Case goods reaching out
New styles, better service aimed at broadening appeal
By Powell Slaughter -- Furniture Today, April 14, 2003
High Point — Case goods resources responded at market to the soft retail environment with efforts aimed at broadening their consumer and distribution reach.
In a market with generally lower attendance, the busier showrooms tended to emphasize new style directions, licensing opportunities that play to their strengths, faster shipping and new service options.
Pennsylvania House's initial round of New Standards, the Steve Tyrell Collection, was a case in point. The new license featured very eclectic, often sleek cases that work in settings from traditional to contemporary.
"It's a breakout collection, and a totally new direction (in which President) Tom Tilley is taking the company," said Ron Fuhrman, vice president of marketing. "It gets us a new clientele, but isn't scaring off the traditional Pennsylvania House customer. That traditional 18th century consumer is still out there, but they aren't buying as much.
"We'll take (New Standards) and make it the umbrella for a lot of different sub-collections," he said.
At American Drew, Bob Mackie Classics was the company's first major collection available via direct container. All-import pricing and Mackie's new dressed-down approach to his trademark elegance had the introduction surpassing the original line's debut in terms of placements.
"What really surprised me was that we're going to be selling this about 65–35 direct container to warehouse," said Jack Richardson, president.
Lane's new Eddie Bauer Home surpassed placements of last market's Country Living licensed collection, the company's most successful case introduction ever. With Bauer's higher pricing, Lane had figured "it would do about 60% of the business we did last market with Country Living," said Jim DeRose, merchandising manager.
New Bauer beds retail from $799 to $1,399, compared to $899 for Country Living's highest-priced bed. Dealers didn't buy the new collection as deeply as Country Living, but more big-way/small-way merchandising options meant more placements.
Romweber gained new customers with Traditions made Modern, its license with the Museum of New Mexico. Romweber takes an eclectic, item approach to case goods, said President Bruce Rippe, and the museum's vast archives give the company an almost unlimited source of ideas.
Besides opening new distribution, Romweber will bring Traditions made Modern to retail floors quickly. "We'll have this ready in time for summer home sales," Rippe said.
Fast delivery was the key to Crawford of Jamestown's Washington Valley collection in light solid cherry, which ships May 1.
"We had a preview show in Boston two-and-a-half weeks ago, and we felt so good about this group we decided to cut it," said Rob Halsten, vice president of sales and marketing. "Early shipping has had a great impact; we put ourselves in a position to get out front."
Importers also were working to speed product to market. Outlook, an import startup making its market debut, showed six groups available for delivery by late June, and two to arrive in 30 days.
"We talked to some retailers ahead of time about what we were doing, and we were confident it would sell," said Jim Webb, president, about the early cutting schedule.
Maitland-Smith remerchandised its showroom to offer room collections, helping dealers grasp its eclectic line of case goods, occasional and accessories.
Also new this market was a retail concept, Maitland-Smith's Bond Street Shop, with a columned entrance, shop windows, awnings and signs.
"We wanted to show you could fairly economically merchandise a dedicated space of 1,300 square feet inside the store," said Cliff Oxford, Maitland-Smith's vice president of merchandising. "There was so much interest we're going to develop a complete package for retailers."
Several case goods companies, including Kincaid, Universal, Legacy Classic and Fine Furniture Design & Marketing, focused on master dining room suitable for smaller spaces, bringing formal looks to casual dining scales.
"We think there's a whole need in the younger generation not served by the commercial store that buys only in a big way," said Kevin O'Connor, president of Legacy Classic. "In bedroom, we have a whole range of styles, scales and sizes, but when you get to dining room, it seems it's only floored in a big way."
