Daily News Archive
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May 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Aggregated Content in Furniture Retailing on May 25, 2011
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z4670547521&z=1250249030
The new Meadowbrook Home Furnishings and Gifts opened last weekend in Columbia Mall in North Dakota in the former Golf Center spot next to Macys and the food court.
The existing Meadowbrook store, which also includes Urban Loft Designs, will remain open in the Grand Cities Mall.
Three years ago, the Meadowbrook furniture and gift store in Grand Forks moved from its downtown location into the Grand Cities Mall. Now the chain is taking another leap, opening a second Grand Forks store at Columbia Mall.
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May 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Business Strategy on May 25, 2011
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r4669669204&f=10761
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., home of how-tos, a line of home furnishings and many, many Good Things, announced Wednesday it has hired investment firm Blackstone Advisory Partners to explore a potential sale of the business, sending shares of the company soaring more than 35% on the New York Stock Exchange.
At 11:20 a.m. EDT, shares of Martha Stewart Living were up about 31% to US$4.94, after hitting a high of US$5.10 a share earlier in the morning.
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May 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Business Strategy on May 25, 2011
Warren, Mich.-based Art Van Furniture is moving toward becoming a one-stop home furnishings destination for consumers by adding a full line of flooring in its 33 stores.
In an agreement with
World of Floors, Art Van Furniture will again utilize the store within a store concept successfully proven with
Pauls TV. It will be called Art Van World of Floors.
World of Floors is owned by
Preferred Brands based in Minneapolis. It is the third largest flooring group in the United States, selling and installing brand name flooring such as
Shaw,
Mohawk,
Armstrong and
Mannington for homes and offices.
At Art Van Furniture, were all about quality product, value, and exceptional customer service, said Art Van Elslander, the companys founder and chairman. By bringing World of Floors into our showrooms, we can now offer an extra added convenience and design services to our guests.
"This new partnership makes great business sense. First, its one stop shopping for our guest," he said. "Second, it will increase traffic into all 33 Art Van showrooms statewide. Third, it will create 100 new jobs and allow Art Vans World of Floors to be more competitive in the marketplace."
The showrooms will average 2,000 square feet and offer carpet, laminate, ceramic, wood and vinyl, as well as an extensive line of window treatments.
We are very excited about this collaboration. said Emil Pedick, World of Floors president, Teaming Art Vans stellar reputation in the furniture industry with World of Floors expertise in flooring and window treatments is a perfect match.
The first stores Art Van World of Floors will open in southeast Michigan in mid-June with all of the stores completed by September.
World of Floors currently has five free standing stores in Michigan. Plans are also underway to open more stand-alone stores, expand its Internet shopping site, and Shop-At-Home services throughout the state.
Other one-stop shopping features available at Art Van Furniture include outdoor furniture from Arts Backyard, big screen televisions from Pauls TV and mattresses from Art Van PureSleep.
May 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on May 25, 2011
Mattress Firm will open four stores in Wisconsin this week, in time for the Memorial Day weekend.
The four stores, located in Appleton, Wis., Green Bay, Wis., Lake Geneva, Wis., and Oak Creek, Wis., will take the chain's total stores in the state to 17.
Mattress Firm Wisconsin is working with Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., a sleep expert. Each of Mattress Firms Wisconsin locations will carry the Dr. Breus Bed by the end of June.
Were pleased to bring Mattress Firms unique shopping experience to additional locations in Wisconsin, said Chuck Dawson, the Mattress Firm franchise owner in Wisconsin. Our relationship with renowned sleep expert Dr. Breus reinforces our commitment to ensuring our customers get a great nights sleep.
Mattress Firms first Wisconsin store opened in February 2010. The retailer's continued expansion in Wisconsin is part of an effort to accelerate the companys franchise program.
Mattress Firm has a long history of providing quality sleep products along with knowledgeable, caring sales professionals, and we share a common vision and goal, Breus said. I am very excited and proud to be working with such a great team. Together we can change lives, one person at a time, one night at a time.
Mattress Firm stores sell more than 55 different models of mattresses from manufacturers such as Sealy and Simmons. Specialty mattress and bedding products incorporating the latest sleep technology are also on display, including pressure relieving mattresses from Tempur-Pedic.
The store design features a combination of wood flooring, ceramic tile and carpet throughout, along with artwork and natural wood fixtures and shutters. The racetrack floor plan allows customers to easily move throughout the store to browse and compare the different styles and brands, which are arranged by comfort level, features and price.
May 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on May 25, 2011
Carl's Furniture has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with the goal of restructuring the company to assure its successful continuing of operations.
Myron Baker and Robert Dragin, the board of directors and founders of the seven-store chain, said the company will close its unprofitable stores in the next 60 to 90 days, and obtain reduced rent on the remaining stores that are continuing in operation. Store closing sales are going on now in Carls Boca Raton, Fla., and Kendall/Pinecrest, Fla., showrooms.
In a release, the company said it had been trying for months to restructure its debt, payables and leases without success. The company plans on honoring all of the customers deposits toward the furniture purchased. Carls requested that all current contracts with customers be honored by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
The retailer said the new financing and reduced rent, arranged for concurrently with the bankruptcy filing, will allow Carls to continue operations. The company also hopes to be improve its inventory flow and stock its floor.
Carls largest suppliers are Klaussner, Century, Natuzzi, Sealy, Jonathan Louis, American Drew, Best Home Furnishings and Bernhardt.
Carls currently employs 150 people and plans to keep its remaining profitable stores and the employees that work in them employed. Carls has arranged for Debtor In Possession, DIP, financing to continue operations, subject to landlords executing the agreed upon rent reductions.