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September 19,
2006 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on September 2006
Multi-channel contemporary retailer Design Within Reach has promoted Karen John to the newly created position of vice president of design and merchandising.
John’s expanded responsibilities include all design and merchandising activities for the retailer. She is responsible for the company’s overall product strtaegies, developing new products and managing partner relations with designers and manufacturers.
John, who has served as a consultant to the company since 2003 and as director of product development since 2005, will continue to report to Ray Brunner, the retailer’s president and chief executive officer.
“The energy and knowledge Karen brings to her new position will benefit our customers, our buying team and all of our stakeholders,” Brunner said. “With Masters degrees in industrial design, manufacturing engineering and business administration, Karen has proven to be a well-respected and outstanding innovator and leader.”
John is assuming merchandise responsibilities from Michelle Carrara, who served as the retailer’s vice president of merchandising from February 2006 until earlier this month.
“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to work closely with our product and sales teams to uncover new and relevant design solutions that will further advance DWR’s design leadership,” John said.
John began consulting with Design Within Reach in 2003 to help define the vision, strategy and process for the company’s product development efforts and was named director of product development in 2005.
September 19,
2006 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on September 2006
Michael Cohen has joined Douglas Furniture as vice president of sales in the west, succeeding Tom Gates in the position.
Gates has been named vice president of merchandising for the company.
Prior to joining Douglas, Cohen handled national accounts for Guildcraft Furniture. In his new position, he will manage a 20-person sales team and deal with the company’s major accounts.
Gates has been with Douglas 17 years. Rick Parker, chief executive officer, said Gates will be a valuable asset in merchandising the company’s line.
In addition, Kevin Smith has been named chief operating officer. Prior to joining Douglas, he was with Sagus International where he was president of the ArtcoBell division.
September 19,
2006 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Retail Technology on September 2006
Intuit Inc. acquired StepUp Commerce Inc., a local shopping services company that helps retailers use the Internet to display their in-store products, last week for $60 million in cash.
StepUp’s technology platform will power Intuit’s new QuickBooks Product Listing Service, which is designed to help local retailers attract buyers to their stores by making their product information and images available online through established Web entities such as Google.
“The purchase of StepUp helps QuickBooks solve one of the biggest challenges for product-based businesses--customer acquisition,” said Brad Smith, senior vice president of Intuit’s Small Business Division. “With StepUp’s services, QuickBooks users will be able to significantly expand their reach by quickly and easily making their products searchable on the Web.”
StepUp will deliver its services under the QuickBooks brand and continue to be based in San Francisco. Kendall Fargo, who founded StepUp in February 2004, now is a general manager at Intuit, reporting to Smith.
“This acquisition allows StepUp to leverage Intuit’s unmatched knowledge and experience with small businesses,” Fargo said. “By joining forces, we can greatly enhance our local product marketing services for our customers and partners.”
Intuit Inc., a leading provider of business and financial management solutions for small and mid-sized businesses, consumers and accounting professionals, had 2006 revenue of $2.3 billion and employees almost 7,500.
September 19,
2006 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Leather Upholstery on September 2006
Klaussner Furniture Inds. announced Tuesday a reorganization to consolidate product and production to optimize factories and give employees more working hours.
The reorganization, scheduled to start this month and wrap up in January, involves an unspecified number of layoffs, but KFI says new jobs will be created, for which current employees would get first consideration.
Klaussner will consolidate its leather and textile product lines in a plant located in its Asheboro, N.C., showroom/office/production complex. Also consolidating in locations at that Lewallen Road complex are the Distinctions textile, leather and wood product lines; and KFI’s recliner line, currently produced at a plant elsewhere in Asheboro.
KFI will move its swatch production operation, currently in Iowa, to its automated fabric cutting facility near Asheboro.
September 18,
2006 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on September 2006
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams has opened a factory outlet at the Hickory Furniture Mart.
The 16,000-square-foot store opened last week
“We are excited to present to consumers an exceptional factory outlet shopping experience,” said George Ackerman, company president “This new space has a prominent location within the Mart and is a great representation of our brand.”
The outlet store will stock an array of ever-changing merchandise as well as one -of-a-kind pieces and exudes the look and feel consistent with the company’s freestanding Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams stores throughout the country.
Product sold at the outlet will be market samples, factory overruns and discontinued pieces.
The store is the only retailer in the Hickory Furniture Mart with its own exterior storefront entrance. The company name and logo is on the outside of the building.
The company will hold a grand opening event Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.