HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network back issues from April 1999:
NEW TEXTILES CAMPAIGN IS RIGHT ON `TARGET'.
Apr 05, 1999; ... True to its name, Target is setting its sights on a new audience: vendors. With this issue of HFN, the megadiscounter is advertising in the trades. Its purpose is to reach buyers at the New York Home Textiles Show, said a source close to the campaign. The ads feature the store's ...
IMPENDING FREIGHT PRICE HIKE PLAGUES HOUSEWARES INDUSTRY.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-The anticipated soaring cost of ocean freight from Asia, in the wake of its economic crisis, has set off a stir in the housewares industry, causing retailers and manufacturers to rethink their businesses and scramble for solutions. Shipping contracts expire April 30, ...
Service Merchandise Can Restructure, Owes $1.3B.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Service Merchandise has received U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval to, among other things, pay vendors and other providers for goods and services received from March 15, and to honor customer service programs, including warranties, returns, layaways and gift certificates. Debts ...
Burlington Coat Factory Opens Eight Stores.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Burlington Coat Factory last month opened eight new stores, ending its store opening program for the current fiscal year. Fifteen stores were opened as part of that plan ....
Furniture, Computer Sales Boost U.S. Manufacturing.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Consumer spending on furniture, computers and autos, with exports of those items, strengthened the U.S. manufacturing sector in March, according to the National Association of Purchasing Management. The ...
Home Theater Sales Still Climbing, Up 5%.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Americans spending more time at home are not content just to jazz up their homes with new couches and cookware. In fact, home theater equipment has become increasingly important -- so say the numbers. Factory sales of home theater equipment reached $8.6 billion in 1998, a 5 ...
ROLODEX HEADS HOME: COMPANY INTRODUCES FEMALE-FRIENDLY FILES FOR THE HOME OFFICE.
Apr 05, 1999; ... MADISON, Wis.-Hoping to build on a name that has become synonymous with office supplies, Newell Office Products has designed a line of Rolodex products specifically geared for the growing minority of consumers working at home. "We feel this is the biggest opportunity [in office ...
BRAUN ORAL-B'S $2M AD CAMPAIGN: COMPANY DROPS PRICE TO PUSH REPLACEMENT BRUSHES.
Apr 05, 1999; ... WOBURN, Mass.-With the hope of converting 85 percent of the American public who do not use electric toothbrushes, Braun Oral-B is launching a massive multimillion-dollar ad campaign over limited two-week period beginning April 18. "We are doing a gargantuan promotion, our ...
TICKS OF THE TRADE: THE THEME-CLOCK MARKET AWAKENS.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Many people grew up listening to the hoot of cuckoo clocks. Today, clock manufactures are taking the cuckoo one step further by adding unusual chimes, such as the zip of fishing reels. Other clock manufacturers are designing theme tick-tocks that celebrate art, ...
HOME SOLUTIONS BRIEFS.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Selfix-Seymour Names New Vice President, Wins Award Selfix-Seymour Housewares Corp., a division of Home Products International (HPI), has named Peter Graves vice president, sales and marketing. Graves, who joined the company in 1981, was most recently vice president ...
TEST KITCHEN: ERGONOMIC DESIGN TAKES CENTER STAGE.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Ergonomics" has firmly earned its place in the Big Book of Housewares. Oxo International thrust what it calls "universal design" into the spotlight with the launch of its Good Grips line of kitchen tools in 1990. Nearly a decade later, the term has seeped into the housewares lexicon, ...
BROOKSTONE SALES INCREASE 13.3 PERCENT IN 1998.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NASHUA, N.H.-Brookstone Inc. has reported the results for the fourth quarter and the fiscal year ending Jan. 30, 1999. Net income for the fourth quarter was $18.7 million, compared with a net income of $15.3 million for the fourth quarter of 1997, a 22.1 percent increase ....
LUXE TAKES ON NEW MEANING: MANUFACTURERS: PERFORMANCE, VALUE KEYS TO GROWING MARKET SHARE.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-How do you spell luxury? For manufacturers at the upcoming April home textiles market, it's V-A-L-U-E. As home sales, spurred by spendthrift Baby Boomers giddy on stock market wealth and sloth interest rates, continue to soar, home textiles suppliers are focused on ...
POWER LUNCH: SAM FARBER MAINTAINS A GOOD GRIP ON PRODUCT DESIGN.
Apr 05, 1999; ... For Sam Farber, there is no form without function in kitchenware. Farber, who founded both Copco and Oxo International, is a strong advocate of user-centered design. Take a look at what consumers need, he says, and you'll tap into a stronger, more profitable line of business. ...
TO MARKET, TO MARKET: SELLING THE BASICS: BASIC BEDDING OFFERS NEW MARKETING STRATEGIES.
Apr 05, 1999; ... ATLANTA-Basic bedding is no longer a price-driven market, say manufacturers, who attribute steady growth in the category as much to aggressive marketing strategies as to extended product lines. "The biggest challenge as a marketer today is that you can no longer just look at a ...
TV SELLING: ONE-STOP SHOPPING FOR AREA RUGS: VENDORS AND NETWORKS MAKE IT EASY FOR VIEWERS TO BUY.
Apr 05, 1999; ... ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.-Quality. Value. Convenience. That's what "QVC" -- the acronym of a leading television shopping network -- stands for. Add Exclusive Design, Fast Service, Liberal Return Policy, Entertainment and Information -- and you have an unwieldy acronym, but an apt ...
NEW YORK HOME TEXTILES SHOW -- GREAT VENUE FOR AREA RUGS/MATS: FULL-SIZE STYLES JOIN BATH AND ACCENTS AT MAJOR MARKET.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-The New York Home Textiles Show continues to grow in importance as a venue for area rug and accent mat suppliers. The show had always been vital for bath rug vendors, but with the explosion of channels such as big-box linen stores and mass merchants for rugs of all ...
HEILIG-MEYERS TO SELL ITS 236 MATTRESS STORES: DIVESTITURE MAY ENABLE RETAIL GIANT TO PAY DOWN ITS DEBT.
Apr 05, 1999; ... RICHMOND, Va.-Heilig-Meyers' plan to sell profitable Mattress Discounters is a positive step toward getting the nation's largest furniture retailer back on track, according to an industry analyst. The retailer revealed that it is weighing the divestiture of 236- unit Mattress ...
WOVEN VINYL PRODUCT IS MULTIUSE.
Apr 05, 1999; ... SEATTLE-Alison T. Seymour Inc., the company that introduced sisal and coir to the U.S. market 50 years ago, is readying another first, according to Deborah Seymour, president. The natural fiber flooring distributor is looking to modernize the market with a new fiber from Swedish ...
DESIGNER DUO TURN CHAIRS INTO FASHION.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-When Kenneth and Anne Masako Moss invite friends to their Manhattan apartment, they pull out a few metal folding chairs to accommodate their guests. Tired of the cold, gray metal seating option, the couple -- visual merchandisers who have created elaborate window and ...
CHRISTOFLE PRESIDENT OUTLINES GOALS.
Apr 05, 1999; ... FRANKFURT, Germany-The French are considered experts in matters of the heart, and French tabletop purveyor Christofle is no exception when it comes to its affection for the U.S. tabletop market. In an interview with HFN during the Ambiente trade show here last month, Jean-Marc ...
CASUAL AND GRACIOUS EMBRACE.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-The much-discussed nesting trend has translated into a renewed interest, along with new trends, in home entertaining. "Home, without question, has become the most interesting place to be," said Julian Tomchin, senior vice president of special services for Macy's ...
HOPPE TO RETIRE FROM EUREKA THIS YEAR: TINKLE TAKING OVER AS FLOOR- CARE GIANT'S VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING.
Apr 05, 1999; ... BLOOMINGTON, Ill.-Chan Tinkle began picking up as The Eureka Co.'s vice president of marketing last week as John Hoppe began winding down toward retirement late this year. Clark Bowers was appointed Tinkle's replacement as vice president for national accounts. No immediate ...
MAYTAG CONSOLIDATING FIELD REGIONS: NINE OFFICES, PHONE CENTER WILL COVER NATION.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEWTON, Iowa-Maytag Appliances said it will restructure its retail field sales, creating nine regions for larger accounts and a telephone center here for small customers. Entities described as "market business teams" and "super regions" will serve retailers more effectively ...
WIDE, CLEAN PATH FOR WET/DRY MACHINES.
Apr 05, 1999; ... Wet/dry vacuum cleaners have long been the quintessential male's floor-care appliance. Designed for work in a coarser environment, wet/dry vacs help clean out the sawdust and wood scraps from the workshop, and the seepage and flooding in the basement. But after years of ...
INDUSTRY MARKS NATIONAL TABLEWARE MONTH: CONSUMER AWARENESS IS THE GOAL OF THE NEW INITIATIVE.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Retailers and tabletop manufacturers are pairing up this April to promote the first-ever National Tableware Month, a consumer awareness program designed to boost retail sales. National Tableware Month was conceived by National Tabletop & Giftware Association (NTGA) ...
THE WEDDING LIST CO. DEBUTS IN NEW YORK: REGISTRY BOUTIQUE OFFERS `ONE-STOP SHOPPING'.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Registering should be a fun part of getting married, but anyone who has gone through it knows it is not an easy process. The Wedding List Co., which recently made its New York debut, hopes to take the "nightmare" out of registering. "The act of registering ...
CLARIFICATION.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Clarification Total retail sales for metal bakeware, as reported in the March 15, 1999, ...
US OFFICE PRODUCTS LANDS $51 MILLION.
Apr 05, 1999 ... WASHINGTON, D.C.-US Office Products Company (USOP) said that its largest shareholder, a private equity fund managed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) has agreed to invest an additional $51 million in the company. The investment comes at a time when USOP is struggling to turn around its ...
HUG THE PILLOW AND IT WILL SELL.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Once upon a time, a long time ago, a fiber company with a very progressive marketing communications director decided that instead of using traditional cooperative advertising, it would help one of its customers sell more product through a totally new medium: TV shopping. But ...
DOREL TO GROW RTA.
Apr 05, 1999 ... MONTREAL-Dorel Industries, following a record year, has big plans for its ready-to-assemble business, in Canada as well as the U.S. The company is set to double its Canadian ready-to-assemble operations in Cornwall, Ontario, sinking $6.8 million into meeting that goal. ...
BED-&-BATH BIG BOXES SEE SALES UPTICK.(Brief Article)
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Megastores Bed Bath & Beyond and Linens 'n Things continue to steal market share from department stores, with each topping sales of $1 billion last year. And the race to be the nation's home furnishings superstore destination is heating up. According to ...
TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.
Apr 05, 1999 ... april '99 7-10 Decotex '99 Olympic Sports Complex Moscow 011-44-171-286-9720 8-10 Provi-Mueble '99 Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico 011-52-8-369-6435 9-10 Mid-Atlantic Woodworking & Furniture Supply Show ...
EXECUTIVE CHANGES.(Brief Article)
Apr 05, 1999 ... Ames Promotes Two Ames Department Stores Inc. recently promoted two key executives in the company's merchandising and financial areas. Denis Lemire has been elevated to executive vice president and chief operations officer, from his former role as executive vice ...
ON YOUR MARK . . . GET SET . . . SHOP!
Apr 05, 1999; ... IT'S TIME, ONCE AGAIN, FOR THE NEW YORK HOME TEXTILES MARKET, SO UPDATE YOUR SHOPPING LIST WITH HFN'S SNEAK PREVIEW ON PAGES 16-26. What: The New York Home Textiles Show and market Where: Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 90 and 92 and showrooms When: April ...
SALTON SIGNS DEAL WITH ZELLERS: CANADIAN RETAILER THROWS GEORGE FOREMAN INTO RING.(Brief Article)
Apr 05, 1999; ... MT. PROSPECT, Ill.-Salton Inc. has boosted its presence in Canada by signing an agreement with Zellers, one of that country's top discounters. The distribution agreement makes Zellers an exclusive retailer in Canada of Salton's complete line of small kitchen appliances under ...
DUNLAP SUES SUNBEAM: CHAINSAW AL SEEKS HELP WITH LEGAL COSTS.(Brief Article)
Apr 05, 1999; ... WILMINGTON, Del.-Faced with burgeoning legal costs, former Sunbeam chief Al Dunlap has sued Sunbeam for the money he expects to have to pay to fight his way out of court. Dunlap and former Sunbeam vice chairman Russell Kersh filed a lawsuit March 23 in the Delaware Chancery ...
SUNBEAM'S LEVIN NAMED CHAIRMAN.(Brief Article)
Apr 05, 1999 ... BOCA RATON, Fla.-Sunbeam Corp.'s board of directors has elected Jerry Levin chairman of the board. Levin has been president and chief executive officer of Sunbeam since June 1998. As chairman he succeeds Peter Langerman, an outside director who accepted the role on ...
KitchenAid, Meyer, Celebrate Cookware Launch at James Beard House.(Brief Article)
Apr 05, 1999 ... KitchenAid and Meyer Corp. recently toasted the launch of KitchenAid cookware, produced by Meyer, at Manhattan's renowned culinary institution, the James Beard House. During the event, executive chefs whipped up ...
Cuisinart Supports Culinary Fete.
Apr 05, 1999 ... In an effort to support culinary programs, Cuisinart is sponsoring the Eighth Annual Food and Wine Festival at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia through May 3, 1999. The event marks the first time a housewares manufacturer participates in the festival, according ...
The Pressure's On.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Pressure cookers are getting a promotional push. Recently, cookbook author Tom Lacalamita demonstrated Fagor America pressure cookers during a workshop at the New York Technical College, in an effort to demystify and promote their use. Fagor will offer specialty retailers a new ...
Share Our Strength Moves.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Share Our Strength, a charity that has raised more than $32 million in the past decade to help fight hunger, has moved. The new address is 733 Fifth Street NW, suite 640, Washington, D.C. 20005. The new phone is 202-393-2925 ....
GENERAL HOUSEWARES' CHICAGO CUTLERY: OFF THE SELLING BLOCK.
Apr 05, 1999; ... TERRE HAUTE, Ind.-General Housewares Corp. (GHC) has shelved plans to divest its Chicago Cutlery business. In January, the company announced that the struggling subsidiary was officially up for sale. Chicago Cutlery no longer meshed with GHC's portfolio from an operational ...
THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Staging a musical based on home textiles may seem a bit of a stretch, but the Portuguese Trade Commission wants to reach attendees at the New York Home Textiles Show and is going to make a production out of doing so. Living in Style, a mini-musical, will be presented ...
HOME FURNISHINGS PLAYERS: BIG GAINS.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Bradlees, based in Braintree, Mass., reported a healthier 1998 balance sheet and saw its first positive comparable-store sales since 1993. Its earnings for fiscal 1998 including EBITDA (earnings before property gains or losses, interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of ...
PILLOWTEX RESERVES A PLACE AT THE TABLE.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-There will be another guest for dinner. At April's New York Home Textiles Market, Bardwil Linens will launch a line of table linens licensed through Pillowtex Corp. In considering a licensing partner in the category, Bardwil was "looking for someone that ...
GLM GOES HIGH TECH WITH SHOW SUPPORT.
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-George Little Management Inc. (GLM) will extend its innovative business-to-business electronic commerce system -- GLMmarketplace.com -- to suppliers, retailers and specifiers at the New York Home Textiles Show and EXTRACTS. The Show, which is being held this year at the Passenger ...
NEW TECHNOLOGY SHAPES FURNITURE'S LOOK.
Apr 05, 1999; ... These days, all the home's a stage, and furniture is playing an increasingly important supporting role in today's high-tech, home entertainment productions. Studies consistently note that consumers don't especially enjoy shopping for furniture, and they often delay home ...
HIGH POINT: APRIL IN PARIS: FRENCH COUNTRY LOOKS WILL ADD A TOUCH OF ROMANCE TO MARKET.
Apr 05, 1999; ... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Styles from both sides of the Atlantic will be well represented at the April market, with some lines having borrowed a look from both shores. European Country looks, particularly those drawn from rural France, will likely take center stage, as numerous companies ...
STANLEY TO BOOST HOME OFFICE PRODUCTION: NEW PLANT COULD ADD $60 MILLION IN HOME OFFICE SALES ANNUALLY.
Apr 05, 1999; ... STANLEYTOWN, Va.-Case goods producer Stanley will crank up its production of home office furniture with a dedicated 300,000-square- foot plant here. The plant, when in full production, is expected to generate up to $60 million in sales annually. The opening is scheduled for late ...
FEISS ADDS MIRRORS, FURNITURE.
Apr 05, 1999; ... BRONX, N.Y.-Murray Feiss, a leading lighting manufacturer that over the years has entered the lamp and decorative accessories arena, is again on the growth path. At the High Point home furnishings market, which opens April 15, the company will unveil a full line of decorative ...
EMESS ADDS MIRRORS TO CRESSWELL AND ALSY.
Apr 05, 1999 ... ELLWOOD CITY, Pa.-Emess Lighting continues to add decorative home product segments, in efforts to become a full-line supplier and reach a greater number of retailers. At the High Point, N.C., market, which opens April 15, the company will add a full line of decorative mirrors ...
VENDORS TO GO FULL-LINE IN HIGH POINT.
Apr 05, 1999; ... HIGH POINT, N.C.-A peek at new products to be presented at this month's home furnishings market here reveals a greater emphasis on wall decor and the continued trend toward one-stop shopping. In particular, buyers will note a dizzying array of decorative mirrors, as the word ...
MEYDA TIFFANY ACQUIRES MECCO ART.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Meyda Tiffany, the Tiffany-style lighting supplier based in Yorkville, N.Y., has acquired Mecco Art, a manufacturer of handcrafted metal art gifts and accessories based in nearby Utica. The purchase will allow Meyda's retail customers more opportunities to build complete themes in home ...
EMESS ELEVATES SPITZER.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Emess Lighting, based in Ellwood City, Pa., has elevated Larry Spitzer to vice president, sales, for the Alsy division. He joined the company in October 1997 as national account manager. Prior to that, he served as vice ...
WOMEN TO BE HONORED IN HIGH POINT.
Apr 05, 1999 ... The first-annual awards dinner sponsored by Women In The Home Industries Today (WithIt) will be held Sat., April 17, to recognize outstanding industry women for their leadership and lifetime achievement. The event, held at the High Point Country Club, will recognize, among many others, ...
ART-GLASS MONTH TO BE CELEBRATED IN APRIL.
Apr 05, 1999 ... April is International Art Glass Month and will be celebrated and promoted by the Art Glass Suppliers Association International (AGSA), based in Zanesville, Ohio. Retailers, ...
MOTIF LAUNCHES LINES OF FURNITURE, PILLOWS.(Brief Article)
Apr 05, 1999 ... Motif, formerly Southern Florals, based in Louisville, Ky., will enter the furniture and decorative pillow businesses at the High Point market, which opens in N.C. on April 15. Garwood Linton, marketing manager, said the antique revival theme is being carried into the furniture pieces and ...
THE RIGHT STUFF.
Apr 05, 1999 ... Mix and match, better casual china with a sophisticated feel Accessories such as oversized bowls, pasta presentations and decorative accessories in mixed media Casual crystal to complement china Small kitchen ...
STAYING POWER.(tableware manufacturers)
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-The renewed interest in home entertaining is already shaping the tabletop market. With casual dinnerware taking on a new identity -- a sophisticated concept story -- important lines have gone beyond the boring five-piece place-setting story. Today, accessory pieces tell ...
KEY TABLETOP ENTERTAINING TRENDS.
Apr 05, 1999 ... CASUAL STEPS UP Products fit the consumer's lifestyle Mix and match key Sophisticated designs dominate Shape and function critical ...
GET A LIFESTYLE.(department stores selling china tableware)
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Creating excitement on the retail floor is key to tapping into lifestyle trends. The tabletop department is becoming more than a once-in-a-lifetime stop for brides. Today's merchandising is turning the department into a destination for decorating the home ....
CLUING INTO THE CONCEPT.
Apr 05, 1999 ... A tableware assortment addresses the whole table, including basic dinnerware, tableware pieces, decorative accessories and linens. Cross-merchandising is key to promoting multiple purchases or to get a consumer started on a ...
NICHOLAS GRAHAM AND WESTPOINT STEVENS JOIN FORCES - AGAIN - TO LAUNCH THE JOE BOXER HOME COLLECTION.(Interview)
Apr 05, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Nicholas Graham, founder, visionary and Lord of Balls (an actual title after acquiring the Lordship of the Manor of Balls Bedfordshire, England), has taken the Joe Boxer underwear concept to the next level. With a 78 percent brand awareness in the U.S. and a license ...
COLOR RULES!
Apr 05, 1999 ... As the millennium approaches, the beige days of the recent past seem distant as consumers demand more color in all categories of home furnishings and accessories. Accessorizing with color presents an easy solution to those who want to experiment but don't necessarily want a long-term or ...