Archives: News
Fancifull Gift Baskets aims to unwrap growth
The back wall at the Melrose Avenue shop Fancifull Gift Baskets is dominated by a giant organizational chart detailing who does what in dozens of jobs across seven divisions and 21 departments.
The diagram, created by owners Wally and Terry August, steers employees to the right person for help as they create and deliver as many as 18,000 gifts and gift baskets each year.
Stores get early start on wooing holiday shoppers
If you think layaway went away with rotary dial phones and disco, think again.
Retailers are using that old-fashioned perk, as well as newfangled promotions, to persuade cash-strapped consumers to spend, spend, spend.
The promotional push is critical for retailers.
Mister, can you spare a latté?
San Diego and New York—When Think Coffee on Mercer Street in Manhattan opens at 7 a.m., there are usually people waiting outside to duck in and stake their claim. As the day wears on, freshmen and teachers, hipsters and nerds pack the place—buried in books, guzzling Fair Trade coffee, eating vegan brownies. Political art covers the walls. Eclectic coffeehouse furniture fills every nook where eclectic coffeehouse furniture will fit. Turn around, and your elbow will likely bump someone’s psychology textbook.
NRF’s Top Tips for Buying Gift Cards
(WASHINGTON) — Once again, gift cards will be the most requested gift this holiday season. According to NRF’s 2008 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, 54.9 percent of consumers would like to receive a gift card this holiday season, up slightly from 53.8 percent last year.
Fiesta melamine chargers and trays are latest additions to licensed products from Jay Import Co.
(NEWELL, W.Va.) -The Homer Laughlin China Company announces an exclusive licensing agreement with Jay Import Co. Jay Import Co. debuted an assortment of heavy [melamine] chargers and trays previewed at the New York Tabletop Market, Wednesday, October 22 through Friday, October 41, 41 Madison Avenue, 12th Floor.
“This is a concerted effort to continue to provide the dedicated FIESTA consumer and bride with a coordinated lifestyle brand experience,” says Rich Brinkman, FIESTA Dinnerware.
Chargers and Trays
Financial meltdown won’t spoil Halloween fun
New York – Global stocks markets are plummeting, house prices are slumping and jobless figures are rising but Americans are not about to let a financial crisis dent their Halloween fun.
About three quarters of Americans plan to celebrate the ghost and goblins holiday, and despite the credit crunch most are going to delve deeper into their pockets this year to buy candies, costumes and decorations.
The average American will spend $47 on Halloween, 18 percent more than last year, credit card company Visa Inc said, based on the findings of its polls of American consumers.
Alt
Dallas set for January Holiday & Home Expo
(DALLAS) –– Holiday & Home Expo, the nation’s only tradeshow devoted exclusively to permanent floral, seasonal décor and related decorative accessories, is set for January 14-20, 2009 at Dallas Market Center, the world’s largest wholesale merchandise resource.
Christmas & Floral FINDS, the show’s temporary exhibits, will be open January 16-19. Holiday & Home Expo will run in conjunction with the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market (January 14-20).
Retailers hope sales, promotions will convince consumers to get into the holiday spending spirit
It’s a buyer’s market on the retail scene as stores focus on promotions, service and inventory to fatten up scrawny sales.
Unsettled by shaky consumer confidence and foundering economy, retailers need a strong holiday season to regain solid footing.
It doesn’t help that a later-than-usual Thanksgiving shortens the traditional holiday shopping season, adding more pressure for retailers, which rely on the holidays for up to 40 percent of annual sales and up to 75 percent of all profit, according to the Purdue Retail Institute.
“Given today’s economy, it’s more important than
An idea ferments
Randolph, MA – Stephanie Browne says she became seriously interested in wine when she was out for dinner with friends and wanted to know more about the wine list she was reading. Her husband, Basil, says he awakened her interest in wine on their first date, in New York City, by introducing her to a Pouilly-Fuissé.
However it started, the Brownes have continued their quest to find tasty, memorable wines together.
Rosario: Carolyn the Florist is a true face of small business
Joe the Plumber, meet Carolyn the florist.
Unlike the Ohio man turned political football, if not poster child for Small Business America, Carolyn Smaller is the real deal.
The 64-year-old widowed mother of four and grandmother of nine has a business license. She pays her taxes. She actually owns a small business, a flower shop she opened 17 years ago when she was laid off by Unisys Corp.
Store owner getting ready for Christmas
Pat Duke works about 50 hours a week at her floral and gift store in Eastbrook in what would best be described as a la bor powered by love.
Duke, 66, admits that while she enjoys turning a profit, her job isn’t about the money. It’s about the relationships she builds that keep her coming back to the store on the east side of Eastbrook Shopping Center.
“Love and friendships,” said Duke, are the results of her work that she enjoys most. And those entering the door of Spe cial Treasures will feel the love.
Local businesses get creative as the economy turns sour
Locally owned small businesses are using some creative ways to be noticed by shoppers during this downturn in the economy.
And in a few sections of the city times have changed and business owners are coping in unique ways.
In the 1600 block of Metairie Road, a locally owned interior design and gift shop has noticed a change in shoppers.
“I think that people are a little bit more cautious when they spend money. The difference is they will do small indulgences.
Gift cards draw in shoppers
Sussex – Never underestimate the power of a $10 gift card.
Hundreds of shoppers holding golf umbrellas lined up in the rain Friday morning for the grand opening ceremony at the new Shopko store. The first 200 were rewarded with gift cards.
“That was amazing,” Shopko President Paul Jones said of the turnout.
The 80,000-square-foot-store, on Highway 164 at W.
Dreaming of a Green Holiday – IgnaFire offers biodegradable packaging
(AUSTIN, Texas) — If you’re paying attention, you’ll notice that during November and December, many American households produce more garbage than at other times of the year.
We’re very generous, indulging our friends and families with thoughtful, well-intentioned gifts during the holidays, but we also pass on the disposal burden of all the packaging material that comes with them! We unintentionally shower our loved ones with an excess of plastic, metal, and cardboard packaging that at best, is recyclable.
LVDC offers ‘Passport to Glamour’
(LAS VEGAS) — High fashion and home furnishings will mingle together at Las Vegas Design Center November 13 for “Passport to Glamour,” open to trade professionals and connoisseurs of design.
Randy Wells, vice president of Las Vegas Design Center, said Passport to Glamour will lead attendees on a day-long tour of insights about capturing the luxury market, featuring leaders throughout the design industry.
ARTEˇL wins best collection at Designblok 2008
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC — Arteˇl’s debut exhibition for Designblok 2008 received the Editors-in-Chief award for the Best Collection in an awards ceremony held Sunday, October 12 at Superstudio Dox.
A panel of international and local magazine editors awarded Arteˇl’s exhibition with this highest honor, from among more than 230 exhibitors.
For the exhibition, Arteˇl owner and proprietor Karen Feldman commisioned six Czech artists and designers to each create a set of four tumblers to be produced in limited editions of 25 numbered sets with 5 AP examples.
New outlets for Mike’s Nut Shop sales
York, PA — Paul and Paula Stoeckle, owners of York-based Mike’s Nut Shop, used the relatively little known holiday of National Nut Day to officially launch the company’s new logo and packaging.
It was unveiled at the Rutter’s Farm Store along Route 24 in York Township on Wednesday.
“We’re coming out of our shell with our new look,” Paul Stoeckle said.
Compared to the old paper bag-like package, the new resealable plastic bag is a much-needed improvement said Marc Laucks, the owner of Marc Laucks and Co., designers of the new logo and packaging.
Paula Stoeckle said
About Face Designs Hires New Sales Agencies
(HIGHLAND, IL) — About Face Designs hires new sales agencies in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic markets.
Link 2 Sales has been hired to represent About Face Designs in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Trio Sales will represent the company in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and The District of Columbia.
Steve Ulrich, Vice President of About Face Designs, commented that we are extremely excited to be working with both of these highly successful sales agencies.
Discover Americasmart’s newest product collections
(ATLANTA) — The January 2009 debut of Building 2 WestWing brings to life AmericasMart’s newest and grandest permanent product collections: Living Outdoor/Indoor The Gardens and the Gourmet/Housewares center, along with the relocated and reinvented Gift & Resort category.
Within the 1.5 million sq. ft. complex, AmericasMart boasts new product, fresh resources and more innovation—exclusively captured in its redefined product centers: Living Outdoor/Indoor The Gardens featuring:
-170,000 square feet of product in two uniquely defined floors
The sweet spice of life: Sweet Thoughts celebrates 10 years
Melrose, MA — The usual motif is the bartender at the neighborhood pub, towel slung over one shoulder, apron around the waist and two hands on the bar, asking the regular, “Whattsamatta, bub?”
Except in Melrose, where the neighborhood pub is instead a gift shop named Sweet Thoughts — and is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Main Street next month — at least according to co-owner Carl Caratozzolo.
“Once you get to know these people for a long time, they’ll come in and you can see someone’s a little down,” Caratozzolo said.