HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network articles from February 2004

HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network archives from February 2004

COLOR BY THE NUMBERS.
February 2, 2004... HFN's first color report takes a prismatic look at how the trendsetters in consumer products are changing the complexion of home furnishings.

BID FOR ALL-CLAD PUTS WATERFORD COOKWARE UNIT INTO PLAY.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... LONDON-Waterford Wedgwood said it is considering selling its All-Clad cookware division after receiving "significant" interest from a third party, which it declined to name. "We received an interesting inquiry at a proposed price that...

EARTHBOUND TO EXPAND REACH OF FIELDCREST, CHARISMA BRANDS.
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-Earthbound LLC, the new licensing agent that represents the Fieldcrest and Charisma brands, is out to stamp the two textiles labels in other home furnishings product categories. "These brands are prominent. They are staple brands...

MALL-BASED RETAILERS ARE BANKING ON AN OUTSIDE CHANCE FOR GROWTH.
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-Go off-the-mall, young man. Faced with sluggish mall growth and shifting shopping patterns, mall-based retailers such as Sears, J.C. Penney and May Department Stores are setting their sights on freestanding stores to jump-start...

IMRA CHANGES ITS NAME TO RILA (AND YOU CAN CALL ITS CONVENTION ALEX).(International Mass Retail Association to Retail Industry Leaders Association)(Annual Convention and Expo to Annual Leaders Exchange)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... ARLINGTON, Va.-In a move to better reflect its expanding membership and mission, the International Mass Retail Association has changed its name to the Retail Industry Leaders Association. RILA is also renaming and reformatting its Annual...

CORRECTIONS.
February 2, 2004... In the Jan. 19 issue of HFN, the name of Oster's spokesman was misspelled in an article on the company's new Inspire line. His name is Jerry Zuchowicki. In addition, chef Michelle Bernstein's appearances on the Food Network were...

NEWS BRIEFS: QUOTA-LIMIT REQUEST HITS ROADBLOCK...WAL-MART FIGHTS SUPERCENTER BAN...HSN APPOINTS NEALON PRESIDENT.
February 2, 2004... QUOTA-LIMIT REQUEST HITS ROADBLOCK The Bush administration has denied a request by four groups of retailers and importers, including the U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel and the Retail Industry Leaders Association, to...

VEGAS MARKET GAINS PARTNER FOR FINANCING, CONSTRUCTION.(Deal of Las Vegas World Market Center and The Related Cos. of New York)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... LAS VEGAS-Developers of the Las Vegas World Market Center announced a financing and construction management deal with The Related Cos. that they said will speed up construction of future phases of the project. According to an announcement,...

HOLLERAN NAMED PRESIDENT AND CEO OF EUREKA.(Marty Holleran)
February 2, 2004... BLOOMINGTON, Ill.-Marty Holleran, the former GE and RCA executive, has been named president and chief executive officer of Eureka and its sister North American vac makers in AB Electrolux. He succeeds Dan Clifford, who left the company after 18...

FORECAST: FURNITURE SHIPMENTS TO INCREASE 8 PERCENT IN 2004.
February 2, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Residential furniture manufacturers can look forward to an 8 percent increase in shipments for 2004, growth that would pull the industry almost even with 2000 levels, according to the most recent forecast by BDO Seidman. ...

THE GENERATION GAP.(Letter to the Editor)
February 2, 2004... To the editor: I am a retailer, the third generation in our family-owned, single-store operation in Houston. It appears to me that our industry, at least the "traditional" department store segment, is "imploding." At least in Houston,...

CALIFORNIA SET TO ENFORCE FLAMMABILITY RULE IN '05.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... SACRAMENTO, Calif.-The state of California has given the green light to begin enforcing Technical Bulletin 603, the nation's first statewide open-flame protective regulation for bedding, starting Jan. 1, 2005. The regulation covers all...

HARD-LINES EXEC FOR SEARS RETIRING AFTER 30 YEARS.(Chuck Cebuhar, Sears, Roebuck and Co.)
February 2, 2004... HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.-Chuck Cebuhar, vice president and general manager of hard lines for Sears.com, including major appliances, small appliances and consumer electronics, will retire on Feb. 29 after 30 years with the retailer. David...

THE SAME DIFFERENCE.
February 2, 2004... To the editor: I read your column quite frequently and enjoy your insight on many of the industry challenges that lay ahead. In this week's column ["Comp U.S.A.," Jan. 19], in my opinion, you missed the point on comp-store sales as one...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.
February 2, 2004... February 1-4 New York Gift and Housewares Show 225 Fifth Ave. New York 225-fifth.com 1-5 Spring Fair Birmingham National Exhibition Centre Birmingham, England (609) 921-0222 springfair.com 7-11 San...

AMAZIN' OBJETS.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Products seemed to float at this year's Maison & Objet show in Paris. Futuristic designs used clear plastics, open-air weaves and new materials that relied on light for character. There was also an abundance of patterns, large and small scale,...

COLOR BY THE NUMBERS; HFN'S FIRST COLOR REPORT UNVEILS A RAINBOW OF HUES IN THE HOME PALETTE.
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-Color -- reports of its disappearance and possible death to the contrary -- is back, baby. While neutral shades still dominate many home furnishings color palettes, bold and vibrant colors are cropping up all over the product...

DESIGNING FOR ALL LEVELS.
February 2, 2004... As a veteran of department store merchandising, I can remember making predictions of doom for any designer or brand that dared to trade down or cross over to discount retailers. I no longer do predictions -- not often, anyway. There was a...

VON DUTCHED.
February 2, 2004... Yogi, as always, probably said it best when he told a friend, "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded." Probably fair to say he wasn't talking about fashion trends, but he might as well have been. Style moves so fast these days that by the...

FALL INTO WINTER; THIS WEEK'S TEXTILES MARKET FEATURES A WIDE RANGE OF AUTUMNAL LOOKS.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-In addition to the expected festive winter holiday looks that are traditionally shown during the winter textiles market, autumnal, harvest, Halloween- and Thanksgiving-specific patterns are also popular introductions this week. ...

BLAIR'S NEW SPRING CATALOG TAKES A BIGGER LOOK AT HOME.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-With the launch of its 180-page Blair Home catalog this spring, Blair Corp. is claiming to publish the second-largest home decor catalog in the United States after J.C. Penney's. "It is an expansion. It really allows us to venture...

NEWS.(furniture industry)
February 2, 2004... STEVE McCRACKEN, PRESIDENT and chief executive officer of Invista, is stepping down. DuPont Co., the parent company of the division that is expected to be sold to Koch Industries Inc. for $4.4 billion later this year, said McCracken would "be...

NEWS.(multiple news)
February 2, 2004... WESTPOINT STEVENS is shuttering four bedding and towel plants in three different locations and converting another one for greater production efficiency, the company said. The move will eliminate 975 jobs, 7 percent of its 14,000-member work...

HANNOVER THE TOP; AT DOMOTEX, BRIGHT COLORS AND OUT-OF-THE-ORDINARY CONSTRUCTIONS BRIGHTENED UP THE FAIR.
February 2, 2004... HANNOVER, Germany-Vibrant color and unusual materials made for an interesting display at this year's Domotex Hannover exhibitions. From aluminum to leather to Lycra, manufacturers made a variety of statements with a modern edge. Colors and...

IMG HOME RECEIVES FIRST POST-TALIBAN AFGHAN RUGS.(International Management Group)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO-Marking the defeat of the Taliban in yet another way, International Marketing Gallery Home has received its first shipment of Afghan rugs since the fall of the Taliban. Factories in northern Afghanistan have reopened after 25...

CARE PACKAGES MEETINGS, KEYNOTE ADDRESS INTO EVENT.(Hawken, Paul)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... DALTON, Ga.-The Carpet America Recovery Effort will hold its second annual conference at the Hilton Gardens in Pensacola Beach, Fla., April 29 to 30. Environmentalist, educator and best-selling author Paul Hawken will be the featured...

CRI APPOINTS PEOPLES SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR, HEAD OF CARE.
February 2, 2004... DALTON, Ga.-Dr. Robert Peoples has joined the Carpet & Rug Institute as director of sustainability. In addition, Peoples will also be the executive director of the Carpet America Recovery Effort, the industry-led effort to divert carpet from...

USING COLOGNE; U.S. COMPANIES AT THE INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE FAIR CONCENTRATED ON BUILDING THEIR EXPORT BUSINESS.
February 2, 2004... COLOGNE, Germany-The International Furniture Fair here featured its usual blend of fashion, fun and function, though buyer attendance was reported to be light from both Europe and the United States. A handful of U.S. exhibitors set up shop...

MASS MARKET'S WHERE GROWTH OPPORTUNITY IS IN THE LIGHTING BUSINESS.
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-While the burgeoning market for luxury products may get more attention, it's the mass market that seems to be driving growth, particularly in the lighting business. Recent visits to mass merchants and a look at sales trends point...

NEWS.(furniture industry)
February 2, 2004... ED SCOTT, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER of Restonic Mattress Corp., announced his resignation to "pursue other interests." Scott, 56, was unavailable for comment, and no successor has been named. Scott will continue as a consultant for...

NEWS.(furniture industry)
February 2, 2004... FRANK OGORZALY, former global product development merchant for lighting at Home Depot, has joined Cordelia Lighting of Los Angeles as vice president of sales and decorative product development, a new position. Ogorzaly's focus is on product...

SONNEMAN, TWO PARTNERS FORM NEW FIRM.
February 2, 2004... LARCHMONT, N.Y.-Designer Robert Sonneman has teamed up with two partners to form a new lighting company called Sonneman: A Way of Light. The company had a soft launch by shipping its first contemporary lamps and fixtures to a major lighting...

SIMON & CO. ACQUIRES POD.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... CHINO, Calif.-Simon & Co., the specialty home lighting and accessories manufacturer, has acquired Dallas-based POD (People of Design) for an undisclosed sum. POD, known for its rustic, Gothic and Moroccan-influenced wrought-iron lamps and...

THE GIFT FAIR'S INFINITE ARRAY; INFINITY IS AMONG THE GROUP OF COMPANIES GOING TO NEW YORK WITH A WIDE RANGE OF NEW PRODUCTS.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-Fresh from the Atlanta and Dallas gift markets, Infinity Instruments heads into the New York International Gift Fair this week with different representation in several areas, a new showroom at 225 Fifth Ave. and plans to participate in...

STRONG PATTERNS AND HUES DOMINATE AT MAISON & OBJET.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... PARIS-The January edition of Maison & Objet, the French home furnishings trade show, was alive with color and pattern in tabletop. Designers unleashed vivid patterns in a rainbow of vibrant hues on white. The1960s retro influence that...

NEWS.
February 2, 2004... CERAMIST JILL ROSENWALD has joined with Certified International Corp. to create a licensed collection of tabletop and serveware, which will be unveiled at the International Home & Housewares Show in March in Chicago, as well as the New York...

NEW YORK GIFT FAIR OFFERS A SLEW OF EVENTS, SEMINARS, PRODUCTS.
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-A yearlong celebration commemorating the 20th anniversary of Accent on Design will kick off at the New York International Gift Fair at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers here this week. To...

NATURE IS INSPIRATION BEHIND ARTIST'S CHRISTOFLE COLLECTION.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-For the Christofle Haute Orfevrerie Workshops, designer and sculptress Michele Oka Doner tapped into her naturalist inspiration to create four original pieces in a limited edition of 50 copies. The resulting Palm collection includes...

KRUPS OFFERING HIGH PERFORMANCE, STURDY LOOK AND FEWER BUTTONS.
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-For some consumers, high-performance espresso machines that allow users to control every step of the process from bean to steam have a confusing amount of buttons to press. Krups is doing away with the rows of buttons for its...

PROPRIETARY VALUE; RETAILERS ARE TRYING TO ATTRACT CONSUMERS WITH THEIR OWN EXCLUSIVE PRODUCT LINES.
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-With kitchenware brand names available nearly everywhere, retailers are looking to proprietary lines to set themselves apart from the crowd. Cookware, cutlery and even gadgets are hot categories these days as consumers want to...

TIMING LURES SOME BIG VENDORS BACK TO HOUSEWARES SHOW.(Arc International)
February 2, 2004... ROSEMONT, Ill.-Some familiar faces will be back at the 2004 International Home & Housewares Show with the return of exhibitors Le Creuset, Krups, Berndes, WMF, Arc International, Sunbeam and Applica. The suppliers said the date change from...

HOOVER'S FLOOR PLAN FOR GROWTH INCLUDES CARPET-CLEANING TEST.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... NORTH CANTON, Ohio-Hoover has begun field tests of a carpet-cleaning service. The manufacturer described this as another in its series of activities related to floor care that is broadening its business. The test began in Atlanta and...

GOURMET STANDARD RELOCATES, ADDS WEB SITE FOR PROMOTIONS.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... KENT, Wash.-Gourmet Standard has beefed up its corporate offices with a move to a larger facility and has added a Web site to better promote its lines of cookware, bakeware and flatware. The company, a division of Pacific American Products...

NEWS.(multiple news)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... JEFFREY SIEGEL, CHAIRMAN, president and chief executive officer of Lifetime Hoan Corp., was named to the board of directors of the International Housewares Association. Siegel will finish the term of director Mark Eichhorn, which expires Sept....

MOST STORAGE VENDORS UNFAZED BY HOUSEWARES SHOW PULLOUTS.(Home Products International Inc)(Newell Rubbermaid Inc)
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-With two of the largest plastic storage vendors not exhibiting at the International Home & Housewares Show in March, the door has been left open for other vendors to focus on new business, spend more time with buyers and also evaluate...

AMCO SQUEEZES INTO JUICEMAKERS WITH UTENSILS OF MEXICO ACQUISITION.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... VERNON HILLS, Ill.-Amco Houseworks has acquired Utensils of Mexico, a San Luis Obispo, Calif., maker of manual juicers. The deal gives Amco, long known for its kitchen gadgets, a new area for growth in the kitchenware category. Utensils of...

FINE-TUNING RADIOSHACK; THE ELECTRONICS RETAILER INTENDS TO FURTHER SHARPEN ITS OFFERINGS AND FOCUS ON SERVICE FOR 2004.
February 2, 2004... FORT WORTH, Texas-Last year was one of "transition" for RadioShack Corp., the specialty electronics retailer based here, as the retailer tweaked its merchandise mix, honing in on building profit centers. For 2004, the company will continue...

ZELCO INDUSTRIES ADAPTS WITH INNOVATION AS MARKET CHANGES WARRANT.
February 2, 2004... MOUNT VERNON, N.Y.-After 28 years in business, Noel Zeller said he's never seen the marketplace as competitive and difficult as it is today. From product knockoffs and eroding price points to fickle consumers and shorter product life cycles,...

SHORT WAVES.(Circuit City Stores Inc)(Circuit City Stores Inc)( Frigidaire Co)
February 2, 2004... CIRCUIT CITY'S SALE of its credit business to Bank One for $1.8 billion in cash "is a smart and expected move," said CIBC World Markets equity analyst Dan Wewer. He said the deal allows Circuit City to continue offering "the same or expanded...

BOTTOM-MOUNTS RISE TO TOP OF THE FRIDGE GROWTH CHARTS.
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-Bottom-freezer refrigerators continue to be not only a significant growth business, but a strong margin performer as well. Here's one segment that has not been commoditized and shows no signs of doing so. To date, the increasing...

BEST BUY VS. CIRCUIT CITY.(products)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... ON THE COVER Best Buy: RCA 52-inch HD rear-projection TV with DVI input and two-tuner picture in picture, $1,299.99 Circuit City: Hitachi 46-inch rear-projection HDTV with built-in DVD player, $1,499.99 TV Best Buy: Panasonic...

BUILDERS' SHOW DISPLAYS CONFIRM TRENDS IN WHITE GOODS.
February 2, 2004... LAS VEGAS-The changing face of major appliances at the International Builders' Show translated into good traffic, a fair number of product introductions and verification of several trends. Numerous dropouts among exhibitors were succeeded...

MERGER AND ACQUISITION ACTIVITY ON AN UPSWING IN HOME GOODS.(2003)(list)
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-After slogging through a recession, mergers and acquisition activity in the home goods industry picked up in 2003 with the value of disclosed deals rising 62 percent to $5.2 billion from $3.2 billion in the previous year, according to...

HUDSON'S BAY TO RECORD LOSS ON PARTIAL SALE OF CREDIT CARD PROGRAM.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... TORONTO-Hudson's Bay Co. said last week that it replaced $300 million of its $900 million credit card receivables program, which was scheduled for payment on Jan. 31. The company also sold -- to an independent trust -- an additional,...

NEW BUSINESS BOLSTERS CIT'S Q4 RESULTS.(CIT Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... NEW YORK-Rising volume from new business and improved credit quality across the board helped push CIT Group Inc. to healthy earnings for the fourth quarter. For the three months ended Dec. 31, 2003, the Livingston, N.J.- based finance...

NARDA INSTITUTE WILL URGE MEMBERS TO TRY TO THINK BIG.(North American Retail Dealers Association)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... LOMBARD, Ill.-The North American Retail Dealers Association makes a habit of challenging its members at its semiannual educational institutes. The theme of NARDA's 49th such meeting will be "Think Big! Maximize Your Knowledge and Skills." This...

VINTAGE GROUPING.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Frigid temperatures could not keep the faithful away from the gala opening of the Winter Antiques Show, held at the Seventh Regiment Armory on Park Avenue in New York City. A crowd turned out to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the show,...

THE BIG FEDERATED MERGE AND PURGE.(Federated Department Stores Inc.)
February 9, 2004... CINCINNATI-Federated Department Stores' ailing home business was the driving factor in the creation of a centralized home buying organization, Terry Lundgren, Federated's chairman, president and chief executive officer, told HFN. In a...

NEWS BRIEFS: KLEIN NAMED MACY'S EAST CEO...COOLEY OUT AS CALPHALON PRESIDENT...HENREDON NAMES MCKEE PRESIDENT.
February 9, 2004... KLEIN NAMED MACY'S EAST CEO Federated Department Stores has named Ronald Klein chairman and chief executive officer of its Macy's East division, effective Feb. 15. Klein succeeds Hal Kahn, 58, who is retiring after serving as chairman and...

MOST VENDORS BACK FEDERATED, VIEWING MOVE AS INEVITABLE.(Revman International)
February 9, 2004... NEW YORK-"Here it comes," is the way one senior home executive reacted to the big Federated bombshell announcement combining all home buying and merchandising into one unit. Reaction across a broad spectrum of the home vendor base that...

U.S. DUMPING PROBE TARGETS 7 CHINESE VENDORS.(bedroom furniture investigation)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... WASHINGTON-The U.S. Department of Commerce has named seven manufacturers in China that will be the subject of in-depth investigations to determine whether anti-dumping duties will be imposed on all bedroom imports from China and the amount of...

ABLE TABLES.(Charity)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... With 58 stunning tables, it was almost impossible to choose a favorite at the recent Elle Decor Dining by Design gala. Featuring the work of some of the industry's most talented designers, the benefit gets bigger and better with each passing...

RECOVER STORY; SHELTER MAGAZINES SAW A SOLID REBOUND IN 2003, BUT UNCERTAINTY STILL LINGERS FOR 2004.
February 9, 2004... NEW YORK-After two years of ups and downs, the shelter book category finally made headway in 2003. But while some magazines enjoyed large increases in ad pages, others suffered sizable losses in paging. In light of the uneven scene, many...

FOUNDATION HONORS CHARITABLE LEADERS.(Fortunoff Fine Jewelry and Silverware Inc)(Conair Corp)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... CHICAGO-The Housewares Charity Foundation will honor such industry veterans as Louis Fortunoff and Michael Graves for their commitment to philanthropy with its 2004 Humanitarian Awards. Fortunoff, executive vice president of Fortunoff...

IHA PROVIDING SCANNERS FOR HOUSEWARES SHOW.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... WESTON, Mass.-The International Housewares Association is partnering with Housewaresdirect.com to provide handheld scanners to specialty retailers attending the International Home & Housewares Show in Chicago next month. Retailers visiting...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Illustration)
February 9, 2004... february 19-22 Tupelo Furniture Market Tupelo and Mississippi Complex Tupelo, Miss. (662) 842-4442 tupelofurnituremarket.com 19-21 Travel Goods Show Washington (D.C.) Convention Center Washington (609)...

LAVA LOVE.(Lava World International)
February 9, 2004... I know it sounds corny, but almost every evening my family and I gather in what we call the sitting room and bask in a warm, red glow. Hypnotized by unpredictable dances of light, we're transported to a calmness that transcends generations and...

TERRYMANDERING, PART 2.(Macy's New York)
February 9, 2004... The Terry Lundgren Show continues. Last week, the Federated CEO stunned virtually everyone in the home furnishings business -- vendors and employees alike -- when he announced the creation of Macy's Home, a centralized merchandising and...

MAISON STATEMENT; VIBRANT COLORS WERE THE ATTRACTION AT THE PARIS HOME FURNISHINGS SHOW.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... PARIS-The appeal of vibrant colors was not lost on visitors of Paris' Maison & Objet as the show turned up the heat on color and pattern. The textiles collections were a kaleidoscope of vibrant brights, featuring pop art patterns....

IT'S WHITE SALE SEASON, AND DISCOUNTS ARE FLYING.(Rich's Inc)
February 9, 2004... NEW YORK-As the biannual white sale season gets into full swing, retailers are showcasing a variety of deep discounts and innovative programs to entice consumers into their stores for the traditional domestics event. Retailers touted...

SURFACES RETENTION; EXHIBITORS AT THE MARKET USED BRIGHT COLORS AND NEW THEMES TO KEEP CUSTOMERS CAPTIVATED AFTER ATLANTA.(Costikyan Carpets)
February 9, 2004... LAS VEGAS-On the short heels of the Atlanta International Area Rug Market, many companies used Surfaces Expo 2004 as an opportunity to reinforce the product they introduced in Georgia and, of course, introduce it to the customers who didn't...

MANUFACTURERS FIND BUYERS UPBEAT AT LAS VEGAS SHOW.(Milliken Carpet)
February 9, 2004... LAS VEGAS-Talk was that overall attendance seemed to be a bit down at the Surfaces Expo here late last month, but fortunately for the floor coverings exhibitors who set up shop at the Sands Expo & Convention Center, those buyers who did make...

MARSHALL FIELD'S LEASE DEAL BLURS RETAIL-WHOLESALE LINE.
February 9, 2004... CHICAGO-The line between wholesale and retail in the rug industry got a little fuzzier when Marshall Field's announced last week, in a statement to HFN, that it had leased some of its Oriental rug departments to "BBT Rugs, an affiliate of...

CARE IS ACCEPTING GRANT PROPOSALS FOR RECYCLING PROGRAM.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... DALTON, Ga.-The Carpet America Recovery Effort will be accepting grant proposals for its second grant cycle for programs that provide for the recycling and/or reuse of post-consumer carpet, or increase the demand for products made from...

HOW THE WEST WAS WON; A SCHEDULE SHIFT HELPED BOOST SALES AT THE SAN FRANCISCO WINTER MARKET.(Ashley Furniture Industries Inc)(Powell Group Inc.)
February 9, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO-Many furniture exhibitors were smiling as a new Winter Market schedule brought increases in orders from newly confident retailers. The San Francisco Mart moved to a Wednesday-to-Saturday schedule for the January show in...

OFFICE DEPOT OFFICIALLY UNVEILS CHRISTOPHER LOWELL OFFICE LINE.
February 9, 2004... NEW YORK-Office Depot officially kicked off the introduction of its Christopher Lowell Collection during a press conference here Jan. 30, with Lowell on hand for the presentation. The collection is the precoordinated office furniture and...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Flexsteel Industries Inc)(Furniture Brands International Inc)(Stanley Furniture)(Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association)
February 9, 2004... RANDY AUSTIN HAS BEEN NAMED president of Paul Maitland International, a supplier of furniture, lamps and home decor with factories in Vietnam. Austin, who left Hickory White in January after 12 years as chief executive officer, will be moving...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Adesso Inc)(Silver Plume Imports)(Silver Plume Imports)
February 9, 2004... UNDER PROGRESS LIGHTING'S DEAL WITH DELTA brand faucets to coordinate lighting, Progress is making bath fixtures designed by Michael Graves, whose signature egg-shaped handles now adorn Delta faucets. The two Graves bath families, at the high...

OFFICE DEPOT'S UPSCALE OFFERING HELPS SET IT APART FROM RIVALS.(OfficeMax Inc)(Staples Inc)
February 9, 2004... NEW YORK-Office Depot's decidedly upscale, coordinated approach to its lighting and office accessories has paid off, its merchants said. It's distinguishing the retailer from Staples and OfficeMax, while giving consumers solutions to...

HARRIS MARCUS HOME NAMES POPOWICI ITS NEW DESIGN DIRECTOR.(Philip Georg Popowici)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... CHICAGO-Philip Georg Popowici has joined accessory, lighting and furniture supplier Harris Marcus Home as director of product design. In his new position, Popowici will spearhead Harris Marcus Home's design efforts. He reports to Steven...

A WHOLE NEW ATTITUDE BRIGHTENS NEW YORK GIFT FAIR.(The New York International Gift Fair)
February 9, 2004... NEW YORK-Karim Rashid's neon green carpeting, pink peg chairs and habitrail-like tubes enclosing the escalators at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center here -- marking the 20th anniversary of Accent on Design at the New York Gift Show --...

ALLOYED FORCE; PEWTER'S EASY MAINTENANCE AND VARIED LOOKS ARE HELPING THE METAL SHINE ON THE TABLE.(pewter tabletop products)
February 9, 2004... NEW YORK-Pewter is not just for colonists anymore. What was once a metal used for historic reproductions found in museums devoted to American history is now a high-end, fashionable tabletop and home decor material. "It's become a huge...

WATERFORD WEDGWOOD'S FOURTH-QUARTER SALES FLAT.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... DUBLIN, Ireland-In a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing, tabletop supplier Waterford Wedgwood reported flat year-over-year sales for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2003, of $241.9 million euros, which is about $304.4 million at the...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Lalique)(Libbey Inc)(Oneida Electronics Manufacturing Company Inc)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... ONEIDA'S LENDERS HAVE extended waivers regarding the company's financial agreements and past-due payments through March 1. The previous extension expired Jan. 20. A $3.9 million payment was originally due Oct. 31, 2003, and bank lenders agreed...