Western Home Genter Show folds

FTER three game tries, the or-

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of the Western Home Center & Building Supply Dealers Show have thrown in the towel and discontinued it. The final show, held September 19-21 in Anaheim, Ca., exhibited the fatal signs of decreasing attendance that had plagued the two earlier versions, also held in the Southern California city.

While attendance had been below expectations each year, that was perhaps the only negative associated with the exposition. Observers seemed uniform in their comments that the show was well organized, well run and a quality affair from start to finish. The show organizers, Vance Publishing Co., were seen to have done a thorough, professional job in conceiving and presenting the show. Why, exactly, it was not the success so many expected remains a mystery. John F. Berry, director of Vance's trade show division, commented that "apparently, it was an idea whose time hadn't come.tt

Showgoers, while meager in number, were generally positive in their comments, citing the manageable size, personal attention, seminars and the quality atmosphere. Exhibitors were less generous though, mainly faulting the lack of floor traffic.

The show's demise followed by one year the death of the Las Vegas hardware show, sponsored by Cahners Publishing Co., which gave up on the show after two tries.

Despite vigorous and costly preshow promotion, the extensive schedule of educational and informational seminars held in conjunction with the show were very lightly attended. Even the show booths with professional consultants offering free advice on business problems to those attending found few takers for their complimentary consultations.

The Western Home Center show is just one of a number of shows, both within and without this industry, that Vance Publishing produces. Their National Home Center Show, a large and successful venture for them, will be held in Chicago, March 9-12,1986.

TWo major speakers were part of the western show: Stanley Marcus, the renowned Texas department store impressario, and John Wooden, the record setting former basketball coach at the University of California at Los Angeles.

There were no brass bands greeting Stanley Marcus' speech opening the general session, but a local school band marching through the meeting hall in full living color and sound punctuated his final remarks.

"Satisfaction is the most important thing you sell," said the chairman emeritus of Neiman-Marcus Co., emphasizing that retailing may change, but a customer never will. With the dogma for which he is famous-the customer is always right; you educate people and train dogs and bears-he emphasized that the customer who is treated right will come back. "And the merchandise won't," he said.

Story at a Glance

Retailer show closes after three years attendance was sparse, but no firm conclusions as to why. . . well-run show's close is seen as an industry loss.

"A satisfied customer is the sound of music in retailing," he shouted as the band blasted home his point as it marched through the meeting hall to conclude his speech.

Coach Wooden's presentation was on success, which he defined as "peace of mind that you made the effort to do the best you can." As he outlined his "Pyramid to Success," the softspoken, grandfatherly basketball legend described it as having two cornerstones: industriousness and enthusiasm. The blocks within it include friendship, cooperation, loyalty, conditioning, skill, team spirit, poise and confidence. Competitive greatness, his topmost block on the pyramid, is bolstered on both sides by faith and patience.

A number of possible reasons for the close of the Western Home Center & Building Supply Dealers Show have been put forward by observers. These include too many shows, poor timing (too close in time to other shows), exhibitor weariness (financial and otherwise) and the high cost for dealers to attend. Some even blamed the California sunshine, observing that there are just too many things happening at any given time to draw a large crowd to any business show.

Whatever a final analysis concludes, many in the business feel that the need was there and that the industry is poorer by the death of the Western Home Center and Building Supply Dealers Show.

AT THE SH(M: (1) Bill Rooney, Dean Stoecker, Pete Prlain. (2) Kevin Strauch, Susan Wentz, John Huff. (3) Ross Eberhart, Bob Croy, Sheny Lewis, Gordon Lewis, David Milne. (4) Kathy Anderson, John DeCou, Jon Hesketh. (5) Don McCann, "Breezie" Cross. (6) Jim Basler, Stu Heath, John Snead. (7) Dorothy & John DeJong (8) Norma & Ray Stone. (9) Terry Campbell, Wayne Frish. (10) Martha & Bob Walzer. (11) Drew Sasser, Laurie Robertson, Bruce Whit- aker, Jim Farnham. (12) Peggy Eldredge, Wayne Karnoski. (13) Jim Carroll, Ken Gochenour. (14) Roger Roberts, Peter Reyneke. (15)JoAnn & Harv Dykstra, Rob Maple. (16) Bill Sullivan, Joe Schwallie. (17) Patricia Tynan, Dirk Etienne. (18) Mark Foster. (19)Jill Rolapp, Chuck Roelen. (20) Dick Matland, Diane Abrams. (21) Ron York, Bill Coady. (22) Bob Hutchings, Hank Krueger. (23) Keith Kincaid. (24) Doug Willis, Frank Purcell.