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Cash for the Holidays

What with ttre

free food, door prizes, and gifts,there's a lot to like for builder-customers and prospects attending the annual holiday bash of Croft Lumber, Sayre, Pa.

The party starts with dinner and continues with demos and exhibits from 30 to 40 vendors. Then it's on to door prizes and the big event of the evening: l%o rebate checks for customers who've spent more than $12,000 at the store and have active accounts.

"When our dad died in 1998,I was looking for new ways to connect with local builders and expand the business," says Warren Croft, who co-owns the business with his brother, Michael. "That first year, we handed out cash rebates,just like our dad had."

The event also got a little bigger each year, moving to larger and larger venues. When a local casino opened five years ago-largely builtwith materials from Croft Lumber-the party was moved there. The rebates had gotten so large, they had to be handed out in check form instead of cash.

"We don't give store credit," says Warren. "We want to make it feel like a real gift for our customers, who often come in the following day and buy new tools or other needed goodies."

Not surprisingly, customers often take the stage to express thanks for Croft and its helpful employees. "They appreciate that we're investing in them," says Warren. "It helps create a team feeling, a sense of family, with our customers. And that's a great thing, especially at the holidays."