HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network back issues from August 1999:
BREAKING NEWS AND GROUND AT MARKET.
Aug 02, 1999; ... ATLANTA-This summer's Atlanta Rug Market brought buyers together to pore over hundreds of rug introductions. A number of manufacturers reported substantial growth over recent months, resulting in a plethora of new programs, designer debuts and company changes. The following is a ...
KITCHEN BRIEFS.
Aug 02, 1999 ... General Schwarzkopf to Kick Off Breakfast at 2000 Housewares Show General Norman Schwarzkopf of the U.S. Army (ret.) will be the featured speaker at the Industry Breakfast/National Housewares Manufacturers Association's Annual Meeting on Monday, Jan. 17, during the 2000 ...
BLOOMINGDALE'S TO LAUNCH MILLENNIUM KITCHEN.
Aug 02, 1999; ... NEW YORK-During its annual holiday preview event at its flagship store here, Bloomingdale's offered a sneak peak of what will be showcased in its new Millennium Kitchen. The state-of-the-art shop concept will be rolled out to select stores in September. The Millennium Kitchen ...
MACY'S MAKEOVER; NEW FURNITURE FLOOR OPENS IN SAN FRANCISCO.
Aug 02, 1999; ... SAN FRANCISCO-Macy's has a new face in the West, as the Union Square flagship department store reopened here after three years of renova-tion. The store sports a new facade, a new entrance on Union Square and an additional 170,000 square feet of retail space. It also boasts a ...
ETHAN ALLEN WILL SELL FURNITURE ONLINE.
Aug 02, 1999; ... DANBURY, Conn.-Ethan Allen, considered by analysts to be an ideal model for e-commerce success, plans to sell furniture and accessories through its Web site, beginning in September. "As a vertically integrated company with a dedicated distribution base of exclusive retailers, ...
MARKET DRAWS WESTERN BUYERS.
Aug 02, 1999; ... SAN FRANCISCO- Shrugging off light attendance and an invasion by a computer hacker, the San Francisco Mart reported a typical edition of the summer show. "Our feeling is that the summer attendance was consistent with past summer markets. That means probably 20 percent less than ...
LE CREUSET TO TAKE ON TABLETOP.
Aug 02, 1999; ... EARLY BRANCH, S.C.-Spreading its wings from the kitchen to the table, Le Creuset is laying the foundation to enter the tabletop market. "We're in the research and development stage now," said Doug Richardson, vice president of marketing, during a recent interview with HFN. The ...
MEYER TAPS HOWARD AS VP, MARKETING.
Aug 02, 1999; ... VALLEJO, Cal.-Meyer Corp. has named Suzanne Howard vice president of marketing, effective Aug. 9, 1999. She replaces Gayle Adamowicz, who retired June 1. In her new position, Howard will be responsible for setting market strategies for Meyer-branded product in addition to ...
NO TOOLING AROUND.
Aug 02, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Oxo International's introduction of a new line of hardware products at the National Hardware Show this month extends the company's already broad line of housewares tools. Moreover, Oxo's entry into the hardware tool market with Oxo Good Grips Hand Tools is a logical ...
WHAT TOOLS DO CHEFS BRING HOME.
Aug 02, 1999 ... Mark Strausman Campagna, NYC "The saucier pot is my favorite pot to use in the restaurant and at home. A lot of cookware companies are now making that shape for the home kitchen." Joyce Goldstein Square One, San Francisco ...
HOME DECOR BRIEFS.
Aug 02, 1999 ... Tuesday Morning Appoints Barrientos Isabel Barrientos, former wall decor and frame buyer for Garden Ridge and wall decor buyer for Bombay, has joined Tuesday Morning as buyer for wall decor, clocks and brass. Barrientos is credited with building a strong wall decor business for ...
TEXTILE BRIEFS.
Aug 02, 1999 ... Retailer of the Year Brightens Future A check for $1,500 was presented to Furnish A Future, a program of the Partnership for the Homeless, thanks to the success of the 14th annual Retailer of the Year Awards held during this past April's Home Textiles market. Event ...
RETAILER OF THE YEAR.
Aug 02, 1999 ... ATLANTA-The 1999 Sixth Annual Retailer of the Year Awards at the Atlanta International Area Rug Market recognized an outstanding group of merchants who have found the secret of selling area rugs. AmericasMart, show sponsors, poll market exhibitors for nominations; this year the ...
TOP CARPET COMPANIES ON A RUN; SHAW AND MOHAWK RACK UP RECORD SALES AND EARNINGS.
Aug 02, 1999 ... DALTON/CALHOUN, Ga.-The carpet and rug industry's leaders -- Shaw Industries and Mohawk Industries -- are reaping the harvest of making the right decisions at the right time. Both companies recently reported record-breaking financial results for the second quarter and first six ...
FLOOR COVERING BRIEFS.
Aug 02, 1999 ... RDS Conference Planned For September RDS World -- a national conference and trade show that addresses the in-home delivery needs of e-commerce, catalog and bricks-and-mortar retailers -- will take place Sept. 9 through 12 at the Westin Hotel-Copley Place in Boston. ...
FOR SAFETY'S SAKE.
Aug 02, 1999; ... CHICAGO -- American Sensors is debuting several products at the National Hardware Show later this month, including a combination carbon-monoxide-alarm and night-light unit, as well as a smoke alarm designed for a child's room. The Carbon Monoxide Alarm and Night Light detects ...
SWEPT AWAY; LIBMAN WIDENS PRODUCT ASSORTMENT WITH INTRODUCTIONS AT THE HARDWARE SHOW.
Aug 02, 1999; ... ARCOLA, Ill.-At the National Hardware Show, running Aug. 15 through 18, the Libman Co. will showcase its High Power line of cleaning products. Several products will be debuted, including cleaning products that expand the company's assortment. These items include the High Power ...
SPRINKLING CLEAN; TELEDYNE WATER PIK SET TO INTRODUCE SHOWER FILTER AT THE HARDWARE SHOW.
Aug 02, 1999; ... FORT COLLINS, Colo.-Teledyne Water Pik's latest introduction is the result of two divisions working together to develop a solution for the effects of showering in chlorinated water. The Shower Filter, which is debuting at the National Hardware Show later this month, combines ...
KHUBANI DEPARTS TELEBRANDS; WEB-BASED PROJECT PLANNED.
Aug 02, 1999; ... FAIRFIELD, N.J.-Andy Khubani, the president of wholesale operations for Telebrands, who has supervised the successful launches of everything from the Singing Bird Clock to the Safety Can, has said he plans to leave the company to start up a new venture to launch products online. ...
DESTINATION DALTON.
Aug 02, 1999; ... When HFN began its campaign for Home Fusion retailing a few years ago, the concept was based on solid research that indicated consumer shopping preferences were shifting to formats conducive to holistic home decorating. The first retailers to tinker with cross-category total ...
COLANGELO REJOINS HFN.
Aug 02, 1999 ... Michael Colangelo has been named associate publisher of HFN. His primary focus will be in the housewares, and floor care and major appliance categories. Colangelo has previously served at HFN as associate editor of furniture from 1983 to '86 and associate publisher of furniture ...
EXPO DESIGN CENTERS: HIGH END, HIGH GROWTH.(Hoe Depot)
Aug 02, 1999; ... ATLANTA-Riding the wave of unprecedented economic growth as well as a housing boom, Home Depot continues to open its upscale Expo Design Centers at a furious pace. Most recently, the growing retailer -- packed with luxury home furnishings -- entered the Southern California ...
HAMILTON BEACH/PROCTOR-SILEX SNAGS WAL-MART'S GE DEAL.
Aug 02, 1999; ... GLEN ALLEN, Va.-Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Inc. has been named the primary supplier for Wal-Mart's new line of General Electrics-branded small appliances. The deal gives HB/PS added clout in the race to gain market share in the competitive world of small electrics. ...
HANDMADE VENDORS CHOOSE PATHS AT MARKET; SOME FOCUS ON SPECIALTY NICHES; OTHERS GO FOR BROADER APPEAL.
Aug 02, 1999; ... ATLANTA-It depends on who you are and what you do. For some exhibitors, last month's Atlanta International Area Rug Market was an "ideas" market , where buyers came to look and talk, but not to buy. But, if a vendor had the right product and could deliver by the fall ...
INTERACIVE E-TAILING ON HORIZON.(Brief Article)
Aug 02, 1999; ... DALLAS-While visiting online stores is not currently at the top of Internet users' priority lists, it will become the number-one use in three to four years. So predicted Bob Wood, chief technology officer of Shabang.com, an online mall, in a special presentation at the Second ...
EKCO GROUP MOVES TO AMEX.
Aug 02, 1999; ... NASHUA, N.H.-As of July 26, Ekco Group Inc.'s shares began trading on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) under the ticker symbol EKO, after the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) delisted the company for failing to meet certain NYSE minimum asset and income requirements. In related ...
LIVING.COM JOINS RANKS OF E-TAILERS; FUTURE COMPETITOR, GOODHOME.COM, WILL SOON BE LAUNCHED.
Aug 02, 1999; ... AUSTIN, Texas-One new major player in furniture e-commerce launched its Web site last week as another heavily bankrolled contender gets ready for a rollout this fall. Living.com (www.living.com) went online with a site offering a broad range of home furnishings products, an ...
TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.
Aug 02, 1999 ... August '99 1-4 Washington Gift Show Capital Expo Center North Chantilly, VA (800) 272-SHOW 5-7 Expo Mueble International Verano Guadalajara, Mexico 011-52-3-1212-1802 7-11 San Francisco ...
DECAMP SETS UP FLASHBAKE SALES.(Brief Article)
Aug 02, 1999; ... NAPERVILLE, Ill.-Quadlux Inc. has set up a residential division to sell its FlashBake halogen oven at retail. Michael DeCamp and Colleen Garcia, who had sold Creda cooking and laundry imports from England, are setting up a distribution network for the high-end, quick-cooking ...
ROOM AIR TO THE RESCUE, MAKES MONTH MEMORABLE.
Aug 02, 1999 ... WASHINGTON-Room air conditioners were the difference between a good month in June and the greatest shipment total in major-appliance history. Since the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers switched its reporting system from calendar months to four- and five-week months, ...
FAN-FARE AT HARDWARE; LASKO DEBUTING HUMIDIFIER, SHOWCASING FANS AT NATIONAL HARDWARE SHOW.
Aug 02, 1999; ... WEST CHESTER, Pa.-Lasko Metal Products is showcasing several products at the National Hardware Show in Chicago in two weeks that deepen the company's existing line of fans and humidifiers. The company will also unveil an addition to its Natural Cascade line of humidifiers. ...
AIRING IT OUT; LENTEK LAUNCHES LINE OF AIR PURIFIERS AT HARDWARE SHOW.
Aug 02, 1999; ... ORLANDO, Fla.-Lentek International is introducing products at the National Hardware Show that the company hopes fill a niche for mobile-type air purifiers and cleaners. Lentek's Sila line of air purifiers and cleaners includes products for use in closets, on the road and in ...
NEWELL RUBBERMAID REPORTS SALES INCREASE; RUBBERMAID PERFORMANCE STILL SOFT.
Aug 02, 1999; ... FREEPORT, Ill.-Despite a lackadaisical performance by its recently acquired Rubbermaid division, housewares giant Newell Rubbermaid reported a slight sales increase. Net sales for the second quarter were a record $1.6 billion, a 2.4 percent increase over the second-quarter ...
CARPETS OF DALTON INVITES YOU HOME; INNOVATIVE RETAILER CREATES THE ULTIMATE POINT-OF-PURCHASE DISPLAY.
Aug 02, 1999; ... DALTON, Ga.-Located off of Interstate 75, Carpets of Dalton is more than carpets -- a lot more. It is a furnished Dream House built within the 300,000-square-foot American Home Show Place. In floor covering alone, there are more choices -- broadloom, area rugs, ...
CHANGES IN THE WIND; DIY, HARDWARE RETAILERS BROADEN FAN ASSORTMENTS.
Aug 02, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Fewer SKUs, deeper inventory. That's how most DIY (do-it-yourself) and hardware retailers heading to the National Hardware Show traditionally have merchandised fans and circulators. It's a strategy that involves offering consumers commodity-type products. ...
RETAILERS FRAME OUT FOURTH QUARTER; FASHION FARE MIXES WITH MILLENNIUM MERCHANDISE.
Aug 02, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Retailers say private-label photo frame lines are stepping into the spotlight for the all-important fourth quarter, the time when the majority of sales in the category are produced. Basic wood and metal assortments are taking precedence over holiday-specific ...
SPARKLING IDEAS FROM SWAROVSKI.
Aug 02, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Crystal may not be the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of the serene, meditative aspects of the Zen movement in home furnishings. But according to home decorator Chris Madden, "Crystal works. It is so on target for accessories today." During a ...
GLOBAL DESIGNS SHINE AT ATLANTA GIFT MARKET; SHOWROOMS OVERFLOW WITH ACCESSORIES FROM FARAWAY PLACES.
Aug 02, 1999; ... ATLANTA-The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, held here last month, was a veritable world bazaar of textiles in a rich assortment of ethnic styles. The International Design Collection, in its first permanent Atlanta showroom, offered a kaleidoscope of exotic ...
MARTHA STEWART HOME DEBUTS; RETAILERS EMBRACE FASHION GURU'S NEW LINE OF FABRICS.
Aug 02, 1999 ... NEW YORK-Consumer-appointed arbiter of good taste Martha Stewart showcased her comprehensive new line of printed and woven decorative fabrics made by P/Kaufmann at a chic Chelsea gallery here last week. Martha Stewart Home consists of prints, wovens and embroideries that range ...
MOOD UPBEAT AS INDUSTRY'S TOP SUPPLIERS REPORT LATEST FINANCIALS.
Aug 02, 1999; ... While not all the numbers are as rosy as some would wish, the mood remains positive for several leading textile suppliers. Springs Industries reported that second-quarter sales increased to a record $544.9 million, up 1.5 percent from the second quarter of 1998. Net income for ...
FAN BUYERS GUIDE.
Aug 02, 1999 ... HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE CATEGORY ...
HOT SALES.
Aug 02, 1999; ... Not surprisingly, one of the first inventions marketed after Edison harnessed electricity was the electric fan. And since then, the basic function of fans has remained the same: to provide consumers with a product that increases their comfort. What has changed, ...
SEARS SCHEDULES KICKOFF FOR KENMORE ELITE CAMPAIGN.
Aug 02, 1999 ... HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.-Sears will launch its multimedia ad campaign on August 19 for Kenmore Elite, the upscale series of major appliances that is just beginning to reach stores. A Sears representative said the support program was budgeted for millions of dollars, but could not ...
RETAILERS ARE WOWED BY FULL-SIZED VAC SALES.
Aug 02, 1999; ... NEW YORK-After six consecutive record-setting months for manufacturers' shipments of full-sized vacuum cleaners, the surge slowed in June. But retail sellthrough continues to boom. "Sales have just been fantastic," said Chuck Bacon, Sears' floor-care buyer. "Business is robust ...
FONDUE FEVER.
Aug 02, 1999; ... It's no secret that fondue pots have come full-circle from their groovy niche of the '70s and are enjoying a resurgence. "We've certainly seen a double-digit growth in fondue sales in the last two years," said Doug Richardson, vice president of marketing for Le Creuset. Here are ...
FURNITURE BRIEFS.
Aug 02, 1999 ... Bassett Promotes Sanders Bassett Furniture has promoted Keith Sanders to executive vice president of operations. He is responsible for upholstery and wood manufacturing, quality control, engineering, merchandising, logistics and purchasing. Sanders, who was vice president of ...
BUSINESS STILL BOOMING; FURNITURE PRODUCERS POST RECORD SECOND-QUARTER RESULTS.
Aug 02, 1999 ... HIGH POINT, N.C.-The furniture industry is sizzling in the summer of 1999, with several public companies posting record results as the notoriously cyclical home furnishings business stubbornly persists in its growth mode. Furniture Brands International, LADD, Leggett & Platt, ...
CONSUMERS PONDER E-COMMERCE.
Aug 02, 1999; ... Want to experiment with selling home office furniture online? Here are some thoughts from potential consumers. We asked a few dozen people who work at home: Would you purchase home office furniture directly from an online site? Jeff, Florida: Price and next-day delivery would be ...
THE BOX THAT RUTH BUILT.
Aug 02, 1999; ... Ruth Tulino, head of Tulino Design Inc., hopes to elicit this response from consumers: "I want what's in that box." And industry insiders say she does just that. "Her packaging designs are superior," said Harmon Stein, president of Excel Importing, for whom Tulino designed the ...
WORKING OUTSIDE THE BOX; PACKAGING GURU DISCUSSES HOW TO PUT TOGETHER WINNING PRESENTATIONS.(Ruth Tulino)
Aug 02, 1999; ... NEW YORK-Despite the adage, "You can't judge a book by its cover," it's undeniable that consumers can be swayed by packaging. While open-stock presentations are becoming more common, boxed sets of dinnerware, glassware and flatware are more often than not stacked out on retail ...
LIBBEY REPORTS DIP IN INCOME.
Aug 02, 1999 ... TOLEDO, Ohio-Libbey's net income and net sales dipped less than a percentage point in its second quarter, while operating income increased during the same period. In the quarter ended June 30, 1999, net income was $13.6 million, a 0.8 percent decrease from the year-ago period ....
OFFICE, ENTERTAINMENT HOT AT SHOW; CALIFORNIA OAK SPECIALISTS STRONG AT SAN FRANCISCO MARKET.
Aug 02, 1999; ... SAN FRANCISCO-Producers of home office furniture, anticipating the demand of the fall "desk season" at retail, rolled out enough desks and workstations at market here to furnish a Fortune 500 company. Oak solid-wood specialists and producers of ready-to-assemble furniture turned ...
BRING ON THE TOURISTS! BLOOMIE'S PREPARES FOR MILLENNIUM CROWDS WITH WATERFORD'S TIMES SQUARE MERCHANDISE.
Aug 02, 1999; ... NEW YORK-The holiday season will sparkle more than usual this year as retailers gear up for the moment everyone has been waiting for: the millennium. Bloomingdale's, which just previewed its holiday '99 collection, is building its millennium tabletop presentation around ...
NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT; ALLERGY SUFFERERS ARE POTENTIAL MARKET FOR SMALL APPLIANCE MERCHANDISERS.
Aug 02, 1999; ... Food allergy sufferers need control what food they eat, and they are turning to kitchen electrics to do it. Even more than Americans who obsess about dieting, consumers with food allergies are extremely concerned with the ingredients in their food. This has created a potential ...
FRESH LOOKS, NEW IDEAS AT SAN FRAN SHOW.
Aug 02, 1999; ... SAN FRANCISCO-Retailers shopping Summer Market 1999 here found a solid mix of new products, sharp promotions and fresh fashion to consider while gearing up for the fall selling season. For national producers, San Francisco offered an opportunity to build relationships with ...
NEWS BRIEFS.
Aug 02, 1999 ... Sears Names Conway To Head Full-Line Stores Sears promoted Mary Conway to the post of president, full-line stores. She succeeds Allan B. Stewart, who recently unveiled plans to retire on Sept. 1, the company stated. Conway, formerly a senior vice president for ...
UPTONS, FAILING TO CARVE NICHE, WILL SHUTTER STORES.
Aug 02, 1999; ... ATLANTA-Mid-market department store chain Uptons is the latest casualty of the growing presence of discount stores. The Norcross, Ga.-based retailer, owned by American Retail Group Inc. (ARG), has reported that it will close all 75 of its locations as soon as inventory is sold. ...
FAVORED BUGS FLYING WITH NATURE ICONS.
Aug 02, 1999; ... While the decorative home marketplace is not as motif-driven as, say, the gift market, new images do regularly cycle through, reworking the visual vocabulary for fashion-correct lines. Take insects for example. Butterflies and dragonflies have been swarming over upholstery fabrics and home ...
ROYAL TERMINATES SEARCH FOR INVESTMENT PARTNER.
Aug 02, 1999; ... CLEVELAND-Royal Appliance Mfg. Co. said it concluded its exploration of "strategic initiatives" with McDonald Investments, planned to resume its stock-repurchase program, and set a record for second-quarter net sales. The Dirt Devil manufacturer had hired the investment firm to ...
MASS MERCHANTS ACCOUNT FOR TABLETOP GROWTH IN FIRST HALF OF 1999.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Aug 09, 1999; ... NEW YORK-The first half of 1999 saw continued growth in dinnerware and beverageware but a slight decline in flatware dollar sales at department stores and mass merchants, compared with the first half of 1998, according to NPD HomeTrak, the Port Washington, N.Y.-based market research ...
CARDINAL COMPLEMENTS CORE; BUSINESS BLOOMS.(Statistical Data Included)(Company Profile)
Aug 09, 1999; ... RAHWAY, N.J.-In the more than 50 years that Cardinal Inc. has been in business, every fork in the road has signalled an opportunity for the business to grow. Since 1946, the gift and decorative accessories supplier has grown from a strictly ceramics operation into an importing ...
SUMMER SALES SIZZLE AT SUR LA TABLE; ASIAN-THEMED DINNERWARE, MARGARITA GLASSES AMONG THE `HOT' SELLERS.(Statistical Data Included)
Aug 09, 1999; ... SEATTLE-If tabletop sales are any indication, this summer's scorching heat has Sur La Table's customers seeking ways to keep cool. The kitchen and tabletop retailer, based here, has seen sales of margarita glasses and other barware items soar. Other "hot" sellers: ice-cream ...
NORDIC WARE WOOS HARDWARE STORES; NEW PROGRAM SMOOTHS WAY, FROM NUTS AND BOLTS TO BUNDTS.
Aug 09, 1999; ... MINNEAPOLIS-Nordic Ware is targeting the hardware store channel with an aggressive new marketing strategy. The cookware and bakeware manufacturer has launched a program called Dealer Link, a service that offers hardware store buyers a way to connect directly to the Nordic Ware ...
NEW DEPARTMENT HELPS HB/PS MEET RETAIL NEEDS.
Aug 09, 1999; ... GLEN ALLEN, Va.-Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex has added a new packaging services department to better handle retail packaging requests. The department allows the company to more quickly create special sample packaging requested by its retail partners. "The new ...
BEYOND NUTS AND BOLTS; HARDWARE, DIY AND HOME-CENTER RETAILERS CLEAN UP ON PROFITS WITH VACS.(floor-care products)
Aug 09, 1999; ... Retailers in the do-it-yourself, home-center and hardware channels increasingly are finding opportunities to boost sales by offering consumers key floor-care products. The merchandising strategies vary from positioning the category as tools to including floor-care products in an ...