HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network back issues from February 2000:
FELT SO GOOD.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... Felt, the fabric usually associated with grandfathers' hats, has come out of the closet and is invading the home in numerous categories. The virtues of felt -- it doesn't ravel, it dyes well ...
WARREN SHOULBERG NAMED EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF HFN.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... NEW YORK-Warren Shoulberg has been appointed editor-in-chief of HFN, the weekly newspaper of home products retailing published by Fairchild Publications Inc. He joins HFN from his post as editor of Home Textiles Today, a Cahners' publication, where he had served since 1988. ...
STROUDS OPENS STORES, TESTS HIGH-END CONCEPT.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... CITY OF INDUSTRY, Cal.-Robert Menar, chief operating officer of Strouds, said the retailer plans to increase sales at the regional specialty retailer by testing an upscale boutique, rolling out more stores and growing its online presence. "We will have opened six new stores in ...
WESTPOINT MAKES MORE EXEC CHANGES.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... NEW YORK-In the latest in a series of executive changes, Joan Amberg was named WestPoint Stevens' senior vice president and president of domestic sales, as of Feb. 3. John T. "Jack" Toolan, executive vice president and president of sales and marketing, said, "This senior ...
E-TAILERS LEAVE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
Feb 07, 2000; ... NEW YORK-Online customer service is improving, but returns remain a problem. In addition, enhanced customer support programs are necessary as e-tailers shift their focus from customer acquisition to retention. Those were the conclusions of some retail industry experts who got ...
CATCHING THE EYE (AND THE DOLLARS) OF GENERATION Y; DECORATIVE PILLOWS AND THROWS ATTRACTING YOUNG MARKET TO HOME FURNISHINGS.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... ATLANTA-Unlike Peter Pan or the Toys `R' Us crowd, today's kids do want to grow up -- and they want to do it in a room of their own making. "Teens are becoming increasingly powerful consumers and are trusted more and more by their parents to make family purchase decisions," ...
SHORT ORDERS KITCHENWARE NEWS BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... Calphalon Kicks off Culinary Discovery Tour Joanne Weir, host of the PBS series, "Weir Cooking in the Wine Country," will pay a visit to renowned culinary institution Johnson and Wales on Feb. 18, when the first annual Calphalon Discovery Tour stops in North Miami. ...
LEATRICE EISEMAN; COLORS IN THE KITCHEN.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... Color acts as a powerful motivator for sales across housewares. As executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, and director of her own firm, Leatrice Eiseman has helped companies such as J.C. Penney, Mirro cookware and Best Buy make an educated choice of color for product ...
IT'S TIME TO CLEAN UP WITH AIR FILTRATION.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... HFN REPORT-Opportunity knocks. Household penetration of air purifiers is around 15 percent. But as public awareness of air quality increases, so does the demand for products that improve conditions for all of us. Few consumers know that HEPA means high-efficiency particulate ...
SALES 'FEEL GOOD' IN MASSAGER CATEGORY.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... HFN REPORT-The massager category has been a veritable boon for retailers, and industry executives point to a number of reasons for the buzzing sales figures. A chief growth driver has been the year-round departments that retailers have been erecting to turn the products into a ...
HELEN OF TROY, SUNBEAM EXPAND PACT.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... BOCA RATON, Fla.-Sunbeam Corp. and Helen of Troy Ltd. have expanded their licensing agreement. Helen of Troy will now begin marketing and distributing Sunbeam hair clippers and nail trimmers. The previously disclosed deal (see HFN, Jan. 31, page 28) covered hair ...
GOAL FOR HAIER: TOP FIVE IN FIVE YEARS; TOP-SELLING BRAND IN CHINA SEEKS U.S. EXPANSION.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... HFN REPORT-Only a few years after entering the U.S. market, the Haier brand is being positioned for greatness. "Haier will be one of the top five major appliance brands within five years," said Michael Jemal, president of Haier American Trading LLC. "We will accomplish this by ...
FOR VACS, SMOOTH SAILING SEEN IN CYBERSPACE; USE OF INFOMERCIALS, ADVERTISING FUELING GREAT EXPECTATIONS.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... HFN REPORT-While vacs are far from being a hot Internet sale at present, retailers see solid potential for the category in cyberspace. This is due primarily to the increased advertising efforts of manufacturers to inform consumers and brand product, retailers said. At ...
FANTOM ADDS LIMITED EDITION TO FURY LINE.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... ONTARIO, Can.-Fantom Technologies Inc. displayed a new edition to its Fury line at the International Housewares Show last month. The unit, dubbed the Fury Limited Edition, features an aesthetic redesign and a Squeeze and Go handle that enables a user to remove a wand from the ...
SOMETHING ABOUT BETTY; SEVEN FACELIFTS LATER, BETTY CROCKER WORKS TO STAY FRESH.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... MINNEAPOLIS-In 1945, dispensing motherly baking tips made her the second best-known woman in America, following First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. But these days Betty Crocker competes with the likes of Martha Stewart and Emeril Lagasse for the trust of the current generation of home cooks. ...
FONDUE FIESTA; PRODUCT REBIRTH SPARKS RETAIL INTEREST.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... NEW YORK-They're back -- fondues, that is. The proliferation of fondues at the recent International Housewares Show proved just how much the category has spurred interest from mainstream kitchenware companies like World Kitchen (formerly Corning Consumer Products) and Lifetime ...
ROSANNA BOWLES THEM OVER; NICHE MANUFACTURER EXPANDS REACH THROUGH LICENSING DEALS, PRIVATE LABEL.(Rosanna Bowles)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... SEATTLE-Since she is one of the most sought after tabletop designers around, it is not surprising that Rosanna Bowles has her fingers in so many pies. Aside from heading up her own Rosanna Inc. tabletop company, Bowles has private-label deals with Pottery Barn, Fred Meyer and ...
ONEIDA SELLS ONLINE.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... ONEIDA, N.Y.-Boldly going where few tabletop companies have gone before, Oneida recently began selling online. Paul Kuzina, director of creative services for Oneida, said that the company sees the sales technique as "a support function for customers." He added that the focus of ...
RETAILERS TAKE A SHINE TO STERLING SILVER FLATWARE.(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... NEW YORK-Sterling silver flatware, a significant, profitable tabletop category for many specialty stores, is generating greater interest at some department stores. Bloomingdale's, a division of Federated, will debut a rich mix of sterling silver flatware early this spring, ...
FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA; NAUTICAL MOTIF STANDS OUT IN TABLETOP.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... HFN REPORT-Scouting out tabletop at recent trade shows is like a day at the beach -- literally. The nautical theme has taken hold, and can be found in everything from dinner plates to picture frames. Naturally, the color blue is an important part of this trend, with lighthouses ...
LAKE SHORE STUDIOS LAUNCHES LAMP LINE.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... ST. JOSEPH, Mich.-Drawing on its strengths as one of the industry's largest lamp-shade manufacturers, Lake Shore Studios has entered the lamp and lighting fixture business with a 300-SKU line. The line, priced to target department and specialty lighting stores, began shipping last month ...
AFMA PREDICTS 2.1% INCREASE IN 2000 FURNITURE SHIPMENTS.(American Furniture Manufacturers Association)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000 ... HIGH POINT, N.C.-After notching a stout 5.6 percent increase in 1999, furniture industry shipments will grow by 2.1 percent in dollar value in 2000 and 2.4 percent in 2001, according to a forecast by the American Furniture Manufacturers Association. Manufacturers' shipments will ...
FURNITURE BRIEFS.(contains numerous brief articles)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000 ... O'Sullivan Names Davidson CEO O'Sullivan Industries Holdings named Richard Davidson president and CEO, following the finalization of the company's merger and recapitalization. The company also announced other executive changes: Phillip Pacey was promoted to senior ...
BROYHILL GROWS UPHOLSTERY, IMPORT BUSINESS.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... LENOIR, N.C.-Broyhill Furniture Industries will build a mammoth upholstery plant and a distribution facility to keep pace with its growing import business. To feed its fast-growing upholstery business, Broyhill will build a 421,000-square-foot plant in western North Carolina ....
RUGS ROAR AT SURFACES 2000; HANDMADE AND MACHINE-MADE LINES FIND AN AVID AUDIENCE IN LAS VEGAS.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... Las Vegas-Surfaces 2000 proved that the largest floor-covering market in the United States is still growing. According to Chris Davis, chief executive of the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA), preliminary, unaudited numbers all showed increases over those of last year's market. There ...
D.M.S.I. LAUNCHES FURNISHINGS WEB SITE.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... CHICAGO-D.M.S.I., a private-label cataloger that operates businesses for leading consumer retail and database companies, has introduced HomeVisions.com, a 2,500-item home furnishings Web site. Based on the former Montgomery Ward Direct catalog business, purchased by D.M.S.I ....
A U.S. RETAILER SHOPS DOMOTEX.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... David Kraeling, president of ProSource, a mid-market distributor that is part of the Carpet Co-Op of America (also parent company for Carpet One), traveled to Hannover to shop the halls of Domotex. Considering the competing shows of the International Area Rug Market in Atlanta and Surfaces ...
FLOOR COVERING BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... National Carpet Award Winner Named Genuine James Carpet RUkGs is the 1999 winner of the National Association of Rug Makers (NARMs) award. The award-winning rug is a fabricated design in which dozens of pieces of carpet are carefully inlaid to form a 1930s female ...
THE TREND IS. . .NO NEW TRENDS.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... Hannover, Germany-Domotex 2000, the largest, most important European fair for floor coverings, was held here last month with over 1,000 exhibitors seen by approximately 40,000 visitors. Of the 10 exhibit halls, four were filled with Oriental rugs in a bazaar-like atmosphere, ...
HOOKED RUGS SNAG SALES WITH STYLING.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... NEW YORK-New designs, softer colorways and a continuing expansion of micro-hook offerings are among the trends propelling the hooked-rug category into 2000, as vendors and retailers report that sales remain consistently strong. A wide variety of patterns, ranging from ...
MOHAWK SIGNS JOE BOXER LICENSE.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... SAN FRANCISCO-Joe Boxer will expand its Joe Boxer Home Collection with bath rugs, doormats, area rugs, kitchen mats, placemats, cloth napkins, runners, chair pads, decorative pillows and throws from Mohawk Rug & Textiles. Referring to its success with bedding and beach towels ...
GLOBAL MARKETING: EITHER YOU'RE IN OR YOU'RE OUT.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... ATLANTA-American textile manufacturers can't succeed in business without really trying -- globally. Despite its dwindling presence at Heimtextil's Messe Frankfurt, analysts said the industry must face facts about the importance of a global presence. "Blinders don't prevent ...
SPRINGS' BED/BATH UP, JUVENILE DOWN.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... FORT MILL, S.C.-With only a slight increase in net sales, Springs Industries reported results for the year and the fourth quarter that were not spectacular, but on track with analysts' expectations. Sales of $528.6 million during the fourth quarter ended Jan. 1, 2000, were up 4 ...
CORRECTION.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... This picture was misidentified in the Jan. 24th issue of HFN, page 10. The fabric is called ...
LAWRENCE TAKES THE REINS AT BRIDE'S.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... NEW YORK-Nina Lawrence is used to a challenge, having steered a number of beleaguered magazines to increased profitability. But as publisher of Bride's magazine, Lawrence has taken the helm of a ship that's already holding a sure course. "I have to say this is the first ...
MAGAZINE'S `HOUSE OF TOMORROW' FITS TODAY'S NEEDS.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... LAS VEGAS-Home magazine has built the house of the future here -- but editor-in-chief Gale Steves says the future is now. The shelter magazine has worked with construction company U.S. Homes and a number of technology suppliers to build "House of Tomorrow," a concept home that harnesses ...
NEWELL POSTS Q4 SALES, INCOME GAINS; COMPANY SAYS HOUSEWARES BUSINESS IS HEALTHY.(1999)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... FREEPORT, Ill.-Fueled by improvements in service to retail accounts and new products, Newell Rubbermaid posted solid housewares gains for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 1999. Total fourth-quarter net sales rose 1.7 percent, to $1.7 million. Results for 1998 have been restated ...
SALTON Q2 PROFIT TOPS ESTIMATES.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... MT. PROSPECT, Ill.-Salton Inc. saw its fiscal second-quarter net income more than quadruple, buoyed by strong holiday sales. The company beat analysts estimates, as net income for the quarter ended Dec. 25 increased 307 percent, to $47.6 million from $11.7 million a year ago ....
MARKETING/MEDIA.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... Note: The media has an immeasurable effect on the American consumer. Starting this week, each issue of HFN will feature a Marketing/Media section in which such issues as ...
LINENS 'N THINGS RECORDS STRONG YEAR; DISCUSSES FUTURE.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... CLIFTON, N.J.-Linens 'n Things is entering the year 2000 with three years of uninterrupted growth and plans for continued expansion of its chain across the country and online. It has also revealed its best performing home furnishings categories. Several analysts praised Linens ...
WORLD KITCHEN TAPS NEW CEO.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... ELMIRA, N.Y.-World Kitchen Inc., formerly Corning Consumer Products Co., has named Nathaniel Stoddard president and chief executive of the $900 million kitchenware company. On March 1, he succeeds Peter Campanella, who will continue to serve as a director of the company. ...
FORECAST: HOLIDAY 2000 SALES WILL COOL OFF.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... NEW YORK-Retailers can look forward to a good 2000 holiday season, but it will pale in comparison with holiday '99. In fact, all of this year is expected to cool down a bit. "This year we expect consumer spending to slow, but only by a moderate amount," said a report released by ...
FINANCIAL BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... Wal-Mart Posts January Sales Wal-Mart Stores reported net sales for the four-week period ended January 28, 2000, of $11.6 billion, an increase of 22 percent from the $9.5 billion of the same period in the prior year. Net sales for the year ended Jan. 31, 2000, were ...
CORRECTION.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... In the Jan. 31 issue of HFN ("Specialty Vacs Help Produce Multiple Sales," page 36), Keith Moone was ...
AMAZON.COM COMES HOME.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... SEATTLE-Amazon.com is adding home furnishings to its stable of products through a deal that gives the e-tail pioneer an ownership stake in living.com, a leading furniture e-commerce company. The just-announced agreement lets living.com set up shop in perhaps the most valuable ...
SPRINGMAID BLOOMS AT WAL-MART STORES.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... NEW YORK-Wal-Mart is upping the ante of its home textiles program with the introduction of Springmaid, a well-known name brand previously unavailable to discounters. The implications of the introduction are huge for both Springs Industries, Springmaid's manufacturer, and ...
TARGET ENLISTS DESIGNER STARCK.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... NEW YORK-In a move meant to further set it apart from its rivals, Target Stores has struck a deal with Philippe Starck, one of the world's premier designers, to design a series of products for the discount chain. At the same time, Target began rolling out a new ready-to-assemble ...
NEWS.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000 ... Best Buy to Enter Portland, Roll Out 60 Units in 2000 Best Buy Co. announced that it will open four new stores in the Portland, Ore., area and expects to roll out a total of 60 new units throughout the nation during 2000. The new stores will be up and running this ...
SHIPPING COSTS DETER CONSUMERS.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... NEW YORK-Even though millions of Americans clicked onto commercial Web sites with every intention of making a purchase, two-thirds of them decided to abandon their electronic shopping carts before actually closing the sale. As 1999 drew to a close, only 17 percent of U.S. households had ...
CRATE & BARREL TALKS CUTLERY.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... Crate & Barrel's cutlery business has blossomed into somewhat of a minor miracle. Buoyed by a strong economy and a growing pool of savvier consumers with a thirst for better-quality home goods, cutlery sales soared in the double digits in 1999 at the 85-unit upscale lifestyle merchant, ...
HOME SOLUTION BRIEFS.(news from the industry)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... Home Depot Adds Water-Testing Kits in the South The Home Depot is placing PurTest water-testing kits in its more than 120 locations in the South, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia. The retailer first disclosed ...
NEWS BRIEFS.(briefs from home furnishings industry)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... Art In Motion Names Gibson Jessica Gibson, former head of marketing and public relations for Bugabbo, has joined Art In Motion, the art publisher and framed art supplier based in Pinehurst, N.C., as sales and marketing coordinator. She is responsible for public relations, sales ...
NEW SEGMENTS HELP BUILD THE WALL DECOR BUSINESS.
Feb 07, 2000; ... DALLAS-The wall decor business -- growing by double digits for the past few years -- is full of opportunities for healthy sales and profit margins. Retailers shopping the winter markets in Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco, Chicago and New York, among others, found many decorative ...
SHAW'S SETS RECORDS IN '99.(Shaw Industries)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... DALTON, Ga.-The past year was a very good one for Shaw Industries, with record sales and earnings recorded for 1999. Sales exceeded the $4 billion level for the first time in the company's history, reaching $4.108 billion, an increase of 16 percent over the prior year. Earnings for '99, ...
MINI MARKET TEMPTS BUYERS WITH HOLIDAY TEXTILES.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... NEW YORK-This week's February New York Home Textiles Market, running through Feb. 10, is the last stop on the winter home fashions circuit. Buyers will visit showrooms here to shop for the critical third and fourth quarters -- those last months of the year when holiday ...
SELLING RTA REQUIRES FINESSE, TEAMWORK; SIGNAGE, DISPLAY CRITICAL ON FAST-PACED, POP-DRIVEN RETAIL FLOORS.(ready to assemble furniture)
Feb 07, 2000; ... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Selling furniture in a box isn't quite the same as selling a plump recliner to a consumer who has plopped down in it and gotten comfortable. For that reason, manufacturers of ready-to-assemble furniture and the retailers that carry their products often work ...
CARPET CO-OP SERVES FLOORING RETAILERS FIVE WAYS.(Brief Article)(Interview)
Feb 07, 2000; ... LAS VEGAS-If you're a retailer that sells floor covering products, chances are the Carpet Co-Op of America has a program for you. The organization, owned by its members, shelters five types of flooring businesses in its membership, offering them a menu of services, including training, ...
TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... February 5-9 San Francisco International Gift Fair The Moscone Center San Francisco, CA (800) 272-SHOW 6-8 National Workroom, Installation & Design Show Hilton Cherry Hill Cherry Hill, ...
FELT SO GOOD.(felt shaping the future of home furnishings)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000; ... From Paris to Frankfurt, felt made a big impact at the European home shows last month. The material that we all used in kindergarten for arts and crafts has hit home. In various innovative guises, it is the fabric of choice ...
HOME TEXTILE RETAILER AWARD WINNERS NAMED.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2000 ... NEW YORK-The New York Home Textiles Show and the Home Fashion Products Association (HFPA) have named the winners in this year's Retailer of the Year Awards. The awards, now in their 15th year, will be presented on Sunday, April 2, at Windows on the World here during the New York ...
E-TAILERS LEAVE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Feb 07, 2000; ... NEW YORK-Online customer service is improving, but returns remain a problem. In addition, enhanced customer support programs are necessary as e-tailers shift their focus from customer acquisition to retention. Those were the conclusions of some retail industry experts who got ...
HAVERTY'S GROWTH OUTPACES COMPETITION.
Feb 14, 2000; ... ATLANTA-Haverty Furniture, driven by a dogged focus on its chosen consumer and a tight alliance with its primary vendor, continues its rise to the top in furniture retailing with a glowing, just-released annual sales report. While some other big furniture chains, including ...
TARGET MOVES UP WITH MARTEX BRAND.(Brief Article)
Feb 14, 2000; ... MINNEAPOLIS-In a move signaling that Target is stepping up its home textiles program, the retailer has begun to introduce the Martex brand to its shelves. As of March 12, all of Target's 900-plus stores will carry two full lines of Martex bedding and towels. Martex by WestPoint ...
KMART BROADENS MARTHA STEWART GARDEN COLLECTION.(Brief Article)
Feb 14, 2000; ... NEW YORK-Kmart announced at a luncheon last week that it is readying a chainwide rollout of its 2000 Martha Stewart Everyday Garden collection, which grows Kmart's assortment of outdoor furniture, garden tools, accessories and lighting, and grill and grilling accessories. The ...
PINNACLE ART & FRAME REALIGNS MANAGEMENT TEAM.(Brief Article)
Feb 14, 2000; ... FORT WORTH, Texas-Pinnacle Art & Frame, a division of Tandycrafts, has realigned its management in an effort to increase its share of the growing global market for frames, framed art and wall decor. Tandycrafts' President James D. Allen has been given additional responsibility ...