Edited By Kris Kyes

The Boca Bay collection from Palm Springs Rattan

Palm Springs Rattan & Garden ClassicsOffers Quick-shipment Capabilities
With the belt-tightening trend occurring throughout the retail industry, a need has grown to provide end consumers with high-quality products without the challenges of warehousing. For 2010, Palm Springs Rattan & Garden Classics®, wholesale manufacturer and distributor of high-quality casual furnishings, has enhanced its quick-shipment capabilities to meet this need.

Since 1998, Palm Springs Rattan & Garden Classics has been the answer for a growing number of retailers, with extensive inventory of the latest product designs, a computerized inventory system, a responsive customer-service department, and a proven shipment facility.

“We have seen, over the years, an increase in demand for fast availability—not only for retailers without large warehousing capabilities, but also from those with shorter seasons, for which bringing in extensive inventories has become prohibitive,” Tami Newton, director of sales and marketing, explains. “Our entire operation is designed to meet the demands found in today’s retail marketplace.” For more information about Palm Springs Rattan & Garden Classics, visit www.palmspringsrattan.com or contact Tami Newton at sales@palmspringsrattan.com.

Bew White (left), president of Summer Classics, and his son, William White, president of Gabby

Gabby Makes Its Debut
Gabby™, which calls itself a new company with an old soul, is making its mark at the 2010 AmericasMart in Atlanta, Georgia, with a wide range of fine interior furnishings designed to appeal to clients with a taste for old-world refinement and uncompromising comfort. Gabby meets that need with beautiful, highly functional designs inspired by classic European designs.

Each piece is handcrafted using materials that communicate warmth, luxury, and quality at first touch. Many of the products are made with reclaimed wood that, in its former life, could have been the door of an old building, with its planks silvered and faded by decades of morning sun.

Gabby was founded in 2009 and draws on 30 years of experience from its parent company, Summer Classics. Many of the new company’s individually handcrafted pieces are built with a combination of unique materials. Gabby will launch its Web site (www.gabbyhome.com) and a full catalog in February 2010. The company will continue to expand, adding to the more than 350 dealers currently retailing the parent company’s outdoor products throughout the United States.

Teaming Up: Schou USA and Margaritaville Enterprises
Schou USA and Margaritaville® Enterprises, Inc., have formed a partnership for the design and marketing of a new collection of outdoor furniture and accessories based on the internationally popular Margaritaville lifestyle. Colorful, high-energy pieces will include beach furniture, umbrellas, pavilions, dining and deep seating sets, and a wide range of accessories for outdoor entertaining. The Schou collection will be the most extensive line of Margaritaville-branded products developed to date, targeting a core consumer following numbered in the millions worldwide.

“Our partnership is focused on creating outdoor furniture and accessories that will invite people to kick back, relax, and immerse themselves in a lifestyle that relishes good friends and good times,” Chris Curran, president of Schou USA, explains. “We will create products truly unlike anything on the market today.”

The idea for the partnership originated with Bruce Masden, vice president of sales for Schou USA. Masden had long recognized the value of the Margaritaville brand and the niche available for a line of outdoor furnishings to make the brand come to life.

From left: Heather Houser, Rich Bodensteiner, and Linda Wilson of Hearth & Home Technologies

Hearth & Home Technologies: A Great Place to Work
Hearth & Home Technologies (Lake City, Minne­sota) was named one of the best places to work in the Over 100 Employees category by the Workforce Investment Board of Southeast Minnesota. This is the second year in a row that Hearth & Home Technologies has received this distinction. Data were measured for such parameters as turnover, growth, employee training/development, promotion rates, employee evaluations and feedback, percentage of employee injuries, diversity of management, benefits offered, average paid days off, and increases in pay.

Henning Meyer-Woll

A Novel Approach to Marketing the Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue Brand
Barbecue Masters, European distributor for a number of brands manufactured by The Companion Group, announced this week an unprecedented marketing campaign for its Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue™ brand in its Norwegian market. The idea came from Henning Meyer-Woll, official sales representative for the Best of Barbecue line in Norway.

Just as many U.S. residents are, “Norwegians are dependent on cars for getting around,” he says. “Since I drive around more than the average salesperson, I thought ‘What about using my car as a giant advertising poster?’ The idea became reality and gets a lot of attention.” Meyer-Woll also sells propane cylinders and LP gas for cars. The Steven Raichlen branded car runs on LP gas, which is “a better solution for the environment and a more reasonably priced product than gas,” according to Meyer-Woll.
Sarah Farrar, sales manager of special markets for The Companion Group, adds, “We are so impressed with the initiative of our European distributor to expose consumers to our Best of Barbecue brand. We’ve never seen anything like this before and eagerly anticipate how this marketing strategy translates into sales for our international markets.”

Ari Gasner

Ari Gasner Joins Wearbest Sil-Tex Mills Ltd.
Irwin Gasner, president and CEO of Wearbest Sil-Tex Mills Ltd., is pleased to announce the new brand manager for Bella-Dura™, his son Ari Gasner (now the fourth generation to join the family-owned mill). Ari has entered the textile business after spending five years in the commercial–real-estate industry.

His father says, “Ari will be an extreme asset to the company; he will bring a new flavor and bright ideas, coming from a different industry. He is a natural-born merchant, and this will be an easy transition for him.” Ari plans to expand Bella-Dura throughout the casual market by adding new patterns and fresh colors on top of a 100% cradle-to-cradle fabric.

In the coming months, Wearbest is partnering with distributors to offer cut-yardage programs that will allow for shorter lead times. Ari will be based in the company’s studio in New York, New York.

EcoSmart Fire’s products include both freestanding and built-in fireplaces.

EcoSmart Fire ProductsAvailable at Patioworld
The Fire Company, manufacturer and distributor of EcoSmart™ Fire environmentally friendly open fireplaces, has announced the availability of its fireplace products in Patioworld stores, California’s largest selection of premium and exclusive outdoor furnishings and accessories. Patioworld showrooms feature an extensive assortment of exclusive products from both international and domestic manufacturers of fine outdoor furniture, and they will now also carry the EcoSmart Fire product line.

Alexander Eburne, vice president of sales and marketing for EcoSmart Fire USA, says, “We are very excited to partner with Patioworld and have our EcoSmart Fireplaces available at their stores. This economy calls for diversification, and by having our products available at Patioworld stores, we are able to introduce new customers (who might not have otherwise known about the products) to our eco-friendly fireplace lines.”

EcoSmart Fire products include both freestanding and built-in fireplaces that are vent free and do not require any installation or utility connection for their fuel supply. Fueled by denatured ethanol (alcohol)—a renewable, modern energy source—EcoSmart Fires burn clean and are virtually maintenance free.

Hart & Cooley Introduces New Web Sites
Hart & Cooley, Inc., has launched its new and improved series of Web sites for both corporate and brand-specific information. The Web sites are designed to deliver product information, as well as news and online tools for each of the company’s product lines. Featuring a common look and format, in addition to ease of navigation, the new sites effectively integrate the company’s business areas to assist customers. For more information, visit www.hartandcooleyinc.com.

There was a strong turnout for LeisureLiving’s first annual Dealer Market and Conference in December 2009.

LeisureLiving Holds Kickoff Conference in Dallas
Buying Group Services introduced LeisureLiving at its first annual Dealer Market and Conference in Dallas, Texas, on December 5–6, 2009, at the Hilton Anatole. LeisureLiving Buying Group is dedicated to dealers in the residential outdoor-product sales, design, and building fields. LeisureLiving provides services to reduce the overall costs of doing business, increase profitability, advance professional skills, and bring awareness of the industry to consumers.

Vendors attending included Atlantis Outdoor Kitchens, Artisan, Bullfrog Spas, Dal-Tile Corp., Danver, Lynx Professional Grills, Neu Tradition Millwork, Pride Family Brands, Sea Gull Lighting, Summer Classics, Suncoast Furniture, The Stock Market, WarmlyYours, and Whirlpool/KitchenAid. For more information, visit www.leisurelivinggroup.com or contact Glynne Morgan, director of membership, at (713) 723-3545 or glynne@thebgs.com.

2009 International Pool/Spa/Patio ExpoDrew a Full House
Proving still to be one of the most highly trusted sources for leading-edge products, education, and networking, the 2009 International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo concluded its 2009 event amid much energy and excitement. Held November 16–18 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, the show exceeded the expectations of attendees—who found a wide collection of products, services, and technologies—while exhibitors were pleased with solid attendance.

Total attendance was 9,118 (825 fewer verified attendees than the 2008 show had). Attendees included pool/spa builders/installers, retailers, service companies, landscape architects/design agencies, and manufacturers.

Hearth & Home Technologies Teams Up With NFI
Hearth & Home Technologies (HHT), the world’s leading provider of fireplaces, inserts, and stoves, has launched a new partnership with the National Fireplace Institute  (NFI).  The program provides NFI certification materials and testing at discounted rates for top-tier HHT dealers and installing distributors, who are required to have at least one NFI-certified specialist on staff. Through NFI, the specialists are tested on the knowledge required for careful planning and safe installation of hearth appliances and venting systems.

“This is a win–win for our dealers, HHT, and NFI,” Laurie Hanson, HHT’s training and development manager, says. “Dealers and installing distributors benefit from discounted pricing and convenience, and all parties will benefit from having more NFI-certified specialists in the field.”

The NFI certification materials and exam registration are available to HHT dealers and installing distributors online via HHT’s exclusive Hearthville training Web site 24/7. In addition, they can access HHT-provided training webinars at no charge through the Hearthville Web site. NFI testing is then conducted at LaserGrade proctored, computerized testing centers located throughout the United States and Canada.

“For both safety and performance reasons, the design and installation of hearth products require considerable technical knowledge,” Kristi Long, executive director of the HPB Education Found­ation, explains. “We are excited to partner with HHT to make NFI certification possible for more dealers across North America.”

World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest:
May 13–15 in Memphis
The annual Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest will be held May 13–15 in Tom Lee Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. Hundreds of teams will compete for over $110,000 in prizes and for supreme bragging rights.

While grilling is the main theme, the contest wouldn’t be complete without the Ms. Piggie Idol competition, where grown men dress in tutus and snouts and women kick up their heels (hooves). There is also a T-shirt competition, and there is even a best-booth contest. The deadline for entering is February 15, 2010. For more information, visit www.memphisinmay.org.

Halo from Summer Classics

Summer Classics Helps Fund Cancer Research
Summer Classics will donate a percentage of sales for all pieces in the Halo group to ovarian-cancer research. Each piece of Halo will come with special hangtags and point-of-purchase material that dealers can display in their stores to promote the cause. Summer Classics has launched this program in memory of Susan Lambeth, who lost her three-year battle with ovarian cancer in 2009. She had represented the Summer Classics line for more than 15 years in North and South Carolina.

Lucky Distributing Announces New Sales Positions
Lucky Distributing, a 70–year-old, family-owned business based in Portland, Oregon, has made two recent appointments. Jim Markey will assume the position of national sales manager for its Hearth and Home Division. Markey brings more than 30 years of sales experience to the hearth and home industry.

In addition, JoLynne Hoy has been appointed regional sales manager for the Hearth and Home Division. Hoy will be responsible for leading all sales activities in California, Nevada, and Texas. Lucky Distributing is an importer/distributor of multifuel-burning fireplaces and stoves, hearth and home accessories, outdoor power equipment, and energy-efficient products for the home.

Crimson Casual Introduces New U.S.-made Casual Furniture
The founders of Crimson Casual believe that made in the United States is still a phrase to be proud of, and when they make that statement, it’s true in every sense. Others assemble products in the United States from pieces made in other countries, but Crimson Casual (Haleyville, Alabama) uses raw materials from Tennessee, Florida, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Alabama, as well as machinery made in Ohio, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Even the forklifts in the plant were U.S. made. The product is 100% U.S. made by U.S. workers—the best in the world, the company states.

Crimson Casual has been in the planning stages since February 2009. The management team, which has over 200 years of design, engineering, manufacturing, product, and customer-service experience, took time to research what the market wanted in design and price. The Crimson Casual workforce has been producing top-quality casual furniture since 1975. Crimson uses parts machined using computer numerical control, thicker-walled aluminum, and an elaborate finishing product that guarantees the best in U.S. quality.

Owned by a private investment group, Crimson Casual is headed by Jon Bennett, chair and CEO; Tim Smith, COO; and Bobby Tesney, director. Tesney is the former president of Winston Furniture Company and former CEO of Winslow Furniture, and under his leadership, these companies introduced innovations in sling and cushion seating, powder-coated frames, and fabric, in addition to the introduction of an order-turnaround time of 15 working days.

For 2010, Crimson Casual offers a wide range of product groupings in both cushion and sling styles. A variety of beautiful frame finishes and fabrics from leading U.S. manufacturers will give the consumer many choices. Crimson also offers a large choice of tables, including an innovative, machined-billet aluminum tabletop. Crimson Casual has purchased the most elaborate powder-coating system available, which will give customers the best finish in the industry. Manufacturing will begin in March 2010 at the Crimson Casual facility in Haleyville, Alabama.

“I am excited to have a role in the casual industry again,” Tesney says. “The team we have assembled at Crimson Casual has experience in our core values, which include service, quality, and delivery, and the management team includes members from the industry with whom I have had a 30-year relationship. The Crimson commitment remains true to these same values.” For more information about Crimson Casual and its commitment to top-quality U.S.-made products, visit www.crimsoncasual.com.

Minuteman International/ACHLA Designs Mourns President Bob Miller
Robert C. Miller, 55, who served as president of Minuteman International/ ACHLA® Designs (Fitchburg, Massachusetts) for 15 years, died suddenly on December 29, 2009. He leaves his wife of 21 years, Debra A. (McInnis) Miller; two daughters, Amanda A. Brady and her husband, David, of Leicester, and Sharyn M. Miller of Worcester; the mother of his children, Maryellen Pratte, of Leicester; a sister, Beverly J. Miller, of Worcester; two grandsons, Jack and Henry Brady; and several aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces. Miller enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandsons. He enjoyed fishing, working, and riding his motorcycle.

PHPR January/February 2010

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