'You Ccln Buy lf qt Holsinger's' ls Cclfchily Coined To Get the Fcrrmers' Building Mclteriql Business

"You can buy it at Holsinger's" is a common expression in Yucaipa, a small rural community 75 miles east of Los Angeles, situated in a beautiful vailey in the foothills of the San Bernardino mountains. "But this area, famous for its apples, is fast being sub-divided and the farms and chicken ranches are gradually becoming the industry of the past," declared M. A. Neiswender, general manager and part o\ rner of the unique concern.

"Butch," as Mr. Neiswender is afiectionately knor'vn by customers and employes alike, arrived in Yucaipa ten vears ago from Topeka, Kansas, where he had been engaged in the coal and building materials business for over 12 yearsLooking over the business opportunity situation in the surrounding territory, he decided the Holsinger Lumber & Hardl'are Company offered an oPportunity to a merchant rvho had dedicated himself to community development, and rn'ho had visions of improving customer relations in a small tolvn.

So, in 1945, with H. A. Geib as a partner, the Holsinger Company was purchased from D. M. Holsinger, who had established the organization early in 1915 as a lumber and feed store.

Starting slowly, but with great enthusiasm, Butch coined the slogan, "We have it at Holsinger's," and immediately stocked all items in demand by the country and townspeople alike. Today, everything for the home and home builder may be obtained at this general building materials store.

Starting with the foundation of the building, Holsinger's furnishes the cement and forms. Next comes the lumber and all interior and exterior finish; this, too, is available from the yard and finish sheds. The plumbing, electric wiring, sash, doors, shingles and fixtures are all stocked' by Holsinger's.

Nor,v the house is ready for occupancy. A11 of the appliances, hard'rvare and furniture, including the kitcl-ren range' and refrigerator, are ready for delivery frorn the large modern hardr'vare and appliance store operated by the firm.

These are but a ferv of the services ofiered the community by this progressive organization. A complete line of paints, farm power tools and machinery may be obtained from Holsinger's, "If we don't have the heavy equipment on hand, we secure it for our customer immediately," said Mr. Neiswender.

At the general store, feed and grain is available for the ranchers and chicken raisers, and everything for ranch building improvement and stock raising articles is carried in the huge inventory maintained in the three large warehouses n'hich "cover a country square block" right in the heart of the Yucaipa business district.

Three years ago the modern store building which houses the furniture and appliance department of the compan)* was completed. This store has a display area of 105'x1.50' and thousands of items are attractively arranged for customer self-service. In spite of the convenient arrangement for customer shopping it takes a stafi of 20 employes to handle the sales and service departments of the company. It also takes seven trucks, trvo Hysters and a lift truck to handle the r.olume of material and freight moving into and out of the establishment daily.

The assistant manager in charge of this phase of the business is Nick Miller, Jr., who is also first lieutenant in line of command under Butch Neiswender. Earl Judge, veteran valley lumberman, is manager of the yard and lumber division, which includes all building materials handled by the company. Fred Lindstedt, another oldtimer u'ith the firm, is yard superintendent.

H. A. Geib, who is a partner in the Holsinger Lumber & Hardware Company, is also owner of three additional Southern California lumber concerns. He operates the Geib Lumber Company of Huntington Park, the Escondido Lumber Co., and the Geib Lumber Company of Vista.

"By operating four u'ell-located yards in this area, it gives us a strong purchasing power for all of the many and various articles we stock and sell," said Mr. Geib. "And we pass all such savings on to our customers," he continued.

When they "buy it at Holsinger's," no matter what it may be, credit will be arranged if they haven't the cash.

"We take care of the interest of our many customers and friends, and when they need anything for the home or ranch we believe it our duty to see that it is delivered without delay. My town is the place where my business and home are founded, and where most of my neighbors are my customers and where we do our buslness by the Golden Rule policy," said Mr. Neiswender, one of Southern Cali{ornia's linest lumber and feed store merchants.

Lumber Deolers €qn Shqre in SEP Ads in U. S. Plywood Tie-Up

New York-The country's 30,000 lumber dealers are being given the opportunity to participate in a nationwide promotion, United States Plyr,vood Corporation announces. U. S. Plywood has taken a full-page, full-color ad for its Plankweld, the do-it-yourself wall paneling, in the February 26 issue of Saturday Evening Post. The company will supplement this ad with additional pages listing the names and locations of participating dealers. Two additional half page ads in full color will follow at two-week intervals.

"This ad is anotfier step in our company's campaign to broaden the already large do-it-yourself movernent by directing people to their neighborhood lumber dealers," stated R. S. Lowell, advertising manager of U.S. Plywood. All lumber dealers who order at least eight packages of Plankweld, in any of its wood species, by December 23 will be listed in the ad. Orders need not be for immediate delivery.

Participating dealers will be provided with free reprints of the ad, tie-in banners, envelope stuffers, newspaper mats and, if they do not have them, Plankweld displays. Plankweld panels are specially engineered for do-it-yourself installation. They are made of pre-finished hardwood plyrvood, packaged in easy-to-handle l6r/a inch by B foot size. They are edge grooved to form a continuous surface, and special clips conceal all nailing.

Plankweld can be purchased in Birch, Oak, Walnut, Philippine Mahogany, Honduras Mahogany and Korina. Sales of Plankn'eld increased 37/o dnring U.S. Plywood's last fiscal year.

Another All-Time Conslruction High Predicred for 1955

Annuol Dodge Outlook for 1955

Nerv York-A large majority of the F. W. Dodge Corporation panel of leading economists expect a moderate business improvement in 1955, according to the annual survey of economists' opinion made public by Dodge. The annual survey is one basis for Dodge's annual outlook on future construction prospects, voiced each November by Thomas S. Holden, Dodge vice-chairman. Replies to a detailed questionnaire from 186 top economists and business analysts indicated that three out of four expect total national output next year, as measured by gross national product, to be higher than current levels in each quarter of 1955, with a steady rise during the year. An ovet'whelming majority of the economists felt that the cost of living would remain stable throughout 1955. The average forecast was that both consumer and wholesale prices at the end of next year would be approximately at current levels. A large majority felt that hourly wage rates would rise during 1955, but they were fairly evenly divided on the question of whether average weekly hours worked would go up or down.

In the construction field, the median forecast rvas for a slight drop toward the end of next year below levels prevailing this year for total construction outlays, with total non-farm housing starts next year at 1,116,000, about 2/o below the level estimated for this year.

Next year's level of construction activity will set another new all-time high record in dollar volume, in the opinion of Thomas S. Holden, vice chairman of F. W. Dodge Corporation, construction news and marketing specialists, writing in Architectural Record magazine.

After Mr. Holden wrote his outlook statement, Ir. W. Dodge Corporation announced such a high total for October, in contract awards for future construction in the 37 eastern states as carried in the Dodge Reports, that a corporation official said that it is now almost impossible that the total for 1954 will not set a new high record.

Holden thinks the 1955 Dodge dollar total will surpass this year by six percent, with strength in all Dodge categories.

Holden estimates that both the Dodge and Bureau of Labor Statistics totals of new dwelling unit starts in 1955 will run four percent ahead ol 1954; and that the bureau's total will be 1,250,000.

He thinks that physical volume of building in terms of square feet, in the Dodge figures, will go ahead five percent as compared with six percent for all construction on a dollar basis.

"For residential building there is estimated an approximate four percent increase in new non-farm dwelling units, a five percent increase in nonresidential floor space to be contracted for in the 37 eastern states, and a six percent increase in 37-states dollar volume. Nearly all of such increase as will take place will be single-family houses. It seems possible that the indicated rate of increase may be exceeded in the