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

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

STRAIGHTENING UP.
October 6, 2003... "Queer eye for the straight guy," featuring the "Fab Five" (above), is just one of the myriad TV makeover shows that are driving interest in home decorating. Is the trend translating into more home goods sales? See page 12.

WAL-MART TO KEEP ON GROWING; RETAIL SPACE TO RISE 8% IN '04.
October 6, 2003... BENTONVILLE, Ark.-By year's end, Wal-Mart's supercenters will outnumber its discount stores. That's what Lee Scott, chairman and chief executive officer of the world's largest retailer, said during the company's 10th annual analyst...

PILLOWTEX BIDDERS PUT MILL THROUGH THE MILL.
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Bidding for the bits and pieces of what had been Pillowtex -- the nation's third-largest textiles company -- continued through the end of last week, but it may not be until this Tuesday that the world will know who the winner is. ...

WITHIT ELECTS NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS.(Women in the Home Furnishings Industries Today elects Jackie Hirschhaut president)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Women in the Home Furnishings Industries Today has announced a new board of directors. The organization's mission is to support women in the home furnishings industry and is composed of working professionals. Jackie...

NEWS BRIEFS: EX-AMES CEO FOUNDS WISEBUYS...MIKASA LAUNCHES DESIGN STORE...CALACCI RESIGNS FROM SHARP.
October 6, 2003... Ex-Ames CEO Founds WiseBuys A handful of Ames Department Stores units are being resurrected and turned into WiseBuys, an off-price retailer founded by Joe Ettore, Ames' former chief executive officer. The first WiseBuys store opened...

SAN FRANCISCO MART'S GENNET LEAVES TO JOIN LAZAR INDUSTRIES.(Michael Gennet)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO-Michael Gennet has resigned as president of the San Francisco Mart to take a position with Lazar Industries, a Los Angeles-based producer of upholstered furniture. Roseann Carini has been appointed to the Mart's leadership post as...

SEARS BRINGS IN BULEY AS HOME STORES VP.(Beryl Buley)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.-Sears has named former Kohl's executive Beryl Buley senior vice president/general manager of home stores, overseeing the hard-lines area, including major appliances, but excluding home fashions. He succeeds Dan Laughlin,...

OUT OF THE BAG AND ONTO THE TABLE.
October 6, 2003... The highly anticipated Kate Spade tabletop collection made an appearance at the preview of the Kate Spade wedding line last month. The tabletop line by Lenox will make its debut at the New York fall tabletop market later this month.

CONE MILLS GETS OK TO OPERATE AMID BANKRUPTCY PROCESS.
October 6, 2003... GREENSBORO, N.C.-Cone Mills received approval to conduct business as usual while the company engages in proceedings with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. A further hearing with the court is scheduled for Oct. 10. Cone confirmed...

PENNEY'S TURNAROUND FOCUS: STORE BRANDS, BRIDAL, CATALOG.
October 6, 2003... PLANO, Texas-J.C. Penney is banking on celebrity decorators Chris Madden and Colin Cowie to spice up its private-label home collection and bridal registry. The retailer is also finally seeing a meaningful improvement in its $3 billion...

CORRECTION.(Correction Notice)
October 6, 2003... In the Sept. 22 issue of HFN, Laneventure's furniture collection of "electric yellow, green, blue and orange" in the story "Outside Opportunities" should have been identified as Chandler Bay from the WeatherMaster collection.

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
October 6, 2003... October 16-22 International Home Furnishings Market High Point, N.C. (336) 869-1000 ihfc.com 18-23 Bangkok International Gift & Houseware Fair Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre Bangkok, Thailand ...

FEDERATED NAMES CREATIVE CHIEF TO HEAD CO-BRANDING OF MACY'S.(Joe Feczko appointed at Federated Department Stores)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Federated Department Stores, which is gearing up to co-brand its stores Macy's, has named Joe Feczko executive vice president and chief creative officer of Federated Corporate Marketing. Federated established the marketing division...

CRISTINA FERRARE IN LICENSING DEAL WITH MAGNUSSEN FOR FURNITURE LINE.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Cristina Ferrare, a former model who fashioned a second career as a TV personality and jewelry designer, has signed a five-year licensing deal with Magnussen Home to produce a line of home furnishings. The Cristina Ferrare...

HOUSING DATA FOR AUGUST BODE WELL FOR HOME GOODS.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Housing, a key indicator of the health of the home furnishings industry, remained strong in August by most measures. Sales of both new and existing homes, and permits and starts of new single-family units, were all up over the same...

DUBIN THE TOWN.(Tiffany Dubin finds hidden treasures in New York City)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Over the bridge and into the boroughs of New York we went in pursuit of hidden treasures with Tiffany Dubin (right), the maven of those sorts of things. Besides being a fixture on society pages for her vintage style, she also has published...

PRIME TIME FOR REDECORATING; REALITY TV HAS HELPED SPAWN A SPATE OF POPULAR HOME MAKEOVER SHOWS, AND FURNISHINGS VENDORS ARE TUNING IN.
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Blame it on the cocooning trend converging with a reality TV trend, combined with a makeover obsession -- home decorating shows have captured the public's imagination. A plethora of decorating programs have infiltrated the...

PART 1: MERCHANTS OF SWILL.(street vendors)
October 6, 2003... Street vendors are everywhere, it seems, but their presence is particularly noteworthy in New York City, where in some places at some times the urban sidewalks resemble a Kmart aisle at yuletide. They are a bizarre bazaar. Street vendors...

SMOKE 'EM IF YOU'VE GOT 'EM.(home furnishings branding)
October 6, 2003... OK, what do these very famous, very well-known brands all have in common: Plymouth, Oldsmobile, Winston and Doral? Give up? Turns out they are all on the dead and/or endangered brand species list. Plymouth-brand cars were eliminated several...

A VENERABLE GROUPING; MANY OF THE LEADERS CITED IN HFN'S BRAND SURVEY WERE FAMOUS BEFORE THEY WERE HOME PRODUCTS.(Top 150 Home Products Brands)
October 6, 2003... GE, Dr. Scholl's, Black & Decker and names like Martha Stewart, Ralph Lauren and George Foreman have become mainstays in the home furnishings industry, exemplified by their prominent placement among HFN's Top 150 Brands. But many of these...

THE FIBER TO PERSEVERE; WHETHER DESIGNER OR PRIVATE LABEL, THE LEADING BRANDS ARE A KNOWN QUANTITY.(home textiles brand rankings)
October 6, 2003... Cannon was on its way to being a certified mass merchant textiles brand, but its owner Pillowtex went under, unable to execute its grand relaunch plan. But these things don't seem to matter to consumers, who voted Cannon as their favorite...

HERITAGE: AN ENDURING TRAIT; BRANDS WITH A LINEAGE TEND TO DOMINATE IN THE SMALL APPLIANCES SEGMENT.(brand ranking survey)
October 6, 2003... History has its place in the minds of consumers as they shop for small appliances to fill their kitchen countertops. But while many of the brands in HFN's survey have age-old reputations, there is also a distinct suggestion that a brand or a...

DEVELOPMENTS ON THE STORE FRONT; FURNITURE MAKERS ARE BUILDING THEIR BRANDS WITH A RETAIL PRESENCE.(brand ranking survey)
October 6, 2003... Brands aren't built or squandered overnight, so there are no surprises at the top of the furniture list: La-Z-Boy, Ethan Allen, Broyhill, Thomasville, Lane and Bassett, with La-Z-Boy the undisputed brand champ. Beyond those established...

LIFESTYLE FINDS ITS PLACE ON THE FLOOR; MARKETING TO CONSUMER HABITS IS PROVING TO BE AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR RUG BRANDS.(brand ranking survey)
October 6, 2003... From bath rugs to broadloom, most manufacturers are now marketing their products to consumers as lifestyle brands. Marketing efforts in the past few years have become more focused on depicting soft floor coverings as part of a trendy or...

A COMPETITIVE CLIMATE; DUELING CONCERNS HAVE KEPT THE RANKINGS STABLE IN THE HOME ENVIRONMENT SEGMENT.(brand ranking survey)
October 6, 2003... There are two ways to look at brand loyalty in a volatile group of categories lumped as home environment. One is the public's concern about health and the expectation that a trusted name is a prerequisite for air and water purifiers. The...

NAMES THAT REGISTER; THE TOP TABLETOP BRANDS ARE AIMING TO ATTRACT BRIDAL CUSTOMERS WITHOUT ALIENATING OLDER ONES.(brand ranking survey)
October 6, 2003... More than a mattress or a blender or a living room sofa, tabletop is an emotional purchase. If your grandmother treasured her Rosenthal china, chances are you will, too. Or you will reject it completely because it is old and outdated and...

WHAT WOMEN WANT; THAT'S WHAT THE TOP-TIER CONSUMER ELECTRONICS MAKERS MAKE IT THEIR BUSINESS TO KNOW.(brand ranking survey)
October 6, 2003... In HFN's exclusive brand survey, Sony is the reigning king in consumer electronics among women who connect to the brand's fashion sensibility, versatility and ease of use on a variety of products. The electronics giant's brand took the...

A YOUTHFUL ENDEAVOR; IN PERSONAL CARE, IMAGE IS EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY FOR THE TEENAGE SET.(brand ranking survey)
October 6, 2003... Long term, big brands dominate in personal care, but it's an area where manufacturers have to work hard to keep their devoted fans. A lot of disposable income, particularly from the teen segment, finds its way into this category, which is why...

FAMILIAR SUBJECTS; MULTIMEDIA EXPOSURE IS PAYING OFF FOR THE MAJOR NAMES IN BEDDING.(brand ranking survey, mattresses)
October 6, 2003... A persistent chipping away at an opponent can win a game, and that same approach can pay big dividends when it comes to mattress brand exposure. While Sealy, the industry leader with its high-profile "blue butterfly" logo, is still at the...

MORE THAN HOLDING ITS OWN; RUBBERMAID AIMS TO STAY AHEAD THROUGH MORE MARKETING.(brand ranking survey, home storage)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Rubbermaid has been the perennial powerhouse in brand recognition in home storage, and the company plans to continue to strengthen its position as the leading brand through product development and marketing efforts. Fully 94 percent of...

KEEPING AT IT; THE LEADERS STAY THAT WAY BY CRANKING OUT NEW IDEAS.(Rubbermaid, Tupperware are top food storage brands)
October 6, 2003... Product innovation has made food storage a hot market, even though the category is dominated by two names that have been around since grandmother was a girl. Rubbermaid and Tupperware -- brands that date back in some form to the 1930s -- took...

SOME SHINING EXAMPLES; WESTINGHOUSE AND STIFFEL ARE AMONG THE TOP CHOICES OF CONSUMERS IN LIGHTING.
October 6, 2003... In somewhat of a surprise, but a significant finding, Westinghouse was the most recognizable brand in lighting among consumers in HFN's exclusive brand survey. Surprising because it beat out entrenched lighting names such as Stiffel (ranked...

FOREIGN INTRIGUE; TRADITIONAL BRANDS IN MAJOR APPLIANCES FACE FRESH CHALLENGERS FROM ABROAD.
October 6, 2003... Don't look now, but here comes a whole boatload of rivals to take on century-old manufacturers in major appliances. Venerable names still top the popularity charts, but many of the brands on the lower half of this list are from offshore...

CROSSING THE LINES; MULTICATEGORY PROMOTIONS HAVE HELPED BOOST THE LEADERS IN KITCHEN TOOLS AND GADGETS.
October 6, 2003... HFN's top brands in the kitchen tools and gadgets category -- which in this report also embraces cutlery -- includes some names that first became famous as small electrics brands. In fact, one, KitchenAid, leads the list with 60.8 percent...

KEEPING THINGS ON THE FRONT BURNER; THE TOP COOKWARE AND BAKEWARE BRANDS PLAN TO KEEP THE HEAT ON WITH MARKETING CAMPAIGNS AND NEW PRODUCTS.
October 6, 2003... Companies with brands on the cookware and bakeware top 10 list don't rest on their laurels. Instead, marketing campaigns and product rollouts are the ways these companies build brands and keep them in the consumer's mind. Though World...

MAKING A DIFFERENCE; WHETHER THROUGH DESIGN OR PACKAGING, INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS BROUGHT LIFE TO THE NEW YORK MARKET.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-When variations on thread count or a new shade of white fail to garner excitement during the long days of market showroom visits, it's always a relief to see a textiles supplier thinking outside the box. There were innovative...

CAUSES FOR CELEBRATION AT MARKET.(fall home textiles market )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Forget Monday Night Football. It was a busy, three-party affair at the fall home textiles market here. Those who went to the events here on Sept. 22 will remember that S. Lichtenberg & Co. got older, turning 70; Raymond Waites...

GRAPHIC DESIGNS; INTRODUCTIONS AT THE HIGH POINT MARKET OFFER BOLD PATTERNS IN LIVABLE COLORS.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-White go-go boots and miniskirts are not the only hallmarks of the '60s making a comeback. Wavy lines, swirls and other effects that give the impression of movement or three dimensions will be found among the introductions at...

KARASTAN PUTS A CASUAL SPIN ON TRADITIONALS IN NEW LINE.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Karastan has addressed both the traditional and the casual consumer. Now it has a collection for that in-between consumer. The new Vintage Road collection, which will make its debut in High Point, N.C., this month, offers a relaxed...

HIGH POINT EARNS ITS STRIPES.(use of stripes in floor coverings)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-They're fresh, yet classic; casual, yet preppy; colorful, yet neutral; and now they're on everything, including the floor. Stripes will be out in full force in rug showrooms at the International Home Furnishings Market here....

NEWS BRIEFS: PANAM EXPO SEEKS SESSION LEADERS...HOME COMFORT INKS KIMBLE LICENSE...MOHAWK SLATES REGIONAL MEETINGS.
October 6, 2003... PanAm Expo Seeks Session Leaders Organizers of the PanAmerican Stone and Tile Exposition are inviting industry leaders to submit proposals for presentations at its March 30 to April 1, 2004, conference program Discovery '04. The event...

THE LATEST ACCENT RUGS HAVE A NATURAL APPEAL.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Neutral and natural-looking was the theme of several introductions in accent rugs at the home textiles market here. Shaw, under the new multicategory home brand Shaw Living, borrowed the space-dyed nylon construction used in area...

EMMA GARDNER DESIGN FORMS CONTRACT UNIT FOR PROFESSIONALS.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Emma Gardner Design, a contemporary rug company, has launched a new contract division to serve professional designers and architects with commercial and hospitality clients. The new group, called EGD Contract, will draw on three...

CHARITY STARTS ON THE FLOOR FOR ELSON & CO.
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Taking a break from pouty, thin-hipped models, fashion designers are using their talents to design some rugs, all for a good cause. Some stars of the apparel world, including Carolina Herrera, Narciso Rodriguez and Oscar de la...

STUDENTS HELP LEES CREATE RBN COLLECTION.(Lees Carpets, urban)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... RALEIGH, N.C.-When Lees Carpets wanted a fresh perspective for a new flooring product, the company turned to students in North Carolina State University's College of Design. Six students from three disciplines -- art and design, graphic...

BUILDING EXPECTATIONS; IN RTA, A WIDE VARIETY OF MARKET INTRODUCTIONS GO BEYOND THE NORM.(ready-to-assemble )
October 6, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-The ready-to-assemble furniture category will have plenty of surprises for retailers accustomed to the same-old, same-old during next week's International Home Furnishings Market here. Maxim, the trendy magazine for young...

MARKET SHOPPERS WILL BE SEEING HIGH POINT IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.(International Home Furnishings Market )
October 6, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Lighting and accessories executives aren't waiting for signs of a turnaround: They're determined to make it happen themselves. For next week's International Home Furnishings Market here, there will be an aggressive rollout...

NEWS BRIEFS: CASUAL FURNITURE DEALER MAKES CHARITY PITCH...WHITECRAFT RATTAN MERGES WITH CEBU...FOUR HANDS NAMES OPERATIONS CHIEF.
October 6, 2003... Casual Furniture Dealer Makes Charity Pitch Casual furniture dealer Percy Guidry's Hearth & Patio will again provide the Cajun barbecue for the annual Ron Guidry Celebrity Golf Outing to be held Monday, Oct. 27, in Lafayette, La., the...

BIG NAMES, BOLD STYLES -- ALL IN STORE FOR CASUAL.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-The casual furniture business is rebounding, and the new styles being brought to the International Home Furnishings Market here are poised to create excitement on selling floors. Big-name collections making their debuts...

NEWS BRIEFS: LITE SOURCE TAPS MARKETING DIRECTOR...LAVA WORLD MOVES TO NEW HEADQUARTERS...MINKA GROUP APPOINTS GARCIA DIVISION VP.
October 6, 2003... Lite Source Taps Marketing Director Lite Source, the Chino, Calif.-based lighting firm, has appointed Tim Kolacz marketing and advertising director. He succeeds Teresa Chia, who left the company to pursue missionary work, and reports to...

PORTABLE LAMPS ARE STILL THE TURN-ON AT JIMCO.(Jimco Lamp Co. )
October 6, 2003... BONO, Ark.-In 40 years, the portable lamp business has changed dramatically. The retail players, the supply base, the technologies, the styles. One thing that hasn't changed is the need for top quality, value and current designs from...

BOOK VALUE; CATALOGS ARE STILL AN IMPORTANT CHANNEL FOR MANUFACTURERS AND RETAILERS.
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Considered an old-fashioned business avenue by some, harking back to the days of Sears' 1,200-page wish books, catalogs still bring in sales for tabletop manufacturers and are even a growing, albeit changing, distribution channel for...

LLADRO'S GROWTH STRATEGY: RETAIL OUTLETS AND IN-STORE BOUTIQUES.(Company Profile)
October 6, 2003... MOONACHIE, N.J.-While many collectibles manufacturers are floundering and losing retail space during these rough economic times, Lladro is busy growing its presence and redefining its presentation through the opening of shop-in-shops and...

MEAL TICKETS; COOKWARE MAKERS ARE COUNTING ON PROMOTIONS TO SET THEMSELVES UP FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-'Tis the season to be hopeful as cookware manufacturers prepare fourth-quarter promotions and wish for jolly holidays. One of the biggest debuts of the year comes this month with the much-anticipated retail rollout of T-Fal's...

CONTAINER STORE TO TAKE WRAPS OFF FALL PROMOTIONAL BLITZ.
October 6, 2003... DALLAS-As The Container Store prepares to open two new stores this year -- including one in New York City, its first in Manhattan -- the storage and organization chain has embarked on a major fall and fourth-quarter promotional campaign. ...

JUICERS ENTER THE MAINSTREAM, THANKS TO EDUCATED SHOPPERS.(Oster)(Omega)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Juicing has moved beyond trend and made a place for itself in the mainstream market, despite the fact that many early joiners have since left the business. Those who remain say they are dealing with a more informed consumer today, one...

BLUEAIR ADDS TO AIR PURIFIER LINE.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... CHICAGO-Blueair Inc., whose air purifiers already generate the highest scores in the industry's Clean Air Delivery Rate tests, is enhancing its line. The high-end Swedish firm has three models available in the United States, including the only...

CHEF CENTRAL THROWS BENEFIT PARTY TO CELEBRATE OPENING OF 2ND UNIT.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... HARTSDALE, N.Y.-Chef Central celebrated the debut of its newest store here with a grand-opening party late last month to introduce itself to the neighborhood and to benefit the charity My Sister's Place. Locals were treated to wine and an...

LOOKS MAY BE DECEIVING; TIVOLI'S MODEL ONE LINE FEATURES AN UP-TO-DATE SOUND EMANATING FROM ITS CLASSIC-LOOK RADIOS.(Tivoli Audio)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-It's easy to describe Tivoli Audio's Model One radio as retro-looking. The AM/FM radio has one speaker, two control knobs, two small LED indicator lamps and one analog tuning dial. There are no flashy LCD display screens or numerous...

BEST BUY'S INVENTORY LEANEST OF CATEGORY SPECIALISTS IN Q2.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-In an HFN report on the inventory levels of the consumer electronics specialty retailers, Best Buy topped the list as the company with the leanest inventory-to-sales ratio for the second quarter. Tweeter and Circuit City placed...

RADIOSHACK INTRODUCES LINE TARGETING `WELLNESS' MARKET.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... FORT WORTH, Texas-RadioShack brought to market last week a suite of products aimed at the "wellness" market. The personal care health products include a wireless heart monitor, a blood pressure monitor and several home comfort products such as...

BEST BUY VS. CIRCUIT CITY.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... On the Cover: Best Buy: Sony 42-inch WEGA plasma TV, model KE42TS2, $5,999.99 Circuit City: Hitachi 46-inch projection TV model 46W500, $1,799.99 TV: Best Buy: Sharp 20-inch flat-panel LCD TV, model LC20E2U, $1,199.99 ...

COMPUSA TO BUY GOOD GUYS; WILL OPERATE IT AS A SUBSIDIARY.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-CompUSA said last week it was acquiring Good Guys, the electronics retailer with 71 stores in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, for $2.05 per share, which is about $55 million. The deal, which is all cash, includes...

FRIGIDAIRE CELEBRATES WITH SPECIAL FRIENDS.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Frigidaire celebrated its 85th birthday here in a big way -- with two cakes bigger than microwave ovens, a special-edition newspaper and awards to 30 retailers whose average time selling the appliance brand is 64 years. The big...

SHORT WAVES.
October 6, 2003... OFFICE DEPOT SHUFFLED THINGS AROUND last week as the retailer reorganized its North American operations. One executive is out and two others were named to new posts in Office Depot's new management lineup, designed to consolidate and shore up...

CREDIT MANAGER'S INDEX PAINTS ROSY PICTURE FOR MANUFACTURING SECTOR.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... COLUMBIA, Md.-The National Association of Credit Management said its Credit Manager's Index for September showed a "strong gain" of 2.2 percent as the manufacturing portion of the index swelled 5.2 percent from August. "It appears the...

ANALYST: TUPPERWARE NEEDS TO PUT A LID ON `DETERIORATION'.(Budd Bugatch)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK-Raymond James analyst Budd Bugatch issued a research report on Tupperware Corp. that reiterated his "underperform" rating on the housewares company. Bugatch said the company's only encouraging metric was free cash flow, "which...

NEWS BRIEFS: ROSENTHAL & ROSENTHAL GOES WEST...BORROWERS TAPPING LOWER RATES.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Rosenthal & Rosenthal Goes West Factoring and asset-based lender Rosenthal & Rosenthal said it opened a West Coast office to provide local support for its expanding client base there. The office, at 21700 Oxnard St. in the Warner Center of...

DRAKE'S TAKE.
October 6, 2003... Jamie Drake, the master of color, recently launched his new collection of rugs in New York. The vibrant colors and hip patterns formed a great background for the event, which was filled with equally hip and colorful guests.

COME TO THE CABARET.
October 6, 2003... It's not often the interior design industry gets to enjoy the hidden talents of its members. One such opportunity was at the second annual Architectural Digest Designer Cabaret. It featured six members performing along with a humorous David...

FURNITURE'S FUN, FALL FREE-FOR-ALL.
October 13, 2003... IF IT'S OCTOBER, it's High Point time again -- that semiannual, frenzied gathering called the International Home Furnishings Market. This one should be no exception. Complete market coverage (including a key to the images on this page) begins...

NEWS BRIEFS: ROYAL DOULTON NAMES PRESIDENT...KARL LAGERFELD TABLETOP LINE DUE...PENNEY'S CHRISTMAS BOOK BOWS.
October 13, 2003... Royal Doulton Names President Tabletop company Royal Doulton has appointed industry veteran Arthur Bylin president of the company. He succeeds Mike Tracy, who left Royal Doulton in July to become chief executive officer of Media Solution...

MARTHA'S YULE LINE HITS KMART.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... TROY, Mich.-The 2003 Martha Stewart Everyday Holiday collection is now available at Kmart, including seven collections of ornaments, lights and home decor. The coordinating collections include Golden Traditions, First Snowfall, Christmas...

NOW THAT GGST HAS PILLOWTEX, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE BRANDS?
October 13, 2003... KANNAPOLIS, N.C.-As the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del., approved the sale of substantially all of the assets of Pillowtex to GGST for $128 million, the focus once again is on what the consortium composed of Gibbs International,...

CAFTA TALKS HOME IN ON TEXTILES, APPAREL ISSUES.(Central American Free Trade Agreement)
October 13, 2003... WASHINGTON-As the regional trade talks between the United States and five Central American come down to the wire, apparel and textiles issues are heating up. Trade negotiators view resolving agriculture, textiles and apparel issues --...

HOME SPECIALISTS' SALES FALL BEHIND RETAIL IN GENERAL.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... NEW YORK-After outpacing retail sales in general for the first time in four years last year, retailers specializing in products for the home have slipped behind the average as of August, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce....

RETAILERS EXPECTING A STRONG HARVEST FROM HALLOWEEN THIS YEAR.
October 13, 2003... NEW YORK-Spider-web stoneware and autumnal garden decor. The co-existence of ghoulish and harvest-inspired themes tells the Halloween home story for merchants this season. After Sept. 11, 2001, the decorating pendulum swung away from...

MERGER BETWEEN KRUPS, ROWENTA IN FULL SWING.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... MEDFORD, Mass.- The sales and marketing teams of Krups North America and Rowenta have combined, customer service has been brought in-house and Krups, formerly based in Closter, N.J., has moved its sales and marketing operations to Rowenta's...

HOW SWEDE IT IS: MACY'S WEST OPENS SIA HOME DECOR SHOPS.
October 13, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO-Swedish resource Sia is bringing its European take on home decor to 20 Macy's West stores. Macy's West has opened Sia shops featuring furniture accent pieces, textiles, frames, candles, vases and artificial flowers. The shops...

A GRAND OPENING FOR MIKASA.(Design Store opens in Schaumburg, IL)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... SCHAUMBURG, Ill.-The champagne flowed freely as Mikasa executives toasted the grand opening of their new Design Store in the Woodfield Mall here. The 5,000-square-foot store is part of the tabletop company's massive brand push, positioning...

SIMMONS TO INTRODUCE A MATTRESS LINE FEATURING POCKETED CABLE COIL SPRINGS.
October 13, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Simmons Co., which popularized the one-sided mattress three years ago, has come up with another innovation it feels will revolutionize the bedding industry: the Pocketed Cable Coil. At October's International Home...

WISEBUYS BREATHES LIFE INTO FORMER AMES STORES.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... CANTON, N.Y.-Is WiseBuys the second coming of Ames? A handful of Ames Department Stores, the regional discounter that liquidated its 327 stores last year, are being turned into WiseBuys, an off-price retailer founded by Joe Ettore, former...

INSTYLE SPINOFF ADVISES READERS HOW TO GLAMORIZE THEIR HOMES.(InStyle Home)
October 13, 2003... NEW YORK-InStyle Home, a new spinoff of InStyle, shows readers how to integrate a bit of the glamorous life into their homes, even if their budget is more IKEA than Cassina. The magazine, which hit newsstands earlier this month and has a...

A COUNTRY MILESTONE.
October 13, 2003... NEW YORK-ABC Carpet & Home hosted a birthday party to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Country Living magazine, the iconic country style bible published by Hearst. The magazine's editors styled six vignettes of modern country style rooms for...