Sterling's Expqnsion Progrqm continuesi Chqpter "Mountqin view" Retoil Yord Works Both Sides of the Troct

Sterling Lumber Company, California's thircl largest lumberyard chain operation, continues its yard moclernization and expansion program with the completion of an extensive renovation at its Moturtain View yard in Iune. The remodeling job ir-rcludecl a shou,room expansion *i-ri.l-r r-rearly doubled the size of tl.re yard's former store area.

\\tith lumber dealers througl.rout the nation becorninq increasingly aware of the retail dollar. and of the necessity of havir.rg up-to-date facilities and merchandising policies t-o

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compete for that dollar, Sterling Lumber Comparry recently embarked upon a r.nodemization program wl-rich will, everrtually, affect all of its 16 branch yarcls. Besides the Mountain View yard, Sterling's remoclel roster inclucles :

Santa Rosa (a complete face-lifting and new showroomCLN,I 5/1/58), Oroville (moderization and nerv store front), Roseville (new showroom and n'arehouse-ClNf 3/15/54), and Red BlrrtT (nerv sl-rowroom). Otl-rer Sterling yards on the "do soon" roster include: Redcling (new store front and enlarge showroom), Morgan Hill (a brand-nerv showroom and yarcl scl-recluled here), ancl Placerville (new 4O'xffi u'arehouse).

In each case, Sterling Lumber l-ras irrcorporated the most recent proven merchandising methocls into each of its rernodelecl yards. Besides gleaning ideas from trade papers, competitors, its trade association (Sterling is a long-standing LMANC member) and other similar brrsinesses, Sterliug management pays particular attention to the location of each yard ancl to the yarcl managers themselves-for these are the fellows who know the "do's and don'ts" of their own commrlnity better tl-ran anyone else.

Take the case of Nfountain View Manaser M. N{. "Maury" Daubin, a veteran of 32 years with the"sterling organiiation

Maury Daubin joined Sterling Lumber during 1926 and was soon appointed manager of tl-re company's Roseville yarcl. Later he was transferred to Salinas as manager, then to Petaluma, and finally, during 1942, to Mountain View (this yard was originally establisl-red cluring 1919 at its present site). Primarily an agricultural community, Maury's Mountain View clientele was practically all farm trade, light business and individuals during those days.

As progress began to catch up with the deep San Francisco Per.rinsula community, the farms were gradually displaced by light and heavy industry and, most of all, by people-by the thousands-seeking a home away from the crowded Bay Area fog-belt. lVlaury, accordingly, geared his yard to volume lumber, with tract builclers and heavy construction firms his prime prospects.

But tract business has changed a lot since tl-re post war clays, witl-r volume specialists, prefab operators and direct sellers now all fighting for a corner on that market. So, cluring 1950, Sterling Lumber erected a showroom aimed at capturing the do-it-yourself pocketbook-housed in the thousands of tract homes that it had 1-relped to bui1d. Along with this change, Maury especially emphasized his servicing of local custom builders and light inclustrials.

Both divisions have since proven themselves, the builder division accounting for a very respectable lumber volume

" Babe, that therc's what I call a SOUND FOTINDATION ! " observed Paul Bunyan as he delicately lifted up the old house with his pinkie. The Blue Ox grunted. "See them mudsills, girders an' posts? Been settin' there 25 years in the damp an' dark, supportin' 50,000 pounds o' house-an' not a trace o' rot or termites anywhere. Sound as the day they was cut...Babe, sure as you're true blue, that's BAXCO Pressure Treated Foundation Lumberg."

BAXCO yressu,re treoted FOUNDATION LUMBER

*Wtat else, Paul? For the past 2) years

BAXCO pressure treated Foundation Lumber has been safeguarding thousands of Western homes against termites and wood-rot. Pressure treatment locks in the chemical protection for keeps. And when you figure, Paul, that just one repair bill, caused by rot or termites, can run into hundreds of dollars-well, why take a chance ? Especially since BAXCO Pressure Treated Foundation Lurnber adds so little to the total building cost-just a few dollars. $Zrite today for free booklet.

(ancl a profit, too !) 'ivith retail or store sales far surpassir-rg original estimates.

Daily buying traffic through X{aury's showroom averages better than the 100 mark, ar"rd during an average Saturday morning (Maury is presently considering the feasibility of staying open all day Saturday) they serve from 250 to 300 people !

Not anxious to be classified as a l.rardware merchant. or do-it-yourself specialist, Maury notes : "We're still lumbermen and we're still runr.ring a lumberyard, but we're also doing everything in our power to sell the hundreds of accessory items that go along rvith lumber. In most cases, accessory sales natnrally follon' the purchase of lumber and building materials, so why toss away an advar-rtage like that to the harclware and oair.rt dealers ?"

Lumber and everything that goes along with it for onestop shopping convenience. That's the tl-rinking behind the Sterling organization. Or according to the con.rpany's longstanding motto: "Buildir-rg Material Mercliants-Headqtlarters for Everything in Building Materials."

Elimincrfe Fire-lnsurqnce Surchorge On Wood Shingle/Shqke Roofs

Of interest to California lumbermen is a recent revision in fire-insurance rate schedules throughout the state whereby the extra charge levied against dwellings with wood shingle or shake roofs has been eliminated. California becomes the 14th state to wipe out the wood shingle differential in fire -insurance rates.