PECKYCEDRR

holes. Specified widths and lengths up to 16'provide economies in both installation time and reduction in waste. When your customers demand "somethingout-of-the-ordinary", remember LamLoc Pecky Cedar. Call or write for full color literafure and samples. Ed Fountain Lumber Company, 6218 South Hooper Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90001, (213) 583-1381.

ED FOUNTAIN LUMBER COMPANY

ReviYals of Things Past

THIS BEING the last month of our 55th anI niversary vear in business. we think that on this page of our annual Business Forecast Issue it is appropriate to glance backward at what has happened. It often is as good a guide to the future as any.

Reviewing our first issues in 1922, when The Merchant began publishing, it was forcefully brought home to us that much which passes for the New Marvels of the 1970s is, in fact, a revival of things past. In our very first issue, volume one, number one, stories covered the increasing role of women in the lumber business (and in sales, at that) and the necessity for the dealer to reinforce the message that his was the place for the public to get home improvement items. P/r.ls sa change, plus c'est la meme chose, say the French, which means, of course, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

It can be comforting counsel, provided that the voyager into the future does not become complacent. We feel the thought that some things never change will serve us all well as we go into the 1980s, which are sure to bring confusing new trends, signals, fads and the like. It will likely be a time when a healthy appreciation for basics could prove invaluable.

Despite the surface changes, many things of real importance in business will not change. Price will always be a sales factor, but then price's importance can usually be modified and sometimes completely offset by service. Many dealers, who once feared the price cutting tactics of the mass merchandisers, have found that service enabled them to be more than competitive. A look around at the highly profitable independents today proves that the "new" trend of a decade ago was coped with quite nicely by an application of basics. We'll bet it will work just as well at some later point in time.

Human nature won't be changing in the future, only the different masks it wears from year to year. Determine the rock bottom of your busi ness and plan from there using common sense. It isn't likely to fail you either.

And to you all, our very warmest wishes for the season and the new year.

At this yeors end, we offer rrr rr.nnro.intion to Oll Of Our vu, vvY, vv customers who hove grown to expect only the finest product from us

Your demond for consistent ar rnlitrr nnr',| nr rr nlanjl6gfigpl tg YUVrrry vr rv vur vvL perfection hove mode us the notion's lorgest monufocturer of kiln-dried Pocific CoostAlder nnd Riei ler-rf N,4nnle And thOt Lvv' 'v'vY'r ,,^^"^^^,n^^+^^ ^lnuol \-lt tPr\J\-qt\lgr ilg\J \Jl nrndr rntinn nf 5fl-m1ll19n bOOfd vrvvuvrrvr rvr vv rrl feet hos been ochieved in just 40 yeors.

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