Minton's Newesf Refoi/ Outlet ls Modern Mqrketing of its Besf

-LYr vued its new Saratoga branch operation with a rousing three-day grand opening October l-3, marking another step {orward for the 54 year.old firm. based in Mountain View. Calif.

The new branch operation located at 1505 Saratoga-Sunnylal" Road tHighway 9) is patterned after Minton's Mountain Vierv "Pink Room" (CLM, May, 1964), a departure from the usual retail building material concept.

Like its "Pink Room" at Mountain View, Minton's new two-acre branch is 100/6 retail, and completely self-service. The usual garden supplies. power tools and heavy hardware departments are missing. Instead, the branch {eatures greatly expanded inventories of hardwood and so{twood plvwoods. mouldings and trim. floo. and ""il- ing tiles. packaged and ornamental hard- ware, paints and paint supplies, garden redwood and kiln dried construction lumber.

The "Lumberteria" is open seven days a week and is adequately staffed by just three employees and part time weekend help because of its sel{.scrvice nature. Everythins is made doubly simple for the do-it-yoursel-f shopper with all departments plainly marked, all inventory priced, with carts available for large and small purchases. The larger shopping carts will easily hold several sheets ol 4'x8' plywood-enough material, in fact. to panel and finish an entire room-and they can be wheeled direcdy out to the customer's car for loading.

ENIRAT{CE of showroom at Minton's, A "lumberteria" in the true sense, the store carries extensive inveniories of hardwood and softwood plywoods, mouldings, trim, floor and ceiling tile, paint and paint supplies and many other building materials.

A veritable sign painters paradise, all de. partments are clearly identified as to the product, its usage and its price. With the exception of o'garden" redwood, all lumber is kiln dried and labeled only in the sense of its usage (shelving, paneling, etc.). Industry terms such as construction, standard & better, shop, etc. are avoided.

Minton's is also unique in another respect, that being the fact that the company is the largest millwork house of its type in northern California. Naturally, the accrual of shor:s, plywood and plastic trimmings and odd pieces of mouldings is immense and both the Mountain View 'oPink Room" and the new Saratoga branch ofier a perfect outlet for what otherwise would be millwork waste.

Minton Lumber was established 54 years ago when Owen Minton's dad, Earl, purchased the old Parkinson Bros. Lumber Co. in Mountain View. Owens, who now heads the firm, has been connected with the business his entire life and has been instrumental in the building of both the millwork and retail ends of the operation.

Minton's millwork division has shipped material to every corner of the globe and has done work on everything from missile bases to ski resorts at home.

Somewhat newer, Minton's retail division was established in 1955, followed by the construction of a new, modern hardware and building supply outlet a block away from the mill in 1957. Enter Lyle Schafer, former South Bend, Indiana, retailer in January 1960, who along with Minton devised the self-service o'Pink Room" lumberteria at Mountain View, and now at Saratoga.

With further expansion plans for the retail division on the drawing board, Minton's o'tail" just might be oowagging the dog" one of these days!