Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
February 18,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on February 19, 2010
Fire investigators have determined that a faulty boulder on the first floor of Acme Furniture in Queens, New York, caused a Feb. 13 fire that destroyed the furniture business and seven other stores, the Queens Tribune reported Thursday.
The fire also threatened a nearby apartment building, which firefighters saved by dowsing the structure with water to prevent the blaze from spreading there.
Other businesses destroyed included a liquor store and a shoe repair shop.
February 18,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on February 19, 2010
"Sourcing Sustainable Local Wood Products," a one-hour webinar for builders, architects, interior designers, manufacturers, woodworkers and others interested in learning more about sourcing certified and sustainable wood products, is scheduled for Thursday, March 4, at noon eastern time.
Presenters include: Susan Inglis, of the Sustainable Furnishings Council; John Meggs, Nature Neutral Building Supply; Richard Poindexter, Columbia Forest Products; and Alyx Perry, Southern Forests Network.
Topics will include maximizing LEED points related to wood products; online tools and other resources for identifying suppliers of FSC certified wood products; the growing market for sustainable furniture; efforts to expand availability of local certified wood; and managing sourcing for your next project.
The cost is $10 per participant, but the webinar is free for members of the Sustainable Furnishings Council and Southern Forests Network. Registration details will be posted here on Feb. 19. To be added to the e-mail list for this event, click here.
February 18,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on February 19, 2010
Chili Technology, a Mooresville, N.C.-based heating and cooling, sleep systems manufacturer, has named Kristie Hobson national account sales manager to lead business development and key account relationships in North America.
Hobson has more than 20 years of experience in retail merchandising, purchasing and key account management with leading companies such as Dayton Hudson-Marshall Fields (now part of Macy's), Bausch and Lomb, and Thomasville Furniture Galleries.
In her new role, Hobson will lead Chili Technology's national sales efforts targeting retailers with a growing portfolio of Chili products, including the innovative ChiliPad cooling sleep surface, in both cotton and memory foam and the newly launched ChiliBed.
"We are delighted to have Kristie leading our national sales efforts," said Todd Youngblood, president and chief executive officer of Chili Technology. "She is a proven executive who offers an excellent track record of strategic sales planning, retail merchandising and execution. Her new role is pivotal in ensuring our long-term success with our retail client partners. She will focus on our strategic initiatives, including the development and rollout of new product lines while providing strong support to help our partners grow their specialty sleep business."
"The importance of a good night's sleep is already well known," Hobson said. "Combine that with the growing demand to find products that help consumers sleep at 'their' perfect temperature puts Chili Technology in an exceptional market position. I look forward to strengthening our retail relationships, growing our customers' profits and increasing consumer awareness about our fabulous product offerings. We are poised for great success and I am excited to be a key part of the Chili Technology team."
February 17,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on February 18, 2010
The International Home Furnishings Representatives Association will present long-time member and former President Mark Craven with its highest honor, the Harold P. Braun Distinguished Service Award, at an awards gala during Spring High Point Market.
The Harold P. Braun DSA has gone annually to a deserving representative for the past thirty-five years. The recipient of the DSA is a sales representative who embodies certain qualities and character, and has distinguished himself or herself on behalf of IHFRA, sales representatives, the industry, and has enhanced by deed and action the image of home furnishings sales representatives in the community and the industry.
Craven, a Tennessee native, received his bachelor's degree in business and marketing from Christian Brothers University in Memphis in 1985. He then began his furniture sales career working as an associate for R.A. "Tex" Craven covering the territory of Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas and Southwest Virginia for Fairfield Chair Co. He later served Fairfield Chair as a sales representative in the Maryland, Virginia and DC territory from 1987 to 2003. From 1995 to 2005 Craven was a sales representative for Hooker Furniture Corp. for the Maryland, Northern Virginia, Southern Delaware and District of Columbia, adding the Bradington-Young Furniture line in 2003.
In March 2005 Craven accepted the position of vice president of sales for Fairfield Chair Co.
"I had many mentors throughout my sales career but none more vital or influential than my father, Tex Craven, who represented Fairfield Chair for 51 years until his death in June 2007," Craven said. "He gave me my start; taught me everything I know about being a good salesman; coached me; mentored me and supported me in every facet of my career. Most importantly, he was a good person, who loved his family, loved his work, loved his factories and loved his customers. All of which made it easy for me to follow in his footsteps."
Mark Craven joined IHFRA in 1985 as a member of the Tennessee Furniture Travelers before moving his membership to the Maryland/DC HFRA Chapter of IHFRA in 1987. He progressed through organizational chairs to become President of Maryland/DC HFRA from 2001 to 2003 He received the Morris M. Chernoff Award in 2004 and Dean of IHFRA Award in 2003 from the Maryland/DC Chapter.
Mark Craven is passionate about education and completed the CHR (Certified Home furnishings Representative) course developed by Frank Galbrieth in October 1988. He was elected CHR Committee Chairman of the Maryland/DC HFRA Chapter in 1991 and completed the newly revised IHFRA CHR course in August 1994. Mark then went on to serve on IHFRA's CHR committee from 1996 to 2007 and was instrumental in developing new curriculum, new instructors and marketing of the program. Mark completed IHFRA's CHR course for the third time in August 2002.
Mark Craven was elected to the Executive Committee of IHFRA in March 2002. He served as IHFRA's 67th President in 2005 and Chairman of the Board in 2006.
Mark and Linda, his wife for 23 years, have four children, Patrick, Allyson, Sarah Ann and Scott.
The Furniture Industry Awards Gala, sponsored by IHFRA and the National Home Furnishings Assn., will be held on Monday, April 19 in the IHFC Ballroom on the 11th Floor of the Green Wing of the IHFC. For reservations to the Furniture Industry Awards Gala, contact the IHFRA Office at (336) 889-3920, or e-mail to ihfra@ihfra.org for more information.
February 17,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Financial Reports on February 18, 2010
Leon's Furniture Limited (LEFUF, LNF) announced Wednesday that despite a 5.3 percent drop in sales to C$255.7 million in 2009's fourth quarter, the Toronto-based retailer's net income increased 3 percent to C$24 million compared with the same period in 2008.
Same store corporate sales were down 4.5 percent from the prior-year fourth quarter.
For the year ended Dec. 31, Leon's had total sales of C$897.5 million, a decrease of 5.6 percent from 2008. Net income for 2009 of $56.9 million was down 11.1 percent from 2008. Same store corporate sales were down 5.4 percent from the prior year.
During 2009, Leon's continued its renovation and expansion program. In the spring of 2009, a major renovation was completed at the warehouse and showroom store in Laval, Quebec. That was followed by the opening of the first downtown Toronto showroom store known as the "Roundhouse" in the summer of 2009.
Renovations also were completed in the third quarter of 2009 at the Barrie and Whitby, Ontario stores. Construction will commence shortly on two new superstores, a 75,000-square-foot location in Thunder Bay, Ontario; and an 85,000-square-foot store in Regina, Saskatchewan.