Archives: News
Terry Stewart Joins Natural Life as President
Natural Life, the fast growing lifestyle brand known for its free-spirit style and positive messages, announces that Terry Stewart has joined the company as President.
“We are very happy to have Terry join Natural Life and help take us into the next phases of our growth and expansion plans. His industry experience and history of results will help keep us on the accelerated growth track by improving our organizational structure and implementing operational efficiencies to meet our customers’ needs,” said Patti Hughes, founder, CEO and Chief Creative Officer.
World Market Center Las Vegas Welcomes Roman, Inc.
The World Market Center announced today the addition of Roman Inc. as its newest tenant in Building C at Gift+Home at Las Vegas Market. A leading producer and exclusive distributor of more than 8,000 gifts and decorative accessories, Roman Inc.’s 4,082-square foot showroom in Las Vegas will serve as its sole showroom location in the western United States.
The Roman Inc. permanent showroom is located in Suite #C854 on Level 8 of Building C.
For Home, Gift & Rug – ALL in Atlanta in January
Retailers from across the U.S.
Ganz Acquires Popular Midwest-CBK Gift, Holiday, Home and Outdoor Décor Brand
Midwest-CBK, leading holiday, gift and home décor designer and manufacturer, announces it has been purchased from MVP Group International, Inc., by Toronto-based gift company Ganz. The acquisition includes the Midwest-CBK brand name and popular holiday, gift, and home and outdoor décor business. MVP Group will retain the Colonial Candle®, Everybody’s Ayurveda™, Genuine Monkeez & Friends™, Monkeez Makes a Difference™ and Goofballz™ brands, and Union City, Tenn. distribution facility and staff.
Claire Shipman, Leading Journalist on Women’s Business Issues, To Address Inaugural IMC Gift & Home CEO Summit in Las Vegas
Claire Shipman, best-selling author and senior contributor for ABC News, will join the slate of high-level speakers confirmed for International Market Center’s inaugural Gift & Home CEO Summit at the Las Vegas Market in January 2013.
National Retail Federation Says Holiday Sales to Rise 4.1 Percent Amid Uncertainties
New York, NY – Americans are expected to spend more during what’s traditionally the busiest shopping season of the year, but they’re not exactly ready to shop ’til they drop like they have been in the past two years.
The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, said Tuesday that it expects sales during the winter holiday shopping period in November and December to rise 4.1 percent this year.
Last Stop Gift Shop to Celebrate American Craft Week, Spotlight Local Artists
Rome, GA – The Last Stop Gift Shop will be showcasing seven artists from the Northwest Georgia area as a part of National American Craft Week, October 5 to October 14, 2012. The 10-day celebration is free and open to the public.
Featured in-store will be local jewelry artisan Rolene Johnson (Belle Frost Design), watercolor/pen & ink artist Judy Frasure, potter Kim Vasil (Earthworks Pottery), folk-art painter Debby Brown, jewelry and wood burner Amanda Suttles (Diamond A Rustic Creations), and photographer Ryan Smith.
The Chameleon Boutique is an Eclectic Treasure Trove
Bradenton, FL – For more than two decades, the Chameleon Boutique has been one of Bradenton’s best-kept secrets — and amazingly, it’s hidden right in plain view.
The boutique is remarkable for its eclectic style and commitment to quality.
Local Business, ‘Mob’ Mentality
First there were flash mobs, filled with mass choreography and energetic dancers. Then cash mobs, where local campaigns brought customers into the “shop small effort.” This past week, Cash Mobs and Restaurant.com promoted the first-ever dish mobs, where four cities around the country hosted customers in a push to eat at local small restaurants.
Andrew Samtoy, co-founder of Cash Mobs, said the idea came from the cash mob movement, and the campaign grew organically. Cash Mobs reached out to Restaurant.com, which promoted the effort in St.
Rainier Store Brings Olympia Business
Ranier, WA – Ginger Street may be new to Rainier, but it comes with a built-in clientele.
The eclectic gift shop, located at 101 W. Binghampton St. S.E., was in Olympia for six years before moving to Rainier this August. Owners Joe and Laura Cattuti celebrated the store’s grand opening in Rainier this weekend.
“We live seven minutes from the store now instead of 45,” Joe said.
The couple, originally from Cold Spring, N.Y., moved to Washington to be closer to children and grandchildren.
Beyond-The-Ordinary Stocking Stuffers From Mark Feldstein & Associates Provide Perfect Holiday Gift-Giving Solutions
Find the perfect holiday gift for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list with an extraordinary stocking stuffer from Mark Feldstein & Associates, inc. (MFA), a Product Development Company and Importer of unique housewares and gifts.
“With a wide range of trend-setting products, MFA provides the perfect holiday gift-giving solutions for just about everyone,” said Mark Feldstein, President.
Ambiente Trends for 2013: Atmosphere of Well-being and Naturalness in Demand
“Welcome to the jungle”. This is the title under which the consumer-goods trends for the 2013 season will be presented. The trend scouts from renowned design consultants bora.herke.palmisano, who have offices in Frankfurt and Berlin, will lead you on a safe path through this jungle of different styles. For Ambiente 2013, they have distilled a variety of international influences from the worlds of product design, fashion, architecture and art into four overall trends.
National Company Takes Reins for Alamo Gift Shop Transformation
San Antonio, TX – Marking the start of a new era for the shrine, a private, national vendor specializing in retail sales at visitor sites assumed operational control of the Alamo Gift Shop on Monday.
While visitors can expect few changes in the short term, the store will move temporarily to Alamo Hall, on the opposite end of the 4.2-acre complex, as the 76-year-old gift shop is renovated in January.
Haven for Handmade Items Has New Name, Location
Ankeny, IA – An Ankeny shop that gives creative types the chance to sell their homemade crafts will reopen this month with an updated name at a new location.
Sherri Starr, her mom and her aunts participated in craft shows with their handmade merchandise for years, but eventually decided to start a shop where others like them could offer their handiwork for sale. Crafters Gift Boutique was born out of that idea.
“Our business started on the corner of Ankeny Boulevard and First Street, where the new CVS drugstore is being built.
Bear N Friends Toy Shoppe is The Place For Kids and Adults Who Still Love to Play
Kingsport, TN – There are no perfect jobs, but looking at a typical workday for Larry and Anna Rogers, owners of Bear N Friends Toy Shoppe of Kingsport, theirs probably comes pretty close. At 10:15 every morning, both open their shop located on East Market Street with their 11-month old Vivian in tow, contently pulling blocks and boxes onto her lap or being scooped up by Laura-Larue Jones, the only other employee.
Bear N Friends is both very up-to-date and charmingly old-fashioned at the same time. It is by definition, a toy store – toys for kids.
Aurora Launches “Design a YooHoo & Friends” Contest
For the first time ever, fans of the best selling plush toy line (over 22 million sold), YooHoo & Friends, have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to help manufacturer Aurora World design the next YooHoo. The consumer-facing, online contest (or social promotion), hosted on the official YooHoo & Friends Facebook page, asks contestants to download a predesigned template of line art. Then, either by drawing or using a computer program (e.g.: Photoshop) contestants design their entries for consideration in an all new YooHoo dinosaur line to hit shelves in April 2013.
New Candy Shop Offers Sweet Treats
Upper St. Clair, PA – The sweet smell of fudge and chocolate surrounds you when you enter the new local candy shop in Collier Towns Square.
The Sweet Shoppe & Nut House offers a wide variety of fudge, caramel, chocolate, bark, rice crispy snacks, roasted nuts and gelato.
You’d think it would be a haven for kids, but it’s also a big attraction for adults.
That’s exactly what Laurie Temple, who opened the store in August, hoped when she took the leap from her job as a medical sales rep to become a small business owner.
Clinton Township Couple Open Third Sweet Business with Coach’s Candy
Clinton Township, MI – Business at the corner of Moravian and Garfield just got a little bit sweeter.
Coach’s Candy, the third “sweet” business of Clinton Township residents Jon and Jenessa Price, opened in May but celebrated its grand opening with family, friends and the Sterling Heights Regional Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 27
“We’re trying to corner the sweet-tooth market in Clinton Township,” said Jon Price, who also owns Coach’s Ice Cream on Dodge Park in Sterling Heights and a Kona Ice truck that serves events across the county.
Business Association Ready to Launch Discover North Hampton Week
North Hampton, NH – The North Hampton Business Association is launching its inaugural Discover North Hampton Week with the help of more than 60 local businesses to encourage residents to shop local.
“In an effort to draw awareness to the benefits of shopping local, we have put together a contest for residents of North Hampton and the surrounding towns, to get out and visit local businesses,” said Amanda Bacon-Burdick, executive director of the NHBA.
Bacon-Burdick said town residents will receive a map of North Hampton in the mail with a list of more than 60 participating busines
Businesses Big and Small Gear up for Holidays as Hiring Season Begins
Portland, OR – Turquoise stocking caps and purple winter coats remind shoppers that winter’s near at Black Wagon children’s boutique along North Portland’s Mississippi Avenue.
Airin Miller and Matthew Neff were first in the door Saturday morning, hunting for agift for Neff’s niece Ellie. Before long, four more customers filled the store.
For Black Wagon, Saturdays are “game day,” said owner Sarah Shaoul. Soon, she expects most days to be just as busy.