlcccss is e Lrstontcr satisllrction." savs.lint F'rrrst. "lt's eas\ to get ticrl Lrp irr thc dur to-rlur activitics. Lrut onc thing's lirr strlc: il wc clon't Ilut oul clie nts first. rvc losc our eclgcanrl bccornc Iike c.n'cr't'onc clsc. l'lltt's

Irot thc \\'a\' \\'c r-c r,i it'ccl."

Orrc kc1, l'lrctol in rlctcrntining u r'()lnl)iul\'r lott,lsllrtt,lit)! \u\'!c\\ i\ in tlrc sclunless tninsit ion ol its rtranagc nrcnt tcrrnr. Thrs rs rllirrnting utrcleL notnlrl e ircunrstanccs. brrt c\ e n t)rore so u lrcn lunrilr dr nunries lrlc involvccl. To rlo it oncc is uclrninrblc; tu'icc is lulc. Arrrl tl)ree tirrcs is lurgelv lunhcltr-rl ol'. Irt Fr-ost I Ilrr-tlt oorl's cuse. though. it's lr rtlrlte r o1'corrlsc.

"Thc Irrosl ilurclt oorl busincss is intcsrirtc(l u itlr trLrr fantilt vlrlLrcs. and it's lrs nrtrclr u lulrol of lovc lrs it is u ltrolcssion. slr\ s fourth gcrrcr-ltion lJrranr Fnrst. rrr'ho. llone with lclutirc I)anron lrclkcr. is to lssun.rc tltc lclrd cr-sltip orrcc thc crrr-r'cnt grclult ol nllrn lu!.crs rctirc. "\\'c Irlr t- big sltocs t0 l'ill. bLrt rr ill do so u itlt stronq irtlhcr'cne c to \\ hrt !ot rrs Ire're: ol'l'ct'ing rlLrllitr prorlrrcts rrt rrl'lirrclablc pr.iccs ti itlr ott[:llriltlit)t r'U\l()|tr'l ret'\ ir'e lo SoLrtltcrrt Cal i lirr-n u."

1'hc qr-restiorr ol' t hr Frttst nevcr' cxpunrlccl bevoncl Sorrthcln Culifornia btotr glrl u qLrick. poiqnlnt llts\\'er. "\\'c ncr cr \\ antc(i lo tlrc biggest." srir s (i.'1 l;r-ost. ".just thc bcsl!"

By Michael Strong