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Furniture|Today > Archives > 06/05/2006 Issue
Table of Contents
Furniture|Today -- 06/05/2006

Bedding Today
  • Looking to grow? Enter specialty bedding arena
    Let's assume, for the moment, that you are running an expansion-oriented furniture retailer. You are looking for a category to boost your margins and to give your sales a shot of adrenaline. You also want to increase your turns. What do you do? Easy. You open some bedding specialty stores, thus joining an elite group of retailers that is outperforming the industry as a whole.

Editor's Desk
  • Let's consider going green
    Kermit the frog may have been on to something when he lamented about the hardships of being green. To be sure, a decidedly green frog in the midst of decidedly green leaves would be decidedly unremarkable. Not so for furniture, however. In fact, some folks close to the action indicate that a growing number of Americans, who already have an appetite for organic foods and apparel, are consuming l...

Industry Numbers
  • Restoration 1Q sales rise 7.5%
    Corte Madera, Calif.— Retailer Restoration Hardware reported a double-digit sales increase in the first quarter of its fiscal year, but its net loss widened to $4.9 million. The company said sales at its 110 stores in the quarter ended April 29 were up 7.5% from the comparable period a year earlier, while revenues from catalog and Internet sales soared 29.

News
  • Brick spreads its name
    Edmonton, Alberta— When you're Canada's largest full-line furniture retailer, with TV commercials reaching practically every home in the country every day, it simply makes sense to build on your brand. That's exactly what The Brick Group, based here, is doing. The publicly held income trust is phasing out its HomeShow Canada and Sleep Better banners and converting them to The Brick Supers...
  • Lifestyle aims for $1 billion
    High Point— Case goods importer Lifestyle Enterprise is pursuing an aggressive global strategy it hopes will boost its annual sales to more than $1 billion in several years. In the past year, the company has hired executives to manage sales and marketing centers it has set up in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Australia, Japan, the Middle East and Scandinavia.
  • RoomChoices aims to give small stores buying power
    Birmingham, Ala.— RoomChoices, a new company that's a go-between for retailers and manufacturers, has begun opening retail galleries aimed at helping independent stores complete with their larger counterparts. The company, which describes itself as a "service" group rather than a buying group or distributor, has partnered with several case goods and upholstery producers to provide volume ...
  • CPSC relaxes FR test
    Alexandria, Va.— Responding to concerns raised by the mattress industry, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued an interim enforcement policy that relaxes a portion of its cigarette test requirements for mattresses. Dick Doyle, president of the International Sleep Products Assn.
  • Mega: Profit, sales up
    Scottsdale, Ariz.— Mega Group enjoyed net income growth of 19% in 2005 and 30% growth in 2006 is within reach, driven by a host of new initiatives, its president and CEO told Mega members at the buying group's annual meeting here. Michael Graydon declined to publicly disclose the profit numbers or sales through the group, but said sales volume was up 7% last year.
  • The Brick opens huge distribution center
    Mississauga, Ontario— The Brick Group has opened here what may be the largest warehouse and distribution center for big-ticket home goods in Canada. "You would be hard-pressed to find another building (this large) that was designed and built to meet the specific needs of our industry," said President and CEO Kim Yost.
  • First Calligaris Shop debuts
    Brooklyn, N.Y.— Furniture retailer AKO Tables & Chairs opened the first-ever Calligaris Shop, dedicated to the products of the Italian furniture manufacturer. The store has its own façade and entrance. Other AKO-owned stores are in the same Brooklyn building, with separate façades and entrances.
  • Cenit to head Berne Furniture
    Berne, Ind.— Michael A. Cenit has been named CEO of mid- to upper-priced upholstery maker Berne Furniture. He remains a member of Berne's board of directors. "We are delighted to have Mike step into the day-to-day operations of the company," said Jay Yager, the company's chairman and president, and grandson of founder L.
  • Baker Knapp & Tubbs promotes Ward to president
    Chicago— Kevin Ward has been promoted to president of Baker Knapp & Tubbs, parent of manufacturer Baker Furniture, the Baker Knapp & Tubbs design showrooms and Baker retail stores.. Last month, Dan Bradley left the company to become president and CEO of Ferguson Copeland. Ward, who joined Baker in 2003, had been vice president of operations under Bradley.
  • Stumpf joins Orleans Furniture
    Columbia, Miss.— Promotional bedroom and curio maker Orleans Furniture has hired Tom Stumpf as national accounts manager. Stumpf will report to Ed Marshall, president and CEO of Orleans. For the past two years, Stumpf has been a sales representative for Lea Inds. He also had been a sales representative with Bassett and American Drew.
  • Bomar Trim hires Gonzalez
    Lake Worth, Fla.— Decorative trim supplier Bomar Trim Inc. has hired Saul Gonzalez as general manger of its new production facility in Juarez, Mexico. Gonzalez has more than 20 years of industry experience, most recently as manager of global operations for a trimming manufacturer, where he oversaw the startup of production facilities in Mexico, China and India.
  • Obituaries
    Obituaries
  • Design symposium set for June 22–23
    West Chester, Pa.— Design trends, color systems, global sourcing and intellectual property protection will be among the topics examined at Global Design Initiative, a CAD/CAM technology symposium sponsored by the American Assn. of Textile Chemists and Colorists. The program, set for June 22–23 at QVC's headquarters here, is the first such event since AATCC acquired the Computer Inte...
  • Factory orders, shipments up 3% in March
    High Point— U.S. furniture factory orders and shipments in March were both up 3% from the same month a year earlier, according to BDO Seidman. For the first quarter of the year, orders were up 5% from the 2005 pace while shipments were running slightly less than 2% ahead, the accounting and consulting firm said.
  • Pier 1 sales down 4.3% in May
    Fort Worth, Texas— Pier 1 Imports said its sales were down 4.3% in the four weeks ended May 27, with same-store sales falling 6.6% from the same period a year ago. Sales came to $120.9 million in the period, bringing sales in the fiscal first quarter to $376.1 million. Sales in the quarter were down 3.
  • Agencies upgrade Sealy debt ratings
    Archdale, N.C.— Bedding major Sealy said its debt ratings have been raised by Moody's and Standard & Poor's rating services. The upgrades affect the company's senior secured debt and senior subordinated notes due in 2014. Moody's raised the secured debt rating to Ba3 from B1, while the subordinated notes went to B2 from B3.
  • Georgia group names Sweat Retailer of Merit
    Greensboro, Ga.— The Georgia home Furnishings Assn. has named Ward Sweat of Bruns-wick, Ga.-based Sweat's Furniture as its 2006 Retailer of Merit. Sweat, who also is the GhFA's new president, managed a small South Georgia furniture store after college graduation. His father, Quentin R. Sweat, managed a different furniture store.
  • Mega Group enjoys Arizona
    Scottsdale, Ariz.— This year's annual general meeting was one of the largest in Mega Group's history with about 100 member stores attending, in addition to senior staff, guests, speakers and sponsors. More than 200 people turned out for the weekend meeting. Mega shareholders carried out their business responsibilities and also found time for renewing friendships, including a dinner and a ...
  • Bottomley: Soon, we'll sell to consumers one by one
    Scottsdale, Ariz.— In the not-too-distant future there will be a market of one, says author and futurist Jim Bottomley. Retailers will have to be able to demonstrate the "better benefit" of a product or service to that one distinct person in the coming decades, he told members of Mega Group at their annual meeting here.
  • Cahan: Feng shui can make retail more divine
    Scottsdale, Ariz.— Applying the principles of feng shui to your store will improve the bottom line, Mega Group members were told at their recent annual meeting here. "Feng shui is a marriage of the practical and the divine," said retail consultant and author Linda Cahan. She said the principles of 7,000-year-old Buddhist design philosophy can make most retail environments more enjoyable t...
  • PFP aims to do more with smaller retailers
    Enfield, Conn.— Last year was a busy one for retail sale specialist Planned Furniture Promotions, which was involved in closing sales at Rhodes and Homestead House stores, among many others. This year also looks strong because of closing events at a number of Levitz stores, but PFP founder Gene Rosenberg said the company is likely to set its sights on smaller clients in the future.

Opinion Today
  • Women vs men in our 'good-ol'-boy' industry
    A recurring theme in our industry is that we must appeal to women, who make most of the purchase decisions. While most retailers have embraced this concept, the same can't always be said of manufacturers. Some female retailers and buyers say sales representatives treat them differently than men. Reps may take a condescending tone, or ignore a woman in the group if men are present.

People Today
  • La-Z-Boy hires Copping as corporate controller
    Monroe, Mich.— La-Z-Boy has named Mark Copping as corporate controller and chief accounting officer. Copping, who most recently was vice president and controller at Agrium Corp., takes the post formerly held by Louis "Mike" Riccio Jr., named to succeed the retiring David Risley as chief financial officer.
  • People on the Move
    People on the Move
    Executives Michael Graves Design Group Princeton, N.J. — Linda Kinsey and Donald Strum have been named principals of Michael Graves Design Group, a product and graphic design firm. Kinsey joined the company in 1987 to assist in the development of its then-fledgling product design business. Strum joined the company in 1983 as a model maker and product designer, and has played a key role in...

Special Report
  • Functional 'extras' enhance motion seating experience
    High Point— Motion seating continues to stretch its appeal beyond mere leg-lift functionality, offering consumers a multitude of add-on personal conveniences, including storage, consoles, sleepers, back support and heat massage. A gaggle of gizmos within arm's reach work to ensure the sitter never has to leave the comfy confines of a motion seating retreat.
  • Technology upgrades offer merchants new capabilities
    High Point— The market here in April was not just for selling and buying furniture. It also was for showing off new software and hardware systems to help manage the business. As usual, the 12th floor Retail Resource Center in the International Home Furnishings Center's Main wing was full of suppliers of software and hardware that help merchants do everything from ordering inventory to del...
  • Different strokes work for WHFA retailers
    Kona Coast, Hawaii— Ever want to try something completely different? Some retailers on a panel at the recent Western Home Furnishings Assn. conference here have done just that, and shared their experiences with their peers. "People feel like they are in an Old World atmosphere, with maybe a little Mexico mixed in," said owner Claudia LeClair, who opened the store after a career in distrib...
  • Hawaii offers chance to relax
    Kona Coast, Hawaii— With a backdrop of tropical scenery and balmy weather on the big island of Hawaii, the Western Home Furnishings Assn.'s annual conference here drew 286 people, including representatives of 64 retailers. Conference goers at the Fairmont Orchid resort enjoyed a golf tournament, social events, a trade show and a program of educational seminars and networking.
  • Campbell: To sell to female customers, pay close attention
    Kona Coast, Hawaii— Women are accustomed to coming in last in their personal lives, giving higher priority to their families and jobs, according to consultant Carol Campbell. So if a store can pay attention to a female shopper and show her she's important, it can make her a loyal customer, Campbell told an audience at the Western Home Furnishings Assn.
  • Expert tells how to negotiate life
    Kona Coast, Hawaii— Retail salespeople often are so anxious to make a sale that they'll give customers price or other concessions that are unnecessary, according to negotiating expert Michael Sloopka. "Seventy percent of salespeople are giving things away to buy the sale," he told an audience at the Western Home Furnishings Assn.
  • Oregon retailer rebuilds his business
    Kona Coast, Hawaii— Last year was not a good one for Giff Gates. For nine of 12 months, sales at family-owned Gates Home Furnishings in Grants Pass, Ore., were down from a year earlier. New competitors had opened, including an Ashley Furniture HomeStore in nearby Medford, Ore., and Winans and Rent-A-Center in Grants Pass.

Store Openings
  • Klingman's Furniture installs Hooker SmartLiving gallery
    Shelby Township, Mich.— Klingman's Furniture of Michigan, a century-old furniture retailer, has opened a 7,500-square-foot SmartLiving ShowPlace by Hooker Furniture. Klingman's renovated and redecorated a large section of its 50,000-square-foot store on Van Dyke and 23 Mile Road, adding special design elements, walls and windows for the in-store showroom.
  • Bob's Discount Furniture opens 2nd N.J. unit
    Paramus, N.J.— New England furniture retailer Bob's Discount Furniture is opening its second store here in Bergen County located on Rt. 17 North. The new 38,000-square-foot location joins the sister store, which is located in Totwa, N.J., as well as Bob's other 22 stores located throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey and New Hampshire.
  • Harold's Furniture opens new store
    Lebanon, Pa.— Harold's Furniture has opened a new store here at 2500 W. Cumberland St. The 17,000-square-foot showroom, located inside a remodeled car dealership off Route 422, is owned by Stuart Perlmutter. It replaces a previous downtown location inside a former Levitz Furniture store. Harold's Furniture's lines include La-Z-Boy, Broyhill, Sealy, Pennsylvania House and Ashley Furniture.
  • JYSK opens third Ontario store
    Whitby, Ontario— JYSK Bed-Bath-Home has opened a new Mega JYSK in the Thickson Ridge Power Centre. The new store is the third JYSK unit to open in the Ontario market. It features more than 30,000 square feet of Scandinavian products, including ready-to-assemble furniture, linens, drapes, fabric, duvets, pillows and patio furniture.

Supplement
  • Global Textiles Today
    Ralph-y
    Bartson Fabrics Kemer, in both stripe and plain incarnations, features soft, heavy chenille. Polyester and acrylic, $9.50 and $6.95, respectively. Bonavista Fabrics Vail, a velvety construction available in seven upholstery-perfect colors, features a subtle puckered effect. Polyester and rayon, $6.95.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Showtime introductions
    MSTT = Market Square Textile Tower; IHFC = International Home Furnishings Center; SAMS = Suites at Market Square The following information, provided by the fabric producers, includes marketing objectives and/or descriptions of product introductions and booth locations for Summer Showtime, June 2006. All prices are per yard for furniture manufacturers, unless otherwise noted.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Summer Showtime filled with ideas
    Up to 2,500 participants are expected at the Summer Showtime 2006 in High Point this week, which marks the first time the show has been held in June. The timing has been a challenge for some in the industry, because the High Point furniture market was late this spring and fabric people have been scrambling for the last month between the preview week in New York, pre-selling for the Las Vegas fu...
  • Global Textiles Today
    Fabric-to-frame magic at Cochrane
    Like a lot of young girls, April Welch says, she wanted to be a designer. Her teachers were encouraging and assured her that she could do "anything I set my mind to." She got her start in the industry as a stylist when furniture photography specialist Alderman Studios opened a branch in Lenoir, N.C. "The experience introduced me to a whole new world," Welch said.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Buyers hunting for fresh looks, service
    High Point— Delivery issues are top-of-mind for a number of buyers at Showtime here this week, as well as the eternal lust that feeds all trade shows everywhere — the quest for "new and different." Acknowledging that the prices of imported fabrics make them impossible to ignore, some producers say that issues with delivery and color consistency make the true cost of imported fabrics...
  • Global Textiles Today
    Bomar shifting production to Mexico
    Lake Worth, Fla.— Trim supplier Bomar Trim Inc. is shifting its domestic production to Juarez, Mexico, as part of a strategy to position the company for growth and help it expand into new markets. To take advantage of competitive labor rates in Mexico, Bomar previously had its hand-work production done in two facilities there, with a total area of about 17,000 square feet.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Craftex moves into larger Showtime space
    High Point— Fabric source Craftex Mills is having a grand opening event during the Showtime fabric market for its new twice-as-large and relocated showroom. During Showtime, Craftex also is previewing two new licensed collections — Antiques Roadshow and Kevin O'Brien Studio. A cocktail party is set for 5 p.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Platina Phipps, Gans team up on on trim line
    High Point— "Killer trim first, fabric second!" That's the motto of trim specialists Jana Platina Phipps and Stuart Gans, who have collaborated on five trim collections that are launching here at Summer Showtime. Platina Phipps is owner of Home Couture Collective and former creative director of Gelberg Braid.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Tietex's Sira retires after 50-year career in textiles
    High Point— After a career of 50 years and 100 furniture markets here, textile industry veteran Lou Sira has retired at age 75. Sira, admired for his willingness to mentor younger designers, began his career with a degree in textile engineering from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science.
  • Global Textiles Today
    David Rothschild Co. celebrating 120 years
    Columbus, Ga.— David Rothschild Co., a fourth-generation family-owned U.S. textile mill, is celebrating 120 years of continuous operations this year. And President Walter Rothschild says the company is still growing. Rothschild, which introduces new product twice a year at the Showtime fabric fair in High Point, specializes in niche marketing of midpriced product in a variety of categorie...
  • Global Textiles Today
    Crypton wins EPA approval for disinfectant
    West Bloomfield, Mich.— High-performance fabric specialist Crypton has won approval from the Environmental Protection Agency for Crypton Disinfectant & Deodorizer for use on its Crypton Super Fabrics. According to Randy Rubin, co-founder of Crypton, the approval, which was three years in the making, means that Crypton has the first-ever EPA-approved disinfectable fabric system.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Trend watch: Thinking green, sustainable
    Design directions for upholstery and other home furnishings fabrics at this week's Summer Showtime 2006 in High Point are tracking right along with consumers' current hot buttons, including their growing interest in green and sustainable products, granny chic, old-money luxury looks and crafted looks that gain value from imperfection.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Lush Life
    American Silk Mills Cabana, available as shown in a plaid as well as a correlating stripe, makes a striking statement in its calypso colorway. Silk and linen, $15.95. Bomar Trim The Vintage and Daeshawna collections of decorative trim include three-tiered tiebacks and key tassels, as well as cords and fringes.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Beach Scene
    Belle Fabrics International Soft, juicy colors create fresh patterns on coordinates Shiloh, Sheldon and Sharon. Viscose and polyester, $13.50. Big Kahuna Fabrics Kahala cloth is the base for Pau Hana's 1940s-inspired allover design, the company's most-vintage pattern ever. Cotton, $6.75. Chambers Fabrics Makena Amber is a transitional twist on a tropical pattern.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Modern Motifs
    Blumenthal Print Works Fresh Stripe and Fresh Dot are bold contemporary patterns from the Fresh collection, inspired by a painter's canvas. Polyester, cotton and acrylic, from $2.95 to $6.75. Chris Stone Inc. Devin and Drake epitomize an organic modern sensibility with their simple patterns of leaves and branches designed to appeal to young consumers.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Ethnic Chic
    Adesal Guess Who's Coming to Dinner features cave drawing-style Kokopellis in a dark modern palette of deep grape, shown with a modified serape stripe called Bar Codes. Cotton, polyester and acrylic, $9.75 and $6.95, respectively. Classical Elements Heavily influenced by Spanish passementerie, Flamenco combines velvet ribbon with swirling braided yarns.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Nature's Way
    American Century Home Fabrics Nottingham, from the Chelsea Frank collection, is a classic floral with a heavy slub textured ground for casual elegance. Rayon and polyester, $6.95. American Decorative Fabrics A contemporary pop floral is executed in a jacquard weave to create Gorgeous. Polyester, rayon and cotton.
  • Global Textiles Today
    Performance Art
    Altizer & Co./Sunblock It doesn't look like an outdoor fabric, but Malay's dramatic pattern is the company's Sunblock brand, as suitable for outside use as it is for indoors. Solution-dyed acrylic, from $13.95. Crypton/In & Out In & Out, a new colorfast version of Crypton performance fabrics, can stylishly withstand sun, stains, microbes and bleach.

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