Same footpriht, but a Gi nderel la transformation

/l'-l nEc CltNe 's cor HIS dream lLfiou-.jutt ask him. He signed on a year ago as retail merchandising manager for Bloedorn Lumber, headquartered in Torrington, Wy., with 21 stores and a truss plant in four western states.

Joe Maya's crazy about his job, too. He's worked l7 years in the Worland, Wy., lumberyard he manages, which Bloedorn bought in 2000.

"I love merchandising," swears Greg, who recently masterminded the complete rehab of the Worland store Joe runs. And you couldn't pry Joe himself out of it with a forklift. "This is my hometown, where I grew up. I love working here," Joe jubilates. And after the remodel, he loves it even more: Sales are skyrocketing, and new-customer count is on the uptick, too.

Bloedorn, launched back in l9l9 selling lumber and coal, is on track to remodel the majority of its locations, two stores at a time-some, like Worland, drastically; others with a more subtle touch. The Torrington and Buffalo locations, already completed, each shifted focus in slightly different directions-one toward the retail market, the other to the pro. No cookie cutter in the grand design: "Each storc is a little different," says Greg. So we'll look at Worland, which celebrated its grand reopening in late September.

What's the town like? Let's ask Joe, who's one of the 5900 folks who live here. First of all, "it's not a bedroom community," he laughs. "In Wyoming. every little town is out on its own. We're the only lumberyard in town."

But they don't write off the challenges. "Very strong competition" thrives here, according to Greg, who's spotted an Ace, True Value, Big Horn, and big boxes looming down the highway. "So, we saw a need to diversify, to update things."

If you, too, are feeling that urge but hesitate to undertake a huge expansion, take note: "remodel" doesn't have to mean "expand." Worland's 10,000-sq. ft. footprint stayed the very same. And, challenging as it was, the store never closed during the top-to-bottom rehab. Customers not only took the upheaval in stride, they acted as cheerleaders, creating a buzz around town (a.k.a. free advertising) about the progress.

"I started on the outside-I always do, where it's most visible," Greg explains. "We put in new lawn and planting, new paint (from an orangey-red color scheme to one of muted green-more stylish), added new signage. It was right on a busy highway, so people took notice.

"Before, business was 80/20, focused on pros. Contractors had their own counter, back near the office, which (unfortunately) they couldn't see from the front door. Now they can spot it, plus there's more to appeal to the walk-ins. With the recession, we knew we couldn't rely only on the building trade, so we decided this was the time for an update and a repositioning of the departments to attract the retail trade-especially those with a female appeal. Today, ladies tell us,'I like the way the store is organized. Now I can come in with my husband."' The paint department, Greg gives an example, used to be right up front. Now, it's halfway back, on the power aisle, so folks can see it easily.

Same for contractors goods. "'I never knew you had faucets,' they tell me," says Greg, "yet there'd been a 28ft. aisle of them, where the pros first came in the store. They were right in front of them." Wrong! Explains Greg, the master merchandiser, "You need a transition zone. When customers first come in, they need to get their bearings, decide where to head. They need space. So we created a foyer with tiled floor and an automatic door (used to be swinging). And"-big deal-"we've added shopping carts. They're used to grabbing carts in other stores, and it's working here. They're buying more, filling them up."

Everyone-especially the ladies-likes the new look, too. Formerly the interior was lit by fluorescent tubes hanging on chains from a vaulted ceiling. ("We were heating a lot of empty space.") Now, there's a new drop ceiling with new insulation, drywall, paint and lights. Restrooms, offices and break rooms got upgrades, too.

During the months-long transition, gondolas had to be shifted from one side of the store to the other, and products dropped in the power aisle to be sorted through-which to save and which to sell off in the $l bin. Several brand-new departments were added.

Planning was done with input of store management. "We spent a lot of time working together," Joe reports, "back and forth, exchanging ideas. Sometimes I couldn't believe the new items Greg would suggest-'Not a chance!'-but we went ahead with many of them, and they're doing very, very well."

Not by accident. Greg had done his homework, patrolling the aisles of the competition, counting the linear footage in their stores. "I did a market and site analysis, which spuned us to add whole new categories, like RV accessories (lots of tourists along the highway), Dickies work wear, and outdoor camping and cooking gear. We positioned these new features all together in an area of their own, and they've been very well-received. We plan to advertise them with circulars and with Ladies Night events."

Those ladies are thrilled with the store's brand-new cabinet displays, Greg reports. "Talk about a wow factor! Plus chandeliers and ceiling fans and new positioning of windows and doors." Speaking of wow, the floor now showcases working fireplaces and pellet stove and a brandnew outdoor kitchen in the home d6cor area, complete with grill and fridge. The lawn and garden department has tripled, including a garden tower and 17-ft.-by-35-ft. greenhouse nurturing live plants. Joe's staff of I I will expand in spring to include a nursery-products expert. A new cabinet specialist is already on board.

Bottom line: Bloedorn has become a destination store. "You don't have to run to the boxes. Now it's more in line with what the d-i-yer expects from a retailer," Greg allows. "We've incorporated items customers have been asking for, and it's greatly expanded our customer base-especially females. We'll be holding events like Powder Puff Mechanics-mowers, weed cutters-and classes in canning and food preservation."

Fine, but how about those pros? "Well, you know," Greg laughs, "when change happens, it's, 'I can't find it!' But then I hear, 'I didn't know you carried X.' They were so locked into their patterns that they never walked the other aisles."

The night before the grand reopening, the store hosted a contractors' night (wives-thrilled-were invited, too) with a catered barbecue dinner. demos and prizes. Then followed the public reopening. "That day-wouldn't you know it?-was the first big snowfall of the year. We were worried, but the store was full. Lots of new faces. and faces we hadn't seen for a lons time, coming back to us. Sales are definitely up, and (unlike the pro accounts) they're payine in cash!"

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net