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You Want lt? They Cot lt.

Knowing your customers and what rhey want-even if it's just one or two of something-is the key to success for a dealer in Yakima, Wa.

"A lot of these guys come in day after day, so you get to know them," says Jim Wilbanks, owner of C&H Hardware. "They will come in and say, 'Hey, you know that thing I bought a couple of months ago? I need a couple more of them."' or visit their websites fin bracketsl.

Customers-a mix of contractors, fruit warehouse operators, farmers, and do-it-yourselfers-can search through bins of nuts and bolts to find the exact size they need, then buy what they need, rather than an entire box.

"I've always said, we're not a pretty store-we're functional," he comments. "A guy who climbs out from under a forklift, all greasy, can come get what he needs and be back to work in l0 minutes."

Two warehouses in back are used to store additional stock and out-of-season supplies, such as ice melt, space heaters. and fans.

"If someone wants a bag of ice melt in June for some odd reason, we'd have it," says Wilbanks. "Or a box fan in the middle of winter, we'd have it."

Other best sellers are wheelbanows, rubber tires for carts, and small hinges used on orchard ladderssomething big stores don't cany because they don't sell enough to make it worthwhile. The store also has a machine that presses fittings onto the ends of rubber hydraulic hoses used on forklifts and tractors.

The 5,000-sq. ft. main building has a rough concrete floor, a testament to its former life as a feed store. In 1959, Vince Cresci and his wife, Edith Holman, became owners, changing the focus to hardware. Wilbanks joined the staff in the mid- 1970s, left to work elsewhere, and returned in 1990. He became a part owner in 1995, and has owned the store outright the past six years.

Last year was a good one for the store, due to a great growing season. Wilbanks is looking forward to another good year as local fruit growers, processors, and distributors expand into foreign markets, such as China and South Korea.

"We had great weather, unlike in other parts of the country, so things went well," he notes. "Everyone loves a good apple and we grow some of the best in the world, right here in Yakima."

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Allweather Wood [www.allweathenvood.com] ...,.,.,....................23

Arch/Lonza [www.wolmanizedwood.com] .Cover I

Bear Forest Products [www.bearfp.com].................,.,. ................42

Boise Cascade [www.bcewp.com].......................,.....,................,.43

BW Creative Wood [www,bwcreativewood,com] .................,,,...34

Galculated Structural Designs [www.csdsoftware.com] ..............4

C&E Lumber Co. [www.lodgepolepine.com] ,,,.....,.............,........26

Capital [www.capital.lumber.com]...............,.....,,..,......................35

Contechem [www.contechem.com],,,....,.. ..........26

Eco Chemical [www.ecochemical.com]

Fontana Wholesale Lumber fiontanawholesalelumber.com].....50

Hoover Treated Wood Products [www.frtw.com] .............Cover lV

Huff Lumber Co .............39

Pacific States Treating..

Pacific Wood Preserving Cos. [www.pacificwood.com].,,........,.35

Quality Borate Co. [www.qualigborate.com] ,,,...,,..,...................38

Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com]................,..,. ............29

Reel Lumber Service [wvrur.reellumber.com] ..............................37

Regal Custom Millwork.,........ .,..........................,..37

Rosboro [www.rosboro.com],............... ..............40

Roseburg Forest Products [www.rfpco,com] .............,..,.............33

Royal Pacific Industries.....,.

RoyOMartin [www.royomartin.com] ..,...,,,....,................,..,,,.........24

Screw Products [www.screw.products.com] ,....,,...,......,............28

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]......................,............17

Snider Industries [www.sniderindustries.com] ,...,...,..................51

Sunbelt [www.sunbeltracks.com],......... ...Cover lll

Superior Wood Treating [www.superionuoodtreating,coml.......42

Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com]...........7

Taiga Building Products [www.building.com] ,....,......................30

Thunderbolt Wood Treating [thunderboltwoodtreating.com]....44

Utah Wood Preserving Co........,........... ...............37

Viance [www.treatedwood.com] ..........................,,,.,,...,.................5

Weyerhaeuser [www.weyerhaeuser.com]........,...........................27

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