Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
October 9,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on October 10, 2011
The Western Home Furnishings Assn. and National Home Furnishings Assn. have launched a sweepstakes for paid travel to the 2012 Home Furnishings Industry Conference.
The contest takes place on Facebook and in the High Point Market Retailer Resource Center for an all expenses paid trip to the HFIC in Palm Springs, Calif. Participants can enter a business card into a drawing in the Retailer Resource Center during market week, or they can visit the HFIC Facebook Page to enter online. The contest will run for 10 days, Oct, 21-31, 2011, with a winner being announced on Nov. 1.
WHFA and NHFA have teamed up with R&A Marketing, a Columbus, Ohio, marketing and advertising agency focused in furniture marketing,to help bring this promotion onto Facebook. R&A has developed numerous Facebook applications that allow retailers and businesses to bring interactive promotions to their Facebook page. One out of every eight minutes is spent on Facebook by its 750 million-plus active users, creating a powerful tool for businesses to utilize and make more money.
"Social media, and especially Facebook, has become such a vital part of successful marketing programs, that it just made sense to use the power of Facebook for the HFIC contest," said Kevin Doran, vice president of R&A Marketing.
With a theme of California Dreamin'--Gaining the Edge, the 2012 Home Furnishings Industry Conference will show attendees how to gain a competitive edge in today's marketplace while following their dreams to build a better future for their business and the industry. Education will be created to meet the needs of all attendees; retailers, manufacturers and services providers. The two-and-a-half day event features more than 24 educational sessions, a product showcase offering exclusive pricing from top industry manufacturers and service providers, a fun filled golf tournament and networking opportunities throughout.
To enter, visit the HFIC Facebook Page and click on the sweepstakes tab on the far left side. All you need to enter is your name and e-mail address. Business-card entries also will be accepted in the Retailer Resource Center during High Point Furniture Market.
During High Point Market, R&A Marketing and WHFA teams also will be asking retailers questions, "What's your California Dream?" and "How do you gain the edge?". Responses will then be posted to the HFIC Facebook page.
For more information on the Home Furnishings Industry Conference, e-mail Cindi Williams, or call 916.784.7677.
October 9,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in licensing on October 10, 2011
Charles, 9th Earl Spencer will host a champagne tea and discuss family history in the new Theodore Alexander showroom during High Point Furniture Market.
The invitation-only event for Althorp Living History retailers and media on Saturday, Oct. 22, will feature a traditional champagne tea as served to visitors at the Althorp estate. The customary fare will include a selection of hand-cut sandwiches, fruit scones served with pots of jam and clotted cream, an array of English cakes and of course, freshly brewed Althorp Tea and House champagne. Earl Spencer also will a special announcement during the event regarding an exciting sales promotion exclusively for Althorp Living History retailers.
Theodore Alexander is the exclusive manufacturer of the licensed home furnishings collection Althorp Living History, based on more than 500 years of living history from the Althorp Estate, the Spencer family home. The collection will be displayed this Market in a new, dedicated showroom-within-a-showroom environment marked by an entryway which has been replicated from Althorp.
According to Russell Towner, president of Theodore Alexander, introductions this season will "reflect a captivating insight into the past, with furnishings based on the distinctive legacy of each of the nine Earls Spencer and their specific achievements, whether military, naval, political, personal or in direct relation to the 14,000-acre Althorp estate." The "Nine Earls" galleried selection encompasses signature pieces in tribute to each of the Earls correlating with his designated period in history.
Among the extraordinary pieces is a hand-carved mahogany library armchair commemorating the life of the 2nd Earl Spencer. As 1st Lord of the Admiralty between 1794 and 1801, George John Spencer appointed Horatio Nelson to the position of commander of the English Fleet in the Mediterranean. Originally crafted from timber taken from HMS Victory, flagship of Admiral Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, the back of the remarkable chair is in the shape of a ship's transom carved with a coat of arms and its armrests are modeled as cannons.
The 9th Earl Spencer's literary achievements are celebrated with The Author's Desk and Chair, a satinwood and rosewood cross banded writing table modeled after a late 18th century original by Thomas Sheraton. A finely carved mahogany armchair in the manner of George Hepplewhite features a shield back with wheat sheaf, palm leaf and rosette carving.
The Althorp Living History collection provides a source of funds used in the restoration of the Althorp estate, one of England's oldest and most impressive country houses. Twenty consecutive generations of the Spencer family have resided at Althorp, including the current occupant--the 9th Earl Spencer.
The new Theodore Alexander showroom is located at 229 West Russell Avenue, #8 on the Green Line shuttle for High Point Market.
October 9,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Acquisition on October 10, 2011
Rent-to-own furniture, electronics and appliance retailer Aaron's (NYSE: AAN) looks to acquire 11.5 percent of U.K. rent-to-own company Perfect Home Holdings.
Perfect Home, which operates under the PerfectHome brand, was founded in 2006 and provides basic home furnishings in the U.K. to the non-standard credit market. Based near Birmingham, PerfectHome currently has 45 stores open throughout England and has plans to approximately double the number of stores over the next several years.
Aaron's will pay 10 million British pounds, or approximately $15.4 million at current exchange rates, for its interest in PerfectHome and will have an option to increase its ownership in the future. PerfectHome will use the funds primarily o accelerate the growth of its store openings. The closing of the transaction requires regulatory approval which is currently being sought. The transaction will be effective only following Aaron's obtaining such approval. The investment will be recorded as an asset on Aaron's balance sheet.
"We are very excited about this investment in PerfectHome," said Robert C. Loudermilk Jr., president and CEO of Aaron's, Atlanta. "Not only will it provide PerfectHome growth capital, it will also enable Aaron's to learn about the U.K. market for possible future expansion there and perhaps provide an eventual gateway into other European markets. Although we feel our growth prospects remain excellent in the U.S., we plan to further explore international opportunities that could complement domestic growth."
October 9,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Store Openings on October 10, 2011
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z5310826882&z=1250249027
Freedom Furniture & Electronics has opened its newest store in Columbus, Ga.
Read Full Article...
October 8,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on October 9, 2011
Sears has expanded its partnership with logistics company
Diakon Logistics to serve the retailer in eight additional markets in the South.
Diakon has been working with Sears since 1991 providing a full range of dedicated home delivery services, including warehousing, customer service, home delivery and installation of big-ticket itemsappliances, lawn and garden equipment and beddingto Sears in a number of markets throughout the U.S.
Under the new agreement, Diakon will provide dedicated home delivery services in Charlotte, N.C.; Memphis, Tenn.; Fort Myers, Fla.; Springfield, Mo.; Jefferson City, Mo.; Joplin, Mo.; Columbia, Mo.; and Manhattan, Kans.
The new markets will add about 30 trucks to Diakon's fleet around the country.
"Our corporate strategy is based on one philosophy, Its Mrs. Jones Day, a premise based on the principle that each delivery is done with the thought that it is the only delivery we are making that day¦making it Mrs. Jones day, said Charles Johnson, president of Diakon. Our retailer clients are recognizing the competitive advantage of our customer service approach and it is driving the continued growth of our Company. The difference is in the details and we will continue that focus in making our retailer clients even more successful.
Founded in 1991 as Hays Home Delivery Services, today Diakon Logistics is one of the largest dedicated home delivery carriers in America. Based in Manassas, Va., the company serves many of the top 100 furniture, appliance and electronics retailers in the U.S.