Furniture Today - June 07, 2004

Ashley Furniture HomeStores did it again. The Arcadia, Wis.-based manufacturer's dedicated store network took the crown as the fastest-growing furniture chain on Furniture/Today's Top 100 for the second consecutive year, barreling ahead of the competition in sales volume growth and holding its own in store expansion.

• News
• Invista group to show at Showtime in July
• Memorial Day saves May
• Belfort steps into Geographic world
• Pa. House teams with Tracy Porter
• Brazil's Sierra targets U.S. with upholstery line
• Cox moves to new plant
• Home Gallery broadens reach in Southern Calif.
• Council planning to push overseas hardwood usage
• Corrections & amplifications
• Weyerhaeuser donates $25,000 to Miss. State furniture program
• Sept. China furniture show filling up fast
• Vanity sinks star still rising
• Sears planning to offer bedding in more stores
• Belfort plans fifth store
• Obituaries
• Bob Buchanan, retired mfg. exec

• Bedding Today
• Only five majors gained share last year, study says

• Opinion Today
• Search for comfy recliner yields a (very) few winners
• Stores still beat the no-no-no drum

• Business Today
• The Brick expects IPO to fuel continued growth
• Pier 1, Bombay, Havertys turn in not-so-merry May
• April another mixed month for furniture measurements
• La-Z-Boy's stock hits 52-week low
• Berkshire's retail group posts 25.8% sales gain

• Up Front
• Vanity sinks spawn more bathroom items
• Rent-A-Center, University Loft cheer on Indy 500 driver
• Federated to 'reinvent' home business
• Primo tilts to freestanding dining, occasional groups
• FurnishNet linking 55 bedding retailers to 8 mattress producers
• Triad schools propose design institute
• King leaves Joan Fabrics
• Mischkot joins Stanley
• Trio promoted at Culp Home
• Bombay taps online help

• People Today
• Alan Morgan hires new sales team
• Media Matters promotes, adds staff
• People on the Move
• People on the Move

• Insider's View
• Some positive ideas to ride out the doldrums

• Store Openings
• Natuzzi adds Calif., N.Y. galleries
• Badcock converts 4 more stores
• Berkline debuts Wis. galleries