Retail briefs
Family Dollar, Federated, Star Furniture, Kmart, Lane Home Furnishings
-- Home Accents Today, 6/17/2005 9:42:00 AM
* Family Dollar Stores is looking to ramp up its focus on home by upgrading its merchandise and adding more special events as well as improving the performance of its urban stores and opening 500 to 560 stores this year, according to David Alexander, company president and COO.
* Federated Department Stores will cut 200 jobs from its credit card group, but the affected employees are to be reassigned to new tasks. The news came less than a week after the Macy's parent said it would sell its Financial Administrative and Credit Services Group to help bankroll its $17 billion takeover of St. Louis rival, May Department Stores. Federated is selling its credit assets to Citigroup for almost $7.4 billion. Federated officials said they told employees in an internal memo the same day as the announcement that they will actually cut 300 positions but also take back 100 employees currently on General Electric's payroll when the retailer ends its relationship with the conglomerate's financial services arm.
* Houston-based, Star Furniture debuted its Casa Cristina Furniture Collection June 8 with Cristina Saralegui, host of The Cristina Show. Shoppers were able to meet the TV star and view a collection of photographs depicting milestones in her life as well as get photos and a limited number of Cristina's book, My Life as a Blonde, autographed. The event was sponsored by Pulaski Furniture, manufacturer of the Casa Cristina Collection, and was one of the first in a series of events to be held throughout the country to promote the new line. Shoppers were given home cards worth $100 on Casa Cristina furniture purchased within 30 days of the event, and are eligible to participate in a drawing for a piece of furniture from the Casa Cristina collection as well as a drawing for tickets to attend a taping of one of Cristina's shows. Star Furniture also will make a donation to Neighborhood Centers, Ripley House and the Mexican Women's Initiative in conjunction with the introduction of the furniture collection, and in suort of Star Furniture's continued commitment to the community.
* Kmart and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia launched Everyday Rooms by Martha Stewart, ready-to-assemble furniture in stores this month. The collection features 20 pieces for the bedroom, kitchen and living room including beds, nightstands, armoires, china cabinets, kitchen islands, upholstered sofa and armchairs, demilunes, nesting tables and more.
* Lane Home Furnishings is moving into Orlando in a big way. Father and son team, Tony and Dominic Persampiere, plan to open four new Lane Home Furnishings stores in Orlando by the end of 2006. The first store opened June 17. Up until now, Lane sold its Eddie Bauer, National Geographic, Country Living and Robert Idol lines through retail outlets that didn't bear its brand name, including the Persampieres' store, The Leather Galleries, in Orlando. The stores will enter a competitive Central Florida home furnishings market. Should the current $8 million local undertaking go well, Lane has authorized the Persampieres to add another four to six stores in the area, company officials said.
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Retail
Jul 15, 2005
Featured Company
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Wright Labels
Bill and Tom Wright founded Wright of Thomasville in 1961 on the idea that printing was a creative medium and the belief that "a promise made is a promise kept." The Wright brothers focused their attention on providing exceptional printing for the... more
