'Golden-Rule' Policy Proves Pot o'Gold in Retoil Services of Pine Tree Lumber Compony Yqrds

"14 years ago we were 'fledglings' in the lumber and building materials business. We knew absolutely nothing about wood products, grades, sizes or uses. We had an insatiable desire to serve the inhabitants of the greater San Luis Rey Valley with their building problems and we felt there was a definite need for a retail lumber concern such as we desired to establish."

It was Warren Wexler, one of the three partners in the Pine Tree Lumber Company, reminiscing about the activities of one of the fastest-growing, most progressive lineyard operations in the southern end of the state of California.

Wexler, with his father-in-law, B. A. Sweet, and brother-in-law, William Wyland, are owners-operators-partners of the Pine Tree Enterprises with headquarters in Escondido.

It was early in 1946, at the close of World War II, when these ranchers decided there was room in their immediate community for a lumber yard that would offer the customer that 'little bit' of extra service, a wider selection, and above all practice the 'Golden Rule' in dealings with farmers, homeowners and contractor-builders. It was then they decided to establish the Pine Tree Lumber Company, using tl-reir family brand as trademark, to affirm without doubt their intention and integrity.

Since that date the 'Golden Rule' has been their guide to success, not onlv in the operation of their three retiil lumber yards, but also the Pine Tree Motor Lodge and Pine Tree Trailer Court, as well.

The E,scondido yard met with immediate success, and as the business grew so did the knowledge of lumber buying and selling of the principals. They practiced what they preached. The 'Golden Rule' customer - service policy paid off in a big way.

They stocked an unlimited inventory including complete species and grades of all lumber, interior and exterior wall surfacings, roofing, hardware, fencing, plywoods, paints, tools, wire, cemeni, pipe, power tools-and a small custom mill for immediate customer service. They also offered a plumbing and wiring service to the 'Do-It-Yourself' builder.

Anything and everything in order to aid the rancher, home builder and contractor in his problems. No service was too small or too large for this progressive group to offer their neighbors.

Todav. in addition to the Escondido plant, Pine Tree maintains line yards in Vista and Fallbrook. The Escondido yard is the 'hub' of the operation lolated on a four-acre site a[ 914 North Broadway. At this location five ware- feet of lumber.

One of the company trucks is oPerated on regular daily service to supply the other l,ocations with items ordered bv their Datrons but not carried in sfock. By this method a less-than-24- hour delivery is assured at all times.

It was in 1949 that Pine Tree established the first branch yard in Vista. Desiring to continue with the expan- sion program, the second retail yard was opened in Carlsbad but it was later sold along with the property in 1951. The year 1954 saw the successful launching of the Pine Tree Trailer Park, and one year later, 1955, the modern Pine Tree Lodge on Highway 395 was formally opened to serve the motoring public passing through Escondido. It was also in 1955 that this astute organization purchased the Hay- ward Lumber Company inventory in Fallbrook and movid io the present location one block from the center of town.

When the Wexler, Sweet, Wyland group started back in '46 it employed a total of four people, including themselves. Today their enterprises in the San Luis Rey area employ more than 50 experienced people and, the most important feature, furnish an annual payroll in excess of a quarter of a million dollars. Such an- industry is most important to the various iommunities served by this progressive organrzatlon.

The breakdown in distribution and customer service indicates 50/o larmer and grower, 25/o Do-It-Yourself trade and 25% contractor-builder in this fast growing area just 30, 40 and 50 miles, respectively, north of San Diego.

It requires the services of 25 units of mobile equipment to keep all three locations humming.

At Vista, which is managed by an eight-year veteran with the concern, Chas. Sutliff, it is necessary to stock approximately a half-million feet of lumber all the time to meet customer demand, along with hundreds of builders items.

The Fallbrook yard, under the cap- able management of Larry Keown, extends for one city block and offers a complete community and rural service to the ranchers, townfolks and farmers. The inventory at this location is complete in every detail. However, both locations are within less than an hour from the main oDeration in Escondido. where everything from soup to nuts is made available to the trade.

"A business founded on a sound orinciple such as ours shorrld meet witll success," said Bill Wyland. And during the two hours spent at the Escondido yard by the CLM representative, more than 25 'droo-in' clients were handled, along with the loading and unloading of volume outgoing and incoming trucks, to prove his point.

Any business that is successful must have a "spelled-out" policy and we list the Wexler-Wyland formula :

First-these two young men feel an honest customer-service relationshio rrrust be maintained at all times. Sefond-an unlimited inventory and the ability to fill all orders piomptly is next in importance, along with the desire to meet all unusual situations with a smile. And last, but not least, practice the Golden Rule, not only in theory but also by action every day.

According to this merchant team, it is also necessary to keep abreast of changing trends, keep up advertising through local newspapers, radio, theater slides and direct mail.

"It really all adds up to honest dealing, stocking new items when requested, and maintaining the largest, most complete inventory to be found in the area," said Warren Wexler.

It goes without saying the two boys have learned the lumber business from the grour-rd up, and Mr. Sweet, being the manager and public relations director of the motel and trailer court, has also learned all about the traveling public ; in particular those that stop in Escondido. From where we stand, the Pine Tree group is truly a service illSt1tUtl0n.

"And we 'plow' all profits back into the business so we can grow with the communities we serve and assure our employes their security," they said.

Some wag has recently suggested that at the rate we are progressing we will soon be able to fly around the world in two hours: one hour to fly, the other to get to the airport. ***

A philosopher is not one who wants millions, but an answer to his questions.

And the practical cynic says that the strongest argument against Nudism is-no pockets. {<

"How many people," asked Madame de Fontaine, "would be mute if they were forbidden to speak well of themselves, and ill of others?" * {. i<

"The darkest hour in any man's life," said florace Greeley, "is when he sits down to plan how to get something for nothing." **t

I{orace Grebley once asked his close friend Robert Ingersoll, who was a noted agnostic, what he would do to improve creation if he had the power and authority, and Ingersoll promptly replied that the first thing he would do would be to make health contagious instead of disease.

Voltaire said that "Hirioryl" nJanrrr* more than a picture of crime and misfortune," t(**

Every time a man uses either his brain or his courage he strengthensthem. * * {<

No one ever achieved fame by affectation. All true greatness is earmarked by simplicity. You must sit by the fireside of the heart. Above the clouds, it is too cold.

It has been well said that a man is a good deal like an automobile. You can't tell how much gas he's got in his tank by the sound of his horn, nor the horsepower under his hood by the noise of his exhaust. There is usually the most noise where there is the least quality. {<*.*

Rome used to give her soldiers a daily ration of salt as a part of their pay. "Sal" is salt, and when the salt was com-

BY JACK DIONNE

puted in terms of money, it was called "Salarium," or salt money. Thus we get the word "salary." The term "not worth his salt" came from Roman days, and meant something definite.

Will Durant said: than they can learn."

"Woe to him who teaches men faster

"In every man," said Emerson, "there is something wherein I may learn of ntfl, "lU in that I am his pupil."

"You cannot put a great hope into a small soul," said J. L. Jones.

The only truly successful the legal tender of the soul.

;." i, the happy man. Joy is

"We live in a land of abounding quackeries, and if we do not learn how to laugh, we succumb to the melancholy disease which afflicts the race of viewers-with-alarm."

-H. L. Mencken.

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"The human race is just not constituted to stand uninterrupted prosperity. It takes only a few prosperous years to make men and women careless, vain and extravagant; it makes them neglect their homes and their churches."

-C. W. Barron.

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The following words of Lincoln have been printed numerable times but they never wear thin:

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift; you cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong; you cannot help the wage-earner by pulling down the wagepayer; you cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred; you cannot help the poor by destroying the rich; you cannot establish sound security on borrowed money; you cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn; you cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence; you cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."