Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
June 4,
2012 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Las Vegas on June 5, 2012
Palliser Furniture has signed a multi-year lease at World Market Center Las Vegas to exhibit at Las Vegas Furniture Market.
The Winnipeg-based upholster vendor had shown at the Winter 2012 Market, and is now committed to a permanent space, in B-770 of Building B in the Modern Trends area. Palliser looks to use the location to build upon business with its current retailer base and allow a focus on the western retailers in both the United States and Canada, including international retailers who attend the Las Vegas market.
We saw over 500 retailers during the past market in January," said Palliser President of Sales and Marketing Cary Benson. "Many had not shopped our line in the past five years."
Palliser makes custom upholstered and motion furniture with manufacturing facilities in Central Mexico and Canada, in fabric and leather including stationary, motion, recliners and home theater.
The depth and breadth of the Palliser line with its infinite ability to configure the combination of product and cover is a business model that fits perfectly with the small to medium-size retailer in western states. said Benson. We know that many of these retailers attend the Vegas market and this creates the opportunity for them to view the Palliser line and for us to showcase the product and all of its possibilities.
The Vegas market is an excellent complement to Pallisers show strategy according to Art DeFehr, CEO of Palliser.
As a North American producer of custom furniture we can now reach both our large and smaller retail partners through a strategy that reflects the geography and international character of the company," he said.
Palliser now displays in High Point and Vegas in addition to the Toronto plus a private annual Winnipeg show for its Canadian customers and a private show in Mexico.
Palliser is a leading North American furniture manufacturer with great designs, service and the ability to customize products for their customers," said Craig Staack, vice president of business development for WMCLV parent company, International Market Centers. "We are thrilled to begin a long term partnership that fuels their continued success at World Market Center.
June 4,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on June 5, 2012
Art Van Furniture has announced the winners of its 2012 Million-Dollar Charity Challenge Bonus Challenge.
First Place ($25,000): Horatio Williams Foundation, Detroit. The non-profit helps at-risk youth realize personal success and achievement while building self esteem.
Second Place ($15,000): Cass Community Social Services, Detroit. The organization provides food, employment, and health and housing services to the needy.
Third Place ($10,000): Seedlings Braille Books for Children, Livonia, Mich.: The group is dedicated to increasing the opportunity for literacy by providing high quality, low cost Braille books for children.
All 150 Art Van Million Dollar Charity Challenge recipients, which focus on children, health and human services programs, were qualified to win. The task was to encourage friends and supporters to vote for them on the Art Van Furniture website. The bonuses totaled $50,000.
"This is such an amazing honor," says Horatio Williams, founder of the eponymous winning charity. "We all work so hard with our individual organizations to make a difference in our respective communities. When a company as prestigious as Art Van steps up to show its support so strongly and so generously, it only strengthens our determination to do good work in bettering the lives of others."
The grant contest was introduced last year as part of the Art Van Million Dollar Charity Challenge as a way to help raise funds and awareness for each non-profit organization. For the past three years Art Van Furniture has donated $3 million among 150 prominent Michigan charities. The challenge has resulted in raising an $10 million dollars for the Art Van charities.
June 4,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on June 5, 2012
Tufts University has awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree to Ethan Allen Chairman, President and CEO Farooq Kathwari.
Kathwari was honored for combining corporate leadership with a dedication to public service and humanitarian efforts during Tufts' 156th commencement ceremony on May 20.
I am humbled to have received this honor from Tufts for the work I am so passionate about, Kathwari said.
Political upheaval separated your family following the partition of India in 1947," said Tufts President Anthony P. Monaco in awarding the degree. "From that searing personal experience, you have gone on to become an acclaimed entrepreneur and a respected humanitarian. After university in Kashmir, you came to the United States and entered business with little more than twelve wicker baskets, filled with handicrafts. Your drive and talent took you to the leadership of a dynamic international business, as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ethan Allen. At the same time, you have worked to mitigate the harsh impact of geopolitics on the lives of ordinary people, speaking tirelessly for those without a voice.
"You have served as chair of Refugees International, dedicated to advocacy for the displaced, and as a director of the International Rescue Committee, providing relief to those caught up in humanitarian crises around the world. You founded and still lead the Kashmir Study Group, to provide a thoughtful basis for reducing tensions in the still volatile region of your birth. For combining corporate leadership with dedication to the highest ideals of global citizenship, we take great pride in conferring upon you the degree of Doctor of Public Service, honoris causa.
June 4,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on June 5, 2012
Luxury home furnishings vendor Theodore Alexander, is partnering with the British estate Althorp for the Althorp Literary Festival.
The festival's ninth edition takes place June 15-17 on the grounds of the 500-year-old ancestral home of the Spencers, one of the most distinguished, aristocratic families in England.
Theodore Alexander is one of eight sponsors of this years event, and will present biographer Claire Tomalin as she discusses her highly anticipated biography, "Charles Dickens: A Life." In this, the bicentenary of his birth, Tomalin paints an unforgettable portrait of Charles Dickens. From his unpromising beginnings in a blacking factory to his burial in Westminster Abbey, she captures the life and complex character of this great genius.
Theodore Alexander is the exclusive manufacturer of the Althorp Living History collection of furniture and accents inspired by or reproduced from many of the important furnishings collected by the Spencer family throughout history.
Other sponsors include Christies as principal sponsor, Schroders Personal Banking, Brights of Nettlebed, Hillgate Travel, Holywell, Soundsmith and the Huffington Post UK.
The Festival embodies many of the rich traditions and immense heritage of Althorp and the Spencer family, said Theodore Alexanders CEO, Harvey Dondero, Lord Spencer has created an event that reflects this beautiful estate not only as an historical monument but showcasing it as the warm, inviting family home that it is, preserving its legacy of history, art, and culture in a decidedly modern fashion.
In addition to more than 25 authors, the Festival includes performances by numerous musical acts, seminars on the future of digital publishing and blogging, and opportunities for attendees to take brunch or champagne afternoon tea in the House.
Spencer, a noted author in his own right, founded the Althorp Literary Festival in 2003. At this years event, he will debut his newest book, "Impressions of Althorp: My Spencer Heritage," covering the 20 years since Spencer inherited Althorp, during which time the house celebrated its 500th birthday, and received the most complete restoration project in more than two centuries. More importantly, it tells the story of how he has learned to balance maintaining Althorp as a place of history, with its continuing role as a family home.
Althorp has been home to 19 consecutive generations of the Spencer family and the addition of a Festival of Literature is entirely in keeping with the history and heritage of the house. George John, Second Earl Spencer, built up a library that was one of the finest private collections of books in Europe. Although not simply a classical collection, it was extraordinarily rare and included Papal Letters of Indulgence from 1452, the first edition of the Mazarin Bible of 1455, the Mentz Psalter of 1457 and 57 original Caxton Bibles.
June 4,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in economic news on June 5, 2012
The Furniture Buying Index held steady at 74 for this month, halting the positive movement the index has shown in the last few months, according to America's Research Group.
"The Furniture Buying Index is stagnant at a reading of 74 as consumers are still concerned about plans for the summer," said Britt Beemer, chairman of ARG. "Many consumers have yet to finalize vacation plans for this summer since they are hesitant to commit to spending."
Beemer said consumers are still concerned about spending money and furniture is a low priority.
The Furniture Buying Index is compiled each month by America's Research Group from interviews with 5,000 to 8,000 U.S. consumers. In a typical month, 80 percent of the consumers interviewed can name a specific furniture item they intend to buy.
The Index's mark signifies what percent of the benchmark 80 percent actually have a particular item in mind.