Home_Textiles_Today_April16th_2012

Monday, April 16, 2012

THE BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY | hometextilestoday.com | Vol. 33, No. 10 | $8.00

Anna’s Linens Hitting New Heights

Inside This IssueRetail Inspiration .............................................................. page 4

In the Clearing Stands a Big Boxer ................................. page 4

L.A. Artist Creates “BROllow” Dec Pillow Line for Men ................................................... page 5

Rugs Overcome Pricing Challenges In 2012 ................... page 6

Winter 2012 Rug Review ................................................. page 16

March Comps Mostly Positive ......................................... page 28

BY WARREN SHOULBERG

LAS VEGAS — It was all An-na’s all the time: So what else is new?

The annual Anna’s Linens Managers Conference and Ven-dor Summit, held here late last

month, once more proved to be a lovefest for the specialty retail chain that has defied the odds and prospered where few other operations have.

But 2012 will be an especially momentous year for the compa-ny. It will celebrate its 25th anni-

versary by opening its 300th store and moving off the continental United States for the fi rst time with the opening of two stores in Puerto Rico next month. It will cross — if it hasn’t already — the $400 million threshold in annual sales. And it will contin-

ue to expand its merchandising horizons into better goods and more hard goods.

As Alan Gladstone, found-er, president, son of company namesake Anna and the chief cheerleader for the company, will tell you at the drop of a cur-

tain, you ain’t seen nothing yet. “I know I’m prejudiced, but

this is something special,” he told HTT in an exclusive in-terview during the event here, which attracted some 400 Anna’s employees and close to 300 sup-

If it wasn’t a Who’s Who of the Home Textiles Industry, it certainly qualified as a Who’s There as more than 200 of the 300 vendors who attended the Anna’s Linens Managers Meeting and Vendor Summit turned out for a celebratory banquet.

PHOTOS BY JIM LAURIE

SEE ANNA’S PAGE 8

Textiles Represented at High Point

Nourison’s Contour collection of 100% polyester handcrafted rugs feature transitional and contemporary patterns in a rich color palette. See page 10 for additional High Point introductions.

JOSUE GOMES DA SILVA

Springs

NEW YORK — The long and storied history of Springs — once the largest home textiles mill in the United States — is about to enter a new phase as parent company Springs Global seeks a strategic investor to concentrate on the devel-opment of the U.S. business and brands.

Springs Global was created in 2005, when then U.S.-based Springs Industries and Brazil’s leading home textiles mill Coteminas merged most — but not all — of their operations into the new company.

A New Chapter for Springs U.S.

SEE SPRINGS PAGE 2

HIGH POINT, N.C. — Home textiles companies will have plenty to offer when the High Point Market gets under-way here April 21.

Antique Rug Collection and Rugs America are mak-ing their debut appearances at the show. Surya and Orian are opening new showroom spaces, and Loloi has doubled its space.

In addition, four home textiles suppliers are among the nearly 50 exhibitors participating in High Point Mar-ket’s second Made in America Pavilion at Market Square & Suites.

They are:• Artisan Weavers/Beljen Mills, which produce high-

end textiles made of U.S.-grown cotton and wool in de-signs that the company described as "passed down for generations";

• Salmagundi Inc., which offers collaged furniture as well as tuffets, throws and pillows;

• Sarahjanes Oilcloth/The Preppy Possum, a man-ufacturer of oilcloth-made aprons, beach bags, table-cloths, placemats and other items;

• Sweetwater Trading Co., which makes pillows of European leathers in lodge, Western, Native American, novelty, animal and equestrian themes. HTT

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Monday, April 16, 2012

THE BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY | hometextilestoday.com | Vol. 33, No. 10 | $8.00

Anna’s Linens Hitting New Heights

Inside This IssueRetail Inspiration .............................................................. page 4

In the Clearing Stands a Big Boxer ................................. page 4

L.A. Artist Creates “BROllow” Dec Pillow Line for Men ................................................... page 5

Rugs Overcome Pricing Challenges In 2012 ................... page 6

Winter 2012 Rug Review ................................................. page 16

March Comps Mostly Positive ......................................... page 28

BY WARREN SHOULBERG

LAS VEGAS — It was all An-na’s all the time: So what else is new?

The annual Anna’s Linens Managers Conference and Ven-dor Summit, held here late last

month, once more proved to be a lovefest for the specialty retail chain that has defied the odds and prospered where few other operations have.

But 2012 will be an especially momentous year for the compa-ny. It will celebrate its 25th anni-

versary by opening its 300th store and moving off the continental United States for the fi rst time with the opening of two stores in Puerto Rico next month. It will cross — if it hasn’t already — the $400 million threshold in annual sales. And it will contin-

ue to expand its merchandising horizons into better goods and more hard goods.

As Alan Gladstone, found-er, president, son of company namesake Anna and the chief cheerleader for the company, will tell you at the drop of a cur-

tain, you ain’t seen nothing yet. “I know I’m prejudiced, but

this is something special,” he told HTT in an exclusive in-terview during the event here, which attracted some 400 Anna’s employees and close to 300 sup-

If it wasn’t a Who’s Who of the Home Textiles Industry, it certainly qualified as a Who’s There as more than 200 of the 300 vendors who attended the Anna’s Linens Managers Meeting and Vendor Summit turned out for a celebratory banquet.

PHOTOS BY JIM LAURIE

SEE ANNA’S PAGE 8

Textiles Represented at High Point

Nourison’s Contour collection of 100% polyester handcrafted rugs feature transitional and contemporary patterns in a rich color palette. See page 10 for additional High Point introductions.

JOSUE GOMES DA SILVA

Springs

NEW YORK — The long and storied history of Springs — once the largest home textiles mill in the United States — is about to enter a new phase as parent company Springs Global seeks a strategic investor to concentrate on the devel-opment of the U.S. business and brands.

Springs Global was created in 2005, when then U.S.-based Springs Industries and Brazil’s leading home textiles mill Coteminas merged most — but not all — of their operations into the new company.

A New Chapter for Springs U.S.

SEE SPRINGS PAGE 2

HIGH POINT, N.C. — Home textiles companies will have plenty to offer when the High Point Market gets under-way here April 21.

Antique Rug Collection and Rugs America are mak-ing their debut appearances at the show. Surya and Orian are opening new showroom spaces, and Loloi has doubled its space.

In addition, four home textiles suppliers are among the nearly 50 exhibitors participating in High Point Mar-ket’s second Made in America Pavilion at Market Square & Suites.

They are:• Artisan Weavers/Beljen Mills, which produce high-

end textiles made of U.S.-grown cotton and wool in de-signs that the company described as "passed down for generations";

• Salmagundi Inc., which offers collaged furniture as well as tuffets, throws and pillows;

• Sarahjanes Oilcloth/The Preppy Possum, a man-ufacturer of oilcloth-made aprons, beach bags, table-cloths, placemats and other items;

• Sweetwater Trading Co., which makes pillows of European leathers in lodge, Western, Native American, novelty, animal and equestrian themes. HTT


2 Home Textiles Today News > hometextilestoday.com

ABILENE, KAN. — While unsea-sonably warm temperatures impaired fourth quarter sales, regional general merchandise retailer Duckwall-Alco Stores Inc. reported same-store sales increases for fi scal 2012 over the prior year.

Richard Wilson, president and ceo, said the company attributed this improvement to the company’s “merchandising strategies and enhanced prod-uct mix, which is providing Alco

customers with better value and a more organized shopping envi-ronment.”

Another bright spot of note were net earnings, which also saw an improvement over the prior year thanks to “cost-reduc-tion initiatives,” he added.

Domestics were cited as among the various better-per-forming categories in the fourth quarter, along with consum-ables.

Net earnings for the quarter

were essentially fl at -- $0.8 mil-lion, or $0.22 per diluted share, compared to $0.8 million, or $0.21 per diluted share a year ago.

Quarterly net sales from con-tinuing operations increased 1.0% to $137.5 million, and same-store sales, excluding fuel center sales, were down 0.6% to $133.4 million.

Net earnings for fi scal 2012 were $1.7 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, compared to a net

loss of $4.6 million, or $1.20 per diluted share, in the prior year.

Net sales were up 4.4% to $482.8 million, and same-store sales, excluding fuel center sales, for the year increased 3.0% to $467.7 million.

“We are excited about the many improvements that have taken place throughout the com-pany this year,” Wilson said. “We are also encouraged by our sales and net earnings growth over the prior year’s results.” HTT

Duckwall-Alco Sees Improvements in Operating Results

Springs Looks Ahead

April 16, 2012

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a Mother’s Day gift and the overwhelming choice was not something that came in a gift box.

A Good Night’s Sleep

Jewelry

When asked to describe what they liked about their favorite pillow and how it helps give them a good night’s sleep,

some of the words they used were: “comfortable,” “supportive” and “not too flat or too high.”

Source: DACRON® brand team research: Results from 2011 online consumer survey of online parenting writers (“mommy bloggers”) N=102.

Flowers Chocolate

53%

19%21%7%

Today, Springs U.S. is a private company that is 100% owned by Springs Global. Springs Global is a public Brazilian company in which Coteminas owns 69% and the public — including the former Springs Industries inves-tors — owns 31%, according to Springs Global ceo Josue Gomes da Silva.

The company is not looking to sell off the U.S. business out-right, he told HTT in an exclu-sive interview last week.

“We are looking not for an investor but a strategic investor to partner with our U.S. business — who can dedicate the time, atten-tion and focus to the great brands we have in the U.S.,” he said.

In addition to its legacy Wam-sutta and Springmaid brands, the U.S. operation also produces sev-eral brands through licensing agreements, including Pantone, Diane Von Furstenberg Home, Paula Dean Home and Nate Berkus.

The parent company needs to place its focus on the boom-ing Brazilian market, where in addition to its manufacturing operation Springs Global owns more than 200 specialty retail stores.

Gomes da Silva said the com-pany has received several inqui-

ries since it publicly announced the new strategy earlier this month. The goal is to find a partner experienced in brands and the U.S. market that can step in “without any disruption to our brands, our customers or our services. Our customers and our services are the most impor-tant,” he said.

Joe Granger, who had been president of the branded por-tion of Springs’ U.S. business and who brought in many of the licensed brands now in its port-folio, is no longer with the com-pany. Longtime Springs execu-tive Tom O’Conner remains with the company and continues to hold the title of president.

Springs Global generated approximately $990 million in sales during 2011, with the Bra-zilian business accounting for 66.9% of the total, according the company’s recent annual report. The company does not break out the U.S. business.

For the year, Springs Global reported a 5.2% decline in fash-ion bedding sales, a 17.3% decline in bath sales, and a 21.8% decline in utility bed-ding sales.

When Springs Global was created in 2005, its annual sales were estimated in the range of $2.4 billion. HTT

SPRINGS FROM PAGE 1

DES PLANES, ILL. — Revere Mills International Group Inc. has been certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) as a company that is a major-ity owned and operated woman-owned business.

The WBENC is an advocate

of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America’s corpora-tions.

Revere Mil l s ’ longt ime owner, chairperson and ceo is Lori Gideon; her daugh-ter, Dana Levenstein, serves as import manager of the company – which manufactures, designs

and markets bath, beach towels, kitchen textiles and rugs

“We are extremely excited and look forward to enhancing our business with existing cus-tomers and provide new oppor-tunities through vendor diversity programs”, said Gideon. “Revere Mills is celebrating our 96th year

in business and we are proud of our history. In conjunction with our partners, Regal Textiles and Eastern Textiles, we continue to thrive and adapt to changing economies and business cycles. We see this as the next step in our plan for continued growth and success.” HTT

NEW YORK — Seniors from the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Home Products Development Department are inviting indus-try members to attend an hour-long presentation about new technologies that will impact home products.

Deriving from the senior class’s product development compe-tition, the event will take place

Tuesday, May 8 in the Katie Mur-phy Amphitheater, D Building, at 7th Avenue and 27th Street.

Doors open at 6 p.m. The pro-gram begins at 6:30 p.m. and will include five 10-minute multi-media presentations.

Admission is free, but reserva-tions are requested. RSVP to Art Mortensen at arthur_mortensen@fi tnyc.edu. HTT

Revere Mills Earns Women’s Business Certification

FIT Home Students Plan Presentation on Technologies

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4 Home Textiles Today > hometextilestoday.com

...the ultimate luxurywww.hollander.com

HE ISLIVINGCOMFORTABLY.

ARE YOU?

OPINIONTodaY

April 16, 2012

W HIL E I TS CUSTOMER S generally give it high marks as a good place to shop, the vendors who sell Bed Bath & Beyond for the most part have a

love/hate relationship with the retailer.On the one hand, they love that BBB is a very large

base of customers who need copious amounts of prod-uct and that it is fi nancially sta-ble and continues to expand at an aggressive pace. On the other, they hate the cutthroat buying style, endless tests and excessive post-sale chargebacks that are the cost of doing busi-ness there.

And while both sides of that argument are certainly true, there is one more element that needs to be factored into the love side of the equation: Bed

Bath is perhaps the strongest, most secure and over-all least-likely-to-fail of any big box category killer in American retailing today.

The most recent news coming out of Best Buy only confi rms and continues a pattern that has exist-ed for longer than most probably realize in the spe-cialty chain store channel of distribution.

And that is that the category is dying, having exist-ed for a relatively short six-decade lifespan.

Toys’R’Us under the legendary Charlie Lazarus is generally credited as the fi rst category killer in retail-ing, a store that offered a huge assortment in a sin-gle merchandising classifi cation at competitive prices. From its beginnings in the 1950s, TRU established a business model that over the following three decades became one of the hottest formats in the business.

Soon every product category had two, three or

more big chains rolling out big stores in a big way: Of-fi ce Depot, Offi ce Max and Staples in offi ce supplies; Best Buy and Circuit City in consumer electronics; Home Depot and Lowes and others in home improve-ment; and in the home furnishings business, Bed Bath along with Linens’n Things, HomePlace and a host of somewhat smaller regional players like Strouds, Lee-Jay and Waccamaw. Computers, auto parts, footwear, you name it: They all had their own superstores.

By the 1990s the big-box movement had peaked and the pendulum began to swing the other way. None of us need to be reminded of the names of the endless casualties. Best Buy’s announcements of store closings, reformatting and management changes are only the latest nails in the big box box.

Blame it on a lot of things — aggressive category-killer-killing tactics by Walmart and Target; bad man-agers making bad real estate and fi nancial choices; national competition for regional players; and, most importantly, the Internet.

Like too many other retailers, the big specialty chains did not react fast enough to Amazon and by the time they did, the online game was over.

Through it all only one category killer has contin-ued to kill its category. Only one continues to post near-ly uninterrupted positive same store comps. Only one has a balance sheet that would make Warren Buffet jealous.

Only Bed Bath & Beyond.So, while it can be tough to deal with and even

tougher not to deal with, the home textiles industry could have it a lot, lot worse. Without Bed Bath & Beyond, it could be just a poor boy, laying low, seek-ing out the poorer quarters where the ragged people go. HTT

*With apologies to Paul Simon

In The Clearing Stands a Big Boxer*

SOM E T I M ES YOU N E ED to recharge your batter-ies and look outside your own universe. To that end, I recommend the National Retail Federation’s “This Is Retail” competition at nrf.com.

The contest is now down to 10 semifi nalists. Sadly, there are no linen stores among them. Nevertheless, the two-min-ute videos from the contestants provide a nice pick-me-up —

and, who knows, maybe a few ideas.There’s Heart’n Home in Laurens,

Iowa. Owner Julie Wurr started out doing craft shows, then opened a shop in her garage and built from there to a Main Street shop where she draws cus-tomers with wine tastings.

The owners of Anna and Eve – Anna Jones and Robert Houston – created a no-slip swaddle strap after the birth of the daughter, Eve. They now run an on-line retail business with nationwide dis-tribution.

Bookman’s Entertainment Exchange in Tuscon (books, movies and music) is on a mission to prove “used” is not a dirty word.

Honolulu’s Eden in Love boutique partners with a char-ity every month – such as inviting fi ve women being treated for cancer at a local hospital to come into the store for a com-plete makeover before the holidays.

Jim Adams, the owner of Baltimore’s Falls Road Running Store, makes the case for retail this way: A customer buys a shoe. The store orders more shoes from a vendor. The vendor hires a truck driver to make deliveries. The driver stops at a diner to eat, leaving a tip for the waiter, who uses the money to go to the movies, where he orders some popcorn, which is produced by a corn farmer. The farmer has a sore back and goes to see the doctor. The doctor says, “You need a better pair of shoes.”

It’s good stuff. Check it out. HTT

JenniferMarks

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Retail Inspiration

Warren Shoulberg

PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

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5 Home Textiles Today> hometextilestoday.com

Dollar General Hits 10,000-store mark

Dollar General opened its 10,000th store on March 30. The unit in Merced, Calif. is also one of the

retailer’s fi rst stores in the state. The fi rst Dollar Gen-eral store opened in Springfi eld, Ky., in 1955. The re-tailer now operates in 39 states.

Kardashian Kollection for Home Debuts at Sears

Acollection of soft home merchandise from the re-ality TV celebrity Kardashian sisters has landed at

Sears, encompassing bedding, bath towels and bath accessories.

Queen four-piece comforter sets are sale priced at $153.99, down from $219.99. Print queen sheet sets are sale priced at $104.99, down from $149.99. And bath towels are sale priced at $6.99, down from $9.99.

JCPenney Looking For A New Chief Financial Offi cer

After just four months in the position, JCPen-ney cfo Michael Dastugue left the company last

week. While the retailer conducts a search for a suc-cessor, his duties will be handled by chief operating offi cer Michael Kramer, who earlier in his career was ofo of Apple Stores.

Dwellstudio, Ankasa Plan Flagship Stores In Soho

DwellStudio will open its fi rst fl agship store in New York’s Soho neighborhood in early May at

77 Wooster St. It will carry bedding, artwork, furni-ture, rugs, home accessories, tabletop and vintage/found objects, offer full-service custom design ser-vices, and present an expansive collection of Robert Allen fabrics.

Ankasa’s new fl agship location in Soho at 424 Broome Street will feature a signifi cant expansion of furniture and accessories, a private design lounge, and a custom pillow bar where customers can choose from Ankasa’s archive of thousands of pillow styles and re-color the base cloth, thread work, cording, sequins and leather.

Flash Site Luxeyard Expands Offerings

LuxeYard, a fl ash site devoted to home furnish-ing, recent added high-end apparel to its mix. The

site’s core offerings include textiles, furniture, cook-ware, lamps and accessories. LuxeYard has more the 425,000 members, according to the company.

Target Partners with Walt Disney Co., Julie Andrews for Princess Week

The fi rst annual National Princess Week is coming to Target in mid April as part of a new alliance

between the discount department store, actress and singer Julie Andrews and The Walt Disney Company.

Together, they are launching an “enchanting” week-long event from April 22 to 28 that will include princess-themed bedroom décor as well as Blu-rays, books, toys, games and more. The merchandise will be offered in stores and online.

RetailBriefs

BL A K E M YC O S K I E , founder of Toms shoes, attributes much of his business suc-cess to his social business model: “[People] had never heard about someone giving

something away every time they sold something.” With the massive success of Toms, the compa-

ny that gives one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of Toms sold, business-es in all markets are recogniz-ing the impact on sales when their products “do good” and are socially responsible.

Jaipur Rugs was found-ed as a socially-based busi-ness. A signifi cant portion of the company’s profi ts go back into the hands of the compa-ny’s talented Indian artisans

in the form of life-changing programs with focuses on education, health and women’s empowerment.

Consumers today gravitate toward these types of business models — brands that they believe in. Pur-chasing a product that comes with a story creates a good feeling and higher confi dence in the brand. These sustainable business models are about fi nding a way for consumers to connect to a brand’s efforts in a way that’s beyond a price tag or bottom line.

Say you’ve been crafting the world’s most beloved

linens for over a decade. Think about the greater good and consider how you could maximize or re-invent your brand to resonate with today’s consum-er. Are the sheets made with eco-friendly materials? Perhaps proceeds from a bulk order could benefi t a charitable cause.

Consumers often care as much about “who” they are buying as what they’re purchasing. Consumers are going to be more inclined to buy something if they recognize the social impact, and employees will be more motivated by a message built around improving the world rather than merely focusing on ROI. As companies deliver innovative, beautifully crafted products to the consumer, they must fi nd ways to stand out. Why not focus on a differentiator that has a broader societal benefi t?

The design industry is uniquely poised for suc-cess with a social business model. Building an au-thentic story behind the product will add to its emotional appeal, strengthening the bond between shopper and remote village, consumer and artisan, or buyer and the environment.

A social business model isn’t right for every com-pany, but for businesses that can fi nd a way to con-nect their products to a particular place, group of people, or organization can fi nd success in both sus-taining the group in need that they are supporting, as well as the own business. HTT

Asha Chaudhary is president of Jaipur Rugs.

Connecting The Consumer To The Message

Asha ChaudharyGUEST COLUMNIST

April 16, 2012

BY CECILE B. CORRAL

LOS ANGELES — Man Cave, meet the BROllow.

Print and video artist Toban Nichols, based here, has devel-oped what he says is an appropri-ate interior décor piece for men’s spaces — or anyone who prefers a more masculine look — with his new BROllow decorative pillow.

It was about two years ago that Nichols came up with the idea for the BROllow, he explained to HTT.

“Since I am not really from that [home furnishings] world, I didn’t know what to do. So it all ended up being a little unortho-dox,” he said.

“I start out with photos I’ve taken, and through a sort of com-plicated process with the comput-er, I cause the computer to error while it is processing the image, and the result is a mashed up image,” he said. “It’s like if you

took a can and stepped on it, or crumpled a newspaper page. And that is the overall design I use.”

Nichols said that he has been making these types of prints and artwork for many years — “photos based on bright colors,” he spec-ifi ed.

But he has “always had great love for interior design, and I

have been looking for a way to include it in my work.”

Part of what prompted him to venture into the uncharted world of home décor was that “out in marketplace, I had not seen any-thing this angular or masculine, so I thought my designs might make interesting pillows.”

L.A. Artist Creates “BROllow” Dec Pillow Line for Men

SEE PILLOWS PAGE 30

“Meet the Boys” is how Toban Nichols, the designer of these masculine-minded decorative pillows, introduces his BRO-llow collection for Man Caves and other male-oriented dwellings.

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6 Home Textiles Today News > hometextilestoday.comApril 16, 2012

Rugs Overcome Pricing Challenges In 2012

BY CECILE B. CORRAL

NEW YORK — Rug manufacturers and suppliers will likely look back at 2011 as a transitional year.

The overall industry managed a modest 2.7% sales increase to $25.7 billion, compared to 2010’s $25.05 billion.

It wasn’t an easy feat. Volatile raw material demand took a toll on production-related costs, and the recessionary environment nation-wide kept shop-pers guarded in spending on discretionary goods.

“[The] rug business improved in units shipped,” Jef-frey Seagle, Mohawk’s director of marketing and prod-uct merchandising told HTT. “Unfortunately, we have not seen an improvement in average price and total dollar sales as retailers continue to focus on value and opening price points.”

He added raw materials were absorbed by manufacturers for the most part, and a continued pressure “could force pricing up or product specifi cations down in 2012.”

Oriental Weavers of Amer-ica sees a lingering cautiousness from consumers about non-neces-sities. But that attitude stands to “help synthetic area rug manu-facturers,” explained Aaron Gray, OW’s director of marketing. While retails of $299-$399 for 5-by-8 rugs are still important, “we are [also] seeing more consum-ers looking for rugs that at $199

retails and below.”An improving econ-omy in some areas is

also creating an opening for better-quality,

better-priced soft floor cover-

ings, according to Wade Maples,

co-owner of Maples Rugs.

“Basically, it’s about better goods that are made [using] more innovative constructions and are of a better quality so that we can sell them at a better price,” he said. HTT

HTT’s new Database series replaces the long-running Facts series of category sales reports. The next Database report will appear on April 30 and will cover the top of bed category.

AREA RUGS

18%% of the Home Textiles Universe

$25.72B2011 Home Textiles

Universe

$25.05B2010 Home Textiles

Universe

Up

2.7%

AREA RUGSDistribution channels

2011 total retail sales: $4,530 millionup 3.0% from $4,400 million in 2010

2011 2010 % CHANGE

Discount department stores $1,624 $1,549 4.8%Direct-to-consumer $763 $739 3.3%Mid-price chains $374 $370 1.1%Home improvement centers $340 $330 3.0%Home textiles specialty chains $240 $233 3.0%Carpet/fl oorcovering stores $218 $229 -4.8%Gift/home accent stores & single-unit specialty textiles stores $199 $194 3.0%Furniture stores $187 $194 -3.6%Off-price chains $170 $163 4.6%Variety/closeout $164 $158 3.5%Warehouse clubs $143 $136 4.6%Other $68 $66 3.0%Department stores $41 $40 3.0%Total $4,530 $4,400 3.0%

Discount department stores include Kmart, Shopko Stores, Target and Wal-Mart.Direct-to-consumer includes television shopping channels, Internet and catalog salesMid-price chains include JCPenney, Kohl’s, Mervyn’s, Meijer, Fred Meyer, Sears, TJMaxx/Marshalls, Stein Mart and Ross Stores.

Home improvement centers include Home Depot and Lowes as well as regional and local home improvement centers.Variety/closeout includes stores such as Dollar General, Family Dollar, Freds, Value City, Tuesday Morning and Big Lots.Other includes interior designers and military exchangesFigures have been rounded. 2010 figures have been revised.

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The Textile Building at 295 Fifth

New York is the market.

And the market in New York is the

home textiles

TEXTILEBUILDING

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8 Home Textiles Today > hometextilestoday.comNewsApril 16, 2012

pliers. “We started with one store and a dream and now what we’ve created is a company that we believe is very unique.”

You certainly wouldn’t get any argument from the managers, mer-chandisers and employees in attendance for the awards dinner, train-ing session and merchandise show held at Planet Hollywood here. They cheered, applauded and whooped at every opportunity in an environment more closely resembling a revival meeting than a busi-ness conference.

But the enthusiasm was anything but forced. Gladstone said An-na’s opened 30 stores during calendar 2011 taking it to just under 300 units. With fi ve new stores opened already, the 2012 tally is fore-cast to include 25 additional units, another 25 remodels and ten re-locations. Puerto Rico will be one of two new market areas Anna’s will enter this year, though he declined to mention the other for competitive reasons.

The new stores will continue to focus on 10,000-square-foot layouts heavily skewed toward bedding and window, although hard goods, in-cluding housewares and decorative accessories, will continue to grow as a percentage of store sales. They now represent just 5% of the total but could get to as much as 20% eventually.

Anna’s customers are also fi nding a merchandising mix pushing the upper end of the envelope a bit more than in the past, he said. “We’ve raised the quality and some of our upper price points over the past year. Our customers told us that perhaps we were too limited in our assortments.”

Gladstone said the overall economy continues to impact the store’s lower income customers and that while he believes Anna’s once again gained market share in 2011, it must remain vigilant in appealing to that core shopper group.

In the meantime, Anna’s rolls along. With daughter Carie Glad-stone Doll in charge of all merchandising and son Scott Gladstone handling many areas of operations — “I’m so proud of both of them and so glad they are here.” — Gladstone said Anna’s is set for the challenges and opportunities ahead. “I am the most appreciative person ever.” HTT

Anna’s in Vegas ANNA’S FROM PAGE 1

At right, from top to bottom: At the vendor reception, from left, Carie Doll of Anna’s, Park Smith of Park B. Smith, Alan Gladstone of Anna’s, Linda Smith of Park B. Smith and Scott Gladstone of Anna’s.

From Triangle Home, from left, Jeff Swartz, Allen Darwin, Jared Cohen and Jenny Zhu.

Celebrating Anna’s were, from left, Henny Lakin and Bob Weiss of Creative Bath, Peggy Galvin of Anna’s, sales rep Lynn Gusto and Jeff Moss of Welspun.

Below: At the Anna’s party were, from left, Rick Barry of Genieco, Andi Stanfa of Franco and Dana Morrison of Genieco.

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11 Home Textiles TodayHigh Point> hometextilestoday.com

1. Softline Home Fashions’ indoor/outdoor Aprica collection made in a linen-and-sheer style was designed with a palette the company described as “relaxing and breathtaking.” Incorporating the eco-friendly Guardin technology, the fabric easily repels water and is resistant to fading

2. DownTown Company’s new paisley-patterned Peizli bedding collection complements any of its bedding ensembles.

3. Sam Salem & Son has given the name Downing Street to its newest collection of upscale bedding designs. Made of 100% cotton sateen, the components feature a variety of organically geometric complementing looks, including a sophisticated swirl ivory print on a rich charcoal background, a gray ribbon embroidery on an ivory ground, tonal quilting of the ribbon swirl in sky blue, and other embroidered details.

4. Woolrich Home is unveiling several new bedding ensemble collections, including this one called Hawk Mountain. The centerpiece of the set is a filled duvet that features a sophisticated woven Aztec stripe – a pattern taken directly from Woolrich’s heritage archives – enhanced with a bright accent palette of teal, sangria red and saddle brown.

5. Libeco Lagae’s new Santa Cruz blanket is a heavy-weight twill stripe made of 100% Belgian linen. It coordinates to pillows in five matching colors.

6. C & F Enterprises Gallerie II is showing its new St. Martin bedding ensemble. The collection is cotton-filled and pre-washed.

7. Amity Home’s Bianca linen duvet and dust ruffle collection coordinates with a matching French ruffle sheet set and a white handmade quilt.

8. Kennebunk Home’s Cabana throw is domestically knit and engineered for durability with anti-microbial and mildew resistant qualities.

9. Ann Gish’s Gorgeous collection of luxury throws, coverlets and shams feature white linen accented with metallic gold and a taupe floral pattern.

10. Eastern Accents and interior designer Barclay Butera are introducing four new additions to their collection, including Marrakesh.

11. Rennie & Rose is expanding its Coast Home program with two new additions – the Island Linens collection of relaxed, soft-hued cotton pillow styles, seen here, as well as the brighter Cabana Stripe collection.

12. Sleep & Beyond is showing its new Washable Wool collection of comforters, toppers, pillows, and other utility bedding products. Made of 100% natural cotton, these goods are all filled with100% Shropshire washable wool.

13. Protect-A-Bed’s Healthy Sleep Zone Solution Kit includes one AllerZip terry six-sided mattress encasement, and one premium mattress protector.

April 16, 2012

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1. Kimlor Innovative Home Fashions introduces Purple Tie Dye, available as: comforter and sham sets, sheet sets, valances and decorative pillows.

2. Auskin USA Inc. takes cowhide to new places with its new Hair on Cowhide collection of multi-color and multi-patterned area rugs.

3. Surya is expanding its Artistic Weavers program with the new Mantra collection. The rugs are hand-tufted and washed for heft, luster and reduced shedding.

4. Rizzy Home’s latest hand-crafted area rug offerings include Bentley, a hand-tufted collection made in India of a New Zealand wool blend.

5. The Rug Market America’s Cecelia is a hand tufted of wool and viscose.

6. Safavieh’s new Jardin collection depicting dramatic floral patterns is hand-tufted in India using 100% wool with a cut-and-looped-hook texture.

7. Waverly by P/K Lifestyles is introducing Spellbound, seen here in the Fiesta colorway. It is made of 84% polyester and 16% rayon.

8. Xia Home Fashions is showing the Papillon pillow collection, which features colorful embroidery on printed linen backing.

9. Foreign Accents’ Chelsea collection features swirls of color on a cream background. The rugs are hand-tufted of wool and viscose.

10. Shaw Living takes design cues from antique damasks for its Venezia collection. The symmetrical composition offers an ample proportion and the two-color palette offers contemporary sensibility. These rugs come in gold, blue, black and red.

11. Feizy Rugs’ Tesoro collection are hand- knotted in three different constructions: 100% wool, wool and bamboo silk, and 100% bamboo silk.

12. Tapestries Ltd.’s French Birds on Blue tapestry collection is made in the USA in a linen/cotton blend.

13. Barretts Antique Rugs, Kilims, and Textiles is bringing one-of-a-kind decorative pillows and rugs made of natural fibers and fabrics.

14. Company C’s new Lounge Lake dec pillow is part of the Circles & Swirls collection, which combines embroidered and appliquéd multicolor dots on a cotton twill face.

15. G.E.A.R. by Re-Invention is showing its latest offering of U.S.A.-made home textiles, including this Toky patchwork pillow, which coordinates with the Toky throw in the same construction and color story.

16. Peking Handicraft Inc.’s new Double Peacock Embroidered pillow is a 16-inch square with feather down and featuring two brightly-colored peacock feathers embroidered on a natural linen ground.

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14 Home Textiles Today April 16, 2012 High Point > hometextilestoday.com

1. Apadana Inc. comes to market with several new collections of modern and vintage flatweave rugs, such as Madison – a grouping of clean geometric looks.

2. Kalaty Rugs’ new Portfolio by Parisa collection are made of 100% wool and bamboo silk and handcrafted on a Lori Loom weave.

3. AMS Imports’ InnerAsia Collection of Tibetan area rugs is made of 100% Tibetan highland wool in a 100-knot handknot construction.

4. Karastan’s new Elan Collection of area rugs combines traditional and modern motifs. All are woven in the U.S. from fully worsted New Zealand wool on Wilton (Van de Wiele) looms.

5. Kas Rugs’s Anise collection of botanical rugs are handmade in polyester and come in 10 designs, including this one titled Blue Silhouette

6. OW/Sphinx’s new Ensley Collection of rugs woven on an axminster loom in a blend of wool and synthetic yarns for a soft hand.

7. Beacon Hill adds to its Classics line with the introduction of the Modern Silks collection, which draws from bold and abstract designs that echo the art and architecture in today’s eclectic interiors.

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15 Home Textiles TodayNews> hometextilestoday.com

HIGH POINT, N.C. — Five home textiles companies will take up space here in Salon at Market Square, a showcase for fashion-forward home furnishings.

Fino Lino, French Laundry Home, Signoria Firenze, Siv-aana and Yves Delorme/Mis En Demeure are among 13 new home furnishing suppliers who will be new to the space for the upcoming High Point Market, which takes place April 21-26.

Other home textiles com-panies that exhibit in Salon include Auskin Group, Bliss Studio, Etoffe Makara, Kevin O’Brien Studio, Libeco Home and V Rugs & Home. HTT

Salon At Market Square Welcomes New

Exhibitors

CHINO, CALIF. — Antique Rug Connection, a Pakistani pro-ducer of upscale handmade area rugs and carpeting, is opening a new permanent showroom at High Point in time for the mar-ket this month.

The 1,062-square-foot show-room is located in space 333 at

200 N. Hamilton.Owned by the husband-and-

wife team of Nadeem Akbar and MehnazRokerya-Akbar, Antique Rug Connection has been a manufacturer and supplier of semi-antique and antique rugs for almost 25 years. The com-pany operates a facility in Paki-

stan as well as a U.S. offi ce and warehouse here, where it main-tains stock of its entire line.

“For many years, we operated a store in Los Angeles and did exhibitions throughout Califor-nia,” said Rokerya-Akbar, direc-tor of business development. “Recently, we refocused our

business to concentrate on the design and production of high-quality, trend-setting, one-of-a-kind rugs sold through designers and upscale rug boutiques.”

The company’s rugs are eco-friendly “because of the process by which they are made and the materials and dyes that are used,”

Rokerya-Akbar added.At the market, Antique Rug

Connection will introduce its new Susani collection of whimsi-cal styles that combine steely col-ors with lively accent tones. Also, the company will also show new design additions to its Platinum Oushaak and Kotaan lines. HTT

DALLAS — Loloi Rugs will give Apple iPad 3s to customers who place qualifying orders during this month’s High Point Market.

“In addition to the enthusi-asm surrounding the expansion of our High Point showroom and our live music party, we want to create the ultimate buying expe-rience for buyers by offering the opportunity to receive the new iPad 3,” said Amir Loloi, founder and president of Loloi Rugs.

All those placing qualifying orders will receive the gift. Details are available from local sales rep-resentatives or Loloi’s headquar-ters.

During market, the company will show in its newly expanded showroom in the International Home Furnishings Center, D-320. HTT

April 16, 2012

Antique Rug Connection a Newcomer to High Point Market with New Showroom

Loloi Rugs to

Gift iPads

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1. Shaw Living is complementing Tommy Bahama’s Ocean Club and Road to Canberra home collections with several new designs in tribal, ikat, Greek key and suzani themes — the latter seen here. These rugs are machine woven in the United States with Shaw’s own “EverTouch” recyclable nylon.

2. Karastan is expanding its Carmel collection with the addition of Portola Sage, a lush garden-inspired pattern featuring earth-tone philodendron leaves nearly blanketing an ivory field that is framed in a simple solid ivory border. Made in the United States, this new rug is woven on Wilton looms of two-ply nylon yarn.

3. Nourison offers an alternative to wool rugs with its new Rainforest collection of hand-tufted, 100% polypropylene indoor/outdoor rugs. The rugs, which are made in China, feature contemporary, bold, oversized floral and leafy patterns on a variety of background colors.

4. C & F Enterprises is offering its own brand of “fun in the sun” with its new collection of washable rugs called Parfait.

Winter 2012 Rug ReviewApril 16, 2012

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18 Home Textiles Today April 16, 2012 > hometextilestoday.com

1 Peking Handicraft Inc. is in bloom with its new Flower Vase accent rug, made of 100% wool and cotton on a hooked construction.

2. Couristan uses natural fibers and dyes to produce its new handmade Azari rug, the latest addition to the company’s eco-friendly Chobi collection of 100% hand-spun and hand-knotted rugs.

3. Company C’s new Fly Away rug is adapted from a vintage fabric and features colorful larger-than-life butterflies that sparkle against an un-dyed ground. The butterflies’ wings are enhanced by a mix of hooked and tufted textures as well as novelty high-twist yarns.

4. Jaipur’s new Alsace rug seen here in the antique white ashwood colorway is from the Poeme collection.

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Winter 2012 Rug Review

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1. Harounian Rugs International is launching its Destiny collection of wool, cut-and-loop rugs machine-made in India. It comes in six designs and colorways, like this scroll black-and-white style.

2. OW/Sphinx’s new Revival collection pairs easy care with fashion. These machine-made rugs feature an over-dyed look in washed shades of aqua, plum, crimson and neutral grays interpreted on vintage Persian styling.

3. Kas is introducing Meridian, a collection of 100% UV-treated polypropylene rugs designed for outdoor/indoor living. The construction is both high/low and multi-textured with space-dye techniques. Seen here is seafoam; it is also available in mocha and saffron orange colorways.

4. Homefires and artist Mossy Brook have created the new Painted Rain Forest collection of hooked indoor/outdoor area rugs. The designs feature happy colors to help create a welcome setting in living spaces.

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1. Kalaty Rugs’ new Gramercy collection is handcrafted on a Lori loom and is made of 100% wool and bamboo silk.

2. Central Oriental honors its home state of Rhode Island with a new U.S.-made collection of area rugs named after the capital, Providence. These pieces employ an extensive double point and drop stitch construction and are made of 100% heat-set polypropylene. The Marquette Black design is seen here.

3. Momeni draws its inspiration from nature for its new Summit collection, seen here in the sand colorway. These 100% polyester rugs are hand-hooked and feature bold floral and ethnic patterns.

4. cmi beckons Brooklyn with a new collection named after the NYC borough. These oval-shaped rugs are flat braids that are made of 100% polypropylene and feature the company’s Cablelock construction.

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1. Creative Touch Design Studio is introducing the Modern Sari collection of silk rugs that are hand-knotted in India and come in plain and ikat designs.

2. Capel Rugs’ newest ikat-themed hand-tufted rugs are called Pow Wow, not inspired by Native American meets but rather “the power of ikat designs to wow.”

3. Ebisons Harounian Imports’ in-house design team has developed a new collection of handmade rugs that are produced in China of 100% viscose.

4. The Rug Market is introducing the Astra Gray collection, and adding it to its Ecconox line of value-priced rugs. Seen here in the floral gray colorway, Astra pieces are hand tufted of wool and viscose and are made in China.

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PEOPLETodaY

OW Hospitality Appoints Young To Head Global Sales

MINNEAPOLIS — After a search that began last fall, Target Corp. has named Jeffrey Jones II as its new evp and chief marketing offi cer, effective immediately.

Jones replaces Michael Fran-cis, who left in early October to become the new president of JCPenney.

Most recently, Jones served as partner and president of McKinney, a Durham, N.C.-based advertising agency. Prior to that, he held several lead-

ership positions at Gap Inc., including executive vp and chief marketing offi cer, respon-sible for leading marketing strat-egy, retail store design, store experience and all consumer communication. He also man-aged Gap’s gift card subsidiary, Direct Consumer Services LLC, serving as president of the division.

In addition, Jones previ-ously held executive positions at marchFIRST Inc., Coca-

Cola Company, Leo Burnett Worldwide, and served as presi-dent and chief executive offi cer of LB Works, a Chicago-based advertising agency associated with Leo Burnett.

“Marketing is a key differen-tiator for Target and I am con-fi dent that under Jeff’s steward-ship, we will continue to build on our long history of surprising and delighting our guests,” said Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president and ceo. HTT

Target Names Former Gap Executive evp, cmo

NEW YORK — Saks Incorporated has named Michael Burgess president of Saks Direct, effec-tive May 7.

Saks.com’s home textiles brands include Ralph Lauren, Sferra, Diane Von Furtsenberg, Frette, Matouk, Natori, Etro, Queen of Cashmere and Mis-

soni.Burgess will report to Denise

Incandela, executive vp and chief marketing offi cer for Saks Fifth Avenue and the current president of Saks Direct.

Burgess was most recently executive vp FTD’s consumer division at United Online. HTT

LONDON — OW Hospitality, the hospitality carpeting arm of the Oriental Weavers Group, has named Jonathan Young its director of global sales, tasked with leading sales worldwide as part of the com-pany’s expansion strategy.

Young’s career experience in the hospitality sector dates back more than 30 years. Most recently, he served as the ceo of Brintons US Axminster Inc. Earlier, he held various key positions for several major carpet companies, such as Milliken in both the USA and international markets.

In his new post, Young will be based in the company’s U.S. offi ce in Dalton, Ga.

“As Oriental Weavers Group has committed major resources to the growth in this sector of their business, it was evident that we needed an industry leader to provide complimentary strategic vision and leadership for the company’s efforts” said Michael Riley, ceo and managing director of OW Hospitality. “Jonathan Young was the fi rst candidate that even came to mind and we are very lucky that he shared the vision of the opportunity for OWH in the hospitality business and knows how to build a fi rst rate sales team.” HTT

Burgess to Lead Saks EcommercePOINT REYES, CALIF. — Coyu-chi, an organic cotton bedding source, has hired Eileen Mockus as vp of product.

Prior to joining Coyuchi, Mockus worked as director of global sourcing for Pottery Barn Kids and PB Teen during both brands’ launches. She has also worked in fabric development at Patagonia and The North Face.

“We are thrilled to welcome

Eileen to our family of ‘Coyu-chis,’” said Karyn Barsa, ceo, Coyuchi. “Her experience with growing both well-known and start up brands combined with her social consciousness will be invaluable to Coyuchi as we con-tinue expand into new areas of the home.”

In her new position, Mockus will oversee product develop-ment and a global product sourc-

ing strategy for Coyuchi’s bed-ding, bath and baby lines. She will assume responsibility for the design, quality, sourcing and timely delivery of product across all Coyuchi lines, according to a release from the company.

“I joined Coyuchi because there is an opportunity in the market to provide beautifully designed product that is responsi-bly sourced,” Mockus said. HTT

Coyuchi Appoints Eileen Mockus as vp of Product

April 16, 2012

AT L A N TA — AmericasMart Atlanta has hired Mark Furlet as senior vp/leasing in the Home category for permanent show-rooms of Building 1.

Before joining AmericasMart, Furlet served on the leadership team of Merchandise Mart Prop-erties Inc. (MMPI) where he most recently held dual appoint-ments as vp in charge of all gift and home business at the Chi-cago Merchandise Mart and vice president and general manager at the L.A. Mart with responsibili-ties for the L.A. Mart, the L.A.

Mart Design Center and Cali-fornia Gift Show brands.

“Mark’s broad home furnish-ings category perspective gained through years of proven busi-ness leadership aligns well with our mission of continued domes-tic and international expansion,” says Jeffrey L. Portman, Sr., pres-ident and chief operating offi cer of AmericasMart parent com-pany AMC Inc.

Furlet will report to David Savula, AMC executive vice pres-ident for all home, area rug and gift leasing. HTT

SEATTLE — Pacifi c Coast Feather Company’s president and ceo Eric Moen will retire at the end of the month after a decade at the helm. He will be succeeded by Joe Crawford, cur-rently senior vp of finance and procure-ment.

Crawford, a 20-year veteran of PCFC, also serves as the mar-keting chair of the American Down and Feather Council, the industry association.

Moen joined the company

23 years ago after holding fi nan-cial management positions in the apparel industry and as

an auditor in public accounting.

“I am very proud of the work that we have collectively done and our market position” said Moen. “We have created an incredible plat form and a very so l id bus ines s wi th nothing but potential for the future. The

management team is strong, focused and very committed to the ongoing development of the

business.”C o - c h a i r m a n N i c o l a s

Hanauer noted Moen “has guided the company through some of the most diffi cult times for both the industry and the U.S. economy, while advanc-ing PCFC’s status as the global leader in utility bedding.” He added that Crawford “is as pre-pared to lead this company as any chief executive in our his-tory. His decisive leadership, his personal style, and his deep experiences across the entire value chain of our business uniquely qualify him to quickly step in to this role.” HTT

Moen to Retire as President, ceo of Pacific Coast Feather Company

Furlet Joins AmericasMart

Atlanta

JOE CRAWFORD

Pacific Coast Feather Co.

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DEC JAN FEBMAR MARAPR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEPT OCT NOVSource: Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Average, a unit of Instinet, a Reuters company.

4.1%2012

year-over-year

-5.0%

-3.5%

-2.0%

-0.5%

1.0%

2.5%

4.0%

5.5%

7.0%

8.5%

10.0%

March Same-Store SalesJohnson Redbook Index

Same-store sales % change

WINNERSRoss Stores 10.0%TJX Cos. 10.0%Macy’s Inc. 7.3% Target Corp. 7.3% Costco Wholesale Corp. 5.0%Kohl’s Corp. 3.6%Duckwall-ALCO 2.3%

LOSERSStein Mart (0.3)The Bon-Stores Inc. (0.1)

WINNERS AND LOSERS

MARCH SALES FOR KEY RETAILERSFive weeks ended March 31, 2012 (dollar amounts in millions) a

2012 2011 TOTAL SAME-STORE SALES SALES % CHG. % CHG.

The Bon-Ton Stores Inc $254.1 $254.5 (0.1) (0.1)

Costco Wholesale Corp. b $9,130.0 $8,330.0 10.0 5.0 Duckwall-ALCO Stores Inc. $45.0 $43.3 4.0 2.3 Fred’s Inc. $194.0 $188.9 3.0 0.0 Kohl’s Corp. $1,815.0 $1,723.0 5.3 3.6 Macy’s Inc. $2,358.0 $2,206.0 6.9 7.3 Ross Stores Inc. $955.0 $828.0 15.0 10.0 Stein Mart Inc. $127.5 $127.0 0.4 (0.3)Target Corp. $6,427.0 $59.6 7.9 7.3 The TJX Companies Inc. $2,300.0 $2,000.0 0.1 10.0

9 WEEKS 2012 2011 TOTAL SAME-STORE SALES SALES % CHG. % CHG.

The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. $453.5 $452.2 0.3 0.3 Costco Wholesale Corp. $16,170.0 $14,710.0 10.0 NADuckwall-ALCO Stores Inc. $482.8 $426.6 4.0 3.0 Fred’s Inc. $352.9 $342.6 3.0 (0.4)Kohl’s Corp. $2,989.0 $2,884.0 3.6 1.8 Macy’s Inc. $4,218.0 $3,969.0 6.3 6.1 Ross Stores Inc. $1,632.0 $1,423.0 15.0 10.0 Stein Mart Inc. $208.1 $207.5 0.3 0.1 Target Corp. $11,559.0 $10,705.0 8.0 7.2 The TJX Companies Inc. $4,000.0 $3,500.0 13.0 10.0

a. Reporting periods vary among retailers.b. Costco’s March comp results are for the U.S. division and do not

include the positive impacts of inflation in gasoline prices or the

negative impact from foreign currencies. Including those impacts, comps for the month were up 6.0% in the U.S. division, 7.0% in the international division, and 6.0% for the total company.

March Comps Mostly PositiveBY CECILE B. CORRAL

NEW YORK — This winter’s un-usually warm weather trends coupled with an earlier Easter Sunday compared to last year boosted same-store sales for many key retailers in March.

As has been the case for sev-eral consecutive months, the strongest performers were off-price competitors TJX Cos. and Ross Stores. They were followed closely by Target and Macy’s. All reported better-than-expect-ed comps.

Once again, those posting the weakest results included

mid-tier department stores Bon-Ton and Stein Mart – both with slightly negative comps.

Among the 10 stores HTTtracks monthly, only Fred’s re-ported fl at comps.

Home was not a strong cat-egory for most during the

month.Target’s home comps in-

creased in the low single-digit range, with the strongest per-formance in seasonal categories and the softest performance in decorative home.

Stein Mart cited home — specifi cally linens — as among the categories that posted the

April 16, 2012

BUSINESSTodaY

NEW YORK — Retail comps rose 4.1% in the fi rst week of April, according to The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index.Month-to-date, April was up 4.1% compared to April of last year. For the month, Redbook expects April comps to rise 3.5%. Month-over-month showed a 0.8% gain com-pared to March, relative to a target of a 0.1% gain.As retailers enter the final month of the fi rst quarter, re-sults of the fi rst week were running better than expect-ed, noted Redbook analyst Catlin Levis. “Last minute Easter-related purchases drove demand for candies, toys and boys and girls

apparel,” she continued. “Retailers benefi ted from year-over-year comparisons as an earlier Easter created more sales volume in the week. Warm weather helped full-priced seasonal ap-parel business, especially women’s apparel and

footwear. Basic food and consumables as well as garden supplies also did well.” HTT

Same-store sales

Another Solid Week For Comp Sales

Johnson Redbook IndexFirst week of April, year-over-year % change

WEEK ENDED 4/07 4/14 4/21 4/28 MONTH TARGET

Department stores* 3.4 3.4 2.6Discounters 4.5 4.5 4.0Redbook Index 4.1 4.1 3.5*Including chain stores and traditional department storesSource: Johnson Redbook Index

chain’s strongest comps in the fi ve weeks.

But at TJX, where home has

been a bright spot for several months, apparel took the spot-light in March. By segment, Marmaxx’s comps were up 10%, driven by the apparel category’s 12% comp versus home’s 1%.

Home Goods was up “a strong” 6%, noted Sherry Lang, TJX’s vp of global communica-tions.

Winners and Home Sense combined comped up 8%, “and we’re pleased to see strong trends continue in our Canadi-an business,” Lang summed.

Kohl’s home business posted a negative comp with “decreases in substantially all discretionary categories,” the company said.

Ross Stores was mum about its home business. Instead, the off-pricer cited juniors, chil-dren’s and shoes as its strongest merchandise categories in the month.

At Macy’s, the strengths in performance was “once again … balanced across Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, stores and on-

line, geographies and families of business,” said Terry Lundgren, chairman, president and ceo. “The early warm weather drew attention to our outstanding as-sortments of fresh spring goods, which were received enthusias-tically by customers.”

The company’s online sales were especially strong — 39% in March and 35.6% year-to-date for macys.com and bloom-ingdales.com combined. HTT

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Nichols made his fi rst proto-type in 2008.

“But I couldn’t really wrap my head around it at the time,” Nichols said. “I liked it and thought it looked really cool, but didn’t know how to make it in a viable product. I don’t think that way. I think more in the ar-tistic way.”

Realizing he lacked industry know-how, Nichols went to work on his approach, experimenting “a little more” on his designs and researching “how to make a pillow, as opposed to how to make printed work, which I al-ready know. I did my due dili-

gence [on pillows].”He wanted to know how to

produce, market, and sell a dec-orative pillow. So he created a six-design line and began show-ing them to some players in the industry.

Then last fall, he came into contact with Joseph Abbati, owner of DQtrs (aka Design Quarters), a San Francisco-based home décor producer, wholesal-er and online retailer.

“His work looked interesting, and he seemed very interested in putting together this pillow collection, so I made some sam-ples and he then got involved in doing some fo the marketing,” Abbati told HTT.

This February, the fi rst BROl-low collection debuted on http://dqtrs.com/DQtrs/DQtrs.html,

which also works with other artists and designers to cre-ate unique decorative pillows, throws and wall hangings for high-end home décor.

“I like the BROllow line be-cause I like the concept of mar-keting to men or for masculine [tastes],” Abbati said. “There isn’t a lot out there marketed for men’s home décor in the mar-ketplace. It’s a segment that I think is often forgotten.”

Abbati said he refrains from t argeting “only men” with BROllow. But, he added, “It’s a good way of speaking to a mar-ket that really isn’t usually spo-ken to. I think that a lot of the design out there, we just natu-rally think that, especially if it’s for a straight married couple, the wife will take care of the décor

in the home. But there are a lot of men who like to get involved with buying things for their man caves or homes or whatever you want to call it. So BROllow is ad-dressing that and giving men an op-tion that speaks to them.”

DQrts retails BROllow pil-lows for $135 each. Abbati said he produces some limited-edi-tion collections, and makes 250 of each design by Nichols.

Now, Nichols wants to ex-pand the line to include some more mass market looks that can retail at major discount depart-ment and mid-tier department

stores.To help him get that effort

started, he has launched a crowd funding campaign on Kickstart-er.com. He is also exploring li-censing opportunities for his designs to the home textiles sup-plier community.

“What I want mainly is to get my BROllow pillows in front of people,” Nichols said. “I want to show them to everyone.” HTT

PILLOWS FROM PAGE 5

Pillows for Bros

April 16, 2012

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Wanted: “Connected” AgentsArtistic Weavers, the Mass Merchant division of Surya Rugs, is looking for independent agents already successfully selling to the Home Fashions divisions of any one of the following accounts:-ShopKo -City Furniture -Meijer -El Dorado-Sam’s Club-Wal Mart -Bealls-Rooms To Go -Big Lots-Kirklands -Value CityWe offer In-stock, Made-To-Order and fully supported E-com programs. Visit us at www.surya.com to see the vast assortment of products we offer. Please send your resume and cover letter to [email protected]

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April 16, 2012 > hometextilestoday.com

CALHOUN, GA. — To inaugurate its new showroom at Showplace 4100, Surya Inc. is hosting a party in the space during the upcoming High Point Market.

Set for April 22, the festivities will begin at 6 p.m. at Surya’s 26,000-square-foot space and will feature a live DJ, dancing, open bar and a catered dinner.

Surya will also be showing its newest collections for market. The lineup spans more than 500 new rugs, decorative pil-

lows, poufs and wall art designs.“We want to give everyone a break from

their hectic appointment schedules and have a chance to enjoy themselves, and if they get the opportunity to view our new collections and best sellers, that’s icing on the cake,” said Satya Tiwari, president.

Surya will also offer ustomers breakfast and lunch daily in the showroom as well as hors d’oeuvres and cocktails every evening during market. HTT

Surya to Fete New High Point Showroom


2 0 1 2 L O G I S T I C S C O N F E R E N C E

Solving the supply-chain puzzleL GISTICS 2.0

Join us for this special one-day conference fi lled with expert speakers, panels and workshops devoted exclusively to retailers and manufacturers in the gifts and home furnishings industries.

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For more information, contact Heather Grant, Conference & Events Manager 336-605-1061 or [email protected]

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Keynote Speaker: Bill Lindler, Sr., CEO of United Steel Storage, is a man leading retailers routinely refer to as ‘The Lynchpin of Logistics.’ Bill will share his decades of experience as he explains key paradigm shifts that are likely to alter the logistics landscape.

Ocean Freight: Smooth sailing ahead, or waves of change? A panel of experts from companies including Havertys Furniture, American Global Logistics, Descartes, Samson Holding and Stanley Furniture will do a deep dive into this sector.

Home Delivery: Leading home delivery experts at Cory 1st Choice Home Delivery and 3PD will share the podium with key retailers from Bob’s Discount Furniture, Home Depot, Haynes Furniture/The Dump and Wayfair, to discuss segment challenges as well as logistics solutions.

Trucking Update: Transportation executives from American Signature, SunBelt Xpress, Zenith and Watkins & Shepard Trucking will update you on many of the key drivers impacting this segment. You’ll hear about fuel costs, hours of service regulations, the dwindling driver pool and much more.

Retail Panel: Key retailers including Badcock Home Furniture & More, Ashley Furniture HomeStores, Williams-Sonoma, Freedom Furniture & Electronics and Broad River Furniture will talk big-picture challenges and best-practice logistical solutions.

Supplier/Importer Panel: Hooker Furniture, Home Meridian International, A.R.T. Furniture and Jofran Furniture will evaluate the logistics landscape from the supplier’s perspective.

Networking Cocktail Party, Wednesday, May 9, 6:30-7:30pm, Westin Peachtree Plaza149$

PER NIGHT800-241-6405

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