Has there ever been a better time to be in the home furnishings business? Well, after ignoring the sluggish sales, price-crushing competition and penny-pinching consumers… Let me rephrase that: Has there ever been a better time to be in the home furnishings business, uh, potentially? Although the bottom line for vendors and retailers may not … More »
There were two notable home store openings in New York last month, offering an exercise in comparison and contrast for the home business. J.C. Penney finally opened its much-discussed new home shop in Manhattan, featuring exclusive shops from Michael Graves, Bodum, Pantone, Jonathan Adler and Martha Stewart. (Terence Conran’s Design by Conran shop was not … More »
By Duke Ratliff Since the spring, HGTV has been curating products as HGTV Home Outdoor Living to be sold across HSN’s multiple platforms. HGTV personalities, including John Gidding, are helping to present the items to consumers; and the partnership is expanding to include HGTV Home Outdoor living branded products. For HSN, the partnership reflects the … More »
As the home furnishings industry convenes for its annual gathering at McCormick Place, it’s interesting to note that U.S. consumers are in the midst of a rare housewares moment. Fizz-maker SodaStream created a housewares buzz amongst consumers with a much-seen ad during the recent Super Bowl. The Israeli-based company undoubtedly will have one of the … More »
My hometown was replaced by a Walmart—seriously. While critics have complained for years that the nation’s largest retailer ruins town centers, my hometown of Grundy, Va., pinned its economic future on a much-hoped-for Walmart store. After a long wait—I initially wrote about Grundy’s attempts to get a Walmart in 2005—the store is slated for a … More »
