Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
May 20,
2007 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on May 2007
Retailer Leath Furniture, Atlanta, announced Monday that it will close all 18 of its remaining locations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Chief Financial Officer Barbara Snow said in a release that “the difficulties in the furniture industry have caught up with Leath Furniture, forcing us to close our stores. We want to thank all of our loyal customers for their support and patronage and our employees for their years of dedicated service.”
Planned Furniture Promotions Inc. will manage going out of business sales at all 18 locations. Those sales start May 24.
Leaths’ major vendors include Broyhill, Berkline, Kincaid, Klaussner, Lane, Tempur-Pedic, Sealy and Simmons.
May 20,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on May 2007
Denise L. Ramos has resigned from her position as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Furniture Brands International.
She is leaving to take the post of chief financial officer at ITT Corp.
“Denise has made many contributions to Furniture Brands at an important point in the company’s history,” said Mickey Holliman, chairman and chief executive officer of FBI, in an announcement Monday. “A hallmark of her leadership is the tremendous financial team she has developed, and I am confident they will carry her responsibilities in this transition period. All of us at Furniture Brands wish her well in her new role.”
FBI, based in St. Louis, will begin a search for Ramos’ replacement among both internal and external candidates. Ramos had served at FBI since February 2005.
May 20,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on May 2007
Adding to the 350 stores Dever-based Furniture Row operates in 31 states, the retailer has opened a store complex in Spokane, Wash. It already operates three stores in the state, including a Furniture Row Outlet in Spokane.
The new Furniture Row complex at 13410 E. Indiana Ave. includes separate Oak Express, Bedroom Expression, Sofa Mart and Denver Mattress Company stores.
“The center will bring a unique shopping experience to the area,” said Bill McKendry, marketing director, Furniture Row. “Unlike other furnishings retailers, our centers have four specialty stores at one destination. Each store focuses on a particular category, and each store is managed and staffed with people who are extremely knowledgeable about their specific lines.”
He said Furniture Row offers a 200 percent price pledge guarantee. Customers who find an identical item advertised for less within 30 days of their purchase will receive a refund of 200 percent of the difference in price.
May 20,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on May 2007
Case goods importer Legacy Classic Furniture’s new distribution center and corporate office has opened in High Point. The new facility is situated in Premier Center, located near the intersection of Premier Drive and NC 68.
The new warehouse is a 347,000-square-foot high-cube facility that will serve Legacy Classic customers nationwide. A two-story office of 40,000 square feet houses the Legacy Classic corporate staff, as well as the new Samson Marketing office. The facility offers growth potential with an ability to expand the building to 500,000 square feet
Lee Boone, president of Legacy Classic Furniture, said, “Legacy’s new High Point-based facility gives us the space we need to dramatically enhance local product availability and service to our customers. Having the right inventory flow while minimizing inventory risks are key elements to the success and profitability of our dealers. Our new domestic distribution facility, together with our mixing warehouse in Asia, gives Legacy Classic the single best service model in the import business.”
Legacy Classic Furniture was previously located in Whitsett, N.C., since 1999. That facility was 200,000 square feet.
Legacy Classic is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Samson Holding Ltd. which also owns Lacquer Craft Mfg. Ltd .(the manufacturing arm of the corporation) and Universal Furniture Industries.
Legacy Classic sells to major retailers across North America on a direct container basis from its affiliated Lacquer Craft facility near Shanghai, China. This new High Point, N.C. facility will enable the company to expand its business to additional retailers with their regular Legacy Classic line, as well as with the Legacy Classic Kids youth line which was introduced April 2004.
May 20,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on May 2007
At the High Point Market Authority’s board of directors meeting last week, City Furniture President Keith Koenig said the furniture industry’s annual City of Hope Spirit of Life dinner will get a major boost by relocating the event to an outdoor venue in the heart of High Point.
The October 3 dinner again features an “American Idol” theme with several performers from the furniture industry competing, including a band headed by DeCoro President & CEO Luca Ricci on guitar.
“It’s great fun to see our peers perform, and by bringing it downtown, we hope to have very high attendance,” said Koenig, who added that past fundraisers have drawn crowds of 700 to 800 people to the Four Seasons Hotel in Greensboro. “This will attract a lot of attention with the great acts who will be performing,” he said. “We hope to pack the house and raise a lot of money” in October.
The event, which has raised millions of dollars for City of Hope, will be held in the entertainment tent that’s erected each market between the International Home Furnishings Center and Showplace. Koenig said organizers are still working to line up performers who in the past have included a number of senior executives. Interested performers should contact Michael Sandler, msandler@coh.org or call 800-272-2310.
Over four decades, the City of Hope’s National Home Furnishings Industry Chapter has raised more than $36 million for the Duarte, Calif., facility a leading research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases.