HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network back issues from September 2004:
TEN WHO DID IT THEIR WAY.
Sep 06, 2004 ... A very special report on a very special group of people whose ...
IKEA LATEST ON THE ROAD TO CHINA.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Jo Fleischer HIGH POINT, N.C.-Targeting one of the world's fastest-growing economies, IKEA plans to open 10 stores across China over the next six years. It's part of an increasingly aggressive roster of western retailers who see the Chinese domestic market as ...
Applica closes book on family; Friedson exits.(David Frieson resignation means founding family no longer involved in making decisions about the company)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Jennifer White MIAMI LAKES, Fla.-David Friedson's recent resignation from Applica was more than a chairman and director leaving the board of the small electrics company; it also marked the closing of another chapter for a corporation with a multistoried past. ...
CB2 pins down its identity with new store.(Crate & Barrel opens second CB2 store in Chicago)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Carole Nicksin CHICAGO-With the opening of its second store, CB2 has become a fully realized concept with a unique assortment of home furnishings geared toward the first apartment/first home crowd. Parent company Crate & Barrel introduced the concept four ...
In brief: Pfaltzgraff appoints marketing VP... WTO authorizes U.S. import tariffs... ShopKo taps merchandising officer...(Ruth Considene appointed vice president of sales at Pfaltzgraff Co.; Paul White named senior vice president at ShopKo stores)
Sep 06, 2004 ... PFALTZGRAFF APPOINTS MARKETING VP The Pfaltzgraff Co. has named Ruth Considine vice president of sales and marketing, a newly created position. In her new role, Considine will assume the responsibilities of Vicki Webster, who was recently named vice president of ...
TEXTILES INDUSTRY WANTS U.S. TO PRESSURE CHINA ON IMPORTS.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON-Grant Aldonas, a top U.S. Department of Commerce aide and undersecretary for international trade, is set to meet with high-level officials in China this week as domestic textiles groups turn up the pressure on the Bush administration to restrict ...
HOOVER'S NEW VAC HAS FANCY MOVES.(Hoover Associates Inc.)(Hoover Agility - deep cleaner)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Hoover would like to remind dirt-phobic consumers that vacuuming a carpet is not enough. The company will have a new hot-water extractor in stores this fall to get carpets deep cleaned. The Hoover Agility deep cleaner is designed to be easily ...
O'BRIEN'S AERO HITS THE MARK.(Thomas O'Brien's Aero store)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Carole Nicksin NEW YORK-In its spacious new location here, Thomas O'Brien's Aero store has room to showcase the designer's rapidly growing roster of licensed products alongside the hand-picked assortment of antiques that have made the original Aero a destination for the ...
JAPANESE FIRMS PARTNER TO MAKE LCD PANELS.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Michael Rudnick TOKYO-Japanese consumer electronics neighbors Hitachi Ltd., Toshiba Corp. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Corp. have established a joint venture agreement to manufacture and sell LCD panels for flat-panel televisions. The joint venture, ...
TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
Sep 06, 2004 ... september 3-7 Maison & Objet Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center Paris (888) 522-5001 maison-objet.com 5-8 Autumn Fair Birmingham National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Birmingham, England ...
COOK'S TOUR.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Michael D. Devine Housewares are getting a new look. With the influence of chefs and designers, items that haven't changed in years are undergoing major redesigns. Taking cues from the rigors of restaurant use, many items are getting the industrial treatment, with a ...
LIVING LEGENDS.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... What becomes a legend most? A fur company posed the question many marketing years ago, but we might as well ask it again today, in the broader context of the industry we all work in. When HFN set out to profile a very select group of people who could rightly be ...
DON SODERQUIST; THE GREAT MOTIVATOR WHO HELPED LEAD WAL-MART TO FIRST PLACE.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Barbara Thau Wal-Mart might be the house that Sam Walton built, but Don Soderquist helped turn it into a mansion. Soderquist nurtured Walton's vision and cultlike obsession to serve the customer with a motivational fervor that helped make Wal-Mart the biggest ...
MARVIN TRAUB; A LIFETIME IN RETAIL HELPS DEPARTMENT STORES BLOOM.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Barbara Thau Marvin Traub has retailing in his blood. Traub's mother was a fashion director at the tony department store Bonwit Teller. His father was the first American manufacturer to nab a licensing agreement with Christian Dior. So retailing ...
CHUCK WILLIAMS; FRENCH INFLUENCE CREATES A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Jennifer White He's a few weeks shy of his 89th birthday, an occasion Chuck Williams says he'd rather forget, but foodies know that he glimpsed and even helped bring about the future. During the 1950s, when the kitchen was used for opening cans, making TV ...
MORTY SEAMAN; A PLAN THAT WAS ALL WET STARTED AN AD BLITZ.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Jo Fleischer Long before Seaman's Furniture grew to dominate New York and Rooms To Go became the nation's largest furniture retailer, there was the water-damage sale that helped start it all. Morton "Morty" Seaman has a broad smile as he thinks back to 1953 ...
SAUL GOLD; STRENGTH IN NUMBERS SHAPES PATH OF THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Gerry Beatty The Coney Island kid who got into consumer electronics "in a very quirky way" wound up altering the world of brown and white goods. Thanks largely to Saul Gold, the retailer buying group became a respected force in the industry. From 1970 to ...
LENNY FLORENCE; HOW TO GET ANYONE TO DO ANYTHING: LESSONS FROM LENNY.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Allison Zisko Not only is Leonard Florence a Living Legend, a 15-minute conversation with him can be legendary. At a recent black-tie affair hosted by the Cardinal Cushing School in Boston honoring his 40 years of charitable service, Lenny's daughter recalled ...
SY STEWART; A SHINING EXAMPLE IN THE INDUSTRY.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Nancy Meyer For Sy Stewart, lighting isn't just a career, it's a way of life. The retired lamp manufacturer, with his partner Al Gindel (the "Al" and "Sy" of Alsy fame), created highly profitable lamp departments through theatrical presentations, promotions ...
JOHN PORTMAN; EXPANDING CITY SKYLINES, AND THE DEFINITION OF ARCHITECT.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Jennifer Quail John Portman is a pioneer. Regarded as the modern-day father of the atrium, Portman also brought a new role to the realm of an architect's duties by becoming a developer as well. The mind behind Atlanta's skyline and such ...
DAVE TRACY; THE IMAGE BUILDER HAS MORE IN STORE.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Leticia Leizens No person knows more about lifestyle than David Tracy. Way before Martha Stewart stamped her name on home products, Tracy invented homestyle marketing with Ralph Lauren. After that, he applied the idea of not limiting home furnishings marketing ...
SAM FARBER; A DYNAMO WHO HAD DESIGNS ON THE HOUSEWARES BUSINESS.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Thyra Porter Sam Farber loves to travel. He is a regular at the Ambiente trade fair in Frankfurt, visits factories in China, vacations in Provence, spends weekends in Massachusetts and skis all over the world. He loves to travel everywhere it ...
2004 AND THE LIVING IS EASY.(Column)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Joel Kaplan I just came back from my yoga class totally refreshed and invigorated. Yoga is a very different exercise for me. I have been a runner forever and although I still run, I walk more. I have reached that point in my life when comfort and calm are what I seek. In ...
THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Warren Shoulberg I think Alice Cooper doing a commercial for Staples was the last straw. We have met the enemy and he is us. With all due apologies to Pogo (if you have to ask, it's not worth it), the sheer amount of media barrage directed at and using ...
U.S. FABRIC SUPPLIERS BULLISH ON DECOSIT.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Sheila Long O'Mara BRUSSELS, Belgium-Optimism is running high for U.S. fabric suppliers headed off to this month's Decosit with many of them expecting to ride the momentum of an uptick in incoming orders. The international show, which opens Sept. 11, has long ...
BRIGHTNESS ABOUNDS IN BRUSSELS; AT DECOSIT, U.S. FABRIC SUPPLIERS WILL BE MAKING SOME COLORFUL STATEMENTS WITH FRESH PALETTES ALONGSIDE EARTH TONES.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Sheila Long O'Mara BRUSSELS, Belgium-Color is the buzzword for U.S. fabric suppliers showing at Decosit, Sept. 11 to 14, with a big emphasis on crisp, clear and fresh. The market, long known for its fashion-forward fabrics, will surely serve up a variation of ...
NEWS BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... WESTPOINT STEVENS said its bedding and bath branded products -- Martex, Grand Patrician, Vellux, Utica and Lady Pepperell -- will be sold at retail in the Middle East. The company said it has signed an agreement, effective Oct. 1, with American Business Development, a company based in ...
GROUP 3 FILLS TWO NEW DIRECTOR POSTS.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... NEW YORK-Group 3 Design Corp. has named two design directors to handle its brands: Joelle Santaniello for the relaunch of Cannon and Cannon Royal Family, and Paula Zanger for Royal Velvet. Both are newly created positions. Santaniello, who reports to Amy Rosenblatt, vice ...
VALDESE, WEAVE THROW FABRICS INTO THE PERFORMANCE ARENA.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Sheila Long O'Mara BRUSSELS, Belgium-With the popularity of performance fabrics growing, two more companies are entering the fray with collections to debut here at Decosit. Valdese Weavers and Weave Corp. are both looking to reap the benefits of the love ...
DRAPERIES FEATURING INGEO TO BOW IN BELGIUM.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... BRUSSELS, Belgium-Cargill Dow's Ingeo fibers, a man-made fiber derived from corn, will make its first appearance in draperies here at Decosit. The drapery fabric innovations, which range from colorful silks to linens, will be presented by companies such as Casalegno Tendaggi, ...
ALVIMAR UNVEILS AIR APPARENT TO TRADITIONAL BEACH TOWEL.(Alvimar)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-The Air Towel is not your traditional beach towel and it sure doesn't resemble one, but its purpose is the same -- to prevent sand from getting onto your body. Manufactured by Alvimar, the Air Towel is a vinyl beach accessory that ...
AFTER SALE, BURLINGTON OPTIMISTIC ABOUT FUTURE.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Jennifer Quail MONTICELLO, Ark.-Burlington Rug Corp. expects there will be some changes to its business now that Saeid Korhani, founder and chief executive officer of Yanoor Corp., which saved Burlington from closure in 2000, has sold all of his stock to Prudential ...
BUILDING A FUTURE ON HISTORY; EINSTEIN MOOMJY HAS SUCCEEDED BECAUSE THE FOUNDER'S VISION HAS NEVER NEEDED UPDATING.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-It's a matter of prestige, according to Fred Hall, store manager for Einstein Moomjy. "People want their deliveries to arrive in the Einstein Moomjy truck," he said with a smile. But that prestige came with dedication over decades of business, ...
INDUSTRY TO MASS: GIVE WOOL A CHANCE.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-The wool rug has been shunned by mass merchant retailers, and experts in the floor covering industry say it's because there is too much emphasis on price and not enough on true value. Kurt Barnard, president of Barnard's Retail ...
SURVEY FINDS NEW ORDERS CONTINUE GAIN OVER LAST YEAR.
Sep 06, 2004 ... HIGH POINT, N.C.-New furniture orders in June were up 10 percent over June 2003, according to a monthly survey of domestic furniture manufacturers conducted by BDO Seidman. The increase marks 12 out of the last 13 months showing a year-over-year monthly increase. This rise, ...
A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE; VISCOELASTIC FOAM DOMINATES TUPELO MATTRESS OFFERINGS.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Karl Kunkel TUPELO, Miss.-"Visco" was the operative word for bedding exhibitors during the recent Tupelo Furniture Market. And with its abundance of regional companies, licensees, national manufacturers and specialty bedding providers, the market offered a ...
NEWS BRIEFS.
Sep 06, 2004 ... MIKE NICOTERA has resigned as divisional vice president for furniture, bedding and rugs at Big Lots. Nicotera came to Big Lots in 2003 from Burdine's. The company said it has not named a successor. The closeout discounter has 1,469 stores in 46 states operating as Big Lots and Big Lots ...
BURNES ADDS HASSLE-FREE LEVEL TO WALL DECOR LINE.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Nancy Meyer AUSTIN, Texas-With the retail launch this month of its Level-Line product, the Burnes Group is hoping to take the hassle out of hanging wall decor for consumers, and at the same increase inventory turns for its retail partners. Level-Line, the new ...
NEWS BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... SHARON DAVIS, executive director of the Accessories Resource Team, has joined the Coastal Group/Redscope in the newly created post of vice president of public relations, reporting to David Weiss, president of the New York-based firm. Davis will continue to serve the decorative accessories ...
THOMAS LIGHTING TO LAUNCH HIGH-END DECORATIVE DIVISION.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Nancy Meyer LOUISVILLE, Ky.-In an effort to gain market share beyond the builder business, Thomas Lighting, now wholly owned by the Genlyte Group, will launch a high-end decorative division and enter the contract lighting business in January. At the end of ...
FLATWARE IN CONTEXT EASIER TO SELL?
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Allison Zisko NEW YORK-Flatware, often an afterthought among consumers fixated on just the right dinnerware, may fare far better when cross-merchandised with other tabletop categories. Recent programs, such as Kate Spade upstairs and Pfaltzgraff at Target, ...
UNCOMMON GOODS' UNCOMMON APPROACH; A GIFTWARE CATALOG AND WEB RETAILER OFFERS MERCHANDISE THAT SPECIALIZES IN THE UNUSUAL, THE WITTY AND THE UNFAMILIAR.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Allison Zisko NEW YORK-If you're looking to outfit your table for your next dinner party, you won't find it here, but if you're searching for a unique gift, this is a fine place to start. Uncommon Goods, a 5-year-old catalog and Web operation, prides itself ...
NTGA FOCUSES ON BRANDING AND LICENSING.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... NEW YORK-The National Tabletop and Giftware Association's executive conference will take place Sept. 28, earlier than usual this fall. The conference, which usually was held prior to the tabletop market, is entitled "Turn Your Brand Into Big Business" and will be held at 225 Fifth Ave. The ...
CHICAGO METALLIC BAKES WITH DUNCAN HINES.(Chicago Metallics Corp.)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Thyra Porter VERNON HILLS, Ill.-Chicago Metallic is teaming up with Duncan Hines in a licensing deal that will put the upscale bakeware company's products on grocery shelves for the first time. Focus Products acquired the Retail Bakeware division of Chicago ...
A CRUEL SUMMER; MILD, WET WEATHER PUTS A DAMPER ON SALES OF COMFORT ITEMS.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Gerry Beatty NEW YORK-There's no getting around it. This was a lousy summer for comfort appliances. Are you ready for this? It could get worse. Some officials are talking in superlatives about the year that wasn't. All that rain produced one silver ...
NEWS BRIEFS.
Sep 06, 2004 ... THE NEW YORK GOURMET HOUSEWARES SHOW is hosting an Italian wine lover's event at the James Beard House, 167 West 12th Street, New York, on Oct. 9. The event features a five-course dinner with wine pairings by chef Dante deMagistris from Boston's famous restaurant, blu. The 7 p.m. cocktail ...
NESPRESSO USA APPOINTS FELDMANN VP OF SALES.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... NEW YORK-Holger Feldmann has been named to the newly created position of vice president of sales North America for Nespresso USA, the gourmet coffee division of Nestle. Holger joined Nespresso in Germany in 1996, where he held positions such as sales and promotion manager, sales ...
WATERPIK INTRODUCES INSTAPURE WATER FILTER.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... FORT COLLINS, Colo.-Waterpik Technologies has introduced the Instapure water filter, which reduces 53 contaminants as well as chlorine taste and odor in tap water. The compact, end-of-faucet filter uses activated carbon technology and has three settings -- filtered water, ...
THE CLOCK REPORT.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... The industry is being challenged now more than ever. Most consumers don't need a clock to tell time, but they ...
RUNNING OUT OF TIME? MANUFACTURERS FACE AN HOUR OF CRISIS UNLESS THEY EXPAND UPON WHAT THEIR PRODUCTS OFFER.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Sharyn Bernard While many consumers have stopped buying clocks merely as a way to tell time, they haven't stopped buying clocks. Most simply don't need another time-keeping device in their houses -- they have them everywhere, from their iPods to their ...
SECOND OPTIONS; COMBINATION UNITS PREVAIL AS CD PLAYERS AND PHONES ARE ADDED.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Michael Rudnick Single-purpose clock radios are becoming a thing of the past with the trend toward integration and multifunction in consumer electronics that favors combination clock radio/CD players and clock radio/phones. Jim Babb, a spokesman for Circuit ...
TIMELY FASHIONS.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Sharyn Bernard Clocks have moved beyond the realm of functional items to become true home decor pieces. More vendors are mirroring furniture, wall art and other home decorating fashions for consumers who seek clocks to coordinate with their kitchens, dens and living room ...
THE NAME OF THE GAME; BRANDING IS BOOSTING SALES IN THE INDUSTRY AS MORE COMPANIES GRASP THE CONCEPT.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Sharyn Bernard Licensed clocks continue to gain strength in the market as vendors capitalize on strong brands to bring perceived value, consumer loyalty and design authenticity to clock styles. Pfaltzgraff, Movado, Crabtree & Evelyn and even Campbell's Soup ...
NARDA INSTITUTE TACKLES BUSINESS EDUCATION.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... LOMBARD, Ill.-The new North American Retail Dealers Association is organizing its 50th semiannual Institute of Retail and Service Center Management, and the format is being freshened to reflect the times. NARDA's fall gathering has been streamlined, with events designated for ...
PC MEETS HOME THEATER IN INDIANAPOLIS; COMPUTER-HOME ENTERTAINMENT INTEGRATION TO TAKE CENTER STAGE AT 2004 CEDIA EXPO.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Michael Rudnick INDIANAPOLIS-As the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) Expo approaches its 15th year, manufacturers, installers and retailers alike are gearing up to absorb as much information as possible about the evolving industry of home ...
BEST BUY VS. CIRCUIT CITY.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... ON THE COVER Best Buy: Maxent 42-inch widescreen plasma EDTV, $1,999. Circuit City: Hitachi 51-inch widescreen HDTV projection-television monitor, $1,699.99 HIGH DEFINITION TELEVISIONS Best Buy: Samsung 46-inch widescreen DLP Projection HDTV ...
WEAK AUGUST SALES AT DOLLAR STORES DUE IN PART TO HURRICANE.
Sep 06, 2004; ... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Dollar stores are facing a difficult August due to the ongoing economic strain felt by their low-income consumer audience and the slowdown in southeastern U.S. shopping because of Hurricane Charley, according to analysts at Wedbush Morgan ...
NEWS BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... FAMILY DOLLAR STORES INC. has expanded by 109 stores during the four-week period ended Aug. 28, bringing the company total to 5,466 stores nationwide. As previously announced, the deep discounter plans to open about 500 to 560 stores and close 60 to 70 stores during the fiscal year ending ...
A FANCY T PARTY.
Sep 06, 2004 ... Byline: Michael D. Devine "T" is for The New York Times style magazine, the newly rebranded magazine that recently made its debut. A street fete of fetes was held at the Barneys New York flagship to celebrate the renaming of the magazine and toast the new style ...
OBJET DE SILVER.(Brief Article)
Sep 13, 2004 ... Maison & Objet was a race to the metallic finish last week in Paris and this ...
ALTMAN'S HOME WORK: A NEIMAN'S REBOUND.(Company Profile)
Sep 13, 2004; ... Byline: Barbara Thau DALLAS-David Altman is working to get Neiman Marcus Stores' home groove back. In April, Altman was named vice president and divisional merchandise manager of home and epicure at the 35-unit luxury department store chain, succeeding Al Oliver. ...
P&G IS COMING, P&G IS COMING, P&G IS HERE.(Company Profile)
Sep 13, 2004; ... Byline: Jennifer White NEW YORK-Procter & Gamble, a major player driving the trend toward pairing consumer products and durable brands, is adding a vacuum to its line of Swiffer cleaning products. The vac is made by Techtronic Industries, makers of Dirt Devil and other floor ...
BREAKING UP IS EASY TO DO.
Sep 13, 2004 ... To the editor: The first page I turn to when HFN arrives is "Home Alone" and I almost always go through the "educational tutorial" saying Yes! However, while we agree on most things, I disagree on the Help Wanted concept (HFN, July 26, 2004, issue). Here are a few items to ...
RESTRUCTURING IMPACTS SALTON'S Q4 NUMBERS.(Company Profile)
Sep 13, 2004; ... Byline: Jennifer White LAKE FOREST, Ill.-Despite an increase in sales, Salton saw its quarterly loss deepen due to charges from staff cuts and plant closures. Salton posted a loss of $50.2 million, or $4.42 a share, for the fiscal fourth quarter ended July 3, compared ...
CORRECTIONS.
Sep 13, 2004 ... A story in the floor coverings section in the Aug. 23 issue of HFN included a vendor's estimate that attendance at the New York International Gift Market was down by about 40 percent. According to George Little Management, which operates the show, attendance at this year's ...