Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
June 23,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Markets on June 24, 2010
The Midwest Furniture Club has released the 100-plus-strong initial exhibitor list for the 4th Annual Midwest Furniture Show.
Along with many stalwarts of the show, such as Ashley Furniture, Berkline and Zocalo, many new manufacturers are showing for the first time. New vendors include Leathercraft Furniture, Riverside Furniture and Stanley Furniture.
"We've expanded in all areas this year," said Michael More, show organizer. "This year major exhibitors have increased their footprint, we have greatly expanded our accessory exhibitors and we have had our bedding manufacturers grow their presence as well."
Nationwide Distributors, a Chicago-based importer and distributor, signed up again this year.
"We run our own very successful each January, so the timing for us is very good," said Nadal Jarad, president of Nationwide. "We can showcase our new introductions in January at our show and then update our customers again in August at this show."
Last year, the Midwest Furniture Show attracted more than 700 retailers over the course of 2 days.
"We hoped for 400 people, and before the first day was through we had gone over our goal," More said. "This year, we expect even more customers, from all over the Midwest and farther. Every year there's a manufacturer that wants to show at the last minute, and we do everything we can to accommodate them. We expect a few more retailers to finalize their plans shortly."
The show began in 2006 with a small presentation in Wheaton, Ill.. In exchange for the promise of 80 furniture retailers seeing the property that was available for rent, the building's owner allowed the Midwest Furniture Club to use the facility for free. From there the show has grown in attendance each year.
"One of the reasons the show does so well is we target independent retailers who do not attend the major shows in Las Vegas and High Point," said Geoff Weed, president of the show's sponsor, the Midwest Furniture Club. "We make it easy and fun for them to see current vendors and get the chance to add some new lines to their floors. We offer complimentary breakfast and lunch, as well."
Weed, who also represents Ashley Furniture in Chicago, added, "We have a few surprises planned for the customers who attend the show. We are focusing not just on product but on some great marketing plans to make the fourth quarter unforgettable."
More information on the event can be found on the Midwest Furniture Club Web site.
The preliminary list of exhibitors for the 2010 Midwest Furniture Show includes:
A.A. Laun Furniture
AC Pacific, Accent Furniture
Acme Furniture
All Wood Furniture
Americana Inc.
Arason Enterprises
Armen Living
Art Effects Inc.
Art & Frame Source
Ashley Signature Design
aspenhome
Bailey Street
Baker Road Furniture
Benchmaster
Berkline
Best Craft Furniture
Bolton Furniture
Boyd Specialty Sleep
Brill Seating
Brown Jordan
C.F. Oakton
Capris
Charles Schneider Furniture
Chintaly Imports
Chromcraft
Classic Oak Furniture
Coast to Coast
Comfort Solutions
Corsicana Bedding
Cox Manufacturing
Cramco Dinette
Dimond Lighting
D'oro Furniture
Daniel Lamp
Dinec
Eagle Industries
Eastman House
Eclipse
Englander Bedding
Enso Sleep Systems
Fashion Bed Group
Feinblum Real Estate
Five Star Mattress
Fusion Design, Inc.
Glenmont Furniture
Global Furniture
Graphic Visions
Hamilton Studios
Harden Manufacturing
Hinkle Chair
Holland House
Homelegance
ID USA
International Bedding
Jasper Cabinet
King Koil
Klaussner
L & P Adjustables
Lancer Inc.
Lane Venture
Lang Furniture
Leathercraft
Leick
Liberty Furniture
Ligna USA, Inc.
Lite Source
Mantua Bed Frames
MDA Rug Imports
Millennium by Ashley
Mobital Contemporary
Nationwide Distributors
Null Furniture
Pastel Dinettes
Pulaski
Restonic
Riverside Furniture
Row One Home Ent.
Samuel Lawrence Furniture
Shoehorn Furnishings
Shull Transportation
Silhouette Mattress
SITCOM
SLR/Nova Home
Smith Bros.
Somerton
Southern Textiles
Spring Air
Stanley Furniture
Star International
Steve Silver Furniture
Sunrise Home Furnishings
Sullivans
Surya Rugs
Symbol Matress
Tema Home
Trans Ocean Rug
Tree Master
U.S. Furniture Inc.
Young America by Stanley Furniture
Welton USA
Wholesale Interiors
Wiseway Transportation
World Wide Logistics
Zinatex Rugs
Zocalo
June 23,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on June 24, 2010
Dave Phillips, former U.S. Ambassador and founder of furniture industry financial services company and Phillips Factors Corp. and textile manufacturer Phillips Mills, has received the 2010 Choate Seal Prize, the highest alumnus honor from the Choate School in Wallingford, Conn.
The award recognizes an alumnus for outstanding leadership and for making significant contributions to country, community and the school. As an honoree, Phillips joins such notables as President John F. Kennedy, Adlai Stevenson, Paul Mellon, Edward Albee, Glenn Close, Ali MacGraw, Jamie Lee Curtis and Michael Douglas.
Phillips was the founding chairman of Phillips Factors Corp., which provided financial services to the furniture industry and merged with BB&T Corp. He also founded Phillips Mills, which merged with Culp Inc. Phillips was a founding partner in the Market Square Partnership, which provided showrooms to the furniture industry and merged with Vornado Realty Trust.
A businessman, philanthropist, civic leader, and former North Carolina Secretary of Commerce, Phillips brought tremendous experience to his service as a U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia.
Upon receiving the award, Phillips told the nearly 1,000 students and faculty about his experience as one of the school's first exchange students to attend Moscow State University and about his travels extensively throughout Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Poland during the Cold War. It was this experience, Phillips said, that prepared him for his role, nearly 45 years later, as ambassador to the former Soviet Republic.
June 22,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on June 23, 2010
It's Wednesday, and that means time for a fun video. Today,
the Opera Company of Philadelphia took more than 30 members to the Reading Terminal Market to perform "Brindisi" through the aisles of the bustling lunchtime crowd.
The faces on the consumers are priceless and the performance stunning.
Enjoy the performance.
June 22,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on June 23, 2010
Bedding manufacturer Comfort Solutions, Willowbrook, Ill., has appointed Mike Bookbinder to the new position of senior vice president of retail sales development.
Most recently, Bookbinder was executive vice president of sales and marketing for Hicksville, N.Y.-based mattress retail chain Sleepy's, where he worked from 1999 to May 2010, a period when the mattress chain grew from 171 stores to more than 700 locations.
In his new position with Comfort Solutions, effective July 12, Bookbinder will concentrate on both current and target accounts and is charged with implementing the company's strategic growth plans in the retail sales arena. He reports to David Binke, executive vice president of sales for Comfort Solutions.
"It's extremely important to understand today's evolving retail environment," Comfort Solutions President David Roberts said. "Mike's impressive background and extensive retail experience will be instrumental in helping us elevate and extend services to our current customers, while cultivating solid, long-term relationships with new accounts. We're very excited about his appointment and the hands-on expertise hell bring to our companys long-term strategic objectives."
Prior to his tenure at Sleepy's, Bookbinder spent 27 years at Bonita Springs, Fla.-based sleep retail chain City Mattress. Beginning in 1972, he held multiple sales, marketing and executive posts at the specialty retailer, including executive vice president and COO, before serving as president and COO from 1991 to 1999.
A major international mattress producer and brand, Comfort Solutions has 11 domestic and 29 international licensees.
June 22,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Las Vegas on June 23, 2010
World Market Center Las Vegas will launch this summer's Las Vegas Market with the second annual "Alfresco, A Taste of Las Vegas" on opening night, Monday, August 2, 6-8 p.m., in the Grand Plaza.
Attendees will sample culinary creations from celebrated Las Vegas chefs who will personally oversee the creations served, including celebrity Chef Bradley Ogden, served amid a visually stunning outdoor display featuring some of the finest products that celebrate the indoor-outdoor living movement.
Live cooking demonstrations, rhythmic sounds from a club DJ and video montages will provide an ever-changing and intriguing backdrop to a picturesque evening.
"World-class dining isn't just about the edible delights and delicacies, it's about the ambiance, the atmosphere and the furnishings," said Robert Maricich, president and CEO of World Market Center Las Vegas. "Las Vegas' finest restaurateurs know that, and so do our attendees. There's no better way to emphasize that point than to bring together the best in food and furnishings, all under the beautiful desert sky."
The Grand Plaza will be transformed into a resort-like environment including an imagined swimming pool, resort-style cabanas and a series of tiered daises featuring vignettes from some of the most prominent, outdoor furniture manufacturers from the United States and around the world.
The distinguished participating chefs and their award-winning teams will share some of their tastings and other immersive and entertaining culinary experiences with attendees. Restaurants that will be represented include Charlie Palmer Restaurants, Mario Batali's B&B Ristorante, Bradley Ogden, Mesa Grill, Payard Patisserie & Bistro, Restaurant Guy Savoy, Emeril's Fishhouse, Sinatra, Botero and Mundo, A Culinary Haute Spot.
"The flavor of Las Vegas is a sampling from around the world," says Maricich. "When Market concludes each evening, attendees are often faced with numerous dining choices in a city known for its world-class cuisine. By bringing together this culinary tour de force, we're providing each attendee with a VIP dining experience that is unique to Las Vegas."
Las Vegas Market will be held August 2-6, accompanied by the launch the new Gift+Home and VegasKids. Attendees can book discounted rooms online now.