A Dealer's Successful Growth Story

T|WENTY-TWO YEARS ago, the interr section o{ Oxnard St. and Sepulveda Blvd., in Van Nuys, Calif., was occupied mostly bv tomatoes the agricultural varietl'.

There were a few places of business, but for the most part, the area was devoted to the growing of field crops.

Then down from the north canre a man t'ith vision and forsight. His namc Si Rercutt.

Bercutt had been operating a succcss{ul food market in Paso Robles. Calif.. and together with Aaron Bay {rom San I-uis Obispo, Calif., decided to purchase the intersection, harvest the tomatoes and build and open a hardwarc store and lumber yard. He called his new place of business Ruilders Emporium.

He was told not once, but many times by friends, relatives and others that he was out of his mind and would probably go brokc within the first {ew months.

To manage the new store. Bercutt hired a man from San Luis 0bispo named Wayne Henry, who had connections with -sources of supply that gave the new hardware and lumber center an edge over competitors.

On August f5, 1946. the doors first opened to the public and the slogan, which applies to this day, was first seen on the Builders Emporium sign "Euerything to Build, Anything;'

The first store secmed large in view of the fact that it was locatcd in an area considered remote and pretty rural, with few homes nearby. But the people started comirg corning from near and far, and u'ithin a very few months, Builders Emporium had a stafi o{ 35 employees to serve the hordes of customers that poured through its doors each day.

Today the name of Builders Emporium is well known in its area, where 19 stores exist in as man)' communities with morc stores on the way. Two more will open this 1'ear and seven are on the drawing boards {or 1969.

Slory dt d Glonce

ln 22 years, the Builder's Emporium concept has grown from an idea to a still-expanding chain of 19 stores and yards.

The huge store. at the original site, which now employs more than 100 people, is the largest and busiest of the 19 store chain, and portions of the first Builders Emporium, although remodeled sevcral times, remain as integral parts of the vastly cxpanded place of business that now fills many acres at that original intersection o{ Sepulveda and Oxnard.

The parking and loading areas are newll repaved and illuminated, with spaces for hundreds of cars.

The pJarden and nursery section is one of the most complete and well-stocked in thc entire southland.

Many services are provided such as glass, wire, screen, and pipe cutting, key making, custom color blending and instructions {or the installation of sprinkler systems.

"Si Bercutt is indeed, a man of great forsight, vision and determination. He has what it takes to begin an enterprise as success{ul as Builders Emporium," said present president Everett Yount, on the 22nd anniversary of the chain.