HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network articles from March 2005

HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network archives from March 2005

TOP 25 TOTAL HOME STORES.
March 7, 2005... Specialty stores have evolved into one-stop shopping emporiums. For the first time, HFN ranks the major players in this growing phenomenon. See page 10.

FED-MAY DEAL SHAKES SUPPLIERS.(Federated Department Stores Inc., May Department Stores Co.)
March 7, 2005... Byline: HFN Staff Report NEW YORK-High anxiety. That's what many home furnishings vendors are feeling following last week's announcement that Federated Department Stores will merge with May Department Stores Co. Vendors expressed...

WESTPOINT BUY CASTS ROSS AS TEXTILES SAVIOR.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Can Wilbur Ross reinvent America's home textiles industry and save it in the process? At the moment, the bankruptcy specialist, who in 2003 started building his stake in the industry by acquiring...

ANALYSTS: MARTHA'S COMEBACK FACES SOME HURDLES.(Martha Stewart)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini BEDFORD, N.Y.-Martha Stewart is out of the big house. The domestic diva, who is on house arrest for the next five months, has an array of image-building projects under way, including a new television program...

IT'S MAY DAY FOR FEDERATED.(Federated Department Stores Inc. to merge with May Department Stores Co.)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau The Wal-Mart of the department store sector. That's what Federated Department Stores is being dubbed. While the analogy is hyperbolic, Federated's hotly anticipated merger with May Department Stores Co. will create...

IN BRIEF: GIBSON OVERSEAS ADDS COOKWARE... SALTON GOES INTO CLEANING PRODUCTS... ROOMS TO GO DELIVERS NEXT DAY...
March 7, 2005... GIBSON OVERSEAS ADDS COOKWARE Tabletop company Gibson Overseas is moving into cookware with two separate lines that will be introduced at the upcoming International Home & Housewares Show in Chicago. The two lines will hit both opening...

WORLD KITCHEN WANTS TO SELL, DOES ANYONE WANT TO BUY?(WKI Holding Company Inc. to sell World Kitchen Inc.)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Thyra Porter RESTON, Va.-The decision by WKI U.S. Holdings to hire an investment firm to sell its World Kitchen business has the housewares industry debating who the prospective buyer -- or buyers -- might be. A key point of...

BLOOMIE'S, DESIGNER BARRY GO OVAL.(Bloomingdale's Inc.)(Barbara Barry)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Bloomingdale's is teaming up with designer Barbara Barry to launch the Oval Collection, an exclusive home furnishings line. The Bloomingdale's partnership marks Barry's first exclusive collaboration with a...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
March 7, 2005... march 5-8 Zuchex Homestyle Tuyup Fair Grounds Istanbul, Turkey 90 (212) 252-8941 zuchex.com 9-10 NeoCon West L.A. Mart Los Angeles (800) LAMART4 lamart.com 10-13 Architectural Digest Home...

FLIGHT OF FANCY.(The Aviator)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Michael D. Devine The glamour of the 1930s and '40s came to life in the epic film, "The Aviator," which garnered its share of Academy Awards -- five -- including Achievement in Art Direction. Designed by Francesca Lo Schiavo and...

TOTALLY HOME; SPECIALTY STORES HAVE BECOME ONE-STOP SHOPPING EMPORIUMS.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau, Leticia Leizens, Nancy Meyer, Michael Rudnick, Jennifer White, Allison Zisko contributed to this report. NEW YORK-It's where you can buy a home theater system, a sofa and the dinnerware set to boot: The total home...

TOTALLY HOME, CONTINUED.
March 7, 2005... Methodology Estimates of the 2004 and 2003 sales of home store retailers were derived from information supplied either by the retailers themselves, security analysts or other business information sources. In some instances, historical...

REFEDERATED.(acquisitions in department stores)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Warren Shoulberg The big department store company bought the other big department store company because it was there and because it could. And that's why the deal was done. Sound familiar? That's exactly what happened when...

SHOPKO'S PROTOTYPE UPGRADES HOME SECTION.(ShopKo Stores Inc.)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau GREEN BAY, Wis.-ShopKo will roll out its next wave of prototype stores this year with home upgrades such as display beds in the textiles area and a "major relaunch" of its private brands, Doug Wurl, senior vice...

WOOLRICH AT 175.(175th anniversary for Woolrich Inc.)
March 7, 2005... When John Rich started peddling his woolen fabric to logging camps from the back of hismule cart in 1830, who knew that 175 years later that brand and its distinctive outdoorsy look would end up being one of the better-selling brands in the...

FULL SPEED AHEAD INTO HOME; TRADITION IS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE SUCCESS OF THE COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG LICENSING PROGRAM.(Company Profile)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Carole Nicksin NEW YORK-From its origins in 1830 as a manufacturer of wool fabric, socks and coverlets, Woolrich, a privately held company with annual sales exceeding $300 million, has come to encompass products from shoes to...

AN ENRICHING EXPERIENCE.(Woolrich Inc.)(Company Profile)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Carole Nicksin NEW YORK-It all started in 1830, when John Rich, an immigrant from England, built a wool mill in central Pennsylvania. He took the goods that he made -- wool cloth, socks, coverlets, and yarn -- to nearby logging...

TARGET KEEPS SHOOTING TO BRING THE OUTDOORS INSIDE WITH LINE; THE RETAILER IS DEFINING THE HOME AESTHETIC FOR THE LODGE-INSPIRED LIFESTYLE APPAREL BRAND IN THE DISCOUNT SPACE.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-A weekend vacation in the mountains. That's what Target's Woolrich home program is designed to evoke. As the exclusive mass merchant of Woolrich bedding and now furniture, the retailer is defining the home...

FIBERLOK MAKES AN IMPRINT ON THE TABLE; THE TABLETOP RUG COLLECTIONS FROM THE COMPANY ARE DISTRIBUTED VIA SPECIALTY GIFT RETAILERS.(Woolrich Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Woolrich has brought its name to the gift and personal computer accessories table with the help of 26-year-old specialty printing company FiberLok. Woolrich, historically known for its apparel and...

BLANKETING THE TABLE WITH A LODGE LOOK.(Zrike Co.)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Allison Zisko OAKLAND, N.J.-Woodsy, outdoor themes -- evocative of cozy, cabin-in-the-woods feelings -- have long been a strong selling point for The Zrike Co., so the addition of the Woolrich brand two years ago enhanced the...

FURNISHING MORE OPTIONS.(home furnishing products from Lexington Home Brands Inc.)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Sheila Long O'Mara, Nancy Meyer, Karl Kunkel NEW YORK-Lexington Home Brands' launch of Timeless Retreat, the Woolrich-licensed home furnishings collection that debuted in 2003, has been such a success the companies will introduce a...

CUT FROM A DIFFERENT CLOTH.(textile industry)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens, Carla Webb contributed to this report. NEW YORK-Two suppliers of Woolrich's textiles products are stepping up their offerings to expand the brand's consumer base. Southern Textiles, maker of bedding products...

ROLLING OUT NEW FLOOR MODELS.(Colonial Mills Inc. partners with Woolrich Inc.)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini WOOLRICH, Pa.-The common thread that joins together the rug manufacturers that produce Woolrich-branded products is their focus on design that instills a sense of tradition, comfort and connection with the...

QUAKER PLOTS GROWTH PLAN.(Quaker Fabric Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Sheila Long O'Mara FALL RIVER, Mass.-Seeking initiatives to put it back in growth mode, Quaker Fabric Corp. plans to unveil a line of sourced goods along with a collection of outdoor fabrics at this summer's Showtime. Larry...

DOWN WHITE SUCCESSFUL; SUPPLIERS SAY WHEN IT COMES TO COMFORTERS, CONSUMERS HAVE NOT REALLY WARMED UP TO THE INTRODUCTION OF COLORS.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-It's white all right. Suppliers who brought excitement to the down category some three years ago by injecting color are finding out that consumer interest has waned, or just maybe it's hard to teach...

Q3 NET SALES FALL AT CULP INC.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Culp Inc. had a net loss of $4.9 million in the third quarter ended Jan. 30, compared with net income of $752,000 in the prior-year period. Net sales were down $69.1 million from $76.6 million in the year-ago quarter. Results...

CHANGING WITH THE SEASONS.(OBB)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Lorrach, Germany-based OBB has introduced its Climasphere comforter that can be used every season. The year-round comforter, which made its debut at Heimtextil in Germany, is filled with white goose down from Canada. But what separates it...

NEWS BRIEFS.
March 7, 2005... THE NPD GROUP, a sales and marketing information company, said it will track sales of home textiles and make reports available this summer. NPD, which already provides sales and marketing information for manufacturers and retailers in the home...

INTERNET COMPANY FINDS WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY AMONG RETAILERS.(CustEmers.com)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini BETHESDA, Md.-CustEmers.com, a sales management and Internet marketing company that specializes in window coverings, launched Exciting Windows! in May, and in just 10 months the brand has taken off. The brand,...

RUGMARK'S EFFORTS TO AID CHILDREN GET ADDED SUPPORT.(Rugmark, A+ Designs, Packards West )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-A+ Designs, a new company selling custom rugs crafted of wool and silk, has become the latest business to join Rugmark's child labor-free certification program. "Participating in Rugmark from the onset...

HOOKED ON A FEELING; THE CATEGORY IS RECEIVING A BOOST IN POPULARITY, THANKS LARGELY TO ITS STYLE AND ITS ABILITY TO TELL A STORY.(Capel Inc.)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-Hooked rugs have experienced an increase in popularity, according to vendors, who have happily noted the rise. The winter markets witnessed both an increase in dedication from players in the category and...

FLOOR & DECOR SET TO OPEN MORE OUTLETS.(Floor and Decor Outlets of America)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini ATLANTA-Pointing to the burgeoning number of homeowners and the popularity of home improvement television programs, Floor & Decor Outlets of America says it is in the midst of a significant growth spurt. The...

FOR CARPET ONE, THE DESTINATION IS SUCCESS.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Quail MANCHESTER, N.H.-Since its unveiling last February, more than 50 Carpet One stores have joined the Destination: Carpet One program and reported double-digit increases in sales since their grand reopenings. The...

HIGH POINT REMINDER.
March 7, 2005... The High Point market is looming near, so please send your materials to HFN as soon as possible. The deadline for press releases and images is Friday, March 25. Digital images need to be at least 4-by-6 at 300 dpi. Send it all by...

BUYERS PACK THEIR BAGS FOR FULL SLATE OF UPCOMING ASIA MARKETS.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Jo Fleischer HIGH POINT, N.C.-Furniture buyers will be logging untold frequent-flier miles in March as they visit markets spread across China and other Asian countries where exports are increasing rapidly. Imports now account...

MALLING IT OVER; OPENING ITS FIRST ANCHOR STORE, HIGH-END RETAILER ROBB & STUCKY HAS GRANDIOSE PLANS FOR THE TAMPA, FLA., LOCATION AND BEYOND.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Lee Buchanan TAMPA, Fla.-Robb & Stucky opened a 120,000-square-foot store at International Plaza here, the high-end retailer's first move into a mall anchor location. "This is the first mall location of this magnitude for a...

NEWS BRIEFS.
March 7, 2005... BDO/SEIDMAN'S monthly factory survey showed that new orders to domestic residential furniture manufacturers rose 3 percent in December, an increase that was "even more impressive considering that new orders in December were up 10 percent over...

NEXT WAVE OF LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY HAS INDUSTRY EYEING BRIGHTER FUTURE.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Nancy Meyer NEW YORK-The next generation of lighting is in its infancy and is already creating a stir, according to panelists and speakers at LIGHTCongress 2005, a technology forum held last month at the Grand Hyatt here. ...

WINNERS FINALLY SEE THE LIGHTING.
March 7, 2005... From more than 34,000 entries in its first $10,000 Home Lighting Makeover Sweepstakes, the American Lighting Association drew lucky winner Janet Brandt of Winnipeg, Manitoba, a shopper at Robinson's Lighting. Shown here presenting the check to...

NEWS BRIEFS.
March 7, 2005... ENESCO GROUP has named Michael Rumak chief information officer. In this newly created position, Rumak will lead the planning and development of strategic information systems at Enesco. He reports to Cynthia Passmore-McLaughlin, Enesco's...

VILLEROY CITED FOR INNOVATION.(Villeroy und Boch AG)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... FRANKFURT, Germany-Villeroy & Boch received a German Business Innovation Award for 2004 in recognition of its distinctive NewWave cup pattern and its "pioneering" production techniques, the company said. The award and ceremony, during...

PFALTZGRAFF, POPULAR TV CHEF WHIP UP COOKWARE AND; TABLETOP LINE.(Pfaltzgraff Co. and Chef Joanne Weir)
March 7, 2005... YORK, Pa.-The Pfaltzgraff Co. and Chef Joanne Weir have joined to launch Weir in Your Kitchen, a complete line of high-quality bakeware, dinnerware, serveware and accessories designed to go from the kitchen to the table and back. The...

ORREFORS' INTERIOR MOTIVES; THE COMPANY FEELS RIGHT AT HOME IN ITS NEW FULL-SERVICE SHOWROOM, AND IT HOPES NEW CUSTOMERS WILL COME TAKE A LOOK.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Allison Zisko NEW YORK-Seeking to broaden its customer base, Orrefors Kosta Boda is settling nicely into its new showroom space at 200 Lexington Ave., a mecca for the interior design crowd. The company recently closed its...

NTGA TO CHRISTEN NEW SHOW BUILDING.(National Tabletop & Giftware Association )
March 7, 2005... NEW YORK-The National Tabletop & Giftware Association will break in the new New York Gift Building with its annual national wedding market conference. It will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at 7 W. 34th St. A...

ARTIST CARROL BOYES SETS UP SHOP FOR THE FIRST TIME.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... NEW YORK-South African artist Carrol Boyes opened her first retail location, and her flagship store, in the SoHo neighborhood here. Featuring three full floors of her metalware for the tabletop, kitchen and home, the store also includes...

A STRONG AFTERSHAVE EFFECT; PROCTER & GAMBLE'S ACQUISITION OF GILLETTE COULD CHANGE THE MARKETING OF MEN'S SHAVERS.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White NEW YORK-The men's shaver industry could be in for a dramatic change. Wall Street has speculated that after the acquisition of Gillette is finalized, Procter & Gamble may shave Braun from the lineup, but no...

NEWS BRIEFS.
March 7, 2005... GROUPE SEB is negotiating to acquire a majority interest in the Italian cookware company Lagostina, which makes premium stainless-steel pots, frying pans and pressure cookers, distributed through specialty retailers. In 2004, it reported...

BACK ON STEADY GROUND, HPI PREPARES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH GROWTH PLAN; THE COMPANY'S NEW CEO HAS KEYED THE TURNAROUND, AND RESOURCES ARE NOW BEING DEVOTED TO STRENGTHENING PRODUCT LINES.(Home Products International Inc., Doug Ramsdale)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Sharyn Bernard CHICAGO-Following a turbulent period during which it faced weak financial numbers, two buyout offers and a total management change, Home Products International Inc. is now ready to move forward and rebuild its...

WUSTHOF OFFERS REVAMPED EMERIL CUTLERY LINE.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Thyra Porter BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y.-Wusthof-Trident has gone back to the drawing board -- or rather cutting board -- for its Emerilware line of cutlery. The line has been redesigned with input from chef Emeril Lagasse and will...

SHOPKO REVAMPS DIGITAL DISPLAYING.(ShopKo Stores Inc.)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick GREEN BAY, Wis.-ShopKo is looking to take on some big fish in the retail arena with its consumer electronics remodel. Steve Boyea, divisional vice president of electronics, said the company has set its sights on...

BSH SHOWS ITS GREEN, AND ORANGE, THUMB.(BSH Home Appliances Corp. alliances with Earth Pledge)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Gerry Beatty NEW YORK-BSH joined forces with Earth Pledge, a conservation non-profit group, in its Fifth Avenue Apartment on the Park, a temporary interior display designed to raise environmental awareness, coinciding with "The...

SECOND-TIER LCDS TRY AND GET WITH PROGRAM; SOME MIDLEVEL BRANDS ARE MAKING SOLID HEADWAY IN THE BATTLE FOR MARKET SHARE AGAINST THEIR BIGGER PEERS.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Chinese and Taiwanese LCD flat-panel TV manufacturers are staking out a bigger share of the booming, price-driven market, with lower prices and American licensed brand names at their disposal, recent data...

GOLDMAN ASSOCIATES PACKS SHOWROOM IN MALL TEST.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Gerry Beatty MILLBURN, N.J.-Michael Goldman didn't want to sound gleeful, but his appliance showroom in a prestigious mall seems to have exceeded expectations. Goldman Associates, the high-end distributor in the New York area,...

SHORT WAVES.
March 7, 2005... CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC. has named George Clark Jr. president of retail stores; Douglas Moore as senior vice president and chief merchandising officer; and Ronald Cuthbertson as senior vice president of supply chain and inventory management....

BEST BUY VS. CIRCUIT CITY.(Best Buy Company Inc., Circuit City Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... ON THE COVER Best Buy: HP Intel Celeron Processor 350 Notebook, $699.99 Circuit City: 52-inch RCA Widescreen HDTV Monitor, $999.99 CAR AUDIO AND VIDEO Best Buy: Directed 10.4-inch Overhead LCD Monitor with TFT Screen, $799.99...

NEWS BRIEFS.
March 7, 2005... SALES OF NEW HOMES dropped more than 9 percent in January, while sales of existing or previously owned homes were flat, according to data released simultaneously by government and private sources. The steep drop in sales of newly built units,...

RETAIL SAME-STORE SALES SEE BIGGEST GAIN IN NINE MONTHS.(home furnishings industry)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Home goods retailers in February posted the greatest same-store sales increase since May 2004. A review of sales in stores open at least a year shows that 20 of 26 retailers tracked by HFN had positive...

FEDERATED'S SHARES RISE ON MERGER NEWS.(Federated Department Stores Inc., May Department Stores Co.)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick CINCINNATI-It took one day, but the Street ultimately turned bullish on Federated Department Stores following the news of its acquisition of May Department Stores Co. After slipping 4 percent to a...

COSTCO POSTS SALES, EARNINGS INCREASES.(Costco Companies Inc.)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau ISSAQUAH, Wash.-Costco saw double-digit sales and earnings gains for the second quarter ended Feb. 13. Sales at the wholesale club rose 10 percent to $12.41 billion from the year-ago period. Net income increased 35...

NACM: MANUFACTURERS LOG 10% GAIN IN FEBRUARY.(National Association of Credit Management)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick COLUMBIA, Md.-The manufacturing sector of the National Association of Credit Management Credit Manager's Index for February recorded its greatest improvement since March 2003. The sector rose 510 basis points,...

COUNCIL INDEX: ELECTRONICS DROVE RECORD 2004 MALL NUMBERS.(shopping malls)
March 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-It's all in the numbers: Mall shoppers were on the digital hunt in 2004. Last year, U.S. enclosed malls achieved record annual growth, as sales per square foot for non-anchor tenants totaled $366, a 4.2...

PIONEERING STUDY.(Yale Books)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... The new and improved reissue of the classic "Pioneers of Modern Design" by Nikolaus Pevsner should be of tremendous interest to aesthetes of all sorts. The book surveys designers from William Morris to Walter Gropius and includes many great...

A NEW TAKE ON RETAIL.
March 14, 2005... H.D. Buttercup, the brainchild of Evan Cole, creates a different shopping experience for the consumer by bringing elements of manufacturing and retail together under one roof. For a look at the new concept, See pages 12-13. Caption(s):...

400 KMARTS CONVERTING TO ESSENTIALS.(Kmart Holding Corp. converting some stores into Sears Essentials )
March 14, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau TROY, Mich.-Kmart Holdings Corp. set plans to convert approximately 400 Kmart stores to the Sears nameplate over the next three years, and the new Sears Essentials midsized concept will likely be the format of those...

SUR LA TABLE COOKS UP NEW GROWTH RECIPE.
March 14, 2005... Byline: Thyra Porter SEATTLE-Sur La Table devotees leafing through their catalogs this past month would have noticed the absence of Renee Behnke, president. Instead of reading about her adventures in scouting kitchenware from Paris to...

IHA GETS HIP TO CONSUMER TRENDS.(International Housewares Association)(HomeTrend Influentials Panel)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... CHICAGO-To better track the American consumers and their housewares buying trends, the International Housewares Association has created a consumer advisory council. Findings of the IHA HomeTrend Influentials Panel (HIPsters) Consumer...

COST PLUS' DASHE RETIRING AS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF COMPANY.(Murray Dashe )
March 14, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Quail OAKLAND, Calif.-Murray Dashe has stepped down from his post as chairman, chief executive officer and president of Cost Plus, and he plans to retire, according to the company. The retailer's board of directors...

LACY: CHANGES IN STORE FOR SEARS.(Alan Lacy)(merger between Sears, Roebuck & Co and Kmart)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... Byline: Arthur Zaczkiewicz NEW YORK-Alan Lacy, Sears, Roebuck & Co.'s chairman, chief executive officer and president, warned employees last week that there will be some definite changes when the retailer ties the knot with Kmart. The...

IN BRIEF: KOHL'S APPOINTS DIRECTOR OF STORES... BON-TON STORES NAMES HOME GMM... SPRING AIR PARTNERS BUYS AMERICAN...
March 14, 2005... KOHL'S APPOINTS DIRECTOR OF STORES Kohl's Department Stores has named John Worthington executive vice president and director of stores. Worthington was previously senior vice president and territory director for the Northeast region of...

LEO HOLLANDER LEAVES LEGACY IN THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY.(Obituary)
March 14, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens BOCA RATON, Fla.-The textiles industry has lost a legend with the passing of Leo Hollander, chairman and chief executive officer of Hollander Home Fashions. An innovator in the creation of the modern pad, pillow and...

OSCAR-WINNING REPOSE.(awards)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... This year's Architectural Digest Greenroom at the Academy Awards took its cue from Asian movie set influences from the 1940s and '50's. Contemporary black chenille sofas from Henredon, zebra-print Chinoiserie chairs from Kindel, black and red...

TOOLAN'S BACK IN THE TEXTILES FOLD.(John Toolan, Li & Fung USA)
March 14, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-"When I left the textiles industry, my intent was not to get back to it," said John Toolan, senior vice president and general manager of Cannon and Cannon Royal Family global licenses for the high-powered...

COMING TO A MALL NEAR YOU: WAL-MART, TARGET AND COSTCO?(Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Target Corp., Costco Companies Inc.)(industry forecasts)
March 14, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Watch out department stores: In the wake of the Federated/May, Sears/Kmart mega-mergers, big-box chains such as Target and Costco could emerge as the new mall anchors. These mergers are expected to result...

CORRECTION.(Correction Notice)
March 14, 2005... A Woolrich-licensed rug from Colonial Mills was misidentified in the March 7 issue. Above left is the Timeless Retreat from Colonial Mills and on the right is the Buffalo Check pattern from Oriental Weavers of America.

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
March 14, 2005... march 16-18 Material World Miami Beach Convention Center Miami Beach, Fla. (800) 318-2238 material-world.com 18-20 Travel Goods Show Orange County Convention Center Orlando, Fla. (609) 720-1200 ...

ORANGE APPEAL.(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... Byline: Michael D. Devine Orange, the color of the recent blockbuster New York exhibit "The Gates," is also this season's must-have color for home. Artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude created a new excitement for the color of change....

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE BOULEVARD; EVAN COLE, ONE-TIME HEAD OF ABC CARPET AND HOME, HAS A NEW VENTURE IN LOS ANGELES THAT HE SAYS WILL CHANGE THE RULES OF RETAILING.
March 14, 2005... Byline: Warren Shoulberg CULVER CITY, Calif.-If you've never heard of the word "manutailer" before, don't worry, says Evan Cole. You will, you will. Cole, the one-time impresario behind the fabled ABC Carpet and Home in New York City,...

ADDING FUN, FASHION TO THE MIX; THE LUGGAGE SALES SLUMP HAS FINALLY ENDED AND VENDORS ARE CELEBRATING WITH STYLE.
March 14, 2005... Byline: Sharyn Bernard ORLANDO, Fla.-Now that business and leisure travel have almost completely rebounded following the industrywide slump after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, luggage vendors are adding more fashion, fun and...

REBOUNDING WITH TRAVEL.(industry forecasts)
March 14, 2005... Retailers heading to the Travel Goods Show in Orlando, Fla., are generally optimistic that the business has turned a corner since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, brought traveling -- and luggage purchases -- to a standstill. The...

H.D. BUTTERCUP ... THE MAN, THE MYTH.
March 14, 2005... Byline: J'Amy Owens This is a work of non-fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is merely coincidental, which is exactly the point. H.D. Buttercup was always irascible; he was born that way. Even during his would-be tender...

IS THIS ANY WAY TO RUN A RETAILER?
March 14, 2005... Byline: Warren Shoulberg Get ready everybody for the next round of Dialing for Dollars out there in retail-land. It's about to start any minute. The final three-quarters of 2005 may represent the largest garage sale in the history of...

INDIAN EXPORTERS PONDER FUTURE WITHOUT INCENTIVES.
March 14, 2005... Byline: Raj Menon MUMBAI, India-A recent move by the Indian government to start eliminating incentives has exporters scrambling for new strategies to make up for lost margins, cut costs and even explore new product categories to be able to...

COLOR SCHEMING; SOFT WINDOW SUPPLIERS ARE BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF RED, GOLD.(industry forecasts)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-Reds and golds are not just for the holidays. "It's interestingly been a nice, slow buildup; we have had elements of this palette for at least two years," said Linda Johnson, chief operating officer...

PRODUCTS WANTED.
March 14, 2005... To suppliers exhibiting at the April New York home textiles market, HFN will consider featuring your new products free of charge. The deadline for product samples, press releases, color slides, transparencies and electronic images is March 21....