Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
May 21,
2008 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on May 2008
During the three-day Western Home Furnishings Association conference in Tucson this week, hundreds of attendees built bicycles for children in need and took part in education events that put a sharp focus on better understanding consumers.
The event kicked off Sunday with a team-oriented Build-A-Bike event that had more than 100 retailers and other participants bolting together bicycles in a relationship-building exercise. The 30 newly assembled bikes were then presented to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, which will distribute them to local children in need.
With a focus on consumers, conference presentations included a Town Hall event featuring four typical female consumers discussing what they like—and dislike—about shopping for furniture, and recent experiences at local home furnishings stores. Other shopper-focused sessions included “Putting the Fun Back in Furniture” and “A Guide to Surviving the Expectations of Today’s Consumer.”
On the conference’s closing night, Tuesday, Jerome’s Furniture of San Diego was honored as Western Retailer of the Year, the organization’s top award. The annual conference had more than 230 registrants, a number that was down slightly from past events due to the difficult economy, organizers said.
May 21,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on May 2008
Minneapolis-based Room & Board recently announced it has presented a grant of $50,000 to Urban Peak, a non-profit group serving youth (14–24) in the Denver area who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. In addition to the donation, the retailer said its Denver employees have pledged to serve as volunteers for the organization.
Denver is one of nine cities where Room & Board operates stores. In an announcement, Urban Peak CEO Kay Ramachandran said the grant was greeted with “cheers (that) could be heard at the Cherry Creek Room & Board store” miles from Denver. “We’re thrilled that our partnership goes beyond a monetary contribution. The staff at Room and Board wants to volunteer with our runaway and homeless youth in many ways—from cooking meals at the shelter to helping youths move into housing as they progress towards self-sufficiency. We are honored to partner with Room & Board in serving the vulnerable in our community.”
The 20-year-old Urban Peak organization provides a variety of services to help help young people overcome homelessness and become self-reliant adults, including safe shelters and employment programs.
May 21,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on May 2008
Cost Plus, owners of World Market retail stores, posted first quarter net sales of $211.7 million, a 4.5 percent increase from $202.5 million posted in the same quarter last year.
The retailer reported a net lost of nearly $32 million for the quarter ended May 3. During the first quarter last year, the company lost $11.1 million.
The company said the quarter’s performance was challenged by an early Easter, which caused the retailer to separate its Easter and spring marketing campaigns.
“Our first positive same store sales quarter in four years is the strongest indicator to-date that the price/value relationship we have reestablished is resonating with our customers,” said Barry Feld, president and chief executive officer. “Our current merchandise assortments are fresh, unique and represent strong value, and as a result are attracting renewed and sustainable customer traffic.”
During the quarter, Cost Plus closed 13 stores and exited eight media markets.
The retailer also provided financial guidance for the second quarter of fiscal 2008. The company is projecting sales for the second quarter to fall between $217 million and $224 million, based on same-store sales performance in the range of -1 percent to 2 percent.
May 21,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Accessories on May 2008
Chelsea House has teamed with the Library of Virginia to offer artwork reproduced from the library’s archives.
The artwork includes prints of original maps and Chinese engravings housed at the Library of Virginia. The Library of Virginia is the state’s oldest institution dedicated to the preservation of Virginia’s history and culture. The library was created by the state’s General Assembly in 1823 to organize, care for and manage Virginia’s growing collection of books and official records, many of which date back to the early colonial period.
“We are so pleased and honored to be associated with the Library of Virginia,” said Bill Cain, president of Chelsea House. “The reproductions are beautiful and even more special when you realize the rich history behind each piece.”
The Library houses the most comprehensive collection of materials on Virginia government, history and culture. The printed, manuscript, map and photographic collections attract researchers from across the country and from all over the world.
Included in the collection is a series of eight Chinese engravings that are part of a work entitled
An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King of Great Britain to China that was published in 1797 in three volumes by George Staunton. His work records a voyage that was among the most celebrated and significant events of the late eighteenth-century. The voyage set out for China in 1792 and remained there for one year after several stops along the way. The purpose of the voyage was to warm relations between China and England and to benefit the East India Trading Co. The famed English artist William Alexander, who accompanied the men on their journey, did the engravings.
Chelsea House is offering prints of these engravings, along with reproductions of maps that are hundreds of years old. Chelsea House and The Library of Virginia plan to expand their collaboration not only in art but in other home furnishings categories as well.
May 20,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Accessories on May 2008
Matthew Wakeham has been named marketing director for W.A.C. Lighting.
In his new position, Wakeham will work with Sean Tham, vice president of marketing, to manage the marketing department. Wakeham’s primary focus will be leading the company’s market research efforts to create products to fill market needs and building the W.A.C.’s customer base. He will also help oversee the company’s advertising and public relations programs, direct mail and Internet marketing efforts.
During the last 20 years, Wakeham held several positions for Leviton Manufacturing Co., including director of product development and marketing for the OEM and power quality divisions. He also worked for Underwriters Laboratories as a senior project engineer.