Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
November 6,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on November 7, 2011
California furniture and electronics retailer Linder's Furniture has entered into an assignment for the benefit of creditors, an alternative to bankruptcy.
The announcement followed last week's reports that the Garden Grove, Calif.-based furniture retailer will close its stores across the state.
"We will make a formal statement within the next two weeks regarding the company's future plans," said Linder's Furniture President Eric Foucrier in a press release.
Founded in 1980 by Phil Linder, Linder's Furniture has 10 showrooms in Southern California.
November 6,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Markets on November 7, 2011
Dallas Market Center announced expansions for the FINDS Dallas Temp Show at the Jan. 18-24 Total Home & Gift Market.
Finds, which takes place Jan. 20-23, will cover almost 500,000-square-feet, an increase of nearly 30 percent over the past five years.
"Our team continues to deliver new relevant categories and fresh products throughout FINDS," said Cindy Morris, COO, Dallas Market Center. "Handmade and vintage continues to grow and will be seen throughout the temporaries; and the exciting addition of the Made in the U.S.A. designation will serve buyers well."
Handmade & Vintage FINDS debuted this past June and has since doubled in size. It will be located on the World Trade Center 13th floor and will present gift and fashion accessories. In addition, Vintage Home FINDS will launch as a new category in Market Hall (North Hall). The category will feature antique and vintage-type items for throughout the home. It will share the North Hall with Furniture FINDS, and is order writing and immediate delivery merchandise. Also in Market Hall (Main Hall), the French Market section of Cash & Carry will be dedicated to vintage products including apparel, fashion accessories, gift and more--all available for immediate purchase.
New for the January Show is the Made in the U.S.A. designation. Exhibitors offering products made domestically will be identified by a bold logo on their booth signs. This allows for the Made in the U.S.A. products to be easily recognized throughout the temporaries.
For the first time during a January Market, Design FINDS will be located on the Trade Mart first floor. The category has doubled in size since the June show and will present a range of exhibitors including: Ann Gish, BlissLiving Home, Bungalow, D. Stevens, Karma Living, Lunares, Mary Lake Thompson, Niven Morgan, Rojo 16, Yala and more.
Buyers will experience an entire floor of gift-related products on the WTC 12th floor. Highlights of new companies that will show in January include: East of India and Petting Zoo in Gift FINDS; Faux Designs in Paper & Party FINDS; Lone Wolf in Garden & Outdoor FINDS; Tass Designs and 4 Seasons Global in Christmas & Floral FINDS; Nakajima USA featuring Hello Kitty and Pockos in Kids FINDS; Game Day Boots and Ketch the Spirit in Collegiate & Souvenir FINDS.
Fashion FINDS and Red Haute FINDS will welcome more exhibitors than ever before. Both categories located on the WTC 13th floor continue to grow because of the demand for apparel and fashion accessories. Also on the WTC 13th floor, Bath & Body FINDS will offer a range of exhibitors including: A Wild Bar of Soap, Do Not Disturb, Farm House Fresh, Poo Pourri and Twist and Pout.
Home & Hill Country FINDS located on the WTC 6th floor also continues to grow and will feature new exhibitors including: J. Alexander, Mastour, NBR Home, Old World Antieks, Patricia Wolf, Texas Leather Goods and many more.
Attendees may contact Dallas Market Center's in-house travel agency, Market Travel, for substantial travel and hotel discounts by calling 800.DAL.MKTS.
November 6,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Acquisition on November 7, 2011
Home furnishings retailer
Williams-Sonoma (
NYSE: WSM) has acquired
Rejuvenation, a producer of reproduction lighting and home hardware like door and cabinet fixtures.
The transaction price was not disclosed.
"Rejuvenation and Williams-Sonoma, Inc. share the vision of enhancing our customers' lives at home," said Laura Alber, president and CEO of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. "We are excited about the opportunity for us to grow the Rejuvenation brand by leveraging Williams-Sonoma, Inc.'s direct marketing and e-commerce capabilities with Rejuvenation's high-quality, specialty products."
Founded in 1977, Rejuvenation's product line is geared toward reproductions of products from the 1870s to the 1960s. The company sells its products through its catalog, Web site and retail stores located in Portland, Ore., Seattle, and Los Angeles.
"Rejuvenation is so pleased to now be part of the most respected home furnishings company in America," said Jim Kelly, founder of Rejuvenation. "Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will bring the resources and ingredients needed to build Rejuvenation into a full-fledged national brand. Our customers and employees will have much to gain as we expand our presence in the marketplace and extend the range of products we can offer."
Rejuvenation will join the Williams-Sonoma stable of brands including Pottery Barn, http://www.potterybarn.com West Elm, http://www.westelm.com Pottery Barn Kids http://www.potterybarnkids.com PBteen, http://www.pbteen.com Williams-Sonoma Home, http://www.williams-sonomahome.com and Williams-Sonoma. http://www.williams-sonoma.com
November 3,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Internet on November 4, 2011
AmericasMart Atlanta has launched a new Web site, another step in its comprehensive digital marketing strategy.
The new site is an online resource for buyers and exhibitors with proprietary content as well as business and educational resources. It features improved navigation, dynamic content showcasing AmericasMart through video and photography, and exclusive online tools designed to optimize the Market experience for users.
"We have an ongoing mission to provide the ultimate Market experience for our buyers and exhibitors," said Jeffrey L. Portman Sr., president and chief operating officer of AmericasMart. "That includes advancing their businesses by providing leading resources and services. Our new Web site incorporates a wealth of innovative tools to help plan Market visits and access all the assets of the worlds global market.
"As a business partner, buyers and exhibitors need to be able to connect with our Market center 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We want that connection to be as easy and productive as possible. The new Web site offers options to connect from any place, any time through online and mobile access. It's another way we can create value for all our customers."
Hallmarks of the site renovation include:
Simplified, intuitive navigation allows users to access a wealth of information from anywhere on the site, while improved search capability makes it easy to quickly find specific information. Dedicated, easy access simplify exploration of product in concise, organized pages.
The all new Buyer's Resource Center is an exclusive suite of online tools designed exclusively for AmericasMart retailers to use before, during and after Markets. It includes a "First Time to Market" section for new buyers as well as access to educational presentations, industry news and trend information and the premier publication in the industry, AmericasMart Magazine.
The "MyMarket! Plan" tool helps buyers optimize their time at Market by creating a personal agenda. Buyers can book travel, add seminars and events and compile custom lists of preferred exhibitors, complete with locations.
As the world's global Market, pertinent buyer and exhibitor information is available in six languages--Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese and Japanese.
Users can share content from anyplace on the site with prominent links to AmericasMart's social media channels.
"The new americasmart.com is another step in fulfilling our commitment to be a proactive partner with our exhibitors and buyers," said Mike Gay, senior vice president of marketing for AmericasMart. "As our businesses grow and change, the site will continually evolve as well. It's our mission to provide first-class resources as part of an overall superior Market experience--americasmart.com supports that goal."
November 3,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on November 4, 2011
Rent-to-own furniture, electronics and appliance retailer Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ: RCII) donated $20,000 to Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
The food bank is one of 11 nationwide sharing in $250,000 worth of Plano, Texas-based Rent-A-Center funding for hunger relief this year.
The donation is in addition to September's "Soup to Nuts" hunger-relief initiative in support of Hunger Action Month staged across Rent-A-Center's 3,000-plus stores. Rent-A-Center stores served as collection points for cans of soup, jars of peanut butter and other canned goods. The donated food products were delivered to hunger-relief partners such as senior centers, homeless shelters, daycare centers and churches.
"The demand for food assistance continues to increase throughout Los Angeles County, so this donation couldn't come at a better time," said Michael Flood, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. "Given the Food Bank's ability to leverage donated food and volunteer resources, this donation will provide the equivalent of 80,000 meals to adults, children and seniors who seek food assistance."
"In challenging economic times, it is especially gratifying to support the communities we serve," said Mitch Fadel, president and COO of Rent-A-Center and a board member of the North Texas Food Bank.