LounsberrST et Harris Gelebrate Golden Anniversary in Retail Tards

George IOUNSBERRY

Way back in 1904, Frank Lounsberry started out from Boulder, Colorado, and decided Los Angeles was just the place to establish his retail lumberyard. This was the beginning of one of the pioneer lumber concer.ns of Southern California. Soon the enterprise was growing beyond the ability of one man to manage properly, and Frank sent word to his good friend Walter J. Harris, who was in the lumber business back in Boulder, to follow the advice of Horace Greeley and come west. Walter arrived early in 1905 and, on June 8 of that year, the firm of Lounsberry and Harris was established on the corner of what is now 29th and San Pedro Streets. Frank Lounsberry, his son George, and Walter Harris made up the "working stafi" which included sales, yard operation and delivery.

"In those days it wasn't a one-horse yard, because we couldn't afford the horse," declared Mr. Harris. "But, believe me, in about six months we were definitely a one-horse and a one-mule operation with a total of eight employes," he continued.

During the following years this progressive organization enjoyed a steady growth. Seven branch yards were established throughout Los Angeles, fnglewood and Hollywood to service the homeowner and builder. The control concentration plant and general offices rvere moved to 3132 San Fernando Road in Los Angeles and a remanufacturing planing mill was constructed to ofter a complete service.

Today Lounsberry and Harris operates two modern retail yards. The San Fernando Road location has grown to ir si\ iIcrc, ;r'll-p:Lvet1 1'lrrtl rvith I'i url(1cr c()\-er sl()raS-c shetls rrrrrl thc cotrrlrltrt-r' rrtill. ( )r cr 1.10 tllll)l()-\'cs [Irt ()11 thc par-roll it1)(l it c()1rrl)lctc lirrc oi:r1l spccies o[ ]rtrl'r1rer-. lrrtilrline' nr:rttri:tls :rrrr1 h:trrlu:tt-c arc c:Lrrierl itt stocli. ltl 'rrrltr to kcclr p:rcc n'ith thc opcr:tti,rr it rctlttircs 10 <1clir-erv tntcks,;t 12-clrr sl)11r, t\\'() lrlalrirlv nlills arlrl cix rtltits oi Inobilc ,\'ilrd c(llliJ)lllctrt' '['1lc c()l]ll)illl\' ('l)erlltcs 11 urlits oi ruill rn:rt'hinerl at llrc l,os.\rtgeics lrlalrt;trr11 cight in Ilollr'rvood to lieclr :tlrrelLst oi tlrc,,rrlt'r tlep;tt-111)ellts.

'l'hc thirrl gcrlerati( irr oI t]re Lorttrslrerrt' Ianril-r'. (' rvcrrctl-t l,ounslie rr,r' l,ttrrrlr-, is e trtlrlo-r'c<1 :Lt thc gcncr:tl r,1tce lLllrl hcr httslr;rrrcl, 1.|;Lr11" is lrresclltl.r le:trrlitlg the lrttsirless ir.t'tt thc "tre c 11l)" lit the llollr'n'oo<l plltrrt. llc has sctll ser\'1ce in cver\- (lc1):rrtlncnt oI thc org;tllizlttiotr. lts hlLvc iLll trtctlrlrers of tlrc H:rrris iiLrrril-r'.

Lounslrcrrt' :rrrtl ll:trris slrccializc irt ftrrnishirrg llttlrlrer :u.r<1 rLll brriltling nrrtteri:Ll-s to c( )ntractors atttl lrr-lilrlcrs. 'l-his c()11cer1r. ()nc otlt oi a l'rrrllclrctl irl Sotrtllerrr ('lLlifrinlilt. rl0cs not l)articularlv clttcr to t1'rc 11,,-it-1-ottrseli trlLtlc.

"'l'his is lnttinlv a m:ttter,rI serlicc," s:tit1 Bolr tlarris. "\\tc lrelievc \\-e citrl r1o:L lrettcr jttlr fr.,r thc:Lrcllilect alrtl contrllCtor lr,v beirrg specialists irt fr.lrtlisl-ring cx:tctlv the nrlt- tcrirLl calletl ior irr cttch 1)ltrticul:tr casc. Ottr,,rglttlizlttiotl' t() a llr;rn. is tr:rir-rcrl 1o gilc this tr-1rc of scrvicc lor clcrr- jo1r.

"It is our thought you cannot service tvro types of business that more or less compete, and maintain the goodwill of both. For over 50 years we have been furnishing lumber and materials to builders, and this is our purpose now," he declared.

In rLrlrlitic.,n to thc c()nlplcte retitil tlI)e l-ittion. l-()tlllsl)e rr\arrrl H:Lrris also furrrisltes ltttttlter iltt(l tillll)ers ,,tr lt rt hriles:rlc lrasis 1o rctltil tlcltlcrs throughout Sorttllcrtr ('aliiorrria. 'l'his lrrogressi vc c()rrcern hlrs thc ltreit:t11(1 ilLcilitics trl lurrrtlle this tvpc of brtsincss ltttrl tttlittr- retltilcrs tlelretlcl ttpon thc conrlrlete invcntot-\' nritirrtaitre<1 lrv l-otttlslrerrr- :tllc-l tl:rrris for l-rard t()-pr()crlre itcttrs. "\\'e tl,, not solicit sltlcs at thc l'holesalc lcvel lrtrt ior n't:Lttt- \'c:trs \\'c har-c lrcetl t:Ll<ing c:rre rif otrr rct:Lil iricnrls in thc in<lrtstrr-lrr- shilrpillgl L.('.1,.:rn<l carlrxrrl 1ots." s[Ii(l 5tt1:rrt FI lr llir. tt'tiLsttrel-. Se ve ral vcrtrs rtg() it u';Ls hartl to olrtttin l)r()pcr tttlLtcrilLls ( ('t.'ntintrecl on I'age 50)