Archives: News
Rand’s: A great place to shop, work
Rand’s Hallmark, celebrating 25 years in business, has been a part of remembering life’s special moments with Hallmark cards and gift items since the store opened its doors. Area shoppers have long known Rand’s Hallmark stores as the place to find those unique gift items or home decorator accents, as well as greeting cards and other quality Hallmark products. Rand’s stores have been conveniently located in many neighborhoods, making shopping convenient for customers.
But as much as shoppers love Rand’s, it is also Rand’s employees who love working there.
Miss Lucy’s offers gifts for every holiday
Talking Shop with Josh Brown, manager of Miss Lucy’s House of Holidays. Brown is co-owner of the store with Michael Robson and Sharon George. The three worked together for about 10 years at the Mole Hole in Fort Myers. They saw the need for a high-end gift store carrying Waterford and Faberge. They decided to go out on their own and just about a year ago opened Miss Lucy’s. The store offers decorations for every holiday plus year-round artwork and accessories for the home.
Hall of Fame unveils renovated shop
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum officially unveils its renovated souvenir shop today, offering an additional 500 square feet of redesigned retail space, in-store performances and aspirations of becoming Nashville’s newest “destination” record store.
Perhaps more important than the fanfare surrounding the reopening itself is a revamped business model that seeks to draw visitors — and locals — as a way to help sustain the nonprofit institution.
“The real issue for museums, in this day and age, is how do they sustain themselves,” said Hall of Fame and Museum Director
Gifts & Decorative Accessories is for Sale
New York, NY – Reed Business, the parent company of gift industry trade magazines such as – Gifts & Decorative Accessories, Home Accents Today and Furniture Today – is up for sale. Reed Business is a business and trade magazine division of U.K.-based Reed Elsevier. Elsevier cited a desire to follow a subscription-based model of revenue (as opposed to an advertising-based one) as the reason for the business decision. Tad Smith, the CEO of the U.S. arm of Reed Business, indicated that the sales process will commence immediately although it is unclear how long it will take.
Candle Warmers Acquired, Assembles New Management Team
LAYTON, Utah – Candle Warmers Etc. today announced the addition of four new management team members who also recently acquired the company. Beesley brothers Brian, Brad and Spencer, together with Chris Barnes join founder and CEO Bart Kennington to take Candle Warmers’ innovative line of market-leading candle warming appliances and related giftware into national distribution, improve operation and manufacturing efficiencies, and to expand the company’s product development efforts.
March Crossover Market Creates Complete Marketplace
Dallas, TX – Dallas Market Center, the world’s largest wholesale merchandise resource, announced that the upcoming Total Home & Gift Market (March 27 – 30) will offer buyers the once a year chance to experience a complete marketplace with home, gift, apparel and accessories showrooms all available during the largest crossover market in the United States. Buyers will enjoy the widest range of products across all lines and a variety of special events and seminars.
“March crossover market truly is the can’t miss market of the year,” said Cindy Morris, COO, Dallas Market Center.
Adora Receives Three Awards of Excellence Nominations
Adora, Inc. announces that it has received three nominations from DOLLS Magazine’s “Awards of Excellence” program. Dolls were chosen based on overall aesthetic appeal; excellence in concept, design and execution; and quality of material and workmanship.
World Market Center Previews Next Seasons Home Furnishings Looks
Las Vegas – The recent Winter 2008 Las Vegas Market showcased the very latest home furnishings styles and future trends. And World Market Center Las Vegas today launched the Winter 2008 edition of Style File on lasvegasmarket.com.
Mark Goff Licenses Pop-Up, Light-Up Cards To Marian Health Greeting Cards
STUDIO CITY, CA. – Paper-engineering wizard, Mark Goff, who co-owns GOFFENGEL WORKSHOP with his partner Philip Engel, has signed a licensing agreement with greeting card industry icon, Marian Heath Greetings.
Two Gift Retailers File for Bankruptcy
New York — A weak holiday season and a struggling economy led retailers Sharper Image Corp. and Lillian Vernon Corp. to file for bankruptcy this week, and analysts predict others could soon follow them as consumer spending worsens.
“You’ll see a record number of bankruptcies over the next 50, 100, and 1,000 days,” said Burt P. Flickinger III, managing director of the New York-based retail consulting firm Strategic Resource Group. “Consumers are cash and credit constrained.
Raytown gift store looks to stop complaining
Funky Munky Gifts-Namaste Unlimited is challenging area residents to change their behavior in its Raytown Complaint Free Challenge program.
The goal of the challenge is to get rid of negativity and approach life’s problems in a positive manner.
“It’s about seeing the good in everybody,” Funky Munky Gifts owner Joye Hughes said. “If we start looking at the positives in our lives, (then) our community and our businesses will succeed.
Gift Cards that Keep on Giving
Sales of gift card are soaring. In 2007, U.S. shoppers spent $97 billion on gift cards, an increase of nearly 17 percent from the previous year.
For retailers, gift cards have distinct advantages. They’re far more popular than the old paper gift certificates. When redeeming them, shoppers spend an average of 1.4 times the amount on the card. Plus, about 10 percent of the total value of gift cards goes unused every year, netting retailers billions of dollars.
Farm Baby Naturals For Baby
Sweet Grass Farm, creators of all natural, fragrant bath & body products and the ever-popular Farmhouse Home Care Collection is proud to introduce the newest addition to their family It’s a FarmBaby – lavender naturals for baby.
There are three things that all babies need: love, nourishment, and 24/7 round-the-clock care. It was the round-the-clock care that inspired, Debbie Ludington, mother of two and creator of Sweet Grass Farm to formulate a line of nourishing, healthy, natural products that would put any little darling at ease.
Boston Gift Show Announces 2008 Pride Of New England Award Finalists
White Plains, NY – A customer-centric atmosphere, reformatted floor plan, eco-friendly initiatives and lively fun events including the ‘Flaunt’ stage show and LA Trend Panel, raised the bar at the winter edition of the California Gift Show. Successful business and a positive market were reported by many of the event’s 1,200 exhibitors, with some companies reporting their best Show ever, January 18-21, 2008, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Exhibitor Carolyn Carrara of Twigs, San Clemente, CA, commented, “We had a great Show and more customers than we knew what to do with.
Planet Dog Extends Popular Lifestyle Brand To Elders In The Pack
Portland, ME – Planet Dog, maker of the world famous Orbee-Tuff toys, knows a dog is only as old and the way of his tail. That’s why they are proud to announce their new line of chew and squeaky toys designed specifically for elder dogs in the pack.
The line, appropriately called Old Soul, innovatively addresses issues that every dog eventually experiences as they grow older and wiser: reduced vision and “snout strength” and weakened muscles and joints. It features Orbee Balls and Bones and Slobber-Wick‰ Squeak Buddies and Bones – all in three sizes.
Gently Spoken introduces Sweet Peas of Inspiration
Anoka, Minn. – Mama always said, “Eat your peas!” And, most people know that “mama is always right!” Gently Spoken takes these wise words to heart, offering nutrients for the soul in fun, heartfelt doses. From the creators of the wildly successful Eat Your Peas gift book series comes a new way to get the recommended daily serving of encouragement and laughter. Sweet Peas of Inspiration is a colorful “can of peas” brimming with love and good cheer, containing 31 pea-shaped affirmation cards that will nourish your heart and soul.
League Shop enjoys decades of serving brides, gift seekers
Grosse Pointe Farms — Over the years, Pat Brinker has shared in the excitement of many a glowing bride, whom she delightfully welcomed to her shop to pick the most fitting flatware, the prettiest china pattern and the most striking stationary.
She’s listened to their proposal tales and then glanced at wedding photographs, only to begin the cycle again, decades later, when the daughter she first met snuggled up in a stroller comes in to create her own registry.
“We’re seeing another generation grow up before our eyes.
Hallmark’s humble beginnings
If you’re like millions of Americans, you’ll send and receive several greeting cards this year. Some may come from companies like Current USA Inc., others from American Greetings Corp. But the largest group will undoubtedly come from Hallmark Cards Inc., a company that has dominated the greeting-card industry for close to a century.
Founded by Joyce Hall in the early 1900s, Hallmark is still privately held, with the family owning two-thirds. Hall began his career in Norfolk, Neb., at age 9, selling cosmetics and soap door-to-door.
Stationery store to close after seven years in the business
As Lloyd Allison, entered the store A La Card Inc. from the back room, two gray-haired customers looked up from their perusing.
“It’s so nice to see old friends,” he said. After a pause, he corrected himself: “I mean, friends of long standing.”
For the past seven years, A La Card Inc., 816 Church St., has been a place where regulars are known by name.
State Pride
Mary Beth Babcock is Okie-grown in more ways than one.
As a high school student in Bartlesville, she designed a T-shirt with the school mascot. “I got the inspiration from the Vuarnet sunglasses logo,” she said — “Yes, the ’80s!”
Years later, Babcock continues her style streak at Dwelling Spaces, the eclectic clothing, furniture and gift shop she opened at 119 S. Detroit Ave. a couple of years ago.
Her newest venture is a line of Tshirts she designed, all under the label Okie Grown.
Those who knew Babcock growing up probably aren’t shocked by the creative trek she’s taken.