Payless Cashways differed from modern home improvement retailers in that they utilized a fully functional outdoor lumber yard.
Customers would purchase materials inside the store and upon payment, would drive their vehicle into the lumber yard area and give their order ticket to an attendant.
Sam and his sons began operating on "cash-and-carry", able to offer lower prices than when taking on the risk of contractors buying on credit.
The company eventually adopted the Payless Cashways name, but new locations were added using Furrow's due to trademark issues in Texas, Oregon, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, California, and Indiana.
[9] Payless Cashways faced their first major challenge in 1988, when they were the target of a leveraged buyout led by Asher Edelman and Sutherland Lumber.