Store Offers Variety of Kitchen, Bath Items

Thanks to a pair of leaky shower faucets, I’ve located one of the better sources of kitchen and bathroom appliances, fixtures and accessories in the Los Angeles area.

The faucets needed rebuilding, so I thought of Marty Kaplan, general manager at Snyder-Diamond Discount Plumbing & Appliances. He told me to bring in the handles and his counter people would see that I got the right stems, seats and washers.

After I obtained the proper innards for the leaking faucets and fixed the shower (those Price-Pfister faucets are perfect now), I made arrangements to visit the company’s Torrance store. It opened about a year ago in a former Bekins warehouse at 22850 Hawthorne Blvd. and has a floor area of 14,500 square feet, about twice the size of the firm’s stores in Santa Monica, North Hollywood and Pasadena, Kaplan said. The warehouse behind the store is about the same size as the selling floor.

In addition to parts for virtually every faucet and water closet, Snyder-Diamond sells kitchen appliances, including both Sub-Zero and Traulsen refrigerators; porcelain goods like tubs, sinks and toilets; doors and locksets; hinges, knobs and related items; bath accessories; cabinets and mirrors.

The store’s layout is excellent, with exposed ceiling mechanicals, carpeting and comfortable chairs for customers to use while discussing their needs with store personnel.

I’m pleased to see upgrading efforts like Snyder-Diamond’s in what has long been a relatively stodgy segment of retailing. Baths and kitchens are hot items in remodeling and deserve a proper retailing environment. I’ll report on similar efforts by other companies in this field in the Southland.

The 1986 edition of “The Old-House Journal Catalog” (The Old-House Journal, 69A Seventh Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11217, $13.95 postpaid), now available, lists about 10,000 items and services for houses built before World War II. If you’re restoring an old house, this is an invaluable work. The 232-page book is also available in many bookstores. I can’t recommend this work too highly.

STILL IN THE CLOSET DEPT.: Last July 28, I mentioned a two-piece shelf and closet rod support from Stanley Hardware. Now Stanley has introduced a line of adjustable metal closet rods (I’ve always called them poles). Six sizes are available, to span up to 150 inches. The three largest sizes come with center supports. If you’re remodeling a closet, or building a new one, you might consider using a metal rod rather than a wooden pole.