Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
July 20,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on July 21, 2010
Retail designer and consultant Martin Roberts Design, Stamford, Conn., has launched a new Web site with an array of interactive features and original content.
The content highlights the company's consulting services, store design and graphics solutions that top retailers have used to increase sales and gross margins.
Martin Roberts Design, which was formed earlier this year, is an award-winning team of retail consultants, architects, interior designers, and graphic designers whose expertise in both the science and the art of retailing has placed them at the forefront of the retail design industry. Roberts has more than 40 years of recognized design credits around the world for clients ranging from Barnes & Noble to Linens 'N Things and Levi's, as well as an array of home furnishings manufacturers and retailers.
In addition to creating profitable interior and exterior shopping environments, services include consulting based on in-depth research and analysis of consumer behavior and market trends to help retailers devise successful, future-focused brand strategies. Martin Roberts Design also creates graphic identity systems devised to cut through the clutter of the retail landscape.
"We spent a great deal of time developing a Web site for Martin Roberts Design that can serve as a starting point for retailers, whether they're considering a modest re-freshening of their sales floor or a larger project that takes their store in a new, more profitable direction," said Martin Roberts, president and founder. "We're a one-stop resource that can meet the needs of any retailer when it comes to their store environment and graphics, and the Web site provides tools designed to help retailers ask the right questions at the beginning of a project. With articles and case studies from projects like Pathmark (supermarkets) and Barnes & Noble, Mrobertsdesign.com helps retailers envision new possibilities, whether its on a small scale or a major change for their stores."
Other top clients include Borders, American Leather, Cartier, Procter & Gamble, TUMI, and Pathmark. The firm has documented sales increases across scores of exterior/interior design projects of 15 percent or more than same-period figures, with concurrent increases in gross margin and sales per square foot.
Recently, Martin Roberts Design completed a second-floor extension of the Dwellings home furnishings store in St. Michael, Barbados. Roberts, who designed the original store in 2006, oversaw an expansion from 6,500 square feet to more than 15,000 square feet that made the store easier to shop and increased its selection of essential items for the home, including kitchen, tabletop, furniture and bed and bath products.
Roberts has a BA in Industrial Design Engineering and a MA in Design Systems and is a member of The Royal Society of Arts (London), the Society of Industrial Designers, and the Institute of Store Planners. He is a founding member of the Retail Marketing Institute and has also served as an adjunct professor of Design Management at Parsons School of Design.
July 19,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on July 20, 2010
Roland Maddrey has been named vice president of sales for the Eastern territory for Pulaski Furniture and will manage accounts east of the Mississippi River.
Maddrey succeeds Dennis Ammons in the position and will work with Dallas George, vice president of sales for the Western territory. Maddrey reports to Page Wilson, president.
A 25-year veteran in the furniture industry, Maddrey has held various sales and marketing positions, including national sales manager for Universal Furniture. Prior to joining Universal, he held sales positions at La-Z-Boy, Hickory Mark and Broyhill Furniture.
"We are delighted to have a person of Maddrey's sales management skills on our team," Wilson said. "He has strong relationships with our dealer base and personal values consistent with our lean results-driven culture."
Maddrey said he was excited to be joining Pulaski, which "is positioned for significant growth.
"HMI's global network of resources, financial stability, advanced information technology and ability to rapidly adapt to changing market conditions distinguish it from the vast majority of suppliers, Maddrey said. "It is always easier to sell on-trend products that provide great value to consumer and the dealer.
Pulaski is a marketing unit of Home Meridian International, a global design and marketing company supplying case goods to U.S. furniture retailers. HMI is the parent company of Pulaski Furniture, Samuel Lawrence Furniture, Samuel Lawrence Hospitality, Creations and Prime Resources International.
July 19,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in licensing on July 20, 2010
Actress and author Jane Seymour will be attending the upcoming
Las Vegas Market and will make appearances in the
Aico showroom to support the Michael Amini & Jane Seymour, A Design Collaboration collection.
The company will be showcasing two new furniture groups from the collection at the marketGrand Traditions and Lake Shore Retreat.
Seymour will be in the Aico showroom Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of market from 10 a.m. until noon and from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.
We have had great success with the first three collections in our collaboration, so we knew that Las Vegas would be the perfect place to introduce two more collections," said Michael Amini, Aico founder and CEO. "And having Jane available to meet our customers creates a personal experience for them. I am happy that Jane is able to take time out of her busy schedule to once again join me in our showroom.
Dealers can schedule appointments with
their Aico sales representative online.
July 19,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on July 20, 2010
The World Market Center Las Vegas has named a 10-person team to lead its new Gift + Home division.
The Market will be hosting its inaugural Gift + Home market concurrent with the Las Vegas Market Aug. 2-6.
Georgia Davis has been named vice president, Gift + Home. She is the former vice president of the Dallas Market Center where she was for 20 years. Davis has been working with the World Market Center as a new business development consulting position for the last three years. In her new position, Davis is responsible for the strategy, sales and growth of the Gift + Home division.
Randy Eller has been hired as a consultant for the division. Eller operates Eller Enterprises, a consultancy for the home accent, furniture and giftware industries. Eller's background includes a stint as president and part owner of CBK, and prior to that he was with Russ Berrie & Co. Eller will assist the World Market Center with its growth.
Ron Radin will be a consultant for the team. Radin is currently business development for lighting division at the World Market Center. He is also the owner and publisher of Homestyle Publications. Prior to this, Radin held sales/marketing positions with several lighting companies including Adjusta Post Lighting, North Shore Lighting and Casablanca Inds.
The market has named three people as director of business development for Gift + Home. Gerry Seibel, Boyd Tasker and Margaret Powers. Seibel and Tasker are responsible for leasing permanent gift and decorative accessory showrooms, and Powers is responsible for leading the sales team for the Gift + Home temporary space.
Seibel has been with the market center for three years as a director of design-focused events. Prior to World Market Center, Seibel was vice president and general manager and later vice president of show development for the L.A. Mart. Prior to those positions he served as vice president of Chicagos Merchandise Mart for 12 years.
Tasker's background is in media and publishing in the gift and accessory marketplace. He was an executive director of sales and marketing with Whereoware; group publisher with Hoyt Publishing; and associate publisher with Ziff-Davis Publishing.
Prior to her new position, Powers was director of leasing at MMPI for the L.A. Mart, 7W New York and The Chicago Market: Living and Giving. Powers also was director of marketing for Hub Group and director of merchandising for Enesco Group.
Sheri Makransky, Keith Davis and Lindsay Pearson have been named to the position of business development for Gift + Home. Makransky is responsible for leasing permanent gift, rug and decorative accessory showrooms. Davis and Pearson are responsible for sales for the market's temporary space.
Makransky has been with World Market Center for almost four years. Her background also includes directing leasing and marketing for Venture Development Group, a Nevada-based commercial developer, and 18 years in retail management for companies including Polo Ralph Lauren and Ann Taylor.
Davis has previously worked at MMPIs L.A. Mart prior to his arrival at World Market Center. From marketing to leasing, Davis has held positions in procuring exhibitors to the trade show complex.
Pearson was formerly director of sales for Beckmans Handcrafted Show at the Chicago Market Living and Giving before joining World Market Center. Pearson oversaw the development and execution of all sales and marketing initiatives.
Michelle Ovalle has been named brand manager for Gift +home. She was previously director of marketing, gift and home furnishings for the L.A. Mart. She is responsible for developing and executing marketing programs and events, and she leads a team of retail specialists focused on gift buyer acquisition.
It has always been our foremost goal for World Market Center to diversify our base of categories and evolve into a total home market. With the extensive breadth of experience and talent within our new gift team, we are excited to be well on our way, said Robert Maricich, president and CEO, World Market Center. This seasoned team was carefully assembled not just to develop new partnerships through their extensive relationships within this segment, but to successfully establish this division as a natural extension of the Las Vegas Market through their thought leadership and knowledgeable and varied perspectives.
July 19,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Internet on July 20, 2010
Info Retail, a retail design agency, will host a free podcast recording service Aug. 2-4 during the upcoming Las Vegas Market.
Available to retailers and exhibitors during the market, the free opportunity is for five-minute interviews, which will then be available to download for free beginning Aug. 17.
Podcasts may be posted to social media communities and a variety of other Web sites, and downloaded to MP3 players, cellphones, smart phones, and other devices. Audiences are increasingly connecting with marketers through these channels.
"Recognizing the importance of marketing through social media, Info Retail is proud to offer this service to marketers attending Las Vegas Market," said Brooks Ballard, director of marketing for Info Retail. Podcasts offer marketers the opportunity to take their voices further, to engage in better and longer conversations with their customers and consumers.
According to research by eMarketer.com, B2B marketers spent the largest portion of their 2009 social media budgets on customer communities and podcasts.
"B2B participation in social media marketing is steadily increasing, and marketers are beginning to see opportunities to generate quality leads and position themselves as thought leaders in their industries," said eMarketerʼs Evelyn Jung. "B2B companies tend to have longer and more complicated messages to convey, and these longer-form tactics enable them to position themselves as thought leaders with their customers."
A new Bridge Ratings study shows that more than 38 million people listen to at least five minutes of streaming audio over the Internet each week, MP3 players are now in the hands of more than 280 million consumers, and cellphone/smart phone users spend an average four hours per week listening to audio content with their phones.
Weʼre offering this service to help capture and share the excitement of Las Vegas Market, Ballard said. Marketers are welcome to use the content for new channels and audiences in their marketplace and business community.
The Info Retail Radio podcast team will be conducting five-minute podcast interviews, Monday through Wednesday (Aug. 2-4) in exhibitor showrooms by appointment, and at the Info Retail showroom in A-939.
Appointments can be scheduled here.