Archives: News
Gourmet Housewares Show return to San Francisco
WHITE PLAINS, NY — Showcasing the most elite in the gourmet products industry for 33 years, The Gourmet Housewares Show has ignited a demand for the market like never before with its return to San Francisco in 2009. A growing roster of high-end, design-forward companies have already committed to the re-timed and re-located marketplace.
With tremendously positive feedback from retailers and the industry-at-large, vendors are re-thinking their marketing plans for 2009 and putting their dollars towards the August 8-10, 2009 show in a big way.
American Craft Retailers Expo Goes Green
(Mooresville, NC) — Wholesalecrafts.com, Inc., producers of the American Craft Retailers Expo (ACRE), and its contractors announce green initiatives.
Wholesalecrafts.com is a virtual office where all of its employees work at home. This eliminates the need to use additional energy for heating and cooling a traditional office space. A virtual office also reduces gas consumption and automobile emissions from employees driving to/from work. Other green initiatives are:
-Use of online artist applications saves paper.
-Internal paperless office strategies.
Company C goes Pink for October
Concord, NH – On September 15, Company C will unveil its newest product design—the Sachi Pink accent rug.
SF Housewares show features OXO, BIA Cordon Bleu, and more
White Plains, NY — Showcasing the most elite in the gourmet products industry for 33 years, The Gourmet Housewares Show has ignited a demand for the market like never before with its return to San Francisco in 2009. A growing roster of high-end, design-forward companies have already committed to the re-timed and re-located marketplace.
With tremendously positive feedback from retailers and the industry-at-large, vendors are re-thinking their marketing plans for 2009 and putting their dollars towards the August 8-10, 2009 show in a big way.
Coffee shop among venues for downtown ‘strolling market’
A downtown “strolling market” concept is getting plenty of interest as momentum builds towards construction this winter and an opening next spring.
Developer Gary Post has at least 10 retailers interested in one of the initial 25 stalls on the Russell Block Market’s first floor.
Embracing a creative adventure with the Eyes of the World
In the improbable space between Buddha and Sponge Bob, Mishel Vanden Busch makes work a dance.
Greeted by the painted grins of wooden giraffes, the affirming nods of spring-necked camels and the perfume of far-off places, she enters Eyes of the World Imports each day with a grateful heart.
Control of news, gift shops a rich prize
A high-powered political battle is brewing over lucrative news and gift shops at McCarran International Airport.
The New Jersey-based Hudson Group’s 21-shop concession contract at the airport expires in 2010. Hoping to avoid a bidding war, Hudson is offering to spend $7 million to improve its shops at the airport and give Clark County a larger share of the gross revenue in return for an extension to 2020.
Woodstock Chimes Introduces Pipedream Java
(Shokan, N.Y.) — Woodstock Chimes, a leading manufacturer of precision-tuned windchimes, surges forward with its top selling Environments Collection adding a new distinctive instrument to its Pipedream Series called Pipedream Java. This carefully designed, precision tuned instrument allows any individual to create their own harmony and surround themselves with peaceful sounds.
“The Pipedream Java instrument continues the mission of our Environments Collection – healing through sound,” says Woodstock CEO Garry Kvistad.
It’s in the Bag
Consumers are becoming increasingly eco-conscious and more likely to reuse shopping bags, but bags that look stylish have the edge. Smart entrepreneurs are taking advantage of this trend—and garnering free advertising in the process.
Tonya Hart thought her art glass store’s bags looked fine—until she saw someone walking around with one. “I realized it needed a bigger logo and just needed to be jazzier,” says Hart, 40, co-founder of Two Fish Art Glass in Forest Park, Illinois.
Quilt shop has much to offer
Neosho, Mo. – A lifelong interest in sewing led Donna Sue Hill and her daughter, Robbi Hill Triplett to opening their own quilting store three years ago.
Their shop, Bittersweet Quilts, is located on P Highway and Missouri Highway 86 south of Joplin in northern Newton County. Hill described the shop as a “mom and pop,” only it was a “mom and daughter.”
“My daughter said she would never sew, but her friends got her into quilting,” said Hill.
Small Retail: Sugarlump benefits from sweet location
From the sidewalk, Sugarlump looks like another baby boutique.
Once inside, though, you realize the children’s store is less chic and more comfortable.
Acai Berry Wins for New Flavor Idea for Jelly Belly Bean
FAIRFIELD, CALIF. — The tallies are done and Jelly Belly Candy Company announced that fans voted acai berry (ah-sigh-ee), an exotic Amazon rainforest fruit, as the best idea for a new flavor. Almost 200,000 suggestions for new jelly bean flavors were submitted to the contest, and the public voted for the best original flavor concept.
Joel Tokarczyk of Matteson, Ill., a 19-year-old art student, was named a finalist in August and crowned the winner of the $10,000 grand prize for his submission.
JRPS Offers Eco-Packaging
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Handmade, tree-free paper, a renewable and recyclable resource, is the raw material used to develop the jewelry, accessory and home product packaging marketed by Jennifer Rose Packaging Solutions. This new paper and packaging line are now available.
This eco-friendly paper is made from discarded plant fibers are harvested by local farmers in Bangladesh, India and Napal.
Shop supplies beach gear
Your day at the beach may begin or end with a visit to Linda Magia, and that’s just fine with the cashier at Folly Beach’s largest gift shop.
Magia has been on the job at Treasure Island Beachwear on Folly Road since it opened in March.
She has been with the company that owns the store for four years and, before taking the job, worked at the company’s gift shop in a Myrtle Beach mall.
A James Island resident and sister-in-law to store owner Moti Magia, Linda Magia lives near the store. She said she works every day of the week.
Noble Packaging Introduces New Packaging Solutions for Candy Marketers
Cedar Grove, New Jersey – Noble Gift Packaging, a leading innovator of custom-designed gift packaging, has introduced a multi-faceted line of packaging products for candy marketers and retailers that includes display space-saving, stand-up cellophane bags, decorative plastic containers and a variety of elegantly designed paper confection boxes.
Ideal for a wide range of sweets, the new line offers marketers an array of style, color, size and strength options from resilient to delicate packages. Many of the packages also can be custom-designed with branded messages.
Design Group/Nimlok Services Atlanta Market with new location in AmericasMart Atlanta
Tricia Browning-Dimon, President of Design Group/Nimlok West Georgia and Midtown Atlanta, recently cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the company’s new AmericasMart Atlanta Showroom, 3E1, during the International Gift and Home Furnishings Market.
“We are thrilled to have a company that is an expert in design, marketing and exhibiting,” said Chas Sydney, AmericasMart Senior Vice President for Business Development. “They’ve won best of show for their clients for the last three years.
New sweet shop candy offers country charm, candy, specialty sweets and more
Florida — The phone number for the new Simply Sweet Treats shop in Merchant’s Crossing is 652-YUMM, describing its wares. There’s Edy’s Brand ice cream, bulk candies, hand-dipped strawberries and other gourmet treats along with gift baskets — in a quaint country store-type atmosphere.
The owners are Ed and Marilyn Stathas, who realized every kids’ dream by opening the sweet shop.
“Just like every little kid, we like candy and ice cream and had been looking to open an ice cream store,” said Ed Stathas.
Artists, 40 strong, show latest work
Belen — There is little activity in the main room of the historic Harvey House Museum as the late afternoon sun makes its way towards the horizon.
Waxing successful: Candle shop burns hot in fall
For John Loftin, there’s currently little rest for the weary.
It’s that time of the year when his shop, Hedge Farm Candles, near Red Banks, is in high gear.
“In the fall, it gets really busy,” said Loftin, “and from now until the end of December, we’ll be pretty nonstop.”
OK, OK, hedgefarm.com is the Web site, but here’s a warning to the general public: Not so fast.
“The Web site is a very small part of our business,” Loftin said. “We’re wholesale and we go to the Atlanta, New York and Chicago gift shows and take orders from shops all over the country.
Consumer Spending in U.S. to Stall, Hurting Growth
Sept. 10 — A record spending spree by U.S. consumers will come to an abrupt end this quarter as job losses cause Americans to restrain purchases, a Bloomberg News survey predicts.
Personal spending, the biggest part of the economy, will stall from July to September, three months earlier than predicted last month, according to the median estimate of 49 economists polled from Sept. 2 to Sept. 9. The slump will slow growth to less than half the prior quarter’s pace.
“The seemingly resilient U.S. consumer is finally buckling,” said Ethan Harris, chief U.S.