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

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

A TALE OF 2 SHOWS.(trade shows of home furnishing industry)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... The busy april show scene finished with events in tabletop and furniture. Hot introductions included this leather club chair from Baker. For more on what was trendy, See Trends, page 10.

LUNDGREN TO FED VENDORS: IT'S NOT THE SAME OLD MACY'S.
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-Terry Lundgren, Federated Department Stores' chairman, president and chief executive officer, laid it out for the retailer's biggest home vendors: Bring us differentiated product, and we'll get it to market fast and blow it out on a...

KOHL'S CHECKS INTO APARTMENT 9 AS PART OF COMEBACK CAMPAIGN.(Kohl's Corp., service introduction of textiles and apparel line)
May 3, 2004... MILWAUKEE-Kohl's, moving to spice up its mix of proprietary brands and trend-driven assortments, will introduce Apartment 9 this fall, a new modern and "sophisticated" home textiles and apparel line that draws inspiration from Crate & Barrel...

CLARIFICATION.(Correction Notice)
May 3, 2004... An article about Mohawk Home in the April 5 issue of HFN discusses a retail salesperson promotions program called Mohawk Rewards Plus. The Rewards Plus program is exclusive to Mohawk Industries and does not involve Mohawk Home or its retail...

NEWS BRIEFS: JAHNKE ENTERS NEW ROLE AT NEWELL... GROSS NAMED BRITANNICA PRESIDENT... SHOWROOM BUILDING EXECS APPOINTED.(appointments)
May 3, 2004... Jahnke Enters New Role at Newell Newell Rubbermaid Inc. has appointed Tim Jahnke group president of the Home and Family Products Group. Jahnke was most recently vice president of human resources for Newell. He succeeds Robert Parker,...

FURNITURE MARKET'S HIGH POINTS.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C.-There were lots of smiles at the spring International Home Furnishings Market here, and not just when our photographer was snapping party shots. Many exhibitors reported strong showings at the furniture industry's showcase...

GLENOIT RUGS APPOINTS SHAKLEY PRESIDENT.(Mark Shakley)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-Mark Shakley has been named president of Glenoit Rugs, a division of Ex-Cell Home Fashions. He succeeds Kevin Kennedy, who left the company earlier this month. Shakley has been working with Glenoit on a consultant basis since...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Home furnishings industry)(Calendar)
May 3, 2004... may 3-5 JPMA Show International Apparel Mart Dallas (856) 638-0420 jpma.org 5-7 Proposte Villa Erba Exhibition Center Cernobbio Como, Italy 011 39 02 6434054 info@propostefair.it 9-11 Gourmet...

FLORENCE TO BE FETED THIS WEEK.(Lenny Florence of Cardinal Cushing Centers)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... HANOVER, Mass.-Philanthropist Lenny Florence, the former chairman and chief executive officer of tabletop company Syratech Corp. and founder of the highly successful fund-raisers held on behalf of Cardinal Cushing Centers, will receive the...

HONG KONG FAIR RETURNS TO FULL CAPACITY.(appliance industry trade shows)
May 3, 2004... HONG KONG-With economic conditions improving and the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak seemingly a thing of the past, last month's Hong Kong Housewares Fair returned to its previous strength, showing an 18 percent increase in buyers...

MARKET MADNESS.(furniture and tableware industry exhibitions)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Whew, the April market marathon is over. The two most recent shows -- tabletop and furniture -- brought to market the season's best wares from manufacturers and designers. The products for both events relied on updated classic designs in new...

COOKING UP A WINNER; NEW SUR LA TABLE CEO KATHY TIERNEY IS READY TO KEEP BUILDING UPON THE COMPANY'S MOMENTUM WITH MORE STORES AND CATALOG BUSINESS GROWTH.
May 3, 2004... SEATTLE-Joining a company that is in an aggressive growth mode can be like jumping on board a moving train. But Kathy Tierney, Sur La Table's new chief executive officer, is taking a Zenlike approach to the first phase of her assimilation to...

BRUNSWICK BILLIARDS TAKES RETAIL SHOT.
May 3, 2004... WILMETTE, Ill.-If you want to find out whether something will work, you might as well try it yourself. That was the attitude that prompted Brunswick Billiards to open its first company-owned retail store here. The manufacturer of pool...

ON THE ROPES?
May 3, 2004... Don't look now, but the Big Boxers are starting to get boxed into a small corner. And the fellow who's throwing all those punches is the biggest heavyweight of them all in the retail ring. In yet one more example of the overwhelming power...

MORE THAN CHILD'S PLAY; DESIGNER BRANDS ARE SPICING UP THE JUVENILE BEDDING MARKET.
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-"My room is bright like the sun, shimmers like the moon and makes me feel like a star," said Olivia, age 13, on one of the pages of the Neiman Marcus by Mail catalog. Olivia, like a few more kids who gave their lines to Neiman...

TEXTILES VENDORS VENTURING TO HIGH POINT FIND REWARDS.
May 3, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C.-It may not be the major destination for textiles buyers, but some vendors see value in showing products here at the International Home Furnishings Market. Ann Gish Inc. showed at the International Home Furnishings Center's...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Textiles industry)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... WESTPOINT STEVENS said that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court extended the company's exclusive right to file a plan of reorganization through July 29. M.L. "Chip" Fontenot, president and chief executive officer of WestPoint Stevens, said the...

WINDOW COVERINGS EXPO SEES INCREASED TURNOUT.(International Window Coverings Expo)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-Organizers of the International Window Coverings Expo, held April 15 to 17 in Baltimore, said that show attendance was up by 15 percent compared with 2003's turnout. "We attribute the increase to the participation of the local...

THE YOUTHFUL APPROACH; CHILDREN'S ROOMS ARE FEATURING MORE PLAYFUL DESIGNS AND NEW MATERIALS ON THE FLOOR.
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-Designs with kids in mind played a playful part in introductions at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C. Companies like Capel brought out their brightest colors, while others like Fun Rugs and P.J. Kids went...

OPPORTUNITIES KNOCKED FOR RUG VENDORS IN HIGH POINT.
May 3, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C.-It was different strokes for different rug vendors at the International Home Furnishings Market here when it came to capitalizing on opportunities. While some manufacturers placed more importance on grabbing new business and...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Floor covering industry exhibitions)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... FLOOR COVERING COMPANIES came to the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C., with fresh directions: 828 INTERNATIONAL opened its new 4,000-square-foot showroom in Space 119 at Market Square, and will keep it open year round...

LOLOI DEBUTS AT HIGH POINT.(Loloi Rugs showroom)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Colleagues and competitors alike stopped into the Loloi Rugs showroom at Market Square to congratulate industry veteran Amir Loloi, right, on the launch of his new company. "I'm overwhelmed by their kindness and compliments," he said.

CATERING TO THE CUSTOMER: NOURISON TAKES A COFFEE BREAK.(Nourison Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-Nourison has added to its ever-growing accent rug roster with new collections and additions to existing successful lines. The "big deals" this time around, both in introductions and buyer popularity at the recent textiles market,...

CAPEL IS BORN TO BE WILD.(expansion of Capel)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Leon Capel, marketing director for Capel, takes a turn on one of the his-and-hers Vespa scooters raffled off in celebration of the company's newly expanded Space 112 at Market Square. Home furnishings retailer Jeff Sperber of Huckleberry Finn...

MOHAWK POSTS RECORD GAIN IN EARNINGS FOR FIRST QUARTER.(Mohawk Industries Inc. (Calhoun, Georgia))(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... CALHOUN, Ga.-Mohawk Industries Inc. announced record first-quarter net earnings of $66.3 million, a 59 percent increase over the $41.6 million in net earnings for the first quarter of 2003. Diluted earnings per share for the first quarter were...

WOODY JOINS CARPET ONE AS NEW VP OF MERCHANDISING.(Carpet One appoints Sands Woody as vice president of merchandising)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... MANCHESTER, N.H.-Carpet One has named Sands Woody, a 35-year veteran in the flooring industry, to the position of vice president of merchandising, a newly created position. Woody joined CCA Global Partners, parent to Carpet One, in 1998...

NEWS BRIEFS.(home furnishing industry)
May 3, 2004... FEBRUARY'S NEW ORDERS for residential furniture were up 16 percent over February 2003 and increased 4 percent over January 2004, according to a survey by BDO Seidman. For the first two months of the year, orders are up 13 percent over the same...

HIGH POINT TO CHINA; THE ASIAN NATION WAS A DOMINANT FORCE AT THIS EDITION OF THE HOME FURNISHINGS MARKET.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C.-China again dominated the International Home Furnishings Market, thanks to a bitter trade dispute and a new flood of low-cost Chinese furniture introduced at the show. While case goods exhibitors and retailers rallied in...

TIMING OF JPMA SHOW SPARKS DOUBT IN SOME MANUFACTURERS.(Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association)
May 3, 2004... DALLAS-The annual Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association show starts here this week with several key juvenile furniture players opting not to exhibit. Among the furniture manufacturers that will be missing are Berg Furniture, Pali, My...

SALES POTENTIAL SEEN IN YOUTH BEDDING.
May 3, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C.- Youth furniture, led by bedroom, has been one of the fastest-growing segments of the business, but the youth mattress market hasn't quite kept pace. It's a generation gap that means sales potential to some bedding vendors. ...

CORRECTION.(Correction Notice)
May 3, 2004... At the April International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C., Norwalk brought new life to some of its classic past designs with the Deja Vu collection, which included this chair and ottoman. The chair was incorrectly identified in the...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Lighting industry)
May 3, 2004... HEATHER BROWN, former lighting buyer for Fortunoff and prior to that Garden Ridge, was busy this market scouting lighting and accessories vendors for her new employer, DD's Discounts, the brand-new division of Ross Stores, which expects to have...

COLOR BRIGHTENS HIGH POINT AISLES.
May 3, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C.-The funky patterns in happy shades of pink, pistachio and orange sherbet brought many smiles to decorative accessory showrooms, as did the robust buying, at the International Home Furnishings Market. Buyers snapped up...

HERE COMES COWIE; THE BRIDAL GURU ENERGIZES TABLETOP FOR A COLLECTION SET TO DEBUT IN AUGUST.(tableware)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-J.C. Penney is betting big on wedding planning guru Colin Cowie to spice up the tabletop portion of the J.C. Penney Home Collection. The line could account for as much as 40 percent of the retailer's tabletop mix in 2005. That's...

AMAZON-REPLACEMENTS DEAL: HARD-TO-FIND GETS EASIER TO GET.(Amazon.com Inc., Replacements Ltd. deal to market tableware)
May 3, 2004... GREENSBORO, N.C.-A Metlox-Poppytrail dinner plate may be easier for consumers to track down now that Replacements Inc., known for its ability to unearth discontinued and hard-to-find tabletop items, has teamed up with Amazon.com. Under a...

VENDORS FIND NEW ATTRACTIONS TO KEEP MARKET PARTIES GOING.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-Tabletop manufacturers found inventive and generous ways to entice party-goers to their showrooms -- and then make them linger -- during the spring tabletop market here. Syratech Corp., celebrating the launch of its Topic brand,...

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR; PURIFIERS CONTINUE TO STIR PUBLIC DEMAND AND SUPPLIER INVENTIVENESS.
May 3, 2004... CHICAGO-The season for cool comfort has begun, with the usual flurry of activity and prayers to various deities for sustained heat to move fans, air conditioners and dehumidifiers. But for longer-term business developments, there's no comfort...

GOURMET SHOW IS GEARING UP FOR ITS DEBUT AT MOSCONE WEST.(Gourmet Products Show at Moscone Convention Center)
May 3, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO-As George Little Management gets ready to kick off its annual Gourmet Products Show here next week, the trade-show company has lined up a slate of events and services to ensure that attendees and buyers maximize their show time....

ESSICK PROGRESSING WITH BEMIS INTEGRATION.(Essick Air Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Two months after its acquisition, the Bemis home-environment business is being integrated rapidly into Essick Air Products. Humidifiers and air purifiers are being renamed "Bemis by Essick Air" as quickly as possible, and will become "Essick...

SETTING A STANDARD.(technology application in air purifier testing)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers continues to supply consumers with ratings and information about air cleaning on its dedicated Web site, cadr.org. The acronym stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate, the volume of filtered air...

THE KITCHENWARE REPORT.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... These are challenging times for kitchenware vendors. Sales for the $4.3 billion category overall have been flat in recent years, and the industry is being battered by rising materials costs. Still, categories like bakeware and cutlery are...

RAW DEALS; KITCHENWARE HANGS ON IN THE FACE OF RISING MATERIALS COSTS.
May 3, 2004... Kitchenware sales held steady in 2003, topping out at $4.3 billion, just about where the category was for 2002. Though the industry overall continues to face pressure to keep prices low, the rapid rise of materials costs in China is...

A WINNING RECIPE; INDEPENDENT STORES' ABILITY TO SPOT TRENDS HELP THEM FIND SUCCESS AGAINST THE BIG BOXES.
May 3, 2004... Because independent retailers must compete with channels from big-box stores to Wal-Mart, to stay in the game they have to be on top of trends. Independents take more risks on products, and thanks to knowledgeable sales staffs, can explain...

ADDING A LITTLE SPICE; SIGNING UP CELEBRITY CHEFS, ALONG WITH NEW DESIGNS, IS HELPING SALES FOR VENDORS AND RETAILERS.
May 3, 2004... With flat overall sales of kitchenware, vendors have turned to new designs and materials to generate excitement within the various categories that make up the market. And when design and new materials aren't enough, manufacturers aren't...

ACCESSORIES TO THE FACT; BARBECUE TOOLS ARE BREAKING OUT AS OUTDOOR COOKING DEFIES THE SEASONS.
May 3, 2004... Tools used for grilling are moving away from being seasonal products, thanks to Americans making the barbecue season a year-round affair. The trend is being helped along by innovative manufacturers who are turning out products beyond the...

SEPARATING SEGMENTS; BAKEWARE SHIPMENTS ARE BEING BROKEN OUT FROM COOKWARE STATISTICS.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... For the first time, the Cookware Manufacturers Association was able to break out shipments of bakeware from cookware in its estimates of factory shipments for the year. The result is a more accurate look at the size of the metal cookware...

IT'S IN THE BROWN BAG; A STUDY REVEALS SOME OF THE TRENDS INVOLVED WITH CONSUMERS PACKING THEIR LUNCH.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... More Americans are bringing their own meals and beverages to their workplaces, according to Pacific Market International, an insulated food and beverage manufacturer based in Seattle. The company surveyed consumers to shed light on a...

CIRCUIT CITY'S MAGUIRE RESIGNS, COMPANY SEARCHES FOR SUCCESSOR.(Kim D. Maguire appointed as chief merchandising officer)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... RICHMOND, Va.-Kim D. Maguire, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Circuit City Stores Inc., has resigned from the company. Maguire, who joined Circuit City in 2001 as executive vice president of merchandising, was...

RUNNING ON MP3S; MANUFACTURERS OF THE PORTABLE DEVICES ARE REACHING OUT TO BROADER MARKETS.
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-Five years after they first hit the market, MP3 players are gaining mainstream acceptance and, not surprisingly, retailers and manufacturers are reacting with broader distribution, including mass merchants, and targeting a wider...

BEST BUY VS. CIRCUIT CITY.(Best Buy Company Inc., Circuit City Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... ON THE COVER Best Buy: Daewoo 42-inch plasma widescreen flat-panel EDTV, 3.25 inches deep with 160-degree viewing angle, $2,449.99 Circuit City: Sony Mini-DVD camcorder that records on DVD media, playable on most DVD players. Free...

MAYTAG'S Q1 EARNINGS RISE, DESPITE LAGGING SALES IN HOOVER LINE.(Maytag Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEWTON, Iowa -Maytag Corp.'s earnings for the first quarter ended April 3 rose 12 percent from 44 cents per share to 49 cents per share over the same period in 2003, due to strong sales results in its major appliance segment and despite a...

DVD PLAYER SALES JUMP IN MARCH.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-Sales of DVD players soared more than 68 percent in March, as more movies, including current box-office hits, are released on the format, which was introduced in 1997. The Consumer Electronics Association reported that more than...

BEST BUY NAMES CONSULTANT WILLETT EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS.(Robert Willett appointed as executive vice president of operations)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... MINNEAPOLIS-Best Buy Co. Inc. has named veteran retail industry consultant Robert Willett its executive vice president of operations. Willett is responsible for managing the company's efficiency initiative to shift toward a...

U.S. IMPORTS FROM CHINA INCREASED IN FEBRUARY.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-U.S. imports from China of a wide range of electronic equipment, including consumer electronics, soared by the end of February compared with the same period last year. Data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce show total...

SURVEY: QUICK RATIOS SHOW RETAILERS IN GOOD HEALTH.(Discount stores evaluation)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK-The quick ratio is also called, somewhat ominously, the "acid test," and with good reason, since it is considered to be the most stringent measure of a company's liquidity and balance-sheet strength. By that metric, the department...

PIER 1 IMPORTS PROJECTS SLUMP IN ITS APRIL SAME-STORE SALES.(Pier 1 Imports Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... FORT WORTH, Texas-Pier 1 Imports Inc. last week reduced its April same-store sales forecast by up to 7 percent in the wake of weak post-Easter shopper turnouts. The announcement sent the home furnishings retailer's shares down approximately 10...

HAVERTY FURNITURE'S TOTAL SALES INCREASE BY 8.5 PERCENT FOR Q1.(Haverty Furniture Companies Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... ATLANTA-Haverty Furniture Cos. Inc. lifted total sales for the first quarter ended March 31 to $190.3 million, an 8.5 percent jump from $175.4 million for the corresponding quarter last year. The full-service home furnishings retailer,...

ROYAL TREATMENT.(Party of House & Garden )(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... It may not have been Versailles, but House & Garden's party -- with its private fireworks display and the DJ flown in from New York -- made for a royal event in High Point, N.C.

BARBECUE SAUCINESS.(periodical publishing marketing)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... The seasonal barbecue hosted by House Beautiful magazine for its advertisers also brought the magazine's top brass to the High Point market this season, including the president of Hearst Publications, Cathleen Black.

A MESSAGE FROM GARCIA.(Jacques Garcia, french designer)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Baker Furniture hosted a fete to celebrate its newest collection by French designer Jacques Garcia. One of the first events of this spring's International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, it brought out a crowd that packed the showroom.

RETURN TO GOURMET.(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... FROM CELEBRITY CHEFS to high-end espresso makers, this year's show is a return to its culinary roots. Coverage begins in the Tabletop section and continues in Housewares.

NEWS BRIEFS: RUBBERMAID TO GET RADICAL... PENNEY LAUNCHES MADDEN LINE... SIMMONS SELLS MATTRESS GALLERY.
May 10, 2004... Rubbermaid to Get Radical Rubbermaid Home Products still "needs radical surgery," Joe Galli, Newell Rubbermaid's chief executive officer told analysts during a presentation in New York last week. Galli said the company has already...

RALPH LAUREN HOME NAMES DEICHMAN ITS NEW PRESIDENT.
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK-Barbara Deichman has been named president of Ralph Lauren Home, effective May 24, in a restructuring of the company's home business. Ken Rood, who had held that title, will now become president of the newly formed Lauren Home business...

NIGELLA'S LIVING KITCHEN CONTINUES TO GROW.(Nigella Lawson )(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... Cookbook author and columnist Nigella Lawson introduced several additions to her organically styled Living Kitchen collection at a breakfast at 11 Madison Park in New York last week. The new kitchenware products include a mortar made from solid...

OXO SALE EXPECTED TO GIVE WORLD KITCHEN A BOOST.(Helen of Troy Texas Corp.)(OXO International)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK-Helen of Troy's purchase of OXO last week from World Kitchen for $275 million in cash raises two questions: "Why?" and "Why?" Why would Helen of Troy, a personal care appliance vendor, buy a kitchenware brand, and why would World...

LINENS 'N THINGS PUTS PRIORITY ON PRODUCTS.(Linens 'n Things Inc.)
May 10, 2004... CLIFTON, N.J.-It's all about the merchandising at Linens 'n Things. Having recently gotten its textiles business back on track, the retailer is now focused on sharpening its assortment in all categories. "We continue to need new,...

WHIRLPOOL'S WHITWAM TO RETIRE, FETTIG TO SUCCEED HIM AS CEO.(Dave Whitwam retires and Jeff Fettig appointed as chairman and chief executive officer)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... BENTON HARBOR, Mich.-Dave Whitwam will retire as chairman and chief executive officer of Whirlpool Corp. on June 30, and Jeff Fettig will step up from president and chief operating officer the next day. Whitwam, 62, has been CEO for 17 years,...

O AT HOME MAGAZINE TAKES THE FEAR OUT OF DECORATING.
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK-It's O-so inviting. O at Home, the new shelter book spin-off of O-The Oprah Magazine, welcomes the reader with beautiful photography and reassures her by demystifying the decorating process. "The whole point of the magazine is to...

FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS: HERE COME THE BRIDES.
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK-Bride's, Modern Bride and Modern Bride Connections will move under the Fairchild Publications umbrella as part of a restructuring within parent company Advance Publications. The bridal titles, previously part of Conde Nast, will...

NEW STORE IS BUILT FOR THE LONG HAUL.(Built Inc.,)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK-With its low-slung sofas and shag rugs, Built Inc., a new furniture store in downtown Manhattan, takes the rec-room aesthetic and upgrades it, using high-quality wood and sophisticated design elements. "I call my work contemporary...

SIX IN THE CITY.(stores in New York)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... 1. EAST SIDE KIDS The Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Decorator Show House, America's most revered show house, is now open, featuring the work of Thom Filicia of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" fame, plus many others. For more information, call...

INSIDE THE DESIGNER'S STUDIO: WRIGHT'S MANITOGA REOPENING.(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... For anyone interested in the work of Russel Wright, a trip to Manitoga -- the designer's 75-acre country retreat -- is essential. The upcoming reopening of Wright's studio on May 15 makes a visit even more worthwhile. Although Wright's home,...

DESIGN, BROOKLYN-STYLE.(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... DUMBO, short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, recently was the setting for a trendy home show. Brooklyn Designs, the annual event featuring the work of designers in Brooklyn, N.Y., was an opportunity to see cutting-edge design and...

PLENTY OF PLOT TWISTS; THE TALE OF HOW THE $160 SCREWPULL PAVED THE WAY FOR A $9.99 KNOCKOFF.
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK-Once upon a time, Le Creuset created the upscale corkscrew business with its Screwpull Lever Model, featuring a Teflon-coated worm, a unique lever gear design and, most importantly, a $160 price point. But the history of the...

YOU GOT QUESTIONS, I GOT ANSWERS.
May 10, 2004... Anyone else out there old enough to remember Perry Como? The singer had a bit on his TV show where a chorus sang "Letters, we get letters, we get lots and lots of letters... ." Well, substitute Kaplan for Como and e-mail for letters --...

WARREN TO WARREN.(Letter to the Editor)
May 10, 2004... Dear Warren, Finally made it out to the little sideshow you run every year in Omaha. They call it the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, but it's sure not like any annual meeting I've ever attended. It's more like a Carnival of Capitalism....

TAKING ON THE BIG BOXES; ANNA'S LINENS FIGHTS FOR A PLACE ON THE RETAIL FRONT AGAINST THE MAJOR CHAINS.
May 10, 2004... LAUDERDALE, Fla.-Alan Gladstone, president and chief executive officer of Anna's Linens, is a man of great ambition. He has set his sight to grow his retail chain, now numbering 138 units, to 1,000 stores nationwide in the next 10 years. He...

TEXTILES ASSOCIATION CLAMORS FOR WAYS TO CURB CHINESE IMPORTS.(National Textile Association)
May 10, 2004... WASHINGTON-The call to curb Chinese textile imports is getting louder. "Even the upholstered fabric industry, which has felt it was outside [the competitive pressures from China], is feeling it," said Karl Spilhaus, president of the...

ANNA'S LINENS HAS FUN IN THE SUNSHINE STATE.(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... BOCA RATON, Fla.-Anna's Linens celebrated the opening of four stores in South Florida: one in Fort Lauderdale and three others in Hollywood, North Miami and Miami. The event was held here at the impressive Cloister of the Boca Raton Resort &...

IN MODERN TIMES; CONTEMPORARY PATTERNS DOMINATED THE OFFERINGS AT THE HIGH POINT MARKET.(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C.-The International Home Furnishings Market here brought all kinds of rug styles together to entice buyers last month, not the least of which were the contemporaries, reported by most vendors to be the hottest designs at market....

BOSTON WAREHOUSE WELCOMES NEW MATS INTO ITS LINEUP.(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... NORWOOD, Mass.-Boston Warehouse has created new solutions for standard and double doorways with the launch of new mat styles. The introductions include whimsical and more formal designs of a sturdy construction for the heavily trafficked...

THE LOOK OF LEATHER INSPIRES INTRODUCTIONS AT HIGH POINT.
May 10, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Rug vendors can sum up the two hottest trends at the April International Home Furnishings Market here in one word: leather. Contemporary styles were being snapped up to go with furniture covered in it, and colors like...

CCA APPOINTS GOULD CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER.(Jim Gould appointed as chief product officer)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... MANCHESTER, N.H.-CCA Global Partners has named retail industry veteran Jim Gould to the newly created position of chief product officer. The position was designed to enhance CCA's position as a leader in global markets. Gould will be...

DIXIE GROUP'S Q1 SALES UP 24% FROM PRIOR YEAR.(Dixie Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.-The Dixie Group Inc. reported sales for the first quarter of 2004 of $64.4 million, a 24 percent increase from the $51.9 million for the first quarter last year. Income from continuing operations was up as well, coming in at...