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Portland Dealer Finally Back In A Permanent Home

Truax Building Supply, Portland. completed. "Access during construcOr., recently reopened in a nerv tion got very difficult." said Sidey. 12,000-sq. ft. building with a 3.500- rvho co-orvns the business rvith his sq. ft. showroom. rvife. Judi. rvhose father started the

The old building was destroyed by company in 1946. a November 2004 fire started by an Sidey said that the nerv structure is overheated fixture in the company's a real improvement over the old one. aluminum storm door and windorv rvhich had been added onto five times shop. "l remember feeling numb at the before the blaze. The large storefront time," said president Joe Sidey. "I was rvindorvs tvere produced in Truax's relieved that nobody got hurt fighting orvn shop, and the nerv shorvroom has the fire, but there was some sense of plenty of space for extensive displays total disbelief."

After the fire. business was conof rvindorvs. doors and cabinets.

Sidey said he's grateful for cus- ducted from a nearby modular build- tomer loyalty that kept the business ing until construction on a new store- going during a tough year and a half. front, showroom and shop could be "Almost all of the contractors rve deal rvith really supported us during rebuilding." he said. "This year looks like it's turning out rvell: rve've turned the corner."

Ace Abandons EagleVision

Ace Hardrvare has abandoned further deployment of its EagleVision point-of-sale and corporate inventory management system. rvhich it previously hailed as "the cornerstone of Ace's technology initiatives."

"We simply cannot find enough compelling reasons for those of you rvho are operating rvith Eagle for Windorvs to convert to EagleVision." said Griffith. The company came to its decision after rvorking on its supply chain durin-e the past nine months.

Ray Griffith. president and c.e.o.. described the decision as "important. yet extremely difficult." and explained that the co-op rvould achieve its longterm -eoal of enterprise inventory management throu-eh the use of the similar Eagle for Windorvs platform.

Since Ace rolled out Ea-eleVision in 2003. 474 member-retailers have invested in the system. Griffith vorved to support their migration to Eagle for Windorvs. rvhich is currently in use at some 1.800 Ace units.

Dealer Helps LocalKids Glub

Thanks to Tri-State Building Materials. children at the Boys & Girls Club in Bullhead City. Az.. are eating lunch in air-conditioned comfort this summer.

"This is going to make things so much more comfortable for our kids." said Joey Manuel. branch director of the club. "lnstead of eating outside in the heat or in the hallrvays. the kids rvill be in here."

Earlier this year. Tri-State approached the Boys and Girls club about a possible facelift project and the club asked for an indoor snack bar. Trventy volunteers from TriState's trvo Bullhead City stores spent an entire weekend on the project. refurbishing an existing multipurpose room.

"We installed counter space. tile. tables for the kids to eat at. and the rvall separating the snack bar from the rest of the room." said Steve Ghiselli. rvho captained the rvork teams along rvith fellorv Tri-State employee Ray Sanders.

Tri-State set a preliminary cash budget of $2.500. "l told the guys that if they needed more. that rvas okay. too." said Tri-State president Michael Paul. "lt wasn't about the donation: it rvas about once again getting the cres' out in the public to help the community."

The club rvas thrilled about the improvements Tri-State made. "The fine people at our local Tri-State Building Materials and Tri-State Ace Home Center stores see the value in providing our )'outh rvith a positive place to spend their time. both after school and in the summer." said executive director Brian Velarde.

Sears Shutters 20 Hardware Stores

Last month. Sears shuttered 20 "underperforming" hardrvare stores. leaving the chain with I l9 freestandin-e hardrvare stores. Just two years ago. it operated 163.

The closures include Albuquerque. N.M.: Richmond and Houston. Tx.: Wauconda. Il.: Carmel. In.: Troy and Toledo. Oh.: West Seneca and Rotterdam. N.Y.: Laurel Springs. N.J.: Bridgeville. Pa.. and all nine Sears Hardrvare units in Michi-ean.

To take up the slack. Sears expects to beef up the hardrvare departments at mall stores in affected markets.