Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
July 30,
2007 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in on July 2007
Plans for the third building on the campus of the World Market Center in Las Vegas continue with several new company signing on for space in the planned 2.1-million-square-foot building set to open in time for next summer’s market.
Market officials said nearly all of the space in Building C has been spoken for through signed leases and commitments.
Companies who have agreed to come include Sligh Furniture, Huntington Furniture, Meubles Canadel Furniture, Inzane/Avenue Six, Mohawk and Pacific Coast Lighting. Lexington Home Brands announced Sunday its plan to join the market.
“The addition of Building C signifies a major milestone for World Market Center’s growing campus and will feature a significant roster of leading brands,” said Babs Blair, director of leasing. “With World Market Center quickly becoming the preferred market for U.S. and international buyers, the demand among manufacturers continues to escalate. We are pleased to have commitments and interest for the entire building.”
In addition to the new exhibitors, several companies, including AICO, Coaster and Standard, plan to expand their showroom space by moving into Building C.
Building C will include the Las Vegas Design Center on floors one through five; floors six, seven and eight will house home accessories and rug showrooms; floor nine will include holiday, seasonal and floral arrangements; floor 10 will feature lighting; and floors 11 through 16 will feature furniture showrooms.
Upon completion of Building C, the first three structures of World Market Center will showcase five million square feet of permanent showrooms. World Market Center will have invested over $1.1 billion in the campus by the time the third building opens.
July 29,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on July 2007
Klaussner Home Furnishings is going into the Las Vegas Market this week with a tale of converting four licensed Sofa Express and More! stores into Klaussnerhome stores by Labor Day.
The Asheboro, N.C.-based company has also partnered with television interior designer and home furnishings guru Genevieve Gorder to start a consumer branding initiative to support the new concept.
“Klaussner has explored several retail formats and partnerships in recent years,” said Jeff Davis, senior vice president of business development. “We now realize a need in the marketplace for a fresh, innovative, experience- based model for licensed retail development.”
The independently owned and operated Klaussnerhome stores will be converted from four spaces formerly occupied by Sofa Express and More! in four markets located in the Southeast. Klaussner owned Sofa Express and More! will retain its current retail format in all other markets.
“While Sofa Express and More! has recently served as Klaussner’s primary venue for showcasing its complete line of home furnishings, the Sofa Express and More! model relies on the strength of the store’s name to sell product,” Davis said. “The Klaussnerhome stores will allow Klaussner to showcase our products and brand front and center.”
A preeminent position for the brand in retail environments is a central focus of the new branding plan. “We believe that strong consumer-oriented branding and a strategic approach to retail development and dedicated distribution are essential for long-term growth and success,” Davis explained. “With the new stores, Klaussner is giving retailers the necessary tools to make their stores compelling places to shop and to give consumers a satisfying, exciting, purchasing experience.”
Stocked exclusively with the complete line of Klaussner’s products, the stores are designed to offer dealers a one-stop-shop for all of their home furnishings needs. “Focusing solely on the Klaussner brand will allow us to provide improved logistics, advertising and operations support tailored to fit the individual needs of each of our licensees,” Davis said. “This new retail model will vastly improve Klaussner’s ability to help our partners maintain high margins and sell-through rates.”
Klaussner will be offering less-than-truckload shipping programs for the stores, custom orders will be guaranteed in 30 days or less and a new simplified pricing system will offer an everyday best price.
Klaussner will provide licensees a guide outlining several distinct lifestyle treatments for store merchandising and work closely with each one to create a custom retail space that reflects the company’s commitment to providing its customers choice, selection and possibilities in design. The turn-key model will give retailers discretion over the final balance and assortment of Klaussner products featured in their stores.
The store layout will include a Design Solutions Center to provide shoppers an expanded selection of fabrics and leathers to choose from when customizing an upholstery. Stores will also feature strategically placed, lifestyle-specific kiosks showcasing 90 fabrics hand-selected by Gorder.
“Klaussner has earned its spot as a top-five furniture company in the country by building and maintaining strong retail partnerships,” Davis said. “With this new retail model, Klaussner is fully vested at the highest levels of the company in maximizing the profitability of the Klaussner brand for our partners.”
July 29,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on July 2007
Retailbuyers.com, a site where suppliers sell overstocks to home furnishings and gift retailers, has created a companion site called RetailerToRetailer that gives stores with overstocked merchandise another avenue to sell their products.
Based in Ontario, Canada, the Retailertoretailer.com site promises retailers the opportunity to purchase merchandise at or below wholesale cost directly from other store operators who wish to move out discontinued items or other excess merchandise. At both RetailerToRetailer and RetailerBuyers, registered users pay a $4.95 monthly fee to list unlimited product information and photography. The sites receive a small commission on orders shipped. Registration is open to any retailer of home furnishings, gifts and decorative accessories, rugs and other home décor products in North America.
The company, which was founded by a former furniture gift store owner, Deborah Lalande, is exhibiting at the Las Vegas Market in space S1163 of the Sands Expo Center.
July 29,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on July 2007
The High Point Market has enhanced its Web site with a re-design and features like guest columns and video clips from the weekly High Point Market Live program.
Market Authority President and CEO Brian Casey said it’s the first redesign of the site, highpointmarket.org, in four years. He said an emphasis of the Web site’s content is now on giving retailers and manufacturers tools to grow their businesses. “Our goal is to be on the forefront of design advances and serve the industry as a valuable information source,” he said.
According to an announcement, the Web site’s enhanced navigation will make it easier for visitors to register, book travel and map a High Point itinerary. “While time is running out, for those who act quickly, there are still some discounted hotel rooms to be had for Fall Market,” Casey said of the event that begins Oct. 1.
July 29,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on July 2007
Just as it was announcing a new retail licensing concept, Klaussner Home Furnishings is squashing talk through the industry that the company has been sold.
The privately held company remains just that, according to J.B. Davis, the company’s chief executive officer.
“Klaussner is not being sold and is not for sale,” Davis said. “The truth is that we have been approached by several groups interested in acquiring Klaussner. However, our owner, Hans Klaussner, and the management team have decided against a sale at this time, and we’re moving forward with some exciting strategies that we believe will only make us stronger.”
Those strategies include the company’s implementation of a new branding initiative to be introduced at High Point Market in October, as well as the plans to convert four Sofa Express and More! stores to Klaussnerhome stores, Davis said.
Klaussner has explored several retail formats and partnerships in recent years, but now sees the Klaussnerhome model as the road to follow, said Jeff Davis, senior vice president of business development.
Klaussner plans to open at least 100 licensed Klaussnerhome stores by the end of 2009.
In addition to the stores and the consumer branding initiative, the company is looking to transition its outsourced products to Klaussner owned and operated manufacturing and consolidation facilities in Asia.
“We will always do what is necessary to remain a thriving business,” J.B. Davis said, reemphasizing that a sale of the company is not imminent.
“Our owner is committed to the success of our business, and we’re all very excited about the future of Klaussner Home Furnishings,” he said. “Our goal is not only to try to grow and maintain jobs here in the local area, but to create new jobs throughout our company at all our locations—in California, Iowa and North Carolina. We believe that the steps we’ve taken recently, and the ones we plan to take in the months ahead will enable us to succeed at doing just that.”