These Fine C.ompanies

Dtstribute Tndmark Products Northeast

AMERICAN LUMBER COMPANY INC.

25-45 Borden Avenue long Island City, New York 11101

{718} 784-5151

BMNCHES: Holtsville, New York {516) 758-6900

Chelsea, New York 19r41 831'277O

ROBBINSLUMBER

Ghent Road

Searsmont, Maine 04973

1207l' 342-522r

Southeast

KLUMBLUMBER

3406 Georgia Pacific Avenue

Mobile, Alabama 36617 t2051 476-4796

SOUTHERN WOOD SPECIALISTS

Old Highway East

Hickory Groves

Starkville, MississipPi 39759

{601 } 323-0333

RED MOUNTAIN FOREST PRODUCTS

108 North 28th Street

Birmingham, Alabama 35203

12051324-s222

EARLRAIFORD

91 Thompson Street

Ashville, North Carolina 28813

17o4lz53-5667

RAWLES.ADBN LUMBER CORP.

Anchor Industrial Park

Petersburg, Virginia 23804 t8001 552-4800

Southwest

CAPITALLUMBER

1221 North Avenue "S"

Lubbock, Texas 79415

{800) 692-4288

SLAUGHTER BROTHERS

1 1050 Plano Road

Dallas, Texas 75238

(214) 341-9000

BRANCHES: Atlanta,Georgia

{4041 934-6800

Orlando, Florida (305) 851-0107

West

ALL COAST FOREST PRODUCTS

13880 Montevista Avenue

Chino, California 91708'1206

OREPAC BUILDING PRODUCTS

30160 SW OrePac Avenue

Wilsonville, Oreg on 9707 O

(503) 682-5053

BMNCHES: Tacoma,Washington {206) 582-9500

Sacramento, California 19161 381-8051

Caribbean Islands

BOCASUPPLY INC.

200 SWznd Street

Pompano Beach, Florida 33060 t3051 785-7447

Coming in January . The annual TRANSPORTATION Special lssue

With an update on the latest transportation regulations . . . tips on cost effective management . . . suggestions for improving delivery service profileof atransportation professional ..a lookat how lumber movesfrom pointof origin todealer...

ADVERTISERS: Take advantage of this exceptional opportunity to get your message before our select group of readers. The Merchant's extensive circulation in the 13 Western states assures excellent coverage for your advertising dollar. This Transportation Special lssue offers a prime editorial environment for your advertising message.

DEADLINE: Call today and reserve space. Deadline is December 15.

Plus

Ahska & Hawaii

Editor-Publisher David Cutler

Senior Editor Juanita Lovret

Assistrnt Editor David Koenig

Contributing Editors Dwight Curran, Gage McKinney, Ken Thim

Art Director Martha Emery

Staff Artist Parie Petty

Circulation Alice Nielsen

The Merchant Magazine (USPS 79656000) is published monthly at 4500 Campus Dr., Suite 480. Newport Beach. Ca. 92660. phone (714) 852-1990. by The Merchant Magazine, Inc. Second-class postage rates paid at Newport Beach, Ca., and additional offices, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Itzhrchant Magazine, 4500 Campus Dr, Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660.

Advertising Offices

Advertising rates upon request.

F-rom all states east of lhe Rocky Mountains: Contact Jean Waggoner Cogerty, nalional sales manager. From Arizona, Nevada and California: Contact David Cutler. Both may be reached at (714) 852-1990 or by writing 4500 Campus Dr., Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660.

From Washington Slate, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Ulah, Colorado, Northern California and Canada: Contact Carol Holm at (206) 774-3'173 or 21819 77th Place West, Edmonds, Wa. 98020.

Change of Mdress-Send subscription orders and address changes to Circulation Dept., The Merchant Magazine, 4500 Campus Dr., Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660. Include address label from recent issue if possible, new address and zipcode.

Subscription Rates-U.S.: $9-one year; $15{wo years; $20-three years. Foreign: one year payable in advance in U.S. fundsCanada or Mexico: air-$35; surface-$30; South America: air-$55; surface-$30; Asia: air-$68; surface-$30; Europe: air-$98; surface-$30. Single copies-$2; back when available plus shipping & handling.

The Merchant Magazine is an independently owned publication for the retail, wholesale and distribution levels ofthe lumber and home center markets in 13 western states.

DAVID CUTLER editor- publisher

ls it hardwood or hardly wood?

I T has been interesting to watch the recent inI crease in the use of hardwood in products like shelving, paneling, moulding, picture frames, parquet flooring and the like for the d-i-y market. From the initial, halting steps taken by manufacturers just a few years back to today's offerings that match the best in the business, the progress has been remarkable.

But neither manufacturer nor dealer is out of the woods yet. On both sides there are enough potential problems to raise caution flags.

Sometimes who makes the hardwood product is as important to a dealer as the product itself. As hardwood has grown in popularity with the public, suppliers of varying integrity and ability have surfaced. Dealers should take a close look at the manufacturer to see if the product is from a company that has a good industry reputation and a strong background in hardwood.

We've always felt more comfortable buying a hardwood based product from a manufacturer with the words lumber or forest products in its name, or a firm known for its competence in the wood products business. To us that says something about their industry involvement and, perhaps more important, their understanding of what certain hardwoods can and can't do. Almost an implied assurance that the correct grades were used to make the product.

The product that should never be has also come along with hardwood's increasing popularity with the do-it-yourselfer. Some have been from off-shore firms that are mere packagers with little or no understanding of hardwood and its properties. These firms too often lack the commitment and capability to supply the dealer backup needed. Many excellent products come to us from overseas, but caution is still in order.

Manufacturers, too, must be certain they've done a complete and professional marketing job before selling the dealer. When both dealer and manufacturer do this, we can be assured that hardwood based products will increasingly move off dealer shelves.

Sunshine. And a cool breeze off the Pacific. Those are two of the tools Georgia-Pacific uses to S-dry Common and Rustic gades of redwood at our Ft. Bragg mill in northem Califomia.

But sometimes Mother Nature needs a little help. So we also use pre-dryers, dry kilns and other modem facilities to assure consistent quality in our certified, kiln-dried Bee, Clear and Clear all-heartgades.

Plus, we're members of the Califomia Redwood Association and the Redwood your assurance of quality Inspection Service. So our gade stamp is your quality from the peopk people who know redwood best.

Our Ft. Bragg facility is a full-service Douglas Fir mill, too. And that means one call can get you nvo of the best products Georgia-Pacific-and Mother Naturehave to offer.

Call today: 7071964-0281. For redwood quality you can build on.

We ore proud of our yeors of hondling hundreds of millions of boord feet of lumber os if enters the world's biggest wood products morket lhrough fhe Port of Los Angeles Doily we hondle on overoge of one million boord feel of lumber in o fost ond efficienl monner. We lood between 65 ond 95 trucks per doy for our customers

Pocific Lumber Terminol is now bocked up in lhis tremendous job by o unique new computer system which pufs precise inventory control ond detoiled informotion obout your shipmenl of our finger tips lf you osK we'll know

Although corgo shipments ore our principol businesq we olso bring o lorge volume of wood products into our open storoge yord by roil ond fruck When protecfion is required, we con put your products info dry storoge.

Whatever your needs no matter how diversewe can handle them

A ALES of readY-to-finish and 9 ready-to-assemble solid hardwood furniture bY home centers are expected to be bolstered bY a consumer oriented marketing campaign called The Hardwood Solution.

Backed by over 100 solid hardwood furniture manufacturers and the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, the marketing communications effort centers on a hang tag attached to or included with a purchase of solid hardwood furniture. Two Publications, The Hardwood Solution and The Solid Guide to Hardwood Furniture, as well as newspaper articles and editorial coverage in home magazines are designed to bolster interest in solid hardwood furniture.

By providing marketing support for retailers of solid U.S. hardwood furniture, the Program aims to stimulate sales. A 1986 Quest Consumer SurveY showed that 900/o of