Sears Home brand replacing Whole Home Furniture name
By Michael J. Knell -- Furniture Today, July 27, 2003
Toronto — Sears Canada is re-branding its Whole Home Furniture & Appliance store chain, renaming it Sears Home. The stores will have a different name in Quebec, still to be finalized.
Bruce Watton, national business manager/furniture, said the old store signage was cumbersome — it included references to both Whole Home and Brand Central — and the company wanted to create a brand easier for the consumer to remember.
The Sears Home banner will be used in Ontario, Western and Atlantic Canada. New exterior signage should be up on all 45 freestanding furniture and appliance stores by the end of September.
Watton said the Sears Home name is more indicative of the merchandise offerings, especially in the new-format larger stores, which in addition to furniture, bedding, accessories and appliances have flooring and kitchen cabinet departments.
Two Sears Home stores have opened this year and three more are set, two in Quebec. Watton said Sears is scouting for suitable locations for 2004 openings.
In a related move, Sears has made several changes in its furniture buying team.
Rick Palmer has been named bedding buyer, replacing Pat Kelley, who was promoted to category business manager for housewares. Palmer is rejoining the furniture team after a stint in corporate marketing.
Karen Campbell, previously buyer for ready-to-assemble furniture, will now be responsible for all decorative accessories and occasional table groups. Taking over RTA will be Daryl Villeneuve, a Sears Canada veteran previously responsible for Craftsman power tools and related products.
Linda Rylance now will be responsible for case goods, which includes dining room, adult and youth bedroom. She takes over from Robin Perdy, who has been assigned sewing machines and vacuum cleaners. Rylance was housewares buyer.
Diana Black, who was occasional and accent furniture buyer, has been promoted to the brand development office, where she will co-ordinate the furniture department's branding efforts.
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