Retail Lumber Situation in California

(Reprinted

from THE GULF COAST LUMBERMAN)

So many people want to know about the retail lumber rituation in California, and so many men from every part of the United States are trying to get locatcd in Califonia, that a frank rtatement regarding th" Cdifornia situation should be worth while to our readerr, and beneficial to California.

It lookr ar though about half the people in the United Stater are trying to get into California. A whole lot of thein are nrcceeding. There ir a wonderful building indurtry in California-particularly in the Los Angeles dirtrictJue to the need of rhelter for the tremendour tide of incoming population.

The lumber dealer in other partr of the country, reading of the huge building program of California, gathen the irnpresrion that this ir a fine place to start a lumber yand. The wondrour thingr he hearc about the climate makeg him more than witling to try a budnerc venture in the Sunkirt State.

.dnd entirely too many of them have been doing ro. During the part two yeanq attracted by the wonderful advertiring that that territory has had, retail lumber yardr have ctarted in the Loc Angeler territory in ruch numben that it har defied the bect efforts of the wholecalen of that immediate territory to keep their tirte of yardr up-to-date.

It ic doubtful if anyone har an abrolutely accurate and complete lirt of all the lumber yarde in California today, for that very realon.

The timple fact ir, that there are too many lunber yardr in California right now.

There IS a demand for experienced and capable retail lumber MERCHANTS and SALESMEN in California. There ir no room for incompetentr. And there ir no need for more lumber yarde.

For any practical lumber infotrnation derired concerning California, write THE CALIFORNIA LLTMBER MERCHANT, 4O8 Fay Bldg., Loe Angelee.

Pointers lor Merchants

The shortest distance between buyer and seller, is advertising.

It is the business of advertising to sell goods. It is the business of the advertiser to deliver them.

There is no question about what is good advertising. If it doesn't pay, it isn't good..

ft's the eroaker who is afraid of croaking, who eroaks. The man who isn't afraid of croaking, isn't a eroaker.

Advertising assists the merchant to deliver the goods in the quickest time at the lowest cost. That's service.

Practicing what you preach is the frst step. Advertising it is the second.

Spending money to get more money is a phase of better business that appeals to the man, but is practiced by the few. That's why the FEW and not the MANY succeed.

You will win the confidence, respect and. continuecl patronage of your customer, by giving him good advice.

Let the advice be always from the view point of the eustomer, and be sure that he understands that such is the case.

'When he is going to build, learn what each item he is purchasing is to be used for, and help him to purchase wisely.

Advise him how he can economize by using No. 2 sheathing, when he has ordered No. 1, and sell him short lengths, and then cut them up.

On the other hand, don't let him buy inferior qualities for use out in the weather. Make him buy materials for his roof, good flooring for his porch, good grades for all parts exposed to the weather.

See that he uses a good quality and quantity of paint to cover the structure when built, so that the lumber and mill work you sell him may get a chance to give him the service that it should.

Ilelp your customer to save money by purchasing the proper materials. If he has respect for you as a building expert, he will appreciate your advice.

If he refuses because he thinks you're a "dub", it is your fault for allowing such an impression to exist.

Good advice from an expert is always valuable.

HESE magnificent forest giantso photographed in the heart of our virgin California Sugar and White Pine timber holdings [altitude 55OO feet], indicate the splendid basic quality of our

We offer the trade a manuIactured product of equal excellence and are prepared to render highlv satisfactory seryice in all standard items, including finish, wide finistr, siding and mouldings.

Shall we quote by wire or letter?

Califomia