July 18,
2012 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on July 19, 2012
Networking group Next Generation-Now will host two events at Las Vegas Furniture Market, a Best Ideas Breakfast and a Chatter Over Cocktails reception.
Both are set for Tuesday, July 31. The new Best Idea Breakfast will be hosted 7:30-9 a.m. in the Retailer Resource Center, C-496. Next Generation-Now members are welcomed to grab a delicious waffle before sitting down at a designated table and discussing whats working, and not working, with their peers.
The Best Ideas Breakfast will be a great place to sit down with other peers in the industry and discuss the good, the bad and the ugly, said Next Generation-Now member, Alex Macias. The breakfast is a great, informal way to meet new people, share ideas and learn about the various opportunities within Next Generation-Now.
The semi-annual Las Vegas Chatter Over Cocktails reception will run 5-6 p.m. in the One-Six Club on the 16th Floor of Building B. This years event will feature Speed Networking as well as a special presentation by Kerry Lebensburger, president sales,
Ashley Furniture.
Every generation has its challenges, but never has it been more important for our industry to bring together its future leaders, Lebensburger said. It is within the power of our young people to create thriving family enterprises that will stand the test of time. As a member of the Young Executives class of 1972, I look forward to the energy and enthusiasm of today's best and brightest members as they learn, share, and interact within this fabulous organization.
Throughout Market, NGN members can take a break in The Social Spot within the Retailer Resource Center, C-496. Designated as NGNs home base during Markets, The Social Spot will let members tune out while plugging in to the latest in social media and technology.
Next Generation-Now is a hosted community of the
National Home Furnishings and
Western Home Furnishings associations. To sign-up for Next Generation-NOW, click
here.
July 18,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on July 19, 2012
The International Sleep Products Association will host a panel of retailers, manufacturers and recyclers at Las Vegas Furniture Market to discuss mattress recycling.
The educational session, titled, Mattress Retailers and Manufacturers Beware: Are You Prepared for 50 Different State Used Mattress Recycling Laws? is set for Tuesday, July 31, 3-4 p.m., in the World Forum on the 16th floor of World Market Center Las Vegas's Building B.
The panel will provide information about various bills that state legislatures across the country are considering to regulate the recycling of used mattresses. ISPA believes that these programs are inefficient and expensive, and that a national recycling program is the only cost-effective and efficient solution for mattress manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike. In addition, the panelists will share their views on existing mattress recycling efforts as well as their thoughts on how the proposed state programs will affect the industry.
Individual states are attempting to deal with the issue of mattress recycling on their own, said ISPA President Ryan Trainer. Unfortunately, the different solutions proposed so far will burden retailers, manufacturers, and most importantly, consumers with new obligations that will unnecessarily increase costs and could limit product choices and competition. The result could be a patchwork of 50 state laws that impose different and possibly conflicting mandates on retailers and manufacturers.
According to Trainer, ISPA continues to believe that the best approach to recycling used mattress materials efficiently is to create a national recycling program. This will eliminate state-by-state differences in rules, and encourage the economies of scale possible with a uniform national program, which will result in more efficient recycling and lower costs.
The panel of speakers, which represents manufacturers, retailers and recyclers from the mattress industry, includes: Doug Guffey, president of Sleep Inc.; Barrie Brown, owner of Sleep. You Deserve More; and Joe Paviglianti, principal and co-founder of Spare Our Landfills.
Product Management Alliance Executive Director Daniel J. Connelly will moderate the panel.
All industry members attending Market are encouraged to attend the panel discussion to learn more about this increasingly important issue which will directly affect the mattress industry.
July 18,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Business Strategy on July 19, 2012
from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303644004577520662407333958.html
Most people are keenly aware of the annoying ATM fees, late fees and over-limit fees that some banks impose. Yet few know about the credit-card "swipe fees," which are invisible to consumers and have been the bane of hundreds of thousands of merchants, including Mike and Suzanne Schumann, furniture-store owners in Minneapolis.
Suzanne and Mike Schumann say that credit-card swipe fees represent a big expense for their furniture-store business located in Minneapolis.Read Full Article...
July 18,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in on July 19, 2012
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z6853655528&z=1600249795
UNION CITY -- Fire officials believe a lightning strike might have been responsible for a four-alarm blaze at a one-story furniture company on 34th Street today. The fire at the Union City Mirror & Table Co., 129 34th St. between Park and Hudson avenues, was first reported at 4:50 p.m., at the heights of today's storm, Police Chief Brian Barrett said. The fire was located between the factory's roof and its drop ceiling, and kept building and moving laterally, Barrett said. Firefighters had to cut several holes in the roof to get at the blaze, which was finally brought
Read Full Article...
July 17,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Occassional Tables on July 18, 2012
from http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2012/07/officials_believe_lightning_st.html
Fire officials believe a lightning strike might have been responsible for a four-alarm blaze at a one-story furniture company on 34th Street today.
The fire at the Union City Mirror & Table Co., 129 34th St. between Park and Hudson avenues, was first reported at 4:50 p.m., at the heights of today's storm, Police Chief Brian Barrett said.
Read Full Article...