Stock Exits Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming

Stock Building Supply is leaving Colorado, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming and drastically reducing its presence in Idaho and Utah, as the bankrupt chain spends its summer closing more than 100 locations from coast to coast.

Hardest hit is the Mountain States region. which is losing operltions in Idaho Falls, Preston and Rexburg, Id.; Kalispell, Mt.; Albuquerque, N.M.g Brigham City. Logan, Roy and St. George, Ut.; Evanston. Wy.; Alamosa, Co., and more thatn a dozen tacilities throughout Denver, Co., and Las Vegas, Nv.

Othcr closures in the Wcst include Inland Timber. Grand Terrace, Ca.; a lumbcryard in Bishop, Ca., and a framing division in Albuquerque, N,M.

Also on the chopping block arc lumberyards, officcs, component plants. installed sales hubs, or design centers in New York, North Carcllina, South Carolina. Tcxas, Virginia, all facilities in Connecticut. Illinois. Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan.

Yard Ratchets Up Hardware

Gray Lumber. a 1O8-year-old yard in Tacoma, Wa., recently spcnt $80,000 to rework its hardware departmcnt and increase sales.

"We're not hardware profcssionals," said Steve Gray, who's head of finance and administration. "but we did want to increase retail sales because the nearest yard or home center is three miles away."

Steve and his brother. N.M. "Mac" Gray, who serves as president and sales manager, inherited the business from their father, Neil Gray, in the 1980s. Grandfather Claude Gray fbunded the business in 1903.

As a member of the Ace Hardware cooperative, the company signed up for a store "reset" of its 6,000-sq. ft. non-lumber scction. During fi ve weeks from mid-January to the end o1 February. two Ace consultants and their crews rearanged the store's layout, removed poorly selling products, and restocked with top-selling items.

Since (he redo. trartsr.rc{itrrt5 ps1 day have gone up a third and paint sales have doubled. "We encourage businesses to make improvements now. to position for future growth," Steve Gray said.

Minnesota. New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, and the veist majority of branches in Florida.

Closures began in early May and will continue until at least the end of August. Shuttered properties owned by the chain-as well as several not planned to be closed have been placed up fbr sale.

Parent company Wolseley PLC's sale of a controlling interest in Stock to private equity firm Gores Group, Los Angeles, Ca., was contingt: nt upon Stock fi lin_c for Chapter I I bankruptcy protection so it could break hundreds of lease agreements. Even in its pared-down statc, Stock told the bankruptcy court it did not expect to return to profitability until 201 3.

Aftcr thc first batch of closures, Stock- which once boasted 360 branchcs-was down to fewer than 200 locations-a total destined to further plummet as the summer proceeds.