HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network back issues from September 2007:
Will food cleaners be the next meal ticket?(top story)
Sep 03, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- High-tech food-cleaning products are ready for their closeup. The new product segment is already getting lots of attention. With numerous introductions and consumers being increasingly aware of what they eat, conditions may be right for the next big thing. ...
A look ahead.(home page)
Sep 03, 2007 ... The China International Furniture Expo will be held at the New International Furniture Expo in Shanghai, China, from Sept. 12 to 15. The Boston Gift Show will be held at the ...
A look back.(home page)
Sep 03, 2007 ... Seventeen years ago this week, Dayton Hudson experimented with an untested merchandising idea: provide the same environment for both upscale and lower-priced offerings. "We feel that our customers today are looking ...
Mediums.(home page)
Sep 03, 2007 ... House & Garden surveyed 20,000 design professionals online for Designers' Best 07, its unprecedented online survey. Below are some of the preferred brands for the great outdoors. Designer favorites for great design and function in outdoor lighting: Home Depot ...
The HFN Stock Index.(home page)
Sep 03, 2007 ... Retailers led the HFN Index for the Aug. 23 to 30 period with a 1.41 percent increase. Williams-Sonoma Inc., despite a second-quarter profit slump, saw an 11.14 percent stock rise to close at $33.13 per share on news that it lifted its full-year earnings expectations due to improving sales ...
Bloomie's B Home catalog touting the fashion angle.(news)
Sep 03, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- Bloomingdale's new fall home catalog gleams like a magazine and reflects the tony chain's thrust to move in fashion synch with its apparel business. Dubbed B Home, the 63-page book unveils a new black and white theme and showcases exclusive launches, such as Thomas ...
Williams-Sonoma Inc's Q2 net rises; Pottery Barn improving.(news)
Sep 03, 2007; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- With Pottery Barn's performance responding positively to the company's turnaround initiatives, Williams-Sonoma Inc. saw net revenues increase 4.1 percent for the second quarter to $859.4 million, versus $825.5 million for the same period last year, the company reported ....
Correction.(news)(Correction notice)
Sep 03, 2007 ... In the Alfresco Ambience Special Promotional Section that ran in the Aug. 20 issue of HFN, a ...
Martha, Martha, Martha!(the martha watch)
Sep 03, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] How important is the Martha Stewart Collection to Macy's? For the first time in its history, the ...
ARTS Awards finalists announced.(news)
Sep 03, 2007; ... DALLAS -- Finalists have been named for the 19th Annual ARTS Awards for excellence in decorative accessories design, sales and retailing. The ARTS Awards, hosted by Dallas Market Center and the Accessories Resource Team, are presented during a dinner gala each January during ...
Trade show calendar.(Calendar)
Sep 03, 2007 ... september 5-7 General Merchandise Show 230 Fifth Ave. New York (212) 297-2127 7-10 MACEF-International Home Show Fondazione Fiera Milano Milan, Italy 011-39-02-485501 fmi.it/macef ...
Boston Gift Show[R].(GLM BUSINESS BRIEFS)
Sep 03, 2007 ... The Boston Gift Show is unique among industry shows, with a universe of exhibitors that extends well beyond the typical gift category manufacturers find at most other shows. The September 2007 market will feature the Show's first Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Pavilion, showcasing ...
Global Home Decor[TM].(GLM BUSINESS BRIEFS)
Sep 03, 2007 ... Making its debut in 2008, Global Home Decor will connect businesses with thousands of market buyers looking to source home products from offshore suppliers. It is a cost-effective way to gain entry to the growing multi-billion dollar U.S. home decor market and offers a great return on ...
The Gourmet Housewares Show[R].(GLM BUSINESS BRIEFS)
Sep 03, 2007 ... The Gourmet Housewares Show is the only industry event to focus on high-end cookware, electrics, gadgets, tabletop and kitchen textiles. It draws exhibitors and buyers who understand their customers' love of food and entertaining--those who appreciate "better" and ...
International Contemporary Furniture Fair[R]--Materials Matter[R].(GLM BUSINESS BRIEFS)
Sep 03, 2007 ... North America's singular showcase for contemporary design, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) draws the most intrepid seekers of design truth and design trends to an extraordinary exhibition of the most inspired models of design. In 2008, GLM will partner ...
Fall preview: what's up.(trends)
Sep 03, 2007 ... The calendar may say Jan. 1 is the start of the new year, but for many people, it's fall when things really change: The school year starts, the new TV shows debut, even the car makers roll out their new models. It's the same thing in the home business, where there's plenty of new things ...
Pogo goes to China.(opinions: home alone 2)
Sep 03, 2007; ... Amid all of the hysteria over the rash of unsafe products coming out of China recently, just about everyone seems to have forgotten one very critical piece of the story. Sure, the Chinese factories are cutting corners, using substandard materials and practices and trying to make ...
Textiles week wraps up first run; exhibitors for the most part reported solid traffic at the inaugural event held in New York.(the markets: textiles)
Sep 03, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- George Little Management's New York Home Textiles Week has come and gone, and exhibitors report being happy overall with the inaugural show. "There were large groups of buyers at New York that stopped at our booth, such as ...
Making the call for cohesiveness.(opinions)
Sep 03, 2007; ... It's no secret that the home fashions industry has undergone significant changes in recent years. In fact, major changes began in the mid-1980s when the American mills were merged or acquired into the "Big 3." Having started my career in this industry back then, I can speak from firsthand ...
Window of opportunity: manufacturers expect fashion and niche sectors to help maintain sales momentum in the window coverings segment.(WINDOW COVERINGS REPORT)
Sep 03, 2007; ... SALES IN THE WINDOW COVERINGS category grew by about 2.6 percent between 2005 and 2006, and while experts are optimistic that growth will remain steady, many caution that business is still tough. "The second half should be OK, with spring 2008 looking strong based on the ...
The conservation approach: energy-saving window coverings make a comeback.(WINDOW COVERINGS REPORT)
Sep 03, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ALTHOUGH MANY CONSUMERS ARE still holding tight to their wallets due to the rise in energy costs, there's at least one sector of the industry that's benefiting from the increased price of oil. Energy-saving window ...
Holly Hunt moves into area rugs.(the markets: floor covering)
Sep 03, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Holly Hunt has added area rugs to the roster of products carried in her showrooms across the country. The rugs are handmade by craftsmen in Nepal. Each rug in the collection has at least 25 percent silk content, with one-third of the collection ...
The old man and Loloi: the manufacturer is set to roll out its Ernest Hemingway Collection of outdoor area rugs.(the markets: floor covering)
Sep 03, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DALLAS -- Loloi Rugs is growing its offering of licensed goods with the introduction of a collection of outdoor area rugs under the banner of the Ernest Hemingway Collection. The line is scheduled to debut at the October High Point Market. ...
Mohawk gives its new Greenworks environmental initiative the green light.(the markets: floor covering)
Sep 03, 2007 ... DALTON, Ga. -- Mohawk Industries has made a move to promote its green operations and products with a new brochure and campaign to get the message to its customers--and their customers as well. Jim Quist, vice president of sales for Mohawk, said the main point the company is ...
Outside influences: at the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market, patio furniture vendors to stress the 'new'.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
Sep 03, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- New materials and colors, new options for smaller retailers and new price ranges and inspirations for design: These are what buyers at the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market can look forward to when they shop Chicago's ...
Trends, strategies among topics highlighting '07 ART Conference.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
Sep 03, 2007; ... PASADENA, Calif. -- Many ideas emerged at the Accessories Resource Team's 2007 ART Conference, which drew more than 120 home decor industry members to the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel. The agenda of insightful speakers and trend presentations was punctuated with hands-on ...
Mattress firm expands reach with latest buy.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
Sep 03, 2007; ... HOUSTON -- With its plan to acquire Mattress Pro, a San Antonio-based retail chain, Mattress Firm has taken yet another step toward becoming a national specialty retailer of mattresses. When finalized, the purchase will boost Mattress Firm's store count to 440 stores in 36 ...
For good measure: portion-control dinnerware from a variety of companies is providing healthy guidance for dieters.(the markets: tabletop)
Sep 03, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- With obesity and diabetes--even in children becoming greater public concerns, portion-control dinnerware gives consumers guidance on meal sizes. These products use lines and graphics to divide the plate visually into the portions of ...
Plenty on the Plate for Nambe: bigger showroom, new lines.(the markets: tabletop)
Sep 03, 2007 ... SANTA FE, N.M. -- New categories and expanded lines have led tabletop company Nambe to more than double its showroom in the 41 Madison building in New York, where it has been for more than 14 years. Now measuring 2,700 square feet, the sixth-floor showroom makes room for Nambe's new ...
Kolo opens two album bars; web service is in the picture.(the markets: tabletop)
Sep 03, 2007; ... HARTFORD, Conn. -- With the digital photography industry exploding and camera prices dropping, many consumers are taking more pictures than ever. But the amount of shoeboxes and drawers filled with photos and CDs is also growing, along with the guilt that all of those pictures should be ...
Colin Cowie launches exclusive line on HSN.(the markets: tabletop)
Sep 03, 2007; ... ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Entertaining expert Colin Cowie will bring his signature style to HSN for the holidays, as he launches an exclusive line of holiday, tabletop and accessories at the retailer this October. Debuting six themed lines, the Colin Cowie Lifestyle collection will bow on ...
Slatkin introduces Scentport home-fragrance system.(the markets: tabletop)
Sep 03, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Harry Slatkin, president and founder of Slatkin & Co. and president of home design, Limited Brands, has announced the release of Slatkin & Co.'s Scentport, a new home-fragrance delivery system available this fall at retailer Bath & Body Works. "The Scentport is the ...
Time differences: clock manufacturers are looking for new ways to add style and function to the category.(THE CLOCK REPORT)
Sep 03, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- As the clock industry continues to evolve from time-keeping devices to decorative wall and desk accessories, vendors are looking for more ways to bring new design and innovation to the category. With sales in the category still soft--and all of the available growth ...
Storage sources group gears for ramped-up trade show.(the markets: housewares)
Sep 03, 2007; ... NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. -- As the Storage Sources Group prepares for its semiannual trade show in Orlando, Fla., the retail association is gearing up for its largest gathering yet. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 17-year-old association now has 27 members representing 33 ...
Remington cuts into the young men market with Code shaver.(the markets: housewares)
Sep 03, 2007 ... MADISON, Wis. -- With the recent launch of its Code shaver, Remington is gambling that it can turn college-age and young adult men into customers for the long haul. The new shaver features a dual-stage cutting system that includes the trimmer and the foil, which is designed for ...
The front of the front-load line: fashion and technology help LG Electronics clean up.(the markets: major appliances)
Sep 03, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. -- LG Electronics USA, only four years after stepping into the laundry arena in the United States, has grabbed the number-one market-share slot in front-load laundry revenues. LG, according to market research firm ...
Midtier sales for NECO rise amid slowdown in white goods.(the markets: major appliances)
Sep 03, 2007 ... WAYNE, N.J. -- Northeast regional buying group NECO Alliance has so far this year seen gains in midtier appliance sales, a white goods segment that has otherwise faced challenges due to the housing slowdown. The buying group's independent dealers owe the midtier increases in ...
Credit crunch likely to deflate retail LBO activity: the current crisis has hindered low-cost debt funding, which could possibly put a stop on private deals for the short-term.(FINANCIAL REPORT)
Sep 03, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE WAVE OF RETAIL LEVERAGED buyouts may be quelled for the time being as the current credit crunch has forced banks to clamp down on lending needed to finance these deals. The credit crunch came to a head last month as escalating home ...
Licensed to thrive.(hf end)
Sep 03, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hearst celebrated home furnishings brand extensions, including furniture ...
A work of ART.(hf end)
Sep 03, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Accessories Resource Team was "Puttin' on the Ritz" at its annual ART Conference in Pasadena, Calif., last month, hosting atop hat, tails and tiara party where partygoers dressed as their ...
Raising the curtain.(hf end)
Sep 03, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hunter Douglas held its first-ever International Alliance Conference earlier this summer at the Colorado Convention Center ....
Gottschalks getting away from home in strategic shift.(news)
Sep 10, 2007; ... FRESNO, Calif. -- Shoppers won't find a display bed or towel wall at any of the new stores Gottschalks opens as it ramps up expansion. That's because the West Coast department store chain is exiting the bed and bath business in all of its new stores--which will be in a smaller ...
Striking while the cast iron is hot.(the markets: housewares)
Sep 10, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Cast iron has found a place in the modern home, and, with new features and conveniences, it's not your grandma's cookware. Innovations such as pre seining, a wider breadth of price points and colors, and much exposure on the Food ...
A look ahead.(home page)
Sep 10, 2007 ... The Boston Gift Show will be held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center from Sept. 15 to 18. The International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market will be held at ...
A look back.(home page)
Sep 10, 2007 ... Eleven years ago this week, a specialty store known as Lechters emerged as the nation's second-largest housewares retailer, after Williams-Sonoma, with annual sales of $432 million. "Lechters is about convenience," a vendor told HFN on Sept. 16, 1996. He also warned that the retailer, ...
Mediums.(home page)
Sep 10, 2007 ... Bloomingdale's Little Pink Book is designed to build awareness and raise funds during October's National Breast Cancer Awareness month. The Little Pink Book ...
The HFN stock index.(home page)
Sep 10, 2007 ... Manufacturers led the HFN Index for the Aug. 30 to Sept. 6 period with a 1.50 percent gain. Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. was one of the top gainers with a 7.32 percent increase to close at $78.87 per share on news that it is maintaining its full-year positive earnings ...
Alan Greenberg, co-founder of CCA Global, dies at 64.(news)(Obituary)
Sep 10, 2007 ... MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Alan Greenberg, co-founder, co-chairman and co-chief executive officer of CCA Global Partners, died following a battle with cancer. He was 64. The company described Greenberg as a floor covering retailer by birth, growing up in his family's business, Tile ...
Correction.(Correction notice)
Sep 10, 2007 ... In the story, "Bloomie's B Home Catalog Touting the Fashion Angle" in the Sept. 3 issue, tabletop pieces were misidentified. The modern, ...
Iconix buying Official Pillowtex.(news)
Sep 10, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- Iconix Brand Group Inc., which already owns a portfolio of fashion brands, jumped head-first into the home category last week with plans to purchase Official Pillowtex LLC, which owns the Cannon, Royal Velvet Fieldcrest and Charisma brands. Iconix Chief Executive ...
NACCO's Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Spinoff halted as company cites volatility in marketplace.(news)
Sep 10, 2007; ... CLEVELAND -- NACCO Industries said it will not spin off its Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex subsidiary, but speculation by industry watchers has suggested that the situation for the housewares vendor is still up in the air. The much-anticipated independence of Hamilton Beach was ...
Shelter from the housing storm.(top story)
Sep 10, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- The shelter books have been sheltered thus far from the meltdown in the housing market, and publishers have put in place multi-platform marketing plans and editorial packages to keep it that way. Despite the nation's housing woes, ...
Sears Holdings' Q2 profit tumbles on sales declines, eroding margins.(news)(Financial report)
Sep 10, 2007 ... HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp.'s profit fell about 40 percent for the second quarter ended Aug. 4, driven in part by continued same-store sales declines and eroding gross margins on high promotional activity. The department store giant's net income for the quarter ...
Ex-Bloomie's CEO launches investment firm.(news)
Sep 10, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Marvin Traub, former longtime chairman and chief executive officer of Bloomingdale's, has formed TSM Capital, an investment company aimed at luxury brands and retailers with in the home, apparel, accessories, cosmetics and jewelry sectors. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
Cost Plus widens loss; CFO departs.(news)
Sep 10, 2007 ... OAKLAND, Calif. -- Cost Plus World Market widened its net loss for the second quarter ended Aug. 4, due in part to a mounting same-store sales decline. The retailer had an $18 million loss for the quarter, or 81 cents per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $14.2 million, ...
Fed: consumers now in debt for $2.46 trillion.(news)
Sep 10, 2007 ... WASHINGTON -- Consumer indebtedness rose another 6.5 percent in June over May, reaching nearly $2.46 trillion at an annual rate, excluding home mortgage loans. The increase followed a May rise of 7.9 percent. Most of the increase, about 63 percent, was in non-revolving debt, or ...
Trade show calendar.
Sep 10, 2007 ... september 7-10 MACEF-International Home Show Fondazione Fiera Milano Milan, Italy 011-39-02-485501 fmi.it/macef 7-10 ABC Kids Expo Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas (210) 691-4848 ...
Let the sunshine in.(trends)
Sep 10, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gas prices may go up and down, and electricity runs at a high during the summer months, but sunlight converted into solar power is an abundant and free alternative. Previously seen in consumer electronics and outdoor living, solar-powered products--some ...
B+ for M&M.(opinions: home alone 2)
Sep 10, 2007; ... This is by no means a final report card, but I couldn't wait any longer to talk about the Martha Stewart program at Macy's. Like a kid on Christmas morning, it's time to unwrap this baby. Certainly all the anticipation and hype surrounding this program has raised expectations to ...
Cut from a different cloth.(the markets: textiles)
Sep 10, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Basic bedding is anything but basic these days. At the August New York Home Fashions Market, companies showed a slew of pillow protectors, mattress covers and the like that they claim can do everything from ...
Nancy Koltes at home expands to new markets.(the markets: textiles)
Sep 10, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- This fall, textiles designer Nancy Koltes is doubling the number of her Nancy Koltes at Home stores by opening three new locations. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Laguna Beach, Calif., store is slated to open in September; the Charleston, S.C., store in ...
Shades of things to come from Chilewich.(the markets: textiles)
Sep 10, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chilewich Sultan LLC is entering the window business. The company has signed a new licensing agreement, its first ever, with The Shade Store, an online and catalog retailer of window treatments ....
Scalamandre names Iommazzo president in a first for company.(the markets: textiles)
Sep 10, 2007; ... NEW YORK -- Robert J. Iommazzo has big plans for family-owned Scalamandre Silks Inc. Iommazzo, Scalamandre's new president and the first non-family member to hold an executive leadership position with the company, wants to increase its brand recognition by breaking into new ...
Nourison's net gains.(the markets: floor covering)
Sep 10, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SADDLE BROOK, N.J. -- Nourison has launched a new Web site designed to modernize the Web experience for the user by providing easier navigation for consumers to view collections and for dealers to log in and place orders. The company first ...
A Pooch's Paradise: Manne gives pets the designer treatment.(the markets: floor covering)
Sep 10, 2007 ... NEW YORK -- Just in time for High Point Market, designer Liora Manne has not only expanded her offerings of rugs and home decor accessories for people, but has given their four-legged friends a colorful boost as well with a series of pet accessories that take a cue from her rainbow of rug ...