From hand tools to hardwoods

RECENT years stores that Ispecialize in selling high quality hand tools to woodworkers have become some of the most innovative merchandisers of hardwood lumber products. Two firms in California, the Wood Tool Center of Mountain View and Woodline, the Japan Woodworker, of Alameda and San Diego, typify this new marketing trend.

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Although these stores carry complete lines of power tools, both the Wood Tool Center and Woodline prominently feature hand tools such as planes, chisels, turning gouges, wood carving tools and hand saws. Many of these tools come from Britain and Europe. Woodline, as its name implies, specializes in the Japanese hand tools that have become so popular with craftspeople during the past few years.

To supplement their sales of woodworking accessories, both firms have Goge McKinney, outhor of this article, is employed os a hardwood consultont by the Lltood Tool Center-ed.

begun stocking imported and domestic hardwoods and related products. The two firms have approached the retail hardwood market quite differently. And yet both express satisfaction at the results of their marketing strategies.

The Wood Tool Center began business in May 1982 with a small inventory of imported hardwoods, principally woods from Brazil. "Our aim," according to managing director Rob Ellis, "was to stock suitable, attractive, affordable woods and to avoid the over-priced species."

The Wood Tool Center began with as little as 400 sq. ft. devoted to hardwoods. Recently the firm has expanded its hardwood display area to 600 ft., and more expansion is planned. Its hardwoods are surfaced on three sides and displayed in vertical racks. Overall the store measures about 8,000 sq. ft.

Most recently, at the recommendation of a hardwood merchandising consultant, the Wood Tool Center has begun to carry a limited line of domestic hardwoods such as oak. alder and maple. "We are still discovering what our customers want us to carry," Ellis said. "But we definitely don't want a wood museum. We want to carry products that sell." The firm's consultant recently conducted a sales seminar to better acquaint the salespeople with hardwoods.

Story at a Glance

Two innovative approaches to hadwood rctailing ... special methods and techniques used to serve the craft and hobby markets what sells for them and what doesn't.

The Wood Tool Center has begun carrying lumber cut to scale for ship model builders, especially to accommodate an association of such hobbyists who use the store's facilities for their monthly meetings. The firm also stocks hardwood veneers. dowels and wood finishes.

0RDERLY arrangement of hardwood helps a woodworker to make a correct selection ol material for a project. Retail woodworking tool cenlers f ind it prof itable to supply materials as well as tools.

Woodline, on the other hand, has approached the retail hardwood market quite differently. That firm devotes nearly one-third of its I I ,000 sq. ft. store to hardwood lumber, veneers and plywood. The firm carries an impressively wide selection of hardwood lumber, including many rare species. Woods such as bocote, goncalo alves, macacuba and myrtle are neatly displayed in a-frame racks next to more common species such as ash and birch. All of the hardwoods are surfaced on two sides.

"We cater to people making oneof-a-kind pieces," says general manager Nancy Hurwitz, "so we're willing to sell them exactly what they need." Woodline will sell as little as six inches off an expensive piece of cocobola and charge only for that quantity without any premium for cutting. "Our salespeople are willing to do a lot of 'hand holding' when customers are selecting expensive woods," Hurwitz said.

Woodline makes a special effort to carry several Japanese hardwoods, such as Japanese white oak and ash, to go along with its Japanese tools. The firm also stocks Alaskan yellow cedar, a wood preferred by many traditional Japanese woodworkers.

Woodline carries many hard-tofind woods that even most hardwood distributors do not have in their inventories. Woods such as desert ironwood, tulipwood and holly are part of Woodline's diversified stock. Along with rare woods, the firm also inventories a wide selection of fancy hardwood plywoods and, %r" furniture veneer.

In addition to the retail busines, Woodline distributes Japanese tools to a network of dealers around the country and in Europe. Through its mail order service Woodline ships tools to every part of the world.

Woodline sponsors free woodworking demonstrations the second Saturday of each month. Other special events include a show cohosted with the California Carvers Guild each August, an open house with special demonstrations in November and a craft fair in Mav.

Among its sales promotion, the firm puts a wood of the month on sale each month.

Both Woodline and the Wood Tool Center sponsor classes in woodworking techniques. Classes include joinery, power tools, sharpening, finishing and beginner's instruction, plus other seminars. Both firms have classroom areas within their stores.

Special lssue: Hardwood

to open a store for the Cutting Edge, a Los Angeles-based firm that also specializes in the sale of woodworking tools. Ellis managed the Cutting Edge store in Berkeley, Ca., before opening his own operation on the San Francisco Peninsula. "I only regret that I don't get much time to work with wood myself anymore," Ellis said.

Fred Damsen, who founded and owns Woodline, began selling Japanese woodworking tools out of his house nine years ago. He had learned to love the tools while building a 37' boat. Since then, Woodline has moved from Damsen's house to a small store front in Alameda, and then to its present location near the Alameda harbor. The firm opened its Rancho Bernardo location near San Diego in 1982.

Ellis of the Wood Tool Center began his career in woodworking as a carpenter and custom furniture maker in Colorado. Later he helped