SHOP TALK

Cotton Works Moves to New Center Theatre Tower High Point Showroom

Back To Top

American Furniture Alliance: New Name for Elite Products



Elite Products is changing its name to American Furniture Alliance. The company started the transition in 2003 when they launched their website using the new name, and by 2007, the company will have switched over to the new name exclusively.

“Elite Products wanted a name that would stand out among many other companies, in many industries, with similar names. American Furniture Alliance defines more clearly what the company sells (furniture) and shows that it is an umbrella company over several brands (alliance),” said Michael McCarthy, Elite’s marketing director.
Elite/AFA will be wrapping into the new name three distinct brands: Elite Convertibles, their futon line, Bean Bag Factory, their bean bag line and ModFX, their foam furnishings line. Elite/AFA is leaving the door open for other types of furniture offerings and further growth.

Elite was founded in 1985 as a beanbag company and added futons and foam furniture in 1987. Today, the company is still owned by the original founders, who are committed to continued growth and expansion.

Elite/AFA’s expansive showroom in the main World Market Center building in Las Vegas showed off their new name and new logo. “Our current customers and the many new customers that visited us in July had no problem finding us in WMC,” said McCarthy. “Showroom traffic for us was at its best ever! We certainly enjoyed our inaugural show, and look forward to many more exciting shows in Vegas. You know it was a great show when you pull off a subtle name change and leave with an abundance of new customers and success!”

“You can count on the new American Furniture Alliance to offer you more, while maintaining quality and affordability in all of its products,” he said.
For more information, call Elite/ AFA at (800) 338-8667 or go to the AFA website.

Back To Top

Gold Bond's New 'Visco Touch' Sets Higher Standard

Futon mattress pioneer Gold Bond is introducing the nation’s newest futon mattress, a single-sided visco mattress that Gold Bond President Bob Naboicheck calls “the most exciting new product in my 25 years of making futons at Gold Bond.”

The new mattress, now in production, is called the “Visco Touch.” It features five inches of contour-cut 1.8 density upholstery foam that provides added comfort and insures ease of bending the mattress. The Visco Touch also utilizes one inch of super soft foam and three inches of three-pound visco elastic memory foam at the surface. It is then encased in a half-inch layer of densified polyester, which enhances the look, feel, and tailoring and insures perfectly squared corners on each mattress manufactured.

The company introduced the Visco Touch during the Las Vegas market after seven months of testing and refining this mattress.

A New, Higher Standard
“We strongly believe this is the finest seating surface not only in the futon business, but in the upholstery industry as well,” Naboicheck noted. The Visco Touch is available in full, queen and king sizes and will retail for $499.00 in full size. ”No futon comes close to the feel of this product,” he added. “We think we are raising the bar substantially.”

The Visco Touch is the 106-year-old manufacturer’s first single-sided futon. The bottom of each mattress will carry a label that states: “This is not a sleeping or seating surface.”

Gold Bond’s Juvenile Mattress Line-up Introduced
Gold Bond also recently introduced a new juvenile mattress program–Natural Support “Supporting Children All Over the World”–to enable retailers to stay ahead of the trend toward better home products for the entire family. The new kids’ mattress line features four innerspring mattresses that are moisture-repellent, anti-microbial, dust mite-resistant, single-sided, and feature continental tailoring.

The “Princeton” features two inches of latex under a super premium Belgian mattlesse ticking. “Visco” is a second mattress featuring one inch of visco under Belgian mattlesse ticking. The plush “Wellesley” is feminine chintz over soft foam; the firm “Cornell” is blue chintz over soft foam. The mattresses will retail from $249 to $449 in twin size.
Gold Bond began manufacturing high-quality cotton mattresses in 1899 and is now one of the largest independently owned family-operated mattress and futon manufacturers in the USA. For additional information, please contact Bob Naboicheck, President, or Andy Freedman, V.P. Sales and Marketing, at (800) 873-8498, or visit Gold Bond’s website.

Back To Top

Meredith Corp. Partners with SIS Covers to Design Products Made From Better Homes and Gardens Fabrics

Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP), the publisher of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine (circulation 7.6 million), announced today that it reached an agreement with SIS Covers, a leading supplier of furniture coverings, to manufacture and distribute products made from the premiere collection of Better Homes and Gardens™ Home Décor Fabrics.

The products will include futon covers, daybed covers and decorative pillows manufactured from collections of coordinating prints and textured solids selected by decorating editors of Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications. The items will be made available at retail through distributors of SIS products.

The Better Homes and Gardens Home Décor line of covers and pillows will be available in a broad collection of categories including traditional, transitional, and contemporary. The collection will have its premiere at the upcoming Home Furnishings Market in High Point, North Carolina, October 20 - 26th.

“We are excited to extend the Better Homes and Gardens brand into the home furnishings category,” says Doug Olson, vice president/operations, Meredith Corporation. “We believe that consumers will embrace these designs which are inspired by our first class editorial products.”

Olson notes that the Better Homes and Gardens brand continues to expand its portfolio to include everything from books to home decorating, to outdoor furniture and gardening products. “Marketers recognize the power of this brand and its resonance and trust with consumers,” states Olson.

SIS Covers is one of the nation’s first and most respected suppliers of futon covers, daybed covers, and related products. Over the past twenty years it has built a reputation for manufacturing quality products, emphasizing current fashion and design trends.

“The Better Homes and Gardens line will enable the consumer to effortlessly coordinate a room by mixing and matching fabrics designed to work together,” says Shari Hammer, President, SIS Covers. “The line was designed to appeal to a broad range of consumers. We think there is something for everyone.”

Back To Top

Night and Day Furniture Introduces Eurohaus Collection

Introducing the Eurohaus Collection by Night and Day Furniture. Euro-style, Euro-color, Euro-fun!

“I’m telling everyone they need to see it to believe it,” said Mike Gallawa. “This collection is really something special. We’ve combined form with function, comfort with style and easy versatility with elephant-proof construction.”

“I haven’t really elephant-tested it, but I’ll bet it would hold,” he quipped.

Gallawa is so confident of his boast that the Eurohaus Collection comes complete with their Night and Day Furniture warranty: the metal for five years and the cushion for two years.

“Suede-soft microfiber fabrics, stitched and zipped over fiber-wrapped foam cores feel great, and the comfort zone seating angles are designed right into each model,” he said.



“Comfort, comfort, comfort. This was an absolute priority. Don’t give me style without comfort! Consumers enjoy the functionality and versatility featured throughout the Eurohaus Collection,” Gallawa said.

The sofas come with five-position ratchet mechanisms, mix and match ottomans and a variety of fun and colorful microfiber coverings.

“Above all, you’ll find the Eurohaus Collection strong, well made, easy to assemble and trouble free,” said Gallawa.

See more of the Eurohaus Collection at the Night and Day Furniture website. Or just contact Mike Gallawa at (360) 573-3309 for more information.

Back To Top

Life Style Covers Celebrates "Made In America" Success Story

With just a little over two years under their belts, the new owners of Life Style Covers are celebrating their success.

“With my dad and two of my four brothers on board, I guess you could call us a family-owned business,” said David Wiener, the company’s spokesperson.

The company is strictly wholesale and makes all its products at their facility in New York City. “Proudly made in America,” Wiener said.

With a full production house here in the States, Life Style Covers can ship goods the day they get an order or, in some cases, the very next day.

“We are very proud of our commitment to meeting our customers’ needs and have seen a significant growth in our business because of it,” Weiner said.

This commitment to the category plays itself out in eight new groups of swatch books now available in a full array of price points, including the newest “Ultra Suede” group. “We also have a tremendous selection of factory select covers, and we let our customers give us guidance when placing factory select orders with key factors like color, style, theme, etc.,” Wiener said.

The company’s latest niche product utilizes Life Style Covers’ eighteen solid colors. “The “Two Tone” group allows our customers to get covers in almost any combination and match their local school colors,” Wiener said.



This product is a sure-fire hit for the many dealers who cater to the back-to-school shopper. This multi-billion dollar market is seasonal and is part of the marketing strategy of giants like Target and Urban Outfitters as well as thousands of smaller dealers nationwide.

Back To Top

FAI to be at WMC in January

The Futon Association International is heading back to Las Vegas as part of the World Market Center’s January show. After the success of the July Market, FAI is expecting even greater demand for the space in January. FAI President Brian Donohoo stated, “We had exhibitors asking us for the January lease at the July market. We expect the January market to have even more buyers as retailers will be able to get away from their stores more easily at that time of year.”

FAI has leased 20,000 square feet at World Market Center and will sublease this space to its members. The Futon & Specialty Sleep Expo will be located right next to the Specialty Sleep Association space. Donohoo stated, “We are excited to be adjacent to SSA as we are a natural extension of each other. Many of our exhibitors sell similar products and many of our buyers shop their products and vice versa. This will make one stop shopping for this category.” For lease applications or more information, contact FAI headquarters at (800) 327-3262 or www.futon.org.

Back To Top

Convert-A-Couch Sofa Bed Performs Like A Futon

Convert-A-Couch introduced five new arm styles, two mattress options, a smooth European easy-to-convert mechanism and a dazzling array of the newest micro-fiber fashion colors at the Las Vegas Furniture Market. Buyers approved of it, and floored it.
Convert-A-Couch is a sofa bed futon that assembles in any room in less than 10 minutes, requires no tools beyond an Allen wrench (included), ships UPS, and retails from $499-$599 in full size. Texas Futons President Cleatus Abbott said, “We’d been looking for something like this for some time now. It delivers the comfort, ease of conversion, and the look.”



Matching or coordinated pillows are also available. Convert-A-Couch is manufactured in the USA.

For additional information, please call Bruce H. Alexander, Alan Marshall or Stuart Glasser at the Glasser Group, 800-466-9099; or Tom Erdman at Convert-A-Couch, 920-563-7375, and visit the website.

Back To Top

Omni's Workroom In High Demand

Omni Softgoods’ workroom is in high demand these days. Designers and consumers alike place orders daily, requiring the attention of Omni’s skilled seamstresses. “Whether the design is your vision, a picture from a magazine or something shown on a television show, our workroom staff can recreate the look you desire,” said Omni Softgoods general manager Marcia Nachreiner.

“Consumers have become very savvy in the area of design and they know what they want,” Nachreiner said. “Omni’s goal is to make every design a reality, offer it at a fair price and have it on its way to the customer within five days.”

For more information, contact Omni Softgoods at (800) 283-8037.

Back To Top

Retailing How-to Book Available For Small to Mid-sized Retailers

In response to the early sell-out of the first edition of “Inside Retailing 101” last year, Mariste Publishing has announced that the newly revised, updated and expanded second edition has just been released.

Written by veteran business journalist and retailing expert Marlyn Nason, the “Inside Retailing 101” second edition retains all the proven tips for profitable retailing introduced in the first edition. These have been augmented by the latest successful ideas Nason has gleaned in her yearly global travels to over 65 domestic and international trade shows, as well as in-depth interviews with successful, competitive small- to mid-sized retailers.

Topics covered in depth with her latest practical information include the critical areas of vendor partnerships, developing profitable inventory mix, creating winning displays in limited space, identifying the best trade shows maximizing attendance, handling “dogs” and seasonal/themed leftovers, theft/shrinkage, catering to mature and ethnic customers, staffing do’s and don’ts, maximizing the calendar with winning promotions/events, etc.

Proving important in the first edition, the well-received special section for hospital and museum gift shop retailers has also been expanded with practical focus on the volunteers/docents/paid staffing complexities inherent in these shops, as well as all aspects of the unique retailing factors these shops face in dealing successfully with customers, administrators and the community outside the hospital or museum complex.

In response to requests for multiple sales price reductions generated with the first edition, the regular single book price of $19.95 will be reduced to $15 each for purchase of two or more books. For more information on volume discounts and shipping costs contact Mariste Publishing, P.O. Box 8190, Asheville, NC 28814.

Back To Top

The Bedworks of Maine Debuts New Web Site

Solid hardwood furniture from Maine has been the standard fare of The Bedworks for 30 years. Today dealers want a contact point online and The Bedworks is about to meet their needs again.

“It took us a while but we have captured our Made in Maine concept for the web and now consumers can find The Bedworks’ products online, and with our online dealer locator they can find out where to buy them too,” said Janet Moran, of The Bedworks.
The site features great imagery, dimensions, descriptions, and more.

For more information, contact The Bedworks of Maine at (207) 989-1515 or visit their new website.

Back To Top

Arason Introduces ZZZ-ChestT

Arason Enterprises, Inc. is pleased to announce the introduction of three new styles in the ZZZ-Chest cabinet bed. The ZZZ-Chest features substantive changes from the original Fu-Chest design. This space-saving bed has a storage drawer, a deeper cabinet and a sleeping platform that is raised from the floor. It converts from a cabinet into a platform bed in seconds. It is available in a light or dark birch finish in a contemporary style called the Metropolitan, a wicker and fruitwood finish called the Savannah, and a rubbed black finish called the Ravenswood. It is available in full size.

The ZZZ-Chest’s storage drawer and compact size are perfect for people living in smaller homes who need extra sleeping accommodations. The raised sleeping platform makes it a viable sleeping option for most people; its ability to house a thicker mattress is more attractive to retailers who want to sell a higher quality mattress with the chest.

Jane Arason, President of Arason Enterprises, Inc. says, “Over the past year we have had numerous requests for a cabinet hide-away-bed that was up off the floor. We listened to our customers and developed a mid-priced chest bed that has storage, a raised sleeping platform, and space for a thicker mattress and is easier to use. We kept the best features of the original Fu-Chest such as its portability, small footprint, attractive cabinet style and relative low cost when compared to a Murphy bed.”

Suggested retail price for the ZZZ-Chest style cabinet bed ranges from $1,300 to $1,450 for the double size. This is about half the cost of a wall bed. It will accept an 8-inch folding mattress or futon. Mattress is sold separately. Dimensions are L 59.5” x W 20.75” x H 48”. The ZZZ-Chest, an import, is on display in Plaza Suites space 2-300 during the October High Point Market.

Arason Enterprises received a patent for the original Fu-Chest bed (patent number 6,851,139) in February of this year. Original Fu-Chest styles include:The Mission style, with traditional lines, available in either a medium oak or a dark oak finish; The Cosmopolitan Style, with a contemporary look, available in either a natural birch or a dark mahogany on birch finish.

Suggested retail price for the original Fu-Chest ranges from $396 to $490, depending on style and size. Futon mattress is sold separately. All styles are available through retailers or on-line merchants and can be seen on the website.

For more information, contact Jane Arason at (410) 703-4412.

Back To Top

FL