By RYAN CHRISTNER

rchristner@dailynews.net

In some parts of the country, getting a facelift at 50 years old is fairly commonplace.

This morning, one local business began the first significant sign of a similar transformation.

Countryside Homes of Hays, now officially Clayton Homes, will replace its sign with one bearing the company's new name.

The move comes after Countryside, Highway 183 south, was acquired in August by Clayton, which is headquartered in Maryville, Tenn., and owned by insurance giant Berkshire Hathaway.

As is the case with most cosmetic surgery, the exterior facade is the only feature that is expected to change.

Store General Manager Mike O'Gara said the company will retain all of its six employees, who will continue to sell the same types of factory-built homes at the same location and will be accessible through the same telephone number.

Countryside's previous owner, Van Witthuhn, confirmed that is the case so far.

"Whether they make (personnel) changes ... is up to them," he said.

Witthuhn, whose Salina-based Melvin Homes also was sold to Clayton, said the company first made contact with him in May and was looking to expand its presence in Kansas.

"They were looking for established retailers who had been in the business for a while," he said.

Clayton is the nation's largest maker of manufactured homes and has been around for nearly as long as Countryside -- Clayton was founded in 1966, and Countryside in 1960 -- and has the resources and connections to make a splash in Kansas.

According to the company's Web site, Clayton owns and operates 41 manufacturing plants, which distribute their products through 448 company-owned retail outlets and more than 1,300 independent retailers, provides financing for 325,000 customers and insurance protection for 160,000 families, in addition to handling 12 subdivisions.

It's parent company, Berkshire Hathaway, is controlled by American business legend Warren Buffett, who earlier this year was labeled the richest man in the world by Forbes magazine with a net worth of $62 billion.

In addition to the Hays and Salina businesses, Witthuhn said Clayton also bought out housing companies in Manhattan, Lawrence and Topeka.

"They very much believe in this industry," O'Gara said.