Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
November 8,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Delivery on November 9, 2010
Universal Furniture has extended its Smart Mix 500 program to furniture retailers in the 48 contiguous states.
The program, announced earlier this year for West Coast retailers, offers direct container pricing for minimum orders of 500 cubes, the equivalent of as little as three bedroom suites,for any mix of Universal products and collections.
"We've had such a positive response from dealers in the original 11 Western states that we are expanding the program to include the 48 contiguous states," said Steve Lush, Universal's vice president of sales for the Eastern region. "The combination of direct container pricing, quick delivery from our Shanghai warehouse, and lower inventory carrying costs provides our dealers with a significant competitive advantage."
With Smart Mix 500, dealers can mix orders from Better Homes and Gardens by Universal and Paula Deen Home with any of the other Universal collections. Products are shipped, on average, in less than two weeks from Universal's high cube, automated, 1,800-container-capacity Shanghai warehouse. Zenith Global Logistics receives the product in one of several domestic distribution centers and delivers it to the dealer, usually within five business days.
For more immediate needs, products can be shipped from domestic inventories in 10 days or less from the 350,000-square-foot warehouse at the Universal headquarters in High Point.
"Dealers who have been using Smart Mix 500 tell us it provides them with better merchandise flow and they are able to take advantage of near-direct container prices without a large inventory investment," Lush says. "This in turn enables them to achieve key price points on their floors and in their advertising. Our East Coast dealers have been asking when we would expand the program, and we are happy to be able to do it now."
November 8,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on November 9, 2010
The Better Business Bureau has awarded Ashley Furniture Homestores in Louisville, Ky., operated by KHF Holdings, its 2010 Torch Award in the small business category.
The BBB conducts this annual awards program to gain public recognition for businesses and non-profit organizations that maintain a solid commitment to conducting their business practices in an ethical fashion. The local branch of the Better Business Bureau serves Louisville, Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky.
Ashley Furniture Homestores and other winners and finalists of the Torch Award were honored at the BBB luncheon held on Nov. 3 at the Olmsted in Louisville, KY.
"We are honored to be the small business recipient of the 2010 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics," said Chris Caprio CEO and president of KHF Holdings. "This award comes after many years of hard work building a positive reputation within the community while maintaining ethical business practices. We have been working hand in hand with the Better Business Bureau to ensure the operations of our business are conducted properly. Our ultimate goal is to provide a remarkable customer experience while continuing to support the community through moral business practices."
Ashley Furniture Homestores of Louisville has been a BBB accredited business since January 2004 and maintains an "A" BBB rating. KHF Holdings, based in Louisville, is the licensee of five Ashley Furniture Homestores in Louisville and Indianapolis and one Ashley distribution center.
November 8,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on November 9, 2010
Nowell's Contemporary Furniture, Cary, N.C., will auction furniture the store provided for a local TV show to benefit cancer research, the Durham Sun reported.
Nowell's had supplied the contemporary pieces seen on the local NBC affiliate's "My Carolina Today" show for the past three months. The auction taking place here on the store's Web site, is part of the "Nowell's Fund to Fight Multiple Myeloma" campaign.
Owner Jerry Nowell, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow, in May, has since teamed with the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center to help raise funds for cancer research.
Through Dec. 31, bidders can see images of and place bids on two Sirio side chairs; a Copeland sideboard; two Lazar chairs; two Elite barstools; a Calligaris cocktail table; and a Surya area rug.
Bidders can click on images of the pieces for more information then place their bids on the site. The auction will continue through December 31st. Buy It Now prices are also listed for each item.
The contemporary furniture stores owner, Jerry Nowell, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in May. Since then he has teamed with the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center to help raise funds for cancer research at Duke Medicine.
Multiple Myeloma is an incurable cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. It is diagnosed in approximately 20,000 new patients every year in the US, and the illness claims the lives of nearly half that number annually.
To participate in the bidding on the "My Carolina Today" set pieces, go to the auction site. For more information on the Nowells Fund To Fight Multiple Myeloma, go here.
November 7,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on November 8, 2010
Kingsdown Inc. has named industry veteran Bob Hellyer president.
Hellyer was with
Simmons Co. for 11 years and was corporate president from 2001 to 2005. During his tenure, Hellyer oversaw construction and startup of two manufacturing facilities, and he also developed and implemented a new company culture featured by
Harvard Business School. The company was later recognized as one of
Fortune magazine's Top 100 Companies to work for. Other roles at Simmons included corporate executive vice president of sales and marekting and vice president and general manager of a factory in Wisconsin.
Prior to his time at Simmons, Hellyer held positions within the
Stearns and Foster division of Sealy. He has also served as vice-chairman of the
International Sleep Products Association.
Kingsdown is gaining a valued industry resource in Bob, said Eric Hinshaw, chairman and CEO of Kingsdown. His leadership skills have proven he is uniquely qualified to lead this global company to the next level, and we are excited to welcome him aboard.
November 7,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on November 8, 2010
Linder's Furniture will close a 20,000-square-foot furniture store in Costa Mesa, Calif., the Orange County Register reported Saturday.
Garden Grove, Calif.-based Linder's will close the store by Nov. 30, an executive with the owner of the South Coast Collection shopping center said in the report. Indoor and outdoor appliance retailer Fixtures Living will move into the vacated space and plans to open a store there in April.
Linder's still will have 10 stores in Southern California after closing in Costa Mesa.