Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
November 18,
2007 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Las Vegas on November 2007
Celebrity interior designer Alexandra Stoddard will present “A Personal Glimpse into Alexandra Stoddard’s Life at Home” as featured speaker Dec. 7, 10-11:30 a.m., at the First Friday event at the Las Vegas Design Center at World Market Center.
Stoddard will give attending designers a guided tour through her apartment in New York and 18th Century cottage in Connecticut.
Stoddard, author of more than two dozen books and a sought-after speaker on the art of living, has been called a “house doctor.” She is the bestselling author of the ground-breaking Living a Beautiful Life, and has guided people from all walks of life in their quest to create a home of beauty.
To R.S.V.P. or for more information, e-mail LVDC@LVDesignCenter.com, or call (702) 599-3093. On-site seminar registrants will be asked to make a $20 donation to Safe Nest.
November 15,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on November 2007
Leon’s Furniture Ltd., Toronto, reported third-quarter 2007 sales of C$216.2 million (C$50.4 million in franchise sales), an increase of 6.2 percent over the prior year. For the period ended Sept. 30, net income was up 9.5 percent per common share to C$16.2 million.
Through three quarters of 2007, total sales of C$586.5 million (C$134.9 in franchise sales) were 10.3 percent ahead of revenue at the same point last year, while net income rose 10.6 percent per common share to $36.9 million.
While sales did not increase at the same pace as the first half of the year, management was pleased with continued improvement in financial third-quarter financial results.
Leon’s has just completed a grand opening of a new showroom and warehouse in Longueuil, Quebec; and renovations are substantially complete at existing stores in Calgary, Alberta and
Kitchener, Ontario. The retailer also has purchased land for a new showroom and warehouse in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with construction set to begin in the spring of 2008. In addition, land has also been secured in North Calgary for a new showroom and warehouse.
Leon’s continues to proceed with finalizing the purchase of Appliance Canada Ltd., with annual sales of close to C$100 million a year. The acquisition, anticipated for completion by the end of the year, gives Leon’s significant entry into the wholesale distribution of major home appliances to the building and apartment trade; and entry into selling high-end appliances at retail.
November 15,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Home Office on November 2007
More than a dozen showrooms at the World Market Center offering home entertainment, computer and home office furniture will open Jan. 7-8 in conjunction with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
As part of the event, World Market Center and Furniture Style will present a two-part educational program, “Tune In, Turn It Up: Home Entertainment Furniture Trends.” Furniture Style Editorial Director Julie M. Smith will present exclusive data from The Retail Experience, a consumer research report that investigates consumers’ furniture purchase trends and preferences.
The program will be offered in two 50-minute segments tailored to big box retailers (Jan. 7, 8:30 a.m.) and furniture stores (Jan.8, 8:30 a.m.). Both presentations will track trends over the past three years and focus on relevant changes in the home entertainment furniture category, including amounts spent, Internet usage, purchase motivators and more. Attendees will receive results from the 2008 research study, which won’t be available until March 2008.
WMC will offer buyers complimentary breakfast and lunch, gifts and a chance to register for a Las Vegas trip giveaway. Free, continuous limousine service to World Market Center will be provided to buyers at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Reservations are strongly recommended, but not required. For appointments, buyers should call (702) 599-3093.
November 15,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Accessories on November 2007
Home accents vendor Decorize Inc., Springfield, Mo., reported a loss of $189,979 on sales of $3.682 million for its first fiscal quarter, ended Sept. 30.
Sales were up 15.6 percent from the prior-year period, while the loss was about the same. Three non-recurring items contributed to the loss: a two-week production halt while moving into Decorize’s new, expanded plant in Indonesia; inefficiencies in a new outsourced freight system (since corrected, according to CEO Steve Crowder); and fees associated with a transition to a bank line of credit from a factoring system.
“Square footage at the plant was increased by more than 50 percent and, importantly, our wholesale sales capacity has now been tripled,” Crowder said, adding that the company has received large purchase orders from specialty retailers on new product at October’s High Point Market.
November 15,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on November 2007
Wickes Furniture, Carol Stream, Ill., announced Thursday that a new line of smaller-scaled furniture called Urban Innovations is being launched this month in the company’s 42 stores in five states.
“We created Urban Innovations to fill a vastly underserved market, namely consumers who are seeing high-style, high-function interior design solutions to complement smaller spaces,” said Wickes President and CEO John Disa, who called the furniture “affordably priced, whether for a condo, townhouse, apartment or any space-challenged room in the home.”
The collection includes smaller-sized sofas, hundreds of accessories, low-profile beds with hidden storage compartments and console tables that can be stacked along a wall, then opened up to seat eight people for dinner. The company also has devoted a Web site (
http://www.wickesurban.com) to the collection.
Disa said the collection is designed to appeal to both younger consumers and empty nesters who have downsized from a suburban home to a condo or townhouse.
“The styles are fresh and exciting, cool and contemporary, functional and fashionable—satisfying our customers’ desire for urban chic furniture and accessories that accent the beauty of metropolitan living without sacrificing the comforts of home,” Disa said.