Western Lumber a Building Materials

SEPTEMBER 1967

YIITUME 46, ilo. 3

Features

NEW YARD'S LOCATION TIES IN WITH AREA'S EXPECTED GROWTH

PUTTING IN A PAINT DEPARTMENT TO TEST POTE'NTIAL PROFIT

BLACK BART BARBEQUE IS A BOISTEROUS BASH

TIIOUSANDS JAM OPENING AS DISCOUNTER OPENS NEW YARD

SMOOTH SELLING SERIES ON "PLAYING THE SHORT GAME''

TWO PART SERIES'INTENSIVE STUDY O,F THE HO'USING MAR,KET

LEADING CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATORS ON LUMBER STANDARDS

PERSONALIZED HOME IMPROVEMENT CAN MEAN PROFITS

GEORGIA-PACIFIC BUILDING 26 STORY HQ IN PORTLAND

ACTIVE SAN DIEGO CLUB HOLDS ANNUAL SPORTS NIGHT

SALES CALLS_WESTERN STYLE. PODNER SALT LAKE CITY CLUB'S STORM MOUNTAIN MEETING

D E PARTM ENTS

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

NEW PRODUqT PROFITS

NEW LITERATURE LETTERS

CLASSIFIED ADS

ADVERTISER.S INDEX

BUYER'S GUIDE

OBITI]ARIES

Publl3hor A. D. BelI, Jr.

Manaslnc Edltor - - David Cutler

Assoclate Edltor and Advertlslnc Production

Riahard Heckman

Circuloti0n l)eDartnrontAndiea Frlese

Publlshors B€prooentativet

NOBTHEBN CAIIFORNIA anil

PACIFIC NONTIIIMEST

Mox Cook, advertislng and news' 420 Market Street, San Franclaco, Callfornta 94111, Phone (415) Yukon 2-479?.

SOUTIIERN CAIIFOI'NIA itorry Hickey, advertlslng and news. 412 West Sixth Street, Los Anseles. California 90014, Phone (21B) MAdison 2-4ffi5 or MAdlson 2-0670. crucaco

N.C. "Builil" Bollow, advertlsing and news. 11250 South Halsted Street, Chlcago, Illlnois 60628, Phone (312) 748-3351. NEW TOBtr, IIal I(. Poritz, advertising antl news. 246 Fifth Ave., New York, New' York 10001. Phone \272) Murray Hill 4-6?33.

EDITOIiIAL OT'I.ICDS

WESTERN LUMBER & BUILDING

MATERIAI.S MERCHANT i8 PUbUshed monthlv at 4LP W€st Slxth Stroot. Ios' Angelos, Callfornls 00014. Phono (213) MAdlson 2-4506 or MAillson 2-0670 by Callfornla Lumber Merchant. Inc. Please address all correspondence to olfice of publication. Second.class postass rates Dald at Los Angeles, CClifornla. Advertlsing rates upon request.

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Reprint ServicesReprlnts, preDrints. cover folders (in both black and white and coloi') on Merchant articles and advertisins are available on request within'the month of issue. Contact our editorial of- fices for information and pnces on any quantity.

THE MERGIIATII is an i,nilepend,ent ,tuago,zine publisheil rlonthfu f or those 'mernbers of the lumber and buililing materials inilustri,es who need, and, u)a,nt factual, oncur&te neus end a,n objectiae anafusis of euents and, proilucts of coneern to them in busi.ness.

Your New Productand Source Information gool is ready for delivery. lt's full of descriptions and prices on every item offered by Fountain. In addition, it is jammed with ideas on various uses of lumber, technical details on specifying and selling laminated timbers, codes on decking and hundreds of other useful bits of information. You'll find this handy, tabbed reference saves hours of hunting...and once you make selections, it takes just one stop to pick up practically any lumber products you need. Call for your free copy now!

Some Good News

qO FAR this year it has not generally been easy to v find any encouraging news about home'building. There have been bright spots in the picture, SeatdeTacoma as an example, but they have really been the exception that proves the rule.

Now, however, the picture is changing and it seems as if a little cautious optimism is in order. Nothing to cause wild rejoicing, but at least the recovery seems strong, well-fueled and apt to be with us for awhile.

The comeback of housing is especially encouraging as it has made the painful climb back against the obstacles of high mortgage rates, increasing construction costs, public reluctance to increased financing charges and ever-escalating land cost.

The timing of the starts shows good strength too as the starts in the last three months, up fifteen percent above the preceeding three months,.are during the peak building season, when it counts. The July figures show the increase in starts from June to July to be up eleven percent, to I.36 million on an annual ,basis,

While there will be the inevitable slowdown of building as winter approaches, there is nothing pres. ently showing its ugly head to indicate a reversal of the present pleasant uplift of housing start indicators.

Tight money, which has had a near death grip on starts at times in the past two years, seems to be a lessening factor. Savings banks and savings and loan associations, which presently furnish nearly all the money for housing, say their cofiers are collecting cash at nearly six times the rate they did at this time last year. Nearly nine billion dollars so

{ar this year. That's a good chunk of change even at today's prices.

On the other side of the s&l's ledger, the part that tells how much they owe the Federal Home Loan Bank, the picture is equally bright. Total obligations have been diminished by $2.7 billion.

If this recovery were just another case where the economic indicators hiccoughed a {ew points, only to drop the next month, we couldn't get very excited. But we don't think this is the case. From where we sit it looks as if those housing statistics have finally crawled up out of their pit for good. And for the good of us all.

Profits in Pqint

\f/E WISH we could be given a dollar for all YY the times we have encountered or heard of retail lumber dealers who don't want to make a dollar by putting in a paint department.

It is pretty hard to understand their reluctance, especially in view oI the excellent merchandising and inventory support ofiered by paint manu{acturers.

Not that selling paint and making a good return on your investment is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. Let's face it, nothing in retailing is that easy or simple. But it is a proven way to jack up your gross and bring out a net return that can look pretty good when compared with selling dimension lumber in a tight money market.

Our resident expert on consumer selling, and we do mean expert, Reed Lawton has put his no-nonsense touch to blocking out the steps and how-to of making your own paint deparhnent a redity. See page eight of this issue, you won't regret the time you spend.