Archives: News
Gift from home; Deer Street store gives N.H. artisans shelf space
Portsmouth — Deborah Bouchard-Smith is one of the most positive and energetic people around. Ask her how things are going, and the answer is almost always: “Fantastic. It’s another beautiful day on Deer Street.”
In March of last year, after deciding not to follow her company to New York, Bouchard-Smith, wife of Portsmouth City Councilor Ken Smith, was at a crossroads.
ICSC: Retail sales dip 0.1%
New York – Sales at U.S. retail stores open at least one year declined a seasonally 0.1 percent over the past week, continuing the “roller-coaster” ride of the past nine weeks, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers and UBS Securities LLC report for the seven days ended June 16. Sales rose 1.0 percent in the week ended June 9 and fell 0.5 percent the week before that.
Annaleece Continues to Support Charities
Annaleece has always felt strongly about giving back to those in need. In a continued effort to support worthy causes and charities, from January 2006 to date the company has donated almost $20,000.00 in Swarovski crystal jewelry, figurines, and cash contributions!
Additionally, the company has been offering Breast Cancer Awareness and Support Our Troops pins since January 1, 2006, in which $1.00 of every item sold is donated to support the Susan G. Komen Foundation or the USO (United Service Organization).
Busy lives put on hold at Fort shop, eatery
Fort Atkinson-Visitors can only guess at what stories lie untold in the antique china and stemware that grace the tables at Bethany Lynn’s Tea & Treasures.
Before sitting down to an elegant luncheon and a spot of tea, visitors also are invited to participate in the fun of dressing up in wide brim or fancy hats that offer a glimpse of past fashions on parade.
The teashop at 407 S.
Animals make Mineral – Jewelry designer is a study in opposites
Lisa Kinoshita, in black horn-rimmed glasses, bobbed black hair and red lipstick, sets a small gift box on the glass counter and instructs a guest to open it.The thumb-sized skull inside is in perfect condition, right down to the translucent brain cavity.
“It’s an ermine,” she says, excitedly.
In any other setting, a weasel skull in a gift box would give pause. But in Kinoshita’s hands at Mineral, her small jewelry shop on St. Helens, it seems natural.
Behind her is a bay of mostly large exotic insects in shadowboxes, most of their knobby joints and delicate parts intact.
Women and the downtown dream
A hundred years of tenants at the historic Opera House left uneven spots on the floor, ugly blue carpet and claustrophobic makeshift walls in their wake. The smell of mold and mildew seemed to filter in along with sunshine through its dirty windows.
But those were not the things that Michelle Wyles and Carol Perry noticed about the small storefront across from the old Union Pacific Depot. Instead, their eyes were drawn to an exposed brick wall that gave historic charm to an otherwise old and musty place.
“I wanted to move downtown.
Online Sales Lose Steam
Has online retailing entered the Dot Calm era?
Since the inception of the Web, online commerce has enjoyed hypergrowth, with annual sales increasing more than 25 percent over all, and far more rapidly in many categories. But in the last year, growth has slowed sharply in major sectors like books, tickets and office supplies.
Growth in online sales has also dropped dramatically in diverse categories like health and beauty products, computer peripherals and pet supplies.
Dad’s Day Big For Retailers
Happy Father’s Day — all 64.3 million of you. That’s a lot of gifts — ties, grills, power tools and the like — for a lot of dads today. Like so many of our holidays, Father’s Day is now a retailing bonanza for merchants large and small.
If your daily workplace is retail, you must be glad this past week is over.
Aromatherapy shop has smell of success
When Kelsey Metzinger was a little girl, she loved to play store and dreamed of the day when she would own her own shop.
“I’ve worked in retail my whole life,” the 31-year-old entrepreneur said. “I’m in it because I love it. I love talking to customers, educating them about products and helping them find the special or unique thing they’ve been looking for.”
Metzinger’s dream store, Bungalow 26, opened in September at 535 W. Douglas in the Delano district.
Adora Expands Sandy’s ADORA-ble Friends Collection at IDEX
Edison, NJ – Following last year’s successful launch of a collection of 12 storybook dolls called Sandy’s ADORA-ble Friends, Adora Inc. – one of the leading designers and crafters of fine limited edition and collectible dolls – is pleased to announce that it will unveil a set of six new characters for this 8-inch doll collection at IDEX this summer.
“Parents have given us enthusiastic feedback about Sandy’s ADORA-ble Friends and Adora’s other collections,” says David Lin, President of Adora.
Living The Greasy Good Life
Mosier, Ore. – Resource Revival has received attention before (design awards, recycling awards) but special honors from a beer company?
Resource Revival’s Graham Bergh and business partner, Jim Hassert, are currently featured in a national advertising campaign by Fort Collins, Colo.-based New Belgium Brewing Co., maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale and leaders in the sustainable business movement.
DEMDACO and Artist Susan Lordi Introduce a New Willow Tree Format and New Items For Summer 2007
Leawood, KANSAS – DEMDACO and artist Susan Lordi are excited to unveil the new Willow Tree introductions for Summer 2007. The new introductions include an angel, four figurines, 3 new memory boxes and a new frame format featuring 15 new frames, as well as two combination frame and figurine gift sets.
Hand-crafted with the same pure lines as Lordi’s figurative sculptures, these new frames capture the essence of Willow Tree with soft colors in washed surfaces with carved or metal accents.
American Craft Retailers Expo: Post-Show Report
(Mooresville, NC) After two years of planning, the American Craft Retailers Expo (ACRE) debuted May 2-4, 2007 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“We’re very pleased with the support from artists and retailers to make this show successful,” said Nancy Vince, President, Wholesalecrafts.com, Inc. “It was a high energy show that filled the need for a quality wholesale craft venue in the West.”
ACRE featured the work of 575 juried craft artists from the United States and Canada representing handcrafted products in all price points.
Boca father and son open post office with sweet treats
“Look at this,” said Peter Wolff, with a glimmer in his eyes as the stuffed animal began to rock back and forth and sing a tune.
In the next breath, “They really look real and feel it,” said Wolff, as he placed a shaggy haired dog purse on his shoulder.
The next aisle over, Wolff was immersed in a wonderland of every child’s dream where candy dotted the walls in bright colors.
New changes give hope to downtown merchants; Retailers count on crowded streets to generate customers
For the past few weeks, Stuart Powell has noticed something he hasn’t seen for a while in downtown Lansing.
The owner of Linn & Owen Jewelers was prepping his 100-plus-year-old business to move from Washtenaw Street around the corner to 223 S. Washington Square.
“I was down here on the weekend during the evenings, and downtown was packed,” said Powell, taking a break recently from clearing out decades of clock parts from his former space.
World Market Center Offers Dynamic Trends Series During July Las Vegas Market
La Vegas – Las Vegas Market aims to provide retailers and designers with the most relevant seminars and education to improve their business, and this summer will deliver its most comprehensive and inspiring trend series yet.
The Summer Market, July 30 – August 3, 2007, will feature a three-part series by the industry’s top gurus entitled ConsumerWatch, ColorWatch and TrendWatch.
U.S. Retail Sales Probably Rose in May on Gasoline Purchases
June 13 (Bloomberg) — Retail sales in the U.S. probably rose in May as record gasoline prices lifted purchases at service stations, economists said ahead of a report today.
Sales rose 0.6 percent after a 0.2 percent decline in April, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey of 76 economists. Excluding automobiles, purchases probably increased 0.7 percent last month after no change.
Most retailers other than filling stations probably suffered as the high gasoline prices left Americans with little extra cash to spend at the mall.
Retail sales, import prices surge
Washington (Reuters) – Retail sales rose more than twice as much as expected in May, while import prices surged, adding to recent data suggesting the U.S. economy is recovering strongly after a slowdown in the first quarter.
Sales by U.S.
OneCoast Expands Online Showroom: Company Shifts Showroom Investments to Reflect Where Retailers Want To Buy
OneCoast, the largest and only national provider of sales and marketing services to vendors and retailers of home decor, gift and collegiate products, announced the launch of its new Online Showroom for independent retailers at onecoast.com. This “always open” showroom offers several of the top lines found in OneCoast’s physical showrooms across the United States.
In Fall 2006, OneCoast introduced business-to-business e-commerce capabilities for independent retailers with Special Buys.
Mid-Year Introductions Debut at Peking Handicraft, Inc.
San Francisco, CA – San Francisco-based Peking Handicraft, Inc. continues to offer new, creative designs with more than 100 new 2007 Summer introductions. Items include rugs, hooked and needlepoint pillows, holiday and everyday guest towels, bedding, Christmas stockings and decor items and a new kitchen textile line. According to Derrick Lo, vice president of home decor, “Our customers will be pleased with the new additions to our quality, handmade collections and fresh designs by our renowned licensed artists.