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Furniture|Today > Archives > 03/25/2002 Issue
Table of Contents
Furniture|Today -- 03/25/2002

Bedding Today
  • Rocky Mountain highs prompt ISPA awards
    It's awards season, and I'd like to do my part by handing out some special bedding awards. The category: Expo 2002, the International Sleep Products Assn.'s convention and trade show, which was held earlier this month in Denver. Here is a look at the highs and highlights, and the weird and the wacky, from Expo 2002: Weirdest Weather: Denver.

Business Today
  • Restoration Hardware posts flat sales, net losses
    CORTE MADERA, Calif. — Direct-to-consumer sales bolstered Restoration Hardware's fourth-quarter and annual sales, although total sales for both periods came in virtually flat, and the specialty retailer of home furnishings and hardware posted net losses for the quarter and year. In the quarter ended Feb.
  • Shermag earnings fall 33.8%
    SHERBROOKE, Quebec — Shermag's gross revenues in furniture in the fiscal third quarter were flat with the same period a year ago, although net revenues declined 4.5%, mainly because of a change in the manufacturer's sawmill operations. Earnings fell 33.8% to C$2.1 million in the quarter ended Dec.
  • Keller sales down 21.7% for year
    CORYDON, Ind. — Keller said fourth-quarter sales declined 26% from a year earlier to $9.3 million, and it posted a $3.8 million loss, mainly because of a charge for a year-end inventory adjustment. For the full year, the case goods maker reported a 21.7% sales decline and a $2.3 million loss, compared with net income of $2 million in 2000.
  • Vaughan has loss despite 4.7% sales rise
    GALAX, Va. — Case goods manufacturer Vaughan Furniture Co. reported fiscal first-quarter sales of $33.4 million, a 4.7% increase over the first three months of fiscal 2001. Net income for the quarter ended Feb. 28 fell from $710,806 a year ago to a loss of $97,464. The company said factory short time and the number of hours dedicated to first cuttings of new product hurt the bottom line.
  • Heilig-Meyers reports $1.6M net loss in Jan.
    RICHMOND, Va. — Heilig-Meyers posted a $1.6 million net loss in January and a net loss of $302.8 million for the first 11 months of its fiscal year, as charges associated with closing the bankrupt retailer's core stores continued. Sales for the company, which today operates about 67 RoomStore room package specialty stores, were $26.

News
  • Obituaries
    Obituaries
  • Horich Parks changes name
    BALTIMORE — Horich Parks Advertising has changed its name to Horich Parks Lebow Advertising and has added Bradley H. Lebow as partner and chief operating officer. Lebow had been an account executive with DDB Needham and Young and Rubicam in New York and W.B. Doner and Trahan Burden and Charles Advertising here.
  • Culp looks to sell wet-printed flock business
    HIGH POINT — Fabric producer Culp is seeking a buyer for its wet-printed flock upholstery business. If no buyer is found by April 28, the end of its fiscal year, Culp said it will shut down flock operations until the market picks up. The segment, historically more important to international sales than domestic, lost $1.
  • Lectra offers custom fabric cutting system
    PARIS — Global technology provider Lectra has launched a customized cutting system called VectorFurniture designed to increase production, reduce costs and get upholstered furniture to market faster. VectorFurniture cuts from single-ply to 2.7 inches of compressed materials and is available in three versions: one for just-in-time production for short and medium runs, as well as for plain...
  • Scoperta fabric show at new venue
    CHIASSO, Switzerland — The 2002 edition of Scoperta, set for May 7-10, will take place at Il Palapenz here, just eight minutes from Lake Como in Italy, site of the annual Proposte fabric show that runs concurrently. In addition to being closer to the Italian border, the new venue is larger than the show's previous location and easily will accommodate 20% more exhibitors than Scoperta had...
  • Loomcraft launches higher-price division
    GREENSBORO, N.C. — Loomcraft Textiles, for more than 50 years a specialist in promotional decorative and automotive fabrics, has launched a new division offering mid- to high-end European goods to furniture manufacturers, jobbers and retailers. Italian textile veteran Franco Nannucci, president of the new Loomcraft Textiles International division, has partnered with Ron Frankel, chief ex...
  • Heimtextil Select show postponed until 2003
    NEW YORK — Heimtextil Select, a trade show focusing primarily on high-end European fabrics set for April 16-17 at the Metropolitan Pavilion here, has been postponed. The show's producer, Messe Frankfurt, said exhibitors had expressed concern about the state of the industry as a whole, as well as the recession in the United States.
  • Styles relax for April
    HIGH POINT — After a trend in recent markets toward formal looks in case goods, major manufacturers at premarket shifted gears with more relaxed styles for April introductions. Classic forms across a broad spectrum of traditional styles got a softening effect through a variety of finish treatments.
  • British kitchen source buys Domain for $25M
    NORWOOD , Mass. — Domain Home Fashions was acquired last week by Aga Foodservice Group, a British consumer and commercial kitchen products company, in a move that will lead to larger Domain stores selling a mix of both companies' products in the Northeast and eventually other markets. Aga paid $25 million in cash for the fashion-forward Top 100 company.
  • QFMA pulls plug on Toronto June show
    TORONTO — Citing a lack of industry support, the Quebec Furniture Manufacturers Assn. has canceled the summer edition of the Canadian Home Furnishings Market. The event was to be held June 1-3 at the Toronto International Center of Commerce. The QFMA's board of directors made the decision last week after consulting with the board of the Ontario Furniture Manufacturers Assn.
  • Sklar-Pepplar exec pushing ad hoc June 1-3 mini-market
    TORONTO — A small group of manufacturers with permanent showrooms in and outside the Toronto International Center of Commerce is making an effort to stage a mini-market on June 1-3 in place of the just-canceled summer show here. The effort is being coordinated by Gerry Modjeski, executive vice president of stationary fabric upholstery producer Sklar-Pepplar, based in the Toronto suburb o...
  • Wood resources ready to feed rebound at retail
    HIGH POINT — Case goods resources, counting on lean dealer inventories and pent-up consumer demand, will come to the April market loaded with their largest round of product introductions in several shows. Manufacturers at premarket here cited a stuttering but real uptick at retail as another reason they anticipate strong dealer appetites for new product in April.
  • Vibrant reds, plums, blues perk up upholstery intros
    HIGH POINT — If color is reflective of the economy — drab for bad, bright for good — then the industry is in for a great ride. Cover selections for April, on display at last week's premarket here, are anything but drab and may signify the upbeat mood of manufacturers and retailers alike.
  • Market Authority to handle hotel reservations
    HIGH POINT — On the heels of its overhaul of the April High Point market's transportation system, the International Home Furnishings Market Authority agreed last week to take over the market's housing reservations system as well. Market Authority Chairman Steve Kincaid said the group will assume responsibility for housing shortly after the April market.
  • Gennet outlines San Francisco Mart's expansion plans
    MONTEBELLO, Calif. — The San Francisco Mart is about to begin the exterior restoration of Mart 1 and will add as much as 40,000 square feet of exhibit space by next winter, President Michael Gennet told a group of manufacturers, sales representatives and retailers here. He also said the Mart is signing new tenants and has renewed more than 70 showroom leases through 2004 and 2005 with c...
  • Fire shuts down Italian fabric source
    CHIERI, Italy — High-end Italian fabric source Piovano has not operated since a Feb. 18 fire at its mill here destroyed all its looms and archived patterns. The company said it is too early to say when, or even if, it can rebuild and resume production. The mill, which has been called the Rolls-Royce of Italian upholstery fabric producers, was founded in 1948 by Leandro Piovano.
  • AFMA offers distribution of press kits
    HIGH POINT — New product information for the spring International Home Furnishings Market again will be distributed to the press through the American Furniture Manufacturers Assn.'s Media Center. The free service is available to all market exhibitors who wish to have their information available to the press.
  • Sears Canada readying store near Vancouver
    ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia — Sears Canada will open this summer a 43,000-square-foot furniture and appliances store in this community just north of the U.S. border and southeast of Vancouver. The store, in the Sumas Way Home Center, will devote 35,000 square feet to furniture, bedding and accessories, including rugs, with 8,000 square feet for Brand Central home appliances.
  • Factory orders up 2% in January
    HIGH POINT — Furniture factory orders in January were 2% higher than a year ago, the second straight monthly increase, but still haven't rebounded to the 2000 level, according to BDO Seidman's latest estimate. Shipments in January were down about 2% from the same month a year earlier, the accounting and consulting firm said.
  • Karel slates Tampa show for March '03
    AVENTURA, Fla. — Karel Exposition Management will add a Tampa Furniture and Decorative Accessory Market to its lineup of regional trade shows for 2003. The show is set for March 1-3 next year in the Tampa Convention Center. "We decided to supplement our highly successful Orlando show with this new Tampa show because the region is extremely strong and buyers are requesting a second marke...

Opinion Today
  • It's a good thing I can drive to High Point
    Thank goodness I can drive to High Point. Since Sept. 11, many people have been concerned about air travel. Traffic at the October market was down as many buyers chose not to come. Air travel makes me nervous, but my problems began long before September. Sure, anyone who travels frequently has plenty of war stories, but I seem to have accumulated an excessive number of them since joining Furnit...
  • Alive, well, and moving to build the business
    Don Coleman is a man with both a mission and a message. The president of supplier Hickory Springs Mfg. is spreading the word that, despite the rash of layoffs and closings of domestic furniture manufacturing facilities, certain sectors of the industry are not merely alive but alive and well. Coleman thinks the press, both consumer and trade, may be overly zealous in focusing on industry doom-an...
  • Some issues that never get resolved
    The reports from this month's National Home Furnishings Assn. convention indicate it was, at least in part, an exercise in reiterating what some retailers have been saying for years — nay, decades. Especially pertinent in this regard were some of the remarks of Jim Gabbert, who said he wished certain things would happen but didn't think there was much chance they would.

People Today
  • Wade promoted to VP at Campbell Leather
    WILMINGTON, N.C. —Happy Wade has been promoted to vice president of Campbell Leather Sales here. He was national sales manager. Before joining Campbell in 2001, he was a financial planner. Wade is responsible for national sales, corporate marketing and some product development. He reports to Michael Campbell, president of the leather upholstery marketing company.
  • Moosehead wins first Maine award
    MONSON, Maine — Moosehead Mfg. Co., a family-owned maker of solid hardwood bedroom, dining room, youth and infant furniture here, has been awarded Maine's first Cornerstone Award for Business. State Senate President Richard A. Bennett, who presented Moosehead President John Wentworth with the award, said, "Moosehead represents what is best about Maine people, their work ethic and their...
  • People on the Move
    People on the Move
    Sales Carolina Mirror NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — Carolina Mirror has promoted David Alkire to director of sales and marketing for the Decorative Product Group, Contract Sales and Industrial Furniture Sales, and named David Mastin director of internal sales. Alkire, a 30-year veteran in home furnishings sales management, has been national sales manager of the Decorative Products Division...

Special Report
  • Retail Report
    Roses in bloom on Bloomie's floor
    NEW YORK — Taking a peek into its fashion-driven past, Bloomingdale's earlier this month launched a home furnishings-wide event called "Everything is Coming Up Roses." Under the aegis of Lester Gribetz, the department store's vice president of home furnishings fashion, the home departments offered a plethora of exclusive products with the rose as a connecting theme.
  • Office chair sales spin on price, style
    HIGH POINT — The retail action in office seating falls into two distinct categories right now — red-hot deals in fabric and leather being promoted heavily by the office superstores and other mass merchants, and step-up models featuring better mechanisms and styling being sold through furniture retailers and a range of other stores.
  • Office superstores key on value
    HIGH POINT — Office chairs continue to be a highly price-sensitive product category, and the office superstores lead the way. At Office Depot, a recent circular touted basic task chairs at $39 and $49, a fabric manager's chair at $89 and a selection of "select leather" chairs at $99 and $129. At Office Max, the hot price points in a recent circular were $49 for a leather task chair, $79...

Store Openings
  • Brennan's installs 6th French Heritage shop
    WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — A 1,350-square-foot French Heritage shop has opened inside the Brennan's California Home store here. Mike and Judy Brennan are co-founders of the 5,000-square-foot upscale store, launched over eight years ago. This is the sixth U.S. installation for Los Angeles-based French Heritage, a maker of hand-crafted French furniture inspired by French antiques.
  • Florida Furniture unit open
    HUDSON, Fla. — Florida Furniture Discounters has opened a warehouse and a Lane leather designer store in an industrial park in this city north of Clearwater-Tampa. The warehouse/store is 16,500 square feet. The showroom, called Leather Designs by Florida Furniture, is 7,500 square feet. Florida Furniture was founded by President Bob Dean and his wife, Teri, three years ago.
  • Mattress Specialists debuts 3rd unit
    PORTLAND, Ore. — Simmons-only bedding retailer The Mattress Specialists has opened its third metro Portland store, a 4,500-square-foot unit near Clackamas Town Center. Mattress Specialists was launched six years ago by Tracy Director and Alan Director after the sale of the 87-year-old Director's Furniture Co.
  • W.S. Badcock adds Zephyrhills store
    ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — W.S. Badcock has opened a new-format Badcock Home Furniture & More store here. The 11,800-square-foot store is owned and operated by Coleman Davis. More than 40 of some 340 Badcock stores have been converted to the new format. The corporate goal is for 80% of the stores to be converted by 2004.
  • Baker introduces Tribeca store
    NEW YORK — Baker Furniture has opened a 12,000-square-foot store in Manhattan's Tribeca area. The store, designed by New York's Bill Sofield, sells the Baker, McGuire and Milling Road furniture lines. Baker Tribeca is the high-end manufacturer's seventh store. Six are in the United States and one in London.

Up Front
  • LeatherTrend to launch fabric unit
    TIJUANA , Mexico — Leather-Trend has created its own fabric division and will present its initial product offerings to key retailers here in July, before an official High Point rollout in October. Industry veteran Mike Larkey has been named president of the new division, called R&R Upholstery.
  • Mattress Discounters, Mattress Firm swap 12 stores
    UPPER MARLBORO , Md. — Mattress Discounters and Mattress Firm, two of the nation's biggest bedding specialty chains, have swapped stores in the Richmond, Va., and Tampa, Fla., markets. Under terms of an agreement, Mattress Firm is leaving Richmond and selling its four stores to Mattress Discounters.
  • ADL to honor Koenig, Bernhardt
    NEW YORK — Retailer Keith Koenig and manufacturer Alex Bernhardt Sr. will be honored in June with the Anti-Defamation League's American Heritage Award. They will be saluted at the annual dinner dance of the ADL's National Interior Furnishings & Design Division, set for June 20 at the Marriott Marquis here.
  • Master Design CEO resigns
    ONTARIO, Calif. — Gene Hodges has resigned as president and chief executive officer of case goods importer Master Design, but will remain as an adviser for six months. Hodges said the company's new owner, Test-Rite International, will soon name a new head for Master Design, probably someone from Test-Rite management.
  • Carpenter steps down as Kincaid SVP of sales
    HUDSON, N.C. — Bill Carpenter has resigned as senior vice president of sales at Kincaid after 20 years with the manufacturer, becoming the second executive to leave the company this month. "I'm just looking at other opportunities with the industry," Carpenter said. He said his decision was partly the result of a desire to return to his hometown of Tulsa, Okla.
  • Millner joins Magnussen
    HIGH POINT — James Millner has joined case goods and occasional importer Magnussen Presidential as vice president of case goods merchandising and design. Millner, who most recently was vice president of product development and design for La-Z-Boy's Lea Inds. division, oversees all aspects of product development, design and merchandising for Magnussen Presidential.
  • Case to address IT meet
    CHARLOTTE , N.C. — John Case, president of La-Z-Boy Upholstery, will present a "non-IT professional's view of what IT should be" at the American Furniture Manufacturers Assn.'s Information Technology Conference here March 26-27. The meeting's theme is "Using Information Technology to Deliver Business Value.
  • Shoemaker first woman to lead IHFRA in rep group's 68 years
    HIGH POINT — Paula Shoemaker, the first female president of the International Home Furnishings Representatives Assn., was installed during the association's 68th Anniversary Presidential Gala here this month. Shoemaker, who has worked in home furnishings for 17 years, said that her rise to the helm of the 68-year-old IHFRA is significant partly because there are many more women in the ind...
  • Hyundai appears to be closing
    RANCHO DOMINGUEZ, Calif. — Case goods and occasional importer Hyundai Furniture appears on the verge of shutting down. A recorded telephone message at the company's headquarters here last week said the company was closing furniture operations. A Hyundai official reached by phone last week declined to comment.

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