September 22nd, 2010 at 07:00am
Under Furniture News
For 80 years, Hooker Furniture has been a wood furniture supplier, but they are moving into the upholstered furniture sector. The company will premiere it’s very first collection of fabric upholstered furniture at this falls High Point Market. The new addition is part of the company’s strategy to provide furniture for every room of the home.
The upholstered furniture will be imported from China and will have features such as exposed wood that will coordinate with other Hooker case goods products. Three of the new lines of furniture will match with the existing wood groups Windward, Summerton and Cambridge Park. These three groups are a part of the Envision Collection, a grouping of value oriented furnishings.
Hooker will also be introducing two brand new lines of case goods and upholstery. One of the lines will be called Moccato and will be a part of the Envision Collection. The other new line called Trilogy, will be part of the regular Hooker brand and is described as contemporary urban meets traditional. Subsequent introductions at future High Point Markets are expected to include case goods and upholstery at the same time.
By MCC
September 21st, 2010 at 02:12am
Under Furniture News
For the first fiscal quarter, La-Z-Boy posted a net loss of $195,000. The rising costs of raw materials and shipping delays were cited as hampering the company’s profits. Sales for the quarter ended on July 24 and reached $263.3 million which was under 1% above the same quarter for 2009. President and CEO Kurt Darrow said, “Our results for the quarter were impacted by a confluence of factors”.
“These issues, including higher raw material costs, supply chain disruptions, storms which delayed shipping from our Mexico cut-and-sew operation, and inefficiencies in Mexico as we transition all custom cut-andsewn product from our U.S. operations, have abated somewhat and are not anticipated to impact our results throughout the remainder of the year to the extent they did this quarter.”
You can get more details about the report at FurnitureToday.com.
By MCC
September 20th, 2010 at 10:17pm
Under Furniture News
A lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania accuses Ashley Furniture of failint to pay proper wages and overtime to three of their employees at their manufacturing plant. The lawsuit seeks to include around 3,000 employees that worked for Ashley Furniture over the past four years. The suit claims that one of the plaintiffs worked over 40 hours a week and was not given any overtime pay. It also says that there was two other employees that were required to start work 15 minutes before their regular starting time and they never received any overtime.
The suit is seeking less than $75,000 for each former employee and does not specify the exact amount of lost wages. The exact amount will be determined once the payroll has been reviewed. Bill Koslo, Ashley attorney said that the company has not been served with any papers concerning the lawsuit. He also stated that Ashley Furniture has fully compensated all of its employees for any work.
Attorney Kevin Moore who filed the suit on behalf of the employees said, “Most employers in this community understand the rules associated with paying hourly workers for the work they perform. Ashley Furniture has not only flouted the rules and the law but has knowingly done so at the expense of thousands of hourly employees. We hope to correct the situation for the people who work there and will continue to work there.”
By MCC
September 19th, 2010 at 07:00am
Under Furniture News
According to a report released from the Las Vegas Business Press, the World Market Center is in default on the mortgages for several of its buildings. The report claims that buildings A and B are in foreclosure, however the furniture market is denying those claims. “Certain parties have been misrepresenting this fact for months despite our notice to them,” the WMC said in a statement to the newspaper.
The story cites that declining occupancy in the market and low rents are the problems that have caused the default on the two loans that total almost $565 million. Realpoint research numbers were cited that revealed the occupancy in Building A decreased from 97% at the close of 2007 to 85% in June of 2009. And, that Building B occupancy numbers decreased from 89% to 75% during the same period.
WMC informed the loan servicing agents that it would have no choice but to skip the loan payments due to declining cash flow. According to the Business Report, the default occurred in April. A report released in August by Realpoint stated that the lender had extended a forebearance agreement to voluntarily hold off on any repossession until August 31. The WMC issued a complete statement on the problems.
“World Market Center Las Vegas buildings are not in foreclosure. Certain parties have been misreporting this fact for months, despite our notice to them. A simple review of the public records would reveal that there is no foreclosure process pending now or at any time in the past with respect to any of the buildings.
“In fact there is absolutely nothing new contained in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s report. The report is citing misinformation that was circulated in the media months ago.
“The reality is, for the past year we have been proactively working with our financiers toward a financial structure that gives us flexibility to operate in this economic environment. Those discussions have been productive and positive; we are optimistic that very soon we will have a favorable outcome. We have a long term perspective of World Market Center Las Vegas and a long term commitment to the home furnishings industry.”
By MCC
September 4th, 2010 at 07:00am
Under Furniture News
Chicago based Wholesale Interiors, a full line furniture distributor, will be attending the fall High Point Market for the first time. The company will be showing in a 2,600 square foot space at the International Home Furnishings Center in room D-845. Chuck Tanner, company founder said that the company has been considering showing in High Point for a long time.
Tanner said they made the final decision to attend the market to expand their distribution. The company was founded in 2002 and supplies wholesale and drop ship furniture to both retailers and the design trade. It also distributes restaurant, commercial, hotel and trade show furniture. The company has about 450 products, most of which are offered at medium price levels.
By MCC
September 2nd, 2010 at 07:00am
Under Furniture News
After an absence of more than two decades, Gabby, a supplier of occasional seating and wood furniture is returning to the High Point Market. Gabby will be introducing a new line of between 30 and 40 pieces at this falls market. Gabby will be showing in the International Home Furnishings Center at IH-203.
Owner of Gabby and its parent company, Summer Classics, Bew White described the company’s new collection as an on trend line that utilizes reclaimed wood and reflects a French/European style. He said the line will include dining tables and chairs, buffets, desks, accent pieces and other “interesting” pieces.
The retail prices for end tables will range between $199 and $499 and dining room tables will range any where from $399 up to $2,000. Gabby exhibited at Atlanta’s January market and is returning to High Point because it is a crucial market for the types of products the company offers.
By MCC
August 31st, 2010 at 07:00am
Under Furniture News
A housing assistance program in New Jersey has posted a YouTube video that shows how a program that is backed by Thomasville Stores of New Jersey is continuing to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. The stores are helping them furnish their home in their home state. Although its been five years since the hurricane flooded most of New Orleans, the program is still working to assist people who relocated to New Jersey.
The Thomasville stores have donated home furnishings that have a wholesale value of over $250,000. The furnishings have been donated with the assistance of the New Jersey Affordable Housing Management Assn., called the JAHMA foundations. The furniture was delivered to the victims new homes by Cory First Choice Home Delivery.
In the video, president of Thomasville of New Jersey, Michael Massood, describes how they have worked with the victims. “You don’t realize … the magnitude of how important furniture is to people. You take their home and you make it truly a better place to live. It’s such a rewarding experience,” he said.
If you’d like to watch the video visit YouTube here.
By MCC
August 30th, 2010 at 07:00am
Under Furniture News
Lorts Mfg., a high end case goods and upholstery producer announced that it has signed Atlanta interior designer Christy Dillard to design a new furniture collection that will be released early next year. The company said that the new collection will build on the strengths of the company’s brand and incorporate the elements of Dillard’s style. Her style consists of classic silhouettes with unexpected detailing, an energectic contemporary perspective and bold color and styles.
Dillard said that she will be using a mixture of materials that will bring a unique flair to the collection that will appeal to many different customers. The look will be fresh, but at the same time have a timeless quality. Dillard has been designing environments that combine elements that reflect the evolving nature of design with classical details for 17 years. Her work has appeared in several publications and has been recognized by a number of organizations.
Ty Lorts, president of Lorts, added, “We are confident that a recognized and successful interior designer like Christy will be an inspiration to designers that love our line, and that the collaboration will complement and add depth to Lorts’ strong existing line.”
By MCC
August 29th, 2010 at 07:00am
Under Furniture News
A Slumberland franchise location in Missouri has shut down after the owner failed to pay state taxes. The store initially posted a “closed for inventory” sign on the door, but last week the local police arrived and told them to lock the doors. Owner, Storm Stafford, said that the retailer is accepting calls to handle any questions about pickups or deliveries and that the future of the business is unknown.
Stafford took down the “closed for inventory” sign and replaced it with one that informed the public that the store is closed. It also told customers to call the store if they had any questions about a purchase. Slumberland’s Corporate Office had no comments on how they plan to deal with the situation. And, the Department of Revenue would not disclose how much back taxes are owed by Stafford. But, did disclose that the state sales tax license had been revoked on June 11.
“We’re answering the phones if customers have questions about delivery and stuff like that,” Stafford said. “There is an emergency of course. So we’re trying to get things delivered and picked up as quick as possible, because the future is a little unknown.”
“Slumberland Corporate is having a meeting,” Stafford said. “Actually, they started having meetings Monday to try to figure out where they’re going to proceed; if someone else is going to come in and open a new location here or if there’s not going to be a location here.”
By MCC
August 28th, 2010 at 07:00am
Under Furniture News
The International Sleep Products Assn. has announced that they’ve completed a mattress recycling program. The pilot program with a South Carolina based solid waste recycling business, Rubber Recovery Inc., was conducted to test the different options available to recycle large amounts of used mattresses. ISPA partnered with Rubber Recovery last year to see if the same technology they use to recycle tires and other items could be used for mattresses.
The results won’t be reported until later when Leggett & Platt drafts the report and any recommendations. The ISPA will then make the report available to all of its members and any companies that are interested in recycling old mattresses. Numerous members contributed various resources to the pilot program including Simmons and Park Place who provided hundreds of mattresses for the tests. “Most mattress recycling today is performed exclusively using manual labor. An efficient mechanized approach is needed to process the volumes of used mattresses that large urban areas will generate,” said ISPA President Ryan Trainer.
Four people from Leggett & Platt’s engineering and quality assurance departments were sent to document the tests. Several manufacturers of foam products will analyze the mixture of shredded foam, fabric and fiber that is generated from the shredding process to see if it is suitable to make re-bond foam that will then be used for carpet padding. Other recyclers, mattress manufacturers, retailers and component suppliers also over saw the test and provided insights on how the process could be adapted to recycling mattresses.
“Proper disposal of used mattresses has been a pressing industry problem for years and the need for a permanent solution is obvious,” said Don Wright, ISPA chairman and chief marketing officer at Wright of Thomasville. “ISPA is committed to working with mattress manufacturers, industry suppliers, the retail community, government officials, and recycling centers to develop an economically feasible and sustainable solution to this problem. I look forward to seeing the results of this pilot program, and sincerely appreciate all the support we have received from our members.”
By MCC
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