Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
November 7,
2007 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in on November 2007
Traffic at major U.S.retail container ports dropped below last year’s levels for the second month in a row in September, and is expected to continue either flat or below last year’s levels for the remainder of the peak shipping season, according to the monthly Port Tracker report from National Retail Federation and Global Insight.
“Container traffic is expected to continue at a slow pace due to weakness in the U.S. economy,” Global Insight Economist Paul Bingham said. “Volumes will continue to decline, but all ports are rated low for congestion, as are truck and rail operations.”
“The low volumes at the ports reflect retailers’ cautious expectations for sales during the holiday season,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “These numbers show that retailers are carefully managing their inventories so that supply won’t exceed demand.”
Ports surveyed handled 1.46 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of container traffic in September, the most recent month for which actual numbers are available. That’s down about 6,000 containers, or 0.4 percent, from August, and 1.9 percent from September 2006. (August 2007 was down 1.4 percent from August 2006.)
October, traditionally the peak month of the year as retailers rush to stock shelves for the important holiday season, was estimated at about 3,300 containers short of the record high of 1.51 million TEUs set in October 2006, or a year-to-year decline of 0.2 percent. November is forecast essentially flat at 1.41 million TEUs, about 200 containers short of November 2006. December will see a year-to-year gain of 6.4 percent at 1.39 million TEUs, and January will be up 5.9 percent year-to-year at 1.37 million TEUs. But February will be down 1.3 percent year-to-year at 1.29 million TEUs.
All U.S. ports covered by Port Tracker--Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Tacoma and Seattle on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston and Savannah on the East Coast; and Houston on the Gulf Coast--are all currently rated “low” for congestion, the same as last month.
November 7,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on November 2007
El Dorado Furniture will commemorate its 40th year in business with “40 Years, 40 Families.”
Through the program, Miami Gardens, Fla.-based El Dorado has awarded new furniture to 40 needy families in South Florida.
The retailer will honor the winning families and program partners at a 40th anniversary appreciation ceremony Wednesday, 6:30-9:30 p.m., at El Dorado’s Palmetto Boulevard store in Miami.
November 6,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on November 2007
Furniture Brands International, St. Louis, announced Tuesday that it will close the four company-owned Broyhill stores and the four company-owned Lane stores in the St. Louis metropolitan area. This will include the closing of the Broyhill and Lane stores in O’Fallon, Manchester, and Brentwood, Missouri, as well as O’Fallon, Ill.
“As part of our recently-announced strategic plan, Furniture Brands will realign its retail distribution system,” said Ralph P. Scozzafava, FBI vice-chairman and CEO esignate of Furniture Brands. “Thomasville and Drexel Heritage will focus on expansion of their network of company-owned and dealer-owned single branded stores. Broyhill and Lane, on the other hand, will focus distribution in traditional furniture retailers and mass merchants. The store closings announced today are in furtherance of that strategy.”
The Thomasville and Drexel Heritage store presence in St. Louis will continue as before, and consumers will still be able to find Broyhill and Lane products at local independent furniture dealers.
“All pending orders from the eight stores being closed will be honored and will be serviced from those stores or, after they have been closed, from local retailers or from the Broyhill and Lane central offices,” Scozzafava said. “Our consumers should experience no interruption or delay in service.”
The store closing process, which will eliminate 83 jobs, will begin immediately and is expected to conclude by year end. The company will provide severance and retention benefits for those employees who remain until discharged.
November 6,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on November 2007
The High Point Market Authority has secured sub-blocks of hotel rooms at discounted rates for Spring 2008 High Point Market. In addition, airline and rental car discount codes have been finalized for Spring Market which will be held April 7-13.
Thirty-six hotels in the Piedmont Triad region, all with easy access to the High Point Market, are participating in the hotel program for Spring Market. Market attendees can book the rooms, many at substantial savings, at
www.highpointmarket.org/hotelsSome restrictions and minimum-night stays apply, and discounted rates will be available until Jan. 31, or until sold-out.
“Many of the hotels taking part in the program are located in Greensboro and Winston-Salem,” said Tammy Covington Nagem, vice president of operations. “Both cities are great options for accommodations when visiting the High Point Market. For one thing, our free, comprehensive transportation system serves all of these properties and you’ll save considerably on parking and rental car fees. For another, there are plenty of dining options at area restaurants which tend to be less crowded in the adjoining Cities.”
Airline and rental car discount codes are also confirmed for High Point Market. In addition to the Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), there are discounts for travel through Charlotte, N.C. (CLT), and Raleigh/Durham, N.C. (RDU), each about 90 miles of High Point. Free airport shuttle service to downtown High Point is available from all three airports (reservations required for Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham).
Current Airline discounts codes and phone numbers for the High Point Market are:
• American, A6948AN, 800.433.1790.
• Northwest, NMDBH, 800.328.1111.
• AirTran (Raleigh and Charlotte only), RDUCT040708, 866.683.8368.
• Continental, A1GG2J-ZCWK, 800.468.7022.
Current rental car discount codes and phone numbers for the High Point Market are:
• Avis, AWD#J626373 (Raleigh and Charlotte only), 800.331.1600.
• Enterprise, 53M4080, 800.736.8222
• Budget, BCD#U065427 (Raleigh and Charlotte only), 800.772.3773.
• Dollar, CD#CC0048, 800.800.4000.
• Thrifty, CD#004C003747, 800.847.4389.
“We continue to look for new opportunities to make accommodations and travel to the High Point Market convenient and affordable,” said Brian D. Casey, president and chief executive officer of the High Point Market Authority. “The special Market-only discounts provided by hotels, airlines, and rental car companies allow us to extend the savings to Market attendees for seamless and budget-wise travel to High Point.”
Casey said market-goers can visit the Market Authority Web site,
www.highpointmarket.org for discounts, or call 800.874.6492 or 336.869.1000 for assistance.
November 6,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on November 2007
Capel’s newest rug gallery will celebrate its grand opening Thursday at Mohn Custom Interiors in Springfield, Ill. The gallery officially opened for business Oct. 15.
Located at 2201 West White Oaks Dr., Mohn Custom Interiors features more than 6,500 square feet of showroom space. It is one of a dozen new sites opening throughout the Midwest and Northeast United States as part of the Capel gallery expansion program, initiated in September by Bud Young, vice president of marketing for Capel, Troy, N.C. The Capel gallery hosts the largest customizable selection of area rugs in the region, said Louis Mohn, owner and co-founder of the retailer, which has been in business since 1968.
“Area rugs are the most important element of putting together a room, and we are delighted to be able to offer Capel’s top-quality product,” said Mohn. “Nothing in Central Illinois even compares to the selection at Mohn Interiors. Our clients are in for a pleasant surprise.”
Young said that Capel galleries have a proven record of increasing traffic, expanding the customer base and generating significant profit increases for retailers.
“We include a complete promotional package with our galleries--displays, graphics, signage, television, newspaper, direct mail and e-mail advertising,” said Young. “Capel provides these services so retailers have more time to focus on their business and their customers.”