NEWS BRIEFS

Retailers

F o xw o rt h- GaIb rait h Lurnb e r closed its Coolidge, Az., yard

BMC West agreed to purchase Pioneer Door Siles,Ogdeh, Ut. ...

Kasne r's Hardtvare, Riverside, Ca., is closing after l7 years, blarning the scheduled May arrival of a new Home Depoti pieparing for the competiti6n,'div6rsidE County Lumber Co. is "fine-tuning" its business

Tool Craz.y, Elko, Nv., has moved to a larger, 5,000-sq. ft. building which owners William and Christine Hensley hope later to purchase; the business also has begun leasing equipment ...

All American Home Center, Downey, Ca., is increasing its nursery by a third in preparition for the 105,7@-sq. tt. Honb Denot with ?4JAZ"sq. ft. garden centei to open nert door nextmonth

Milwaukie Lumber, Milwaukie, Or., has opened a second location, Pacific Lumber Co., in the former Ziggyk, Vancouver, Wa., to handle overflow contractor business from its Milwaukie yard; owner Steve Morse hopes fo buy the S-acre Vancouver site with 46,0ffi-sq. ft. warenouse next year

Home Depot is buildins a 158,400-sq. ft. OC in FremSnt, Ca.; plans a 105,185-sq. ft. store with 23,436-sq. ft. nursery for 10.7 acres in Garden Grove, Ca.; has submitted plans for a 107,000-sq. ft. store with 24,000,sq.ft. gardeir center on the l9-acre former Grosstnan's site in Santa Rosa. Ca; is reworking its much-protested plans for a Wamer Cenier unit in Woodland Hills, Ca.; is nesotiating to buy 20 adjacent parclls of land in Bellingham, Wa.,-for a new store, and hopes to co-anchor a rebu:ilt Fashion Island Shoppins Center in San Mateon Ca ... - - fugbliry Valtey Builders Suppty acquired Bend Roof Truss, B'e;d, Or., and will convert it to the Do-it Express format for its l lth store

Ace Hardware, Bannins. Ca.. has added a larger, 30,0001sq. ft. Ace Home Center on 2.5 acres in Beaumont, Ca.; Tom Kantzallis, co-owner and gen. mgr. ...

Pan Lwnber, Hillsboro, Or., is building store #12 in Newberq, Or., and added a kitchen cabinEt and appliance showroom in Greshanr, Or.

Hardware Wholesalers Inc. has formed an industriaVcommercial div., InCorn Distributor Suppty ...

Wholesalers & Manufacturers

I-andmark Forest Products, San Bernardino, Ca., has chaneed its name to Landmark Bulldins Products and will add warehousei in Boise, Id.; Salt Lake Citv. Ut.. and Denver, Co., by early lg97 ...'

FuIImer Lumber Co., Donald, Or., has opened a So. Ca. DC in Fontana; Hal Smith, gen. mgr.

Redwoad Empire opened a sales office/DC in Pcirtlandl Or., headed by sales mgr. Pete Reyneke, former v.p., Miller Redwood

Capital Lumber purchased 8.3 acres in Adams County. Co.. to relocate its Denver, Co.,-operaiion by Feb.; the $2+ million in planned improvements include a 36000-sq. ft., fully enclosed warehouse-, 3,@0-sq. ft. office, rail sidins and paved yird anO rail siding "

Plywood & Lumher Sales, Inc., opened DC #3 in San Jose, Ca., M.G. Gutierrez, mgr.; Ed Sanderson and Mario Taormina sales

Cascade Empire, Portland, Or., is now the exclusive sales agent for Cascade Mountain Resiurces. Wellington, Ut.; Dave Maxwell, ex-Modoc Istmber, sales

Carter Holt Harvey relocated its U.S. office to Tigard, Or.

Dependable Roofing,Indio, Ca., was acquired by Cameron Ashlev Building Products, Inc.

Wllamette Industries witl beein a multi-million dollar moderniZation of its Coburg, Or., sawmill in the spring to hike productivity and efficiency in using small logs

Stimson Lumber Co., portland. Or., has agreed to buy 107,000 acres of timberland in Wa. and Id. and the Arden, Wa., pine board mill from Plum Creik Timber. Seattle, Wa., for $150 million

FibreForm Wood Productr. Los Angeles, Ca., will build pine moulding plants in Mexico, Texas and California by early lggT

Newport Land & Timber, Toledo, Or., was awarded $15.4 million in a breach of contract lawsuit, centering on claims that Georgia-Pacfic promised to provide it with a steady flow of l,oss. then cut off the supplv when-ii became interested in' purchasins the small Oregon sawmill ...

Pacffic Lumber Co. 's planned salvage logging of the Headwaters Forest has provoked weekly demonstrations since more than 1,000 people were arrested for civil disobedience Sept. 15 at Palco's Carlotta, Ca., milf...

Universal Forest Products has acquired Hi-Tek Forest Products, Inc., with facilities in Boise. Id.: Bend, Or., and Corona, Ca., from Alpine Engineered Products ...

Cabot Stains is buildine a 31,@0-sq. ft. warehouse in Un"ion City, Ca., to relocate its Western Div. Hq. from Hayward, Ca.

Performance Coatings Inc., Ukiah, recently held its first Penofin Distributor conference

Chicag o M ercantile Exch^anse has begun trading OSB futures ..1

Housing starts in Sept. (latest figs.) fell 6Vo to a seasonallv adjusted annual rate of 1.438 mil-lion, Ied by a I3.37o plunee in the West single famiti starts plunged nearly 9Vo ... buildine permits, which have fallen in fivE of the last six months, dropped 2.9Vo year-to-date starti-are l0.lTo ahead of last year's totals.

Ernst Closing 7 More Stores

Within the next three months, Ernst Home Centers will close seven of its newer units, pulling entirely out of Nevada and leaving the chain with 53 stores in eight western states.

A liquidation firm has taken over operation of the stores in Twin Falls and Lewiston, Id.; Helena, Mt.; St. George, Ut.; Carson CitY and SParks, Nv.. and Grand Junction, Co.

"Basically, we took a hard look at the stores we had, and we oPted to close seven stores down to refunnel and refocus our caPital to a core group of stores that have historically been profitable and successful," said Jim Fox, v.p.-mktg' and advertising'

Since filing for ChaPter 1l bankruptcy protection, the 1O3-year-old Seittle, Wa.-based chain has closed 25 other locations (see Aug., p. 24)'

New Site For Marson & Marson

Marson and Marson Lumber, Leavenworth, Wa., has found a larger 8,3-acre site in nearby Peshastin, Wa., for its "overworked" yard and truss plant.

Site clearing will begin next fall, with construction of the truss plant to start in the sPring of 1998. The roomier location will allow the company to modernize its truss operations.

According to Ken Marson, "Eventually, the plan is to locate the lumberyard and possibly the hardware store there. There is no timeline for that, however."

Meeks MaY SwaP Tahoe Site

Meeks Building Centers, Sacramento, Ca., rePortedlY has agreed to move its South Lake Tahoe, Ca', lumber yard to provide visitors with an unobscured view of the lake.

According to the agreement in principle, signed bY Bill Meek, the company would swap its property for a sitl two miles awaY owned bY the California Tahoe Conservation Agency and an adjoining lot owned by the city.

Although timing and financing for the proposed move have not been determined, the deal caps months of negotiations. "The lumber yard has ev-ry right to be there, but it blocks a spectacular view of the lake and is right on the edge of a stream area which would never have been built on under modern regulations," said Jim Baetge, executive director of the Tahoe Regional Planning AgencY.

Quality Wood Suppty

L-istings are often submitted months in advance, Always verify dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend,

November

U.S. Department of Agriculture - Nov. 12-13, wood frame housing construction seminar, Sofia, Bulgaria; (202) 690_lg5g.

fnternational Panel & Engineered Wood Technology Exposition - Nov. t2-14, Atlmta, Ga.; (415) 905-Z4lg.

Lumber Association of Southern California - Nov. 14-16, annual management conference, Indian Wells Resort, Indian Wells, Ca.; (619) 564-3312.

Pacilic Logging Congress - Nov. 14-17, annual meeting, Hyatt Regency, Maui, Hi.; (503) 224-8406.

American Lumber Standard Committee - Nov. 15, annual meeting, Marriott's Grand Hotel, Mobile, Al.; (301) 972_1700.

Remodeler's Show - Nov. 15.17, Indiana Convention Center. Indianapolis, ln; (202) 86 I -2 I 08.

U.S. Green Building Council - Nov. 17-19, Loews Coronado Bay Resort, San Diego, Ca.; (619) 535-0050.

Dimensions - Nov. 1E-19, computer training class, Denver, Co.; (800) 648-5065.

China Building'96 - Nov. 19-22, building marerials, equipment _ & technology expo, China World Trade Centre, Beijing, ihina.

International Mass Retail Assn. - Nov.20-22, stoie planning, design & merchandising expo, Orlando, Fl.; (703) g4i_2300. -

Phoenix Hoo-Hoo Club - Nov. 21, golf, Scottsdale Country club, Scottsdale, Az.; (602) 833-8901.

Canadian Home Centre Show - Nov. 24-25, building marerials & hardware show, Toronto, Ontario; (416) 362-2550.

December

Dimensions - Dec. 4-6, accounting computer training class, Denver, Co.; (800) 648-5065.

North American Wood Products Market Conference - Dec. 46, Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver, B.C.; (604) 443-SOg7.

San Diego Hoo-Hoo CIub - Dec. 5, initiation, San Diego, Ca.; (619) 298-07 r7

W.O.O.D., Inc. - Dec. 5, end-of-year celebration, Marlowe's, Denver, Co.; (303) 779-8839.

Portland Wholesale Lumber Association - Dec. 6. Christmas party, Red Lion Inn-Jantzen Beach, portland, Or.

Sacramento Area Wholesalers - Dec. 6, holiday lunch, Red Lion Sacramento Inn, Sacramento, Ca.; (916)736-3353.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman's Club - Dec. Z. Chrisr mas party, The Castaway's, Burbank, Ca.

National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Assn. - Dec. 7-g. annual meeting, Peabody Hotel, Memphis, Tn.; (901) 526-5016.

Dimensions - Dec. 11-12, computer training class, phoenix, Az.; (800) 648-506s

Phoenix Hoo-Hoo Club - Dec. 20, golf, Western Skies Golf Resort, Phoenix, Az.; (602) 833-890 l.

January

Servistar - Jan. 5-8, lumber market, Orlando, Fl.; (a12) 293-4567.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association - Jan. 5-10. management institute, Richmond, Va.; (800) 527_9259.

Cotter & Co. - J"tt. 13-14, winter lumber market. Omni Rosen Hotel, Orlando, Ft.; (7 7 3) 695-5000.

Ilumboldt Hoo-Hoo Club - Jan. 16, crab feed, Eureka Inn. Eureka. Ca.