Waccamaw looks to 1991 automation - Waccamaw Corp, off-price home furnishings stores

Discount Store News, Oct 16, 1989 by Mary Ellen Kelly

Waccamaw Looks to 1991 Automation

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Waccamaw Corp., the 18-unit off-price housewares and home decor specialty chain, plans to significantly increase its investment in technology; at the same time it has established a new store opening rate of five per year.

According to David Bishop, Waccamaw president, POS equipment will be installed in several test stores by the end of the year. By 1991, all stores will be equipped with scanning and price lookup. New backroom automatic receiving equipment should be in place by 1991 as well, Bishop said.

"We're trying to be a leader in efficiency," he explained. "We will need to continue to reduce our prices as the competition gets greater. This will make automation a necessity."

Bishop went on to explain that lack of prompt sales trend information is one of the largest difficulties the chain currently faces.

"We need to react faster to both positive and negative trends ... Most vendors require three to six weeks turnaround time. While some are involved with Quick Response, many are not," he said.

Funds for these investments are coming in part, from Waccamaw's parent, Georgetown Industries, a Charlotte, N.C.-based steel and lumber vendor.

The injection of capital will also assist the chain in stepping up its store expansion rate.

"A lot is being invested for capital improvements in the form of automation and store upgrades," Bishop said. "Our parent gives us a lot of autonomy and is very supportive of our growth."

The new store opening agenda provides for five to six new units each year, or roughly a half million square feet of retail space annually.

The current state-by-state breakdown of stores is: six in South Carolina, four in North Carolina, two in Florida (with another scheduled to open before year's end), two in Indiana, and one each in Georgia, Virginia, Illinois, Tennessee and Alabama. A second store will also open in Virginia by the end of the year.

"We give our board three years advance notice; right now I'm negotiating leases for stores opening from 1991 to 1993 . . .," he continued. "They are very enthusiastic about our concept. They see a void in the marketplace that we are going to fill ... while it's still out there."

PHOTO : New store openings are scheduled for five to six each year.