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Posted by Mike Landfair on March 14, 2010
 Back in February of 2006 Linens & Things was taken over by NRDC Real Estate Advisors and shareholders received $1.3 billion. Linens 'n Things operated 542 stores in 47 states and six provinces in Canada. At the time of the takeover, the folks at NRDC said ..."underlying fundamentals of Linens 'n Things remain strong, including strong brand name recognition, attractive real estate locations and the fundamentals of the industry are very favorable. As a result, Linens 'n Things has the opportunity to significantly improve its financial performance in the near term."As you know things didn't turn out as planned. On May 2nd, 2008 Linen's & Things filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed 120 stores. I just ...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on March 6, 2010
 Lately, I've been concerned that while Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is very much involved in social media networking, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn etc., we've barely scratched the surface of what could be done. I say that because in the March 3rd Oregonian Business section there's an article about startup ShopIgniter receiving $3 million in VC funding. ShopIgniter seeks to pair online retail with social networking, enabling retail clients to integrate their marketing with Facebook, Twitter and other popular social networking sites....Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on March 2, 2010
 My blog post about DesignerAtHome.com prompted a lot of comments at LinkedIn. I don't know if you have to be a member of a particular group to read the discussions, however, Bill Sands commented on the post at the Interior Design Group. He gave me permission to reprint his comments. Bill Sands is owner, CEO, and creative director at ethniciti. What is ethniciti? ethniciti will offer a sensual, African-inspired collection of products and services created to connect with, inspire, and indulge the modern African-American consumer....Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on March 1, 2010
 Back in 2008, I mourned the loss of Nichols & Stone, an old line furniture that traces its roots to 1762. In July, 2008 after a lot of work trying to keep the plant functioning and keep solid employees, the company was sold to Stickley. At the time FURNITURE Today reported "...the U.S. furniture manufacturer, will be run as a separate division of Stickley. New product in the line will make its debut in the Stickley showroom at this October’s High Point Market..." Today, Home Furnishings Business reports that "Nichols & Stone has...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on February 27, 2010
 A year ago, I wrote about King Cotton??? and suggested that because the planting of cotton had fallen 42% from 2006, that cotton prices may be headed up. I wrote at the time, ...just when demand for furniture and clothing picks up, manufacturers will be scrambling for supplies, and the demand will raise prices for raw materials used in manufacturing.I took a look at current prices and here's the latest monthly chart:  Cotton closed on Friday at $.8261 a pound, the highest monthly close in nine years...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on February 27, 2010
 I think interior designers ought to love this. Seriously! Interior designer James Charles (an award-winning interior designer with more than 25 years of experience) recently launched DesignerAtHome.com, a revolutionary—and surprisingly affordable—online resource that puts the power of professional design and expertise into the consumer’s hands... without the professional’s fee.Here’s how it works: * Step 1. You provide DesignerAtHome (DAH) with some basic room measurements, photos and a complete style profile Q&A. * ...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on February 27, 2010
 In the furniture business, we like to sell quality because it lasts. I remember my ex-wife inherited an oak mirror, drawer and hat box that came out of an old hotel in Montana that, other than a little dirt ,was just as useful and valued as the day it was built. We also received an oak round dining table that she still uses to this day, I understand. Maybe, you've seen the Toyota ads featuring a man just considering a car wash. He first is going to press the cheap button, but his son shakes his head, opting for the most expensive. He knows the Toyota may be his car someday. Back in the 60s, Jackie Kennedy had eight Merimekko dresses that she wore on the campaign trail. It was the first time most of us had ever...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on February 24, 2010
 Many have seen money handed out to banks, car companies, states for construction and all sorts of other "worthy" causes and have wondered where's my bailout money? Well, Business.Gov has an answer in a weekly update titled SBA Small Business Loans Explained–Availability, Eligibility and the Application Process. The article covers these topics:
Posted by Mike Landfair on February 23, 2010
Our family got together this weekend to celebrate the birthday of my oldest daughter, Gilyn. She turned 39! Over breakfast, we enjoyed the grandkids and we laughed at the funny things they said. I can barely remember those days after Gilyn and her sister Erica were born.It came as a surprise to me, then, to read that new mothers make radical changes in the way they relate to the world. The latest eMarketer newsletter tells us that if our retail market is focused on young women, we need to change the manner in which we deliver our marketing message when they become mothers. First of all the article "How Retailers Can Reach Moms" tells us how important it is to connect to mothers: "...mothers con...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on February 17, 2010
 Market Street building in San Francisco, using terra cotta trim. Earlier this month I posted about Elements International. The Portland company decided to open their "To The Trade" showroom floor to the public prompting me to ask on Linkedin "To The Trade Only - Is That Still A Valid Business Model?" I received a large number of responses and invite you read them and add your own thoughts to the mix. I asked Karen Ingalls about her store and top sellers. She pointed out Gladding McBean (GMB), maker of Architectural Garden Pottery. I had never heard of the company and not...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on February 17, 2010
Those are the results from a new study “2010 Social Media Report” released by ForeSee Results.The overwhelming winner in terms of shopper presence was Facebook, with more than one-half of respondents using it regularly. YouTube took the second spot.  The study found that shoppers looked at many brands, but became fans of only a few, illustrating a fan's importance to a retailer. The study also found that the top two reasons for interacting with a brand on Facebook were to get a good deal and learn about products. If you want to connect with yo...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on February 10, 2010
 We received an email from Steven Bard of Bard International, maker of unique home accents and realistic display food and drinks. He wrote, As of February 2010, Bard has been acquired by Humphreys Farm, Inc. The Babas Marketplace division will be doing business as Display Fake Foods – www.displayfakefoods.com. The accessory division will be doing business as Modern Day Accents. The accessory line will be condensed in size, offering the best selling selection of contemporary home accents. The Modern Day Accents site is currently under construction and the Bard Intl website will continue to function as a shopping cart to place orders until the site is completed.Their drink displays are...Read More
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