Store qnd Yqrd Arrsngement

By Corr E McCAULEY Ontorio (Colif.) lumber & Hdwe. Co.

When I built my store, the floor plan was laid out by the Hardware Association, to which we belong. Also, the lighting was planned by the Southern California Edison Co.

Now, here we must use our own judgment coupled with their experience, and you will not be far wrong.

The ideal store is one that is deeper than wide-with glass front and with only one entrance and exit, particularly in a gelf-service or semi-self-service store.

Merehandise should be displayed on 6 or 8 foot gondolas all in line-with aisles every 6 or 8 feet.

Have store laid out so customers can easily find what they want-with each item priced.

Group related items, so as to make it easier shopping. Also, one thing will suggest another and cause impulse buying.

The cash register and check-out stand with charge accounts should be at the exit door, Just as the supermarkets do.

We can learn a lot from them as they have high-priced people who survey this kind of self-service merchandising. However, we have found that a row of single gondolas work better than a long row-end to end. Customers can see along a 6 or 8-foot island-they will go around a short island-but will miss something: they can't see in a long row.

Our aim is to have as nearly as possible everything the customer calls for-and in addition to carrying all staple goods, we try to carry all the little things in occasional demand and which no one else will take the trouble to stock completely. In so doing, you soon have people saying, "You can more likely get ever5rthing you want at his store than at any other place."

Customers like to come to a "one-stop store and yard"-they dislike to go from place to place to get their needs.

A parking lot for their convenience is a MUST,

A point to consider is the exterior of our store-is it the same in appearance as it was years ago ? No one will notice it as they drive by.

Today the use of color is of value in that bright new paint will make your place stand out from your competitors.

Also, again it takes a lot of study and watching for new ideas all the time.

We are constantly changing, and flnd some things sell better in one part of the store than in another.

We have the store and yard covered with an intercom system-this to save steps and help in customer service.

Also in the store is F.M. background music.

And don't forget to practice the Spirit of the Golden Rule.