]IGEI DOORS come in 6populqr woods-

M.ng.t Doors come in si.r of the wodd's most Speaking of Gum, we do some very nice things beautiful cabinet woods-Gum, Gold Coast Cherry, with it. At a recent show, for example, a wellAfrican Mahogany, Oak, Walnut, Birch. And, known builder mistook one of our Gum doors for your pride and protection, all Mengel Doors for a much higher-priced wood-which we also (both hollow-core and solid-core) carry the stdk- make. It's pleasant to know our extra care is ing new doweled-in-the-stile 'Mengel-Man' trade- noticed by the right people.

matk-a quality symbol all America recognizes, Door Dept., The Mengel Co., Louisville 1, Ky.

It/,engel Doors equof or erceed the requirerne nls ol Burea.t of Standords rpecificotioDe CS2OO-55

ll become'Operotion Sell' in Fresno

Big Wesfern Porty Turns Prizes to Profits qf Villoge Home & Hcrrdwcrre Center Grond Opening

.A seve.n-piece western band, over $1,0^00 in door prizes, free refreshments and the general atmosphere 9j..q gooa nld western p-arty greeted the 3,000 Fresno-ites who attended the two day grind opening <if the Village Home & Hardware Center in Fresno, May 4 and 5.

The success of the opening can be attributed to ihe fact that there was nothing half-hearted about it. Profcssi.onal planning bV-!h.e Garehime Corporation, grand opening specialists, together with ideas from Sandy Stewart, merchandising manager for-the owneis, and in adeqirate budget-supplied by President Jim Gartin and Vice-President Chris Finson, guaranteed the success of the opening.

The people of Fresno, aroused beforehand by big double spreads in the Fresno Bee and numerous spot announcements over the local radio station, didn't just attend the opening to get something for nothing; they were folks genuinely interested in home improvements and new do-ityourself ideas.

The numerous displays and demonstrations manned by personnel from many of the leading national manufacturing concerns attracted men and women alike . . and a sales total of $51800 for the two-day opening speaks for itself !

In breaking down total sales, the owners noted that $4,2ffi was pre-cut fencing business-representing 21 fence jobs for an average of $20O each. Cash sales of $1,600 for the trvo-day opening included items such as 40 lawnmowers, three power mowers and 30 garbage cans. Grand openings can mean big business-or big ex-

Village Ffome & Hardware had a big business opening, the result of professional planning and forethought in staging the event.

Not just a lumberyard .ivith an auxiliary hardware de- partment, Village l{ome & }Iard.rvare is a do-it-yourself emporium in a strict sense of the s.ord. Less than 50,000 BM of lumber is carried in the yard.

From the ground up, the whole operation lvas developed as a one-stop shopping center {or any home improvement or maintenance need. Thousands of items ranging from garbage cans and lawnmowers to cement and fencing' are attractively displayed in the shou'room and yard. Showroom items are all individually priced and attractively displayed in clean modern display bins and racks designed to sell merchandise not to just hold merchandise, or dress up the showroom. A11 "island" displays are mov-

BUSY REGISTRATION DESK rook down more rhon 2500 nomes for the grond opening prize owcrds (lefi). Two homeowner curlom€r3 look over some of the pre.cuf fencing sryler cvoiloble ol fhe retqil ycrd , oll are full-size qnd disployedon movoble "stqnd - up" rocks. Roils cnd posts ore corried in rtock; fqce boards ore pre-cul occording lo style number dt Gortin Lumbcr Co. in Scn Moleo ond shipped to lhe Fre3no slore eoch Thursdoy evening. able, allou'ing a flexibility of merchandising and a continual "new look" to the sho.ivroom area.

All fixtures, displays, lighting and color sch€mes were planned and designed by the Garehime Corporation, San Francisco lumberyard display experts, working in conjunction with Gartin, Finson and Stewart, and Yard Manager Bob Webster and his assistant, Al McCubbin. The result is a showroom which displays a tremendous amount of diversified inventory, but at the same time gives an impression of spaciousness.

"Semi self-service is the key to a business of this type,"

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SOI/IETHING NEW hqs been odded or rhe Villoge yard-rhe oversizad "groccty Gsrts" ot lefi ollow self scrvicc cven with heovy or bulky itemr; the curtom-built cqrts will hondle items os lorge cs Cx8' plywood ponals. fhe photo ot right:howr rool disploy ql lhe naw yord; nole uniform lighling. All merchondise herc is disployed ond priced in such o monner thot it con bc pickcd up cnd excmined.

PARI OF THE CROWD which qlrcnded rhe Open House slrown in photoot lefi. Tha eye-cotching Volkswogen pickup ot right is cn cdvcrfising compoign in itself. Besidcs its low operoting coit, the "wcgon" ollows frec delivery reruice to the immediqte Fresno oreo.

IHE GARDEN FURNIIURE ond gym equipment depcrfmenl is shown in lhe shot af fhe lefi. Anolher scene of the grond opening croqd is shown ql rhe right. The cusiomcrs dronk free Cokes, dqnced western style cnd spent on impressive $5800 during fhe two-doy event. Finoncing on lcrger purchoses ot 1096 down is orronged fhrough Clovis bronch, Bonk of Americo.