Hooker Times New Line for Fall
Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, July 19, 2011
The 72-inch Veranda console in the new Primrose Hill collection is shown in a Wheat finish. The pedestal accent table is shown in the Garden Grove finish.
HIGH POINT - In a new approach to its product introductions, Hooker Furniture launched a 70-plus piece whole home collection in late May that that it hopes will hit retail shortly after the fall High Point Market.
The company unveiled Primrose Hill to dealers at its annual design meeting May 19-20, about six weeks after the April market. While the event provided important feedback on the collection, the company will have it in production over the summer and it's expected to ship in November.
Soon after, the product will be on retail floors. Catalogs also are expected to be available soon after the October market, which will help dealers begin selling it right away.
This is the first time Hooker is believed to have produced a collection so quickly after a High Point Market.
In the past, the company typically has launched whole home collections at High Point's Premarket, which is about a month before each High Point Market. Based on that cycle, the collection wouldn't be ready to ship for several months - one first shown in September, for instance, often wouldn't ship until February or March.
"We're just trying to get ahead of the cycle for the benefit of retailers so they don't come to market and commit to a collection and then not have it for six more months," said Kim Shaver, the company's vice president of marketing and communications. "When dealers come to market, they will be able to have it almost right away."
Primrose Hill, a London residential district, is considered to be an archetypal urban village, affording views of central London and famous city landmarks such as St Paul's Cathedral.
Hooker's collection of the same name has urban traditional design influences and also includes pieces inspired by 19th century European antiques. It also includes mixed media elements such as cane, twill and antique gilded bronze.
Made with hickory veneers and poplar solids, the collection has two main finishes called Villa Brown and Trellis White and also offers designer finishes on select pieces called Garden Grove, Wheat Field and Gilded Terrace.
Comparable to pricing in the company's Sanctuary collection, Primrose Hill has three beds including an antique white bed with a cane headboard that retails at $1,999 and a panel bed that retails at $1,499, both in queen sizes.
Retailers attending the May design meeting said they were pleased at how quickly the group will be available on their floors.
"The product will be available by the fall, which is priceless," said Liz Ballard, merchandise manager for Tyler, Texas-based Swann's Furniture Gallery. "Because it's available so promptly, it will have a little push to it and a little fire behind it."
In addition to the case goods, the collection includes a number of upholstery pieces made in sister company Sam Moore's Bedford, Va., factory.
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Hooker Furniture times new line for fall
Jul 11, 2011
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