Dealer's Profitable Sideline Seli Fencesl

T)EALERS LOOKING FOR a profrtable -u sideline to fill the gaps between busy periods could well follow the lead of a heads-up southern California retailer who seems to have found sn 4nsr r41-\a/ood fences.

"We didn't mean to get into the fencing business, but the demand was so great we just couldn't help it," mused Bill Cofiey, bossman at Lumber Land, fast-becoming headquarters for the do-it-yourself trade in burgeoning Huntington Beach, Calif.

During the peak season in the summer, Lumber Land moves more than a truck and trailer load of wood fencing materials per day. One day, in fact, the yard sold more than a carload of fences.

When owner Cofiey saw how he could expand his operation by ofiering installation services, he applied for and got a contractor's license. He now has two trucks

(Continued on Page 76) the f,-Use labels or placards on your jobs while they're under eonstruction.

These suggestions from the California Redwood Association can help you in expanding your sales of fences and fencing materials.

| -Srr"L full-scale sections of several fence styles.

They could even be a part of your property fence, so long as they are in a place where they can be used to help customers choose the type of fence he wants.

2-Display fences should be priced.

This way the customer can determine just how much a six-or eightfoot section of a selected fence style will cost, either installed, if the dealer offers that service, or pre-cut if that is the way it is to be sold.

3-Post a chart which illustrates basie fence designs which you can supply.

These, too, should be priced for the customer's information. In addition to standard fence designs, the dealer should provide for the fact that many homeowners want, and are willing to pay for, a custom fence designed to their own particular needs. The dealer should have idea booklets, slides with a viewer, and other photographs or illustrations which show custom designs that the customer can select. The dealer can then do a material and labor take-off and estimate the cost of the custom fence.

4-C^rrya stock of fence material in inventory.

This way you won't lose a sale to a more far-sighted competitor across town.

5-Make use of advertising aids to bring customers to Your store.

CRA ofiers free newspaper ad mats and other promotion materials to help you in preparing advertising. Several wholesalers of fencing materials (Union Lumber Co., Tarter, Webster & Johnson and McCormick and Baxter for example) also ofier literature and promotion aids that will bring inquiries and help you close the sale.

Nothing sells fencing like a fence going up next door.

COVERS THE MARKETS OF THE w-ORLD

fo, d,omest'ic and, all ryecbt and, a moderv, custom milling facilitics yrd, ryitb cornPlete inamtory

Sugar & Ponderosa Pine

Old-Growth Douglas Fir . Alaskan Yellow Cedar Wbolesale Onb!

Lumber, Hardware And Sruff

66THE Dll\ (:REEK l3,,rs." Keirh Jio.s r arrd Kerr (llrr.trrut lo lre nrore spelilir'. recently transformecl their Aulrurn Boulrvard 1'ard in East Sucramerrlo into a complete one-stop cent('r.

'lhe new 10,000 sq. ft. store and oflice building wa,s c'ompleted during early October along with two ncw tilt slab warehouses with an exc:t'ss of 15.000 sq. ft. o[ ttntlt'r, oter slorage. lrr fu.t. o'lr- llre or.igirrll small stort'and I sr.r.lion oI slr*,1 along tht' south border of the property rt'main. The yarr{ has bt'err completell' regraded and for all practical purposes vou rrav as lvell cnll this a brantl-nerv 1.ard.

"The l)rv Cret'k Boys-Lrrmlrer, Hardl'are & Stuff" has become a familiar sloearr with householders in the Sacramento resion through an ext'r'ptionally' sur.t.essful advertising campaign in the lot,al papers. This catchr- phrase adorns all thrce yards operated lry Ross and Chestrrut. Beside,. the rtelv yarrl at ,1515 Auburn l3oulcr.ard" thel operato retail iruilding matcrial outlets at 5704 llio Linda lilrlcvard. Rio I-inda, and at 71:ll Stockton Roulevard, Sacramento. Headquarters are presently maintained at the Ilio Linda vard. but Hill soon be moved to the Aulrrrrn Bouler,ard yard.

BIG NEW AUBURN BLVD. store (top left) has 10.000 sq. ft. of display, office and backup stock area. Two new tilt slab warehouses at rear are completely sprinklered.0nly small store (left) remains bf old yard. Note rotating sign which identifies all three yards.Owners Chesnut and Ross decided uoon tilt slab construction with a sprinkling system because 0t savrngs 0n Insurance and maintenance. Jim Can- eld (top center) manager of the 4545 Auburn Blvd. yard. This is the 7431 Stockton Blvd. yard (top right) or as the sign says, "Southside Lumber, Hardware & Stuff." lt was virtually impossible to get a clear shot through the new store, but center left picture will give you an idea of the merchandise therein. That "Buckets of Values" display was a new one on us. View from opposite end of new store (center right). Merchandise, merchandise, all price tagged by the way. John Jennings (lower left) is manager of this yard, on the right Sam Alcorn, assistant manager. Next, Keith Ross, co-owner with Ken Chestnut in all three Dry Creek yards. 0ur apologies to Ken, but we just couldn't run him down for a oicture. This is Bud Geiger (lower right) manager of the Dry Creek yard at 5704 Rio Linda Blvd., Rio Linda.

To all our in the we sincerely wish a most he opener is a "Do-it yourself" pancling prorroiion that for instruction booklets and rnaterials for each project-beells B' x 12' paneling kits you pull fronr your inventory, .. ginning with paneling in February, very board, every nail a customer needs to panel a wall for Plan your nrerchandis ng now to take advantage of color{ul, 50 or less. sales-leadrng booklets, invoice stuffers anC free newspaper - After that come speciflc promotions on such subjects as advertising mats.

If you sell lumber, get ready.

Vestern Wood Products Association is sending you thc kick-off kit for a nerl' series of omplete advertising and merchandising promotions to helpI'ou sell Western lumber.

Vood Decks, Storage Walls, Framing Lunrber, Mouldings and Each promotion, of course, lnvolves related iterls. keeps ences, Each promotion will be backed by powerful advertis- your inventory moving. _rg, Consumers will be alerted through full-color adver-sements in magazines such as Better Homes & Gardens, lome Modernizing Guide, aad American Home; do-iIourself customers rvill be inviied directlv to vour store

A Merchandising Kit is on its way to your yard now. Use it to plan your tie-in, Sarncles of sales aids and order form rncluded. For an extra kit, write,