Retailers aiming to set themselves apart
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, March 31, 2003
High Point — Retailers coming to market here are putting war and business worries aside for a while as they look to boost business with the next great product.
While many say the business climate has been tough and there's little hope for a quick turnaround, they're coming to market with shopping lists and an eye out for hot looks to set themselves apart from the competition when business finally does bounce back.
Some dealers are expanding stores and are shopping for goods to fill the new space. As usual, many are paying special attention to the leather upholstery category. And while imports keep growing in importance, a number of retailers are talking this time about going domestic whenever possible to avoid various problems and costs associated with container shipments.
"There's no bottom to the leather business," said Mark Schreiber, president of the upscale Houston-based Star Furniture.
"There are just incredible looks and incredible prices."
Schreiber said he came away from premarket a month ago excited over what he saw. Among his favorites: Broyhill's Charlestowne Square, the third in a series of antique-like collections; Bernhardt's Arts & Crafts-influenced Arcadian Bungalow; and a varied assortment from Royal Patina, including its British Heritage bedroom and dining room groups.
"They continue to come out with well-priced, highly stylish merchandise," he said.
Star buyers also will visit Kincaid for another look at a Laura Ashley oak bed that Schreiber said his stores can retail profitably for $999; American Drew, where the latest from Bob Mackie was a "knockout" for substantially less money; and Century, where Schreiber likes the contemporary styling of New Destinations.
Business at retail continues to be a challenge, said Tony Wilkerson, senior vice president of marketing at Atlanta-based Havertys.
"We haven't seen any major decline since the war has started, but we certainly see opportunities for improvement," he said.
With so much store-branded product, Havertys develops many product programs between markets but still has a broad shopping list this week.
"We compare what we're doing with what's out there in the marketplace," Wilkerson said. "You want to see if there are better values, if there are other manufacturers we should be developing product with."
Lancaster, Pa.-based Breuners Home Furnishings Corp. will play it conservative at market because much of its lineup was set over the past two years, said Joe Reddington, chief executive officer. That's not to say that the upscale retail conglomerate, with chains in the Northeast and West, doesn't have a shopping list.
"We're constantly in the market for fashion at a value price ... in our target businesses of leather, upholstery, motion and, to a less degree, on the formal side of case goods," said John Solimine, BHFC senior vice president and general merchandise manager.
Solimine likes American Drew's new Bob Mackie and also will look at microfiber upholstery, viewed by consumers as a fashion-forward contemporary alternative to velvets rather than as an alternative to leather, he said.
"We're looking to expand and exploit that business in the $600 to $1,000 price range," he said.
Wanted: Fresh ideas
Avon, Mass.-based Jordan's Furniture will have eight or nine people at market, about the same as usual, said Tony Moretti, vice president of merchandising.
"We'll be looking for new things, new concepts — not so much price," he said.
With the April 3 market date coming earlier than usual, it makes things difficult on retailers, he added. Some manufacturers haven't delivered goods from October, so he doesn't know what will sell. "Two weeks really does make a difference."
Decisions could also be more difficult because of the large number of introductions from many manufacturers, Moretti said, adding that he saw more at pre-market than he expected.
With a brand new Bellevue, Wash., store opening in September, "We have a pretty big open to buy," said David Masin, buyer for the upscale Seattle-based Masins Furniture & Interiors, whose top sources include Henkel-Harris, Baker and Stickley.
"There's a trend in the furniture business today to knock off each other," Masin said. "We're looking for a vendor to step up and show us something different, something new and fresh that would get us excited, which in turn would get the consumer excited about buying furniture."
Bruce Gerondale, president of midpriced Gerondale's Home Furniture in Green Bay, Wis., also will be looking for something innovative to attract consumers.
Selling a lifestyle
"Rather than price, price, price, we're focusing more on home and lifestyles," he said. He said he plans to increase his advertising budget this year, and at market hopes to establish partnerships with key vendors in which they participate in promotions.
In Las Vegas, Walker Furniture is in the midst of an expansion that will add roughly 55,000 square feet of showroom space.
"We're expanding our upholstery," said Larry Alterwitz, Walker's president and chief executive officer. At market, the focus will be on sofa-sleepers and other upholstery to retail from about $1,099 to $1,899, as the retailer aims to bridge a gap between its midpriced and its high-end assortments.
"The real struggle is shopping for it," said Bob Yondo, merchandising manager. He said the look and quality of upholstery at $1,099 is so good these days, "it's a struggle to find a product that retails at $1,599 and makes sense."
In case goods, Walker is looking for five-piece bedroom groups from $1,299 to $1,699.
"I would like to attempt to do this domestically if we can" because of flow and service issues with direct imports, Yando said.
Richard Rusnak, president of Russell's Furniture in Santa Clara, Calif., said his group will spend more time looking for ways to consolidate resources rather than looking for new products.
The midpriced to high-end Silicon Valley retailer dissolved its relationship with Thomasville two years ago and turned to import companies like Fine Furniture Design & Marketing and A-America. Now it's time to consolidate a broad selection of product and get rid of the slow sellers, Rusnak said.
On the sales floor, "comfort furniture" such as recliners and motion upholstery is moving best at Russell's, perhaps reflecting people's need to seek the safety and comfort of home.
South Dakota Furniture Mart in Sioux Falls, S.D., will have seven buyers here, and a shopping list topped by medium-priced home office and home entertainment. The retailer had one vendor go out of business and another hasn't been satisfactory, so it's searching for a company that can provide a steady, reliable supply, said Gordy Wallenstein, general manager.
The retailer also will look hard in other categories, especially leather, where Wallenstein aims to augment an all-overseas lineup with a domestic source to improve shipping times.
| Acknowledgements | ||
| Case Goods Editor Powell Slaughter, Senior Editor Gary Evans and Staff Writer Jeff Linville contributed to this story. | ||
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