HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network back issues from February 2005:
PIERCED DE RESISTANCE.
Feb 07, 2005 ... For highlights from Maison & Objet, including this ...
WILL P&G SHAVE BRAUN FROM ITS NEW LINEUP?
Feb 07, 2005 ... Byline: Jennifer White CINCINNATI-Procter & Gamble's acquisition of Gillette is all about brand names such as Duracell and Gillette razors, but once the $57 billion transaction is done there may be one less name on the consumer products giant's marquee. Wall Street ...
RESTORATION DISCOVERS HOW TO GO UPSCALE.(Restoration Hardware Inc.)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Jo Fleischer CORTE MADERA, Calif.-After a four-year extreme makeover, it's as easy to see what's missing from Restoration Hardware as it is to see what's been added. Out are the toy departments, the Moon Pie snacks and the glowing eyeball Halloween night ...
OFFICIAL PILLOWTEX TAKES CONTROL AT ROYAL VELVET.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Official Pillowtex LLC is opening a Royal Velvet showroom this week in time for the winter textiles market as it asserts its control over the brands it acquired from defunct Pillowtex. Rick Platt, managing director of Official ...
IN BRIEF: REPORT: PRICE SLOWS MAY, FEDERATED... LINENS SEARCHES FOR CHIEF MERCHANT... MAYTAG WEIGHS HOOVER'S FUTURE.
Feb 07, 2005 ... REPORT: PRICE SLOWS MAY, FEDERATED The price for May Department Stores Co. is going up, and Federated Department Stores is not expected to seal a deal to buy its archrival anytime soon -- though negotiations are still under way -- according to sources, reported Women's Wear ...
BLOOMINGDALE'S MODEL BEHAVIOR: LUXURY ROOMS GO ON DISPLAY.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Only in New York kids, only in New York. Bloomingdale's has created "fantasy model apartments" in a new 27-floor luxury condominium across the street from its iconic Manhattan flagship store here. The idea is to stoke interest ...
JONATHAN ADLER, ROWE TEAM ON UPHOLSTERY.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005 ... McLEAN, Va.-Upholstery producer Rowe Furniture is teaming up with potter, retailer and recent hotel designer Jonathan Adler to produce a line of upholstery. Adler, who opened his first studio in New York's SoHo neighborhood in 1998, already has a line of upscale furniture that ...
TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
Feb 07, 2005 ... february 8-11 Ceramex Int'l Exhibition of Interior Decoration Lisbon, Portugal 351-218921500 ceramex.fil.pt 8-12 Cevisama Feria de Valencia Valencia, Spain 34-963-851-100 ...
MAISON ACCOMPLI.(Maison and Objet)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Michael D. Devine Maison & Objet continues to thrive and grow season after season. Celebrating its 10th year, the show has come a long way. This season, purple and turquoise took center stage in the color story, with all shades of red -- from peony to cherry -- holding ...
FORECAST 2005.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005 ... As the housewares and tabletop industries get ready for the major trade shows, executives sound ...
DOLLAR ON THE ROPES; NO EASY RESPONSE TO RISING RAW-MATERIALS COSTS, FALLING PRICES.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Gerry Beatty, Jennifer White, Thyra Porter, Sharyn Bernard contributed to this report. Even in these times of falling prices, rising materials costs, closing factories and the declining dollar, a recent headline was stark: "Trade deficit hits monthly record, nears $600 ...
FALLING PRICES WILL BE TOAST; SUPPLIERS SAY THEY'RE FORCED TO RAISE PRICES -- AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Jennifer White The forecast for the small appliance industry calls for a patch of blue sky beyond the storm clouds. Suppliers say the climate is improving -- no doubt it can't get much worse, with raw materials cost soaring. They say to look for prices on ...
THE NEXT METAL; MANUFACTURERS ARE PREPARING FOR WHEN STAINLESS STEEL COOLS OFF.
Feb 07, 2005 ... Byline: Jennifer White What comes next after stainless steel? Don't know? That's OK -- for now -- because housewares suppliers and retailers say stainless steel isn't going anywhere soon. But eventually it will go the way of avocado green as a result of high prices, ...
TRY THIS AT HOME; MORE HIGH-TECH MEDICAL EQUIPMENT IS ON THE MARKET, BUT SOME WELLNESS WANES.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Jennifer White Personal care will get even more personal this year, as a growing number of consumers will pay attention to their doctors and take managing their health needs into their own hands. However, the same formula for wellness products will not hold up ...
SMART, BUT NOT ALOOF; PRODUCTS GET THE NEWEST BELLS AND WHISTLES WHILE REMAINING FUNCTIONAL.(home wares)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Jennifer White Housewares designers are thinking up products suitable for keeping pace with our busy, workaholic lifestyles, not life in outer space -- at least not yet. For the most part, tomorrow's housewares will look pretty much like today's, only with ...
ONE DAY, YOUR APPLIANCES WILL RUN WITHOUT YOU.(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005 ... The fact that consumers aren't clamoring for homes built like the space station hasn't stopped designers from thinking about what housewares and appliances may look like in the distant future. Designer Karim Rashid has many ideas about what homes will contain someday, in a ...
SHOW TIME WELL SPENT; ORGANIZERS LOOK TO MAXIMIZE A SHRINKING RETAIL BASE WITH NEW CROSS-MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES.(home furnishing industry)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Thyra Porter As retailers send fewer buyers to shows -- or not at all -- trade show organizers are looking for ways to make their events more valuable and time spent at the housewares shows more productive. New exhibitions, promotional and cross-marketing ...
HITTING THE HOT SPOTS ; VENDORS STRIVE TO STAND OUT IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Thyra Porter In a cookware market that is expected to maintain a fairly flat overall performance this year, buyers are looking for the next hot pan. In searching for something new, suppliers are freshening classics like the Circulon line, experimenting with ...
GADGETS GALORE HIT THE SHELVES; INTENSE COMPETITION FUELS PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND ACQUISITIONS.(kitchenware industry)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Thyra Porter Product diversification is the catch phrase for kitchenware companies this year as the competition to grab space on the gadget wall heats up. Kitchenware manufacturers are seeking that diversity through new product development, coordinated ...
COMFORT ZONE; PAST WEATHER CYCLES OFFERS CLUES TO THE FORECAST.(home furnishing industry's sales)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Gerry Beatty In home comfort, the weather is usually the key. But beyond a short-term forecast, it is difficult to predict. A look back may offer some clues to the future. Much of the nation coped with wet and mild conditions the past two summers. Winter a ...
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE; DYSON'S EMERGENCE HAS MOVED THE CATEGORY UPSCALE, BUT OVERALL STABILITY IS LOOMING.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Gerry Beatty For an industry seemingly in constant turmoil, there seems to be a touch of stability on the horizon. You'd never guess that from the latest round of executive changes, but low-end prices have stabilized at last, volume is up and Dyson has ...
STICKING WITH IT ; TRADITIONAL SUPPLIERS SAY THEY'RE FINALLY GAINING GROUND AGAINST DISPOSABLES.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Sharyn Bernard The traditional stick goods industry, which has faced an onslaught of competition from behemoth consumer products companies' disposable cleaning products in the past few years, is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Executives from ...
SHOWING OFF; FOR TABLETOP EXECUTIVES, DEALING WITH THE CLUSTERING OF TRADE SHOWS IS ALL IN THE TIMING.(International Home & Housewares Show)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Allison Zisko Bring up the topic of trade shows to a tabletop industry executive and you'll get two immediate responses: too many and too close together. There will be changes, big and small, in the tabletop trade show circuit in 2005, but the general feeling ...
START SPREADING THE HUES; TABLETOP TRENDS TURN ON INTENSE COLORS WITH MORE BASIC SHAPES.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Allison Zisko, Carla Webb contributed to this report Color and shape are always the biggest buzzwords in tabletop, and this year vendors say solid colors and more standard shapes are what is being served up. Turquoise is tracking on the brighter end of the ...
REPRESENTING THE FUTURE; SALES GROUPS AND INDEPENDENTS CHANGE WITH THE TIMES.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Allison Zisko As retailers consolidate and vendors close or move their showrooms, the nature and role of the sales representative continue to evolve. There are, of course, two different types of rep: the one who presents several lines in a permanent showroom ...
THE TEXTILES ZONE.(Heimtextil - International Trade Fair for Home and Household Articles)(Column)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Warren Shoulberg You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead -- your next stop, the Textiles Zone. I ...
VERBAL REMEDIES; SUPPLIERS OF HOLIDAY-THEMED PRODUCTS ARE EXPRESSING THEIR DESIGNS THROUGH WORDS.(Arlee Group)(Creative Home Furnishings)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Leticia Leizens EW YORK-"Ho Ho Ho," said The Arlee Group, a simple enough greeting embroidered in a decorative pillow that ushers in that holiday feeling. This week, in time for the winter market, Arlee, as well as other suppliers, are getting more direct in ...
NEWS BRIEFS.(Michael Graves Design Group)(Dansk Graves Studio)(Santens N.V. )(Trendex Home Designs Inc)
Feb 07, 2005 ... BARDWIL LINENS said it has teamed up with Dansk and the Michael Graves Design Group to produce a new line of table linens and kitchen textiles. Inspired by Dansk Graves Studio, a collection of tableware products developed by Dansk and the Michael Graves Design Group, the collection will ...
FIRMS WEIGH VEGAS GAMBLE.(Las Vegas Furniture Market)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini, Jennifer Quail contributed to this report. LAS VEGAS-The decision of whether to gamble on showroom space at the new Las Vegas World Market Center, future home of the Las Vegas Furniture Market, is weighing heavily on many manufacturers and importers ...
LOLOI'S ONE-YEAR GROWTH SPURT; THE COMPANY MARKED A HAPPY AND PROFITABLE FIRST ANNIVERSARY BY TAKING UP RESIDENCE IN A HUGE NEW ATLANTA SHOWROOM.(Loloi Rugs)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Jennifer Quail ATLANTA-Amir Loloi, founder and president of Loloi Rugs, celebrated the company's one-year anniversary in a very big way at the Atlanta International Area Rug Market. It moved into a new showroom, quadrupling its space and, as Loloi noted, "it's already ...
CAPEL TO DONATE PORTION OF Q1 PROCEEDS FOR TSUNAMI RELIEF.(Capel Inc.)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini TROY, N.C.-Capel Inc. said it would join the widespread relief efforts for tsunami victims by donating a portion of its 2005 first-quarter proceeds. Capel will donate a portion of its proceeds from the sale of all Indian-made rugs from ...
SHAW UNVEILS STAINMASTER AREA RUG LINE.(Shaw Living)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini ATLANTA-Using the recent Atlanta International Area Rug Market as the venue, Shaw Living introduced its first collection of Stainmaster area rugs. The Versant collection, made of a multilevel, textured cut-and-loop pile construction, is ...
NEWS BRIEFS.(furniture industry news)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
Feb 07, 2005 ... FURNITURE BRANDS INTERNATIONAL named Denise Ramos chief financial officer, senior vice president and treasurer. She succeeds David Howard, who has resigned from the company. Before joining Furniture Brands, Ramos was chief financial officer of the KFC division of YUM! Brands Inc., which ...
A NEW PLAN IN SAN FRAN; FACED WITH DEFECTIONS, ORGANIZERS MULL WAYS TO KEEP THE CITY'S MARKET VIABLE.(San Francisco Winter Market)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Jo Fleischer SAN FRANCISCO-At the San Francisco Winter Market, talk centered on light attendance, the organizer's efforts to breathe new life into the 90-year-old event and a rival market making its debut this July in Las Vegas. Organizers said the San ...
DEPARTURES PROVIDE WAKE-UP CALL FOR ISPA.(International Sleep Products Association)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Karl Kunkel ALEXANDRIA, Va.-The International Sleep Products Association, reeling after the departure of three of its biggest members, said it remains adequately funded and will continue to work as an advocate of its 643 members. Bedding supplier giant ...
NEWS BRIEFS.(W.A.C. Lighting appoints John Camp as product manager)(Kichler Lighting Inc. appoints Bruce Pazula as vice president )
Feb 07, 2005 ... WILD APPLE GRAPHICS has released a six-minute DVD of artist Albena Hristova, capturing her creative process on film in her Southern California studio. Wild Apple, which serves as Hristova's licensing agent and print publisher, is distributing the disc to retailers and customers in an ...
RETRO ACTIVITY SHOWCASED AT NEW YORK GIFT FAIR.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Nancy Meyer NEW YORK-Vintage chic, retro glamour and Asian decor were among the most prevalent lighting and accessory trends at the New York International Gift Market here last week. Highlights included vintage etched glass in everything from vases and ...
MASS CHANNEL PROMOTIONS MOVE LIGHT YEARS AHEAD.(lamps)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Nancy Meyer NEW YORK-The mass channel has made great strides over the past year in raising the visibility of lighting, thanks to cross-merchandising, special events and promotions. This year promises several more advances, sources said. ...
WINDY CITY SHOW BECOMES A BREEZE FOR MIDWESTERNERS.(gift industry)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Carla Webb CHICAGO-The desire to cut down on traveling and the growing regionalization of trade shows around the country has contributed to the growth of the Chicago Gift & Home Market, which took place at the Merchandise Mart here last month, according to Joan Ulrich, ...
A BIG APPLE BONANZA; THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL GIFT FAIR REWARDED ITS OVERFLOW CROWDS WITH FORWARD-THINKING AND FASHIONABLE INTRODUCTIONS.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Allison Zisko NEW YORK-Business was brisk -- surprisingly so, to hear some vendors tell it -- at the New York International Gift Fair, which took place here last week. Whether due to low retail inventories, general optimism about the economy, the absence of a ...
AMERICANS AND EUROPEANS FIND RIGHT MIX AT AMBIENTE.(trade show)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Allison Zisko FRANKFURT, Germany-Ambiente, billed as the one of the world's largest trade fairs, continues to be one of the biggest draws for American retailers, who reinforce their relationships with European vendors. But the show has also become increasingly important ...
SNEAK PEEK AT A 7 W. 34TH SHOWROOM.(tabletop and gift industry showroom)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005 ... With the April tabletop market only a few months away, the transformation of the upper floors of 7 W. 34th St., the new ...
WATER PIK SEES PERSONAL BUSINESS DECLINE IN Q3.(third quarter, Water Pik Technologies Inc., earnings)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005 ... NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.-Water Pik Technologies said its Personal Health Care business suffered a 19.0 percent decline in sales during its third quarter ended Dec. 31. Gross profit dipped 13.2 percent, but operating income grew 32.7 percent. The manufacturer blamed the fall in ...
AMBIENTE'S AMBIENCE; U.S BUYERS AND RETAILERS HEAD OVERSEAS FOR SOME QUALITY TIME.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Thyra Porter FRANKFURT, Germany-U.S. firms heading to Ambiente this week cite face time with U.S. retailers as a key reason to attend the international trade show. Though manufacturers said building European business remains the important reason for attending Ambiente, ...
RESTRUCTURING HELPS NEWELL TURN 4TH-QUARTER PROFIT.(Newell Rubbermaid Inc., earnings)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005 ... ATLANTA-Newell Rubbermaid's restructuring plan has helped the company bolster its fourth-quarter earnings, even as it reported a slight drop in sales. Earnings rose in the fourth quarter of 2004, reaching $124.1 million, compared with a loss of $211.6 million, or 77 cents, per ...
NEWS BRIEFS.
Feb 07, 2005 ... CAPRESSO is lowering the price of two items: Espresso Classic and the Infinity Conical Burr Grinder in black, creating new opening price points for Capresso's assortment of pump espresso machines and professional-grade conical burr grinders.The Capresso Espresso Classic will have a new ...
HFN SEEKS PRODUCT INFO, PHOTOS FOR HOUSEWARES SHOW PREVIEW.
Feb 07, 2005 ... You've worked hard getting your collection ready for the International Home & Housewares Show, so why not let HFN tell retailers what you've got in our show preview issue? Send in pictures and press releases with details about products that will be new at the show -- it's free ....
BUILDERS' SHOW WAS COOKING WITH NEW APPLIANCES.(International Builders' Show)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Gerry Beatty ORLANDO, Fla.-The revived International Builders' Show, held Jan. 13 to 16 here, reflected the current strength in major appliances. More vendors exhibited before bigger crowds, adding novel products and categories to their lines. A little more ...
SPEAKERS FOR THE HOUSE; RETAILERS LOOK TO RECHARGE THE AUDIO CATEGORY BY CROSS-SELLING SOUND SYSTEMS WITH FLAT-PANEL TVS.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-If you buy the flat-panel TV, they'll throw in a brand-new speaker system. Consumer electronics retailers are attempting to master the art of the cross-sell to revive a somewhat soft home audio category. To do so, they are looking to ...
SHORT WAVES.(Best Buy Company Inc. to open new stores, Sharp Corp. earnings, Casio Inc.'s new digital camera)
Feb 07, 2005 ... BEST BUY CO. announced last week that it expects to open 73 new stores in the United States and Canada during its 2006 fiscal year beginning Feb. 27, 2005. The big-box consumer electronics retailer will open 60 new domestic stores and 13 in Canada. Roughly half of the domestic stores will ...
BEST BUY VS. CIRCUIT CITY.(Best Buy Company Inc., Circuit City Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005 ... ON THE COVER Best Buy: Zenith 52-inch Widescreen LCD Projection HDTV Monitor, $2,299. Circuit City: Philips 60-inch Widescreen HDTV Monitor, $1,297.99 PORTABLE DVD PLAYERS Best Buy: Dynex 5-inch Portable DVD Player, $119.99 Circuit ...
BAIRD: 2004 RETAIL M&A DOLLAR VOLUME UP NEARLY 300 PERCENT.(retail store mergers)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Michael Rudnick MILWAUKEE-Consolidation seemed to be contagious in the retail arena last year, as merger and acquisition dollar volume elevated nearly 300 percent over 2003. Dollar volume from announced U.S. retail mergers and acquisitions hit nearly $40 ...
HOME FASHIONS SOFTNESS HURTS SEARS' Q4 SALES, PROFITS.(Sears Canada Inc.)
Feb 07, 2005 ... Byline: Michael Rudnick, Barbara Thau, Vicki M. Young contributed to this report HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.-Sears, Roebuck & Co.'s total revenues for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 1 slid to $11.23 billion, compared with $12.25 billion for the same period in 2003. Net ...
CMI SHOWS DECLINE IN MANUFACTURING SECTOR.(Credit Manager's Index)(Brief Article)
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Michael Rudnick COLUMBIA, Md.-Sales within the manufacturing sector slid to a two-year low in January, as the sales index section of the National Association of Credit Management's Credit Manager's Index was 48.4 points, down from 57.6 in the prior month. ...
NEWS BRIEFS.(Sears, Roebuck and Co., securities listing)(Kmart Holding Corp.'s Harold Lueken resigns)(Hanover Direct Inc., securities)
Feb 07, 2005 ... SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO. will move its listing to the NASDAQ Stock Market following the completion of its merger with Kmart Holdings Corp., according to a Feb. 1 Sears filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The department store giant's stock has traded on the New York Stock Exchange ...
EXECUTIVES: QUOTA-LIFT PRICE BREAKS WON'T BE AS DEEP AS ANTICIPATED.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Scott Malone NEW YORK-The windfall for importers from the end of the global quota system probably won't be as great as originally anticipated, as reported by HFN sister publication Women's Wear Daily. Most executives predicted that costs would drop by as much ...
PLAY AT THE GALLERY.
Feb 07, 2005; ... Byline: Michael D. Devine The Ralph Pucci gallery was the place to be recently. Pucci, along with Town & Country, hosted an event for furniture designer Chris Lehrecke's collection. The place was packed ...
24-HOUR PARIS PEOPLE.
Feb 07, 2005 ... Paris was packed with Americans during the Biennale Fabric show and Maison & Objet home show. Among the cortege of people spotted at the shows were Carolyn Sollis, Karen Carroll, Betsy Sandberg, Amy Churgin, ...
PAGE PRESENCE.
Feb 14, 2005 ... Shelter magazines continue to rebound as issue frequency and a focus on design ...
SEARS GETS DOWN TO THE ESSENTIALS IN NEW FORMAT.
Feb 14, 2005; ... Byline: Barbara Thau HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.-The home department in Sears Essentials, the midsized freestanding format to launch this spring, will feature a scaled-down mix of all the home products available in Sears' mall-based stores and Sears Grand, its off-mall supercenter ...
GLOBAL GIVES NEW LIFE TO OLD NEWELL BRANDS.(Global Home Products )
Feb 14, 2005; ... Byline: Allison Zisko, Jennifer White COLUMBUS, Ohio-What Newell Rubbermaid wasn't willing, or able, to do, Global Home Products is determined to accomplish. Nearly one year after acquiring the venerable but faltering trio of Anchor Hocking, Burnes Group and Mirro ...
IN BRIEF: SALONE DEL MOBILE'S NEW YORK PLANS... VEGAS MARKET ADDS GLOBAL TOUCH... SPRINGS TO CLOSE TWO TOWEL PLANTS...
Feb 14, 2005 ... SALONE DEL MOBILE'S NEW YORK PLANS The Salone del Mobile furniture fair in Milan, Italy, is launching a traveling version of the show, the first stop slated to coincide with New York's International Contemporary Furniture Fair in May. At a press conference last week, show ...
MAY DOING ITS HOME WORK TO REVIVE SALES IN CATEGORY.
Feb 14, 2005; ... Byline: Barbara Thau ST. LOUIS-May Department Stores Co. executives, reporting an earnings slide of roughly 25 percent and on the hunt for a new chief executive officer, said the fall launch of its House Beautiful program should help revive home, its poorest-performing division ....
YOU, TOO, CAN BE A STAR.
Feb 14, 2005 ... Want to live like a hip-hop diva? How 'bout a basketball star? J.C. Penney's new Cribs bedding and accessories collection, based on the MTV show of ...
BUILDING SHELTER; PUBLISHERS HOPE FOR MORE OF THE SAME AS THE MAGAZINE CATEGORY CONTINUES TO PICK UP MOMENTUM.
Feb 14, 2005; ... Byline: Jessica Goldbogen NEW YORK-The shelter magazine category is continuing to regain its footing after starting off the decade on shaky ground. Publishers were intent on looking on the bright side of gaining a few points in a challenging year, and are hopeful that in 2005 ...