HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network articles from March 2003

HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network archives from March 2003

THE UNITED STATE OF WAL-MART.
March 3, 2003... Yesterday, Wal-Mart sold $657 million worth of merchandise. Last week, the payroll department processed checks for 1.3 million employees. The third-fastest-growing metropolitan area in the country is the northwest corner of Arkansas, including...

NEWS BRIEFS.(homefurnishings, hardware, retail news)
March 3, 2003... HARDWARE SHOW MOVING TO VEGAS After years of declining exhibitor and attendee figures, the National Hardware Show will move from Chicago to Las Vegas, and from August to a new May time frame next year, according to the American Hardware...

SPIEGEL'S TROUBLES MOUNTING; CATALOGER REPORTS FUNDING BIND.(Spiegel Inc.)
March 3, 2003... DOWNERS GROVE, Ill.-Spiegel Inc. said last week in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it does not expect to have sufficient funds to finance its operations in the future, and may not be able to obtain additional financing, a...

FEDDERS' SAL GIORDANO SR. DEAD AT 92.(chairman emeritus of Fedders Corp.)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
March 3, 2003... BERNARDSVILLE, N.J.-Services were held here Feb. 26 for Sal Giordano Sr., who probably did more than anyone to make the room air conditioner a popular product. He died Feb. 22 at age 92. Giordano had been chairman emeritus of Fedders Corp.,...

AS NEW FEDERATED CEO, LUNDGREN IS BULLISH ON HOME.(Federated Department Stores, Terry Lundgren)
March 3, 2003... CINCINNATI-Leveraging the home business with differentiated products and pulling comparable-store sales into the black are among Terry Lundgren's top objectives as the new president and chief executive officer of Federated Department Stores....

ELECTROLUX PICKS MCLOUGHLIN TO RUN WHITE GOODS BUSINESS.(Keith McLoughlin named president of Electrolux Home Products North America)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... AUGUSTA, Ga.-AB Electrolux has gone outside the industry to find a leader for its North American business in major appliances. Keith McLoughlin, vice president and general manager of DuPont Nonwovens, will become president here of Electrolux...

SPRINGS GAINS STRONG POSITION IN BLANKETS WITH OWEN ACQUISITION.(Springs Industries Inc acquires Charles D. Owen Manufacturing Company Inc.)
March 3, 2003... FORT MILL, S.C.-Springs Industries' impending acquisition of Charles D. Owen Manufacturing gives the mill a firm foothold in the potentially rocky terrain of the blanket category. "This is a product category that we haven't had, and our...

FEDERATED POSTS PROFIT ON SALES DECLINE IN Q4.(financial data for Federated Department Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... Federated Department Stores posted a profit offset by a sales decline for the fourth quarter ended Feb. 1. Income from continuing operations was $341 million, compared with $310 million for the same period last year. Sales dipped 2.2...

CALIFORNIA PASSES NEW FLAMMABILITY RULES.(new flammability standards for mattresses sold in California)
March 3, 2003... NORTH HIGHLANDS, Calif.-California regulators last week issued tough new flammability standards for mattresses sold in that state, standards that are almost certain to be used nationwide. Beginning Jan. 1, 2004, all mattresses manufactured...

CCA LOOKS TO GROW HARD WINDOW TREATMENT SALES.(CCA Global Partners)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... DALLAS-The flooring group of CCA Global Partners is setting its sights on owning half of the hard window treatment business. At its recent Carpet One winter convention, executives made the case to their members that the category makes the...

ZAGAT RATES N.Y. STORES IN SHOPPING SURVEY.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-Zagat Survey, the definitive publisher of restaurant guides, unveiled its first New York City Shopping Survey, which includes a review of 2,193 stores, with coverage of home categories such as textiles, furniture, appliances, cookware...

ROLLBACK CHIC.(Wal-Mart)
March 3, 2003... Target it's not. There's no Swell Collection, no Michael Graves and certainly none of that Philippe Starck. But if you're hard-pressed and you have more dash than cash, some stylish home products can be mined from the aisles of your local...

SPHERE OF INFLUENCE.(Wal-Mart)
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-Wal-Mart World. That's what the retail landscape is fast becoming. Already the biggest merchant on the planet, the $244.5 billion chain is poised to gobble up more market share with the aggressive rollout of its Supercenter format...

WAL-MART'S IMPACT ON NATIONAL, GLOBAL ECONOMY KEEPS GROWING.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-Wal-Mart's sheer size as the world's largest retailer makes it a dominant force not only in the mass market, where it has reigned supreme for years, but also in the entire retail universe and, indeed, in the nation's and world's...

MOVING BEYOND BASICS, HOME GETS PLUSH TREATMENT.(Wal-Mart)
March 3, 2003... BENTONVILLE, Ark.-Tile tables, chenille throws and $100 wood-framed mirrors. Sound like the mix at Pier 1? Try Wal-Mart. The retailer, long known as the first place to go for low prices but the last for stylish merchandise, has been...

INTERNATIONALLY, WAL-MART PLANS 100-PLUS NEW STORES IN 2003.
March 3, 2003... BENTONVILLE, Ark.-Wal-Mart is bullish on its $40.8 billion international business, which is expected to generate a third of the company's sales and earnings increases and is crucial to the chain's long-term growth. Wal-Mart International...

A TRILLION-DOLLAR WAL-MART?(Wal-Mart Stores sales forecasts)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-How big can Wal-Mart grow over the next decade? That's a trillion-dollar question. Based on Wal-Mart's sales growth rate over the past five years, the mega-retailer could reach $1 trillion in sales by 2012. Analysts say that may...

WAL-MART'S STANDARDS AND PRACTICES RANK SECOND TO NONE.
March 3, 2003... It's no revelation that Wal-Mart is renowned for its sophisticated supply-chain systems and everyday-low-pricing strategy -- even its store remodeling program. But its practices have had a seismic effect across retail channels, raising the...

AROUND THE WORLD, CASUALLY.(views of three home furnishings trade shows)(Column)
March 3, 2003... Three straight weeks at trade shows! One could come away from them brimming over with ideas and direction -- or brain dead. I choose to be enthusiastic and excited about what I saw and the opportunities to jump-start our lackluster retail...

BIGGER THAN U.S. STEEL.(Wal-Mart)(Editorial)
March 3, 2003... Pity that Johnny Carson isn't doing "The Tonight Show" anymore. Just imagine the punch lines he could have with the straight line, "Wal-Mart is so big that... " Most of us have never seen anything quite like Wal-Mart on the American...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(list of upcoming events)
March 3, 2003... MARCH 3-10 High Point Furniture Premarket High Point, N.C. (336) 869-1000 ihfc.com 4-8 Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) 2003 Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 011-603-9282-2888...

PLUSH SURROUNDINGS; WAL-MART'S SOFT HOME LINES FILL THE AISLES, THANKS TO LOW PRICES AND STYLISH OFFERINGS.
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-Seven large bins of towels, pillows and bedding products in midaisle displays at Wal-Mart's domestics department give a hint as to why the retailer is the undisputed largest home textiles retailer. How about a solid-color...

KALTEX SEES REVMAN PURCHASE AS KEY TO U.S., HOME GROWTH.(Grupo Kaltex sees recent purchase of Revman Industries as strategic move)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-Grupo Kaltex, the $700 million-plus Mexican textiles giant that completed its purchase of Revman Industries last month, sees the move as an important step in growing both its home and U.S. business operations. "Revman is an...

CHINA NOW TOP EXPORTER OF APPAREL, TEXTILES TO U.S.(surpassed Mexico)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... WASHINGTON-China has surpassed Mexico as the number-one exporter of apparel and textiles to the United States. Data from the U.S. Department of Commerce revealed that in 2002, imports from China rose 125 percent to nearly 5 million square...

FLOOR EXCERCISE; WAL-MART'S CHANGES TO ITS GROWING RUG DEPARTMENT HAVE THE INDUSTRY TAKING NOTICE.
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-There are changes afoot in the rug department at Wal-Mart. The space in the department is being reapportioned, with accent rugs gaining even more shelf space, according to industry observers. "Wal-Mart has expanded its scatter...

PRICE INCREASES ON THE WAY FROM FIBER, CARPET VENDORS.
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-An increase in raw material costs is raising petroleum-derived fiber and carpet prices. DuPont, Solutia, Mohawk and Beaulieu will all be raising fiber and carpet prices this month or April. The increase will offset the sharp rise...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Dixie Group Inc. sales/earnings; 828 International Trading Co.'s first licensed product line; and new vendors at Atlanta International Area Rug Market)
March 3, 2003... VENDORS COMMIT TO ATLANTA MARKET At the January Atlanta International Area Rug Market, five new vendors opened showrooms and existing exhibitors renewed their contracts and expanded their spaces. On the third floor of AmericasMart,...

ABC TO HOLD LIQUIDATION SALE ON ANTIQUE RUGS FOR VENDORS.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-ABC Carpet & Home will hold a massive liquidation sale for its antique and decorative rug vendors March 6 to 23 with discounts up to 80 percent off. The more than 10 rug vendors represented, including Loom & Weave, Rug Warehouse,...

CARPET ONE SHOWS RETAILERS LIZ CLAIBORNE LINE.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... DALLAS-Carpet One took the wraps off its new area rug collection for the Liz Claiborne Flooring Line at its winter convention. By introducing the collection, Carpet One hopes to accomplish two goals. For retailers already in rugs, it will...

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING TO PLACE ITS BRAND ON CARPET ONE LINE.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... DALLAS-Good Housekeeping will put its brand on a line of broadloom and ceramic flooring that will appear exclusively in Carpet One stores in May. At the winter convention in Dallas, Howard Brodsky, Carpet One's co-chief executive officer,...

NEWS BRIEFS.(multiple topics)
March 3, 2003... HELLENIC APPOINTS PHILLIPS SALES VP Chris Phillips has joined Hellenic Rug Imports as vice president of U.S. sales. Since 1995, he has worked for Shaw Industries, most recently as regional manager for the Western United States and...

PUTTING IT TOGETHER; CHANGE IS CONSTANT IN WAL-MART'S FURNITURE DEPARTMENT, BUT RTA DOMINATES.
March 3, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Ready-to-assemble may rule the furniture department, but Wal-Mart is showing an increasingly broad offering of other furniture categories, including futons, occasional chairs, leather recliners and glider rockers. ...

WAL-MART LOOKS TO TURN UP ITS FOCUS ON LIGHTING.
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-Wal-Mart's lighting aisle, sandwiched between furniture and luggage, is in flux. With a new store set scheduled to roll out in mid-April, and a new buyer in the department as of early February, the department is due for some major...

TUPELO MARKET EXHIBITORS REPORT MIXED RESULTS.
March 3, 2003... TUPELO, Miss.-By some accounts, the spring Tupelo Furniture Market resembled the weather there: dry one minute, wet the next; warm one minute, chilly the next. An iffy economy and the uncertainty in the Middle East made for some...

A MORE SUBDUED TONE IS PREDICTED FOR HIGH POINT PREMARKET INTRODUCTIONS.
March 3, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-The nation's top home furnishings retailers gather here this week for a sneak preview of April's coming furniture attractions. An unusually early spring market, opening April 3, has producers and importers scrambling to...

MORE ON THE PLATE; WAL-MART'S TABLETOP BUSINESS COULD BE GETTING EVEN BIGGER WITH ITS UPSCALES DIRECTION.
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-According to HFN statistics, Wal-Mart is the leader in tabletop retailers, and by leaps and bounds -- with more than $650 million in category revenue in 2001, compared with the number-two Target, which brought in almost $212 million in...

FRANKFURT, WITH RELISH.(George Little Management and 41 Madison co-sponsored a party at the Hessischer Hof)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... FRANKFURT, Germany-George Little Management and 41 Madison co-sponsored a party at the Hessischer Hof during Ambiente here last month and welcomed tabletop industry executives from home and abroad for food and drinks and a little downtime after...

NEWS BRIEFS.(new vice president of merchandising/marketing at Baccarat, and regional vice president at Artland)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... BACCARAT NAMES MERCHANDISING, MARKETING VP Baccarat Inc. has named Brent McDaneld vice president of merchandising and marketing. He succeeds Dana Gers, former vice president of marketing, who accepted a position with Ferragamo. McDaneld...

ENESCO REPORTS Q4 NET INCOME, REVENUE RISE.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... ITASCA, N.Y.-Enesco Group reported net income of $15.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2002, or $1.12 per diluted share, compared with net income of $2.9 million, or 21 cents per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2001. Net revenue for...

ELECTRICS SHORTAGE; VENDORS SAY WAL-MART CAN DO MORE TO IMPROVE SALES IN SMALL APPLIANCES.
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-Stocked with heritage brands like Sunbeam, Rival and Mr. Coffee, Wal-Mart's small-appliance offering remains fairly slim and opportunities for stronger selling techniques abound. Vendors who sell to Wal-Mart, among other retail...

HOOVER'S FIRST BAGLESS CANISTER TO BOW AT VAC DEALERS SHOW.
March 3, 2003... LAS VEGAS-Hoover will unveil its first bagless canisters at the Vacuum Dealers Trade Association Show here this week. Two high-performance models, one with electronic controls, will be available in April for channels capable of explaining...

IN FLOOR CARE, WAL-MART SHOWS IT IS HIGHLY EFFICIENT.(merchandising)
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-It doesn't take much space to be America's leading retailer. That may sound strange for Wal-Mart, known for stores that are bigger than some towns. But in floor care, one aisle plus a few endcaps and aisle displays are enough for...

HONEYWELL AIR CLEANERS LEAD IN AD PLACEMENT.
March 3, 2003... NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y.-Air cleaners carrying the Honeywell brand were advertised significantly more often than any other brand in the category during December, a monthly survey reveals. Out of 871 ads placed in major newspapers and fliers...

HOME PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL'S SALES UP 32 PERCENT IN Q4.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... CHICAGO-Home Products International Inc. announced net sales for the fourth quarter of 2002 were $70.8 million, compared with $53.7 million for the same period in 2001, an increase of 32 percent. Net earnings for the quarter were $3 million,...

KITCHENWARE VENDORS SAY WAL-MART'S ON RIGHT TRACK.
March 3, 2003... PORTLAND, Maine-Wal-Mart offers its meat-and-potato customers a meat-and-potatoes mix of kitchenware. Don't go there looking for a copper Mongolian hot pot, but if you want a potato peeler for less than two bucks or a seven-piece...

IS THE RETAILER'S STEPPED-UP PRESENCE IN MAJOR APPLIANCES DECLINING?(Wal-Mart)
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-The word in the trade is Wal-Mart has abandoned its test of full lines in major appliances. "Not true," replied a Wal-Mart representative. The outcome involves more than a billion dollars annually. It's more than two years...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Sunbean Products Inc. appointment; Gillette development agreement with Palomar Medical Technologies; record appliance shipment forecast)
March 3, 2003... SUNBEAM NAMES KNAUS SENIOR VP Sunbeam Products Inc. has appointed Mary Ann Knaus senior vice president of strategic development and global marketing, a newly created position. Knaus was previously vice president and general manager for...

SUPPLIERS SHOW IMPROVED RESULTS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-Home goods suppliers tracked by HFN brought in improved fourth-quarter earnings on sales that showed modest gains. Twelve of the suppliers posted quarterly sales increases ranging from 1 to 8 percent while five vendors reported...

HOME GOODS VENDORS PREDICT MORE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES FOR 2003.
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-In annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission over the past two weeks, home goods vendors such as Mohawk Industries and Dan River said they expect to dole out more capital expenditures this year than in 2002. In...

S&P: TEXTILES INDUSTRY FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE.
March 3, 2003... NEW YORK-The health of the U.S. textiles manufacturing sector in 2003 was given a mixed picture by Standard & Poor's in a report released here. On the optimistic side, according to Susan H. Ding, an analyst for the rating company, the...

THE HFN LIST; THE TOP HOME VENDORS BY NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.(top ten)
March 3, 2003... Rank & Company Employees Products 1) AB Electrolux 87,139 Major appliances, floor care AB Electrolux is the world's leading vendor of vacuum cleaners. The giant also manufactures dishwashers, freezers and...

DESIGN OF THE TIMES.(party at Decorator Show House prior to interior design work)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
March 3, 2003... Spring must be near if it's the annual prerenovation cocktail party for the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York. Held at the Show House, it's a chance to see the interiors au naturel before the designers start to work. The 31st edition of...

THE LYONNAIS DEN.(Alain Ducasse' Aux Lyonnais bistro)
March 3, 2003... The next time you find yourself in Paris wanting to try an Alain Ducasse restaurant but fear sticker shock, why not try his bistro, Aux Lyonnais? It's moderately priced with outstanding specialties from the Lyonnaise region of France and is a...

VEGAS MART: SURE THING WITH FURNITURE SIGN-UPS.(World Market Center signs some of the world's largest furniture vendors)
March 10, 2003... LAS VEGAS-The proposed World Market Center here has silenced skeptics by signing up some of the largest furniture vendors, as organizers get set for ground-breaking ceremonies next week. Last week, major upholstery producer Flexsteel...

WAR TALK PUTS PLASTICS PRICES IN THE CROSSHAIRS.
March 10, 2003... NEW YORK-The biggest impact of the possible war with Iraq on the home furnishings industry will be felt by the makers of petroleum-based plastic goods. As the tension in Iraq mounts, oil and gas prices are skyrocketing. Plastics...

THE BRIDAL REPORT.
March 10, 2003... WANT TO GIVE YOUR REGISTRY STAR QUALITY? If you said "I do," then HFN's exclusive Bridal Report is just the thing. It's chock-full of the information and statistics retailers need to achieve wedded bliss. The report starts on page 13.

NEWS BRIEFS.(Mohawk Industries may bid for at least part of Burlington Industries; other news briefs are discussed)
March 10, 2003... WHAT'S NEXT FOR BURLINGTON? Mohawk Industries is expected to be one of several companies to bid for at least part of Burlington Industries after Berkshire Hathaway retracted its $579 million cash offer last week. John Swift, chief...

LAUREN RALPH LAUREN ADDS DINNERWARE VIA MIKASA DEAL.
March 10, 2003... NEW YORK-Polo Ralph Lauren has returned to the mainstream tabletop market, last week signing Mikasa to manufacture and distribute the Lauren Ralph Lauren brand. The new tabletop collection, which will carry Lauren's more widely distributed...

PEKING HANDICRAFT NAMES GRAND OPERATING CHIEF.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.- Mark Grand, former vice president and general merchandise manager of home fashions at Sears, has joined Peking Handicraft as chief operating officer, a newly created position. Peking Handicraft, owned by Dicky...

KMART BRASS DELIVER UPDATE ON CHAPTER 11 EXIT STRATEGY.
March 10, 2003... NEW YORK-Martha Stewart will remain a key component of Kmart's home business despite the domestic doyenne's insider-trading scandal, said Julian Day, president and chief executive officer of the retailer. He added that, with the exception...

TOMMY BAHAMA TO OPEN HOME BOUTIQUE.
March 10, 2003... SEATTLE-When Tommy Bahama's largest retail compound to date opens in Scottsdale, Ariz., later this year, it will contain an in-store home furnishings boutique, marking the first time that a Tommy Bahama store will dedicate an area solely to...

BJ'S TO TARGET FAMILIES, NOT BUSINESS OWNERS.(BJ's Wholesale Club Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... NATICK, Mass.-BJ's Wholesale Club is embarking on a new strategy that it hopes will differentiate it from its behemoth competitors, Costco and Sam's Club. BJ's, a regional player with clubs along the eastern seabord, will make the...

CORRECTION.
March 10, 2003... A 20-by-30-inch mat by Capel Rugs retails for $19.99 to $22.99. The price was incorrect in the Feb. 24 issue of HFN.

THE COLORS PURPLE.(Pinks, fuchsias and purples show up in everything from tabletop to accessories at New York gift building)
March 10, 2003... After finding a show full of spring's favorite color combination -- pinks, fuchsias and purples -- at the January Maison & Objet show in Paris, the colors of the moment showed up in force at New York's gift building at 225 Fifth Ave. From...

TARGETING OLDER ADULTS: A MARKETING CHALLENGE.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Suppliers and retailers overlooking older adults may be missing out. But reaching out to graying Americans is a challenge, similar to that of marketing to consumers with disabilities. "[Older consumers] don't want you to sell them...

ENABLING THE DISABLED.(Demand for products for disabled consumers rises)
March 10, 2003... NEW YORK-The demand for products that can facilitate the lives of disabled consumers is growing by leaps and bounds. Although definitions of disability vary, one in five Americans has some kind of impairment, according to the U.S. Census...

THE TV DINNER AT 50: REPAST IS PROLOGUE.
March 10, 2003... Is there anything more anxiety-ridden than peeling back the tinfoil on top of a TV dinner tray? The moment of truth arrives: Did the gravy splash the apple cobbler? Far too often -- I estimate about half the time -- the salty sauce...

ET TU, TARGET?(Buzz about Target is in reverse mode)
March 10, 2003... And now it's Target's turn. In a country where the only thing more popular than supporting the underdog is tearing down that underdog when it becomes a winner, Target practice is starting to come fast and furious. Some say it's because we...

THE BRIDAL REPORT.
March 10, 2003... Before They Say `I Do,' They Say `I Want It' AN HFN SPECIAL REPORT March 10, 2003

FROM 'I WANT' TO 'I DO'.(Home furnishings has significant piece of wedding services industry business)
March 10, 2003... It sounds like a new reality show: You have 16 months to spend $120 billion. That's how long today's average couples will be engaged, and how much they will spend on their wedding and setting-up-housekeeping expenses. Home furnishings alone...

THE TOP 5 REGISTRY ITEMS.
March 10, 2003... Gift selection and the retail channels that couple are choosing are getting more and more diverse. An HFN study of the top five items typically chosen shows that couples are including everything from camping gear to electronic equipment, tools,...

GIFTS THAT REGISTER.(Bridal registries provide suggested gifts prechosen by newlyweds to be)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... With spring come wedding bells. It also raises a question for befuddled guests: "What should we get them?" Bridal registries come to the rescue with handy suggested gifts prechosen by the newlyweds to be. Some of the most popular items from an...

THE SOFT SELL.(Some soft-line suppliers pursue promising yet largely untapped bridal business)
March 10, 2003... Some soft-line suppliers are actively pursuing the promising yet largely untapped bridal business, while other vendors are letting retailers take the lead. WestPoint Stevens and Pillowtex, bedding and towel mills, are among those suppliers...

A VOLUME BUSINESS.(Bridal magazines exploring variety of ways to ensure that no bride is left unmarketed to )
March 10, 2003... Getting engaged turns normal consumers ravenous. And bridal magazines offer manufacturers and retailers a direct platform to market to the betrothed couple's hunger. With the number of weddings expected to increase 14 percent over the next...

BED BATH & BEYOND FINDS SOULMATE IN BUDGET LIVING.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Bridal book publishers all reported that retail has been a fast-growing category of advertising in the magazines. But one retailer has chosen a non-bridal book to run its first bridal registry advertorial. In the February/March issue of...

BY THE NUMBERS: DIVVYING UP THE WEDDING CAKE.(Wedding-related costs)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... AVERAGE COST OF A WEDDING TODAY $18,874 AVERAGE AMOUNT SPENT ON A HONEYMOON $4,000 SPENDING ESTIMATES ON WEDDINGS Under $5,000 11% $5,000-$10,000 26% $10,001-$20,000 35% $20,001-$30,000 15% ...

REGISTRY ITEMS GET REAL.
March 10, 2003... With 99 percent of engaged women signing up for that great prenuptial wish list called the bridal registry, it should come as little surprise that vendors across the home area are wooing brides at least as avidly as grooms do. And those...

THE TOP 10 MOST UNUSUAL WEDDING GIFTS OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Rank & Description Cost 1) Tear-shaped La Peregrina Pearl, discovered by a slave in the Gulf of Panama in the 1500s, to Queen Mary Tudor of England from Spain's Prince Philip II. Later acquired by Richard Burton and turned into a...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Peacock Alley and Dan River, among others, make personnel changes)
March 10, 2003... PEACOCK ALLEY NAMES NEEDLEMAN PRESIDENT Mary Ella Gabler, founder and chief executive officer of Peacock Alley, the fine linens company, turned over some of her responsibilities to her son, Jason Needleman, who was named president of the...

FRENCH DRESSING; RALPH LAUREN BRINGS SOME FADED ELEGANCE TO THE BEDROOM IN HIS TOURVILLE COLLECTION.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... NEW YORK-Ralph Lauren's interpretation of French-style living is in the details. In Tourville, one of its three bedroom collections for fall, the designer brand lavished its bed with embroidered and beaded florals, ribbon trims,...

ANNA'S LINENS EXPECTS TO GAIN AGAIN FROM KMART CLOSINGS.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... COSTA MESA, Calif.-Anna's Linens, a 90-store specialty chain headquartered here, expects to reap the benefits of Kmart's store closings. "Many of our stores are near those [closing] stores," said Alan Gladstone, chairman, president and...

COLD MAN WINTER ISN'T CAUSING DOWN COMFORTER SALES TO RISE.
March 10, 2003... NEW YORK-This winter may have been cold and long, but down comforter makers report that the low temperatures didn't help their category much. "Down [comforter] sales as an industry were definitely down, though I think the industry is...

MARSHALL FIELD'S IS SET TO INTRODUCE THOMAS O'BRIEN BED AND BATH LINE.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... MINNEAPOLIS-Marshall Field's is adding the designs of New York's Thomas O'Brien to its bedding and bath assortments. The department store chain said its exclusive partnership with the designer builds on the success of its Thomas O'Brien...

BAITING THE HOOK; RUG SUPPLIERS WILL BE LURING BUYING WITH FAVORITE HOOKED MOTIFS AT THE SPRING SHOWS.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... NEW YORK-In the midst of blizzards and frigid temperatures, hooked rug suppliers are celebrating spring early this year. Perennial favorites such as floral, nautical, and fruit and vegetable motifs are popping up in the latest crop of...