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April 16,
2012 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Business Strategy on April 17, 2012
Casual furniture supplier Oxford Garden has unveiled a redesigned Web site in time for the 2012 Spring selling season.
The company built the site with contract and wholesale customers in mind. The new site features a fresh look and more enhanced user interface, including the ability to customize pricing, check inventory and submit quotes.
We wanted to develop a website that would provide excellent interaction for our trade customers and dealers," said Randy Meek, president. "The new site personalizes the Oxford Garden experience for businesses and captures who Oxford Garden is today and where we are moving in the years ahead.
April 16,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on April 17, 2012
Stanley Furniture (NASDAQ-GS: STLY) is moving to High Point from its longtime home in Stanleytown, Va.
The case goods vendor will spend $4 million to consolidate its High Point Furniture Market showroom and corporate offices into a newly remodeled 60,000-square-foot space at 200 N. Hamilton St. in downtown High Point early next year, to be completed by High Point's Spring 2013 Market. The project will be partially funded by both the City of High Point and Guilford County, as well as the State of North Carolina. The investment also is a joint effort in partnership with International Market Centers, owners of the 200 North Hamilton building.
Stanley Furniture had said in March it was considering moving its corporate offices from Stanleytown, Va., to High Point.
Also in cooperation with IMC, Stanley announced the opening of its new showroom in the Las Vegas Design Center in Building A at World Market Center Las Vegas. The new space gives Stanley its first showroom serving western markets since its days at the old San Francisco Market and allows the brand to display its products beginning in January with the 2013 Las Vegas Winter Market.
"This is a formative moment for the Stanley brand as we have completed a tremendous amount of work at our company in just the last 24-36 months. Our operational strategies are firmly in place and our product lines are repositioned for the upscale consumer's desire for better goods as the economy continues to improve," said Stanley Furniture President and CEO Glenn Prillaman. "Our new High Point showroom location as well as our new space in the Las Vegas Design Center will remain open year-round and give the Stanley brand's almost 90-year heritage the opportunity to increase its influence in a niche in the marketplace that so many companies abandoned by trading down when they off-shored production in Asia.In addition, we have been very fortunate to attract a team of energetic professionals that bring a fresh perspective to the higher-end sector of our industry. These new showrooms present a stage for their talents where our customers can appreciate their work."
Stanley's new High Point location in the Hamilton/Wrenn Design District is two blocks north of its current showroom location in the Commerce wing of the International Home Furnishings Center building. The new location is directly across the street from Marge Carson and on the same block as other premium brands such as Hickory Chair, Baker, Vanguard, Pearson, John Richard and Theodore Alexander.
"We have tremendous respect for our new neighbors and trust that these companies will welcome a well-known, stable yet progressive company with a long history in our industry," said Prillaman. "Like our products, our new showroom will feature the attention to detail the premium retail store owner and the discerning interior designer expects, along with a few pleasant surprises they may not."
"The move to our new High Point location and the opening of a Las Vegas showroom were both heavily influenced by the vision of IMC's leadership. These decisions provide Stanley with the opportunity to expand our reach in a changing marketplace. For decades, the furniture industry has been too fragmented to appropriately market its brands to target customers. We believe the synergies that can exist between these two markets through our partnership with IMC introduce new opportunities for our company to grow."
"Our partnership with Stanley is an ideal example of a progressive brand that is taking advantage of the new synergy created by the recent IMC merger of Las Vegas and key High Point properties," said Bob Maricich, Chief Executive Officer of International Market Centers. "With the creation of IMC, we now have the ability to offer manufacturers an effective national and international platform to build their business."
A major benefit of exhibiting at World Market Center is Stanley Furniture's inclusion in the Las Vegas Design Center, a special collection of more than 42 showrooms that are open to interior designers and the public throughout the year. The company believes it has room to grow within the interior design category and is making a special effort to educate more design professionals about its array of premium offerings. By participating in the Las Vegas Design Center, Stanley will be able to showcase its top collections to designers that may be unfamiliar with the company's revitalized look.
April 16,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in economic news on April 17, 2012
An early Easter and warm weather helped retail sales grow 6.6 percent in March compared with the same month last year according to the National Retail Federation.
Furniture and home furnishings stores sales did even better, rising 1.1 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month; and 7.9 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
NRF excludes automobiles, gas stations and restaurants from U.S. Department of Commerce retail totals.
In addition to the 6.6 percent unadjusted year-over-year increase, retail sales were up 0.8 percent, seasonally adjusted, from February.
"Consumers have demonstrated the desire and ability to spend on discretionary items, further helping to spur economic and retail sales growth in the first quarter of 2012," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. "While retailers will wait until the end of April to gauge the success of the spring shopping season, its evident that consumers are holding their own against rising gas prices and other economic concerns."
March retail sales, released Monday by the U.S. Department of Commerce, showed total retail sales (which includes non-general merchandise categories such as automobiles, gasoline stations and restaurants) increased 0.8 percent adjusted month-to-month and 7.4 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
"Moderate retail sales growth in March will help to offset murkier recent economic employment data," NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. "We expect to see gains through the all-important summer months, but job and weak income growth coupled with stubbornly high gas costs will continue to force consumers to make tough, price-sensitive choices."
Other findings from the March retail sales numbers include:
* Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers' sales increased 3.0 seasonally-adjusted month-to-month and 12.4 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
* Clothing and clothing accessories stores sales increased 0.9 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month and 12.5 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
* Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores sales increased 0.5 percent seasonally-adjusted month-to-month and 8.9 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
April 16,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Internet on April 17, 2012
Home furnishings online retailer and interactive community Altogether Home has partnered with interior designer Marc Thee.
With more than 25 years of experience in high-end interior design, Thee is recognized as a leader and influencer in his field. As founder of Marc-Michaels Interior Design, he saw his company grow to receive more than 400 national and regional design awards, including Interior Design Magazine's 2011 ranking as the number one residential design firm in the United States in 2011. Throughout his career, Thee's work has emphasized his philosophy that a well designed room must be elegant, stylish and comfortable, capturing a distinctive quality that he refers to as "barefoot elegance."
Thee will lend his product selection expertise to Altogether Home, reviewing each item to reflect the creativity and comfort he uses in his residential design practice. In addition to its other offerings, Altogether Home will soon become the exclusive source for Marc Thee Home Collections, a diverse line of stylish residential furniture and bedding, designed and manufactured under the direct supervision of Thee, himself.
The partnership with Thee is part of Altogether Home's efforts to become a leading online destination for design inspiration and advice, and for the purchase of both affordable and luxury home furnishings.
April 16,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Case Goods on April 17, 2012
from http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3536268
An early Tuesday morning fire has halted production at the Durham Furniture plant for at least the rest of the week.
Plant officials assessed the situation Tuesday and told about 200 employees that production would be shuttered until some time next week. Office staff and shipping are to continue, said company president and CEO Gord Dilworth.
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