CONTRACTORS THRIFT STORE.COM

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:03:00 +0000

Meet Clownie!

So. Who is Clownie?

Clownie is our mascot silly! Ok. Clownie is a gum ball machine that Lawrence purchased not too long ago. Lawrence collects vintage gumball machines, slot machines, etc.

Lawrence and Clownie have a very special relationship. I don't ask. I just let them have their alone time to themselves.

If you want Clownie to make a personal appearance at your place of business (I'm being totally serious here), send him an email at "clownie@contractorsthriftstore.com. Clownie needs some sun. He's looking a little pale these days.

Update

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:33:00 +0000

We're plugging right along! CWS is going great, and growing. CTS is continually being worked on, and the beginning phases of the rewrite has begun. We're excited about what the future holds, and you should be too!

Moving onward, and upward

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 23:43:00 +0000

So, if you haven't noticed, CTS has reverted back to it's old look. The reason for this is simple. Our former website vendor, WebServiceCenter.net, did not deliver a site that we expected. So with the help of Jesse Monroy, we reverted back to our old site, with a number of fixes and changes. (Call it CTS 1.2) Everything is working smoothly!

Jesse will also be in charge of writing a new version of CTS. This should be done in the next couple of months. This next version of CTS will be the bomb! The simplicity of what you expect along with some cutting edge features that will greatly improve the user experience! Stay tuned.

The developmental side of a new website.

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:34:00 +0000

For the past two months, Lawrence and myself (Ken), along with Roman Zhovtulya of WebServiceCenter Group, has been developing a new website for CTS. You heard that right! We are getting a brand new home!

The process has been long, and nerves have been frayed, but after much back and forth, we are proud to announce CTS2!!! It is a big step for us, to have the site redone from scratch, but as you will see, it's been worth it!

If you want a "Sneak peak" of the new site, visit http://www.webservicecenter.net/en/cts/home The site will go live with the Contractorsthriftstore.com within the next couple of days. Possibly the next few hours!

Donating Hair for Charity

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 03:13:00 +0000

Recently, Lawrence Martin, President and CEO of Contractors Thrift Store.com, donated his hair to the Wigs 4 Kids Foundation, working with the Leukemia Society of America. Lawrence's unselfish act of kindness is the foundation of what CTS is. We are a public service for Contractors and Homeowners alike. Congratulations to Lawrence for his wonderful gift!

Fun at the office!

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 05:26:00 +0000

We've been having some fun at the office lately. Most noticeably, it's Lawrence's office and the slot machines (you read it right, slot machines) that is keeping us entertained!

Here's Lawrence in front of his toys!

Some of these machines are vintage.

We also opened up a Business Development office for CTS! This office is critical for the future of CTS, and Lawrence and team made sure that only the best went in.

Finally, we celebrated Lawrence's birthday! We all owe so much to Lawrence, that he deserved a great Birthday celebration, and that's exactly what he got!

CTS Christmas Party 2010

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:26:00 +0000

We had our Christmas Party on December 16th. The location was the Time Deli on Bascom Rd. It was a major blast!!! Santa Lawrence and Mrs. Claus Kathi went all out for the stockings they gave to everyone. Also, the Time Deli provided some mighty fine food and drinks for us! Everyone who attended had a great time!!! If pictures can tell a thousand words, these pictures would keep on talking!!!

Christmas Fools?

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 02:30:00 +0000

Playing jokes on each other doesn't just happen in April! Lawrence decided to put Ken in the Christmas Spirit. Lawrence is a great contractor. Just don't have him hang Christmas Lights!

What has been going on here.

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:28:00 +0000

We have been a very busy bunch here! Here are some of the highlights:

Lawrence has been running his ship, and we're gaining traction each and every day. With the assistance of Ken who is overseeing the day to day operations, 2011 is shaping up to be a fantastic year!
Ginette has taken the reigns of the sales department, and is making it hers. Her leadership for the sales staff has been the best.
We have been producing monthly newsletters for our membership base. The response has been fantastic!
We will have another newsletter right before Christmas and New Years.

Finally, Lawrence, Kathi, and Ken decorated the office for the holidays! It is a very festive mood, complete with Christmas music from Chris! Special thanks goes out to Marcia McManus for having us bring in these decorations!

The team keeps growing and changing!

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:20:00 +0000

We would like to announce 2 new members, a couple of promotions to the team, and some long awaited and welcomed news.

First off, CTS welcomes Marko Praden and Ernie Grenz as salespeople. Both Ernie and Marko have a wealth of experience to bring to the table. There's no doubt that Marko and Ernie will make a huge difference to CTS.

We would also like to congratulate Ken Hoffman and Ginette Schnell. Ginette is our Sales Manager, and Ken has been promoted to Operations Manager. Their dedication, hard work, and performance make CTS that much more valuable!

Finally, and this is big! Lawrence Martin is now here full time!!! Lawrence is so badly needed here, to really make this engine go. Having him here, developing and expanding his vision, is critical to the overall success of CTS. We welcome Lawrence where he belongs, we welcome Lawrence home!!!

Congrats to Lawrence, Marko, Ernie, Ginette and Ken!

Random Slapshots

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 01:17:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone out there who was patient with us as we dealt with a page error. That caused a ton of text to appear at the top of each and every page. Wasn't fun, but now it's fixed. (Thanks Fatcow!)
We have a webcam up and running! You can watch us (hardly) working throughout the day! The direct link is http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ctstestshow
We have some very talented and good people who have joined our ranks! Chris Harris and Ginette Schnell are our highly talented sales team! They're great folks to work with! Both are hard working and dedicated to the task at hand. We also have teamed up with Gabe Arnold of Zig Zap Technologies. Gabe will be rewriting our website, taking it into the web 2.0 world! CTS is very pleased to have all 3 come on board!
CTS also wants to recognize Ken Hoffman, as he has been promoted to the role of General Manager! Ken is a great asset to CTS, and his leadership is second to none.
Come advertise with us! $300 per year in our Contractors Directory. That's just over $0.82 a day! (You can afford it :-)
See ya next blog post!

CTS at the Info Bay Area Mixer

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:29:00 +0000

On Thursday October 21, 2010, the team from CTS attended the Info Bay Area Business to Business Mixer at the San Jose Athletic Club, Corinthian Grand Ballroom.

The evening was a great success, not only for CTS, but for all who attended. Close to 400 people attended the mixer, from all walks of business life. Connections were made, business cards were exchanged, and for CTS, new members signed up on our website!

CTS wishes to thank Cesar Plata for arranging and putting on the event. An event is held every month. For more information about Cesar's events, please visit http://www.infobayarea.com, or you can call Cesar at 408-352-5932.

A monumental day for CTS!

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:52:00 +0000

This past Monday, we had our first Board of Directors meeting, along with the issue of stock certificates.

We are very proud of where we stand today. After looking back just a month ago, we have come so very far. The Board of Directors meeting along with the issue of stock is a part of that growth, and only takes us up to the next level!

As a reminder, if you wish to help CTS out by advertising, by all means let us know. No reasonable offer for advertising on CTS will be refused. It is a family atmosphere here, and we carry that attitude into everything we do!

Friday night at the movies

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:16:00 +0000

This past Friday, Lawrence, Kathi, Adam, and I went to the movies. We saw "The Social Network", and man! Was it ever good! Very inspiring. I don't think Lawrence and Kathi have slept since! Everyone had a very enjoyable time, and we all have a renewed sense of purpose to take CTS to its highest level.

It's hot out there!

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:22:00 +0000

It's in the high 90's here, and we've noticed some tires sticking to the pavement! It's something you don't want to be stuck in, unless you're me! I love this heat!!! (I know, I'm mentally disabled, but more on that later.)

So how do you beat the heat? Why you go to our Contractors Directory on Contractors Thrift Store.com of course! Go into the HVAC area, and you'll find one out of a number of contractors that can help! And when it cools off, and there's a project you have in mind, go into our Design Centre and you can begin your project yourself!

Contractors Thrift Store. Just like the weather, we're hot!!!

Random slapshots

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:21:00 +0000

From time to time, I'll blog random thoughts. Thus, Random Slapshots!

CTS wants you to advertise on our site! $300 for the year in our Contractor Directory.
Our website company, Contractors Web Service, is shaping up quite nicely.
Trains are everywhere, and if there's a train, then by God, I'm on it!
Anyone in the San Jose area, stop on by for a visit. We have cold sodas!
Muffin and Crumpet are two sweetie's!

That's all for now.

Advertising on Contractors Thrift Store.

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:03:00 +0000

Here is our President, CEO, and founder, Lawrence Martin, talking about how advertising on CTS can grow your business.

Happy Tuesday!

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:31:00 +0000

We hope everyone had a great Labor Day holiday!

Everyone here had an enjoyable weekend. Lawrence and the girls went to the S.F. Zoo. I had a wonderful time with my daughter; feeding the ducks in Martinez, playing at the park, to just being a couple of lazy bones and did nothing on Monday! Adam enjoyed the holiday with his family.

What did you do on Labor Day? Leave comments and let us know!

The way thing should be

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:42:00 +0000

Expect to see this on many more construction sites ;)

Contractors Web Service

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:46:00 +0000

This is just a quick reminder that our sister site, Contractors Web Service, can build you a website, (or if you have an existing site, we can redesign it), domain name registration (if the domain is available), and hosting for a flat $800 fee! This is a great price for unparalleled service and performance!!!

So what are you waiting for! :) Please visit Contractors Web Service today, and grab your piece of the internet!

Lend a helping hand

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:05:00 +0000

Recently, Lawrence and the gang from Contractors Thrift Store helped out at the Santa Clara County Fair, taking donations for Breast Cancer research. Through the generosity of those that donated, we were able to raise $137! Thank you to all who donated!

To continue the spirit of giving, CTS needs your help! From sponsorships, advertising on our site, to seed money/funding, CTS would sincerely appreciate any assistance you may be able to give. Your donation would continue the work we set forth on 16 months ago, providing new and used surplus items for sale, not to mention do it yourself folks who may need a bit of assistance with their projects.

CTS thanks you in advance for your support!

Our update

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:52:00 +0000

We're plugging right along! CWS (Contractors Web Service) is going great! We are also continually improving CTS, and the rewrite of the site is beginning. We are so looking forward to what we have in store for you!

CTS Team Member - Adam Muth

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:52:00 +0000

Adam Muth was born on January 22, 1983 in Mountain View, California, but moved to Santa Cruz with his family in 1985, and has lived there ever since. He attended Palma High School from 1997 to 2001, followed by Cabrillo College from 2001 to 2006. After doing a short stint at Sonoma State University for nearly two years, he attended Western Career College, now known as Carrington College, where he studied graphic design, eventually earning a certificate in the program. He joined the sales team of Contractorsthriftstore.com in the summer of 2010, and became one of the company’s most outstanding and dedicated salespeople. Aside from sales over the phone, Adam is also highly proficient in email, Microsoft Office, and Adobe software and would like to work his way up in the company to administrative assistant. He is hoping that Contractorsthriftstore.com will continue to thrive on the Internet and eventually surpass Craigslist.

Adam’s hobbies include Youtube videos, dancing, music, movies, video games, and tv shows from the 80s, pool, and Instant Messaging.

Behind the scenes

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:06:00 +0000

We at Contractors Thrift Store (CTS) is making every effort to keep the cyberverse updated with the latest news about the site, and the behind the scenes people that make it possible. Below, you can find how CTS was born, but you may not know that the Social Media Director (that would be, me, Ken) has the largest fan message board on the internet for the group Rush. There are many other things that are the "hidden talents" that make up CTS. CTS is a very well versed team, which makes CTS the success it is today!

Be on the lookout for bio's about the team, and their interests away from CTS. We wish to have CTS the "go to" site for all your contractor's needs. In order to achieve that, you have to know us and trust us that we will do the job right and in a timely manner.

Well hello there!

noreply@blogger.com (CTSdotCOM) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:03:00 +0000

As the old song goes, "Yes it's been a long time".

Things are going great here with CTS! We have a talented team surrounding us, and I feel blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people.

Remember, if you're a contractor and you looking to offer your services, or you may have some materials you would like to sell, http://www.contractorsthriftstore.com is your one stop shop! It's a free listing to sell your materials, and if you should want to advertise, we are affordable on any budget. We're looking to be the beginning and the end when it comes to the construction trade.

I promise to keep this blog updated. Some will be about the trade, others will highlight those in the office. Either way, we'll keep you in the loop (as they say).

Have a great day, and we'll talk to you soon!