Home Textiles Today articles from May 2004

Home Textiles Today archives from May 2004

Anna's arrives in Florida.
May 3, 2004... LAUDERDALE LAKES, FLA. -- Alan Gladstone, chairman, president and CEO of Anna's Linens, last week came through on a promise he made almost exactly one year ago--to bring his growing home goods chain, based in Costa Mesa, Calif., cross country...

Kohl's home adds private brand: retailer hopes apartment 9 will add a contemporary touch.
May 3, 2004... MILWAUKEE -- Kohl's is adding a new private brand--apartment 9--to its mix of national and private brands in home. Noting that, "There has been a gap and void in contemporary design," Kevin Mansell, president, said the new brand--which...

'Barns' big part of Williams-Sonoma cash.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids represented 71.4 percent of the revenue gross for Williams-Sonoma in 2003. The brands acccounted for the majority of the 20.8 percent increase in direct-to-consumer revenues for the...

Williams-Sonoma focuses on brands.(Lehman Brothers Retail Seminar)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Williams-Sonoma is firing up brand expansion this year--opening more stores, increasing catalog circulation across nearly all of its properties and, in some cases, expanding the foot-print of existing retail stores. The company...

Wal-Mart ponders quota concerns.(Lehman Brothers Retail Seminar)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Wal-Mart shared its outlook on quota elimination, price deflation and the future of RFID during the annual Lehman Brothers Retail Seminar here last week. Despite industry concerns regarding quota imbalances this year--primarily...

Wal-Mart testing EPCs.(electronic product codes)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Wal-Mart and eight product manufacturers last week began testing electronic product codes, or EPCs, at select Supercenters and one regional distribution center in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. This trial follows what the company said was...

Kmart and Martha work out new deal.(Retail briefs)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Kmart and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia have forged a new agreement that extends Kmart's exclusive relationship with the Everyday brand to 2009, amends some minimums demanded under a previous contract, and will expand the brand into...

Fred's lowers 2004 expectations.(Retail briefs)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Fred's Inc. now expects earnings for the year to be in a range from 97 cents to $1.00 per share, as compared with its previous estimate of between $1.03 and $1.10 per share. The revised guidance represents earnings growth of between 14...

Kmart opens N.Y. design office, Schultz to head.(Retail briefs)
May 3, 2004... Kmart Holding Corporation is opening the Kmart Design Group Office in New York. The office, located on Eighth Avenue, is the first product design presence Kmart has held in New York and will be the base of Lisa Schultz, senior vice president...

Invista sale is finalized.
May 3, 2004... WICHITA, KAN., WILMINGTON, DEL. -- DuPont and subsidiaries of Koch Industries, Inc. last week finalized the sale of Invista, formerly DuPont Textiles & Interiors, for $4.2 billion, including the assumption of debt and certain joint venture and...

Milli Home spices up its palette.
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- The fall season is all about color at Milli Home, which recently unveiled its newest collections of dec pillows, table linens and bedding. Chocolate, pomegranate, paprika, copper, garnet and plum warm such fabrics as tweed, velvet,...

Macy's Home reshuffles executives.
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Macy's Home Stores new organizational structure will consist of a senior vice president, stores, home store; a vice president, regional merchandising for the home store for each division; and regional merchandise managers--one per...

LNT pushes productivity.(Lehman Brothers Retail Seminar)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Linens 'n Things will look to enhance store productivity this year through the rollout of a new merchandise allocation system, the expansion of its store-based inventory ownership strategy, and a focus on key items, executives said...

Saks to reduce Fifth Ave.(Lehman Brothers Retail Seminar)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Without offering too many specific details, Saks Inc. reported, during Lehman Brothers Retail Seminar last week, that it was considering reducing the number of Saks Fifth Avenue units it operates and converting some into any of its...

Four seasons not enough for Pier 1.(Lehman Brothers Retail Seminar)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Pier 1 Imports is expanding its merchandise seasons to six from four to place better emphasis on the "summer" and "back-to-college" periods which the store sees as growing segments, the company said during the Lehman Brothers Retail...

Cost Plus weighs benefits of booze.(Lehman Brothers Retail Seminar)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Cost Plus World Market is expecting to grow its 218-unit chain to 600 stores by 2011, with 100 of those sites to be alcohol free, the company said during the Lehman Brothers Retail Seminar. "Alcohol does drive traffic," said...

Sourcing grows, price deflation continues in '03.(Bedding report: 2004)(Industry Overview)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- The biggest trends taking place in the bedding category in 2003 have been the continuation of price deflation, the increasing pace of globalization in the supply chain, and a larger percentage of retail businesses going directly...

Elegance tops High Point Market.(International Home Furnishings Market )
May 3, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C -- Dressmaker details, subtle embellishments and elegant fabrics were the stars of the home textiles products introduced at the International Home Furnishings Market here last week. Soft ruffles, fluted pleats, ribbons and...

Color and class coexist at High Point Show.( International Home Furnishings Market )(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C, -- Fresh, bright, and colorful on one hand. Elegant, dressy, and soft on the other. These were the main fashion statements emerging from the upholstered furniture shown at the International Home Furnishings Market here...

BBB joins the competition on hot Manhattan corner.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Superstore Bed Bath & Beyond will open a third Manhattan location some time this summer in a luxury apartment building that is going up on Broadway, directly across the street from the Lincoln Center cultural complex. The new...

Martha aside, Kmart needs shaking up.(Opinion Today)
May 3, 2004... Kmart last week settled all the post-trial speculation swirling around its relationship with Martha Stewart by announcing that it has extended its contract to be the sole U.S. distributor of Martha Stewart Everyday goods to 2009. For...

Retailers perfect art of hand wringing.(Opinion Today)
May 3, 2004... Well, it looks like nobody's perfect. And least perfect of all is a very wide swath of retailers. Recent months and weeks have seen a number of retail moguls explaining away some of this year's challenges with references to what should...

Lowe's opens first store in Brooklyn.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Lowe's Companies, Inc. opened its first "truly urban" store in Brooklyn on Friday, the company said. The store is Lowe's second in the New York boroughs. Lowe's currently operates 23 stores in New York state, employing...

Shakley takes reigns as president of Glenoit Rugs.(People Today)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- In a changing of the guard, industry veteran Mark Shakley--who co-founded Newmark Rugs and later sold it to Mohawk Industries--has been named president of Glenoit Rugs. He succeeds Kevin Kennedy, who held the post for the past...

Questrom honors top Penney managers.(People Today)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... PLANO, TEXAS -- JCPenney Chairman and CEO Allen Questrom recognized 248 managers from across the company with the Chairman's Award, the company's highest honor for managerial excellence, at a celebratory banquet in Dallas on Friday. "The...

Overstock has board changes.(People Today)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... SALT LAKE CITY -- Gordon Macklin has been re-elected and insurance industry veteran Jack Byrne has been elected to the Overstock.com board of directors. The board also appointed Byrne to the position of vice chairman. Macklin has been an...

Monaco promoted to manager of N.Y. show.(People Today)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- George Little Management, LLC (GLM) has promoted Gracelyn Monaco to show manager for the New York Home Textiles Show. In her new role, Monaco will assume full show-management responsibilities for the semi-annual...

Manneck leaving TEKA.(People Today)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- After more than 5 years, Reimund Manneck is leaving TEKA USA, Inc., a subsidiary of the Brazilian home textiles manufacturer TEKA-Tecelagem Kuehnrich S.A. Manneck came to the company in December 1999 as vice president and chief...

Robert Allen taps new vp.(People Today)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Arthur Friedman has joined the Robert Allen Group as operating vice president, national sales and manufacturing fabrics. Former vice president of sales for the Waverly division of F. Schumacher, he reports to Paul Sarazin,...

Elias new Louisville president.(People Today)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... LOUISVILLE, KY. -- Louisville Bedding has named Steve Elias president, replacing Lewis Rudy, who left the company last month. Elias most recently held the position of vice president of sales and marketing at Louisville Bedding's corporate...

Fishman takes post at L&L.(new director at L & L Acquisitions, LLC)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Elise Fishman has been named director of marketing for L & L Acquisitions, LLC, the new owners of 261 Fifth Ave.--home to many of the industry's showrooms. For the past 17 years, Fishman was executive director of 230 Fifth...

Higgins named evp for Cost Plus.(People Today)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... OAKLAND, CALIF. -- Cost Plus, Inc. has hired Theresa Strickland as executive vice president, merchandising and marketing. Strickland has 20 years of retail experience. At Macy's West, she was vice president, merchandising, in the home...

Consumer confidence climbs 5 percent.( Consumer Confidence Index)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- With rank-and-file Americans feeling better about the jobs outlook and the state of the domestic economy, consumer confidence climbed 5 percent during April after running in place in March, The Conference Board reported. The...

Unifi Inc. down $50 million.(Business Today)
May 3, 2004... GREENSBORO, N.C. -- With sales sliding at a double-digit pace, and hit by almost $60 million in charges tied to the overhaul of its domestic and European operations, textiles yarn producer Unifi Inc. recorded a third-fiscal-quarter loss of $50...

After Easter, same-store sales slow.(Business Today)
May 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Coming off a strong Easter shopping season, same-store retail sales continued to weaken slightly during the third week of April, rising 4.7 percent following gains of 5.4 percent and 4.8 percent during the first two weeks of the...

WestPoint delays exit from Chapter 11.(Business briefs)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... WestPoint Stevens is pushing back until later this year its planned exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it hammers out a new business plan and strategy for functioning in a rapidly shifting global marketplace. The company had...

Costco to pay a first-ever dividend.(Business briefs)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Costco Wholesale Corp., based in Issaquah, Wash., said it will pay its first-ever common stock dividend, 10 cents a share, on May 31 to shareholders of record as of May 10. Going forward, the retailer said it expects dividends to total 40 cents...

Unifi halts joint venture talks, to go it alone.(Business briefs)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Unifi Inc., a Greensboro, N.C.-based polyester yarn producer, has ceased joint venture talks with two Chinese polyester companies, and said instead it will go it alone in a "greenfield" operation, building its own plant in China from scratch....

S&P raises Dollar General outlook to positive.(Standard & Poors' Rating Services )(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Standard & Poors' Rating Services said it has revised its outlook on Dollar General Stores, based in Goodlettsville, Tenn., to positive from negative after the company settled accounting issues with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The...

Housing strong on low interest rates.(Housing market)
May 3, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Building on February's gains and recovering from a deep slide in January, the broad American housing market made another strong advance during March, with all three sectors helped by improving weather and low interest rates. ...

Builders brimming with confidence.(Business Today)
May 3, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Builder confidence in the market for new single-family homes rose sharply during early April, according to the National Association of Home Builders, helped by low interest rates and strong housing prices. The builders'...

Wall Street watch for the week ended April 29, 2004.(Business Today)
May 3, 2004... HTT Stock 2706.07 -2.02% Index * Dow Jones 10272.3 -1.81% Industrials NASDAQ 1958.78 -3.65% Industrial S&P 500 1113.89 -2.28% Greatest gains during the week ...

Financo takes look at 'sick' industry.(Financo Global Consulting)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- Seen in its totality, the risk profile for U.S. home textiles suppliers seems overwhelming. "I can't think of a sicker industry--I hate to say it," offered Marvin Traub, chairman of Financo Global Consulting, an arm of private...

Cotton prices may drop: production to rise 8 percent to 21.9 million tons.(Business Today)(projections of International Cotton Advisory Council)(includes table 'world cotton supply and pricing forecast")
May 10, 2004... WASHINGTON -- With world cotton production on the rise and consumption holding relatively steady, cotton prices are expected to dip modestly--by roughly 4 percent for the cotton-crop year which begins Aug. 1--to an average of 67 cents per...

LNT: we're tough, but fair: supplier relations ...(Linens 'n Things)
May 10, 2004... CLIFTON, N.J. -- When it comes to charge-backs and demands for allowances, Linens 'n Things has a reputation for being relatively less avaracious than some other major retailers. So what does LNT receive in exchange from vendors? Not...

Penney struts Madden's stuff.(J.C. Penney Company Inc.)(department store launches Chris Madden's home furnishings collection)(Colin Cowie table top and table linens collection also planned)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- With all the fanfare typically given to a major fashion apparel launch, JCPenney kicked off the Chris Madden "Turning Home into Haven" home furnishings collection with a showroom in the Concourse of Rockefeller Center here. The...

Pellenberg says goodbye to Brylane.(Retail briefs)(Brylane Home Lifestyle Group's Charlie Pellenberg has left the company)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... Charlie Pellenberg, senior vice president of Brylane Home Lifestyle Group and a founder of the home fashions catalog, has left the company. Pellenberg, a long-time veteran of the home fashions industry, had earlier founded the...

LNT adds college-savings incentive to purchases.(Retail briefs)(Linens 'n Things and Mothers Work, Inc. offer college rebate incentive program)(Futuretrust MasterCard)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... Linens 'n Things and Mothers Work, Inc., a maternity apparel retailer, have added a new feature to the Futuretrust program--a 5 percent college-savings rebate every time Futuretrust members shop at Linens 'n Things. Futuretrust is a...

NRF: retailers happier about pricing.(Retail briefs)(National Retail Federation)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... With sales and traffic rebounding, retailers are becoming less dependent on markdowns to move merchandise, according the National Retail Federation's Executive Opinion Survey. For the month of April, the survey found above-normal readings...

Blair to drop catalog.(Retail briefs)(Blair Corp. will discontinue Crossing Pointe catalog)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... Blair Corporation will discontinue its four-year-old Crossing Pointe catalog in early 2005 to focus on its Blair catalog/Internet operation, which sells apparel and home furnishings. The company has not decided whether it will discontinue...

Shull resigns from Hanover.(appointments and resignations at Hanover Direct, Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... EDGEWATER, N.J. -- Thomas Shull has resigned as chairman of the board, president and CEO of Hanover Direct, Inc. In his place, the company has elected William Wachtel as chairman of the board and Wayne Garten as president and CEO. Wachtel...

Ralph taps Calvin for new head of home.(appointments at The Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation )(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- The Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation has hired former Calvin Klein Senior Vice President Barbara Deichman as president of Ralph Lauren Home, effective May 24. She will have responsibility for all aspects of the home business,...

Frey snaps up Fadini.(Pierre Frey acquires Boussac Fadini which has been in receivership)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... PARIS -- Pierre Frey has acquired Boussac Fadini which has been in receivership here since January. The acquisition, approved by the Commercial Court last month, "gives Pierre Frey a presence in the silk sector via Fadini Borghi" as well...

Carnation moves into 261 Fifth Ave.(Carnation Home Fashions Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- Shower curtains and bath accessories importer and manufacturer Carnation Home Fashions Inc., a 60 year-old family owned business, recently moved into a 1,396-square-foot showroom at 261 Fifth Ave. The showroom is open by...

Baltic Linen enters licensing arena.(Baltic Linen Company Inc. acquires Claire Murray license)(household linens and bath accessories)(five designers joined the company in the past year)
May 10, 2004... VALLEY STREAM, N.Y. -- Baltic Linen recently acquired the Claire Murray license for coordinated bedding, bath and window depicting her New England-inspired casual elegant lifestyle centered around gardens, seascapes and botanicals. The new...

David & Goliath at the beach.(Haywin Textile Products Inc. partnership with David and Goliath L.L.C.)(beach towel collection)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- Proving it does indeed believe that "Chicks Rule," Haywin Textile recently partnered with license brand David and Goliath--known for its tongue-in-cheek, smart-alecky humor and images--for a collection of beach towels. Set to...

Martha records huge loss.(Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- Hammered by deep cuts in advertising, and grappling with the legal woes of its founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. recorded a worse-than-expected first-quarter loss of $20.3 million, more than four times as great as a...

Design students honored.(Joseph Beyda Creative Foundation design awards)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- Design students from Rhode Island School of Design and Philadelphia University won scholarships last week from the Joseph Beyda Creative Foundation, named in honor of the former Town & Country Linen president. A total of 23...

Laughing through the tears.(Dilbert comic strip commentary on home fashion suppliers)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- Yeah, sure it's funny. But still it hurts too much to laugh. That may be the effect upon most home fashions suppliers of the rueful comic meditation on corporate rapacity offered up in a recent nationally syndicated Dilbert...

Are bedspreads bracing for a comeback?(bedspreads being targeted to a younger crowd by JC Penney)(forecasted to take some of the comforter market)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- In fashion, they say that everything old is new again. Does the same also hold true in bedding? Some in the industry are noticing the early stages of a possible comeback for bedspreads. "A bedspread is considered an old item,...

ASG launches raschel bedding line.(Alliance Style Group)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... CARROLLTON, TEXAS -- Alliance Style Group has launched a complete line of raschel bedding accessories and blankets in solids with matching pillows and shams, as well as a brand-new fleece item called the Toasty Comforter. Based on the...

Poll: Americans have poor pillow maintenance.(results of Roper poll sponsored by Carpenter Company)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... RICHMOND, VA. -- A just-released Roper poll, sponsored by the Carpenter Company, shows that while 70 percent of American adults say a comfortable pillow is "very important, to a good night's sleep, most Americans are probably sleeping on a...

Anna's celebrates Florida openings.(Anna's Linens opens several new stores and plans more)
May 10, 2004... After spending the day in its inaugural Florida stores, Anna's Linens celebrated with suppliers at an evening gathering in Boca Raton. Anna's opened seven stores earlier this month along the corridor that includes Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm...

Penney's in my thoughts.(Opinion Today)(J.C. Penney Company Inc. product launches include Chris Madden and Colin Cowie)(Column)
May 10, 2004... If it seems like there's been a whole lotta JCPenney in the news lately, it's because there has. In marketing terms, it's been a JCPenney spring. The company has saturated the trade with a steady series of announcements, debuts and...

Going ethnic takes effort.(Opinion Today)(marketing and media communities focusing on specific ethnic groups)
May 10, 2004... Well, it looks like ethnic marketing is rearing its head once again. It tends to happen every decade or so, with great pronouncements and poor execution. The results, as one can see with the latest flurry of activity in this regard, have...

Lenzing AG acquires Tencel group.(Lenzing AG takes over Tencel group from Corsadi BV)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... LENZING, AUSTRIA -- Lenzing AG is taking over the Tencel group of companies. The seller is Corsadi BV, part of the international financial group CVC. According to the companies, the purchase agreements were signed last week, but the price...

ShopKo names new vice presidents, director of sales.(People Today)(appointments)
May 10, 2004... GREEN BAY, WIS. -- ShopKo Stores, Inc. has announced changes at the corporate level as well as in the ShopKo division. Steve Cogan has been named vice president, real estate; Scott Bresnehan has been promoted to division vice president of...

Cotton Inc. promotes Protonentis.(People Today)(Lou Protonentis to director of Global Product Marketing)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- Cotton Incorporated has promoted Lou Protonentis to director, Southeast Asia, Global Product Marketing. He will take over the responsibilities of Jim White, who is retiring after 15 years with Cotton Incorporated. ...

Neuburger hires vp.(People Today)(Michael Penn has joined Karen Neuburger/KN Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... SAN RAFAEL, CALIF. -- Michael Penn has joined Karen Neuburger/KN Ltd.'s executive team as vice president of brand licensing. Penn will oversee all licensing relationships for the entire line of KN Ltd. products, as well as identify and...

IFDA showcase on the way.(People Today)(International Furnishings and Design Association)(Spring Domestic Market Review for the New York Textiles Market also planned)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... The International Furnishings and Design Association showcase will take place on May 17 at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City, located at 222 W. 23rd St. Starting at 9:15 a.m., an international array of product manufacturers and designers...

Louisville names Farias new vp sales.(People Today)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... LOUISVILLE, KY. -- Louisville Bedding has named Al Farias vice president of sales and marketing. He replaces Steve Elias, who was promoted to president last month. Farias has been a sales representative for Louisville Bedding since...

Neiman promotes Gold.(People Today)(The Neiman Marcus Group has promoted James Gold to president and CEO of Bergdorf Goodman)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... DALLAS -- The Neiman Marcus Group has promoted James Gold to president and CEO of Bergdorf Goodman. Gold had previously been senior vice president and general merchandise manager for Neiman Marcus Stores, overseeing men's and cosmetics....

Bronstein's role broadened.(People Today)(Brentwood Originals added the responsibilities to Bill Bronstein)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... CARSON, CALIF. -- Brentwood Originals, a decorative pillows, throws and window treatments supplier, recently added the responsibilities of covering department store accounts to Bill Bronstein, national account specialist. The new post is...

Mother's Day provides sales lift to department stores, discounters.(Business Today)(Johnson Redbook retail sales index, 4th week of April included)
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- Helped by improving weather and the impending Mother's Day holiday, same-store retail sales picked up steam modestly during the fourth and final week of April, rising 5 percent over year-ago levels and improving on respective gains...

Manufacturers see 11th month of growth.(Business Today)
May 10, 2004... TEMPE, ARIZ. -- The U.S. manufacturing sector continued to improve during April, gaining strength for an 11th straight month, helped notably by growth in production, order backlogs and employment, according to a report by the nation's...

Tough retail month as chains' sales sputter.
May 10, 2004... NEW YORK -- Following at least three months of healthy retail gains, chain sales in April sputtered, with many merchants recording modest gains at best, and some coming in below expectations. Home, the star category during last year's...

Wall Street watch for the week ended May 6, 2004.(Business Today)(textiles and retail trade)
May 10, 2004... HTT Stock Index * 2601.02 -3.88% [down arrow] Dow Jones Industrials 10241.3 -0.3% [down arrow] NASDAQ Industrial 1937.74 -1.07% [down arrow] S&P 500 1113.99 0.01% [up arrow] ...

Sears expanding in Grand style.(Growth)(Sears Grand prototype format)
May 17, 2004... HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. -- Although still just a two-unit prototype, Sears Grand will be the growth vehicle for the giant multi-channel retailer. The initial results, according to Alan Lacy, chairman and CEO of Sears, Roebuck & Co., "have...

Sales shrink WPS loss.(Business)(WestPoint Stevens)
May 17, 2004... WESTPOINT, GA. -- Helped by stronger" sales, as well as deep cuts in costs and interest expense, WestPoint Stevens Inc. recorded a narrowing first-quarter loss of $14.9 million--down 12 percent from a year-before deficit of $16.9 million--as it...

Taking stock at Dan River: company's new CRO to navigate Chapter 11.
May 17, 2004... NEW YORK -- Easing in gently, and trying hard not to make waves--or further ruffle the feathers of an already skittish workforce--turnaround specialist Woolard Harris is slowly settling in as chief restructuring officer at Dan River Inc. ...

Less is more for Jo-Ann Inc.(Business)(superstore format downsized)
May 17, 2004... HUDSON, OHIO -- With the downsize change in its superstore format, Jo-Ann Inc. is realizing the same or more dollars per store, as well as a more than 20 percent increase on ROI for new store locations. The superstore format of 45,000...

Wal-Mart bullish on remainder of 2004.(Retail briefs)(Brief Article)
May 17, 2004... Wal-Mart's chief executive said he remains outlook for 2004, despite some concerns about high gas prices. In recorded remarks about the company's first quarter performance, Lee Scott noted that elevated gas prices take $7 a week out of the...

Target to summer in the Hamptons.(Retail briefs)(Brief Article)
May 17, 2004... Target is taking the temporary store format it has occasionally visited upon Manhattan out to the Hamptons this summer, with the opening of a concept it calls "a one-stop resource for all things summer." The Bullseye Inn will open at the...

Home Depot goes south of the border.(Retail briefs)(acquires Home Mart)(Brief Article)
May 17, 2004... The Home Depot has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Home Mart, the second largest Mexican home improvement retailer. The transaction is subject to approval by the Mexican regulatory authorities and customary closing conditions;...