HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network back issues from October 1996:
IMRA building bridges: backs NHMA plan on buyer-seller ties. (International Mass Retail Association, National Housewares Manufacturers Association)
Oct 07, 1996; ... CAREFREE. Ariz.--The International Mass Retail Association is getting behind an initiative to forge better partnerships between retailers and manufacturers. IMRA will co-sponsor Great Performance Alliances, a program designed by the National Housewares Manufacturers ...
Kmart hits Manhattan. (Manhattan, New York City, New York)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--In a grand and risky assault on the Manhattan market, Kmart made its debut here last week with a mammoth multilevel unit on West 34th Street. It has another store waiting to open in Greenwich Village next month, and may follow up with Irvin. It's also the general ...
A balancing act: textiles buyers look beyond luxe. (home textile firms balance business between luxury and basic products)
Oct 07, 1996 ... NEW YORK--Retailers shopping this week's Home Textiles Market here welcome the latest luxury and alternative fabrics but said they also need more excitement in basics such as comforter sets and printed sheets to increase traffic and stimulate sales. "We're looking to balance ...
An up-to-date look for retailer's big book: Spiegel catalog to put accent on contemporary.
Oct 07, 1996; ... DOWNERS GROVE, Ill.--John W. Irvin, who stepped into the newly created position of president of the Spiegel catalog division last April, says the "big book" is getting an updated, contemporary, clean and consumer-focused look. It's not just the merchandise, which is becoming ...
Holliman is CEO of Action's parent. (Mickey Holliman selected as President of Furniture Brands International)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... ST. LOUIS--Mickey Holliman is stepping into the top stop at Furniture Brands International. Holliman was previously president and chief executive of Action Industries, a subsidiary of Furniture Brands. He co-founded action 25 years ago with Alvin Bland. Tom Foy will ...
Trade Am signs for Amiran Corp. (to acquire rug manufacturer, Trade Am International Inc.)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... NORCROSS, Ga.--Rug importer. Trade Am has signed a letter of intent to acquire Amiran Corp. of Secaucus, NJ. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the month, but terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Amiran, which specializes in ...
CEOs divulge growth strategies. (Newell Co. President and CEO Thomas Ferguson, Sauder Woodworking CEO Maynard Sauder and Rival CEO Thomas Mannng)
Oct 07, 1996; ... Carefree, Ariz.--What makes Newell grow? Thomas Ferguson, president and chief operating officer of Newell Co., told the home furnishings executives who came to HFN's CEO Summit, "The foundation of our growth strategy is acquisition. It is the foothold; it is the culture." ...
Better RTA's muscle. (ready-to-assemble furniture)
Oct 07, 1996; ... HIGH POINT, N.C.--Based upon their year-to-date successes selling ready-to-assemble furniture, mass merchants are likely to be headed here for this month's International Home Furnishings Market with an aggressive eye towards better products. At the same time, they are quick to ...
Buy signal for lamps. (retail buyers ready for High Point show)(includes related article on new styles)
Oct 07, 1996; ... HIGH POINT, N.C.--Lamp and accessories buyers heading to next week's home furnishings market here are going with open minds and open-to-buy. Coming off what have been two strong selling months, buyers for national chain stores, department stores and furniture retailers are ...
Painting the town: bright rugs fill the textiles market.
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEWYORK--Color--make that bright color--will team with interesting new textures as the focal point for rugs at the home textiles market this week. "The retailers have gotten themselves down to a basic enough mentality and are ready to make a shift," says doe Shafran, senior ...
Homemaker follows its star: a giant in rugs aims to reach new horizons. (Homemaker Industries Inc.)(includes related article on collaborative management techniques)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Life in the mass market lane is a bumper car ride not recommended for the timid. The goal is to bump each other off the slippery floor and get through the competitive traffic jams with profit margins in place. While other vendors are bumping heads, Homemaker ...
Trend Image Licensing. (rights to John James Audubon's Birds of America)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... TORONTO--Trend Image Licensing has acquired the worldwide rights to John James Audubon's Birds of America, 436 images now available for home furnishings licensing. According to Richie Cohen, president of Trend Image Licensing, the series is particularly ...
Reach the purse via the heart. (advertising for Serta Inc. mattresses)(includes related article on brand recognition and purchasing decisions)
Oct 07, 1996; ... Itasca, Ill.--Moonlit nights, dreamlike images and the cherubic "sleeping boy" are the essence of Serta's newest national advertising campaign, designed to tug at the heartstrings end open the purse strings of the American consumer. The new series of "We Make the World's Best ...
Apollo winners share secrets. (Summer & Casual Furniture Manufacturers Association 1996 Apollo Awards)
Oct 07, 1996; ... High Point--The road to retail success can take many different forms, but according to some of the best casual-furniture specialty retailers, finding that road takes both dedication and focus. HFN asked the finalists of the Summer & Casual Furniture Manufacturers Association ...
Happiness Express in Chapter 11.(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... NEW YORK--Happiness Express, the financially troubled toy and home decor supplier, has sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, after failed negotiations with its lenders. Company executives report Happiness Express is under investigation by both the U.S. Attorney's office in ...
Gayness forms sales rep firm, STAR. (Paul Gaynes forms S&T Accessories Resource Inc.)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... CHARLOTTE, N.C.--Lighting industry veteran Paul Gaynes has formed a sales rep company, S&T Accessories Resource Inc., (STAR) and will work along with PHI Trading U.S. to develop programs of lighting and decorative accessories for a variety of retailers. Gaynes had been with ...
Exhibitors at N.Y. show accent step-up lines. (New York Home Textiles Market)
Oct 07, 1996 ... NEW YORK--Area rug resources showing at this week's New York Home Textiles Market are aiming new products at mass marketers and linen and : home specialty chains. And while the area rug business has been firmly grounded in the popular price points, there now is a trade-up movement to ...
Double play for bedding: color and texture fuel fashion end.
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--suppliers are citing color and texture, especially alternative fabric combinations, as the two engines driving the excitement in fashion bedding at this week's market. Texture is taking the form of mate-lasses, seersucker and pique as well as chenille, velvet and ...
Designers line up to go after home; old and new put their stamp on the business.(home textiles)
Oct 07, 1996 ... NEW YORK--Designer labels abound in home textiles as never before. And by the close of 1997, several more prime names--such as Nautica, Halston, Donna Karan and Tommy Hilfiger--will be added to the list. Historically, designer names--those linked directly to the ready-to-wear ...
Mix up in bath: coordinates get a new sense of style.
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Coordinated programs are pulling the bathroom together, but freestanding bath products are helping to tell an even more sophisticated story this market. Manufacturers are creating a number of lifestyle looks in their coordinated bath programs, mixing casual and formal ...
Manual Woodworkers & Weavers has named Jay Zito president and chief operating officer.(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... HENEDERSONVILLE, N.C.--Manual Woodworkers & Weavers has named Jay Zito president and chief operating officer. He will be responsible for all company operations and facilities in the U.S. Zito came to Manual Woodworkers in 1995 from Gibralter Packaging, where he served as division ...
Hanover Direct Inc. has appointed Larry J. Svoboda as senior vice president, chief financial officer.(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... WEEHAWKEN, N.J.--Hanover Direct Inc. has appointed Larry J. Svoboda as senior vice president, chief financial officer. Prior to joining Hanover Direct, Svoboda held the position of vice president, finance, chief financial officer and secretary The Florsheim Shoe Co. in Chicago. ...
U.S. Industries has sold Franklin Dyed Yarns to Meridian Industries Inc. for $8.5 million in cash, subject to post closing adjustments.(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... ISELIN, N.J.--U.S. Industries has sold Franklin Dyed Yams to Meridian Industries Inc. for $8.5 million in cash, subject to post closing adjustments. Franklin Dyed Yams, headquartered in Greenville, S.C., is a major dyed yarns supplier to the weaving and knitting industries. For ...
Dec pillows pile on opulence.(decorative pillows)
Oct 07, 1996; ... New York--Ask anybody in the decorative pillow industry how business is these days, and they will say it's been good, very good, with no end in sight. Said Belinda Balash, Newport's vice president of design, "Accessories are hot. We're in a great position in the industry, and ...
Turning the tables in new ways.(table linens)
Oct 07, 1996; ... New York--Table linens, ranging from casual to opulent looks, are the news this fall, as suppliers play with different fabric constructions, textures and coordinates to dress the most important rooms in the home. Almost everyone will have something in the casual category. ...
Windows of opportunity open.(window treatments)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--With a few exceptions, window treatment manufacturers are depending on scarves and tab-tops to continue to be trend-setting forces at market. When there is this kind of consensus, the trick remains how to take advantage of the trend while maintaining an identity in the market. ...
Antimicrobial technology heats pillows.
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Pillows are taking center stage in the basic bedding category this market. Many basic bedding suppliers say pillow sales are picking up, spurred by recent technological advances such as antimicrobial fibers and different density programs. At Perfect Fit, ...
Throws catching on.
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Throws have come a long way, baby. Formerly considered decorative accessories, they have grown in importance and are now considered a basic. Indeed, some manufacturers say sales of throws equal or exceed sales of blankets, a bedroom standby. This growth ...
Natural Bedroom, environmental take.(natural bedding products)
Oct 07, 1996; ... SAN FRANCISCO--If Dale Bentson had any doubts about the appeal of his company, The Natural Bedroom, a supplier of natural bedding products, they were dispelled in May of this year. At that time, Bentson ran a tiny 3 inch by 2 1/2 inch ad on page 140 of Martha Stewart Living ...
CHF line reflects simpler lifestyle.
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Contemporary cut-and-sew styles will dominate CHF's bedding line this market. In Cameo, the supplier's upstairs brand, retailers will see a variety of clean, crisp looks with mitering and color-blocking techniques. "You'll see a much bigger emphasis ...
Newcomers at show to watch.(1996 Home Textiles Show)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--More than 200 companies will exhibit in the Javits Center at the New York Home Textiles Show, and more than one-quarter of them will be first-timers, according to George Little Management, which manages the show. They include marketers of juvenile bedding, luxe ...
Weaving a new bedtime story.(Bay Linens)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Bay Linens is weaving a luxury fabric and color story in outerbedding this week. Patterns such as hook-weave cottons in claret colorations, Italian brocades with textured stripes, bright piques, and even casual fabrics such as denim, are placed at the forefront at ...
The why of what works where.(Column)
Oct 07, 1996; ... New York--Why can some home textile retailers successfully sell product categories that other merchants fail with? Why can some types of stores sell certain important home fashion lines that others stores find their customers won't buy? These are timely questions because all retailers are ...
DR's got a brand new bag.(Dan River will introduce new packaging)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEWYORK--Dan River will introduce more fashion-forward packaging for its department/specialty store brand, called "DR," at the market this week. "We re-evaluated our packaging and decided that this particular label would better speak to the consumer's needs through the ...
Garnet Hill: it started with flannel.
Oct 07, 1996; ... FRANCONIA, N.H. -- Twenty years ago, while backpacking through England, a couple discovered British flannel sheets. When Grant and Pegge Dowse returned home to Franconia, N.H., they were struck by the contrast between those sheets and their "rough" American linens. ...
Wovens mark Windham focus.(Windham Weavers)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Windham Weavers combines a deep and wide assortment of woven table linens with unique packaging ideas for its new entries at this week's market. Just as wovens have come full force into the bedding and window-treatment categories, this company is banking on these cloths ...
Piling it on for fall.(home textile suppliers)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Eclectic is the byword for the fall season, as home textile suppliers display products ranging from casual to opulent in categories such as denim, brights, chenilles, faux animal skin and vintage looks. Brights with a '60s feel are everywhere, a reaction, according ...
Gold's starring in glass; a holiday touch that lasts all year.(gold on glassware)
Oct 07, 1996; ... New York--Tabletop retailers are counting on the glitter of gold on glassware to catch the consumer's eve for the holidays. Consumers crave simple, gold-decorated glassy. are that has a shelf life beyond the holiday season. said Mary Merola. co-owner of Function Junction. a ...
Northwestern gourmet flair: retail blooms in region with a home-grown flavor.
Oct 07, 1996; ... Seattle--Perhaps the best illustration of the Pacific Northwest's growth as an epicurean center is that the 13th International Conference on Gastronomy is being held here this week for the first time. Many ingredients have combined to make the Northwest a gourmet haven. For ...
Extractor on QVC. (Eureka's first deep cleaner, the Dream Machine)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996; ... West Chester, Pa.--QVC featured Eureka's first deep cleaner, the Dream Machine, on several programs over a three-day period last month. The TV shopping network offered viewers Eureka's new extractor with on-board tools and powered brush roll for $198.84.In addition ...
Giving dental bite; retailers look for more innovation. (dental care products, includes related article)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996; ... New York--Retailers of dental care products say innovation, aggressive advertising and professional endorsements are critical to drive the business, as the market is seeing more competition from new players and shifts on the horizon. Sonicare and Braun Oral-B are leading the ...
Paul Smith has been named vice president of sales for North America at cutlery and flatware supplier Regent Sheffield Ltd.(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... New Hyde Park, N.Y.--Paul Smith has been named vice president of sales for North America at cutlery and flatware supplier Regent Sheffield Ltd. ...
Henckels opts for bigger space. (new facility)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996; ... Hawthorne, N.Y.--In an effort to meet increasing U.S. demand and to improve shipping efficiencies, cutlery manufacturer J.A. Henckels, U.S.A., has moved to a 50,000-square-foot facility here, effectively doubling the company's warehouse space. "It's not a question of more ...
Thermos appoints VP/CFO. (Ted J. Leuken)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... The Thermos Company, a leading supplier of vacuum-insulated products, has appointed Ted J. Lueken to the position of vice president and chief financial officer (CFO). His responsibilities will include heading the finance efforts of the North American operation. Prior to joining ...
CyberShop taps as VP Hall Burton. (Jocelyn Hall Burton)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... NEW YORK--CyberShop, the first on-line department store, has named Jocelyn Hall Burton to the position of vice president of marketing. Hall Burton will develop advertising and direct mailings, ...
Waterford Society swells.(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Founded two years ago to build brand recognition, The Waterford Society now boasts over 25,000 members. The Society, a division of Waterford Crystal, began as an organization for Waterford collectors. "It's a marketing initiative we started to enhance ...
The China Shop's 4th Conn. store now open.(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996; ... MERIDEN, Conn.- The China Shop, a specialty tabletop and housewares chain, opened its fourth unit here in the Meriden Square Mall. The retailer's newest store encompasses 7,000 square feet, 2,000 more than any of its three sister locations in Connecticut. "This ...
P.S.: how to have your cake and keep the platter, too. (The Pottery Shack, Laguna Beach, California)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996; ... Laguna Beach, Cal.--The PotteryShack a specially tabletop and home furnishings store based here, has launched its P.S. Club, which combines a ceramic workshop, party room and vendor-sponsored demonstration site. "The P.S. Club is for preferred customers, and to help us in ...
Ametek's telling full filtration story.
Oct 07, 1996; ... Sheybogan, Wis.--Using its 25 years of experience in the water filtration category, Ametek is offering hardware store and home center consumers a large portfolio of water filtration systems. Ametek makes about seven under-counter units, ranging in retail price from $14.99 to ...
Epicureans fuel wine rack sales.
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--While America may still lag behind other countries in annual consumption of wine, there is no question that wine drinking is on a distinct upward curve. And that represents good news for manufacturers and merchants selling wine racks, which are enjoying a solid upward trend of ...
Zenith, Goldstar refocus. (LG Electronics' Zenith and Goldstar brands)
Oct 07, 1996; ... ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J.--LG Electronics Inc. plans to refocus its two brands, Goldstar and Zenith, to concentrate on what each does best. With the new year, LGE will put its efforts to market video products behind Zenith. Distribution of Goldstar TVs and VCRs will be scaled ...
Here's the dish: programs sell: satellite TV marketers say the show's the thing. (television programming drives satellite television sales)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--For all the claims about digital technology enhancing the viewing and listening experience of the direct-broadcast satellite TV business, it's the programming that is driving this category, according to retailers and manufacturers. Independent retailers attending the ...
GE resets Monogram. (distribution program is redesigned)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... LOUISVILLE, Ky.--GE Appliances is approaching completion of its revamped Monogram distribution network, supported by an intensive and extensive program for the high-end white-goods brand. The result will be a smaller, highly motivated group of dealers to sell Monogram products ...
New pager bundle: AirTouch Paging using Big Apple as launch pad. (retail paging concept to be tested in New York)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--San Francisco-based AirTouch Paging is using the New York metro area as a testing ground for a new concept in retail paging. The provider of paging and other wireless services is shopping around for retailers to carry its new Splash program, which packages a basic ...
Sony Computer Entertainment. (Playstation software sales statistics)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... FOSTER CITY, Cal.--Sony Computer Entertainment reports that more than 15 of its PlayStation titles have sold over a quarter-million units each in North America. The company projects that an additional 10 titles will also reach the 250,000 benchmark by the end of the year. ...
Telecommunications Industry Association. (telecommunications export statistics)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... ARLINGTON, Va.--According to the Telecommunication industry Association, U.S. exports of telecommunications totaled $8 billion for the first six months of this year, representing growth of 5 percent over the same period in 1995. Canada remained the largest export market, at $1.2 billion, up ...
Samsung maps out wireless. (Samsung Electronics Co., wireless handsets)
Oct 07, 1996; ... SAN FRANCISCO--Samsung Electronics Co., which disclosed at PCS '96 here that it will launch its first brand of wireless handsets through a partnership with Sprint Spectrum, said it plans to be a key player in the U.S. telecommunications market. The company, which is already a ...
IBM Aptivas: like home appliances.(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996; ... SOMERS, N.Y.--IBM Corp.'s new Aptivas are a marked departure from basic PC design. The PCs embody what the company calls a "split-system" philosophy, wherein the minitower can be placed up to six feet away from the rest of the system. Speakers are integrated into ...
CD-ROMs drive past online ramp, study says. (multimedia CD-ROMs sell better than online services)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... SAN FRANCISCO--Despite industry hype surrounding the online experience, multimedia CD-ROMs play a larger role in U.S. households with PCs, a market research firm has found. That's the word from Odyssey's latest Homefront study, a twice-yearly review tracking the home market for ...
Few shifts in room air. (few new modifications to new room air conditioners for 1997)
Oct 07, 1996 ... Manufacturers are making fewer changes in their 1997 room air conditioners, largely because of the industry's substantial carryover, which should put a damper on order-writing. As the selling season begins, it's apparent there are fewer upgrades in energy efficiency. That's ...
Fedders: year's results up.(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996 ... LIBERTY CORNER, NJ.--Fedders Corp. reported last week that profits increased 5.6 percent in the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, and,yes, safes set a record. Net income reached $31.158 million, or 74 cents a share, from $29.504 million, or 72 cents, in fiscal 1995. Net sales were ...
Vendors build with brands. (vendors become brands and visa versa)
Oct 07, 1996; ... Carefree, Ariz.--Retailers are becoming brands. Brands are becoming retailers. The lines are blurring as companies find new ways to use brands to build relationships with consumers. "We've already seen The Gap, which started out as a retailer, turn into a brand," said Barbara ...
The new role of CEOs: managing future shock. (rapid industry changes)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996; ... CAREFREE, Ariz.--Today's manufacturing and retailing chief executives are grappling with unprecedented changes in their business, ranging from rapidly evolving technology to activist shareholders--and the pace is accelerating. "Change is inevitable, but growth is optional," ...
Cooking up sales. (incorporating entertainment and retailing)(includes a related article on consumers as audience)
Oct 07, 1996; ... CAREFREE, Ariz.--Smell the coffee brewing. Try some fresh-baked bread. And oh, while you're at it, purchase some cookware, table linens and a good sharp bread knife. "Our demonstration kitchen has been a real attraction in our stores," pointed out Robert Hurwitz, chairman and ...
Ex-Cell to offer self-stick valance. (Ex-Cell Home Fashions)(Brief Article)
Oct 07, 1996; ... NEW YORK--Ex-Cell Home Fashions, a supplier of decorative pillows, shower curtains and table linens, is entering the window coverings business this week with adhesive-backed balloon valances. The product, which the company calls Magic Valance, can adhere directly to the will ...