Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
March 20,
2012 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on March 21, 2012
High Point University President Nido Qubein will present the message "From Success to Significance" at the 18th Annual Furniture Fellowship Prayer Breakfast.
The breakfast will be held at 7 a.m., Friday, April 20, in the
International Home Furnishings Center Ballroom on the 11th floor.
Since becoming High Point University's seventh president in 2005, award winning communicator and entrepreneur Nido Qubein has led the college through what many regard as a renaissance story in higher education. During the most disruptive economic period in recent history, the college has doubled its faculty, tripled its enrollment and quadrupled its annual budget while adding more than 30 new buildings.
Ranked by U.S. News and World Report at number 3 among top regional colleges of the South, High Point University offers the world's only Home Furnishings Marketing and Design Major. In order to make the kind of impact Qubein has made and teaches his students to make, "One must travel the journey from success to significance to become the person God created you to be," Qubein said. "That means nurturing your spiritual being so you can truly experience significance in your relationships, community and profession."
Leading in music and worship at the breakfast will be Cindy Johnson, a young contemporary Christian vocalist, songwriter and guitarist and principal of Stage 2 Ministries. Cindy has recorded four full length albums, performed on stage with internationally known artists and has traveled overseas with Compassion International, an organization that works to release children from poverty.
Industry professionals will present the opening and closing prayers and New Testament and Old Testament Scripture readings as well.
Cost of admission for the breakfast is $25 for an individual, which includes breakfast. A table for 10 people costs $250; and a half-table $125. In addition to covering expenses, these funds are directed towards charities and an annual High Point University scholarship.
For reservations, contact Teresa Huffman of Culp Inc.
here or at 336.888.6281 by April 16. Visit
here for online reservations and payment.
The Furniture Fellowship prayer breakfast has been held since 1994 at the opening of the spring
High Point Furniture Market. Sponsored by the Furniture Fellowship board, the breakfast is modeled after the National Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., and is intended to provide an atmosphere for fellowship, worship and prayer and an opportunity to pause collectively as an industry at the beginning of the High Point Market to thank and honor God.
March 20,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Lighting on March 21, 2012
ELK Group International, which includes 11 home furnishings brands, will relocate to a larger showroom for the July 30-August 3 Las Vegas Furniture Market.
The Nesquehoning, Pa.-based company, which recently announced a partnership with HGTV, is moving from 1,336- and 2,926-square-foot showrooms in Building A to a 10,176-square-foot showroom located in Building A, Suite 416. The need for expansion results from ELK's aggressive expansion during the last two years, a significant portion through acquisitions and a start-up. The company now owns DIMOND, Sterling Industries, Bailey Street as well as several other lighting entities. Its product line encompasses lighting (fixture and portable), mirrors, home décor and accent furniture.
ELK Group International Vice President Sales and Marketing John Haste said, "The expansion in Las Vegas provides a much needed western footprint to showcase our offering of over 5,000 products to current and potential customers."
"The expansion of ELK Group International during the last two years is indicative of the rebound being seen throughout the home furnishings industry," said Robert Maricich, president and chief executive officer of International Market Centers, parent company of World Market Center Las Vegas. "We couldn't be happier that they will be expanding their footprint at Las Vegas Market, and offering buyers access to their complete product line."
March 20,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Internet on March 21, 2012
The
Western Home Furnishings Association and
MicroD, have partnered to create a webinar series to educate home furnishings retailers on search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM).
"We are working hard to make continuing education easier by bringing much needed content right to the retailer's inbox. And working with a knowledgeable partner like MicroD, Inc. allows us to deliver quality affordable education without cutting into busy schedules," said Sharron Bradley, WHFA executive director.
The three-part series will be broken up into 30-minute segments of information. A Q&A session will be available after each presentation to help attendees understand how this new marketing opportunity can work for their individual operations.
"Our goal in developing online learning was to engage the largest retail audience possible and help ease the challenges they face day to day," said Mona Nigam, MicroD executive vice president. "One of those challenges for retailers is finding the time to attend quality education programs. As important as live meetings are, the reality in this economy, is that it is not always possible to travel to meetings. This series, in partnership with WHFA, just adds another layer of benefits for association members without asking them to leave the store. We are proud to be invested in this project."
The three part series includes:
Part 1 - SEM and SEO: Defined
March 29, 6-6:30 p.m. Eastern time
This 30-minute training session is geared toward the furniture retailer and will focus on driving traffic to a physical storefront location. The first sessions will provide attendees with an overview of the principles of SEM and SEO and demonstrate their application to all businesses represented online.
Part 2 - SEM and SEO: Optimization Techniques, Local Listings, and Page Rank
April 3, 6-6:30 p.m. Eastern time
This 30-minute training session is geared toward the furniture retailer and will focus on driving traffic to a physical storefront location. The second session focuses on using a variety of SEM and SEO techniques. This webinar will show attendees how to leverage keywords, utilize local search engine listings, such as Google Places and Yahoo Local, and demystify the concept of page rank.
Part 3 - SEM and SEO: Link Strategies and Checklist
April 10, 6-6:30 p.m. Eastern time
This 30-minute training session is geared toward the furniture retailer and will focus on driving traffic to a physical storefront location. This third session will teach attendees the power of linking and help understanding of the strategies involved in creating meaningful Web site "buzz". In addition to link strategies, the session will introduce a 12-point SEO checklist to aid in directing store traffic.
This webinar series is open to all home furnishings retailers. Only WHFA members will be able to watch webcasts of the presentation at a later date.
Register for the March 29th webinar online or call (800) 422-3778.
March 20,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on March 21, 2012
Area rug and home accent supplier
Surya is moving to a new showroom in Showplace for next month's
High Point Market.The company's new 26,056-square-foot showroom will be on the fourth level of Showplace, space 4100. The move represents a major expansion for the company, which had been showing in a 5,176-square-foot space on the third floor of the building.
"We are very excited about this new location," said Satya Tiwari, Surya president. "A bigger showroom affords us the chance to inspire our retailers with all our latest designs and also spotlight the most important trend and color stories that are shaping the industry."
Through its showroom displays, Surya will provide retailers with an overview of what is happening in the home furnishings world today, Tiwari said.
"And we'll share lots of creative concepts for how they can create excitement in their own stores and maximize profits through the use of stylish rugs and accents," he said.
In addition to product and display ideas, Surya also will use its showroom to conduct Surya University training sessions with retailers during market. The sessions are designed to provide retail salespeople with an understanding of the company's line along with tips about how to successfully sell rugs and other accessories to consumers.
"We are not just a product company," Tiwari said. "We are a home décor marketing solutions and technology company. A big part of our mission is providing our retail partners with solutions that will help them grow their business."
During market, Surya will introduce a number of new products in all of its key categories-rugs, wall art, pillows, poufs and throws. The introductions will cover a range of design themes, Tiwari said.
"In rugs and accents, we'll show fresh lattice patterns and hot colors such as tangerine, turquoise and updated grays and browns," he said. "We work hard to make sure that all of the cutting-edge trends happening in the marketplace are reflected in our lineup."
To celebrate its new showroom, Surya is holding a party for retailers Sunday, April 22, from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. The event will include a music provided by a live D.J., dancing, food and beverages.
In addition, Surya also will serve breakfast, lunch, and cocktails and hors d'oeuvres daily in its showroom.
"We want our showroom to be a destination where retailers from around the world gather to share insights and ideas," Tiwari said. "Our showroom will be inspiring and fun, where our business partners come to get energized and see what's new and exciting."
March 19,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on March 20, 2012
The upcoming Spirit of Life award dinner honoring Bob Sherman of
Serta and Jeff Seaman of
Rooms To Go is nearly sold out.
The dinner, Sunday, April 22, at
Grandover Resort, is an annual celebration to support
City of Hope's lifesaving mission to cure cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.
Organizers are encouraging those who would like to attend to register as soon as possible. Once the room is filled, people can still donate to the event.
Secure, online registration is available.