Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
June 3,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Casual Furniture on June 4, 2010
The International Casual Furnishings Association announced its slate of 2010 Apollo Awards finalists Thursday. The awards recognize retail excellence in the sales and marketing of outdoor furnishings.
Finalists must demonstrate outstanding accomplishments and commitment to customer service. The ICFA membership will vote via an online ballot for a winner in each category later this summer.
Finalists in the 2010 competition for the Single Store Category include: Fruehauf's Patio and Garden, Boulder, Colo.; Kolo Collection, Atlanta; Leisure Living, Salt Lake City; Outdoor Elegance, LaVerne, Calif.; and Sunnyland Furniture, Dallas, Texas.
Multi-Store Category finalists include: Carls Patio, Boca Raton, Fla.; Greenhouse Mall, Austin, Texas; Patios Plus, Rancho Mirage, Calif.; Seasons Leisure Inc., dba Pool Patio & More, Atherton, Calif.; and Yard Art Patio & Fireplace, Irving, Texas.
Finalists will be honored and the winners announced at a gala awards banquet Sept. 23, during the International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market in Chicago. The ICFA and Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. are co-sponsors of the event, which will be held at Chicagos Field Museum.
ICFA is a division of the American Home Furnishings Alliance.
June 3,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on June 4, 2010
Furniture rep group Midwest Furniture Club is ready to kick off its 8th Annual Bill Krause Charity Golf Outing on Tuesday, June 29, at the Villa Olivia Country Club in Bartlett, Ill.
The annual event benefits the Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School & Alternatives for the Hearing Impaired, a cause near and dear to the Krause family's hearts. Bill Krause was a long-time member and past president of the Midwest Furniture Club, and a representative for Century Furniture.
This year, the Midwest Furniture Club has named the trophies to honor Brenda Guiney, a long-time supporter of the golf event and a great competitor on the course, who is unable to attend this year's event due to illness. Brenda and her husband, Pat, operate Guiney Delivery Service, serving furniture customers in the upper Midwest.
"Brenda has been the woman's long drive champion at the golf outing many times," said Mike Zierk, event coordinator. "She would love to be here with us this year, but since she can't, well celebrate her caring and support for this event in this way."
The event begins at 11:30 with a grill lunch before golf at 12:30 p.m. Happy hour, dinner and raffle begin at 5:30 p.m. Items to be raffled off this year include sporting events packages, plasma TVs and many other exciting prizes, including the grand prize a weekend get-away for two at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wis.
Hole sponsorships, raffle prizes and other ways to support this terrific charity are still available. Contact Mike Zierk at 708.997.2554, or by e-mail to attend, donate goods or ask questions.
June 3,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on June 4, 2010
Gulf-Great Lakes Packaging Corp., which says it is North America's largest privately-held packaging distributor, has joined the Sustainable Furnishings Council.
Founded in 1975, Gulf-Great Lakes, Dolton, Ill., is a $200 million-plus distributor of high-quality packaging materials and equipment.
Gulf-Great Lakes Packaging line of products includes affordable green packaging solutions to help companies meet their sustainability needs.
June 3,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on June 4, 2010
The New England Chapter of the National Home Furnishings Association will gather July 13 at the Blackstone National Golf Club in Sutton, Mass., for its third annual golf tournament benefiting The Home for Little Wanderers.
"The New England Chapter is very pleased to support The Home," said New England Chapter President Joe Quintal of Rotmans Furniture, Worcester, Mass. "I invite New Englanders to come out and support this very worthwhile organization while playing some golf and relaxing with friends old and new."
With roots dating back to 1799, The Home for Little Wanderers is the nations oldest and one of New England's largest non-profit child and family service agencies. Its services include early childhood, adoption, foster care, clinical and family support, residential care, special education, independent living, and case management.
For registration and sponsorship information, contact The New England Chapter of the National Home Furnishings Association; or contact NHFA by phone at 800.888-9590 or e-mail.
The New England Chapter of the NHFA brings easily educational and other business-related programs and activities to the furniture industry in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont.
June 2,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on June 3, 2010
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) reported net sales of $6.09 billion for the month May, an increase of 11 percent from $5.47 billion in the same four-week period last year.
In the U.S., the year's four-week period for May included 28 days of sales compared to 27 during the same month last year; the Memorial Day holiday fell in the reporting month of May last year, but not this year. The holiday shift positively impacted this year's May total and comparable sales by about 2 percent, or 3 percent in the U.S.
For the 39 weeks ended May 30, the company reported net sales of $57.17 billion, an increase of 10 percent from $52.15 billion during the same period last year.
Costco operates 568 warehouses, including 414 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 78 in Canada, 21 in the United Kingdom, seven in Korea, six in Taiwan, nine in Japan, one in Australia and 32 in Mexico. The company also operates
Costco Online, its electronic commerce Web site. Costco plans to open five warehouses prior to the end of its fiscal year on Aug. 29.