Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
June 15,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in on June 16, 2011
Bedding retailer Karrie Knopf has been appointed to the
Specialty Sleep Association (SSA) of directors.
Knopf is market specialist for the 100-plus store chain of stores owned by
Innovative Mattress Solutions (iMS), a company started by her mother, Kim Knopf. Karrie Knopf was elected to the board seat formerly held by SSA president Dale Read, who was appointed to the executive position earlier in 2010.
"On behalf of the entire SSA board, we look forward to Karries contributions to our organization, said Read. She brings new energy, as well as the retailers point of view, and, with her business focus on the in-store shopping experience, that of the consumer as well.
The specialty sleep category is an important business driver for retailers like iMS, said Knopf, whose company operates as Mattress Warehouse and Sleep Outfitters in West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. Its an honor to serve on the SSA board.
June 15,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Las Vegas on June 16, 2011
In preparation for the Summer 2011 Las Vegas Market, Aug. 1-5, World Market Center Las Vegas, has created an only-in-Vegas viral video to excite Market attendees.
"World Market Center Las Vegas is a one-of-a-kind venue located in a city where excitement and entertainment are the only ways to do business," said Robert Maricich, chief executive officer of International Market Centers, parent company of World Market Center Las Vegas. "The footage incorporates ten top-notch performers, chefs and Las Vegas celebrities as they experience our venue first-hand. The response from participating entertainers was overwhelmingly positive and shows just how hospitable and friendly this city really is."
The video includes appearances from a variety of Vegas headliners and acts such as Terry Fator, the Jabbawockeez, Tournament of Kings, Mystere, Viva Elvis, Robin Leach, Kerry Simon, Jubilee! showgirls, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman and Mr. Las Vegas himself, Wayne Newton.
"Our vision behind this viral video was to leverage the star power of our great city and reinforce what makes Las Vegas a fun and entertaining destination, in addition to an effective, efficient market," said Dana Andrew, vice president of marketing and public relations for World Market Center Las Vegas. "It marries Las Vegas' entertainment showrooms to the exciting furniture showrooms only found at World Market Center Las Vegas."
To cap off the viral promotion, each day during Las Vegas Market, complimentary show tickets to select acts featured in the video will be given away to market attendees.
"This is a perfect way to cross promote the city's entertainment offerings," Andrew said.
June 15,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on June 16, 2011
Meyda Custom Lighting has expanded its manufacturing facility in Yorkville, N.Y.
As prices from suppliers in China continue to soar, demand for made in the U.S.A. lighting products continues to increase," said Robert Cohen, CEO. "We have expanded the production space to better serve our customers. From a grand chandelier for a hotel lobby or a residential foyer, to an expansive fixture in a shopping mall, to producing 4,000 wall sconces for a hotel, Meyda can fulfill any project.
Cohen said the expansion will help the company improve its efficiency and shorten lead times on custom lighting fixtures.
"We will host all production operations in one centralized area inside our manufacturing facilities, Cohen said. Our fabricators use plasma cutters and other state of the art equipment to create custom lighting and accessories. Meyda artisans work with a wide variety of steel, iron, aluminum, bronze, brass and copper, textiles, acrylics and wood while employing an array of craftsmanship techniques including forging, welding, forming, plasma and laser cutting, soldering, vacuum forming and engraving."
June 15,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on June 16, 2011
Dale Read has retired as senior writer of Bedroom Magazine to become president of The Marketing Arm Group, which he founded in 2003 with partner Melanie Burk-Read.
Read, former Bedroom Magazine publisher, has assumed full-time duties for freelance writing, public relations, advertising and strategic marketing, offering services to suppliers manufacturers and retailers in the mattress, bedding and home furnishings industry. The Marketing Arm Group is a full-service marketing, advertising and PR consultancy service.
Read will continue to offer free-lance services to the magazine, writing assigned articles, and he will edit and post news stories, forum articles and blogs to the magazine's and the Specialty Sleep Association's Web sites.
Christopher Schriever, the magazine's Publisher added, "While we will miss having Read on staff as our senior writer, we will continue to celebrate the great successes and praise we;ve received on the 'new' Bedroom Magazine," said Publisher Christopher Schriever. "We will continue in the tradition of providing coverage of current product insights, trends in marketing and the latest information from a myriad of mattress and bedding manufacturers. This information should help retailers better stock their showrooms with products that will sell and in turn improve margins."
June 15,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on June 16, 2011
The American Furniture Hall of Fame wants the home furnishings industry to share stories, reflections and memories for its "Tell Us Your Story" project.
The project will appear on the organization's Web site.
"So often were approached by passionate members of our industry while at Market, and in passing, who have special, and oftentimes, undocumented tales, accounts and reflections that they want to share about their companies, their experiences, and the industry as a whole,"said Kurt Darrow, president of the Foundation. "Some of these accounts reflect how a company was founded or named, or even how it might have been saved from bankruptcy, and many are quite simply some of their fondest memories about the special relationships theyve had with people in the industry over their career."
The Foundation is looking for touching, factual, humorous, interesting or even quirky stories about the industry that should not go untold or undocumented. Submissions don't have to be formal--even the briefest accounts are encouraged.
Here's one story the Foundation recently received from an employee with LADD Furniture: "When Don Hunziker and Bill Fenn would travel the corridors of the office, it was known by the administrative staff as Management On Patrol, or MOP, for short. Trying to be on our best behavior when the bosses came calling 'it's time to mop' was the secret code which rippled like a wave through the staff just moments ahead of Bill and Don's entrance. With Cheshire cat grins barely contained the staff would be working with extra zeal as our leaders strolled past. We were so smug in our secret. One day, however, Bill and Don showed up with mops thrown over their shoulders and big grins on their faces. Periodically, one would say to the other 'it's time to mop' as they walked by. Well, we, the formerly smug ones, were mortified. It was clear that both men had known all along about our little secret and were getting the last laugh. Once our faces stopped burning from embarrassment the entire department gave them a standing ovation!"
Stories can be submitted through the Web site or by sending them to by e-mail. These stories will be made available on the Web site and eventually published in a book. Information gleaned from the stories will be given full credit whenever the information is used for Foundation purposes.
The Foundation also is collecting company history books and historic photos to build its collection and further preserve the industry's history. These materials can be sent to the American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation Inc., 202 Neal Place, High Point, N.C., 27262.