Authorized Dealer February 2003 Newsletter Volume 1, Number 11

www.mousercc.com THE WOODBRIDGE HERALD NEWSLETTER

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Price & Specification Catalog Overview 2003 Price & Specification Catalog 2003 has shown many improvements in the Mouser Custom Cabinetry Overview ...... Pg 1 Price & Specification Catalogs, Products, and Order Form. As you review your 2003 catalogs, please pay special attention to new items we have Custom Quotes Corner added to our product line, as well as improvements we have made to our Designing with Wood Spindle existing products. Please take this opportunity to remove any outdated Legs ...... Pg 2 Mouser Custom Cabinetry order forms from your showroom and replace New Custom Quote Procedure ... Pg 3 them with the current 2003 Order Forms. The 2003 Order Form has check boxes for many of the new options which will allow all information required 2003 Co-Op Program Promotion . Pg 3 to process your order to be selected when the order is placed. Outlined Customer Service Spotlight below are several items from the 2003 offerings that I would like to take Christopher Howell ...... Pg 3 this opportunity to highlight. New Products for 2003 ...... Pg 4 On page 11-13 of the new 2003 Price & Specification catalogs, you will New 2003 Product Guide ...... Pg 4 notice a change in both the percent of the carton cabinets charge as well as a change in the way this charge is calculated. The carton cabinet April 2003 Mouser Product and charge is now 6% with a minimum charge of $5.00. The 6% is calculated Cabinet Vision Training Dates . Pg 4 by adding 6% to the starting price of the item only. For example, the Mouser Dealer Spotlight carton cabinet charge is added to the cabinet box charge, but not to the Renaissance Kitchens ...... Pg 5 door design upcharge, the wood or finish upcharge, or the upcharge for modifications made to the items. The cabinet carton charge is also added Glacier Finishes ...... Pg 5 to any mouldings, panels, tops, or any other accessory items. Current Shipping Schedule ...... Pg 6 Page 3-41 of the 2003 Overlay Price & Specification Catalog outlines information regarding the Full Overlay Option. An added feature being offered in 2003 on full-overlay is the option for additional reveal at the bottom of your wall cabinets. You have the option on the bottom of wall cabinets to specify the amount of reveal required for each job, depending on trim choices you have made. The reveal options are flush, 1/4” or 1/2”. An additional set of check boxes has been added to the order form to select the reveal at the bottom of the wall cabinets. When filling out the order form, please use the check boxes supplied to specify both the reveal at the top of the wall and tall cabinets and the reveal at the bottom of the wall cabinets. Both the Vanity and Other Room Sections of the catalog have seen significant changes. Please pay close attention to the heights of the units in these sections. You will notice that the vanity cabinets that were 30” tall in 2002 have been updated to now be 31-1/2” tall. In addition, the 30” high desk units shown in 2002 have been replaced with 28-1/2” tall desk units in the 2003 catalog. The reduction in the height of the desk 2003 Product Guide units did require changes to rail sizes and toe space heights to accommodate the lowered height in some cases. If you have any questions regarding alignment of these units with other units, you may CUSTOM CABINETRY call the Mouser Customer Service Department for assistance. 2112 N. Hwy. 31 W. P.O. Box 2527 You may reference the opening letter of the 2003 Price & Specification Catalogs to find a complete listing of new items, product improvements, Elizabethtown, KY 42702-2527 and discontinued items. We hope you find this information beneficial when Phone: 800•345•7537 quoting your Mouser cabinetry in the year 2003. We look forward to Fax: 800•472•5889 working with you in the coming year! website: www.mousercc.com BETTER SELLING with MOUSER CUSTOM CABINETRY

Custom Quotes Corner - Designing with Wood Spindle Legs Over the past couple of years, a resurgence in the use of spindle legs has been underway in the cabinet industry. These decorative legs are manufactured in all shapes and sizes and may be used in just about any cabinet application. In this installment of the Custom Quotes Corner, we will examine the many unique ways these legs can transform a plain cabinet design into a work of art! On pages 9-40 and 9-41 of the 2003 Mouser Custom Cabinetry Price and Specification Catalogs, you will find our current Spindle Leg offerings. You will notice that we offer a style or size that will compliment just about any design requirement you may have. Our Spindle Legs have been made available in three different heights and may be purchased in Cherry, Hickory, Maple, Oak or Pine wood species. Designers can utilize spindle legs to create a unique table with that highly desired furniture look that is so popular today. You can order our Spindle Legs loose, along with appropriate size wood edging to build a custom table at the jobsite. The wood edging would be used to create the table apron and should not be any smaller than 4” wide. Our wood tops can be used as long as your design provides adequate support underneath the top. You should also inform your client about proper wood top care. Even though you may utilize our wood tops as a table top, they are not intended for that purpose due to the excessive wear and tear. We do recommend that you supply your own table top with a durable surface such as a laminate. In addition to using spindle legs in a functional aspect, our spindle legs may also be used as a decorative attachment. One of our more popular applications is to use the spindle leg in combination with our offset corner option. The corners of the cabinet are notched to receive the spindle leg. This creates the illusion of a table. Since spindle legs are not always perfectly square, the notch should be either slightly smaller or slightly larger than the thickness of the leg to avoid a flush appearance. Our spindle legs can also be split in half and attached to the face of either a wide or extended stile for a similar look. Even though we offer our Spindle Legs in six styles and three different heights, sometimes a custom touch is required. Mouser Custom Cabinetry can furnish Custom Spindle Legs to meet your more customized designing needs. Our current Spindle legs can be supplied in special heights and thicknesses. We can also supply you with a price on a completely different nonstandard spindle leg design. If you have any questions or concerns in designing with spindle legs, please contact our Custom Quote Department for more details.

9" 9" 9" 9" 9" 9"

4-1/2" 7" 7" 7" 3-1/2"

2 CUSTOMER SERVICE INFORMATION UPDATE

New Custom Quote Procedure On February 3, 2003, Mouser Custom Cabinetry the final price based on your design choices. implemented the following changes to our Custom This change in procedure has many advantages, among Quote Pricing structure. These changes will greatly them are: improve and streamline our Custom Quote process. You have already received detailed notification of this 1). Eliminates requotes prior to the order being received change, but we would like to take this opportunity to due to changes in up charges. highlight specific aspects of this new procedure. 2). The same pricing that appears on the Custom Quote As a Dealer requesting a custom quote, you will receive will also appear on the Order Release. This will allow a “generic” price for the cabinet item only. The you to easily verify the “catalog pricing” on custom WoodBridge up charge, wood specie up charge, door/ quote items. drawer design charges, finish up charges, hinge up 3). Eliminates the possibility of you double charging for charges and inset box design charges will no longer required up charges. This will help you remain be included in the quoted price. The Custom Quote competitive with other cabinet lines. you receive will show two prices: a Quote List Price and a Total Modification List Price. Any wood and finish We are confident that you will find this new Custom Quote up charges will only apply to the Quote List Price. The Procedure to be more efficient and easier to understand new Custom Quote form will be set-up in such a way and use. Please contact our Custom Quote Department so that you can add in needed up charges and calculate if you have any comments or suggestions. 2003 Co-Op Program Promotion Mouser Custom Cabinetry is pleased to announce a only 50% of the 2% co-op accrual could be used towards change to our Co-op Advertising Program specifically display / samples purchases. This is a great time to replace for the 2003 calendar year. Your Dealership may elect to an aging display or add a new one. Be sure to take use the full 2% co-op accrual dollars towards display advantage of this special promotion this year! purchases or advertising. This change will allow more If you have any questions concerning the Co-op advertising flexibility to purchase displays, samples, and sales aids. Program, please contact your Sales Representative or Julie Previously, you could use the full 2% towards media, but York, Marketing Coordinator @ 800-345-7537 ext. 298. MOUSER CUSTOMER SERVICE SPOTLIGHT

The Mouser Customer Service Spotlight for the February 2003 issue of the WoodBridge Herald Newsletter is Christopher Howell. Christopher, originally from Atlanta, Georgia, began his career with Mouser in August of 2000. His primary responsibilities at that time were: planning, installing, and configuring computer equipment. Today, he is performing numerous tasks that include developing, supporting, and maintaining the Mouser Custom Cabinetry Cabinet Vision catalogs. In addition, Christopher continues to maintain and upgrade existing computer equipment, troubleshoot operating systems, manage network user accounts, administer the phone system, maintain the company e- mail server, and assist in the teaching of our Mouser Cabinet Vision Solid Design catalog training. In addition to his regular work, Christopher maintains the company web site and the Mouser local area network and network servers. Christopher graduated from Elizabethtown Community College in May with a degree in Business Management. He currently is continuing his education in the IT field and is taking Network Systems Engineering classes to possibly pursue an additional degree in Network Systems Management. CHRISTOPHER HOWELL Outside of work and class, Christopher enjoys spending time with his wife Holly. Together, they enjoy attending church activities, traveling, playing basketball, camping, swimming, bicycling, hiking, water skiing, jet skiing, snow skiing, working in the yard, and spending time with family. Christopher loves to participate in just about any sport, especially when it involves being outdoors. 3 PRODUCT TRAINING INFORMATION

Announcing New Products for 2003 Mouser Custom Cabinetry is always excided to introduce • New 93” Tall Utility Cabinets and Bookcases to new products to our line-up and 2003 is no exception. compliment 39” high Wall Cabinets. We would like to take a moment now to highlight some • 2 new Valance Designs, Style”H” and Style “J”. of these new products and improvements. • Re-introduction of English Valance & Wood Edging. • • 6 New Door Styles – Brunswick, Heartland, New Premium Decorative Wood Carving Insert Panels. • New Decorative Metal Ornaments Imperial, Mayfield, Nottingham and Vista. • • 8 beautiful new finishes: New Style “F” Rope Design Spindle Leg. • New Carved End Panels Cherry - Brandy, Driftwood and Merlot • Maple - Driftwood New Carved Pedestal Feet and Toe Pendant. • New Floating Stile Option for inset cabinetry. Oak- Barley • Pine - Cocoa, Driftwood and Sisal New ‘A-La-Carte Distressing. • Four New Glacier Finishes,commonly referred to The above is just a sampling of the new products and as Brush Stroking Finishes. improvements for 2003. If you have not already, please • New wall cabinets in 39” height. review the 2003 editions of our Price and Specification • 30” high Vanity Cabinets will be changed to 31-1/2” high. Catalogs for more information and have a happy and • 30” high File Drawer Cabinets will be changed to profitable New Year! 28-1/2” high. New 2003 Product Guide Literature Mouser Custom Cabinetry is pleased to announce the Each door style that Mouser Custom Cabinetry offers is upcoming release of our updated Product Guide. This grouped together in its appropriate group with a visual new Product Guide has retained the same open spread representation and corresponding drawer front. format as its predecessor. This new Product Guide, a This new literature will be automatically distributed through four-color piece with a display size of 8-1/2” X 11”, unfolds our Literature Subscription Service. If you do not participate into a poster type presentation with an overall size of in this program, you will be mailed a complimentary sample 25-1/2” X 22”. Included in this version of the Product along with an order form to fax your literature order to Guide is a brief history of Mouser Custom Cabinetry, Mouser. If you have any questions regarding this new combined with updated information on the 17-step Product Guide or the Literature Subscription Service, Mouser finishing process, wood specie characteristics, contact the Mouser Marketing Department at extension optimum humidity level ranges, moulding applications, 304 or 298. We are very excited about this new piece of decorative inserts and onlay combinations, revised door literature and are sure that you will be also. groupings, and new door and drawer edge profiles.

April 2003 Mouser Product & Cabinet Vision Training Dates We are pleased to announce April 28, 29, & 30 Prerequisites to attend the Cabinet Vision training Training Dates. We will be offering Mouser Product are that the attendee must possess an intermediate Training and Cabinet Vision Computer Training. skill level with Windows, must have a minimum of six months experience in kitchen and bath designing, and The Product Training is a 2-1/2 day workshop be knowledgeable in pricing Mouser Custom Cabinetry designed to increase your product knowledge and and have attended a Mouser Product Training. ability to sell more effectively. Whether you have designed with Mouser Custom Cabinetry for many Attendees will receive training on Solid Design with years or for one year, this seminar can show you the Mouser Custom Cabinetry, Starting a Job, The Layout “Mouser Advantage”. For a detailed class description, Level – Wall Placement, Placing Objects on a Wall, please see the Mouser Training brochure that was Properties – Room Level – (Changing Wall and/or sent with your 2003 catalogs. Soffit Heights), Editing Cabinets, Placing Mouldings / The Cabinet Vision Computer training class is Countertops in the Design, Order Entry and Hands designed to assist users that require the ability to use on Training. the advanced features to design fairly complex kitchens. The class will start with a brief overview of Deadline for registration is April 14, 2003. Please contact the basic software and progress to learn modifications your Sales Representative or the Marketing Coordinator and graphic details to enhance the designing of @ 800-345-7537 ext. 298 if you need a class registration custom cabinetry. form or if you need additional information.

4 SPOTLIGHT FEATURE ON MOUSER DEALERS

Located in Ridgefield, Connecticut, Renaissance Kitchens serves the southwest corner of Connecticut and parts of New York State as one of Mouser Custom Cabinetry’s newer authorized Dealers. Renaissance Kitchens was originally conceived in 2000 when John Doran relocated to begin a partnership with friend and business associate Lou Price. At that time, Lou was the owner of the Ridgefield Supply Company, a long established provider to the building industry in Ridgefield and surrounding areas. Since the target market was established as mid to hi-end clientele, the decision to separate Renaissance Kitchens from Ridgefield Supply was mutual. Two separate identities would help to reduce the stigma of the low cost kitchen department of the home center and allow Renaissance Kitchens the opportunity to establish itself in the marketplace as a high end kitchen design center. John Doran, one of the Renaissance Kitchens partners, liked the name Renaissance, because it signified both new ideas and improved new beginnings. The Renaissance Kitchen showroom is located in a separate building adjacent to Ridgefield Supply, which happens to be on the local historical register as the old Ridgefield train station. Lou had recently refurbished this abandoned train station building which had served as a storage warehouse for Ridgefield Supply. As plans for Renaissance Kitchens became solid, the abandoned train station was about to get a new breath of life. John felt like Lou had done such a good job on the refurbishing, he thought it was an excellent space to do something different. The train station has an expansive, open feel to it, with original beams and vaulted ceilings. Since its refurbishing, the once abandoned train station has found itself the home to a successful kitchen design/showroom business. With 1550 square feet of showroom space, Old Ridgefield Train Station Renaissance Kitchens displays as much product as possible, while minimizing the cabinet “maze” effect. The “train station” showroom provides Mouser Custom Cabinetry displays in both the inset and overlay series. Mouser full overlay displays in the Coventry door style with Maple Burnished Frost finish and the Ashland door style in Cherry Burnished Natural finish are among the selections displayed. Beaded inset is displayed in the Plaza door style with Cobblestone distressing. John is especially pleased with Mouser’s introduction of flush inset. John feels like “It’s a well thought out design, with back level doors & 13 inch deep walls as standard selling points.” Renaissance Kitchens began carrying the Mouser product line in January 2000. Sales of Mouser cabinetry by Renaissance increased in 2001 by 158% from the sales in the year 2000 and 2002 sales increased by 95%. John would like to acknowledge two associates involved with the success of Renaissance Kitchens: Fran Baudouin for all her support & talent as secretary / receptionist turning expediter, and Frank Nastro who came to work with Renaissance Kitchens in February of 2002. The Renaissance Kitchens staff looks forward to continued growth in 2003 with Mouser Custom Cabinetry.

Glacier Finishes On page 11-3 of the 2003 Mouser Price and Specification would like to place your Preview Door order prior to the Catalogs, a new finishing technique was introduced, simply cabinetry order, you may do so. Simply submit the order for described as Glacier Finishes. The Glacier Finishes are solid the Preview Door referencing the Client’s name. The Preview color finishes that are striated with a glaze to produce a “brush Door will initially be billed to your account, but will be credited stroke” finish effect. The Glacier Finishes will be offered on once the cabinetry order is placed. both Maple and MDF in four standard solid colors. The Glacier effect will be created by applying a warm brown glaze over a Mouser Custom Cabinetry will accept requests for Custom choice of four solid colors. They are: Eggshell Glacier • Glacier Finishes. We will review requests for different solid Linen Glacier • Sahara Glacier • White Glacier colors and/or glaze colors; however, the Glacier effect technique may not be altered. Each request should be Glacier Finishes will have minimal glaze “hang up” in profiled submitted to the Mouser Custom Cabinetry Customer Service areas compared to our current Burnished and Limed Solid Department in writing, with a sample of the desired color for Colors. The Glacier effect is a subtle technique intended to both availability and to determine the appropriate pricing. offer a warm hue to the cabinetry, with the “brush stroking” intended to become visible when viewing the cabinetry from In the later part of February, you will receive S-9 Color Blocks a distance of eight to ten feet away. in each of the four new Glacier Finishes. After reviewing the color blocks, we recommend that you order your favorite(s) The Glacier Finishes carry an up-charge of 35% in addition on an S-1 Sample Front to view with your clients to better to the 6% Paint Grade Maple up-charge. A Preview Door will understand the characteristics of the Glacier Finishes. We be produced for each order that you place and a Finish hope you find the New Glacier Finishes to be a wonderful Agreement will accompany the Preview Door for both you addition to the current finish selections offered by Mouser and your client to review, sign, and return to Mouser. If you Custom Cabinetry.

5 Effective: Feb. 12, 2003 Cancels: Dec. 10, 2002 Current Shipping Schedule Important Information! Please forward to all Sales, Design and Purchasing Staff The influx of processable orders received prior to the February 3rd price adjustment have now been acknowledged and are being scheduled into production as the Order Releases are returned. As we continue to prepare and fax your acknowledgments, our focus is on having the acknowledgments to you within 5 working days of the processable order date. We presently are sending notifications to you on orders that are exceeding this time period. The shipping schedule below is based upon Mouser’s receipt of a processable order. Due to the volume of orders received during the price adjustment, orders currently are shipping in the 8 week range. Please remember orders sent to us prior to February 3rd to receive 2002 prices and specifications must be shipped or picked up on or before April 18, 2003. Standard Production Door Styles ...... 6 - 8 weeks Extended Production Door Styles: ...... Up to 8 weeks Belmont, Churchill, Elite, Franklin, Gentry, Harbor, Heartland, Liberty, Monroe, Nottingham, Nova, Oldham, Quest, Vista, Ashland & Princeton in hickory, oak or pine, and Brookshire & Tiffany in hickory or oak and Madison style drawer fronts. All Curved Doors/Frames/Crown Mouldings, Mitered Doors in pine, and orders with cherry or maple decorative wood carvings...... Up to 9 weeks Order Release Notices not returned within the required time or returned with extensive changes will have additional time added to the shipping schedule. Orders requiring several hours of technical review and/or additional custom quote pricing will have additional time added. Orders that are incomplete and missing information will be returned via mail to the Dealer for resolution of the missing information. The order must be resubmitted (via fax) when complete. The complexity of the order and the space available in our production schedule determine the lead-time assigned to each order. Expedite Services Available (Days shown are plus shipping time)

14-Day Finish-up Service 14-day Finish-up service may be requested for small orders such as appliance panels, wainscot panels, or additional cabinetry being added to an existing job, based on our current production capacity and the complexity of the order. These orders cannot have *items requiring extended production lead-times or labor intensive items, nor contain complex items to be worked out by our Custom Quote Department requiring production drawings. 14-day Finish-up orders will not be held for an Order Release Notice, as they must be sent immediately to Production. To receive this service, you must write 14-day Finish-up in the requested ship week area of the order form. We will determine if we can meet the request and acknowledge accordingly.

7-Day Finish-up Service 7-day Finish-up service may be requested for items that are simple to produce, completely manufactured by Mouser Custom Cabinetry and were listed on the original order in the incorrect size or quantity. Complex items or multiple pieces will require the 14-day finish up service. Please reference the original work order number when applicable to allow us to verify items ordered are correct when replacing existing items. *Some items do not qualify for this 7-day Finish-up service due to extended lead-times required for those items. The 7-day Finish-up Service is not available when mouldings, appliance panels, or wainscot panels were not ordered and produced with the original order. 48-Hour Quick Ship Service 48-hour Quick Ship Service is available for non-manufactured items we stock, such as care kits, door and drawer pulls, drawer slides, sample fronts, color blocks and unfinished wood knobs. (*I.E. Decorative woodcarvings, leaded glass, special order items, extended production door styles, etc.) When requesting orders with any of our expedite lead-times, if items ordered require different lead-times, we will assign all items the lead-time of the item(s) with the longest schedule. If you wish to receive the items at different times, please use separate order forms for the various items and specify the specific lead times you require on each order. Requests made to separate orders after we have acknowledged them cannot be honored.

WOODBRIDGE HERALD EDITORIAL STAFF Editor/Publisher/Art & Design Mouser Custom Cabinetry Jeff Ramsey 2112 N. Hwy. 31W • P.O. Box 2527 Feature Articles Elizabethtown, KY 42702-2527 Julie York, Kim Breeding, Phone: 800-345-7537 • Fax: 800-472-5889 Craig Chism website: www.mousercc.com [email protected] 6