DATE Book

Listlngs are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations wifh sponsor before making plans to attend.

Black Bart Hoo-Hoo Club - Jan. 16, industry night, Broiler Steakhouse, Ukiah, Ca.; (707) 621-0485; blackbarthoohoolSl.org.

Humboldt Hoo-Hoo Club - Jan, 17, crab feed, Elks Lodge, Eureka, Ca.; (707) 601-9128.

Western Pallet Association - Jan. 18-22, annual meeting, Rancho Mirage, Ca,; (360) 335-0208; www.westernpallet.org.

Guardian Building Products -Jan.20-22, market, Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 569-4262; www.guardianbp.com.

lnternational Builders Show - Jan.22-24, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 368-5242; buildersshow.com.

Do lt Best Corp. - Jan.23-24, winter conference, Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix, Az.; (260) 748-5300; www.doitbestcorp.

Renovation & Remodeling Show - Jan.25-27 Portland Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Or.; (800) 374-6463; homeshowcenter.com.

National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors - Jan. 29-31, executive summit, Fairmont, Washington, D.C.; (202) 872-0885; naw.org.

Surfaces - Jan. 29-31, Las Vegas, Nv.; (972) 536-6358; surfaces.com.

California Forestry Assn. - Jan. 29-Feb. 1, annual meeting, Silverado Resort, Napa, Ca.; (916) 444-6592: foresthealth.org.

Western Building Material Association - Jan. 30-Feb. 1, annual convention, Doubletree Lloyd Center, Portland, Or.; (888) 5519262; www.wbma.org.

Willamette Valley Hoo-Hoo Club - Feb. 1, crab feed, Shadow Hills Country Club, Junction City, Or.; (541) 688-6675.

Tacoma-Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club - Feb, 5, crab feed, High Cedars Golf Course, Orting, Wa.; (253)531-1834.

National Roofing Gontractors Assn. - Feb. 5-7, annual convention & expo, San Antonio, Tx.; (847) 299-9070; www.nrca.com.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman's Club - Feb. 7, pool tournament, Danny K's, Orange, Ca.; (626) 445-8556; www.lahlc.net.

Northern Utah Home Show - Feb. 8-10, Davis Convention Center, Layton, Ut.; (888) 433-3976; www.acshomeshow.com.

National Wooden Pallet & Container Association - Feb. 16-19, leadership conference & expo, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Orlando, Fl. ; (703) 519-47 20: www.pallettcentral.com.

Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club - Feb. 20, meeting, San Dimas Golf Course, San Dimas, Ca.; (760) 324-0842; hoohool 1 7.org.

Nationaf Frame Building Association -Feb.20-22, frame building expo, Memphis, Tn.; (800) 557-6957; www.nfba.org.

Ace Hardware Corp. - Feb.21-23, spring show, New Orleans, La.; (630) 990-7662; www.acehardware.com.

Oregon Logging Conference - Feb.21-23, Lane County Fairgrounds, Eugene, Or.; (800) 595-919'1 ; www.oregonloggingconlerence.c0m.

Orgif f f nc. - Feb. 21-23, dealer market, Orange County Convention Center, Odando, Fl.; (800) 347-2860; www.orgill.com.

Colorado Springs Home & Landscape Expo - Feb. 22-24, NorrisPenrose Event Center, Colorado Springs, Co.; (800) 374-6463; www.homeshowcenter.com.

The business card ads 0n this and the previnus page in The Merchant and Building Products Digest raised $1,900 tar the Freedan Writers Foundation, which aids the education of at-risk children.

Awash in QuirkyDiversity

Although Wal-Mart has unnounced plans to move in across the street, Intown Ace Hardware, Decatur, Ga., has already fought off Home Depot, Builders Square, and other big boxes competition by stressing eclectic products and promotions that appeal to the funky tastes of its hometown.

There are Adirondack chairs in sherbet colors, Decatur-logoed license plates and apparel, art supplies, toys, kitchen gadgets, eco-friendly products, and fun events like a staff Pirate Day. An old-fashioned cart near the front register serves up fresh popcorn.

"I never thought I would have a hardware store with two lines of perfume and seven lines of organic candles," noted co-owner Tony Powers. "Costume jewelry is also hot. I never thought this would be who we are."

The store is a big sponsor of local youth teams, school auctions, and community fundraisers-stocking a year-round supply ofGirl Scout cookies.

The key is adapting. Quickly. Since Home Depot arrived, Intown has stopped selling lawn mowers and standard barbecue grills. Instead, the move opened up floor space for building materials for use in chicken coops and school gardens.

"We're going after unique," Powers said. "Topiaries and specimen plants-we just sold a couple of $400 trees. More orsanic and more local products. Wal-Mart can't adapt to that quickly or at all."

Its co-op, Ace Hardware, is also taking notice, recently recognizing Intown as one of six "Coolest Hardware Stores" in the U.S., describing it as "smalltown America meets modern in the heart of Atlanta."

EMPLOYEES festooned in buccaneer garb line up to dance at lntown Ace Hardware's Pirate Dav.

............34

Distribution Management Systems Inc. [www.dmsi.com]..........32

Fontana Wholesale Lumber [fontanawholesalelumber.com].....46

Hoover Treated Wood Products [www.frtw,com]........................37 ldaho Forest Group [www.idahoforestgroup.com] .....................23 lntefor [www.interfor.com]...... ..............................31

Jaaco Corp. [wwwjaaco.com],.....,..........................,.....................19

Keller Lumber Co

LP Building Products [www,lpcorp.com] ............22

Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com] .......,...,......,...Cover lll

Roseburg Forest Products [www.rfpco.com]..,...,,............Cover lV

Simpson Strong-Tie [www,strongtie.com]...........................Cover I

Siskiyou Forest Products [siskiyouforestproducts.coml...........33

Skyreach L&S Extrusions Corp. [www.skyreachls.com]..............8

Snider Industries [www.sniderindustries.com].,...........................4

Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com].........21

Taiga Building Products Inc

15

Thunderbolt Wood Treating [thunderboltwoodtreating.com] ....40

Unity Forest Products [www.unityforest.coml ............................26

Utah Wood Preserving Co. ..........38

Woodtone [www.woodtone.com].............. ..........17

ACO acopresenve Borates

D-Blaze@ Interion Fire Retardanu

Heat Treating ISPM 15 Compliant . Custom Drying Rail Served eNtsr . TPI tniro party Inspected FSG Centified scs-coc{o2s1 3

46 I The Merchant Magazine I fanuary 201 3 Building-Products.com