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Furniture|Today -- 04/17/2005
Market Daily
- High Point Market
Give us your best shot
High Point— Furniture/Today is soliciting photographs of product introductions
for its Best of Market section, to appear in the April 25 issue. To be considered for this section, products must be well-received
introductions at this market. Furniture and rugs in all categories and price
points will be considered.
- High Point Market
Sunset Trading buyout planned
At the Market— Gary Chase and Harry Leighton plan to buy out business partners
Kenneth J. Smith and Gary Stanieich to assume full ownership of dining and
youth specialist Sunset Trading. The deal, revealed to sales representatives last week, will be completed
in about 30 days, Chase said.
- High Point Market
Gautier has TV giveaway
At the Market— Visitors to the new Gautier showroom in 220 Elm, space 326, can
enter a drawing to win a 42-inch plasma television. Several TVs are in the space showing videos that highlight the company's
new collections. All visitors who tour the showroom are eligible to enter the drawing.
- High Point Market
Home theater, sectionals score in motion
At the Market— Home theater, leather sofas retailing for less than $1,000, and
sectionals retailing for almost any price are the apparent winners in motion
furniture showrooms. Producers say there has been heavy demand for such items at market, and
nearly all of the many market introductions being made here have been well
received by dealers.
- High Point Market
Leather growing in niches
At the Market— Leather upholstery manufacturers are finding comfortable niches for
their lines, and seemed less concerned this market about Chinese product,
probably because many are now offering some version of it themselves. "Obviously, if no one else were there (in China), it would be better,"
said Pasquale Natuzzi, chairman and CEO of powerhouse producer Natuzzi.
- High Point Market
Home office makes move into new rooms
At the Market— Home office is busting out of second bedrooms and into living rooms,
great rooms and master bedrooms, accelerating the shift from modular looks to
styles more in tune with dining room, bedroom and entertainment furniture,
particularly at the better and best retail price points.
- High Point Market
Moretti's to show in Las Vegas
At the Market— Moretti's Design has signed a lease to show in the Pavilion area at
the first World Market Center market in Las Vegas in July. In High Point, the full-line importer is continuing to introduce more
transitional and versatile product, broadening beyond its traditionally formal
designs.
- High Point Market
Stickley has offshore line
At the Market— Antiquities by Stickley is more than a new case goods collection for
the high-end full-line manufacturer. It's a new business segment to identify
product from the company's Vietnam plant. The initial round of Antiquities includes 32 pieces in quarter-sawn
white oak in two finishes, medium Manchester and darker Old English.
- High Point Market
H&S taps Springmann
At the Market— Canadian-based importer Hamilton & Spill has named retail
veteran Dirk Springmann to the new position of sales manager, focusing on U.S.
sales in the company's new Leather and Mattress Division. He will lead territory managers in the division, while Brenda Plowman
will focus on the company's case goods categories in the United States, in
addition to her corp...
- High Point Market
Bombay files for extension
Fort Worth, Texas— Specialty retailer The Bombay Company has requested a 15-day
extension on the April 14 filing deadline for its 10-K form for fiscal 2004, to
give it time to review its lease accounting practices. Like many other retailers, Bombay must adjust its practices based on a
new rule interpretation this year from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
- High Point Market
Bozco targets buyers with made-in-U.S. TVs
At the Market— A furniture market might not seem like the best place to sell
televisions, but Boz Racich is making it work. In a space at the Radisson Hotel, which he secured only days before
market started, he set up three flat-screen TVs playing a loop video of a
Hawaiian Tropic swimwear shoot.
- High Point Market
Progressive names Stroud Eastern region VP of sales
At the Market— Rick Stroud has joined case goods manufacturer and importer
Progressive Furniture as vice president of sales for the Eastern region. He
replaces Marc Alters, who has left the company. Stroud reports to Dennis Ammons, president of Progressive. Stroud, a 25-year industry veteran, most recently was vice president of
sales and marketing for Silver Furniture, a subsidia...
- High Point Market
Comfort keys Barry collection
At the Market— The new Barbara Barry Realized by Henredon has created a "heartfelt
reaction" with buyers this market, says designer Barry. An eye-catching group of 26 upholstered pieces are the stars of the
show, but the collection also has 69 case goods items and 163 accent
pieces. Barry said comfort was the key in developing the collection, but she
also wanted to generate a ...
- High Point Market
Universal expands upholstery lineup
At the Market— Universal Furniture is celebrating the first anniversary of its
upholstery division with 18 new collections, most of which are fabric, in three
style categories — 21st Century Modern, Urban Casual and European
Romance. New programs have been developed to make mixing collections of fabric
and leather collections more convenient for retailers, and special-or...
- High Point Market
Largo revives metal beds
At the Market— Largo International is putting renewed emphasis on the category
where it got its start — metal beds. The case goods importer, known for its Jaclyn Smith Home brand, is
planning to hire 15 new sales representatives to cover the metal beds and
daybeds segment, promoting existing products as well as several introduced this
market.
- High Point Market
Ohio retail center targeting home products
Jeffersonville, Ohio— A Malvern, Pa.-based developer and consulting firm specializing in
retail outlet centers hopes to capitalize on what it believes is Americans'
renewed focus on the home. Last year, The Boyle Group purchased a former 315,000-square-foot,
apparel-centered retail outlet known as Jeffersonville II Outlet Center in
Jeffersonville.
- High Point Market
Pulaski names Quixote Group as PR agency
Pulaski, Va.— Pulaski Furniture has named Greensboro, N.C.-based Quixote Group its
public relations agency of record. Quixote Group will provide strategic branding and message development,
as well as media relations and event marketing for the manufacturer and its
Antiques Roadshow, Casa Cristina and Keepsakes Curio brands.
- High Point Market
Aktrin: Furniture spending growth to ease
Oakville, Ontario— After solid advances in 2003 and 2004, Aktrin Furniture Information
Center is forecasting that growth in Canadian consumer spending on furniture
and bedding will slow in 2005. This reflects a similar slowdown in housing starts and less-than-buoyant
trends in overall spending on durable goods.
- High Point Market
Web site targets year-round designer traffic for High
Point
High Point— The High Point Showroom Assn. has launched a Web site it hopes will
boost its efforts to draw interior designers to downtown showrooms throughout
the year. The site,
www.highpointshowroomassociation.com, has a list
of members and a searchable database that allows visitors to find showroom
information by product category.
- High Point Market
3 students win Surtex contest
White Plains, N.Y.— Winners of the Surtex 2005 International Student Design Competition
have been selected from more than 100 applicants from 17 schools worldwide. The
theme of this year's competition was Travel Fantasy. Surtex sponsors the competition each year for art and design students
around the world.
- High Point Market
Educational seminars on tap for Sunday
Sunday, April 17 8:30–9:30 a.m. Painting Pictures with Words Lloyd Princeton, Design Management Co. Princeton will outline the best options for presenting design services
and products to customers. 9 a.m. One, Two, Three Strategies for Accessorizing
Vignettes and Displays Jeane Shurtliff, Flambro/Stetson Home Classics Shurtliff will offer three tools to enhance your vignettes and di...
- High Point Market
Social events scheduled
Sunday, April 17 8 – 9:30 a.m. Weekend Breakfast Showplace Sponsored by Expressions International 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Market Square Ground breakfast 8:30 – 11 a.m. Buyers Breakfast 4th floor showrooms, C&D building Includes coffee, homemade pastries, oatmeal buffet, biscuits, fresh
fruits and more 8:30 – 11 a.
- High Point Market
Food, beverages available
At the Market— A variety of food and beverage will be for sale at numerous
locations throughout the spring International Home Furnishings Market. The
following includes some of the outlets. Market Square Boiler Room Bar &
Grille G & M floors Featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, wings, fresh deli sandwiches and fresh
salads.
- High Point Market
N.C. festivals offer fun getaways after market
High Point— If you need a getaway after market, a pair of nearby North Carolina
festivals will offer heaping helpings of film and music. In Winston-Salem, just northwest of High Point, the RiverRun
International Film Festival will screen more than 120 films from the United
States and 18 other countries.
- High Point Market
Supplier: Consumers want fabric protection
Ajax, Ontario— Customers are already motivated to buy a fabric protection program,
so retailers who don't make them an integral part of their business are losing
significant profits, according to supplier Phoenix AMD International. "Customers know that fabric and furniture protection isn't a new
concept," said Albert Marrache, president of Phoenix AMD International, which
supp...
- High Point Market
Creative occasional pieces draw applause
At the Market— Occasional tables and accent pieces are selling strongly this
market, many manufacturers and importers reported, despite business that's been
up and down like a yo-yo for some stores. The hit-and-miss nature of retail may be one reason occasional is
important here, according to some vendors.
- High Point Market
Abbyson catalog includes entire line
At the Market— Abbyson Corp. has released a new catalog featuring its full line of
antique furniture reproductions, hand-made Tibetan rugs and contemporary casual
furniture. "We are very proud of this catalog," said Sarah Rahall, marketing and
public relations manager for manufacturer and distributor Abbyson, based in
Chatsworth, Calif.
- High Point Market
Kingsdown introduces Oscar de la Renta bedding
New York— Kingsdown launched its new Oscar de la Renta bedding line with a
media event here that was right out of the fashion world where the designer
looms large. The fashionably dressed de la Renta stood next to one of his new
high-end beds for a magazine photo shoot, then mingled easily with the mostly
New York-based consumer media editors drawn to the new line.
- High Point Market
Three Kendall students honored
At the Market— Three students at Michigan's Kendall College of Art & Design
were presented with David Kline Memorial Scholarship Contest Awards at the
American Society of Furniture Designers' market dinner. Hardware supplier Hafele America co-sponsored the contest. College
students across the country were asked to design a piece of furniture using
Hafele's EKU Sliding Door...
- High Point Market
Cutler joins marketing company
St. Louis— Industry veteran Ivan Saul Cutler has joined The National System, a
brand marketing services company based here. He will open an office in the High Point area for the company, which
works in a variety of industries with clients including Mercedes-Benz,
Domino's, Michelin, Macy's, Ford, Toyota and Anheuser-Busch.
- High Point Market
Daybeds make a comeback
At the Market— The daybed business is on the rebound. After years of competing with futons and sofa-sleeper products, this
fashion-oriented segment appears to be back in gear. Now some companies are pushing ahead in the category with new styles and
mixed media elements geared to attract a variety of female tastes.
- High Point Market
Sauder's 'less is more' approach
At the Market— Sauder, the nation's sixth-largest maker of residential furniture,
is at market with some 60 new items, down considerably from the 100 or more
SKUs the ready-to-assemble producer typically would introduce. The company said its less-is-more mentality is paying off
handsomely.
- High Point Market
Collezione Europa using Egyptian sourcing
At the Market— Underscoring the global nature of the furniture business, Collezione
Europa is introducing a collection of Italian contemporary furniture that it
developed and sourced in Egypt. The group, the No. 29000 series, was birthed when company President
Leonard Frankel visited Egypt during the Furnex trade show last June.
- High Point Market
Home entertainment sparks 'wide' interest
At the Market— Home entertainment furniture is drawing "wide" interest this market
as retailers shop for goods to accommodate the changing shapes and sizes of
televisions. Movement from the squarish TV tube to rectangular flat-panel TVs of
various technologies is bringing opportunity and excitement to the category.
- High Point Market
Rug buyers keep dates
At the Market— High Point rug showrooms aren't teeming with buyers, but that
doesn't mean this market is a bust, since appointments are made well ahead of
time and scheduling buyer visits is more important than directing showroom
traffic. "We know what kind of market we'll have before it even starts," said
Arash Yaraghi, a principal of Safavieh.
- High Point Market
Bedding survivors score
At the Market— The few major bedding introductions here are drawing good responses
in key producers' showrooms. Some manufacturers said traffic appears to be on the light side, but a
number report good results nonetheless. Retailers visiting the Sealy showroom "were very pleased with the
comprehensive retail merchandising and advertising program" the company has
developed to l...
- High Point Market
Case goods intros draw
At the Market— Compared last October's market, this week is a three-ring circus in
case goods showrooms, but exhibitors say attendance is normal to light for a
spring show. Still, a fresher round of new product — including lots of contemporary
— the settlement, for now, of the antidumping issue, and a decent month at
retail in March have resulted in fairly strong b...
- High Point Market
Color, names create uph. buzz
At the Market— If you build it, they will come. That is, if you build it with lots
of color, put a twist on it, or attach a famous name. That is pretty much the answer for upholstery makers showing here. Color, the buzzword of the past several markets, was what kept some
showrooms abuzz with retail interest.
- High Point Market
Collezione Europa eyes dedicated stores
At the Market— Importer Collezione Europa plans to buy a domestic upholstery
factory and open a Southern California warehouse and distribution center in
preparation for ultimately offering a dedicated store program to dealers. Leonard Frankel, president and CEO of the fast-growing case goods and
upholstery resource, said he is talking to several U.
- High Point Market
Nicoletti, Natuzzi expand global sourcing
At the Market— Italian leather upholstery producer Nicoletti now owns its facility
in China, and Italian counterpart Natuzzi plans to open next year its first
tannery in South America. Nicoletti had owned the factory 50/50 with a Chinese furniture company
when it opened last July, but Chairman Giuseppe Nicoletti bought the
80,000-square-foot facility outright from his Asian pa...
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