Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
July 8,
2007 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Las Vegas on July 2007
The Las Vegas Market announced Friday that the Sands Expo complex will house 700 temporary exhibitors when it opens on Tuesday, July 31, including 120 international companies from at least 15 countries.
“The diversity of exhibitors has been expanding since the market launched and is growing with popularity, especially among Latin American companies and those abroad,” said Tim Branscome, director of international business development for the World Market Center. “We are pleased to be able to infuse meaningful international content and community into our show for the benefit of buyers looking for something new.”
Among the international exhibitors are the COFOCE stand featuring a selection of companies from Mexico’s Guanajuato region, including suppliers of lighting, wooden furniture, accessories and iron furniture. Also from Mexico is the Canaco exhibit operated by the Chamber of Commerce from Tlaquepaque that includes glass, ironwork and leather products.
Japan’s exhibit, titled Fuchu Furniture Brands, includes three manufacturers of bedroom and living room products from companies based in Fuchu City.
There will be 11 exhibitors from Vietnam covering a range of products from furniture to decorative accessories. Italian design includes Eleganza, Ratan Wood, Adria, Sentesi, BBB emmebonacina and Sagsa in an exhibit that is located near French, Swedish, British and Austrian companies.
The Las Vegas Market, July 30 to August 3, includes exhibitors in buildings A and B of the World Market Center, the Pavilions and the Sands.
July 8,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on July 2007
Robert “Bobby” S. Finger, chairman and chief executive officer of Houston-based Finger Furniture, died Sunday after a battle with cancer. He was 62.
Finger was the retailer’s public face and took an active role in the company’s advertising campaign.
Born Feb. 24, 1945, in Houston, Finger attended Arizona State University where he played collegiate baseball. After college, he returned to Finger Furniture, and in 1990 he became the spokesperson for the retailer.
As one-time president of Finger’s Contract and Office Furniture division, Finger and his team won several awards including the Grand Prix award given by the Houston Advertising Club and an Abby award for outstanding audio/visual presentation in support of a sales promotion. In 1971, Finger won a Geyer’s award of merit for store promotions.
In addition to his business acumen, Finger took an involved in charitable works in the community. He was part of a team that started Season 2 Give with a Houston television station. The event works to make the holiday season brighter for underprivileged children in the Houston area.
Finger was a member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as a director, as well as a participant in the organization’s competitions. He participated in cutting horse competitions, and in 2001 won the Cutting Horse World Championship. Finger was recently inducted into the National Cutting Horse Association Members Hall of Fame.
Finger’s charitable contributions have benefited a variety of Houston area organizations, including museums, hospitals, and churches of all denominations, Goodwill Inds. and the United Fund, the Home for the Aged, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (he also served as chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon), local theaters and symphonies.
Preceded in death by his father, S.P. Finger, he is survived by his mother, Florence S. Finger; sister, Barbara O’Der; his son, Rodney S. Finger; his daughters, Annie and Sabrina Finger; daughter-in-law, Amy Finger; Granddaughter, Olivia Finger; and fiancée, Lisa Berger. Graveside Services will be held 3 p.m. today, Monday, July 9 at Beth Yeshurun Cemetery, 3600 Allen Parkway.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that contributions in Finger’s memory be made to Seven Acres Jewish Home for the Aged or to the charity of your choice.
July 6,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on July 2007
Denver-based Furniture Row, one of the nation’s largest furniture chains with 330 stores in 32 states, announced that it currently has new store complexes under construction in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Clarksville, Ind.
The complexes of four stores in each location will open in the fall. Each location will include Oak Express, Bedroom Expressions, Sofa Express and Denver Mattress Company stores.
“Unlike other furnishings retailers, our centers have four specialty stores at one destination,” said Bill McKendry, Furniture Row’s marketing director. “Each store focuses on a particular category, and each store is managed and staffed with people who are extremely knowledgeable about their specific lines.”
Earlier this year, Furniture Row announced it will add up to 20 four-store complexes this year. The retailer had been expanding at a pace of about eight to 10 store complex each year over the previous four years. According to its Web site, Furniture Row operates stores in five Indiana cities, and its only location in Tennessee is a Furniture Row Outlet in Chattanooga.
July 5,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Las Vegas on July 2007
Avenue Six, Van Nuys, Calif., the ready-to-assemble furniture vendor founded by former Studio RTA president Paul Reitzin, will show for the first time at Las Vegas Market, July 30-August 3.
The Van Nuys, Calif.-based company has a large space in the Pavilions on the World Market Center campus, 4,500 square feet in space P11802.
Avenue Six’s specialty is innovative RTA upholstery in a variety of contemporary and classic-inspired designs for the home, as well as selections suited for commercial use in office reception areas.
The company also shows in High Point, but felt it needed a presence at a trade show located in the West.
“As a West Coast headquartered company that believes in the importance of innovation and thinking outside the box, the Las Vegas Furniture Market makes perfect sense for us,” said Reitzin, president. “From market-to-market, Las Vegas has consistently delivered high growth numbers for buyers and exhibitors alike. And unlike other major furniture trade events, Las Vegas offers the convenience of easy, direct flights from most parts of the country along with a tremendous selection of hotels to choose.”
Avenue Six plans to take an 8,000-square-foot permanent space in WMC’s Building C, scheduled to open in summer of 2008.
In addition to Avenue Six, Reitzin is president of rezon8 living, a retailer with a Los Angeles showroom that plans to do the bulk of its business via its rezon8living.com Web site launched in June.
July 5,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on July 2007
Sales at Havertys stores dipped 3.2 percent to $69.4 million in June, compared to the same month last year, and same-store sales decreased 5.1 percent during the month.
For the first six months of the year, sales are down 10 percent to $378.2 million at the Atlanta-based retailer that operates 122 stores in 17 states.
“Our sales trends in June were stronger than those earlier in the quarter,” said President and CEO Clarence H. Smith. “However, as we cautioned last month, we still do not expect that the second-quarter results will be profitable.”
On a more positive note, he said the company has been able to decrease its inventory levels in line with the sales decline.