Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, 9/9/2005 10:21:00 AM
Sources work to gain floor space
Bernhardt introduced this British Passages Tier Étagère in April. It has flat-cut mahogany in a Black Tea finish.
HIGH POINT — The loss of some big-name customers has hurt many in the collector’s cabinet field, but manufacturers are finding ways to not only survive but also to grow their business.
The demise of three major retailers — Sears Homelife, Montgomery Ward and Breuners Home Furnishings Corp. — was cited by many cabinetmakers as one of the key reasons why business has been soft over the past two years.
Pulaski is relying on innovation to gain new retail accounts and more showroom floor space. The Insight Lighting System introduced in April has been a big success, according to Bill Sibbick, senior vice president of sales. The new cabinets shipped pretty quickly after market, he said, and have had strong retail sales this summer. At the Las Vegas show in July, Pulaski added six new models, with more planned for October.
The initial Insight system featured a light box inside a shelf about halfway down from the top. A new model goes well beyond that with four lighted shelves and overhead lighting to fully illuminate collectibles throughout the case.
This Craftsman curio from Buhler Furniture has a Mission look with oak construction and mullions.
The April introductions hit medium to upper price points, said Sibbick, while the summer intros were in the moderate range. In addition to its standard traditional styles, the company had good success with a transitional cabinet featuring a two-way sliding glass door. A corner cabinet also was a big hit. New sourcing approaches
Philip Reinisch, which has touted its “Made in the U.S.A.” dimension for years, still produces most of its cabinets domestically, but likes the early results from its new blended sourcing strategy.
Curios have lagged behind other occasional niches in moving offshore, and that’s because there are still many advantages to domestic sourcing of this category. Curios always have been an “all-service business,” said Stan Reinisch, CEO of Philip Reinisch.
Retailers depend on sources for fast delivery, dependable shipping dates and a variety of price points, areas in which domestic curio makers typically have stood out.
This slender corner cabinet comes from Glober.
A company making paper-laminate finishes at promotional prices can get a curio to the retailer for the same price or less than an imported piece. While importers have gotten much better at supplying goods to stores, Reinisch said those companies still can’t match the consistency of delivery offered by domestic competitors. At the same time, no one can deny the low labor costs provided by China and other source countries.
Craftsmanship has increased, so that quality hand-carved goods now can be shipped in for the same price as less-complicated U.S. goods.
Labor hasn’t been a serious issue with curios in the past because of the success of simple, clean lines. However, that could change, thanks to imports.
Philip Reinisch has been pleased with results of its new Museum collection, which conveys the look of an art gallery frame on the front of a curio. Both the Museum and Renaissance collections seek to add sophistication and style while benefiting from import cost advantages.
Reinisch said he believes that his company’s import line will grow to a certain level — 20% to 25% of overall sales would be an ideal mix, he estimated.
Enhancing style and value
This Antique curio from Jasper Cabinet has a curio top with drawer storage in the base.
“Style and value-added features” are leading to success for Howard Miller, said Mark Siciliano, director of special markets. The company introduced two new cabinets this summer emphasizing high-quality craftsmanship and fashion.
“The new collector’s cabinets continue in the Howard Miller tradition of style and grace as we further broaden our collection,” said Phil Miller, chairman and CEO. “Howard Miller cabinets remain popular for their timeless, hand-crafted design and unsurpassed quality.”
The Jared cabinet has fluted columns and detailed leaf carvings with a Cherry Bordeaux finish. Bradington has a transitional look with Black Coffee finish, nickel-finished hardware and curved glass doors.
Red chinoiserie highlights the drawer fronts and side panels on this Regency display cabinet from Maitland-Smith.
Peters-Revington has grown its line to about 50 models, said Bruce Bergen, vice president sales and marketing. Among the many offerings are low-profile cabinets down to 30 inches high and slender models at 32 inches wide. The tallest models are 78 inches high, while the widest is 40 inches. Bergen said the most popular retail price point now is $699.
The company took its seven best-selling cabinets and created a signature series where any of the seven are available in two finishes on oak and two on cherry — 28 total SKUs that are always in stock. Begun earlier this year, the series has sold very well, Bergen said.
This curio clock from the Powell Co. has solid-oak barley-twist legs, storage drawer and a hidden storage area behind the quartz clock.
Low-profile curios are a popular item for Leick Furniture, and a new 30-inch model with sliding glass doors is doing well, according to CEO Greg Leick.
Many curios have mirrored backs to give a more open feel to the case, but some consumers prefer their storage to be even more open. An étagère offers a lighter, less imposing look than a bookcase or curio, said Heather Bloom, director of brand development for Bernhardt.
Bernhardt included an étagère in its British Passages collection introduced at the April High Point market. It doesn’t look as stuffy as a home office bookcase can look, Bloom said.
Hooker is pulling back on its curio offerings this year. The company introduced a small line of curios in October 2003, then expanded a year later. Despite the increased presence, the products didn’t sell as well as the company wanted as stand-alone goods. Hooker said it will continue to offer curios, but mostly as part of its case goods collections.
