Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
February 14,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on February 15, 2010
Houston-based Mattress firm has named Stephen Leggiero vice president of branding.
Leggiero oversees the development of a comprehensive brand strategy that incorporates customer service, efficient and effective marketing/advertising, and a differentiated selling proposition. He works cross-functionally with department leaders, specifically the vice president of marketing, to provide guidance on consumer touch points that further the brand platform.
"Stephen joined Mattress Firm with 25 years of high-level experience in business development, operations and brand and product management," said Steve Stagner, Mattress Firm's president and chief executive officer. "His previous brand management experience with industry leaders such as Proctor & Gamble coupled with his insight into the Mattress Firm culture and business model will aid in the development of a comprehensive brand strategy."
Leggiero joined Mattress Firm in 2007 as the vice president of store operations. In this role, Leggiero was responsible for operational leadership for all Mattress Firm locations. In 2009, Leggiero was named regional vice president of central Texas and oversaw the Houston, Austin and San Antonio markets.
Prior to joining Mattress Firm, Leggiero served as vice president/director of salons for JC Penney, vice president of sales for GNC, vice president of operations as well as senior director of marketing for LensCrafters, and brand manager for Proctor & Gamble.
February 14,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on February 15, 2010
The Western Home Furnishings Association has unveiled the lineup for its 2010 Conference & Expo educational line up which focuses on the business behind the Disney experience. The event runs May 2-4 at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.
With 13 educational sessions planned during the three-day conference, attendees will have the opportunity to gain insight and knowledge of the Disney way.
The Disney Institute session will teach attendees the Disney Approach to Brand Loyalty and will explore techniques used to retain customers for life. Retail consultants Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender will have attendees exploring The Science of Shopping by using Disney as an example of great store layout and merchandising techniques. This two-part session includes an evening in the Disneyland theme park, where attendees will be able to use their complementary Twilight Pass to visit the stores inside of Disneyland and take notes to share during the follow-up session.
"The Disney Institute will be a key contributor to this year's conference, and they will be sharing their magic with all who attend," said WHFA's 2010 president, Claudia LeClair of Fiesta Furnishings. "This conference is a unique opportunity to learn about this magic and bring it into our own industry."
The event also has on schedule very powerful opening and closing sessions.
The opening session, "Make Some Noise," by Ken Schmidt, marketing visionary and former director of communications for Harley-Davidson, will show attendees how Harley-Davidson was turned around through building a new corporate culture, rekindling relationships with customers and reaching out to new ones in untraditional ways.
The conference will end with a motivational session by George Hedley that will get your business to work. This session will show you how to transform your company into a systemized and organized growing business that delivers bottom-line results, builds equity, wealth and freedom.
The EXpresso Expo provides added opportunities to discover new business enhancing ideas. The EXpresso Expo features 20-minute shots of education on topics such as advertising, marketing, technology or operations, and will deliver powerful content in order to maximize the conference experience.
Also, the retailer-to-retailer roundtable discussions are on schedule, giving retailers even more opportunities to share their best money-saving and business generating ideas. These popular sessions are always a highlight of conference with attendees sharing their success stories and exploring ideas and solutions on a variety of issues.
Registration is $495 for WHFA members and $595 for non-members. Teams traveling together can take advantage of the Team Discount and receive each registration for $395 each.
For more information and to register for WHFA's 2010 Conference & Expo click here, or call (800) 422-3778.
February 14,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on February 15, 2010
A television ad meant to tie in with the Vancouver Winter Olympics and bring some humor to the screen backfired on Cardi's Furniture of Providence, R.I.
A Cardi's ad Friday evening featured a comic bobsled accident, but unfortunately ran right after coverage of a luge accident that fatally injured a competitor from Georgia, upsetting many viewers who called NBC-10 and Cardi's to complain.
The The retailer released a statement of apology Friday to NBC's local Channel 10 affiliate.
"Prior to the Opening Ceremony, a tragedy happened at the Olympics as an athlete lost his life in the sport of luge," the statement read. "We were unaware of this incident until seeing the pre-opening coverage. Unfortunately, an animated commercial that we prepared several months ago, aired during that coverage, following the story of the tragedy. Similar versions of this commercial have been used in prior Winter Olympic seasons. Now knowing of this tragic loss of life, we realize this commercial should have never aired and we are sorry that it did. We have taken it off the air. Our thoughts and prayers are with the athlete's family and teammates. On behalf of Nick, Ron and myself, we truly apologize."
February 14,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on February 15, 2010
Net income at the International Home Furnishings Center fell 27 percent in fiscal 2009 to $10 million, compared with 2008, the High Point Enterprise reported Saturday.
The paper got those numbers from a Securities and Exchange Commission filing by Bassett Furniture Industries Inc., Bassett, Va., a 47 percent owner of High Point's largest showroom complex.
IHFC revenues fell 11 percent to $40.6 million in 2009.
February 14,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on February 15, 2010
A fire Saturday that officials believe began at Acme Furniture in the Jackson Heights area New York's Queens borough went through an entire block, CBS-2 television reported Sunday.
No injuries were reported in the fire, which is under investigation.
The four-alarm fire began early Saturday morning and spread to a nearby apartment building, and destroyed eight businesses.
John Muqvel, manager of Acme Furniture, said in the report that the store lost "everything inside," from $250,000 to $300,000 worth.