SUPPORT

Mercy Killing Of Old Trees

"How would you like to be eaten alive by bugs? Support mercy killing of old trees! A noble giant of the forest, ruler of his domain for several hundred years deserves a more honorable death than to be eaten alive by insects!

"And you sawmills can go a step further and give these proud trees a dignified memorial service by selling the clear lumber to us. We will make mouldings and door jambs from the lumber which will be sent to the Deep South where they love to apply a natural finish rather than hide the beauty of the grain with (ugh) paint.

"Really now, does a 300 year old tree deserve to be converted to plywood and be covered by a rug and walked on? Or be covered with vinyl and be put on a wall, made to look like ash or fruity pecan?

"We will treat your trees with the reverence and respect that they deserve."

Deck Promotion

(Continued from page I3)

Redwood Deck," available for $25 on special request.

Wickes' Redwood Design-a-Deck promotion began last October when the Petaluma, Ca., store's redwood deck display at a local home show drew tremendous consumer response. As a result, contractor-designer O'Grady conducted dayJong employee sales training seminars for a statewide redwood deck program.

Full-scale deck displays in each store average 10 x 12 feet with a bench, railing, steps and two floorlevel deck sections with part of the deck under-structure exposed. The CRA's redwood deck slide show was also adapted to Wickes' automated alv equipment for distribution to California stores.

From April 15 to May 18, Wickes ran special quarter-page newspaper ads on deck clinic programs planned for Summer, included since in regular full-page weekly ads. Although some retailers pre-package lumber for com- mon deck sizes, Wickes lets customers choose lumber and offers plans kits free with deck purchases.

Wickes' clinics running every two to six weeks usually attract 20 to 30 customers from up to 100 miles away, half d-i-yers, the rest non-d-i-y homeowners and builders both seeking and

(Please tum to page 36 )

C0MPLETE redwood deck service and d-i-y info with full-scale displays, plans kits and consumer clinics are boosting redwood sales for l3 California branches of Wickes. Wickes' statewide campaign boosted sales up to 100% for some participating stores and may eventually go to all 280 stores nationwide. Here Richard 0'Grady (left), contractor and originator of the Design-a-Deck idea develops some d-i-y confidence at Wickes'San Marcos store.

Deck Promotion

(Continued from page 35) giving information. In most stores, assistant managers run clinics alone or with a local contractor who provides installation service, information, and most important, builds customers' d-i-y confidence. Wickes itself also has a license to contract for installation.

Individual deck sales in all Wickes stores average $1,000 but range from $200 to $6900, with professional installation adding 50 to l1Vo. An employee incentive program offers cash bonuses from $5 for redwood sales up to $250, to $25 for sales over $ I 900.

Typical of the program's flexibility, Wickes' Napa store has run three tiein clinics on redwood deck finishes and lumber grades only. One clinic alone resulted in eight complete deck sales, in addition to valuable exposure for comprehensive redwood deck service.

Assistant store manager Vic Flores has found consumers quite willing to spend up to $9 for a half-gallon of some finishes, although 90-minute question-answer sessions also cover trisodium phosphate, oxalic acid and other less expensive treatments; clinics also explain natural weathering effects of untreated redwood. Flores also promotes hot-dipped galvanized nails recommended by the CRA for best performance without staining wood.

Returnon-investment for redwood deck promotion is "hard to gauge," according to Wickes' regional sales manager Bob Kimmal. Deck displays required lumber worth $375 ($550 at consumer prices), while special quarter-page ads cost $125-$200 each and training time involved at least one full day for up to four employees from each store.

Overall, however, the program is "a great success," said Kimmal, "particularly where some centers that hadn't seemed like hot redwood markets really took off." WickesStockton reports redwood sales up 32%, Napa 5Wo, and Fowler, in rural San Joaquin Valley, a full loVlo from 1971.

Long-term sales potential? According to O'Grady, whose deck clinic experience with other retailers goes back several years, consumers buying Design-a-Deck kits this year will plan and budget for big purchases next year.

Alaska Retailer

(Continued from page l0 ) and trailer.

Sales for the two day celebration amounted to more than $ 100,000, not bad when you consider that the population is only 3,500.

The company is 7O% owned by the Palmer G. Lewis Co., a major distributor of building materials in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The 7,200 sq. ft. retail area, 19,000 sq. ft. warehouse plus more than ltve acres for parking and outside storage easily establish Superior as the largest building supply yard on the Peninsula.

Dean Sabey, Superior v.p., attributed the success of the opening largely to the cooperation of suppliers, store personnel and the local media.

To enhance the excitement of the grand opening, the program included eight magic shows on Friday and Saturday performed by Jim Bender, a salesman for the Palmer G. Lewis Co., and an accomplished amateur magician from the Seattle, Wa., atea.

The highlight of Saturday, was a visit by the Peninsula Oilers, ilt amateur baseball team and 1971 national champions.

OVER

. This book becomes your own hand-out brochure

. Modern replacements for out-dated garages

. Encourages accessory sales

. Architecturally correct

. Easy to build

. Prompt blueprint plan availability polybags Wire counter/pegboard display-l2"xl8"x18"