Veteran Home Center Officer Hired by National

National Lumber & Supply Inc. on Wednesday appointed a new general merchandising manager--a veteran home center executive who says he will help reposition the chain as a friendlier alternative to its larger warehouse rivals.

Max Robuck, 39, former divisional merchandising manager for Home Club, said in an interview that National Lumber will come back from its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing last month by providing specialty services, such as kitchen cabinet shops and home-decorating sections.

“We’re going to create a new kind of business that appeals both to the males and the females (and) gets into heavier service kinds of things,” said Robuck, who also will be a company vice president.

He said National Lumber will be repositioned to provide an alternative for customers who “tend to be intimidated” by giant warehouse-type home centers where finding a particular item can be a chore. Analysts attribute National Lumber’s problems, in part, to its inability to compete with larger chains such as Home Club and Home Depot.

Robuck replaces Jordan Silverberg, who is retiring as executive vice president of the Fountain Valley-based company. Silverberg, a 13-year National Lumber executive, had no comment on his decision to retire.

National Lumber President Mel Jaffee said Robuck’s experience will prove valuable in the struggle to resurrect the one-time leader among Southland do-it-yourself home-improvement centers, which filed for bankruptcy court protection April 3.

Robuck said the chain will try out some of its new ideas in a single store that will serve as a test to gauge the reaction of customers and creditors. He declined to say which store will be converted, except to add that it will most likely be in Orange County.

Before joining Home Club in 1986, Robuck served in various management positions at Target Discount Stores for eight years. He started his retailing career at May Co. in 1973.

National Lumber closed six of its 21 stores earlier this year in a cost-cutting move. Robuck said he cannot rule out future closings. “We really haven’t made a decision. We are going to do whatever we have to do to keep National Lumber healthy,” he said.