Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
April 18,
2013 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on April 19, 2013
Belfort Furniture celebrated Earth Day year-round this year with expansion of its environment-friendly programs.
In the past year alone, Belfort Furniture, Dulles, Va., has donated another 33,000 trees, one for every furniture delivery to the Virginia Department of Forestry.
Belfort cares deeply about the community and has a tremendous track record in this regard," said VDOF Senior Area Forester Terry Lasher. "The Virginia Department of Forestry gets the donated seedlings into the hands of schools and other groups so that they can be planted each spring. The trees absorb carbon dioxide; prevent pollutants from fouling our waterways; provide shade in the summer; are esthetically pleasing year round, and provide more than 5,000 forest products we use every day. It's a terrific partnership."
Belfort Furniture expanded its green initiative this year by replacing halogen bulbs in its showrooms with LED bulbs iPar 38 and iPar 30. The LED bulbs are 80 percent of the light energy cost compared with halogen bulbs. They assure a 50,000 minimum hour bulb life, more than 20 times the life of standard halogen bulbs. These bulbs can significantly reduce the energy load required for lighting and make a large difference during the summer cooling season during peak demand. These particular bulbs are also the among the closest to true natural light, providing a more pleasing and natural quality than most LEDs or other energy efficient blubs found in a typical retail stores.
Belfort recycled the still working 1300 halogen bulbs by donating them to the Virginia Habitat for Humanity Restore in Purcellville, Va.
Belfort Furniture has been exceptionally generous to the Loudoun Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Purcellville," said Assistant ReStore Manager Bill Hack. "The sale of Belfort donations has helped Habitat raise money to support our mission of building affordable housing in Loudoun County. Our partnership with Belfort Furniture is helping families in Loudoun County fulfill their dream of living in their own home."
Finally Belfort continues to lead the way in recycling of cardboard and paper products. In the past year the retailer has contributed more than 300 tons to Virginia recycling programs. This waste cardboard can be used to make new products, reducing the need to cut fresh trees and reducing waste that would have been placed in landfills.
Earth Day is a wonderful opportunity for us to give back to our community and our environment," said Belfort President and CEO Mike Huber. "It's part of our belief that together, we can support healthy forests, healthy communities and responsible industry.
April 18,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on April 19, 2013
Neill Robinson has joined high-end furniture vendor Theodore Alexander as vice president of sales for North America, a new position.
Robinson began his career in high-end retail before moving to the wholesale side, where he represented Universal Furniture and Craftmaster in New England for the past 10 years.
In his new position, Robinson is responsible for increasing Theodore Alexanders top-line revenue and managing the sales organization, among other duties. Theodore Alexander U.S. sales representatives, along with Tom Burke, vice president of upholstery sales, report to Robinson. Burke continues his current responsibilities and will focus on developing the key dealer network for Theodore Alexander upholstery.
Robinson reports to Russell Towner, president of Theodore Alexander.
We recognize there are opportunities to grow our market share in North America, which is why weve appointed Neill to this newly created position, Towner said. I am confident Neills experience and skills will allow him to build upon the groundwork weve established by ensuring that the high end consumer has access to all of the product styles and categories under the Theodore Alexander umbrella.
Im thrilled to be joining the Theodore Alexander team, Robinson said. And I look forward to meeting and working with the Theodore Alexander retailers at the High Point Market.
April 18,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on April 19, 2013
The North American Home Furnishings Association will hold its first official board meeting and schedule events at the June 1-4 Home Furnishings Industry Conference.
In addition to the board meeting, NAHFA has scheduled events and celebrations each day of the New Orleans industry gathering to share the journey that led to the merger and to discuss and unveil the purpose and future direction of the organization.
Preceding the conference on June 1, NAHFA will hold its first board meeting where directors and members will work together to build on a foundation that creates a member-centric future.
We have developed collaborative teams, with the direct input of our retailers, to focus on the core needs our members say are critical to their business and success, said Sharron Bradley, executive director. These teams will ensure that our direction remains relevant and impactful to those we serve.
The collaborative teams and their responsibilities include:
¢ Regional strategy: The creation of opportunities to gather and meet in a variety of ways on a local basis.
¢ Member relations: Mentoring, customized materials and resources specific to member needs.
¢ Technology: Information and resources on all things digital, new data collection, education to help members adopt today's technology and information on what's next.
¢ Consumer relations: Voluntary code of ethics, national branding, creating the ideal customer experience in stores for today and the future.
¢ Next Generation Now: Building our industry's future by engaging our youth in the home furnishings industry and attracting more young people to join. Prove to young people that our industry is cool, exciting and fun.
¢ Advocacy: Provide a single industry voice across the nation and in each state on industry issues and work in coalitions to impact the policies that affect each and every business. Making advocacy interesting.
¢ Industry relations: Working more collaboratively with vendors and other industry groups to reduce fragmentation.
After the board meeting concludes, the HFIC gets underway with more information and celebrations for the attendees. A town hall with key members of the board will provide the opportunity to discuss the industry as a whole and how at every level, improvements can be achieved. A new video featuring members and leaders will be unveiled and the final night Masquerade Ball will feature several suspenseful surprises.
We are very excited about the new business model the NAHFA is developing, said Howard Haimsohn, president of Lawrance Contemporary Furniture, San Diego, and NAHFA executive chairman. "I cant imagine not being invested in something that will have such an impact on the future of the industry. I encourage all retailers to become involved and join us in this process and at the HFIC."
April 18,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in licensing on April 19, 2013
Dixie Seating Co. will add American-made furniture to the Woolrich Home line of home furnishings.
Woolrich Home is a licensed line from outdoor apparel brand Woolrich.
Dixie will debut the new Woolrich Blanket Furniture Collection this week in its High Point Furniture Market showroom, Market Square Suites, space 435.
For this new collection Woolrich took the best raw wool, wove it into quality material and placed it on handcrafted solid ash frames, all made by American workers. The collection includes classic rockers for both adults and children, ottomans, side tables, bed bench, bar and counter stools, and dining arm and side chairs made from solid ash with a warm walnut finish. The rocking chairs have the signature Woolrich logo burnished into the backside of the top rail and all seating is covered in either the popular Woolrich Hunt Plaid wool blend or the Oxford Allegheny Stripe all-wool fabric woven in the Woolrich woolen mill in Pennsylvania.
We are pleased to add Dixie Seating Company to our family of Woolrich Home licensed collections, said Sharon Kepley, licensing manager of home furnishings for Woolrich. Dixie Seating is well known for their high-quality craftsmanship and simple classic designs. Like Woolrich, Dixie Seating is an American icon, handcrafted for comfort and durability. Our two companies, with over 285 years of American heritage from the Alleghany and Blue Ridge Mountains, have combined their traditions of manufacturing excellence to create these timeless designs.
"The Woolrich Home Blanket Furniture Collection will be our first upholstered group of furnishings, said Dirk Baker, president of Dixie Seating Co. We are proud to partner with a company like Woolrich that carries such a time-honored legacy and has the same standard of high-quality."
April 18,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on April 19, 2013
The American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation has published 12 new oral histories of furniture industry leaders.
The new histories include Nathan S. Ancell, E. L. Briggs, Stella and Darrell Harris, Mary McKenzie Henkel, John R. Gerken Jr., Leo August Jiranek, William P. Kemp Sr., Bernard B. Lane, Hyman Meyers, Stephen Henry Millender, Patrick H. Norton and Stephen Knight Pond. The hard cover books include family and company photos.
The extensive, professionally conducted oral interviews provide insight into each subject's life, the times, the industry and their companies as a historical reference for research and future generations.
Thirty-nine of the 48-book set have now been published. Those released previously include: John C. Bernhardt, Alvin E. Bland, Rose G. Blumkin, Douglas Brackett, Paul H. Broyhill, David J. Brunn, Bob Bush Sr., Dan Hutcheson Edmonson, Bert Roy Fenn, O. William Fen,; Charles O. Gordon, Rawson Haverty Sr., W.G. Holliman Jr., Clyde Hooker Jr., Don A. Hunziker, J. Wade Kincaid, Steven M. Kincaid, Joanna C. Maitland, Joseph E. Richardson II, Lawrence K. Schnadig, Irving B. Sherman, Edwin J. Shoemaker, Harley F. Shuford Jr., Charles R. Sligh Jr., John B. Vaughan, Howard O. Walker and Elliott S. Wood.
Theres an old saying that if you dont know the past, youll be condemned to repeat it. We are taking the leading role in ensuring that this industry knows its past, said George Cartledge, Foundation Board president. Were founded on entrepreneurial titans who invested their and capital to make this industry what it is today. Their words document how we got to where we are now and provide insight into the future.
In 2008, the Hall of Fame Foundation received a grant from the Furniture Foundation to digitize the transcripts and tapes of 33 previously recorded oral interviews that were in danger of being lost. These interviews, along with eight additional new oral histories, are available for purchase through the Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library or online. Individual copies cost $25 each or an advance order can be placed for a complete set for $1,200, plus the cost of shipping and handling.
Other oral histories in the publishing process include Donald A. Belgrad, Joe Carroll, Joseph Gerard, Kevin M. OConnor, Gordon Segal, Robert H. Spilman, Art Van Elslander, Ronald G. Wanek, and Gerald and John Wolf.
The Foundation continues to grow its oral history program and is accepting recommendations for other industry leaders whose stories need to be captured. To send suggestions or receive more information, please e-mail.