How a Building Material Merchant May Create Business

For the last year or two a more appropriate subject for the lvriter would be "How a Building Material Merchant May Find Time To Get Acquainted-With His Family.,' It almost seems that we have-overdone the job of creating business. Nevertheless. if we were not head over heeli in work- we would probably be working still harder trying to find it.

Our first big expansion came in the winter of l92O and l92l at the time of the big slump in prices. When every- thing was almost at a standstill and our stocks were worih far less than we had paid for them, we took an inventory at market price, priced our stock at a fair margin over maiket price and put on an intensive,selling campaign. While almost all dealers were trying to get out from under, we sold olrr high priced stock and replaced with a new stock. The results of this action have brought us more business than qll our newspaper advertising. Today we have customerS come fifteen or twen'ty miles, passing numbers 'of yards because they got acquainted with us at this time, feel they got good value for- their money, and keep up the habit. , This illustrates my first point: "Merchandise is only worth the market price plus the cost of distributing and a fair profit, about 10 per cent of the selling 'price.

And very closely retrated to the first paragraph is the matteq of pricing. We absolutely agree with Mr. Thompson of "The Thompson Yards" in the one price system. Every salesman in our company_has a price b,ook with two columns of figures, one used for s'mall retail" sales with a 5 per cent discount for cash, and the other 4 net pr.ice for jobs over a certain amount. These are the prices to every one whether a poor, ignorant foreigner or the smoothest, bill-peddling contractor known to the trade. Mr. 'contractor comes in, pulls out a list, tells us to g'et busy with that sharp pencil because every yard in Frisco and San Jose is after it. We quietly inform the gentlemen that we will be glad to quote him on his list, that we are.b one price concern, and that it doesn't make the least bit of difference to us if he wants to take figures in Los Angeles, because we have just one price. And before long people generally find out that we mean what we say and that "we practise what we preach," with the result that they know they can get a fair price without the trouble of peddling bills. After several years of this policy a large percentage of our business is non-competitive. And this is the biggest creator of business. CONFIDENCE.

We are our own best customers. If the average citizen of this part of California did as much building as we do, and used as much paint and cement, we would absolutely be snowed under with business. Every square foot of our main plant is either under a1 roof with ra wood floor or is paved with cement. We encourage and often help our employees to finance homes for themselves. The Secretary of our company has just completed a new home that is th-e last rvord ,in modern architecture. Incidentally, he showed a prospect the new home, and several days ago we got the name on the dotted line for a duplicate with a few "trimmins" added. The writer is just starting the best h,ome in this town, and every woman in town will soon be wondering if she can's have a more modern home. Business creates business. I pity the lumber salesman who tries to preach home-ownership and lives in a rented house. It simply can't be done. And I believe the lumber merchant's office needs plate glass windows and mahogany counters and hardwood floors even more than the bank, because he is exhibiting thereby his stock in trade.

And last but not least, this is a "WE" business. Every employee can own stock paying dividends of. 2 per cent per

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How A Building Material Merchant May Create Business

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quarter and can, buy it at a dollar a week if he wants to. in addition to this, employees who have been with the firm over six months become profit-sharing whether they buy stock or not. The business is run to give service to the public, the best working conditions possible to the employees, and a fair return on the investment to the stockLolders. Since incorporation we have paid 2 per cent dividends quarterly and the balance of our earnings have gone to build up the business.

- Play square with ttre public, give them the gr.eatest valu.e you citt for their money, and I am sure you will create all the business you are capable of handling

By EARL MINTON' Mountain View, Cal.

NE\,[I VENTURE AT LA MESA

The La Mesa Lumber Company at La Mesa has added a new department to their business, by - installing---a wrecking yird adjacent to their present ya-rd. Ralph W. Smith. wlio has been with this c'ompany for some years will manage the branch.

IMPROVEMENTS AT A'RCADIA YARD

The San Gabriel Valley Lumber Company is moving its Arcadia yard to a three acre tract that they bought recently. Mr. -A. N. Verger, manager of this yard ^reports that they are taking care of the largest volume of business in their history and are handling about thirty cars per month out of this yard.

A. Farnsworth, manager for The California Door Company, Los Angeles, has been confined to his home for several days, with a bad cold.

Nettleton Lumber Company Moves Los Angeles Offices

The Nettleton Lumber Company has moved from the Consolidated Realty Building to the new Bank of Italy Building, at 7th and Hill Streets. Room 7D.

MR. A. B. HAMMOND-IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Mr. A. B. Hammond, president of the Hammond Lumber Company spent several days at their yards at Los An-. geles and San Pedro, the early part of this.month.

H. u/. KOILL COMPANY BUILD,ING WAREHOUSE

The H. W. Koll Company, of Los Angeles, is building a new warehouse adjoining their present plant, which will give them double the storage space that they low have. - The new building will be located on Hewitt Street, and will be built of brick. with a concrete floor.

New Name For Covina Yard

The Covina Lumber Company, of Covina, formerly the \riney Milliken Lumber Company, announces their new name, adopted recently.

There is- no change in the organization.

Montebello Lumber Company Changes Hands

'Mr. M. V. Chapin of Long Beach has bought the Montebello Lumber Company, at Montebello, from Mr. Geo. H. Francis.

Mr. Francis announces that he will go into a different line of btrsiness, in Montebello.

Standard Lumber Company Opening Mill At Standard City

Bringing in their first train g! log! within the last few days, t6 the mill at Standard City, the Standard Lumber Company announces that they expect to be in full swing at all camps in a verY short time.

Thev will have a total force of about 1200 men and expect t6 exceed the last S€ason's cut of 60'000'000 feet.

r-Thatch makes the Homc Deautifull

The sales appeal forhome builders behind this newprofit producer.

OLOR-THATCH holds a wonder{ul appeal for the \-r prospective home builder. It combines hartnory, rich, colorful beauty, line eff.ect, picturesque quaintness, economy, minimurn upkeep, durability, nondecay.

Color-Thatch is our trade name for comb grain (quarter sawn) red cedar shingles of per{ect gtade spec- ifications, entirely irnpregnated and stained by special process with Cabot's creosote shingle stain.

Tell your customers about Color-Thatch. It is the ideal roof and sidewall covering that they have always wanted.

'Write for our dealer proposition. V/e want YOU to be in on this. Your inquiry will bring prices and cornplete information.

COLOR.TFIATCH AGENT

Santa Fe Lurnber Co.

San Francisco