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

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

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
June 7, 2004... Licensed properties are getting more and more votes as the hot tickets for the home industry. See pages 8, 12, 14, 17, 21, 47, 53 and 56.

225 SEARCH FOR NEW HOME SPEEDS UP.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Allison Zisko NEW YORK-The clock is ticking -- or more accurately running out -- on 225 Fifth Ave., one of two key tabletop and giftware showroom buildings in New York City. Tenants have confirmed the building, which was...

ALL-CLAD DEAL: WATERFORD LOSSES ARE BIG GAIN FOR GROUPE SEB.(Waterford Wedgwood PLC)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jennifer White and Thyra Porter ECULLY, France-Last week's All-Clad deal takes one company out of housewares and gives them financial breathing room and elevates another to the first tier of companies in the industry. French...

THE NEW MACY'S HOME TEAM: WHO CAME FROM WHERE.(Macy's Home Store)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Federated Department Stores has been moving swiftly to assemble the new Macy's Home Store team here, filling more than 40 positions -- or 80 percent of the staff -- in less than a month's time. Macy's...

NEWS BRIEFS.
June 7, 2004... Dan River Receives DIP Funding Dan River said that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia has granted final approval of its $145 million debtor-in-possession credit facility, as it attempts to work itself out of...

FURNITURE SALES UNMEMORABLE FOR SOME ON MEMORIAL WEEKEND.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Karl Kunkel HIGH POINT, N.C.-The key Memorial Day weekend proved a mixed bag for furniture retailers, with some analysts reporting sluggish sales while some chains enjoyed strong buying. Memorial Day is the last big sales event...

NEIMAN MARCUS PUTS CHEF'S CATALOG INTO PLAY.(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Barbara Thau DALLAS-Neiman Marcus executives set plans to explore "strategic alternatives" for Chef's Catalog during a conference call to review third-quarter results last week. Alternatives for the $75 million kitchenware book...

BIDDER SUITES.(eBay Showhouse to go public)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Michael D. Devine The eBay Showhouse is going public this year, meaning it will be open to the public from June 12 to 19. The concept is that eight talented designers used products uniquely from eBay and the house's beneficiary,...

THE NAME OF THE GAME; BRAND BUILDING AND A NEED FOR RETAIL DIFFERENTIATION MAKE LICENSING AN INCREASINGLY VIABLE OPTION IN HOME FURNISHINGS.
June 7, 2004... Byline: HFN Staff Report NEW YORK-Years ago, to see a comprehensive list of licensed home goods, all one had to do was peruse yard sales and flea markets. Smurf drinking glasses, Evel Knievel bedding and Farrah Fawcett towels were...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
June 7, 2004... june 8-10 Licensing Show Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York (800) 331-5706 licensingshow.com 14-16 NeoCon The Merchandise Mart Chicago (800) 677-MART merchandisemart.com 23-30 Dallas...

FEDERATED CEO: MACY'S HOME IMPACT WILL BE FELT IN 2005.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Shelly Reese CINCINNATI-It will be another year before Federated Department Stores Inc. starts seeing a payoff from Macy's Home Store, the centralized buying organization it established for home goods earlier this year. Home...

TJX HONES HOME, PLANS 29 NEW `SUPERSTORES'.(TJX Companies Inc)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Katherine Bowers FRAMINGHAM, Mass.-Edmond J. English, TJX Cos. president and chief executive officer, described home merchandise as a "fast-moving target," but also said the company's moderate A.J. Wright division is still learning...

CHEERS TO STAYING THE COURSE.(companies consistent in direction)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Joel Kaplan Trend represents change in direction or style. My job has always been about identifying trends, reporting them and recommending action. Change can be good for business. Staying current, fresh and aware of consumer...

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE.(celebrity licensing)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Warren Shoulberg I guess what did it for me was seeing the picture of Pierre Cardin accepting some sort of an award for his longevity in the design business, which was a polite way of saying he was getting an award for licensing...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Kohl's Corp. to introduce Royal Velvet brand, while Target to retail Fieldcrest products)(19th annual SURTEX 2004 show)(Sleep Innovations Inc. to build manufacturing facility)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... ROYAL VELVET AND FIELDCREST, two of the brands previously owned by defunct Pillowtex, have gotten placements at retail. Kohl's said it is introducing the Royal Velvet brand next year at all its stores and on its Web site, while Target said it...

FASHION FORWARD; LICENSED APPAREL BRANDS ARE LIVENING UP TRADITIONAL AND CASUAL BEDDING STYLES.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Fashion bedding is a category that is never short of new names or ideas on how to freshen existing brands. Coming in time for the October textiles market is Caribbean Joe, a crossover from apparel that...

GENSTAR IS BULLISH ON ITS INVESTMENT IN AMERICAN PACIFIC.(Genstar Capital LP)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Genstar Capital LP, a first-time investor in home textiles and the single-largest shareholder of American Pacific, owning 50 percent, is eyeing acquisitions to grow its new business. "We are looking at...

DAN RIVER REALIGNS MANAGEMENT.(Dan River Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... DANVILLE, Va.-Dan River named Scott McLam, most recently sales manager for Federated and specialty stores, as vice president of sales, department and specialty stores. He reports to Daniel Hammer, executive vice president of sales and...

PLAYING THE LICENSE HAND; MORE COMPANIES ARE DEALING THEMSELVES INTO THE BIG GAME WITH SOME BIG NAMES BEHIND THEM.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-The rug industry has been heating up with big names lately, with everyone from Raymond Waites to Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen getting in on the game. While some Hollywood types have become players here,...

CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE FAIR GIVES DESIGNERS THEIR DUE.(International Contemporary Furniture Fair)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-Rug vendors and designers who made their way to the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center late last month said the show was a good outlet due to its designer and...

DAYTIME TV STARS WALK MOHAWK'S PINK CARPET.(Mohawk Carpet Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-This year, daytime television's hottest stars made their entrance to the Daytime Emmy Awards on a Mohawk Industries' pink carpet to honor breast cancer survivors and spread the life-saving message of early...

ATLANTA IS COMING! ATLANTA IS COMING!
June 7, 2004... And we want to know what your plans are for the show. Please send press releases and images for the Atlanta International Area Rug Market to Jennifer Quail by Friday, June 18. Submissions are welcome via e-mail at...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... EMMA GARDNER DESIGN has announced a new relationship with San Francisco-based Design Within Reach. Gardner's Fiesta area rug will be marketed through DWR's Studio retail establishments, Web site and branded catalog. This hand-tufted rug is made...

ANTRON FIBER RECERTIFIED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS.(Invista)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... ATLANTA-Antron carpet fiber, an Invista product, has been recertified as an Environmentally Preferable Product by Scientific Certification Systems. The fiber was originally awarded certification in 2002. "Recertification is essential to...

MAKING A NAME FOR ITSELF; AFTER SOME INITIAL BUMPS, LICENSING IN THE INDUSTRY IS PICKING UP.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Lee Buchanan HIGH POINT, N.C.-Furniture is still fairly new at the licensing business, but after some missteps and a few flops, partnerships with famous names have become profitable ventures and have come to dominate major...

NEWS BRIEFS.
June 7, 2004... NEW ORDERS IN MARCH were up 18 percent over March 2003 and were 4 percent higher than February, according to a survey of domestic residential furniture manufacturers conducted by BDO Seidman. Year to date, orders were up 15 percent over the...

THE LIGHTING REPORT.(Lighting industry sales and revenue)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... The lighting business grew by 4.8 percent in 2003, topping $5 billion. Fixtures posted the biggest increase at 5 percent. The specialty store channel gained the greatest market share in lamps. Caption(s): On the cover (from left): Factories...

NEW RAYS OF LIGHT; WELCOME TO HFN'S EXCLUSIVE ANNUAL LIGHTING REPORT, NOW IN ITS FOURTH YEAR AND THE LARGEST EDITION EVER.(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Nancy Meyer Lighting outperformed all of the home products tracked by HFN and posted a healthy 4.8 percent sales increase, bringing the business over the $5 billion mark in retail sales. Lighting is attracting much more...

A BRIGHTER PERSPECTIVE; THE LIGHTING BUSINESS IS BEAMING WITH A 4.8 PERCENT SALES INCREASE FOR 2003.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Nancy Meyer The high tide of new home construction and the dynamic renovation and remodeling markets have certainly lifted the overall lighting business, which topped the $5 billion mark in retail sales in 2003. The whole...

SHINING EXAMPLES; PORTABLE LAMPS ARE REACHING WIDER CHANNELS AS SALES INCH UPWARD.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Nancy Meyer Portable lamp sales topped the $2 billion mark in 2003 at $2.07 billion, representing a 4 percent increase over the prior year, according to HFN's exclusive research. While this growth appears modest, it's actually...

FIRMLY IN PLACE; THE CATEGORY REBOUNDED FROM A TOUGH FIRST QUARTER TO POST STRONG SALES NUMBERS BY THE END OF THE YEAR.(Light fixtures)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Nancy Meyer The retail market for lighting fixtures pushed closer to the $3 billion mark in 2003, as the industry posted a healthy increase of 5 percent. Total retail sales of lighting fixtures reached $2.98 billion, up from $2.84...

A LOOK AT WHAT'S IN STORES; ALMOST HALF OF THE RETAILERS ON HFN'S TOP 10 LIST SAW DOUBLE-DIGIT SALES GAINS.(lighting retailers sales and their rankings)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Nancy Meyer The stars of the lighting business shone brightly again in 2003. All top 10 merchants in HFN's exclusive annual ranking increased their lighting sales, almost half of them in the double digits. This is powerful...

A MATTER OF INCREASING IMPORTS; A LOOK BEHIND THE NUMBERS REVEALED INTERESTING STORIES ABOUT CHANGES FACING THE LIGHTING INDUSTRY.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Nancy Meyer The lighting industry has been heavily dependent upon imports for the past two decades, but found buried in the numbers are some interesting clues about the changing face of the lighting industry. First, to...

NAMES IN LIGHTS; AN HFN SURVEY FINDS THAT WESTINGHOUSE LEADS THE WAY IN BRAND RECOGNITION FOR THE CATEGORY.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Nancy Meyer Lighting executives love a good debate about how important one brand compared to another. But when it comes to raw data, there are few concrete market research reports to support the conjecture. The exception, of...

CHANGES IN THE MARKETPLACE; DISTRIBUTION SHIFTS TOWARD HOME CENTERS WHILE GROWTH COMES FROM THE FLUORESCENT SEGMENT.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Nancy Meyer The retail market for light bulbs, which is more than $2.1 billion, according to the latest figures released in 2002, is shifting, industry executives said. Growth is coming from the compact fluorescent bulb...

CONSERVING STRENGTH; EFFICIENT PRODUCTS ARE COMING INTO THE FOREFRONT AS THE INDUSTRY EDUCATES THE CONSUMER ABOUT THE BENEFITS.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Nancy Meyer Given the skyrocketing prices of gasoline and electricity, the need for energy savings has become even more critical. The lighting industry is actively seeking ways to further boost demand for energy-efficient lighting,...

DISTINGUISHED TRAITS; THE HOUSEWARES SEGMENT OFFERS UPSCALE LICENSED PRODUCTS, WHILE UPSTAIRS EXPANDS ITS DESIGNER REACH.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Carla Webb NEW YORK-The latest licenses in tabletop have shown that there are definite and different tacks in upstairs and housewares, with a more "upscale" licensed product offering in housewares and continuing additions to...

ONEIDA SALVAGES 1ST-QUARTER PROFIT, REDUCES BENEFITS COSTS.(Oneida Ltd.)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Michael Rudnick ONEIDA, N.Y.-Oneida Ltd. reported a profit for the first quarter ended May 1 of $54.4 million versus a loss of $3.4 million for the same period last year, chalking up the gain to reduced costs associated with the...

HAVILAND ANNOUNCES PLANS TO RESTRUCTURE IN FRANCE, NOT U.S.(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... CARLSTADT, N.J.-Haviland, a French manufacturer of Limoges porcelain, has announced a plan to restructure under French bankruptcy law. The company is headquartered in Limoges, France. "In spite of the fact that product designs and...

NEWS BRIEFS.(messhed briefs)
June 7, 2004... ARTLAND HAS NAMED John Rufe vice president of sales. Rufe was previously regional vice president-Northeast for Artland. He reports to William Flaherty, executive vice president. Succession information was unavailable at press time... ...

CHURCHILL DIVISION'S LINE OF BUNNY MUGS KEEPS MULTIPLYING.(Queen's mugs )(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... ST. CHARLES, Ill.-One hundred years old and nary a wrinkle in the fur. Benjamin Bunny, one of the characters in Beatrix Potter's beloved Peter Rabbit series, celebrates his 100th anniversary this year, and Queen's mugs is celebrating the...

HEIRLOOM DINNERWARE HATCHES FROM ELEGANT EGG.(The Elegant Egg Cup)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... NEW YORK-The Elegant Egg Cup is a tabletop specialty store that hopes to show customers how to "mix beautiful heirloom pieces with their own modern things to create a personal look," according to owner Charlie Akwa. The 770-square-foot...

ENESCO PLANS TO OPEN FIVE HOME & GARDEN SHOWROOMS THIS MONTH.(Enesco Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... ITASCA, Ill.-Enesco plans to open five new showrooms, three permanent and two temporary, this month for its Home & Garden division. The three permanent showrooms include one in the L.A. Mart; one at 225 Fifth Ave. in New York, adjacent to...

SYRATECH FILLS NEW BUSINESS AND REGIONAL POSITIONS.(Syratech Corp.)(Patrice Phillips appointed)(Louis Brosi appointed )
June 7, 2004... BOSTON-Syratech has created two new positions to handle the company's growth. Patrice Phillips has been named vice president of business operations for Vera Wang Silver & Gifts, and Louis Brosi as West Coast regional manager for Wallace...

NOT SOME THROWAWAY ITEM; TRASH CANS ARE GOING UPSCALE TO COMPLEMENT HIGH-END KITCHENS.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Sharyn Bernard NEW YORK-Trash cans are going glam. Once limited to mostly plastic material and relegated to under-the-sink placement, trash cans have gained kitchen furniture status as more companies introduce stainless-steel,...

SOME BIG NAMES SERVE UP SMORGASBORD OF LICENSING DEALS.
June 7, 2004... Byline: HFN Staff Report NEW YORK-Famous names continue to make their mark in housewares through licensing and branding deals. It's a trend most notable in cookware, where the product list led by chef Emeril Lagasse gets longer every...

CUISINART DEBUTS COUNTERTOP COOKING APPLIANCE COLLECTION.(Cuisinarts Inc.)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jennifer White NEW YORK-Taking a stylish approach to several kitchen appliances not always known for high style, Cuisinart has entered six new product categories with the launch of its Countertop Cooking Appliance collection. ...

VIKING EXTENDS ITS RANGE TO WEDDINGS AND GIFTS.(Viking Range Corp.)(Viking Culinary Arts)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Thyra Porter GREENWOOD, Miss.-Viking Range Corp. and its Viking Culinary Arts Center division have launched a Wedding and Gift Registry Program, a first for the company. The new program is available at the Viking Culinary Arts...

KITCHENAID STUDIES MARKET FOR GIFT IDEAS.(Mother's Day gift assortments)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... NEW YORK-KitchenAid test-marketed Mother's Day gift assortments with an eye toward developing a line of holiday packaging. The Mother's Day items -- a Pasta Kit for KitchenAid Stand Mixers in a wooden box with a rope handle and a Pasta Gift...

SONY GIVES SNEAK PREVIEWS AT HOME ENTERTAINMENT SHOW.(Sony Corp.)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Sony gave the public a peek at its first hard-disk drive DVD recorder and wireless broadband television line at the Home Entertainment 2004 Show late last month in New York City. The consumer electronic...

TEENAGE WASTELAND? WHILE ADULTS AND KIDS FIND PLENTY OF LICENSED PRODUCTS AT THEIR DISPOSAL, THE IN-BETWEEN AGE GROUP HAS FEW TO CHOOSE FROM.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Consumer electronics licensing is segmented into two categories: characters licensing to sell to eager kids, and brand licensing primarily targeted to adults. Who are we missing in this marketing melee? The...

NEW SYSTEM INTEGRATION SHORT-CIRCUITS AT ULTIMATE ELECTRONICS.(Ultimate Electronics Inc.)(Management information systems)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Brad Barth THORNTON, Colo.-Ultimate Electronics took the unusual step recently of blaming much of its second-half financial woes on the troubled integration of a management information system. The announcement left investors...

BEST BUY VS. CIRCUIT CITY.
June 7, 2004... ON THE COVER Best Buy: Yamaha 5.1 Channel 600-watt home theater system, $299.99 Circuit City: Akai 42-inch HDTV widescreen monitor, $999.99 FREE OFFERS Best Buy: Free delivery on all major appliances and over-the-range...

WHIRLPOOL PLOWS AHEAD WITH A MULTITUDE OF PRODUCT INTROS.(Whirlpool Corp. product introduction)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Gerry Beatty NEW YORK-Whoever is the top man, Whirlpool Corp. has a strategic focus and product stream to maintain its profitable course. A plan put in place five years ago will not be affected by Dave Whitwam's retirement as...

HFN COMPS INDEX SHOWS GAIN IN MAY.(Retail stores)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Nathan Weber NEW YORK-Sales in home furnishings stores that have been open at least a year grew by 3.4 percent in May compared with a year ago, according to the HFN Comp-Sales Index of leading retailers. That was up from April's...

GOTTSCHALKS OPTIMISTIC FOR '04 AFTER LOWERING 1ST-QUARTER PROFIT LOSS.(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Michael Rudnick FRESNO, Calif.-Gottschalks Inc. recorded a net loss of $2.1 million, or 16 cents per diluted share, for the first quarter ended May 1, a marked improvement over its $4 million loss for the same period last year. ...

ALPHA BEST.(annual Alpha Workshop Awards)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... The prestigious Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York was the setting for the fifth annual Alpha Workshop Awards. A cast of hundreds turned out to congratulate this year's winners: Gregory Herringshaw, James P. Druckman and John...

POOL PARTYING.(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Michael D. Devine Billed as the "Best Pool Party of the Year," Metropolitan Home magazine's annual Design 100 celebrated the best 100 designs of the year at the glam Four Seasons restaurant's Pool Room in New York. Caption(s):...

AND SHOW IT GOES...(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Start packing your bags: The next round of industry trade shows is under way. Find out what event planners have in store in HFN's second-half trade show preview. See page 9.

LNT LOOKS FOR MOORE TO DO MORE.(Linens 'n Things )
June 14, 2004... Byline: Barbara Thau CLIFTON, N.J.-Linens 'n Things hopes that Jack Moore, the retailer's recently named president and chief operating officer, can do for the chain what he did for Kohl's. "[Moore] brings a particular strength to the...

MAY GETS ITS BLOOMIE'S KILLER: WILL FIELD'S STAY OFF THE MATRIX?(May Department Stores Co. purchases Marshall Field's chain)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Barbara Thau, Allison Zisko, Leticia Leizens, Jennifer White contributed to this report. ST. LOUIS-With Marshall Field's, May Department Stores gains an upscale home business that has previously eluded the company and an instant...

SEEKING RELIEF, KITCHEN ETC. FILES BANKRUPTCY PETITION.(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Jennifer White EXETER, N.H.-Kitchen Etc. filed a voluntary petition for Chapter 11 protection last week in a Delaware bankruptcy court. The retailer sells tabletop, cookware and gadgets on its Web site and in 17 stores, which...

NEWS BRIEFS: PENNEY CEO WOULD TAB CASTAGNA... TEXTILES INDUSTRY SEEKS BUSH'S HELP... MARKS & SPENCER'S RADICE RESIGNS.(Penny's Allen Questrom recommend's Vanessa Castagna)(phaseout of quotas on global apparel and textiles)(Vittorio Radice resigns from Marks & Spencer )
June 14, 2004... Penney CEO Would Tab Castagna "I'd recommend Vanessa" Castagna, chairman and chief executive officer of J.C. Penney Stores, catalog and Internet. That's who Allen Questrom, chairman and chief executive officer of J.C. Penney, believes...

THE DUST HASN'T SETTLED YET FROM MAYTAG-HOOVER MOVES.(decision to combine and downsize operations)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Gerry Beatty NEWTON, Iowa-Uncertainties abound in and around Maytag and Hoover as two industries digest Maytag Corp.'s decision to combine and downsize operations in major appliances and floor care. A week after many outsiders...

SOUNDS OF HOPE.(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Jon Bon Jovi sings not for his supper, but for many who are less fortunate. The rock star is an avid participant in Samsung's Four Seasons of Hope charities, which raised more than $500,000 at a gala dinner in New York last week. See story on...

THE MOST FOR THE HOSTS.(gift giving)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Michael D. Devine A coveted weekend invitation creates the eternal quandary: what to give the hosts? Gift giving is a dicey business. Give the wrong gift and living with the awkwardness all weekend can ruin the fun. The right gift...

PLANS FOR EMPLOYEE REFORMS HIGHLIGHT WAL-MART MEETING.
June 14, 2004... Byline: Katherine Bowers FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.-Wal-Mart's famous five-hour shareholders' meeting was more "hearts and minds" campaign than pep rally this year, as Lee Scott, president and chief executive officer, responded to detractors and...

SUPER MARKETS; HFN'S TRADE SHOW PREVIEW FINDS OPTIMISM REIGNS SUPREME AS EVENT PLANNERS THINK BIG TO ATTRACT BUYERS.
June 14, 2004... Byline: HFN Staff Report NEW YORK-After too many seasons where "cautiously optimistic" was the catch phrase on everyone's lips, business across the myriad markets that fall under the home category seems to actually, finally be looking up....

THE COST OF DOING TRAVEL BUSINESS.
June 14, 2004... NEW YORK-With the American dollar getting slammed by many international currencies, are home furnishings executives cutting back on their travel? That's the question we put to some of the industry's road warriors. Dale Talbert Vice...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
June 14, 2004... june 14-16 NeoCon The Merchandise Mart Chicago (800) 677-MART merchandisemart.com 23-30 Dallas Super Market Dallas Market Center Dallas (800) DAL-MKTS dallasmarketcenter.com 23-30...

WARM FUZZY MODERN.(contemporary furniture)(Column)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Duke Ratliff Stop the presses! I always wanted to say that and was just waiting to use that phrase, but nevertheless something's about to happen that's worthy of rewriting the headlines, changing the marquee and blasting the...

CHINESE TAKEOUT.(economy)(Editorial)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Warren Shoulberg Predicting the demise of the Chinese economy has become the hottest thing in business circles since the advent of Wal-Mart bashing began. Everyone who's anyone has some sort of a forecast that China's economy will...

ALL FOR ONE; WAL-MART'S DIFFERENT TEXTILES ITEMS IN A BAG MAKE FOR QUITE THE PACKAGE DEALS.(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Leticia Leizens EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa.-Wal-Mart's got it in the bag. Window treatments? The Wal-Mart Supercenter here has the seven-piece Window-in-a -Bag. Need to set the table? Try the nine-piece Table Setting for Two. And...

NEW LICENSED LINES SPRUCE UP THE KITCHEN.(textiles)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Carla Webb NEW YORK-Kitchen textiles are really making a design statement these days, and part of that can be seen in licensed properties. "When Waverly first went into Target, the designs all had kitchen and table linens...

FEATURES ENHANCE DESIGNER LABEL SUCCESS IN BASIC BEDDING BRANDS.
June 14, 2004... Byline: Sharyn Bernard NEW YORK-How much does a designer name add to an essentially white item that gets covered up? "The vast majority of apparel and fashion brands that are licensed in basic bedding bring little or no [value] to the...

HFPA GROUP DOWN WITH NEW LABELING PROGRAM.(Home Fashion Products Association's American Down and Feather Section )(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... NEW YORK -The American Down and Feather Section of the Home Fashion Products Association wants its members and non-members to comply with textiles industry standards and has adopted a new Labeling Compliance Program. HFPA, in a statement,...

COTTON BRINGS JOY TO ONLINE SHOPPING.(Cotton Incorporated has launched Thejoyofshopping.com)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... NEW YORK-Cotton Incorporated has launched Thejoyofshopping.com, an e-commerce site that allows consumers to browse a variety of cotton and cotton-blend products. According to Cotton Incorporated, the database has 40,000 items, which can be...

TENNIS, OR GOLF, ANYONE?(Home Fashion Products Association)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... The Home Fashion Products Association's Annual Golf & Tennis Outing is scheduled for Monday, June 21, at the Glen Head Country Club in Glen Head, N.Y. The event is for the benefit of the HFPA Foundation Scholarship Fund. Call (212) 297-2127...

TRIBAL INFLUENCE; DILMAGHANI & CO. HAS LAUNCHED NEW PATTERNS MODELED AFTER THE ART OF THE WARLI TRIBE OF INDIA.
June 14, 2004... Byline: Jennifer Quail SCARSDALE, N.Y.-Dilmaghani & Co., the 85-year-old, family-run rug company, has breathed new life into ancient folk designs to bring its latest rug ideas to the market. Brought to fruition by Dilmaghani designers, the...

ALLIANCE'S NEW MARKET WEEK GIVES NEW YORK COMPANIES THE FLOOR.(Metro Rug Alliance has announced its first market week)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-The Metro Rug Alliance has announced its first Market Week will be held Sept. 19 to 23 throughout the greater New York City region. Formed earlier this year, the Metro Rug Alliance is a collaboration of...

EXPECTATIONS HIGH FOR U.S. PIMA SUPPLY.
June 14, 2004... PHOENIX-An ideal spring in the San Joaquin Valley is buoying optimism for Pima crop prospects. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture will not release its official acreage numbers until the end of the month, there has been much speculation as...

REPORT: BALDUCCI'S MOVING INTO CENTRAL CARPET SPACE.(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-Responding to a report in The New York Times that stated a new Balducci's high-end grocery store will be moving into the "domed 1897 landmark building that now houses Central Carpet," Ike Timianko, president...

COURISTAN'S NEW ADS FOCUS ON LIFESTYLE.(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Jennifer Quail FORT LEE, N.J.-Couristan's latest advertising campaign -- "Create your perfect match with Couristan area rugs." -- works to embody the variety of styles it has available and also reflects a natural evolution of its...

EXPANDED COVERAGE; A GROWING NUMBER OF UPHOLSTERY MAKERS ARE RELYING ON OFFSHORE SOURCING FOR THEIR PRODUCTS.
June 14, 2004... Byline: Sheila Long O'Mara HIGH POINT, N.C.-A boatload of upholstery will be hitting North American shores before long as more upholstery producers look offshore for manufacturing. For years, the upholstery category remained close to...