February 28,
2013 by in UnCategorized 
By Aggregated Content in Furniture Retailing on March 1, 2013
from http://www.bocagrandetalk.com/page/content.detail/id/519818.html
Bacon's Furniture & Design of Sarasota is closing its 70,000-square-foot showcase store at 7557 S. Tamiami Trail after a building sale resulted in a lost lease.
The company will sell off all inventory in this location beginning today.
The company has been serving the Sarasota and Port Charlotte area for more than 30 years. It continues to operate two o stores: Bacon's Outdoor Living, 7522 Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, and Bacon's Furniture, 17701 Murdock Circle in Port Charlotte.
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February 28,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Financial Reports on March 1, 2013
from http://www.euroinvestor.com/news/2013/03/01/buffett-calls-berkshire-hathawayaposs-2012-return-apossubparapos/12231735
Warren Buffett lamented his failure to land a major acquisition during 2012 to employ Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s (BRKA, BRKB) expanding cash position, and called his company's performance "subpar" compared to the rallying U.S. stock market.
The reported value of the Omaha, Neb., company rose 14% in 2012, Berkshire said Friday, compared with a 16% total return in the S&P 500 index, including dividends.
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February 28,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in economic news on March 1, 2013
from http://www.icn.com/en/marketnews/2013/03/01/Michigan-consumer-confidence-rise-February/index.html
The University of Michigan released the final reading for February's Confidence composite where it showed a rise in the composite's head figure to 77.6, compared with the preliminary reading at 76.3, while analysts' estimates were also at 76.3.
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February 28,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on March 1, 2013
Kingsdown has introduced a new high-tech, customizable electronic sales training program for retail partners, Delivering U Digital Education or DUDE.
Under the program, Kingsdown, Mebane, N.C., will continually produce short video-based info-tainment lessons on products and sleep research designed to achieve learning objectives that are easy for retail sales associates to adopt and utilize. Sales teams can watch these videos together or individually. Each video will be followed up by a brief three-question test to help track what RSAs have absorbed in the session. Also serving as an information database and library, DUDE will store these videos to be accessed at any time, along with research documents and sleep studies, Kingsdown media placements, and sell-sheets that can be printed on-the-spot for consumers.
The online learning system can be used via any Internet-capable device or simply by installing a virtual diagnostic-stand in retail showrooms, which also serves as a portal for live, interactive meetings with Kingsdown representatives.
This is one-stop-shopping when it comes to learning about Kingsdown products and our recommended and proven sales approach. Everything a retailer, its RSAs and customers need can be accessed in one convenient spot on the sales floor. Better yet, well customize each diagnostic-stand per retailer, so they only view information relevant to their store. Were also prepared to create one-of-a-kind sales training-videos with a retailers in-house educator for a truly personalized experience, said Kingsdown Vice President of Sales Training and Education Craig Wilson.
Retailers already participating in interactive online meetings, such as Sleep to Live Institute, Live, where Craig Wilson and Dr. Robert Oexman, director of The Sleep to Live Institute, address hot-topics and questions with RSAs in multiple store locations, will also appreciate DUDE. A webcam installed in diagnostic-stands will ensure webinars dont require any advance set-up. Finally, each session will be taped and made available through DUDE for new employees to access at a later date.
Retail sales associates are vital to Kingsdowns success and we wanted to create a better way to train them. We think that RSAs will appreciate the humor built-in to both our videos and quick quizzes. Even the name DUDE communicates a laid-back, fun attitude. We believe well-produced videos--combining news and entertainment--are a great format for learning, said Kingsdown President and CEO Frank Hood.
February 28,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on March 1, 2013
The City of High Point and the High Point Market Authority will honor three showrooms for their handling of cardboard and recycling during the Fall Furniture Market.
On Friday March 8, 220 Elm, Coaster Company of America and Klaussner Home Furnishings will receive the Green Market Award, a new recognition in its first year.
A typical Market event generates over 300 tons of cardboard in addition to other recyclable material, all of which is recycled by the City. However, showrooms that comply with city guidelines help the city to ensure that the collection of recycling and trash runs smoothly during a very hectic and busy time for the Public Services Department.
220 Elm will receive the first award at 10 a.m., followed by an award presentation to Coaster Company of America at 10:20 a.m. The third award will be presented to Klaussner Home Furnishings at 10:40 a.m. This is the first year that the Green Award has been presented.