ASSOCIATION

Mid-South Building Material Dealers Association will introduce Paul Phillips as its new executive director during its mid-year meeting June 17-18 at Millsap's Cabot Lodge, Jackson, Ms.

Southern Building Material Association has scheduled its annual summer conference and exhibit program for July 28-31 at Wyndham Resort, Virginia Beach, Va.

Dr. Ed Seifried, an economist at Lafayette University, will speak on "The Economy in 2011 & Beyond: Charting a Course to Recovery." Activities include a fishing trip, golf and tennis tournaments, dinner dance, and casino club.

Indiana Lumber & Builders Supply Association's lTth annual Sycamore Scramble is Aug. 4 at the Oak Tree Golf Course, Plainfield. Brunch and dinner are included.

Northeastern Retail Lumber Association affiliates will be busy this summer.

There will be baseball. New York & Suburban Lumber Association will watch the Mets Julv 20 at Citi Field,

r IDEA File

The Feminine Mystique

A new hardware store has opened in west Omaha, Ne., with a distinctly feminine side.

Home & Garden True Value is stocked with a typical hardware store's building supplies, along with sections catering to women shoppers.

At the entrance to one such female-friendly area sits an antique armoire stocked with scented candles. "I wanted our customers, when they stepped in there, to know they were stepping into a different area," says coowner Laura Castro, who designed specific areas for home decor, children's birthdays, and kitchenware.

The store began with a conversation between Castro and Kevin Parks, who owns a True Value store in North Platte, Ne. Parks complained of the difficulty in drawing women into his store. Not if it's designed properly, replied Castro.

The two teamed with longtime hardware store manager Paul Gapinski to create the new location. They toured numerous competitors, looking for ideas on how to craft a business that's attractive to women, but still provides the basics of a traditional hardware store.

Among the results: attractively colored walls; Oprah-approved aprons, dish towels, bright dishes, and seasonal touches, not far from the barbecues; a larger canning section; an area for children's toys, and a ladies' bathroom furnished with fresh daisies and strategically placed purse hooks.

There's also plenty of free popcorn-a sure way to buy more shopping time for moms with fussy children.

"We know who buys and makes decisions in the household," grins Parks.

Flushing, while Northeastern Young Lumber Execs will travel to Fenway Park, Boston, Ma., Aug.4 for the BoSox. There will be golf. Mid-Hudson Lumber Dealers Association has scheduled a tournament July 1l at Otterkill Golf & Country Club, Campbell Hall, N.Y., and Rhode Island Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association will host golf and clambake July 13 at Green Valley Country Club, Portsmouth.

And there will be more clams, as Central New York Retail Lumber Dealers Association holds its 7th annual clambake Aug. 19 at Pompey Country Club, Pompey.

Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association stages its annual conference Iily 2O-23 at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Fl.

Outings will include fishing and golf tournaments, the chairman's gala and PAC auction, a wine-tasting reception, and special children's events.

ADVERTTSERS Index t

For nrore information on advertisers, call them directly or visit their websiles [in brackets].

Advantage Trim & Lumber [www.advantagelumber.coml....22

AERT [www,aertinc.com]...... .............................3

Ainsworth [www.ainsworthengineered.coml,,............... ...26-27

Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com]............35

Arch Wood Protection [www.wolmanizedwood.com]...Cover I

Boston Cedar [www.bostoncedar.com] ..........7

Cabot [www.cabotfactoryfin ish.coml

Capital [www.capital-lumber.com] ........., .....4

Cedar Creek Wholesale [www.cedarcreek.coml ...................1 5

Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] ..........................1 7

Elder Wood Presewing [www.elderwoodpreserving.com]...30

Fiberon LLC [www.fiberondecking.com]......,............. ............21

Guardian Building Products [www.guardianbp.com] .Cover lll

Hood Industries [www.hoodindustries.com] .,.......................31 ldaho Forest Group [www.idahoforestgroup.coml. .....Cover ll

Krauter Solutions [www,krauter-storage.com] ......................43

Landry I rrmhar

McFarland Cascade [www.mcfarlandcascade.com] .............25

McShan Lumber [vuvn.mcshanlumber.com] ...................,....,33

Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. [nelma.org] ......41

Parksite lwww.parksite.coml.............. .Cover lV

Plycem [www.plycemtrim,com]......... ..............,5

Ray White Lumber.......,....,.....

RoyoMartin [www.royomartin.com] .19

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie,com],............................23

Siskiyou Forest Products [siskiyouforestproducts.com],...,1 1

Snider Industries [www.sniderindustries.coml .....,....,..........36

Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. [slma.org]........29

Southern Forest Products Association [www.sfpa.orgl.......31

Spartanburg [www.spartanburgforestproducts.com] ...........32

Sunbeft [www.sunbeltracks.com] ...................24

Tank Fab [www.tankfab.com].......,...... ...........45

Western Red Cedar Lumber Assn. [www.wrcla.orgl........38-39

Westervelt Lumber [www,westerveltlumber,com]..,......,....,..37