HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network back issues from January 2007:
The Yule log: there were stars that lit up retail registers ...(news)
Jan 01, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- Colin Cowie barware, Dirt Devil Kone vacs and micro-fiber throws--these were a few of their favorite things. That's what a chorus of retailers, who emphasized gift items more than ever this holiday season, said about their holiday best-sellers. ...
... But home was pretty ho-ho hum.(the markets: business & finance)
Jan 01, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- Home was not necessarily the place for the holidays. Home furnishings was one of the weakest categories for the holiday season, The International Council of Shopping Centers' chief economist and director of research Michael Niemira, told HFN. He said that any product ...
A look ahead.(home page)
Jan 01, 2007 ... The producer price index for December will be released by the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics on Jan. 17. Maison & ...
A look back.(home page)
Jan 01, 2007 ... Nineteen years ago this week, HFD readers learned what it took to be a successful importer of Oriental rugs. "You have to enjoy the whole process," explained John Gregorian, a family member of one of the nation's largest hand-woven rug retailers, to a ...
Home portfolio/HFN index.(home page)
Jan 01, 2007 ... What consumers and designers are searching for at HomePortfolio. corn (for HFN categories, November '06). Top 10 Furniture Searches 1. Console Tables 2. Fireplace Screens 3. Wall Units 4. Armoires 5 ....
The HFN stock index.(home page)
Jan 01, 2007 ... Manufacturers and retailers nearly mirrored the broader Dow Jones Industrial Average gain for the Dec. 21 to 28 period, both reporting approximately 0.66 percent increases. Applica led manufacturers with a 19.70 percent gain to close at $7.96. Last week, the company had been the center of ...
Penney's new home GMM outlines growth plans.(news)
Jan 01, 2007; ... PLANO, Texax -- Jeffrey Allison, Charlie Chinni's successor, is looking to protect the retailer's hard-earned market share while steering the business through its next growth phase. Allison, who was named on Dec. 1, is sot on building up Penney's housewares and furniture ...
Pizzuto named HFN publisher/sales, Colangelo's responsibilities grow.(news)
Jan 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Rob Pizzuto has been Named publisher/sales for HFN, responsible for working with the sales team to further develop advertising business at HFN and its related supplements and special issues. Pizzuto joined HFN in 2000 and, according to Seth Mendelson, group ...
Top brands change hands during 2006.(news)
Jan 01, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- In the history of home products, the year 2006 may well go down as watershed for the number of major brands sold or otherwise changing hands. Amana, Jenn-Air, Maytag, Hoover and Springmaid are only a few of the top names among home brands that have been purchased or absorbed ...
Launch site: new products at CES show influence of iPod and 1080p technology.(news)
Jan 01, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- High-resolution 1080p technology televisions and the ever-popular iPod are both top of mind when it comes to new product launches at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Apple iPod's influence cuts across a handful ...
Trade show calendar.(Calendar)
Jan 01, 2007 ... january 8-11 International Consumer Electronics Show Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas (866) 233-7968 cesweb.org 10-13 Tupelo Furniture Market 1879 N. Coley Road Tupelo, Miss. (662) ...
The 12 myths of Christmas.(opinions: home alone 2)
Jan 01, 2007; ... It ain't over till it's over is the way Rocky Balboa puts it, but when you're talking about the Christmas selling season, he misses the point by a mile. It's one of the dozen misconceptions, irrational appraisals and downright stupid conclusions about holiday business at retail. ...
Design inspiration.(trends)
Jan 01, 2007; ... From Nike to the Nano to Narciso Rodriguez to NASA, the "National Design Triennial: Design Life Now" exhibit now open at the Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, in New York, celebrates the most innovative in American design over the past three years. The third ...
Down to the wire: shoppers fine bargains at retail when buying last-minute gifts.(the markets: textiles)
Jan 01, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATLANTA -- According to a survey in mid-December from the National Retail Federation, 15 percent of shoppers, or more than 33 million consumers, were waiting until the last minute to do their holiday shopping. They could be the smartest ...
Flammability issue continues to burn bedding industry.(the markets: textiles)
Jan 01, 2007; ... ATLANTA -- California has historically been at the forefront of consumer safety regulation. But its latest efforts to require flammability standards in the bedding industry have ignited controversy. In a letter to The New York Times in November, Arlene Blum, a biophysical ...
Milliken enters "Real World": the company provided carpet and broadloom products used on the MTV show, which is located in Denver.(the markets: floor covering)
Jan 01, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DENVER -- Milliken provided more than 9,000 square feet of carpet panel and broadloom products for the current season of "The Real World: Denver," which airs on MTV. The company said it was pleased to be chosen for the job, as the opportunity to be part of ...
Flooring America raises $65,000 for heart promo.(the markets: floor covering)
Jan 01, 2007 ... MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Flooring America presented the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement with a check for $65,099.28, the result of a month-long fundraising promotion, its first for the benefit of the organization. A portion of the proceeds from the August Red ...
Bright future for young designers.(the markets: floor covering)
Jan 01, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CHICAGO -- Design students at the Harrington College of Design here competed not only for cash, but for the opportunity to see their concepts come to life in a Nepalese rug design competition sponsored by their school and rug importer Oscar Isberian Rugs. ...
A niche in time: with everybody entering the category, marketing luxury mattresses takes savvy strategy.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
Jan 01, 2007; ... ATLANTA -- Everybody's jumping into luxury bedding. But with so much competition, they've got to know their partners. "Luxury has been a trend for several years," said Gerry Borreggine, president of TheraPedic. "But niche marketing is adding a new page to the book and bringing ...
An entertaining option: with more consumers staying in for fun, the casual industry is taking off.(CASUAL ENTERTAINING REPORT)
Jan 01, 2007; ... YOU CAN OFFICIALLY DISMISS THE butler and wait-staff. Casual entertaining is here to stay. At a time when the tabletop category as a whole is suffering through flat sales, the casual dining segment is growing, according to HFN statistics. Housewares and casual upstairs ...
A down-to-earth approach: more basic hues, as well as an emphasis on hand-painted products, are standing out.(CASUAL ENTERTAINING REPORT)
Jan 01, 2007; ... EARTH-TONE HUES AND ORGANIC shapes are among some of the continuing trends in casual entertaining products next year, along with a stronger interest in hand-painted items. Younger consumers also have a strong influence over style direction, as they don't have the attachments to tradition ...
NPD ranks top brands, patterns, January-June 2006.
Jan 01, 2007 ... ALTHOUGH IT IS VERY HARD to distinguish by register ring what tabletop products sold at retail are for entertaining purposes, NPD's lists of the top 10 housewares dinnerware, stainless-steel flatware and glass beverageware brands sold in the first half of 2006 are indicative of leading ...
What's cooking in the kitchen: a new survey finds that the room is the new 'hub' for upper-income households.(the markets: housewares)
Jan 01, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- A woman's place is still in the kitchen, according to upper-income women in a new survey released by Hearst Integrated Media. Almost two-thirds of them define their kitchens, with satisfaction, as the "hub" of their homes, and almost half would forego a romantic ...
Bloomingdale's BlinQ line brings a little color into the kitchen.(the markets: housewares)
Jan 01, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- For consumers who want to add color to their kitchens, Bloomingdale's recently introduced its latest private-label cookware line to stores nationwide and on theweddingchannel. com. Called BlinQ, the line "is targeted toward a fashion forward customer who is looking for high ...
Williams-Sonoma's target lawsuit seeks to shield its brand image.(the markets: business & finance)
Jan 01, 2007; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Williams-Sonoma is as mad as hell, and is not going to take it anymore. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The specialty retailer's move last month to sue trendy discounter Target for chronically copying its home product designs is a bid to protect an elusive ...
Pouring it on.(hf/end)
Jan 01, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caffeine was not hard to come by in New York at Nespresso's opening party last month for its first North American boutique, which was filled with people welcoming it to Madison Avenue. The maker of ...
It's in the cards.(hf/end)
Jan 01, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Domino magazine and the New York Design Center hosted A Full House Beats All, a charity poker party benefiting the Ronald McDonald House Charities. A slew of ...
After the $210m man: rebuilding depot morale.(news)
Jan 08, 2007; ... ATLANTA -- Bob Nardelli may be most remembered for his $210 million exit package, but the ex-chief executive officer is leaving Home Depot in a stronger position than when he arrived six years ago. Still, Frank Blake, incoming chairman and CEO of the $90 billion home improvement ...
HFNdex: retail confidence falls in 4th qtr.(news)
Jan 08, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- Confidence in the economy among retail executives, especially those specializing in furniture and mattresses, declined in the fourth quarter, dropping more than five points as the HFNdex slid to 50--the exact midpoint between optimism and pessimism. Any reading above ...
A look ahead.(home page)
Jan 08, 2007 ... The Dallas International Lighting & Accessories Market will be held at the Dallas Market Center from Jan. 18 to 22. The Consumer Price Index for December will ...
A look back.(home page)
Jan 08, 2007 ... Fifty-one years ago this week, a consumer in High Point, N.C., introduced a kind of self-service to the furniture industry. Backing his truck next to Howard Carpet Co.'s warehouse loading platform on North Main Street, he loaded a "dresser with mirror, chest, bookcase headboard, ...
Mediums.(home page)
Jan 08, 2007 ... West Elm's new spring catalog dropped, playing up the theme of "bold neutrals" in everything from furniture to tabletop and storage items. The 108-page book from the Williams-Sonoma spin-off chain ...
The HFN stock index.(home page)
Jan 08, 2007 ... Retailers led HFN Stock Index gains for the Dec. 28 to Jan. 4 period with a 1.87 percent increase. Dollar General topped the group with a 5.89 percent increase to close at $16.90 on news of a 7.1 percent December same-store sales gain. Manufacturers climbed 1.35 percent for the period with ...
Last-minute holiday shopping, gift cards help December sales.(news: quick takes)
Jan 08, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- Santa Claus put in some overtime this past season, as last-minute holiday shopping and gift cards helped lift retail same-store sales for December in the face of challenging unseasonably warm weather. Among the 22 retailers surveyed by HFN, same-store sales in ...
Correction.(Correction notice)
Jan 08, 2007 ... A caption in HFend, Jan. 1 issue of HFN, misidentified Nespresso executives. It should have read that ...
J.C. Penney.(RETAIL)
Jan 08, 2007 ... J.C. PENNEY said it would revert to the executive management and reporting structure that was in place 18 months ago, prior to the employment of Catherine West as chief operating officer. West, who was terminated recently, oversaw the retailer's store operations and property development ...
Hanover Direct.(RETAIL)
Jan 08, 2007 ... HANOVER DIRECT minority shareholders Glenn Freedman and L.I.S.T. Inc. filed an amended complaint related to Chelsey Direct LLC's proposed acquisition of the company. The amended complaint alleges, among other things, that "the consideration in the Proposed Transaction is grossly ...
Shaw Living.(THE MARKETS)
Jan 08, 2007 ... JEFF MEADOWS, a division vice president for Shaw Living, has left the company. Meadows joined Shaw in 1982 and helped guide ...
Nambe.(THE MARKETS)
Jan 08, 2007 ... ROBERT VARAKIAN, a former lighting and housewares executive, has been named president of Nambe. Daniel Hillenbrand, currently director of Nambe's board, served as acting ...
Demdaco.(THE MARKETS)
Jan 08, 2007 ... DEMDACO, a giftware and home accents company, has signed a letter of intent to acquire Silvestri, a giftware company, from eToys Direct Inc. The deal is expected ...
International Furnishings & Design Association.(THE MARKETS)
Jan 08, 2007 ... SUSAN HIRSCH, president of the International Furnishings & Design ...
Kreiss.(THE MARKETS)
Jan 08, 2007 ... KREISS announced that tennis stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf will appear at the upcoming Las Vegas ...
Simmons Bedding.(THE MARKETS)
Jan 08, 2007 ... SIMMONS BEDDING and Thomasville Furniture Industries have signed an agreement to offer the new Beautyrest Thomasville Limited Edition ...
Trade show calendar.(Calendar)
Jan 08, 2007 ... january 8-11 International Consumer Electronics Show Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas (866) 233-7968 cesweb.org 10-13 Tupelo Furniture Market 1879 N. Coley Road Tupelo, Miss. (662) ...
New year's non-resolutions.(opinions: home alone 2)
Jan 08, 2007; ... A week into 2007 and it's probably sale to say that most of us have already broken any well-intentioned but utterly unrealistic resolutions we may have made in the heat of an auld-lang-syne-induced bout of introspection last Sunday night. The retail business, on the other hand, ...
European working vacation.(top story)
Jan 08, 2007 ... All eyes, and planes, seem to go across the pond at this time of the year for the European shows. Trendwatchers of nearly every home furnishings category can look this month for the next big thing at Heimtextil, Domotex, IMM Cologne, MACEF, Salon Du Meuble or Maison & Objet. Here are some ...
A market improvement: Heimtextil restructures to reflect changes in the industry.(the markets: textiles)
Jan 08, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FRANKFURT, Germany -- Heimtextil 2007, slated for Jan. 10 to 13 here, continues to take an increasingly global view of the marketplace. While many U.S. companies have opted out of the show, the U.S.A. Pavilion lists 11 companies exhibiting ...
U.S. exhibitors and visitors have mixed agenda at Heimtextil.(the markets: textiles)
Jan 08, 2007; ... FRANKFURT, Germany -- While Heimtextil remains a major player in the textiles market, many U.S. exhibitors and visitors will have a different agenda than in years past. The show, which used to be a major resource for American manufacturers to see the latest fashion trends, has increasingly ...
Coordinated effort: designer Angela Adams heads to the Atlanta gift market for the first time, and she has new coordinated products in tow.(the markets: floor covering)
Jan 08, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATLANTA -- Angela Adams has made the move to exhibit at the International Gift and Home Furnishings market here for the first time, citing the cross-category coordination of her products and her company's success at other ...
ProSource expands showroom format for urban areas.(the markets: floor covering)
Jan 08, 2007 ... ST. LOUIS -- ProSource Wholesale Floorcoverings is growing its new showroom concept designed for metropolitan markets. The company opened four such showrooms this year and is scheduled to open a fifth in Bellevue, Wash., in February 2007, with 20 more due by the end of 2008. The ...
Vinings, Kapoor to unveil Nomadi hand-knotted line.(the markets: floor covering)
Jan 08, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATLANTA -- Vinings Imports Inc. and Kapoor Carpets of Jaipur, India, are set to unveil The Nomadi Collection, a new line of hand-knotted carpets. The collection, developed and produced by Kapoor, will be shown at ...
Flooring, carpet demand on the rise.(the markets: floor covering)
Jan 08, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- World demand for flooring and carpets is projected to climb 4.1 percent annually through 2010, according to "World Flooring & Carpets to 2010," a new study from The Freedonia Group Inc. This continual growth will find the market demand at 14.7 billion square meters, or $162 ...
Home Comfort sweetens Jellybean accent line.(the markets: floor covering)
Jan 08, 2007 ... ATLANTA -- Home Comfort will unveil an additional 20 designs to its Jellybean line of accent rugs here this month. The expanded collection will be on view at both the International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and the International Area Rug Market. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
Natural flow.(the markets: floor covering)
Jan 08, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATLANTA -- Soft, flowing designs featuring a variety of flora are managing to take different directions from each other this season. While some modern versions are going for contemporary pop with stylized florals in bold colors, others are ...
Light at the museum.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
Jan 08, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DALLAS -- Kichler Lighting will unveil lighting inspired by treasures from the Smithsonian Institution and Cooper- Hewitt Museum at the International Lighting and Accessories Market which opens here Jan. 18. Kichler's Smithsonian Collection is ...
Tupelo market set to open inaugural January show: Kichler Lighting will launch Smithsonian Institution lighting collection.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
Jan 08, 2007 ... TUPELO, Miss. -- The Tupelo Furniture Market, in its inaugural January edition, will open here on Wednesday, Jan. 10. In a special drawing during the show, one furniture retailer will win a new Hummer, and the hospitality and entertainment list has grown. "We're a country ...
Tennessee enterprises to move headquarters.(the markets: furniture)
Jan 08, 2007 ... CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- To better service its existing customers and new accounts, wood furniture importer Tennessee Enterprises Inc. wi11 move all operations under one roof next month, between the January Tupelo Furniture Market and High Point Market in March. The new facility, ...
Odegard salutes designer Mathieu.(the markets: furniture)
Jan 08, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stephanie Odegard, chief executive officer of Odegard, recently hosted a party at Odegard's New York Design Center showroom celebrating her company's collaboration with designer Paul Mathieu on furniture ...
Atlanta gift show has something for everyone: retailers and manufacturers will gather for a first look at what's bold and innovative.(the markets: tabletop)
Jan 08, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATLANTA -- The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, set for Jan. 9 to 17 at the AmericasMart, is the place where retailers go to see what's new and tabletop manufacturers exhibit their more gifty product lines to a different audience ....
A whirlwind of activity: cyclonic bagless technology is making a sweeping impact on other manufacturers besides Dyson.(the markets: housewares)
Jan 08, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Since James Dyson, inventor of the bagless cyclonic vacuum, popularized this higher-priced upright in the United States, a bevy of floor-care makers have been swept up in the cyclonic consumer frenzy. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
'Desperate housewares' line matches characters' style.(the markets: housewares)
Jan 08, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- Fans of the television show "Desperate Housewives" will soon be able to add a little bit of Wisteria Lane to their homes--without all of the drama. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Alfay Designs, a global producer of housewares, and Disney-ABC Television Group's ...
Wine enthusiast to retail line of branded products.(the markets: housewares)
Jan 08, 2007; ... ELMSFORD, N.Y. -- Already well known for its retail catalog, Web site and Wine Enthusiast magazine, The Wine Enthusiast Cos. is now offering its branded wine products to other retailers, and will showcase its complete collection at the International Home & Housewares Show in March at booth ...
Black & Decker products clean up after holidays.(the markets: housewares)
Jan 08, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Black & Decker is helping consumers clean up this post-holiday season, having experienced strong sales of key new cleaning products at mass, officials said. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Featured in national advertisements were the 18-volt Pivot Vac, a handheld, ...
Alcan's solar cooker benefits rural Indonesia.(the markets: housewares)
Jan 08, 2007; ... SINGEN, Germany -- Alcan, a leading global materials company, announced it is providing solar cookers and pans to 1,000 rural Indonesian families in the country's Banda Aceh region to help lessen the area's dependence on traditional sources of energy, such as firewood and fossil fuels. ...
Oggi.(the markets: hfnew)
Jan 08, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Oggi extends its stainless-steel barware assortment with a new array of lustre colors, including red, black, bronze, blueberry, pink, ...