October 9,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Aggregated Content in Furniture Retailing on October 10, 2010
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z3260057546&z=1000247453
The downtown McHugh's Ken Schoenfeld Furniture store has closed because the longtime owner plans to retire, according to a letter mailed to residents Saturday. After over 50 years in the furniture business, John McHugh, owner of McHughs Ken Schoenfeld Furniture, is retiring, the letter states.
Read Full Article...
October 7,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Acquisition on October 8, 2010
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z3256212888&z=1000247453
By Lauren Coleman-Lochner and Matt Townsend Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) --
Pershing Square Capital Management LP, the New York hedge-fund firm led by William Ackman, disclosed stakes in
J.C. Penney Co. and Fortune Brands Inc. that made it the largest investor in both companies.
Read Full Article...
October 7,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on October 8, 2010
Sealy has created a Internet solutions program to help its retail partners create customizable Web sites to enhance an online presence.
The program was created to develop consistency among Sealy's dealers' e-commerce sites.
"We continue to work closely with retailers to educate them about interactive marketing and how it can best be leveraged to generate sales in the mattress industry," said Jodi Allen, chief marketing officer with Sealy. "We wanted to provide and e-commerce capable Web site template for our retail partners to help them meet the expectations of consumers who are researching product and product experiences online."
Retailers will be able to choose from five different Web site templates, enabling them to create e-commerce platforms, through which they will be able to sell Sealy products, plus the rest of their inventory. The Web sites, which are search engine-friendly, will provide retailers the option to sell product online, offer special discounts to consumers, share information to market their businesses and link to their social media sites. The Web solutions program will be available to retailers beginning Nov. 1.
October 7,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on October 8, 2010
Showroom building Showplace has created a smart phone shopping app for next week's
High Point Market to assist market attendees with the shopping experience.
The free app, called Showplace Shopper, enables buyers to scan Quick Response (QR) codes assigned to products as they shop Showplace showroomscapturing information about the products and images of items that interest them on their smart phones. Major exhibitors participating in the beta test of the application, which will be available for download inside the buildings lobby during Market, include
American Leather,
Copeland Furniture,
Revco,
Elements,
Surya,
Bramble & Co., and
BKind3.
Our goal is to create a shopping experience for buyers that is unmatched anywhere else at Market, said Lisa Shankle, general manager of Showplace properties. We believe this technology, which will be rolled out throughout the building next Spring, will be of tremendous benefit to the buyers who shop here, as well as our exhibitors.
The introduction of this technology is really a game-changing move for Showplace, and an historic moment for the Market itself, due to the apps ability to connect buyers and sellers faster and more efficiently, said Eric Burg, president and chief executive of Applerock, one of the fastest-growing tradeshow companies in the nation.
Everyones time has become so compressed at Market, and buyers are the most time-challenged of all because they have to cover millions of square feet of showrooms in just a few days, he said. They have to gather as much information as possible in order to be able to make informed purchasing decisions. They are working long days, in many cases reviewing thousands of products, and after Market, they have to be able to remember what they liked and didnt like. Using this app, they will be able to collect a great deal of information quickly, share that information with other members of their merchandising teams if necessary, and contact salespeople with their order, or requests for further details about an item via email after theyve left a showroom. This app is a premiere example of permission-based marketing, which is unquestionably the way were moving, and Showplace and its exhibitors are at the forefront.
The new app supplies the buildings participating exhibitors with vital information in an unprecedented way, allowing them to measure customer behavior inside their showrooms and to identify which products are most popular, or show the most promise. The buildings exhibitors are effusive about the potential.
We think the Showplace Shopper App is a brilliant idea, said Greg ONeal, vice president of product development and marketing at Revco International. At Revco, we embrace technology and constantly search for more efficient ways to communicate information to buyers and key accounts. Adopting new technologies is not just vital for our industry today; its a soon-to-be required norm.
Ive been absolutely fascinated by the number of smart tags showing up in print media lately, and the number of leading companies that are picking up on them, said Carl Gustafson, principle of Bkind3. So when I learned there was an opportunity to use a QR code on our products in SHOWPLACE, I decided to embrace it immediately. I believe this is the new way that customers are going to shop. They are seeking information and they want to be engaged.
Technology like this is really nothing more than automating some of the basic things that we do as manufacturers and retailers everyday, said Satya Tiwari, president of Surya. Its just that now we can do it at lightening speed. That makes us more productive and enables us to enhance our business and take it to the next level. It also makes it more exciting for us, and offers our customers a better shopping experience. We think that this is a great step for Showplace. The Market model has changed, and the building that provides buyers with the most productive experience will undoubtedly be the most attractive building to exhibitors in the future.
October 7,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on October 8, 2010
International Bedding has promoted to industry veteransDan Hige to president and chief operating officer and Dennis Straily to vice president of sales.
Were very pleased to announce these appointments, which are not only well deserved but also strategically important to International Bedding, said Jeff Maillet, company chief executive officer. Both Dan and Dennis have contributed extensively to the success of IB. Their promotions carry forward the companys core values, our culture of continuous improvement, and our drive to meet or exceed all of our goals and strategies.
Hige, whos been in the mattress industry for 18 years, joined the company in 2008 as vice president of manufacturing. As president and COO, he heads up all sales and operations functions at the company, and reports to Maillet.
Straily joined the company in 2005 as central regional vice president of sales. He oversees all residential and contract sales functions and reports to Hige.
Commenting on his new post, Hige said he is very excited to lead such a talented team of managers and employees, all of whom are extremely dedicated to serving our customers and improving our organization. There are very few manufacturers that have faced the economic hurdles of the past two years and improved overall dollar return by more than 25 percent each year. Im proud to say that IB falls in that category.
Referring to the recently introduced Dr. Breus Bed, Hige said that it was IBs product innovation and quality standards that earned the company the opportunity and distinction of making and marketing Dr. Michael Breus personal branded bedding line.
It was a coordinated effort on the part of our entire team to develop the first mattress line named for a sleep expert, and that reflects on our strength as a company and on our ability to offer unique and meaningful programs to retailers, Hige said. Our team approach to product development and the proven, hand-tailored quality produced by our plants makes me very excited about the future opportunities for IB.
Straily, who is a 20-year veteran of the mattress industry, noted that as IBs new vice president of sales, he looks forward to working even more closely with the companys longstanding retail partners.
I want to expand our existing retail relationships, cultivate new business and focus on growing the entire Sleep Doctor brand and program," he said. Im very excited about our association with Dr. Breus, the sleep products weve developed together, and the communications tools weve created to support the personal sleep wellness of every purchaser.