Competitors Busy As Builders Emporium Winds Down

As shelves grow bare at Builders Emporium stores, making the stores look more like swap meets than home centefs during their final month, competitors are seeing noticeable increases in customer counts and cash sales.

Meanwhile, BE and the two liqui dating agents assigned to handle the sale of the real estate continue seeking someone who migbt want to take over one, two - or 50 - stores. The company owns about 20Vo of its 97 western state stores, and must rework the leases for the remainder.

Builders Discount, Los Angeles, Ca., which just emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after scaling back from five locations to one. is interested in as many as six BE sites. "There's definitely been active pursuit," said spokesman Jeff McKenzie. "They've got some good locations. But I've heard they're more interested in a buyer for like 50 stores rather than a few."

Nieman Reed Lumber Co., Van Nuys, Ca., considers other BE locations would be perfect complements to its similarly sized Califomia Do-it

Center and Lumber City stores.

"Some of their locations interest us and we're already poised for expansion," said Ed Langley. "But negotiations would take some time. It seems like they're more concerne.d with liquidating right now."

Five San Diego, Ca., BE units are in tle territory of Dixieline Lumber, where business is "definitely increasing." The chain has expressed some interest in a few of the soon-to-beshuttered stofes.

Though Barr Lumber, Los Alamitos, Ca., is not interested in acquiring any BE locations, they circulated a flyer inviting Builders Emporium customers to shop Barr, and retail business is up.

Experts are at odds on how difficult it will be to sell the stores or find new tenants for the leased sites.

"Those spaces are going to stay vacant for a while," said one agent, who noted the buildings are designed like warehouses yet average only 35,000 sq. ft., so are too small to house the larger home improvement and discount centers.

Others say large existing spaces in proven retail areas in the Los Angeles market can be difficult to frnd, so the

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Fremont specializes in a large inventory of high quality Douglas fir boards, dimension, long lengths and timbers shipped from selecr mills in British Columbia, Oregon and California. We &r€ con. stantly adding to our selection of western red cedar, pine, hemlock and white fir. Other species and specialty items are inventoried and included in our weekl y flyer sent to all Fremont customers.

Jln Larman bas been named sales mgr. at Kelly-Wright Hardwood Co., Placentia, Ca.

Jennlfer Spellman Grant is new to the order desk at Spellman Hardwoods, Phoenix, Az., reports Jlm Spellman.

Tom Mullin, pres., The Terry Companies, Tarzana, Ca., was a speaker at the Al1 Australia Timber Congress, Melbourne, Australia.

Jlm \ilooley, Barnett Lumber, Denver, Co., has been named Lumberman of the Year by W.O.O.D.,Inc.

Toni Faulk has joined Dimensions, Inc., Salt Lake City, Ut., as director of client services & mktg. coordinator, reports Randy Farls.

Ivens Robinson, pres., Robinson Lumber Co., New Orleans, La., and Jim Summerlin, v.p. of their Asian div., Los Angeles, Ca., are on an Asian business trip.

Brlan Olhlser. 19. Mead Clark Lumber Co., Santa Rosa, Ca., is recovering nicely after severing two fingers and seriously injuring his wrist and arm while using a 30" pop-up saw. He's the son of Marty Olhlser, Capital Lumber Co., Healdsburg, Ca.

John Newell is new to Contact International. Podland. Or.

Joe Bowman, Bowman Lumber Sales, Cloverdale, Ca., celebrated 47 years of motorcycling with a 1,500 mile Oregon-Califomia vacation ride.

Susan Ponce is the new sales mgr. for Wyoming Sawmills, Sheridan, Wy. John Santo is sales mgr. Blue Mesa Forest Products, Montrose, Co. Allied Forest Products, Portland, Or., previously handled sales for both mills.

Sam Keator is now handling outside sales from Tualatin, Or., for Agwood Mill & Lumber. Ukiah. Ca.

Don Massett, formerly of Fibreboard, bas joined Goodyear Nelson Plywood Corp.,as sales mgr. for Mount Baker Plywood, Bellingham, Wa. Phll Austin is now operations mgr. for Mt. Baker.

Dan Rue, Mid-Pacific Trading Co., Inc., Rancho Cordova, Ca., was recently in Brazil on co. business.

Lynda Lyda, Wa. and Or. sales rep, Stanley Tools, has been named the co.'s Retail Salesperson of the Year.

Bruce Kelly has joined the sales team at Mesa Forest Products, Costa Mesa, Ca., according to pres. Dave Buf6.

Curtls Allen has joined the sales staff of Timber Products Sales Co., Springfield, Or., heading the t-a. div.

Tom Ryberg, J.T. Custom Millwork, Woodinville, Wa., bas been appointed to the Architectural Woodwork Institute board of directors.

Jlm Wooley, Barnett Lumber, Denver, Co., has been named Lumberman of the Year by W.O.O.D., Inc.

Robert West has joined Sierra Pacific Industries, Redding, Ca., handling lumber purchasing and pole sales.

Ray Ogden, Lumber hoducts, Boise, Id., has been promoted to asst. mgr.

Mike Douse is now in outside sales at RW Specialties, Commerce City, Co. Dan Moeller is Heatilator specialist, and John P. Morrisroe, Tyvek specialist.

Jack Harpe, timber sizer planeruran, Harwood Products, Branscomb, Ca., has retired after 37 years with the co. Gene Brown-Gamble, son of Willits office mgr. Ruby Gamble and forester Jlm Gamble, received the 1993 Willits Harwood Scholarship.

Davld Ponts has joined Morgan Creek Forest Products, Santa Rosa, Ca., in sales, according to Gary Malfatti.

Larry Henderson, gen. mgr., Boise Cascade's laminated veneer lumber div., Boise, Id., will keynote the International Panel & Engineered-Wood Technology Exposition Oct. 19 in Atlanta.

Mlke Long, Precision Mill & Lumber Co., Burbank, Ca., was recently in Oregon on business.

George Little, Union Planing Mill, Sacramento, Ca., wife, Mignon, and daughter Marilyn are back from a San Francisco/Santa Cruz vacation. Little's other daughter Marnye, and her husband, Britt Elliott, are the parents of Ian Keith Elliott, bom July 15, 1993.

Frank and Tom Quattrocchi, Evergreen Lumber & Molding, Orange, Ca., vacationed recently in Coeur d'Alene, Id.

Todd Pollard, Gemini Forest Products, Los Alamitos, Ca., recently vacationed in the Sacrarnento Delta.

Wllllam E. Patterson, pres., HomeBase, Inc., Fullerton, Ca., received the City of Hope's 1993 Spirit of Life Award.

Jim Wilson, WTD Industries, Portland, Or.. has assumed the duties of former v.p.-timber supply Jerry Brodie, now with the Campbell Group, Portland.

Don Bodemann is a new counter salesman at Home Lumber & Supply, Littleton, Co. Nancy Moen is now bookkeeper.

Mark Lewis has been named pres. of Woodfold-Marco Mfg., Inc., Forest Grove, Or. Randy Roedl is v.p.-sales & nktg., and John Doran, sec./treas. Former pres. John Marontate, v.p. Roger Pellow and sec-/treas. Barbara Marontate remain directors.

Norman Riviere is handling hardwood and softwood imports and exports for Collins Resources International Ltd., Portland, Or.'

Jeff Enright, Penberthy Lumber Co., Carson, Ca., took a two week sawmill trip en route to Dallas. Tx.. for the National Hardwood Lumber Association convention.

Shawn Regnler, daughter of 3-C Trucking, Long Beach, Ca., pres. Shelley Branham, was sponsored by Continental Forest Products, Lake Oswego, Or., at the Stanford University Invitational Cross Counky Meet Oct. 2.

Michael E. Wood is the new plant mgr. for Henry Co.'s coatings div., Huntington Park, Ca. Chuck Harget is now director of management information systems.

Don Gregson, Capital Lumber, Chino, Ca., was elected pres. of the Inland Empire Hoo-Hoo Club, succeeding Ron Robbins, Robbins Lumber, Fontana. The new v.p. is Rick Deen, Nichols Lumber, Baldwin Park: sec. Pat McCumber, Rim Forest Lumber, Rirn Forest; treas. David Tait, Nichols Lumber, and directors Bob Hallak, Mike McClaury and Mike Nicholson.

Anne Briehl, advertising & mktg. supervisor, PGL Bui.lding Products, Auburn, Wa., and her husband, Doug, are the proud parents of 6 lb., 14 oz. Lucas Miles Briehl, born Sept. l7,1993.

T. Marshall Hahn, Jr., chairman, Georgia-Pacific Corp., Atlanta, Ga., was presented the 1993 Vision for America Award by Keep America Beautiful Inc.

Skip Greg, retired pres., Lane Stanton Vance Lumber Co., Industry, Ca., and his wife, Jean, hosted a 25th wedding anniversary bash for nearly 40.

James A. Culbertson is now v.p.-mktg. for Celotex's building products div.

Suzanne Penegor, formerly in sales at Seneca Sawmill Co., Eugene, Or., has joined her husband's log and lumber tlucking firm, David Penegor Inc., Eugene.

Bruce Dan Beaton, former N.F.L. linebacker, is now doing ad spots for Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.