Nicotera to join Big Lots
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, April 28, 2003
Columbus, Ohio — Industry veteran Mike Nicotera will join fast-growing furniture retail powerhouse Big Lots here on May 5 as vice president and divisional merchandise manager for furniture, bedding and rugs.
Nicotera, who has worked on both the retail and supplier sides of the furniture business, is leaving Florida department store chain Burdines, where he has been vice president and divisional merchandise manager for furniture, including rugs and bedding. Burdines, a Federated division, has not named a successor.
At Big Lots, he will succeed Andy Robinson, who is no longer with the company. Nicotera will report to John Johnson, senior vice president and general merchandise manager.
Discount retailer Big Lots — formerly known under the corporate name Consolidated Stores — carries furniture in about 700 of its 1,380-plus full-line Big Lots stores and also at some 50 freestanding Big Lots Furniture stores, which are each about 15,000 square feet.
Company officials say they consider the in-store furniture departments a higher priority than the freestanding units. Furniture and bedding sales for the fiscal year ended Feb. 1 were $440 million, a jump of nearly 26% from $350 million the previous year.
