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Furniture|Today -- 05/13/2002
Bedding Today
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Buffett's bedding pitch offers masterful lessons
When Warren Buffett propped himself comfortably on a pillowtop bed bearing his name, smiling as a photographer took his picture, he brought his star power and investment savvy to the bedding industry. This is a very good thing. The thousands of stockholders who descended on Omaha, Neb., earlier this month for the Berkshire Hathaway meeting were treated to that picture of Buffett and His Bed.
Business Today
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Pier 1, Havertys lead pack
FORT WORTH, Texas— Retailers Pier 1 Imports and Havertys reported strong sales gains in April, while The Bombay Company had mixed results. Pier 1, based here, reported April sales of $114.8 million, up 17.8% from April 2001, with same-store sales up 9%. Based on strong sales and margin trends, the company bumped its first-quarter earnings projection to 20 to 21 cents per share, up from l...
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Masco's 1Q profits rise 30.6%
TAYLOR, Mich. — A second straight quarter of improving sales helped Masco to a 30.6% gain in first-quarter profits, said the diversified manufacturer of home products, including ready-to-assemble furniture. Masco earned $150.2 million in the quarter on sales of $2.1 billion, which were up 10.8% from a year earlier.
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Revenues climb 5.6% for RTO Enterprises
EDMONTON, Alberta— RTO Enterprises, Canada's largest rent-to-own home furnishings merchant, said its first quarter revenue was up 5.6% from the comparable period last year, to C$17.8 million. Same-store revenues increased 5%, while net income jumped to C$544,000 from C$97,000. David Ingram, president and chief executive officer, said the company has had three consecutive quarters of inc...
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Keller posts loss on 16% sales dip
CORYDON, Ind. — Keller Mfg.'s first-quarter sales of about $9.7 million were down 16% from the first quarter of 2001 and the case goods producer posted a net loss of approximately $692,000 for the quarter, the company said. A year ago, Keller had earned a net profit of about $365,000. Low volume and certain higher variable costs led to lower profit margins in the quarter, the company said.
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Sales rise at Cost Plus, fall at Restoration
OAKLAND, Calif.— Sales were up 19% at Cost Plus and down 1.8% for Restoration Hardware in the latest fiscal quarters, the California-based retailers reported. Cost Plus said its sales of $134.3 million in the quarter ended May 4 rose 19% from the comparable 2001 period and included a 3.8% same-store gain.
News
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Myriad finds its clients beat odds
SAN DIEGO— At its annual user conference here, Myriad Software said its core client group appeared to beat the odds last year. "You would have to say 2001 was a pretty tough year, but Myriad Software had the best year in our history," said Carolyn Crowley, partner. "If we are doing that well, our clients must be doing well, and that shows that the opportunity is out there.
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Sales, attendance rise at Malaysian show
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia— An audited report shows increases for the Malaysian International Furniture Fair in attendance, exhibitors, square footage and, most importantly, sales. With a global economic downturn, the events of Sept. 11, and concerns about international travel, organizers here were only cautiously optimistic heading into the March show.
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Cologne renaming fair
COLOGNE, Germany— The International Furniture Fair here is changing its name to emphasize its global representation. Beginning next January, the show will be known as "imm cologne — the International Furniture Fair." Previously known only as the International Furniture Fair, the new name also anchors the event in this German city that is home to the KolnMesse, one of the world's la...
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Fair has new U.S. office
NEW YORK— Cologne furniture fair organizer KolnMesse Gmbh has formed a new subsidiary focusing on expanding its activities in North and Central America. The entity, Koelnmesse Inc., is based in Chicago and is headed by Liese Tamburrino, who was named managing director. Jochen Witt, president and chief executive officer KolnMesse, said the company "must provide worldwide services for our c...
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Ligna veterans launch manufacturer Tera
JAMESTOWN, N.C. — Two former executives with Ligna Furniture have formed a new case goods source, Tera Furniture, which will make its official debut at the October High Point market. Peter Dagger is president and Melissa Logan is vice president. They formerly held the same positions at Ligna, a contemporary case goods supplier.
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Karel's Mass. show will move to Fitchburg
AVENTURA, Fla. — Karel Exposition Management will move its New England trade show to Fitchburg, Mass., in September. Previously held in Worcester, Mass., the Fitchburg Furniture and Accessory Market will take place Sept. 22-24 in Fitchburg's Royal Plaza Trade Center. "People have told us that Fitchburg is a better location because it provides easy accessibility to buyers from Maine, New ...
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Calligaris doubles HP operation
HIGH POINT— Italian contemporary case goods manufacturer Calligaris will double the size of its High Point distribution operation. Calligaris will relocate its warehouse here to a new 10,000-square-foot building. It will join the company's West Coast distribution center, opened last year in San Leandro, Calif.
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Bowles new VP at Costa Blanca
HIGH POINT— Todd Bowles has been named vice president of merchandising and styling at fabric source Costa Blanca Textile Inds. Previously a consultant for the company, he will be responsible for the planning, development and merchandising of Costa Blanca's line of upholstery fabrics. He reports to Jack Korngold, vice president.
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Sutton wants out of Lexington license deal
WINSTON-SALEM , N.C.— Designer Charles Sutton said last week he wants to end his licensing deal with Lexington, removing his name from the Sutton House collection of mahogany case goods introduced in October 2000. Sutton, who has a consulting business here, said a clause in his contract allows him to back out of the deal.
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Latex mfr. gets new name, plant
SHELTON, Conn. — North America's only latex foam mattress producer officially gets two new things this week: a new name and a new facility. Latex Foam International is the new corporate name for Latex International, Latex Foam Products and Delviel Cosmetics. Those three units of the company, which produce mattresses, pillows and cosmetics, respectively, remain intact.
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Levin's superstore concept coming to Cleveland in 4Q
Oakwood, Ohio— Levin Furniture plans to open a 90,000-square-foot store in this southeast Cleveland suburb, which it expects will become its highest-volume location. The store will open some time in the fourth quarter in a former Builder's Square in the Hawthorne shopping center at routes 480 and 14, said Robert Levin, president.
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Conan gives Basics a few good laughs
New York— Basics Furniture got a surprise visit — and some marketing material — from talk show host Conan O'Brien, who descended on the store here with his TV crew in search of some good material themselves. The host of NBC's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" spent about an hour in the store, filming a segment that aired May 3.
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IBC Group taps Neil Ellman as president
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Neil Ellman has been named president and chief operating officer of bedding producer IBC Group. He had been senior vice president of marketing since 1999. His brother, Lance Ellman, has been promoted to vice president of operations for IBC and president of its sister company, Sherwood Home Furnishings, which produces upholstery, futons, and specialty furniture prod...
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Dinette specialty shop uses Web effectively
ST. CHARLES, Mo. — All it took for The Warehouse of Dinettes to begin selling furniture online was co-owner Willis "Beau" Beau-champ's 13-year-old son and a new computer. Kyle Beauchamp turned a hobby, Web design, into a selling tool for the 20,000-square-foot, single-store retailer here. The teenager put the store on the Web two years ago with a site that now generates approximately a do...
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N.C., China firms partner in sourcing
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Import sourcing provider Carolina Resource Group has formed an exclusive U.S. partnership with Fortune International, a Chinese sourcing and quality control export operation. Bernard H. Seidel, who has been in the import business since 1982, is president of Carolina Resource Group.
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AFMA launches Web site for consumer education
HIGH POINT— The American Furniture Manufacturers Assn. has launched a Web site designed to educate consumers about buying and caring for furniture. The site, www.findyourfurniture.com, offers information about furniture styles and products, and provides room-by-room checklists and general shopping tips.
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FIDX meeting set for May 17
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The next working group meeting of the Furniture Industry Data Exchange is scheduled for May 17 at the Holiday Inn here on Little Rock Road. On the agenda is a report on a FIDX meeting with the Uniform Code Council at the UCC's Princeton, N.J., headquarters. The meeting was to discuss UCC adoption of FIDX-approved electronic document transfer standards.
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Furnitureland expands
HIGH POINT— Furnitureland South plans to expand out of the High Point area for the first time with a 250,000-square-foot store in Wilmington, N.C. It also expects to break ground this year on a 60,000-square-foot expansion at its main campus here. The Top 100 retailer couldn't provide much detail on either project, noting that they are both in the planning stages, but "we're excited about...
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Washington operates in fast lane
PONTOTOC, Miss.— Although he's an owner of one of the industry's fastest-growing manufacturers, Gerald Washington is not one to base his business on an intricate, long-range plan. "I get up every morning with a new system," says Washington, founder and president of American Furniture, a promotional upholstery producer.
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Two e-commerce site redesigns use Microsoft .NET technology
HIGH POINT— Microsoft's powerful new .NET e-commerce technology is in use on two of the industry's top e-commerce sites, FurnitureFan.com and The Atrium Furniture Mall in High Point. Both companies redesigned their sites based on the .NET set of XML-based software technologies. Microsoft designed the product to easily integrate disparate information systems and enable efficient transfer o...
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IHFRA offers scholarships for upcoming CHR courses
HIGH POINT— The International Home Furnishings Representatives Assn. is offering a limited number of $300 scholarships to members for the Certified Home Furnishings Representatives course. CHR, the seven-day course of comprehensive instruction in business principles relevant to the home furnishings industry, was first offered 35 years ago and has evolved to meet the changing demands of ...
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American Leather has new slogan
DALLAS— Aiming to reach consumers and retailers, leather upholstery maker American Leather unveiled a new branding message at the April market with the tagline, "Your style. Your choice. Your way." The slogan underscores the company's efforts to offer designs to meet the personal styles and standards of each consumer and each retail environment, said Cary Benson, vice president of sales a...
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Two British mfrs. to merge
NORWICH, England— British traditional case goods makers Arthur Brett & Sons and David Salmon have agreed to merge. Both companies will maintain their identities, with separate showrooms and individual styles, while working together under one corporate umbrella to cover the market in different areas.
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Century promotes 4 club chairs for Father's Day
HICKORY, N.C.— Century has a Father's Day advertising promotion featuring four specially priced leather club chairs. Three of the products are leather upholstered chairs and companion ottomans, retailing at $2,495 each, and one is a swivel chair without an ottoman at $1,799 retail. The selection is available to retailers in conjunction with the June 16 event, said Phil Brown, merchandise...
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Genesis, Knowles partner for small-group workshops
SPOKANE, Wash. — Genesis Software Systems has partnered with Knowles Logistical Innovations to offer a series of small-group workshops throughout the United States for users of Genesis For Windows. Genesis, which provides Windows-based software used in 450 furniture stores, says this approach allows its clients to experience the benefits of a user group meeting in an intimate environmen...
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Horizon USA offers interactive rug kiosk
HOUSTON— Horizon USA, which designs self-service merchandisers for a variety of applications, has developed an interactive rug kiosk. According to the company, the kiosk gives retailers the ability to showcase thousands of rugs in less than 10 square feet of space. Turnkey cost for a single-screen unit is approximately $5,500.
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Retailers like Martha Stewart line
DALTON, Ga.— Retailers getting an early look at the new Martha Stewart home furnishings package here liked what they saw. "This is a perfect opportunity to garner a larger market share. I am very excited about it," said Gary Cissell, vice president of Nebraska Furniture Mart, Omaha. Martha Stewart and officials of Shaw Inds.
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La-Z-Boy honors top retailers
MONROE, Mich.— La-Z-Boy Residential has recognized the 10 top-performing La-Z-Boy In-Store Gallery retailers from among the 380 stores in the network throughout North America. Awards were presented at a dinner hosted by the manufacturer in Greensboro, N.C., during the April market. Honored for outstanding performance based on shipments in 2001 were: Slumberland, Little Canada, Minn.
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Cohen's loses goods in warehouse fire
PEORIA HEIGHTS, Ill.— Full-line retailer Cohen Furniture has hired a salvage broker to sell millions of dollars worth of inventory damaged in an April 30 fire at its distribution center here. "They're bidding on it as we speak," said Richard Graf, president and chief operating officer of Cohen's, a 123-year-old company.
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Restonic has summer promotion
ROSEMONT, Ill. — Restonic Mattress has announced The Big Deal summer promotion for the Memorial Day and Fourth of July periods. "Retailers will be offering special bonuses to consumers when they purchase a Restonic Comfort Care product," said Sue Maslikowski, director of marketing. Restonic has developed point-of-sale materials, a television commercial, ad slicks and a circular insert pro...
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Myriad honors 3 retailers
SAN DIEGO— Myriad Software presented awards to three retailers at its user conference here. The Leather Collection, based in Sarasota, Fla., was honored for its recent growth following a successful transition from waterbed retailing to leather upholstery specialty shops on the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Opinion Today
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Breaking news from the High Point market
As expected, the April market had its fair share of ups and downs. In fact, I put my own spin on it — literally. In my haste to check out the best and the brightest in leather upholstery, the sharpest values on imports and the newest outpouring of gallery programs, I tripped. It was a simple, unadulterated spill; Ginger Rogers need not apply.
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Need factor feeds growth of juvenile sales
In case you haven't noticed, sales of juvenile products are growing like weeds. As they should. Unlike many other home furnishings purchases, kids products tend to give new meaning to the concept of "must-have" items Just ask any set of parents planning for the birth of their child. I guarantee they not only have the list of required items, they probably have it memorized: crib, chest of drawe...
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Hospitality show reeled 'em in
A funny thing happened on the way to trade show overseas. A number, a great number, of decorative fabrics folks stopped off in Las Vegas for the hospitality show — the HD Expo Hospitality and Design 2002 — that turned out to be a real barnburner in terms of business. Virtually everyone was there, from the bluebloods like Clarence House, Scalamandre and Brunschwig et Fils, to the des...
People Today
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A-America promotes Cantrell to VP
SEATTLE, Wash.— A-America has appointed Shawn Cantrell
vice president of national sales. Cantrell joined the company in July of 2001 as national sales manager. President and Chief Executive Officer Fred Rohrbach said, "We charged Shawn with expanding the business in targeted areas, and he has exceeded every goal we set for him.
- People on the Move
People on the Move
Special Report
- Exclusive Survey
Top 25 manufacturers for the U.S. market
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Bedroom: Place of RTA opportunity
HIGH POINT— Bedroom is a category that looks like a ready-made winner for ready-to-assemble furniture. The cases are fairly simple to make in the factory and to assemble at home, and flat-pack furniture makers can hit price points that could make producers of promotional bedrooms blush. Adding a further hint of opportunity, there has been some substantial attrition in the ranks of assembl...
- Exclusive Survey
2001 proves tough year for big mfrs.
HIGH POINT— For most of the Top 25 manufacturers of furniture for the U.S. residential market, last year was one to forget. Sales declined for 18 of the companies, in most cases breaking a string of several consecutive years of gains. As a group, the top guns saw their 2001 shipments fall 6.6% from the previous year.
- Exclusive Survey
Slow year extends to Top 25 contenders
HIGH POINT— Like their larger competitors, most of the mid-sized manufacturers on the Top 25 contenders list had a slow year in 2001. U.S. sales were up only a little at two companies that missed the Top 25 by a few million dollars, high-end specialist Century Furniture and upholstery producer Jackson.
- Exclusive Survey
Sales declines, imports undercut profits
HIGH POINT— A double whammy of lower sales and a costly transition to offshore sourcing left earnings in the tank last year for many big furniture manufacturers. Of the companies on the Top 25 that publicly report their financial results, 13 of 15 had lower earnings last year than in 2000. Two reported operating losses, and three had net losses.
- Retailer Profile
Can. retailer shines in specialty bedding
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia— Combining Canada's leading bedding brand with a proven retail concept has proven a winner for Derek Caine, owner of two free-standing Simmons Mattress Galleries here in Atlantic Canada's largest city. Caine, who returned to Canada four years ago after spending most of his 60 years in Western Australia, is a bedding industry veteran who believes the only way to win th...
- Exclusive Survey
Despite sales drop, Top 25 outpace industry
HIGH POINT— Even with a drop in sales, the Top 25 outperformed the industry. The group's 6.6% aggregate sales decline compares favorably with the 10.2% tumble in U.S. residential furniture manufacturers' shipments last year, as estimated by the American Furniture Manufacturers Assn. And the Top 25 look even better next to the contract furniture industry's dismal year, with shipments fal...
- Exclusive Survey
List includes global companies
HIGH POINT— Reflecting the industry's current reality, this year's Top 25 manufacturers list includes some companies not based in the United States. Companies this year are ranked according to their wholesale sales to the U.S. market, regardless of where the product is made or where the seller calls home.
Store Openings
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American unveils Broyhill
ONTARIO, Calif. — American Furniture has unveiled its first 7,500-square-foot Broyhill Showcase Gallery. "The installation of the Broyhill Showcase Gallery … has increased our sales tremendously, not only for Broyhill but for our entire store," said Jack Galloway, store manager. "March gave us a record month, and we attribute the increase in sales solely to the addition of our Broy...
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Village installs La-Z-Boy
EVANS, Colo.— An 8,400-square-foot La-Z-Boy Gallery has opened at Village Furniture Galleries here. Debbie and Jim Forstedt are co-owners of the 16,000-square-foot store, which is managed by Randy Binford. The La-Z-Boy gallery includes a broad selection of La-Z-Boy product and the company's video catalog system.
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Kincaid opens 13th location
GREENVILLE, S.C.— A 19,000-square-foot Kincaid Home Furnishings store has opened here, the 13th free-standing store for the maker of solid-wood case goods and upholstery. Owners Richard Riley and Ross Fletcher together have over 55 years of furniture industry experience. A staff of 12 offers services ranging from interior design to home delivery.
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Gobeil's breaks ground for Drexel Heritage store
GRAY, Maine— Gobeil's Furniture Galleries celebrated the official groundbreaking for a new Drexel Heritage Home Inspirations store in Portland, scheduled to open July 2002. The 8,800-square-foot store will showcase Drexel Heritage's line of furnishings. It will feature the company's signature curved fabric wall with more than 1,000 fabrics and leathers, four distinct lifestyle display ro...
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Scan Furniture opens 6th unit
Sterling, Va.— Scan Furniture, a Washington, D.C., area furniture retailer, has opened its sixth showroom here, its second in Virginia. Scan said that at more than 30,000 square feet, the store will be the largest furniture retail showroom here. The grand opening will be celebrated with events and entertainment throughout May.
Up Front
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Albanese joins Interline
HIGH POINT — Johne Albanese has left Natuzzi Americas to become president and chief executive officer of Interline US, a newly created High Point-based subsidiary of Italian leather and microfiber upholstery producer Interline. "We are very pleased to have a manager of Johne's experience and knowledge to lead our North American efforts," said Vito Urgo, general manager of Interline Italia...
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Broyhill to convert N.C. plant
LENOIR, N.C.— Broyhill Furniture Inds. will convert its Conover, N.C., plant into an assembly and finishing facility in early July. Dennis Burgette, president and chief executive officer, said the plant now makes case goods starting with drying lumber and creating parts, all the way through to the finished product.
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Broyhill taps supply chain VP
LENOIR, N.C.— Broyhill Furniture Inds. has promoted Dean Powell to the newly created post of vice president of international manufacturing and supply chain management. A 23-year industry veteran, Powell had been plant manager of Broyhill Upholstery Plant #3. He reports to Tom Crump, senior vice president of administrative operations.
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Rent Rite buys 18 Ga. stores
BOCA RATON, Fla. — Rent-to-own company Rent Rite has acquired 18 First American Rental stores in Georgia, including 17 in the Atlanta area and one in Augusta. "The acquisition of these stores gives us significant presence in the booming Atlanta market and represents a major step in our East Coast growth strategy," said Ed Stanko, Rent Rite's president.
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WinsLoew now Brown Jordan
POMPANO BEACH, Fla.— Casual and contract furniture producer WinsLoew, parent of the Brown Jordan brand, has changed its corporate name to Brown Jordan International. The company also has shifted some executives, including Peter Schultz, president of mass market, and Brian Sanderson, vice president of sales, to Pompano Beach from corporate headquarters in Ripon, Wis.
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Levin growth continues
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa.— Levin Furniture has opened its largest store here, replacing a smaller unit and taking its superstore format to a new level. The 88,000-square-foot store, with 81,000 square feet of showroom, on the southeast side of Pittsburgh in the Century Square Shopping Plaza, should "easily double" the sales of the previous store in the same center, said Robert Levin, president.
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Jeff Baron leaves DeCoro
HIGH POINT — Jeff Baron has left as president of leather producer DeCoro USA, but he and the company remain mum about the reasons behind the split. In a brief statement, Dino Di Luca, DeCoro's director of North American operations, said, "DeCoro and Jeff Baron have parted company. We take this opportunity to wish him all the best in future endeavors.
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Havertys promotes Smith to president
ATLANTA— Clarence Smith has been named president of Havertys in addition to his role as chief operating officer, the first step in a plan for Smith to succeed Jay Slater as leader of the Top 100 furniture store chain by the end of the year. Slater will continue as chief executive officer until Dec.
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Owen to head OFMA
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Hugh Owen has been elected president of the Ontario Furniture Manufacturers Assn., succeeding Gerry Cockerill, who held the post for a record-setting seven years. Owen, president of bedding specialist Kingsdown Canada, said his priorities for the coming year are to build on the accomplishments of the past few years.
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Cole resigns from LifeStyle
HIGH POINT— Alan Cole has resigned as president and chief executive officer of LifeStyle Furnishings International and has been replaced by Ronald Hoffman, who had been chief financial officer. Cole stayed until LifeStyle, once the largest U.S. residential furniture manufacturer, had sold all its furniture and fabric company assets.
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JCP vet fills Bombay marketing post
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Bombay Company has hired retail veteran Stephen Farley as senior vice president, marketing, to direct its retail, direct mail and Web marketing strategies. He replaces Cathy Pringle, who left the retailer late last year. Farley was most recently chief marketing officer at J.
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