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

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

THE WIZARD OF VASE.(home decorations)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Alvar Aalto's iconic vases were among the launches at the Fall tabletop market. Post-show coverage begins on page 3.

BON-TON EXHIBITS ITS SAKS DRIVE.(acquisition)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Confirming months-old rumors, Bon-Ton set plans last week to acquire the Northern Department Store division of Saks Inc. for $1.1 billion in cash, creating a chain with 280 stores in 23 states and $3.5 billion...

HOME DEPOT'S LUXURY DEBUT.(10 Crescent Lane launched)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Nancy Meyer NEW YORK-The Home Depot has initiated another high-end venture, 10 Crescent Lane, to fill a niche in luxury home decorating where the Expo Design Center leaves off. A sleek home decor monthly along with a Web site...

CHARLESTON FORGE TAPS RAWLS AS NEW PRESIDENT.(Ben Rawls)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Lauren Mack NEW YORK-Ben Rawls has joined Charleston Forge as the company's new president. He succeeds Art Barber, co-founder of the Boone, N.C.-based firm that specializes in indoor iron furniture. Barber takes the new title of...

RETAILERS HEAD HOME EARLY FOR THE HOLIDAYS.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Retailers are out of the starting gates early with their holiday promotions. Last week, Sam's Club launched five exclusive holiday packages online, "from Godiva chocolates to Dyson vacuum cleaners,"...

CORRECTION.(Correction Notice)
November 7, 2005... An article in the Oct. 31 issue about companies that have committed to the 2006 Las Vegas Gourmet Housewares Show misidentified one of them. The correct name is Design for Living.

IN BRIEF: REPORT: LNT NEAR SALE TO APOLLO... LLADRO NAMES HUMMEL CEO... MICHIENZI RESIGNS FROM APPLICA.(Linens 'n Things)(Apollo Management)(Lladro North America)(Safa Hummel)(Applica Consumer Products Inc.)(Michael Michienzi)
November 7, 2005... REPORT: LNT NEAR SALE TO APOLLO Linens 'n Things may be close to a deal with New York-based private equity firm Apollo Management. Apollo is reportedly seeking to acquire the specialty home retailer for more than $1.2 billion, or...

WAL-MART ROLLS OUT AGGRESSIVE NEW HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... NEW YORK-Wal-Mart delivered the details on "Home For the Holidays," what the retailer calls its earliest and most aggressive holiday ad campaign. The program will include television spots, print ads and in-store signs showcasing three different...

TABLETOP TOASTS A NEW SEASON.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... NEW YORK-The more things change, the more they stay the same. The tabletop industry has undergone significant change during the past year, but the show goes on, and so do the parties. During the recent New York Fall Tabletop Market here,...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
November 7, 2005... november 10-12 New York Gift Cash & Carry Show Jacob K. Javits Convention Center North Pavilion New York (914) 421-3200 nygiftcashandcarry.com 13-15 Extracts: Essentials for Spa, Home & Travel Jacob K. Javits...

IN FULL BLOOM.(tabletops)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Michael D. Devine Spring came early this season to the tabletop market. Introductions offered plenty of flowers and vivid colors for retailers to choose from. The pretty looks are sure to be a hit next season. On Their Toes ...

YOUR NEXT MOVE.(business consolidation)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Arnold J. Karr Just in case anyone had been deluded into thinking the consolidation virus raging at retail had been contained, Saks Inc. last week pulled off the sale of its northern group to Bon-Ton Stores Inc. Surveying the...

INSPIRED INNOVATION; SUPPLIERS WENT THAT EXTRA STEP IN PREPARING STYLISH PRODUCTS WITH SOME OUT-OF-THE-ORDINARY THEMES FOR THE TEXTILES MARKET.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens and Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-The fall textiles market was not short on stylish, innovative and novelty products. The more fashionable bedding ensembles reflected the continuing influence of apparel. The...

AMERICAN PACIFIC PLOTS GROWTH PLANS.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-American Pacific quietly introduced XOXO-branded bedding products at Linens 'n Things this fall as it continues to build on its niche of marketing apparel-driven brands. "We are introducing several...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements' regulations for cotton imports)(NPD Group Inc. launched sales tracking service)(Home Fashions Products Association's annual membership meeting)
November 7, 2005... THE HOME FASHION PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION'S annual membership meeting will be held at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Building A, Room 803. The event will include a workshop focusing on several...

DE LORME TO OPEN SHOP AT NY'S CARLYLE HOTEL.(Yves De Lorme)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Michael D. Devine NEW YORK-Yves De Lorme hosted an afternoon tea at last month's textiles market to open its new Manhattan store. The shop, located in the Carlyle Hotel at 35 E. 76th St., at Madison Avenue, will show the company's...

WORTH KEEPING AROUND; RUG ASSORTMENTS WITH TRADITIONAL LOOKS AND LOW-END COSTS ARE ONCE AGAIN PROVING A TIMELESS FORMULA FOR MANUFACTURERS.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-More and more companies are expanding their lower-cost traditional assortment based on the continued success of previous efforts. It's a practice that has been ongoing for about two decades now, and...

MOHAWK FINALIZES DEAL TO BUY UNILIN.(Mohawk Industries Inc. (Calhoun, Georgia), Unilin Holding NV)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... NEW YORK-Mohawk Industries Inc. has completed the acquisition of Unilin Holding NV, a manufacturer and marketer of laminate flooring products based in Belgium. The total cash value of the acquisition is approximately $2.6 billion and is being...

NOURISON'S LATEST COLLECTION ATTEMPTS A SOFTER INTERLUDE.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-Using the textiles market as a venue to introduce a host of accent rugs, Nourison expanded in a different direction this market with its Interlude collection. The collection, first unveiled at the...

KARASTAN'S SUMATRA RUG HONORED WITH AMERICAN FURNITURE AWARD.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-Karastan's Sumatra rug was among 13 products honored during Home magazine's 11th Annual American Furniture Awards ceremony. The awards were given out during a reception at the International Home...

CUSHIONING THE FALL; SUPPLIERS AT THE HIGH POINT MARKET TRIED TO ALLAY CONCERNS CAUSED BY THE ISSUES AFFECTING FOAM.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Karl Kunkel HIGH POINT, N.C.-With foam prices escalating and supplies questionable, bedding exhibitors at the International Home Furnishings Market here did their best to put a happy face on the problem. "Bedding has been blown...

EURO STYLE LIGHTING READY TO GO.(Eurostyle Inc. introduced lamps and lighting fixtures )(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Nancy Meyer HIGH POINT, N.C.- There's a new light on the horizon. Contemporary ready-to-assemble furniture source Euro Style has added complementary lamps and lighting fixtures to its lineup. At the recent home furnishings...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Furniture Marketing Group increased its sale through an alliance with Nationwide Marketing Group)(Joan Baker Designs appointed Bobby Ray Cox)(Wild Apple appointed Mindi Wilson)
November 7, 2005... WILD APPLE has appointed Mindi Wilson as licensing and sales manager to the stationery, tabletop and wallcovering industries, a new post, reporting to Charlie Kimbell, director of licensing. Wilson, one of three principals in Longshore Media...

CANADIAN FURNITURE MAKERS SEEK TARIFFS ON CHINA IMPORTS.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Jo Fleischer HIGH POINT, N.C.-A coalition of Canadian furniture manufacturers is calling for tariffs or quotas on furniture from China, saying rising imports are causing "a crisis" for Canadian factories. Two years after a...

NOW, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT; LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS DOMINATED NEW YORK'S FALL TABLETOP SHOW AND HELPED ENERGIZE; THE INDUSTRY, AS SOME OF THE MORE TRADITIONAL CATEGORIES WERE DE-EMPHASIZED.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Allison Zisko, Carla Webb O'Connor contributed to this report. NEW YORK-Vendors proved their relevance in what turned out to be a strong, surprisingly upbeat fall tabletop show here last week. Navigating their way through a...

A TABLE FULL OF TRENDS.(home furnishings)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Carla Webb O'Connor While product offerings at last week's tabletop market here ran the gamut -- from traditional to contemporary, from natural shades to brights, and from bold minimalist patterns to elaborately decorated --...

PACKAGED DEALS; PREWRAPPING AND COOKING DEMOS ARE TWO WAYS RETAILERS HAVE CREATED INTEREST IN SOME ESOTERIC KITCHEN GIFT PRODUCTS.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Thyra Porter PORTLAND, Maine-Holiday entertaining and gift-giving combine to create a prime fourth-quarter market for unusual kitchen tools. With home entertaining kicking into gear around Thanksgiving, the fourth quarter is...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Sara Lee Corp. to sell retail coffee business to Segafredo Zanetti S.p.A., Keurig Inc. partnering with Ghirardelli Chocolate Co., Tupperware Corp. reports net income )(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... SARA LEE CORP. said it would sell its U.S. retail coffee business to Italy's Segafredo Zanetti Group for $82.5 million in cash but would retain its high-margin Senseo coffee business... KEURIG is partnering with Ghirardelli Chocolate and...

ACQUISITIONS BUOY Q3 PROFITS FOR JARDEN CORP.(US Playing Card)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White NEW YORK-Acquisitions boosted Jarden Corp.'s third-quarter earnings and exceeded Wall Street's expectations, Martin Franklin, the company's chairman and chief executive officer, said in a recent conference call. ...

HAMILTON BEACH POURING IT ON.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White NEW YORK-Although Mike Morecroft, president and chief executive officer of Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Inc., typically prefers to keep a low profile in the press, he recently changed gears to discuss Hamilton...

NEWELL MAKES GAINS IN 3RD QUARTER.(Newell Rubbermaid Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Sharyn Bernard ATLANTA-Citing improved productivity, higher prices and improvements among the company's growth businesses, Newell Rubbermaid Inc. reported a third-quarter profit, significantly turning around earnings from a loss in...

TODD ENGLISH KITCHENWARE READY FOR PRIME TIME WITH HSN DEBUT.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White NEW YORK-Tell the other celebrity chefs to make room for Todd English. English, the award-winning chef behind restaurants such as Olives, Figs and his latest, English is Italian, is launching his own line of...

AIR CLEANERS ENJOY FRESH SALES AS AWARENESS GROWS.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Jessica Goldbogen NEW YORK-As consumers gain a better understanding of air cleaners and air purifiers, new retail segments are adding products to their merchandise mix and manufacturers are enjoying an increase in business. ...

LIMITED SERVICE; MAJOR PLAYERS IN WHITE GOODS ARE REDUCING THEIR WARRANTY OFFERINGS.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-The long-term warranty may soon be a thing of the past among the major white goods players, as some of these blue-chip manufacturers have recently announced plans to cut down on their service offerings. ...

WAL-MART'S UPSCALE PUSH HITS ELECTRONICS.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Wal-Mart's bold push to trade up its mix is unfolding dramatically in its consumer electronics department. The world's biggest retailer has reset the department in over 1,300 stores with better sight lines...

SHORT WAVES.(BEST BUY)(AMAZON.COM'S)(AUDIOVOX CORP)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... BEST BUY has launched private-label furniture and expanded its Insignia consumer electronics lineup. The big-box electronics retailer is now offering an Init ready-to-assemble multimedia storage home theater and office furniture line, including...

CITIGROUP: ELECTRONICS WILL HEAT UP HOLIDAY SALES.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Electronics retailers may help bolster slowing holiday sales this season. "While holiday sales are expected to slow slightly this year versus last, CE [consumer electronics] retailers will still be the...

BEST BUY VS. CIRCUIT CITY.(buyers guide)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
November 7, 2005... ON THE COVER Best Buy: Toshiba 62-inch DLP Rear- Projection HDTV, $3,199.99 Circuit City: Sony 42-inch Grand WEGA LCD-Projection TV, $1,999.99 MP3 PLAYERS Best Buy: 1GB iPod Shuffle MP3 player, $129.99 Circuit City: IRiver...

HOME SAME-STORE SALES REACH FOUR-MONTH HIGH.(STORE SALES)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Home furnishings retailers in October logged a 2.6 percent total average same-store sales increase, the greatest year-over-year increase since June. A review of stores opened at least one year showed...

WEAK SAME-STORE SALES HURT HAVERTYS EARNINGS.(store sales weakness)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Haverty Furniture Cos. Inc.'s profit inched downward in the most recent quarter due partly to same-store sales weakness. The 118-store furniture chain reported net income of $3.8 million, or 17 cents...

NRF: TAX REFORM PROPOSAL COULD BOOST CONSUMER GOODS PRICES.(consumer product prices and tax policy)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-While the new tax reform proposal was designed to make the federal tax code "more conducive to economic growth" as stated by the President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform, it may actually hit...

OUT OF THE BLUES.(Design Cares)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Michael D. Devine Design Cares in Blue, held at the New York Design Center and co-sponsored by Metropolitan Home magazine, brought back the roar of the jazz age to raise money for Partnership for the Homeless by raffling off a...

ANALYSTS SEE Q4 HURDLES IN LNT DEAL.(Apollo Management and National Realty Development Co. acquires Linens 'n Things' )
November 14, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-The home furnishings industry was hardly shocked last week to learn of Linens 'n Things' agreement to be purchased by Apollo Management and National Realty Development Co. for $1.3 billion, but many will be...

WAL-MART GOES FOR THE GREEN.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc. rolls out eco-friendly stores)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... The retailer isn't wasting any energy as it rolls out its second eco-friendly stores, replete with a 50-kilowatt wind turbine. For a tour, see page 6.

NEW QUOTAS SLAPPED ON CHINA PRODUCTS.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Cotton towels, along with window shades and blinds made of fabric shipped from China, will be subject to quotas starting Jan. 1. The two product categories are among the 34 (mostly apparel goods)...

MAYTAG PLANNING TO SHUT S.C. FACTORY.(South Carolina)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Gerry Beatty NEW YORK-Maytag Corp. said it plans to close its Florence, S.C., factory early next year because it has excess capacity for laundry appliances in four plants. About 60 workers will be idled. Restructuring charges...

IN BRIEF: DASH TO LEAVE MACY'S HOME...SCHULTZ TO HEAD SEARS APPAREL...AYRES TO RETIRE FROM BUSH.(Evan Dash, Lisa Schultz, Rob Ayres)(Macy's Home Store, Sears Holdings, Bush Industries)
November 14, 2005... Dash to Leave Macy's Home Evan Dash is leaving his position as Macy's Home Store's senior vice president of housewares. He joined the company in 2004 soon after the implementation of a corporate restructure that centralized home...

FEDERATED'S NET INCOME JUMPS 600 PERCENT IN Q3.
November 14, 2005... NEW YORK-The sale of its credit assets to Citigroup, only partially offset by integration costs from the merger with May Department Stores, helped Federated Department Stores Inc. more than sextuple its net income for the third quarter. ...

CUTS IN STORE FOR HUDSON'S BAY STAFF.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Canadian retailer Hudson's Bay Co., which operates the Bay department store and Zellers discount chains, set plans to cut roughly 825 management and administrative positions and realign its senior ranks. ...

GREENING HOUSE; WAL-MART HAS TAKEN THE WRAPS OFF ITS SECOND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY TEST STORE.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau AURORA, Colo.-Wal-Mart is seeking greener pastures. The world's largest retailer took the wraps off its second environmentally friendly test store here last week. The 206,000-square-foot supercenter is a...

DUCASSE'S NEW CASA.(Alain Ducasse)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Michael D. Devine Alain Ducasse -- the name says it all. The nine-star Michelin chef's New York restaurant at the Essex House, which opened in 2002, has undergone a facelift as subtle as the flavoring of his cuisine. Since the...

BRAND BRIQUETTES.(grills)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Arnold J. Karr By now, we've all accepted that we're in the midst of a massive transformation from a manufacturing economy into one based on service and information. What's less likely to be verbalized, however, is that the service...

PENDLETON FILES TRADEMARK SUIT AGAINST KMART.(Kmart Holding Corp., Pendleton Woolen Mills Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Pendleton Woolen Mills, the apparel, blanket and home products company, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit on Nov. 2 in federal court in Portland, Ore., against discount retailer Kmart Corp. "Our...

GISH'S NEW BOOK OFFERS BIG PICTURE.(Ann Gish)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Ann Gish's eponymous book serves two purposes: It's her company's buying guide to fine linens and details her own story on how to live in luxury. "I did it because I don't really like catalogs," Gish...

HIGH-END INFLUENCE.(luxury bedding)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-The trend to create luxury bedding is growing as suppliers and retailers keep raising the bar. Revman International layered luxury collections to its Echo and Izzy brands at last month's textiles...

NEWS BRIEFS: FARIBAULT MILLS AND SOCIETY HILL TEXTILE...ENHANCED RETAIL SOLUTIONS...SUZANNE LOVELL.
November 14, 2005... Faribault Mills and Society Hill Textile have joined other textiles firms at the New York Market Center, at 230 Fifth Ave. Faribault Mills, a blanket manufacturer, has taken space on the lobby floor while Society Hill Textile is located in Room...

MOHAWK, DUPONT TEAM ON HOME CARPET VENTURE.(E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... NEW YORK-Mohawk Industries Inc. and DuPont have formed an exclusive partnership to provide a new line of residential carpet to the flooring industry. The agreement finds DuPont providing its newest polymer technology to Mohawk, which will...

PUTTING OUT THE WELCOME MAT.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-The holiday season is approaching, and the floor covering business is already starting to show signs of strength. Flip through any catalog that sells home furnishings, and right there in the bedding and...

RUGMARK RAFFLE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... NEW YORK-Rugmark is holding its annual fundraising raffle this year in honor of International Human Rights Day. Designer Dale Gottlieb of Story Rugs has donated a Rugmark-certified rug valued at $6,800 in honor of the occasion. The...

OUTDOORS CONTINUES WARMING UP TO INNOVATIVE FASHIONS.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-The outdoor rug category is growing up, thanks in part to the continuing development and sophistication of the outdoor furniture market. Vendors in the business say style now plays a co-starring role with...

EMMA GARDNER EXTENDS DISTRIBUTION.(Emma Gardner Design)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-Emma Gardner Design has added new retail partners in key markets across the country. Among the new partners are Unica Home in Las Vegas and Style and Form in San Jose, Calif., both of which will offer the...

LOUIS DE POORTERE TAPS PRESTIGE MILLS TO BE N.A. DISTRIBUTOR.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... NEW YORK-Prestige Mills Inc. has been named the exclusive North American distributor for all floor coverings produced by Belgium manufacturer Louis de Poortere. Louis de Poortere, which for years has distributed its products direct, said...

LIGHTING FIXTURES; BED BATH & BEYOND AND LINENS 'N THINGS MAY LOOK ALIKE BUT THEIR METHODS DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Nancy Meyer NEW YORK-While the two linens superstores, Bed Bath & Beyond and Linens 'n Things, look alike on the surface, their philosophies and merchandising strategies differ significantly. This is particularly true in the...

NEWS BRIEFS: AMERTAC...SHADY LADY...W.A.C. LIGHTING.(Elumina Lighting Technologies Inc. acquired)(appointments)
November 14, 2005... AmerTac, maker of decorative consumer electrical, lighting and lawn and garden products, has acquired Elumina Lighting Technologies Inc. of Ontario, Canada, for an undisclosed sum. Elumina markets night-lights and other lighting products with...

SEGUSO VIRO, NAMBE FORM A TRUE GLASS ACT.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Allison Zisko NEW YORK-A recent collaboration between Seguso Viro and Nambe has brought the former to a new level of luxury and the latter to a new medium. The two design-oriented companies combined their respective talents in...

LICENSED PLATES.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Carla Webb O'Connor, Allison Zisko New York-If last month's tabletop market was any indication, licensing is still a viable avenue of merchandising. Among the licensed lines introduced at the market were a full tabletop...

CORELLE DISHES OUT NEW SHAPE, WEB SITE.(Corning Consumer Products Co.)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Carla Webb O'Connor CORNING, N.Y.-Like many in their mid-30s, Corelle honored its birthday by redefining itself. Last month, the brand unveiled a square dinnerware shape and celebrated its 35th anniversary with a gala dinner at the...

ONEIDA SHOWS OFF ITS NEW SPACE AND PUTS A BUFFALO IN THE CHINA SHOP.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Carla Webb O'Connor NEW YORK-In addition to unveiling its new 41 Madison Ave. showroom, which now includes subsidiary Sakura, Oneida highlighted the relaunch of one of its better-known brands, Buffalo China, at the tabletop market...

LIFETIME LEVELS FIELD FOR PFALTZGRAFF LINES.(Lifetime Brands )
November 14, 2005... Byline: Carla Webb O'Connor NEW YORK-Lifetime Brands filled up much more than half of its new showroom at 41 Madison Ave. last week with products from one of its newest acquisitions, Pfaltzgraff -- a brand they have internally categorized...

NEWS BRIEFS: MR. COFFEE'S...GENERAL MILLS AND MARK FELDSTEIN & ASSOCIATES...ROYAL APPLIANCE MANUFACTURING CO.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... Mr. Coffee's latest marketing campaign features NASCAR champ Jeff Gordon in People magazine through December. Consumers can purchase the Jeff Gordon coffee mug featured in the ad online at mrcoffee.com. The brand is also implementing a mobile...

LIFETIME PROFIT UP 76 PERCENT.(Lifetime Brands)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Thyra Porter PORTLAND, Maine-Profit was up 76 percent as Lifetime Brands reported that KitchenAid cutlery helped drive its third-quarter sales to record levels. Income for the quarter ended Sept. 30 rose to $4.5 million from...

DEUTSCH TREATS.(trade shows)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White NEW YORK-Now that domotechnica is back and overlapping with Ambiente, two trade shows are vying to become the main European venue for appliance manufacturers. Since the shift of the International Home &...

APPLICA REPORTS $8.2M LOSS IN Q3.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White NEW YORK-Applica reported a loss for the third quarter on lower sales, partly as a result of a product review that has pared down SKUs. Applica reported a 2005 third-quarter loss of $8.2 million, or 34 cents per...

NEWS BRIEFS: FEDDERS CORP....SAMSUNG'S...CRAZY EDDIE.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... FEDDERS CORP. has sold Melcor Corp., which makes and manages thermoelectric coolers and related systems, to Laird Technologies for $17.4 million in cash. "The sale will further enable Fedders to sharpen our strategic focus and resources on our...

NEW ADS SHOW RETAILERS MAKING A COLD STATEMENT.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Gerry Beatty NEW YORK-In this season of family dinners and holiday parties, refrigeration gets its fair share among major appliances in retailers' print ads. After all, what's a homemaker to do without a freezer with capacity...

FORECASTERS CALL FOR SOLID RETAIL SALES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Despite rising fuel costs and the aftermath of the hurricanes, shopping is expected to hold up this holiday season, although retail sales growth is projected to taper off somewhat from 2004, according to...

DESPITE BOOST FROM SALE OF AMAP STAKE, SALTON FAILS TO MAKE FINANCIAL COVENANTS.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White NEW YORK-Salton Inc. logged a profit partly due to the recent sale of its stake in Amalgamated Appliance Holdings Ltd., but was not in compliance with its financial covenants due to disappointing sales. Salton...

NEWS BRIEFS: UNEMPLOYMENT...ROOMBA'S.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... Unemployment in the retail and wholesale trades remained unchanged at 4.9 percent in October, just under the national jobless rate of 5 percent. Still, the October retail reading was notably below its own unemployment rate of 5.4 percent a year...

TARGET'S Q3 EARNINGS CLIMB TO $435M.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick, Barbara Thau contributed to this report. NEW YORK-Target Corp.'s earnings from continued operations for the most recent quarter increased, partly due to a double-digit sales gain. The mass merchant had $435...

THE HFN STOCK INDEX.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2005... Retailers climbed 2.36 percent for the Nov. 3 to 10 period. Big Lots jumped 9.29 percent to close at $12.94 following news of an October same-store sales gain. Manufacturers inched up 0.37 percent for the period, led by Salton's 12.12 percent...

CHILDREN'S CRUSADE.
November 14, 2005... The annual Design to Benefit Autism event was held at the cavernous Andrew Martin showroom and honored Scott Kravet of Kravet Inc. The evening featured a silent auction of designer pillows from some of New York's top names, of which the...

PAGE TURNER.
November 14, 2005... Byline: Michael D. Devine The Ralph Lauren flagship in New York was the setting for the unveiling of Architectural Digest's newest book "Hollywood at Home." Page Rense, editor in chief, was on hand to sign the book for her adoring fans,...

BLACK FRIDAY NO LONGER GUIDING LIGHT FOR RETAILERS.(holiday shopping )(survey)
November 21, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-"Black Friday" weekend used to be the sacred gauge of holiday retail sales, but the longtime kickoff to the make-or-break selling season is losing its predictive power. And this year, retailers, including...

PENNEY BOOKS TABLETOP, HOTEL FOR MADDEN.
November 21, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-J.C. Penney is fleshing out its exclusive home offerings from designer Chris Madden with plans for a tabletop line by mid-2006 and the recent rollout of a hotel program. It's all part of the retailer's...