Archives: News
Dondero Steps Down as Chief of World Market Center to Assume Leadership Role with Furniture Manufacturer
Las Vegas – Officials with World Market Center announced that Harvey Dondero will step down as chief executive officer of the company.
Collegiate F!NDS Temps Expanding Again for January Market
Dallas, TX – Dallas Market Center, the world’s largest wholesale resource, today announced that the Collegiate section of the F!NDS Temp Show will grow by more than 20 percent at the January 2008 Total Home & Gift Market. After strong market attendance in June, the marketplace has once again committed to increasing the section.
The enthusiasm that buyers and exhibitors experienced during June market, with drummers and college cheerleaders infusing the crowd with pep rally energy, will carry on to upcoming shows in various ways.
Spending on Dorm Furnishings, Electronics Drives Back-to-College Sales Past $47 Billion
Washington – The temperature is not the only thing rising these days, as students and families are expected to spend $47.3 billion* gearing up for college. According to NRF’s 2007 Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, students and their parents will spend a combined average of $956.93 on back-to-college merchandise, up from last year’s $880.52.
“Because the college years are an important time for young adults to express their individuality, retailers will pull out all the stops to catch students’ attention,” said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin.
For some stores and consumers, the Christmas season has already gotten under way
A study done on the spending habits of consumers in holiday season 2006 by BIGresearch, a Worthington, Ohio-based consumer research firm, confirmed that Christmas shopping is the biggest seasonal shopping draw.
On a sweltering afternoon this week, Nancy Kiely found refuge in a world of holiday cheer — an air-conditioned oasis of artificial trees, tinsel and Santas.
Shades of Green
Joshua Onysko is the definition of a green entrepreneur. His organic body-care company, Pangea Organics, makes all-natural soaps and lotions with ingredients such as almond oil, beeswax and sweet basil. The company’s 10,000-square-foot Boulder, Colorado, facility is 100 percent wind-powered, and an onsite 2,500-square-foot organic garden provides lunch for Pangea’s 22 employees. “It feeds our entire staff seven months out of the year,” says Onysko, 30.
Gift shop owner finds her Missing Piece
The fruits of Karen Sampson’s energy and enthusiasm are attractively arranged all around her shop, The Missing Piece, in Bushkill Township. While the shop is lovely, her route to ownership is just as intriguing.
“I am so, so, so lucky,” she says.
She loves her job.
Some might say it was her hard work and persistence that landed her in the picture-perfect, old-fashioned mercantile shop with wooden floors and exposed beams — the perfect background for the collections of primitive and country home furnishings and accessories she sells. But no.
Christmas Comes Early to the Javits Center
Is it too early to be thinking about Christmas?
My Dad, American Inventor
Tommy Habeeb just wanted to be one of the new breed of involved dads: the hands-on guys who preside over bath time without creating a flood; the ones who return home from work early enough to crawl after their children toward the realm of make-believe. His ambitions did not include inventing the Water Bottle Nipple Adaptor.
Inspiration struck Mr. Habeeb on a sweltering afternoon in Dallas, though, when he found himself with a cold bottle of water and no way for the baby slung across his chest to drink from it.
Smaller stores benefit from big toy recalls; Many customers turn to shops to avoid mass-market brands
Shopping at Barstons Child’s Play in North Baltimore yesterday, Elizabeth Carhuapoma had safety on her mind as she heard news of the latest toy recall by Mattel.
“Certain brands I trust more, so it’s disappointing when Mattel and Fisher-Price drop the ball,” said Carhuapoma, 34, of Baltimore, who bought a Webkinz doll for her 6-year-old son Ethan.
Quality Attendance and Exceptional Resources Converge for Healthy Buying at California Gift Show
White Plains, NY – High-caliber buyers presented with a wealth of standout products yielded strong business at the summer edition of the California Gift Show. A significant growth spurt for EX*TRACTS, as well as the largest-ever World Style division, highlighted positive indicators at the Show. The latest offerings of 1,270 companies from 42 countries met the needs of more than 20,000 attendees, July 20 – 23, 2007, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
EXTRACTS Summer 2007 Best New Product Winners Announced
New York, NY – Colorlab Cosmetics was awarded “Best of Show” yesterday in the Best New Product competition at EX*TRACTS: New discoveries in beauty and wellness. Awards also were presented in five product-specific categories (Bath & Body, Beauty Accessory, Cosmetic & Fragrance, Natural/Organic and Packaging), with winners and finalists selected by a panel of trade editors.
Summer 2007 Accent on Design Award Winners Announced
New York, NY – The “best of the best” were recognized at the New York International Gift Fair, where four exhibitors in the juried Accent on Design division were honored for design creativity and ingenuity. Accent on Design runs through Thursday, August 16, at New York City’s Jacob K.
New York Home Textiles Market Week Announces Best New Product Awards
New York, NY – Shades of India was awarded “Best of Market” yesterday in the New York Home Textiles Market Week Best New Product competition. Awards also were presented in four product-specific categories (Bed, Bath, Dining and Home Accessories) to winners and finalists selected by a prestigious panel of trade and consumer editors.
World Market Center Reports Brisk Traffic, Strong Order Writing and Key Retailer Attendance
Las Vegas – The Summer Las Vegas Market held July 30 through August 3, opened to big crowds and featured thousands of new product introductions and emerging trends from more than 1,300 manufacturers across all categories of home furnishings.
The Summer Las Vegas Market was the largest Las Vegas Market to date, occupying more than 3.8 million square feet of both permanent showrooms and temporary exhibit space including furniture, bedding, accessories, lighting, rugs, wall decor, gift products and more.
Surpassing the historical average of 50,000 registered attendees, Las Vegas Market wel
Royal Patrician Teaware Announces New Introduction
Royal Patrician Teaware announces the introduction of the new Dynasty Collection of high quality fine bone china items, an “English look” teaware line produced for the company in Asia.
“Our customers have been asking for gift boxed cup/saucers at lower price points”, stated company President Jeff Dodge, “and we are very pleased with the line we have brought to market.” The collection features a dozen different choices of teacups and saucers, each packaged in its own satin lined gift box and each with a different saying.
Enesco Acquires Assets of Country Artists Limited
Itasca, Ill. – Enesco LLC, a leader in the giftware, and home and garden decor industries, today announced the acquisition of the business and certain assets of Country Artists Limited. Country Artists is a leading designer and supplier of high-quality popular brands, including A Breed Apart, Tuskers, Speed Freaks and Dogs & Cats, and is based in Warwickeshire in the U.K. Country Artists products currently are sold through specialty gift stores around the world.
Another Big Recall May Hit Mattel
Mattel Inc. is close to announcing its second big recall of Chinese-made toys in as many weeks, according to people familiar with the matter, expanding a mounting crisis for the toy maker that could grow even more problematic as the holiday shopping season approaches.
Mattel earlier recalled more than a million toys — including ones based on characters from Sesame Street and Nickelodeon — that may have been tainted with lead paint. Now, people briefed on the matter say, it will recall possibly hundreds of thousands of more items.
Webkinz toys come to life online
Angel, a stuffed Webkinz Pegasus with a shiny pink mane and glimmering wings, sat lifeless next to a computer keyboard. On the monitor, Angel’s virtual self came to life before her owner, Grace Schiltz’s, very eyes. With a few key strokes and a click of the mouse, Angel moved about the screen in a virtual room Grace had furnished. She opened her closet and peeked at a cropped jacket, hair bow and teddy bear.
Master of soap making – Local resident
Asheville — Kimberly Masters has been making soap since 1999. Two years ago, with demand for her all-natural soaps increasing, she realized her hobby had the potential to become a full-time business.
The resulting enterprise, Essential Journeys, has become so successful that national sales representative Lieberman & Associates now sells and distributes her soaps, bath salts and lotions to shops around the country. Masters, 35, previously had placed her products in about 200 stores.
“It’s so cool that she’s local,” said Katie Skinner, owner of downtown gift shop L.O.F.T.
Home for hobbyists: Strasburg couple’s store has so much to offer its customers, even expanding can’t hold it all
Strasburg – The Internet downloads countless wonders but few more inspiring than the story of how the wooden “fetish kangaroos” were herded into Strasburg.
These little carved pieces are about the size of a quarter and aimed at crafters making jewelry, should those same crafters be overcome by an overwhelming urge to adorn a bracelet or something with a wooden marsupial.
Priced at a very reasonable 75 cents for two, the ‘roos are among thousands of crafting and quilting items jammed into a backyard Strasburg store called Olivier’s Country Creations & Gifts.