HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network back issues from September 1996:
Nautica adding home. (Nautica Enterprises Inc.; home furnishings)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Ralph, Liz, Calvin, watch out! There's a new kid on the home furnishings block. Nautica Enterprises, a supplier and licensor of men's and women's apparel and accessories with total worldwide sales in excess of $1 billion, is entering the home furnishings market with ...
Superstore as problem-solver: a model for merchandising telecom products. (Communication Expo)(includes related article on training for Communication Expo personnel)(Cover Story)
Sep 02, 1996; ... DALLAS--A young man with a fire in his belly kick-started the era of computer superstores; now he and a group of associates are set to do it again with a chain of telecommunications stores. Twelve years after co-founding CompUSA, Michael Henochowicz, along with president and ...
Laura Ashley retail thrust. (home furnishings; larger format stores)
Sep 02, 1996; ... ATLANTA--Laura Ashley, the quintessential English country brand in home furnishings and ready-to-wear, has opened its largest retail store format ever, marking an aggressive expansion strategy and a major home furnishings push. The company, with worldwide sales estimated at ...
Woolworth's test: more housewares, textiles and RTA. (ready-to-assemble furniture)
Sep 02, 1996; ... WILMINGTON, Del.--On Friday, Woolworth opened three prototype general merchandise stores with a clean airy look that spotlights a new mix of merchandise with branded housewares and home textiles, as well as extensive RTA furniture. "We have pieces of this business in our basic ...
Recoton finalizes Jensen buy. (International Jensen Inc.)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... LAKE MARY, Fla.--Shareholders of Recoton Corp., the consumer electronics accessories marketer, completed the deal for International Jensen Inc. last week. Recoton bought Jensen's branded business in home and care stereo loudspeakers, car stereo players and amplifiers for ...
Macy East adds new pay plan. (Selling Performance Plan)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... NEW YORK--Macy's East is introducing a new compensation program titled the Selling Performance Plan. This plan will provide sales associates in nontraditional commission departments with a stable level of earnings throughout the year. Furthermore, for the first time, these ...
First airport mall soars. (Pittsburgh International Airport)
Sep 02, 1996 ... PITTSBURGH--As the first major airport shopping complex in the United States, the Airmall's performance at Pittsburgh International Airport has exceeded expectations, with a 12.7 percent sales increase for 1995. First quarter performance (12.97 percent overall) underscores a ...
Assembling furniture for SOHO. (small office, home office market; ready-to-assemble furniture)
Sep 02, 1996; ... Home Office Market Sitting Pretty While for many, hearing the word "SOHO" conjures up images of high ceiling lofts and art galleries in lower Manhattan, furniture retailers and manufacturers are now starting to picture the growing small office, home office (SOHO) market, and ...
A mass drive in bedding: Simmons puts RTA veteran in charge. (Craig Dorsher; ready-to-assemble)
Sep 02, 1996; ... ATLANTA--The Simmons Co. wants to entice mass merchants into the bedroom and has hired Craig Dorsher, a veteran of the ready-to-assemble furniture arena, to lead the march. Dorsher, who was vice president and general manager with RTA maker Bertram & MacLeod, has taken a job ...
Brand bedfellows share their clout: Federated, Simmons team up on mattresses. (Federated Department Stores)(includes related article on other private-labeling efforts)
Sep 02, 1996; ... ATLANTA--The number-two bedding manufacturer, Simmons, and the top traditional department store chain, Federated, have joined forces to create a proprietary, co-branded line of mattresses. The line is part of a strategy to differentiate product offerings and expand the bedding business ...
Balancing act in lamps. (inventory management)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NEW YORK--As the crucial fourth-quarter selling season approaches, lamp importers are again grappling with the issue of having enough merchandise on hand to meet demand. By far the bulk of lamp sales--according to some suppliers, as much as two-thirds of the business--is done ...
Teeming with trends: rugs try to keep up with consumers.(includes related article area-rug trends)
Sep 02, 1996; ... DALTON, Ga.--Area rug retailers and resources are fond of saying that the hottest style trend on the market is everything and anything. It's not that there is an absence of trends. It's that there are multiple trends, and the trend cycle is turning more swiftly than ever. Dee ...
Beaulieu of America Inc. (David Allen Cadden and Lamar Goble charged with selling counterfeit rugs bearing Atlanta Centennial Olympics designs; Beaulieu owns trademark rights for such products)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... DALTON, Ga.--Knock-off is knock-off, but outright forgery can get you free room and board in the hoosegow. Two Dalton men have been arrested and charged with selling counterfeit Olympic rugs. David Allen Cadden and Lamar Goble were charged with one felony count of forged or counterfeit ...
O'Sullivan Industries. (Merrill Lynch raises company's stock rating from 'neutral' to 'accumulate')(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... LAMAR, Mo.--Prompted by a report from O'Sullivan Industries reporting a fourth quarter profit that was well above analysts' ...
Office Star's ergonomic twists.(Office Star Products introduces 7000 Series of ergonomic chairs)
Sep 02, 1996; ... POMONA, Cal.--Office Star Products, a distributor of office seating here, has introduced a new line of ergonomic task chairs that can be configured in a number of ways. The new line, dubbed the 7000 Series, is part of the company's Pro-Line Business Furniture. The chairs offer ...
Grosfillex broadens, adds RTA offerings.(ready-to-assemble furniture)
Sep 02, 1996; ... ROBESONIA, Pa.--Grosfillex, the company whose slogan is "Plastics you can live with," has introduced a limited RTA line. The first product line in its new home furnishings division makes its initial appearance in the market with four shelving products, featuring three-, four- ...
Dalyn does its things.(rug supplier)(Company Profile)
Sep 02, 1996; ... DALTON, Ga.--Every rug supplier has its own personality. Dalyn is the quiet one. Maybe it's also the oddball one. Industry observers have been trying to pinpoint Dalyn's volume for years, and estimates vary from $12 million to $25 million. Dalyn is a privately held company ...
InnerAsia: Tibetan rugs.(InnerAsia Trading Co.)
Sep 02, 1996 ... NEW YORK--Tibetan-inspired rug designs have become an increasingly important part of the high-fashion area rug market. The lavishly colored and decorative rugs provide an alternative to classic Persian patterns and they work well with both contemporary and traditional ...
A new chief at Bibb.(Michael L. Fulbright)
Sep 02, 1996; ... ATLANTA--The Bibb Co. has named Michael L. Fulbright to replace Tom Foley as president and chief executive. Foley, formerly the company's majority stockholder, will take a reduced stake in Bibb and a non-voting seat on the company's board of directors as part of a plan to ...
Chipping away at the paint: wallcoverings makers out to reclaim their turf.(Industry Overview)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Approximately 90 percent of American walls are painted, a boon to paint suppliers, but the bane of the wallcoverings industry. That statistic has been bouncing around the wallcoverings business for many years, quoted by industry experts, manufacturers, distributors ...
Options in dec pillows.(decorated pillows)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Decorative pillows will come in an eclectic mix this season. Chenilles, velvets, cottons, linens, silks and leathers are just a sampling of the variety of fabrics that will be on display at the home textiles market in October. Continuing the casual trend, denim will ...
Arlee's in kitchen: ensembles to sport Decor label.(Arlee Home Fashions)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Arlee Home Fashions is entering the kitchen textiles business with a new line of 12 to 18 ensembles that the company will unveil at the October market. Items in the line include kitchen towels, placemats, kitchen mitts, pot holders and chair pads. Matching balloon valances will ...
Springs Industries.(has acquired assets of Daisy Kingdom)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... FORT MILL, S.C.--Springs Industries said last week that it had acquired certain assets of Daisy Kingdom, a fabric supplier and craft design house, based in Portland, Ore. A purchase price was not ...
Weave Corp.(starts World Wide Web site)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... HACKENSACK, N.J.--Weave Corp., a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of yarn dyed jacquard fabrics, unveiled its own World Web Site. The site offers is a tour of the company's weaving facility in Lancaster County, Pa. Pictures and text will explain the fabric production process ...
Conso Products Co.(finances)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... UNION, S.C.--Conso Products Co. reported sales up 18.6 percent to $70.7 million for the fiscal year ended June 29, compared to the prior year's $59.6 million. The gross margin increased to 36 percent from the prior year's 34.8 percent, which the company attributed in part to improvements ...
Martex targets luxe arena.(WestPoint Stevens launches luxury home textiles)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NEW YORK--WestPoint Stevens is emphasizing its department and specialty store products in the latest round of its Martex-branded bed and bath introductions for October market. The domestics mill is more fully concentrating on the luxury category by bringing in fresh, innovative ...
Pacific Fair: quality over quantity.(Pacific Home Fashion Fair)
Sep 02, 1996; ... SAN FRANCISCO--An enthusiastic but sparse crowd attended the new Pacific Home Fashion Fair held here Aug. 23 to 25 at the Concourse Exhibition Center/Showplace Square. Formerly known as The Western Window Coverings Trade Show, the event, which features a smattering of ...
Croscill: labor-intensive luxury.(upcoming household linens)
Sep 02, 1996; ... DURHAM, N.C.--As the pressure mounts for suppliers to come up with distinctive looks that set themselves apart from others, Croscill will offer retailers new fabrications such as slub yarns, matelasses and silk in its bedding line, and contemporary styles in its window and drapery ...
Sopping up those profits.(Seidman Report)(Column)
Sep 02, 1996; ... Two market developments take the country's attention because it's so obvious they both will have enormous consequences for all who distribute and retail household textiles. One is the action by JC Penney in repricing important volume basic lines such as type 200 blend sheets ...
Sears taps into safety: picks CareMate for bath products.(Sears, Roebuck, and Co., bath safety products)
Sep 02, 1996; ... SIMI VALLEY, Cal.--Sears is venturing into the burgeoning home health care field with a new line of products devoted to bath safety. The giant retailer has chosen CareMate as its vendor for the line. Starting in September, Sears will feature CareMate bathroom safety products ...
Denby blazing a path in China: niche vendor grabs its share of casual market.(Denby Pottery)(Company Profile)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Denby Pottery, according to retailers, has become the darling of the china department once again, after pulling in and out of the market a number of times in the 1980s. The firm, an upstairs casual dinnerware manufacturer, has distanced itself from the competition by ...
Gadgets get just dessert.(kitchen gadgets for making desserts)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NEW YORK--The tool land gadget market is on a dessert course. Home cooks are becoming more sophisticated and investing in sturdier, more professional baking tools and gadgets to make cookies, cakes and pastries. And as they have done in other housewares, consumers are trading ...
Casual table stars: Pfaltzgraff a pacesetter at retail.(tabletop retailer sales for summer 1996)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NEW YORK--With some old reliables selling well amidst a somewhat sluggish season, tabletop retailers report a mixed bag of summer sales. Nevertheless, they are optimistic that growth in casual lines and holiday shopping will beef up revenues for the fourth quarter. In casual ...
Targeting both mass merchants and gift, speciality and department store channels, Zak Designs is rolling out a new licensed children's dinnerware, drinkware, beverageware and snackware line inspire by Disney's new 101 Dalmatians movie.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... SPOKANE, Wash.--Targeting both mass merchants and gift, specialty and department store channels, Zak Designs is rolling out a new licensed children's dinnerware, drinkware, beverageware and snackware line inspired by Disney's new 101 Dalmatians movie. The new line includes ...
Culligan International.(partnership with Starbucks coffee)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... NORTHBROOK, III.--Culligan International has entered into a retail partnership with Starbucks coffee. The national coffee house chain has signed an agreement to use certain models of Culligan's water filtration products in its retail stores and to sell selected products to ...
Regal touts Imperial Diamond.(Regal Ware to advertise its Imperial Diamond line of stainless steel nonstick cookware)
Sep 02, 1996; ... KEWASKUM, Wis.--Regal Ware, manufacturer of cookware and small electrics, will roll out a new infomercial for Imperial Diamond, a line of stainless steel nonstick cookware, the second week of September. Imperial Diamond is Regal Ware's effort to extend the franchise created by ...
Shaving the way for women.(new women's shavers)
Sep 02, 1996 ... NEW YORK--As the primary season for women's shaver sales heats up, vendors look to a variety of new features and marketing programs to spur the $63 million wholesale category. The category historically has been much smaller than its men's counterpart, which at $357 million ...
2 Betty Crocker food tie-ins.(Betty Crocker Kitchen Electrics forms alliances with General Mills and Hills Bros. to promote their food products along with its new kitchen appliance offerings)
Sep 02, 1996 ... DANBURY, Conn.--Betty Crocker Kitchen Electrics, distributed by High Performance Appliance, has teamed up with two names in the food industry to whet consumers' appetites. In alliance with General Mills, Betty Crocker will provide a nine SKU assortment of products, each ...
AHAM offers air cleaner facts.(Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers educates consumers on room air cleaner purchasing)
Sep 02, 1996; ... CHICAGO--The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) has launched its massive marketing campaign to inform consumers about air cleaner certification and Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADR) and the role they play in choosing the most suitable unit. Approximately three ...
Making the case for cleaner lungs.(air conditioner manufacturers educate consumers with allergies on selecting air cleaners)
Sep 02, 1996 ... SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass.--As allergy season blossoms, consumers may decide to purchase air cleaners to relieve symptoms. But in a category overflowing with vendors, technologies and styles, one manufacturer is aiming to provide a map that will guide consumers through the labyrinth. ...
Pro-Flo reverse-osmosis filtration. (Pro-Flo Products introduces reverse-osmosis water filtration faucets)
Sep 02, 1996; ... CEDAR GROVE, N.J.--Pro-Flo Products, maker of water filtration systems for the retail marketplace, adds a splash of color to the kitchen sink with its under-counter, reverse-osmosis water filtration units. The six Pro-Flo reverse-osmosis SKUs, which range in retail price ...
Filtration on the rise. (part 2)(vacuum cleaner industry officials debate consumer education on air filtration issue)
Sep 02, 1996; ... What follows is part two of HFN's roundtable discussion among vendors on filtration in the vac business. HFN: To what extent do consumers understand filtration? Mike Yamashita, product manager, vacuum cleaners at Panasonic: "Consumers' impression is that the more ...
2 plan DVD delay: Sony, Thomson are talking '97. (Digital Versatile Disc)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Sony and Thomson expect Digital Versatile Disc to be a spring product rather than a hot ticket for fall. Toshiba says it still plans to have the product out sometime this fall. In the past several months there have been questions concerning the protection of movie ...
Tying the goods to the services: Communication Expo tries a hands-on solution.
Sep 02, 1996; ... DALLAS--It resembles a miniature trade show, only quieter and less congested. More than 4,000 products from more than 450 brands are on the floor in working condition, and 40 workstations linking telephones to computers and other products are ready for customers. There is ...
Sony surfs for $349. (WebTV Internet access product)
Sep 02, 1996; ... PARK RIDGE, N.J.--Sony Electronics has given its WebTV a $349 suggested retail price. The Internet-browsing set-top box will be available sometime this month. The box will connect to a TV and a phone line to give consumers access to the Internet. Both Sony and Philips Consumer ...
Co-op's short list: Best Brands lines up its labels.
Sep 02, 1996; ... LAS VEGAS--Best Brands Plus, the former Key America buying-group chapter that is recreating itself and its strategies, has chosen some of the major brands and marketing plans it will recommend to its 250 members. Zenith, Thomson, Hitachi and Toshiba are among consumer ...
Panasonic; NBC. (to operate video screen in New York's Times Square)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... NEW YORK--Panasonic and NBC will operate a giant video screen in Times Square by year-end. A Panasonic spokesman said an 891-square-foot Astrovision screen will be constructed for the north face of One Times Square, the building known for the New Year's Eve ball drop. He said the screen ...
Allsop Inc. (opens Laramie, WY, distribution center)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... BELLINGHAM, Wash.--Allsop Inc. has opened a new 65,000-square-foot distribution center in Laramie, Wyo. The new facility will serve as the primary distribution center as well as a second manufacturing facility for Allsop products including the computer accessories and consumer electronics ...
Study: public believes satellite's choices better. (Inteco survey on cable and satellite television)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... NORWALK, Conn.--U.S. consumers believe satellite TV services offer better programming choices of movies and sports and superior picture and sound quality than cable, according to new research. The public's favorable impression of satellite TV is based on a perception they can ...
NeoStar deepens 2nd-quarter loss. (NeoStar Retail Group)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... DALLAS--NeoStar Retail Group, operator of Babbage's and Software Etc. software stores, widened its second-quarter loss to $21.5 million and said it is seeking financing for working capital through the remainder of the year. A onetime $5.3 million charge for a restructuring ...
Slice of DSS pie for Thomson. (Thomson Consumer Electronics; Digital Satellite Systems)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Thomson Consumer Electronics will get a piece of the Digital Satellite Systems programming business. As part of its deal with DirecTv, Thomson said it will get residuals from DirecTv based on sales of programming. Currently, DirecTv and USSB have a $200 ...
Mitsubishi's big TVs soon to surf the Net. (large-screen televisions with Internet browsers)
Sep 02, 1996; ... NORCROSS, Ga.--Mitsubishi Consumer Electronics America Inc. (MCEA) will introduce its first convergence products next summer--a line of large-screen TVs with built-in Internet-browsers. Called DiamondWeb, the new line will include 32-, 36- and 40-inch TVs. Pricing and the ...
Mission: Impossible on the MAP. (Paramount Pictures Corp. opts for minimum advertised price structure)
Sep 02, 1996; ... HOLLYWOOD, Cal.--Paramount Home Video is releasing Mission: Impossible Nov. 12 with a $14.79 minimum advertised price (MAP) and no suggested retail. Big-title new releases are usually priced higher--in the $20 range--and carry suggested retail prices. Warner Home Video's ...
Magic number: $14.95 at Disney. (Disney Interactive offers low-priced game line)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996; ... GLENDALE, Cal.--Disney Interactive is trying to broaden its audience with a low-priced game line. On Oct. 15, the company will launch a branded line of animated CD-ROM games priced at around $14.95. Disney's Hot Shots brand was designed specifically to reach the ...
This dream team breaks all the rules. (top management executives at Communication Expo)
Sep 02, 1996; ... DALLAS--To create their vision, they knew they had to start from the ground up--throw away all the old ideas on how to sell and what to sell. Like the magnificent seven of women's gymnastics, who changed the way the game is played this summer when they won the team gold in ...
More PCs, wider add-on array. (marketing personal computer supplies)(Column)
Sep 02, 1996; ... In the last few years the proliferation of personal computers in the home and office has increased dramatically. This has created an excellent opportunity for both manufacturers and retailers to provide a wider array of product offerings designed to meet the growing data storage needs of ...
AST targets PC user segments. (AST Research Inc.; Advantage personal computers)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... IRVINE, Cal.--AST Computer is continuing the segmentation trend within the PC retail market by targeting its new Advantage models at four distinct lifestyle sectors: individuals interested in communications, gaming, home-office productivity and education. The Advantage systems ...
Room-air suppliers look to '97.
Sep 02, 1996 ... The 1997 room-air season has begun. In the wake of the present spotty summer, with its lopsided sales by region and by machine size, there already have been reports of deal-seeking for next year. Not many promotional efforts, said key players in the business, but even one or ...
Campo fills void with Corley. (Campo Electronics, Appliances & Computers Inc. names Rex Corley president)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... COVINGTON, La.--Campo Electronics, Appliances & Computers Inc. here has appointed Rex Corley president of the company and filled other executive posts vacated in July. In addition to taking the post of president, Corley retains the title of chief operating officer. Anthony ...
Electrolux floor-care sales 'good' in U.S. (first half of 1996)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996 ... STOCKHOLM (FNS)--AB Electrolux president and chief executive Leif Johansson said the Household Appliance division's floor-care and leisure-appliances operations in the United States produced good results in the first half ended June 30 and continued to improve into the second six months ...
Comfort Clinic deal. (Sunrise Medical to sell division to Crain Industries)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1996; ... CARLSBAD, Cal.--Sunrise Medical said last week that it will sell its Comfort Clinic division to Crain Industries for $14 million. Comfort Clinic makes and markets therapeutic sleep products. Crain, a supplier of polyurethane foam, has been a key supplier to Comfort Clinic for ...
Hand power: hand-held vacuums are still the consumer's choice for cleaning convenience.(Hand-Held Vacuums)
Sep 02, 1996 ... In millions of American homes, when a little sugar spills on the kitchen floor, or when the dog has been sleeping--and shedding--on the couch, chances are the tool consumers grab for a quick clean-up is a hand vacuum. Compact and convenient, with the power to handle most small ...
No one vac fits all; corded and uncorded products serve separate purposes.(Hand-Held Vacuums)
Sep 02, 1996 ... With more than five million units being sold each year, hand vacs enjoy a broad appeal among consumers. Whether received as a gift or purchased by the user for everyday household chores, the products represent a category that virtually every consumer could need and use. Some ...
Vac-finding mission: consumers want to see, touch and feel the hand vacuums.(vacuum cleaner marketing tips)(Hand-Held Vacuums)
Sep 02, 1996 ... 1 WHAT CONSTITUTES AN IDEAL HAND VAC ASSORTMENT, AND HOW SHOULD THE PRODUCTS BE MERCHANDISED? Most retailers position hand vacs as an adjunct to their floor-care department or section, placing them next to, or across the aisle from, full-size vacuums. But there are also ...
Staples pulls in to Depot. (acquisition of Office Depot Inc.)(includes related articles on Office Max and criticism of office superstores)
Sep 09, 1996; ... NEW YORK--The proposed $3.4 billion acquisition by office superstore chain Staples of archrival Office Depot would streamline an industry that many observers believe is too crowded, even with only three major players. By enabling Staples and Office Depot to pool their ...