patio and hearth products report - july/august 2011

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Just in time for the burning season, this Washington State–approved, wonderfully stylish and impressively fuel-effi cient stove from Lennox’ Country® Collection raises the bar on performance. An innovative heat exchanger provides 32% more surface area than the standard design to deliver more warmth into the room. Plus, several elegant styling options let customers create the look they desire— while helping you close the sale.

Unplug. Connect.The Grandview™ 230 wood-burning stove creates a place where customers love to gather.

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4 Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2011

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J U LY / AU G U S T • VO L U M E 6 , N U M B E R 4

ON THE COVER Gensun Casual Living

8 GUEST EDITORIAL – THE HPBA: WORKING FOR YOU AND YOUR BUSINESSBy Wendy Howells

The chair of the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA)discusses the myriad services that the HPBA offers to those inthe fireplace, barbecue, and outdoor-living industries.

16 CORPORATE PROFILE – A HUNDRED YEARS OF WHITECRAFTBy Cherise Forno

As Whitecraft approaches its 100th anniversary, it continuesto reinvent itself by focusing on customized orders anddiverse design options.

20 SPOTLIGHT – BACKYARD BLISSBy Cheryl Dangel Cullen

As consumer interest in the outdoor room continues to grow,manufacturers are developing stylish and functional productsthat transform backyards into relaxing retreats.

24 MARKETING MANEUVERS – OUTSIDE THE ORDINARYBy Kimberly Rodgers

Desert Patio has weathered bad economic times by offeringextraordinary products and services that keep customers coming back.

26 GAZEBOS CREATE PERFECT OUTDOOR ROOMS By Kimberly Rodgers

Country Lane Woodworking has watched business grow as consumers add pavilions and pergolas to their backyards.

28 HEARTH RETAILER PROFILE – HARD-CORE HEARTHBy Sharon Sanders

In response to the poor economy, Fireplace Villagerevamped its business by eliminating extras and focusingsolely on hearth products.

30 DIVERSIFICATION DRIVES GROWTH FOR WOODMASTERBy Sharon Sanders

The WoodMaster product line has been expanded and nowappeals to a much broader market than ever before.

34 OUTDOOR GRILLING RETAILER PROFILE – THE GRILL GURUBy Sharon Sanders

All Seasons Gas Grill & Fireside Shop has gained a reputa-tion in the community not only for its knowledge of grilling,but for its involvement in local events.

departments6 FIVE

Publisher’s Viewpoint and Editor’s Message

10 INDUSTRY NEWS – Edited by Kris Kyes

62 PRODUCT PROFILES

90 PRODUCT PROFILES DIRECTORY

90 AD INDEX

features

contents

83 64

Follow us on Twitter: @patiohearth

36 ONWARD MANUFACTURING EXPANDS IN THE UNITED STATESBy Kimberly Rodgers

Onward Manufacturing has experienced a rapid growth cycleas it continues to manage its marketing channels closely toensure superior customer service.

38 SHOWROOM SHOWCASE – A BUSINESS WITH HEARTBy Sharon Sanders

Backyard Masters has prospered for more than 30 years byputting customers first and offering exceptional products.

40 POLY-WOOD VALUES PERFORMANCE AND SUSTAINABILITYBy Sharon Sanders

Poly-Wood is one of the leading U.S. producers of casualoutdoor furniture made from recycled materials.

44 AS I SEE IT – DURABLE DESIGNSBy Sharon Sanders

Bella-Dura is experiencing unprecedented growth as casual-furniture manufacturers throughout the world are attractedto its high-performance, stylish fabrics.

48 MY TURN – ONWARD AND UPWARDBy Cheryl Dangel Cullen

Pride Family Brands has been successful, over the years, byadapting its product offerings to meet consumer demand.

52 PRODUCT INNOVATION – A VIRTUAL COMPANYBy Cheryl Dangel Cullen

By retooling its website and energizing its social-media outlets,Morsø is developing new ways to help dealers increase sales.

54 LAST WORD – A STRONG BONDBy Sharon Sanders

NorthCape International’s owner stresses that to be success-ful in the casual-furniture industry, manufacturers and retail-ers must form strong partnerships.

58 PRODUCT FOCUS – FABRIC FLAIRBy Cherise Forno

During this sellingseason, consumersshopping for fabrics can selectfrom a wide rangeof stylish, durabledesigns.

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Robert (Evel) Knievel (1938–2007), daredevil motor-cycle rider and entertainer, said during a television inter-view documenting his wild, exciting ride in life (shortlybefore he passed away), “I don’t know if there is a heaven,but if there is, it’s a place where your kids always remainfive years old.” For Knievel, the fondest memories of hiskids were of when they were five. While I have no doubtthat heaven exists, I do agree with Knievel that the age offive was a very good time with our two boys. As it turnsout, five years is also a very good age for Patio & HearthProducts Report.

The July/August 2011 issue of P&HPR marks our five-year anniversary. To say that the past five years have flownby is an understatement. To say that we have immenselyenjoyed being a part of the patio, hearth, barbecue/grill,outdoor-kitchen, and outdoor-living industry is an evengreater understatement. I have been involved in trade pub-lishing for the past 32 years (I started when I was seven—just kidding), and I can honestly say that the past five havebeen some of the most enjoyable, rewarding years of mypublishing career.

I am often asked whether I would still have launchedP&HPR if I had known in advance that two short yearslater, we would enter the Great Recession. I always replywith an immediate, unequivocal yes. As with most thingsin life, there is no perfect time to launch a company (or tointroduce a new product or service). If people or compa-nies waited for the perfect time, the vast majority of com-

panies, products, and services would never get past theidea stage. As they say in the world of boating, sooner orlater, you have to leave the dock and set sail.

In a good, stagnant, or poor economy, if there is a needfor a new or better product or service, the sooner it getslaunched, the better. As all good businesspeople know, ifyou can only survive or grow during prosperous times, youshouldn’t be in business. Sooner or later, every economy(just like every business or relationship) is going to facechallenging, tough times. As explained by Louis (Lou)Holtz, the legendary Notre Dame football coach andhighly regarded football analyst, 10% of life is what hap-pens to you, and 90% of life is how you respond to it.

I am blessed that after five years, I still have the same artdirector, Cass Estes; the same editor, Carol Daus; the sameassociate editor, Kris Kyes; the same staff writers, CherylDangel Cullen, Kimberly Rodgers, and Sharon Sanders;and the same business manager, Susan Razetto. This year,we added a new staff writer, Cherise Forno, and our firstsocial media editor, Amanda Daus. Surrounding myselfwith people who are smarter, more creative, and more tal-ented than I am is one of the smartest things I ever did. Anintegral component of the success of P&HPR is havingthe loyal, dedicated support of hard-working, highly cre-ative, multitalented people.

We have also been blessed with a loyal base of readersand with advertising support from a large number of man-ufacturers. We greatly appreciate the participation of the

many owners and managers of specialty casual-furniturestores and of retailers and dealers of patio, hearth, barbe-cue/grill, outdoor-kitchen, and outdoor-living productswho have allowed us to profile their businesses—and sharewith our readers the ways in which they have been success-ful in marketing, merchandising, retailing, showroomdesign, and product diversification.

We can’t thank manufacturers enough for supporting uswith their advertising. There are no free lunches in life, andwithout advertising support, there would be no P&HPR.

Rest assured that all of us at P&HPR are just as com-mitted today as we were five years ago—if not more com-mitted—to delivering a high-quality, timely, relevant pub-lication to our readers and advertisers. Here’s wishing allof us continued success. We’re looking forward, with greatanticipation, to the next five years—and beyond.

TONY RAMOSPUBLISHER

[email protected]

In July, one of the biggest eventsin the patio-furniture and outdoor-livingindustry is the ICFA Preview Show™

(formerly Casual Pre-Market) inChicago, Illinois, where hundreds ofretailers get an early look at new productsand services offered by casual-furnituremanufacturers. Another important eventin July is Independent Retailer Month(independentretailermonth.com), whichshould be of special interest to all inde-pendent and mom-and-pop retailers inthe patio-furniture industry, not to men-tion those in the hearth andbarbecue/grill industries.

Independent Retailer Month is a globalcampaign to celebrate the importance ofindependent retailers in the community,the economy, and the overall retail-sectormix. The month of July has been set asideto encourage, engage, and inspire inde-

pendent retailers and the communitymembers who shop at their businesses.

At a time when consumer spending hasplummeted, specialty retailers mustbecome increasingly savvy and aggressivein attracting shoppers in both traditionaland nontraditional ways. Veterans of thesebusinesses know that to remain successful,they must go above and beyond what massretailers offer. Whether it’s providing per-sonalized customer service, quick turn-around of product, or competitive pricing,a specialty retailer can offer a shoppingexperience that most big boxes and chainstores cannot match.

Ironically, after a couple of decades inwhich many retailers grew in size, therecent trend has been one of downsizing,due to changing customer expectations, tosales drifting online, and to the adoptionof lean retail strategies. Big-box chainssuch as Best Buy, Walmart, Office Depot,and Staples are testing smaller stores in cer-tain markets, and this trend is expected togrow throughout the country.

New Crate & Barrel stores will be 25%skinnier than before, and Gap’s Old Navymodel is being reduced by 20%. Evenonce-prosperous Borders, which (alongwith Barnes & Noble) pioneered themegabookstore model, is closing its doors

for good—because it is no longer relevantto a large enough customer base.

As large retailers start shrinking, this isan excellent time for specialty retailers topromote themselves as local experts in thepatio-furniture, hearth, and outdoor-livingindustries. Although Independent RetailerMonth has come and gone, the organizersof that event have compiled a list of waysthat specialty retailers can promote them-selves in their markets at any time of year(for a complete list, visit independentretailermonth.com/index.php/idea-bank). Forstarters, here are just a few ideas:

• support local talent (designers,artists, DJs, and others) by hosting a jointin-store activity;

• conduct a happy shopping hour—with drinks and snacks for your cus-tomers—with music;

• conduct a contest, with customerssubmitting photos of their outdoor roomsor hearth rooms;

• on your website, offer exclusivecoupons that are redeemable only inthe store;

• engage customers with a contest,and have the winner revealed at an in-store event;

• hold a charity event, with a percent-age of sales going to a local charity; or

• team up with other independentretailers to host a shopping crawl.

Even in today’s dismal economy,shrewd independent retailers are findingways to remain profitable. In this issue, ourfeatured hearth retailer, Fireplace Villagein Bedford, New Hampshire, narrowed itsproduct focus (eliminating patio furnitureand grills) to reposition itself as a full-serv-ice hearth shop.

By taking these steps and focusing onInternet-based marketing, it is thriving,even during the recession. The other inde-pendent retailers showcased in this issueare performing well because of their inno-vative marketing techniques and strongcustomer-service programs.

The demise of the retail giant Bordersproves that past performance is no guaran-tee of future success. The most successfulretailers (whether national chains or mom-and-pop stores) will be those that proac-tively implement change, rather thanbecoming complacent about their currentsuccess. We salute those in our industrywho understand this and are making thenecessary changes to weather the uncer-tain economic climate.

CAROL DAUSEDITOR

[email protected]

Publisher’s Viewpointfive

from the editor

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PUBLISHER

Tony Ramos

[email protected]

EDITOR

Carol Daus

[email protected]

ART DIRECTOR

Cass Estes

[email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kris Kyes

[email protected]

STAFF WRITERS

Cheryl Dangel Cullen

Cherise Forno

Kimberly Rodgers

Sharon Sanders

SOCIAL-MEDIA EDITOR

Amanda Daus

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Paul Piwowar

BUSINESS MANAGER

Susan Razetto

CEO & PRESIDENT

Tony Ramos

Corporate Office

Peninsula Media

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Torrance, CA 90503

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Tony Ramos

Peninsula Media

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Torrance, CA 90503

(310) 792-7448

(310) 792-7449/Fax

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Phone: (847) 763-9261

Wendy Howells

The HPBA: Workingfor You and YourBusiness by WENDY HOWELLS

hile attending a recentHearth, Patio & BarbecueAssociation (HPBA) meet-

ing, what occurred to me was how easy itis to take the many services we receivefrom the HPBA for granted—becausethe HPBA team is always there, workingon our behalf. What would life be like, inour industries, if the HPBA’s staff mem-bers were no longer there to work tireless-ly to protect and further our interests, orif we no longer had the support of ourmany volunteers?

Since its inception, the HPBA hasfought vigorously on our behalf. Take, forexample, the EPA’s revision of the NewSource Performance Standards. In 1988,the HPBA fought for the manufacturersof wood-burning stoves and worked withthe EPA to create today’s certification sys-tem for wood stoves.

Now, after more than 20 years, thesestandards are being revised—and, onceagain, the HPBA is going to bat for woodburning. A huge part of this effortinvolves educating the agency on thewood-burning–appliance industry.

Without this effort, consumers wouldnot have the option to burn wood andmanufacturers would not be makingwood-burning products. Instead, we haveclean-burning stoves, and we are partnerswith the EPA in educating consumersabout responsible wood burning andabout improving air quality by replacingold stoves with new EPA-certified stoves.

Now, the gas-fireplace industry isthreatened on two different fronts. A finalrule by the Department of Energy wouldessentially eliminate vented decorative gasfireplaces (a mainstay of the gas sector ofthe hearth-products industry).

When this rule became known, theHPBA immediately rallied to defend theproduct line from unreasonable regula-tion, notifying manufacturers that theirproducts were being threatened, hiringexperts and lawyers to challenge theunwarranted restrictions, and even (possi-bly) going to court to defend the industry.This is a battle no single company could

afford to wage by itself; our strength is inour numbers and our organization.

Every company in the gas industryshould be supporting the effort, or decora-tive products could become a thing of thepast, which would not only be unfairlydetrimental to our industry, but also to themany consumers who enjoy and value thisproduct category.

In addition, fixed glass fronts on gas-burning fireplaces are undergoing reviewby the Consumer Product SafetyCommission (CPSC). Once again, theHPBA’s challenges are to alert the mem-bership that this happening, to organize ateam of experts, and to educate the com-mission about the products.

The HPBA is our conduit for collabo-rating with interested parties (such as theCPSC and the American NationalStandards Institute’s technical groups)—both to evaluate and establish ways of con-tinually strengthening our ability toinform consumers about the safe use ofour appliances and to help ensure that per-formance standards are based on soundscience (and are not design restrictive).

We shouldn’t forget that the HPBAalso provides the showcase where manu-facturers show their products to the mar-ketplace. HPBExpo is the primary (andlargest) trade show for the fireplace andbarbecue industries. This annual event fea-tures the newest technologies and the lat-est products for indoor and outdoor liv-ing, and it provides the forum for buyersand sellers to do business face to face.

Unlike for-profit trade shows,HPBExpo, sponsored and managed bythe HPBA, puts the show’s profits backinto industry programs for members andhelps fund the regulatory battles we’refighting. HPBExpo is the meeting andbuying place for companies that have beenin the industry for 30 years—and thosethat are just entering it. The show alsogenerates a level of public-relations expo-sure that most companies couldn’t buy.

To specialty retailers in North America,HPBExpo brings management know-how, technical expertise, and networking

opportunities that many can’t find in theircommunities. The seminars, sponsored bythe Hearth, Patio & Barbecue EducationFoundation (HPBEF) and held duringthe trade show, bring incomparable valueto HPBExpo attendance.

The HPBEF’s certification program,the National Fireplace Institute® (NFI),certifies installers in the safe and properinstallation of wood, gas, and pellet prod-ucts. The NFI courses and exams are alsooffered at HPBExpo. When you supportthe show, either by exhibiting or byattending, you should feel satisfaction inknowing that your involvement is a greatbusiness investment for you—and thatyou are also supporting your industry.

One of the fundamental benefits of ourassociation is its ability (through theHPBA’s affiliate organizations, as well asthe annual HPBExpo) to bring industryplayers together to listen to each other’spoints of view and to debate the mosteffective ways to grow our industry. Thisbenefits us all and is, perhaps, the mostbasic reason that companies are membersof their industry’s trade group.

Now is neither the time to be a specta-tor nor the time to assume that the otherguy will carry the ball. The HPBA is onlyas strong as its membership—and withoutthe HPBA, neither our industry nor ourbusinesses would be as strong. Whetherfighting our government-affairs battles,collecting industry statistics to track trendsand growth, or educating (and promotingour products to) consumers, we arestronger—and louder—when unified.

Membership in the HPBA is anextremely worthy investment for any com-pany doing business in the fireplace, bar-becue, and outdoor-living industries. TheHPBA is watching your back—and every-one’s back. If you are not a member, jointoday at www.hpba.org. It is vital to yourbusiness and to the industry.

Wendy Howells is chair of the Hearth, Patio

& Barbecue Association and is vice president

and general manager of Lennox Hearth

Products (Nashville, Tennessee).

w

guest EDITORIAL





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Hearth & Home Technologies Launches New Web Portal


by KRIS KYES

Hearth & Home Technologies(HHT), a leading provider of fire-places, inserts, and stoves, will launcha new comprehensive Web portal forits dealers and distributors in lateAugust 2011. The new site(www.MyHHT.com) will serve as areplacement for 12 of the company’solder sites, providing a central, easy-to-use location where dealers canplace orders, track shipments, andcorrespond with HHT employees.

Diane Utzman-O’Neill, seniorvice president of marketing for HHT,says, “The main goal of the website isto make life easier for our channelpartners. In one place and with one

login, our partners will be able toaccess all the tools and informationthey need, greatly simplifying andstreamlining their business interac-tions with HHT. The system willrecognize their business, their indi-vidual role, and brands carried, andwill serve up customized contentaccordingly.”

When dealers sign in atMyHHT.com, the system recognizesthem, so it can deliver customizedcontent and relevant brands. Dealerscan then place orders, track ship-ments, take Hearthville training,manage cooperative advertising andwarranties, and access useful informa-

tion—such asowner’s manuals,marketing materi-als, and price lists.

The portal alsooffers new tools forlead managementand simple claimsubmission. Onlineinteraction withHTT has beenenhanced using aforum calledInteract, which is accessed by visitingMyHHT.com. In addition, a newHHT loyalty program, MyHHTRewards, can also be reached through

this new Web portal. AtMyHHT.com, partners can registerfor the loyalty program and tracktheir progress.

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As retailers find themselves in themiddle of the summer selling season,they are noticing that customers shop-ping for shade products not only aredrawn to bold designs and colors, but arealso demanding larger sizes to offer maxi-mum protection from the sun.Durability and ease of use are the otherfeatures that consumers consider whenselecting a shade product. TUUCI(Miami, Florida) and Treasure Garden(Baldwin Park, California) offer a widevariety of new umbrellas and pavilionsthat customers will want for their out-door areas.

According to Dougan Clarke, founderand CEO of TUUCI, its Ocean Mastercollection remains extremely popular thisyear; the sales figures for new products inthe Ocean Master MAX and PlantationMAX collections are evidence of a grow-ing demand for large shade products.

TUUCI introduced the newPlantation MAX cantilever this year. Itfeatures TUUCI’s exclusive Aluma-TEAK™ finish, which provides the cor-rosion resistance, weather stability, andlow maintenance of aluminum while

being almost indistinguishable from realwood. The new MAX large parasols fea-ture a polished-titanium marine finish,with both stainless-steel and marine-composite components for durability.

“The construction of these products(along with our classic European tailor-ing) makes the Plantation MAX can-tilever one of our most refined and beau-tiful new product entries ever,” Clarkesays. “Our crank system makes the opera-tion of our shade platforms easy, and thetelescoping features of our masts ensurethat our clients can deploy these largeshade products without having to movefurniture to do so.”

Treasure Garden offers a wide array ofshade solutions because it recognizes thatthe size and design aspects of umbrellasare evolving and expanding to meet abroad variety of consumer needs. Jeff B.Dorough, vice president of sales and mar-keting for Treasure Garden, has noticed aheightened demand for pavilion prod-ucts. As a result, Treasure Garden’s newpavilion, providing a roomy, enclosed12x12-foot space, has been well receivedin the marketplace.

Treasure Garden’s collar-tilt col-lection (available in four sizes) isanother popular, technologicallyadvanced shade product. With thecollar-tilt umbrella, people have theability to adjust the angle of theumbrella easily to optimize shade atany time of day.

In keeping with the demand for largeumbrellas, the cantilever collection con-tinues to be a very hot seller. Featuring10-foot square, 11-foot octagonal, and13-foot octagonal umbrellas (the largestof which provides 133 square feet ofshade), this multipurpose collection ispopular with customers who seek maxi-mum shade protection.

According to Dorough, TreasureGarden stands apart from competitorsnot only because of its high-quality prod-ucts, but because of its sophisticated styleand attention to detail. Treasure Gardenoffers more than 150 fabrics fromSunbrella®, as well as from TreasureGarden’s exclusive brand, O’bravia™. In2011, Treasure Garden introduced anexclusive purple color, eggplant (fromSunbrella), that is selling extremely well.

A new hot-pink fabric fromSunbrella, plus an exclusive Cannescabana stripe coordinating fabric, will beintroduced for 2012. Dorough stressesthat bright, fun, and upbeat colors areincreasingly popular as people seek huesand designs to elevate their moods andvisually enhance their yards.

He says that gray tones also continueto be popular this year, especially whenpaired with gold/yellow and purple/kiwicombinations. The Milan stripe, which isa combination stripe of gray, kiwi, andpurple, will be featured in the 2012O’bravia line; so will the New York stripe,which will combine gray, yellow, and goldto create an urban look. “TreasureGarden is the shade color authority,”Dorough says. “We have really beautiful,energetic colors for 2012.”

Shade Solutions From TUUCI and Treasure Garden

TUUCI’s PlantationMAX cantileverumbrella andTreasure Garden’sexclusive Cannescabana stripe fabric

http://www.MyHHT.com

July/August 2011 Patio & Hearth Products Report 11

Bull Outdoor Participates in National BarbecueAwareness Program

Bull Outdoor Products is proud to announce its sponsorship of and participation inthis summer’s American Grill Master Experience. Michael McDearman, grill master, willbe performing grilling demonstrations to educate the public on how to make the bestuse of Bull Outdoor Products’ high-quality grills and accessories.

This educational tour will run in conjunction with the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) national barbecue competition. Spectators will learn barbecuing secrets and will get aglimpse of the professionals in action. The American Grill Master Experience and the KCBS-sanctioned professional grilling events will be taking place at 17 locations across theUnited States.

Mark Nureddine, president and founder of Bull Outdoor Products, says, “We are excited about being part of such a special event.” He adds that barbecue cooking is at the core ofU.S. culture, saying, “We think this type of hands-on event is the best way to educate our consumers and to support our dealers across the entire country.”

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The HammockSourceSalutes WeaverLenwood Haddock

As part of this year’s NationalHammock Day (July 22), TheHammockSource formally recognized itslongtime weaver, Lenwood Haddock, whoweaves between 12 and 18 hammock bedsa day, averaging roughly 90 to 120 perweek. The HammockSource estimatesthat he has woven about 125,000 ham-mocks for the company since he started(nearly 25 years ago). If that weren’tenough, Haddock is also completely blind.“The first hammock I wove took me allday,” he says.

Watching Haddock at work can behypnotic. His right hand dances throughthe air, making rapid small loops with a bigwooden needle wound with rope, his lefthand running along the last row he’swoven, pulling and tightening. “If I slowdown too much,” he jokes, “I’m liable tohit myself in the head.” Haddock willdemonstrate his weaving techniques atThe HammockSource’s booth at the 2011Chicago International Casual Furniture &Accessories Market™ in September.

Homecrest Launches New Website

Homecrest Outdoor Living (Wadena,Minnesota) has launched a new website(www.homecrest.com). It allows users tonavigate the site easily and gather usefulinformation, design advice, and the abilityto personalize their outdoor spaces—usingboth the Interactive Design Center (ver-sion 3.0) and the new easy-to-use PatioPlanner powered by Icovia.

In redesigning the Homecrest website,Homecrest used a variety of search-engineoptimization techniques to help generateincreased traffic to the site and to itsretailer network. Several social-network-ing services (such as Facebook, Flickr, andTwitter) were added to the website toeducate the dealers and consumers ofHomecrest products.

Bull Outdoor’s involvement in this summer’s American Grill Master Experience has helped edu-

cate consumers and retailers about barbecue techniques.

http://www.homecrest.com

http://www.infratech-usa.com


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Twin-Star International Holds Fourth AnnualTake Your Child to Work DayTwin-Star International invited the future generation of Twin-Star fans to enjoy a dayin parents’ seats for the fourth annual Take Your Child to Work Day. Those whowork in Twin-Star’s global headquarters in Delray Beach, Florida, were encouraged tobring their kids to the office to participate in the Take Our Daughters and Sons toWork national initiative. This year marked the 20th year of the program, which nowhas over 35 million youths and adults participating in over 3 million companies.

By allowing children to experience the workplace, Twin-Star hopes to inspire ageneration of future workers to explorethe opportunities and life choices thatthey have ahead of them. Twin-Star’snewest employees participated in team-building exercises, problem-solving activ-ities, one-on-one employee interviews,and even arts and crafts. It wasn’t allbusiness, though, as the kids were treatedto an ice-cream–sundae party after theirhard day’s work. Twin-Star Internationalis the manufacturer of ClassicFlame elec-tric fireplaces.

Summerset Outdoor Living has expandedits custom-cushion program, in an effort touphold the company’s mission to be the pre-mier provider of high-quality outdoor fur-nishings (while giving superior customerservice to its dealer network). SummersetOutdoor Living went from offering four stockSunbrella® fabrics to carrying more than 40Sunbrella fabrics for 2011–2012. In addition,it is willing to offer any of the Sunbrella fabricsthat are not offered in its stock program byusing the local Sunbrella distributor.

Anthony Rodriguez, president ofSummerset Outdoor Living, explains that theexpanded cushion program is another way thatSummerset Outdoor Living is supporting itsdealer network: by providing the whole out-door-living package. Rodriguez stresses theimportance of building relationships with othermanufacturers and companies so that it canbetter support its dealer network.

Summerset Outdoor Living has alreadyworked closely with other companies—han-dling their custom-cushion programs—and iswilling to go the extra mile for customers,whether or not they carry the SummersetOutdoor Living line of furniture or need tohave cushions made for another line. “Wefocus on supplying customers the entire pack-age,” Rodriguez says. “We strive for customerservice. We try hard to be a 24/7 company. Intoday’s age, we understand every deal helpsmake a difference to our dealers, and we wantthem to know we are there for them.”

Rodriguez notes that being dedicated to afast turnaround is another attribute ofSummerset Outdoor Living, allowing its deal-ers to capture more business. He says that inmost cases, one to two weeks is the maximumturnaround time for its products. The compa-ny also understands that emergencies comeup, and it is willing to work extra hours toproduce cushions more quickly, should deal-ers need them.

In addition to providing a wider range ofcushions with rapid delivery, Rodriguez says,Summerset Outdoor Living also works tomaintain stable prices, despite increasedprices for raw materials. He says that thecompany will continue to provide the samelevel of quality in its cushions, from theinside out, with no shortcuts in its manufac-turing process.

All of these steps in the expansion of thecushion program show Summerset OutdoorLiving’s commitment to being the premierprovider for all outdoor-living products.Summerset Outdoor Living will continue topromote and support its dealer base by pro-viding more products, forming relationshipswith similar companies, and offering superiorcustomer support.

Big Green Egg Company recently expanded it staff by hiring key people in sev-eral departments. Rob D’Amico has joined the company to manage the interac-tive communications department. Previously Internet content manager withClear Channel Radio, D’Amico has extensive experience with video productionand website design, and will lead the company’s initiatives to offer informativeand entertaining online content—including streaming videos of Big Green EggAcademy classes (available to all of the company’s dealers).

Jeff Martin has joined the company as manager of the graphics department,using his expertise with high-impact brand-building promotions to further theexpansion of the company’s marketing efforts. Martin’s responsibilities willinclude the design and production of promotional- support materials, packaging,collateral materials, and point-of-sale materials.

Nick Goode has joined the company as marketing services manager. In addi-tion to considerable industry-specific knowledge, Goode has hands-on expertisein media merchandising, dealer communications, point-of-sale marketing, directmail, social media, and integrated marketing platforms. He holds a business-man-agement degree from the University of Plymouth in England.

Ardy Arani, president of Big Green Egg Company, says, “These significantadditions to the Big Green Egg team will pay immediate dividends, in terms ofexpanded capabilities within our marketing and promotions department.” It’seven more important that “this will position the company to support sales anddealer growth initiatives, both domestically and internationally, in the yearsahead,” he adds.

D’Amico, Martin, and Goode will report to Jodi Burson, marketing manager.In addition to the expansion within the marketing department, the company hasenhanced the sales department with the hiring of Duane Davis as a customer-service representative. Davis has extensive experience in customer service and thefood-service industry.

Lou West, sales manager, says, “This additional position within our customer-service department will provide immediate dividends to support the growingnumber of Big Green Egg dealers and owners throughout the country. We arevery excited at the prospect of bringing a talent at this level into the Big GreenEgg, and look forward to his contributions to our growth.”

Laura’s Lean Beef and Big Green Egg® are celebrating summer grilling seasonwith an in-store promotion and an online sweepstakes running through August22, 2011. The sweepstakes will be promoted in over 7,000 grocery stores nation-wide with display posters and package stickers, as well as on each company’ssocial-media sites. Entrants have the opportunity to win one of 12 weekly prizepackages, all of which include the Big Green Egg brand outdoor grill.

Chris Anderson, director of marketing for Laura’s Lean Beef, says that manypeople “plan to fire up the grill this summer, and a rapidly increasing number ofthese outdoor chefs are becoming health conscious and curious about sustainableliving. Green and grilling now go together more than ever before, with a growingvariety of options for grilling more natural foods in a more natural way. Laura’spartnership with Big Green Egg for our second annual summer grilling sweep-stakes helps raise awareness of two brands leading the category, when it comes togrilling the natural way.”

Jodi Burson, marketing manager for Big Green Egg, says, “The Big Green Eggis one of the most versatile barbecue or outdoor-cooking products on the market,with more capabilities than other conventional grills and cookers combined. Itcan be used to sear, roast, bake, smoke, grill, and cook just about anything—fromsteaks, burgers, fish, and vegetables to pizza or a freshly baked loaf of bread.”

The insulating ceramic construction of the EGG retains heat and moisture sowell that food doesn’t dry out during cooking. Beef, poultry, and other foodsundergo little or no shrinkage and are naturally tastier because the juices and fla-vors stay locked inside. “That’s a real benefit, especially when you are preparinglean beef, which makes Laura’s Lean Beef and Big Green Egg a perfect combina-tion,” Burson says. Visit www.facebook.com/laurasleanbeef or www.lauraslean-beef.com for entry details and official rules.

Big Green Egg Partners With Laura’s Lean Beef

Big Green Egg Company Announces Staff Expansion

Mark Afsky, president of Twin-Star International, greets

children during the company’s fourth annual Take Your

Child to Work Day.

Summerset OutdoorLiving Expands ItsCushion Program

http://www.facebook.com/laurasleanbeef

http://www.lauraslean-beef.com




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Its beauty, undeniable. Its cleanability, unmatched. Sunbrella® performance fabrics set the standard for ease of cleaning. Your customers will no longer have to worry about spills or stains in any room – indoors or out. Insist on Sunbrella with hundreds of fade-proof colors, patterns and textures, all backed by a 5-year warranty. For more information, call Glen Raven Customer Service at 336.221.2211 or visit www.sunbrella.com/clean.

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Trex Expands Licensing AgreementWith Poly-Wood

Trex Company, the world’s largest manu-facturer of wood-alternative decking andrailing products, has announced that it hasexpanded its original September 2010licensing agreement with Syracuse,Indiana-based Poly-Wood, Inc., to developand market additional categories of stylishand comfortable outdoor-living furniture.Under the expanded agreement, the TrexOutdoor Furniture™ collection will growto include porch swings, rockers, andbenches, along with retractable patio anddeck shade umbrellas. All new designs willcombine style, comfort, and durability andwill complement low-maintenance andeco-friendly Trex outdoor-living spaces.

Ron Kaplan, chair, president, and CEOof Trex, says, “Our relationship with Poly-Wood has significantly expanded ourbrand presence in the outdoor-living arena.With the expansion of our agreement,we’ll be able not only to offer consumers acomplete spectrum of outdoor furnishingsand accessories, but also to provide ourprofessional partners with additionalopportunities for sales.”

Monessen HearthSystems LaunchesRebranding Program

Monessen Hearth Systems Company(MHSC) is reinvigorating its three primarybrands with new logos, taglines, position-ing statements, and (coming soon) con-sumer websites. The new VermontCastings, Majestic, and Monessen brandidentities are designed for further differen-tiation of the brands from one another, aswell as from competitors, for both con-sumers and dealers.

Rob Newcombe, vice president of salesand marketing for MHSC, says, “We havethree great brands with tremendousmindshare among dealers and respectamong consumers. Our goal, with thiseffort, is to breathe new life into thebrands while defining and highlightingthe positive attributes of each.”

Vermont Castings, the best-knownMHSC brand, already is a symbol of quali-ty and craftsmanship, and it will remainthe company’s most premium offering.The brand’s new positioning leverages itsiconic styling and tradition while integrat-ing its new innovations and style evolution.The new logo features a more contempo-rary font and incorporates the appearanceof shine in the silver border to convey thebrand’s high-end positioning.

The new Majestic brand positioning

highlights its flexible, functional, andstylish offerings, but the focus is on itsquality. Majestic ensures that every prod-uct passes a quality inspection, so con-sumers can have confidence in Majesticproducts. To illustrate this, the Majesticlogo has undergone the most drasticchange, with a capital M ensconced in ashield to connote the brand’s strength. Ablue-and-black color scheme further con-veys power, while a diamond in the cen-ter of the M adds interest and reinforces

the quality of strength.In addition to the great variety of

styles offered by the Monessen brandwithin MHSC, the new brand position-ing highlights the brand’s overall value.For years, Monessen products have had areputation for offering great features at agreat price. Consumers who buyMonessen products can feel good aboutmaking a smart purchase that will standthe test of time. The new logo takes theMonessen name into a more modern, all-

capital font, and an oval badge distin-guishes it from the background.

MHSC has begun its transition to theuse of the new brand logos. All will bereflected in future product collateral andpoint-of-sale materials. “We know there isroom in the marketplace for all of ourbrands to succeed,” Newcombe says.“Reinvigorating the brands was just onestep in our overall effort to build awareness,increase consumer demand, and ultimately,drive our sales and market share.”

http://www.sunbrella.com/clean


ENERVEX Welcomes Keith O’Brien Keith O’Brien has joined the ENERVEX team as the nationalsales manager for the residential market. O’Brien’s role with thecompany will be to focus on building the fireplace and stovemarket within the residential market. O’Brien’s previous experi-ence includes serving as territory sales manager at the MSAGroup for more than five years. He was responsible for increas-ing sales and adding new clients during an economic downturn.

O’Brien boasts more than 10 years of experience asnational account manager for Intermatic Inc. He was able toincrease business by 25% and was held responsible for man-aging the company’s relationship with The Home Depot. O’Brien comes highly recommend-ed by previous colleagues, and ENERVEX is eager to have him join the team as sales manager.

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Follow us on Twitter: @patiohearthStay on top of the latest news and new-product

introductions/collections in the patio, hearth,

barbecue/ grill, outdoor-kitchen, and

outdoor-living industry.

Building on its reputation for sustainable, high-perform-ance fabric solutions, Glen Raven Custom Fabrics has intro-duced Heritage, a Sunbrella® furniture fabric featuring 50%recycled content. With a homespun look and an extensivecolor palette, the fabric is an expansion of the existingSunbrella Renaissance collection of recycled products.

Suzie Roberts is vice president and furniture-fabricsbusiness manager for Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, maker ofSunbrella fabrics. She says, “We continue to see customerslooking for products with green characteristics. A recycledfurniture fabric is an obvious next step for our Renaissanceprogram and fills a unique niche in our line for those cus-tomers who want a beautiful fabric that also tells a story.”

Heritage is a blend of postindustrial recycled Sunbrellaand Sunbrella virgin fiber that helps ensure that the prod-uct meets stringent Sunbrella performance standards. Therecycled content comes from cutting-table waste from vari-ous customers, as well as fiber, yarn, and fabric waste fromthe Sunbrella manufacturing facility. The waste is segment-ed into color groups, reduced back to its fiber state, andthen dosed with Sunbrella virgin fiber before making itsway through the manufacturing process.

Glen Raven, Inc., has begun construction of a solar-energyinstallation on the roof of its Sunbrella® yarn-manufactur-ing center in Norlina, North Carolina. The solar array willbe the largest under Progress Energy’s SunSense® commer-cial photovoltaic program, generating electric power rough-ly equivalent to the annual electricity usage of 47 typicalhomes. The $3 million project includes replacing theplant’s 175,000–square-foot roof with a highly reflectivewhite roof that not only will enhance the performance ofthe solar panels, but also will improve cooling inside theplant. Completion of the solar installation is anticipatedthis fall.

Leib Oehmig, president of Glen Raven Custom Fabrics(the Glen Raven subsidiary that operates the plant and thatmanufactures and markets Sunbrella fabrics for awning,furniture, and marine applications), says, “This projectdemonstrates how a well-designed environmental programcan have multiple benefits. When this project is completed,our plant will have an energy-efficient roof hosting a solarsystem that will also serve as a long-term provider of renew-able electricity to Progress Energy and its customers.”

Glen Raven gave the Norlina solar-energy project agreen light because of several factors that made the proj-ect both financially and environmentally feasible: newphotovoltaic technology, federal and state tax credits, anda commitment by Progress Energy to purchase solar-gen-erated power.

John Gant, manager of sustainable development forGlen Raven Custom Fabrics, says, “While conventionalsolar panels only capture light directly from the sun, thephotovoltaic panels we are installing at the Norlina plantare an open-grid design, which processes solar energy from360 degrees—which greatly increases their energy-genera-tion capacity.”

Glen Raven Introduces Recyclable Fabric

Glen Raven’s New Facility toFeature State-of-the-art Solar Energy

Keith O’Brien

Capel Rugs Names Daryl Peel Regional Sales ManagerCapel Rugs, America’s Rug Company™, has named Daryl Peel regional sales manager for itsSouthwest territory. He brings 20 years of sales experience to the position. Peel comes to Capelwith a background in upholstery and case-goods sales. He also has experience managing a success-ful furniture store. Peel is based in Houston, Texas, and will report directly to Allen Robertson,Capel’s vice president of sales. In his position, Peel will manage sales in Arkansas, Colorado,Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma.

John Lovelace Wins ENERVEX Smart Car Grand PrizeJohn Lovelace, of Lovelace Brick Contractor L.L.C., Richmond, Virginia, is the official grand-prize winner of the ENERVEX Smart Car sweepstakes. He was selected as the winner out of thou-sands of entries from across the country. The sweepstakes began on January 1, 2011, and ended onApril 30; it was part of a nationwide advertising campaign to highlight the company’s name changefrom EXHAUSTO to ENERVEX.

The energy-efficient Smart Car grand prize was chosen to emphasize the ongoing commit-ment of ENERVEX to green technology and sustainability. The Smart Car was on display atAHR Expo® (in Las Vegas, Nevada) and at HPBExpo (in Salt Lake City, Utah) earlier this year.

The name change to ENERVEX was designed to reflect the span of the company’s energy-effi-cient product offerings better. ENERVEX is a global leader in the design and supply of demand-controlled mechanical draft and exhaust systems, focusing on innovation, design, and environ-mental sustainability in residential and commercial markets. ENERVEX operates in a number ofcountries, emphasizing the United States, Canada, Central America, and the Middle East.

Elizabeth Kenney Named Senior Contract Stylist for Capel RugsCapel Rugs has announced that Elizabeth Kenney is a new member of its contract team, assumingthe position of senior contract stylist. Kenney began her career as a designer in California forMomentum Textiles; from there, she joined MTL as the founding designer of the contract line. In1997, she joined Sunbury Textile Mills as director of design, eventually becoming vice president ofdesign for contract fabrics. Capel is thrilled to have Kenney on its contract team, alongside MelissaBattah and Christine McBryan.


http://www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com


hitecraft, offering both outdoor and indoorfurnishings, holds a unique place in the mar-

ket by specializing in customized orders anddiverse design options. Offering midrange to high-endfurniture with cushions made to order, Whitecraft hasestablished itself as a provider meeting a wide range offurniture needs.

The Ladson, South Carolina, company, which isapproaching the 100th anniversary of its founding, contin-ues to reinvent itself by introducing new collections andstrong business principles into the market. Bill Herren, thecompany’s director of sales and marketing, says thatWhitecraft offers several products that are unmatched inthe current market, including its South Terrace collection(introduced this year). “Nobody in the industry makes any-thing like it, so far,” Herren says.

Whitecraft will showcase the South Terrace collectionat the Chicago International Casual Furniture &Accessories Market™ for the first time this year. It will alsounveil its new Sedona collection, which will be shown withGlen Raven fabrics.

Pieces in the South Terrace collection are inspired by theWinter Garden of the Biltmore® estate, built in Asheville,

North Carolina, by the Vanderbiltfamily. Crafted using resin moldedover aluminum frames, pieces ofthe collection boast a Viro® synthet-ic weave, designed for year-round,all-weather outdoor use.Furnishings include exposed bam-boo-like legs, as well as chair andsofa backs with unique designs thatmake a sophisticated and distinctaesthetic statement. Whitecraft’s12-piece Sedona collection featuresstandard and sectional seating. Itscontemporary pieces are also craft-ed using a Viro weave with a natu-ral honey finish.

CUSTOM TOUCHESIn addition to offering a wide variety of collections,

Whitecraft also creates furniture pieces in custom sizes andstyles. “We can customize just about anything,” Herrensays. He notes that the company’s factory and its designteam accept drawings from customers who are looking for

a hundred yearsof whitecraft

w

corporate PROFILE

As Whitecraft approaches its century milestone, it continues to focus on being the bestthat it can be in the casual-furniture industry. by CHERISE FORNO

Bill Herren

Inspired by pieces

located in the Winter

Garden of Biltmore

House, Whitecraft’s

South Terrace is an all-

weather collection

crafted of resin molded

over an aluminum

frame with a Viro®

weave.


http://www.whitecraftinc.net


pieces to meet highly specific needs(whether aesthetic or functional).

Whitecraft owns two factories—onefor indoor products and one for outdoorproducts—which gives the companymore control over the quality, style, anddelivery methods of orders. This owner-ship aspect gives Whitecraft the abilitynot only to process orders more efficient-ly, but to have superior control of thedelivery time for orders.

With more than 160 fabrics available

for its pieces, Whitecraft offers morethan enough variety for anyone hopingto create a unique design that will not beduplicated by neighbors (or other busi-nesses). “Changing the fabric on a prod-uct can give it a completely differentlook from your neighbor’s product,”Herren says.

The number of fabric choices availablefor a piece of furniture (or an entire set)is extremely important because it often isthe motivating factor that results in a

purchase. Based on the results of a cus-tomer survey, Herren says that the major-ity of Whitecraft’s customers made theirpurchases based on appearance alone.Other factors involved in choosingWhitecraft furniture were comfort, avail-ability, and price.

Not only does Whitecraft make one-of-a-kind furniture, but it also has a longhistory of using natural materials (such aswicker) in the construction of its furni-ture. Both indoor and outdoor recyclablefabrics are available in the Glen Raven col-lection, and recycled plastic bottles areused in several designs. Woven materialsare also environmentally friendly.

CUSTOMERS COME FIRSTBeing in business for almost a century

has allowed Whitecraft to develop astrong customer base and high-quality cus-tomer service. Manuel Dizon, the currentowner of Whitecraft, purchased the com-pany in 1984. Its primary function, at thetime, was to serve as an outlet for a factorythat made wicker furniture.

A second branch of the company pro-duced high-end furniture in Miami,Florida. Now, the company is based nearCharleston, where both indoor and out-door furniture are made available to the

market. Today, approximately 80% ofWhitecraft’s business is outdoor furniture.The demand for its indoor furniturecomes predominantly from the designindustry.

Herren has been with the company for24 years. He reports that many membersof the customer-service staff have beenworking for Whitecraft for at least fiveyears. This low staff turnover provides cus-tomers with a personal touch and anunderstanding of their needs, which canmake the process of placing orders moresmooth and efficient.

“Our customers get used to talking tothe same people all the time, and it’s some-thing they like,” Herren says. The longevi-ty of its employees also seems to translateinto a strong consumer base for the com-pany. “It’s nice to have a core group of cus-tomers who have been with us for a longtime, and I think that says something goodabout us as well,” Herren says.

With its focus on customized ordersand unique designs, Whitecraft is posi-tioned to do well in the years ahead. Asthe company moves into its next centuryof operation, it plans to do what it’s alwaysdone: create a superior product that looksgood—at a nice price. Herren explains, “Ithas worked for us for 100 years.”

Sales Magnet. Attract More Sales with Our Growing Line of Grills. ProJoe is the first in our new Revolution Series of grills. It carries the largest cooking area of any ceramic grill, but size is just one of its unique features. ProJoe is a fully reengineered ceramic grill with a three-component design that reduces the external temperature by up to 60%.

The “Perfectly Counterbalanced Hinge System” takes just two fingers to raise the 175 lb. lid, and its static positioning feature allows the lid to remain stationary at openings as low as 10°.

ProJoe is intended for planned outdoor kitchens and an optional 304 stainless steel grill cart is available. ProJoe is just one in a full line of grills and accessories that are sold exclusively through specialty retailers.

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Whitecraft’s six-piece Sheridan dining collection appeals to customers who prefer contempo-

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here was a time when outdoor entertainingmeant gathering the family around a picnic table

on a concrete patio that was accented with a charcoalgrill, a chaise, and perhaps a folding chair or two. JayBranch, president of The HammockSource (Greenville,North Carolina), says, “That describes a place thatsounds like little more than a temporary destination,not what most of us mean when we talk, today, aboutan outdoor room.”

Today, outdoor entertaining has taken on a new per-sona. The outdoor room is a destination, but is far fromtemporary. “The ultimate outdoor room is much morethan just a section of a deck, patio, or porch with a cou-ple of lounge chairs and a grill. The ultimate outdoorroom is really a duplication of the most comfortableindoor room,” Branch says.

He continues, “You’ve got everything that makesyour life comfortable inside, but you now have it out-

side, where you’ve got the added benefits of the starsoverhead and the natural breeze—plus a place for thesmoke to go if you want to grill food or have a firepit.”Stephanie Knackstedt, marketing/communicationscoordinator for Kingsley-Bate (Manassas, Virginia),adds, “An outdoor room bridges the gap between thedesign of the indoors and the outdoors. It is a trueextension of your home.”

What is the difference, then, between a nice livingroom and an outdoor room? Mike Mallory, director ofsales for Protégé Casual (Largo, Florida), says, “An out-door room includes your living room, dining room,kitchen, breakfast area, bar, entertainment center, andperhaps even a shower—in one single room. It includesalmost everything except your bedroom and bathroom.”

DESIGNING AN OUTDOOR ROOMFor many people, it is difficult enough to design a

pleasing interior space to entertain; designing a spacewith no walls—which is susceptible to the weather (andis part of a relatively new trend)—can be even harder.Designing a winning outdoor room involves expandingon a few basic principles.

“It is all about interviewing the clients,” Mallory says.“How many people are in the family? Do they entertain?Do they have an in-law suite? If they have a family of sixand frequently entertain, they will need a table that seatsat least eight. Start planning from there.”

He adds, “Creatively partition off areas with a sec-tional or two love seats facing a coffee table. Teach yoursales staff how to get creative and achieve a proper flowof walkways between the interior and the outdoorroom. It is about training your people and trying differ-ent things until you find what works.”

Branch recommends that salespeople ask home-owners about their favorite indoor rooms. He says,“Favorite indoor rooms tend to have a mix of attrac-tive, comfortable furniture for extended lounging;curtains or window treatments of some kind, for pri-vacy and to enhance room borders; and attractive car-peting or individual rugs. Preferred indoor roomstend to offer ready access to entertainment options,plus space (and opportunities) for kids to play.Typically, there’s also easy access to the homekitchen.”

Branch adds that in outdoor rooms, homeownerstend to gravitate toward a dedicated lounging area;outdoor rugs and curtains; climate control, perhapsusing an overhead fan or heaters; a high-quality out-door-cooking area with refrigeration available; outletsfor laptops and other electronic devices; and enter-tainment options, including both television andmusic access (via wired or wireless speakers).

spot L IGHT

The season’s ample

array of new products

and accessories

brings panache to

outdoor rooms.

by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

tbackyardbliss

CONSIDER THE CLIMATEOf course, designing an outdoor room

and selling a homeowner on individual ele-ments might depend on geography and theseverity of seasonal changes. Elaine Remy,director of marketing for RH PetersonCompany (City of Industry, California),says, “Patios are typically created for oneseason: summer. In creating an outdoorroom, all seasons are taken into account bymeans of planning for sun exposure; barri-ers from wind and cold; and plans for cool-ing and heating the outdoor spaces usingfans, firepits, fireplaces, and space heaters(along with the shade and rain cover pro-vided by a market umbrella).”

Lynn Stearn, vice president of sales andmarketing for SunBriteTV (Moorpark,California), recently converted her back-yard space into an outdoor room. She says,“From experience, I believe the must-haveelements in an outdoor space are weather-resistant outdoor-rated products. From thefurniture to the barbecue to the entertain-ment products, all are engineered to standup to the rigors of the outdoor environ-ment and are rated for outdoor use by ULor by the Canadian Standards Association.”

Stearn continues, “After months ofresearch, I now have a beautiful coveredpatio/deck area furnished with weather-resistant, top-of-the-line patio furniture—with sofas, lounge chairs, and a dining set.I have a firepit and patio heaters (I wouldhave loved a fireplace, but the space didn’tallow for it). We have an outdoor barbe-cue/kitchen, surround-sound audio and,

of course, aSunBriteTV4610HD all-weather outdoortelevision.”

It isn’t enoughto provide ele-ments like fans,heaters, andumbrellas. The lay-out of the space iskey, too.Knackstedt says,“Maintain quality and plan the livingspace with consideration for the time ofday it will be used and the amount of sun-light desired.”

CHOOSING INDIVIDUAL PIECESDesign preferences will often coincide

with the tastes reflected in the home’s inte-rior. Knackstedt says, “A well-designed out-door room integrates furniture, lighting,rugs, and accessories that complement thehome’s style and interior. If you are tryingto strike a balance between the indoor andoutdoor spaces of your home, maintain alevel of quality that is congruent with thestyle of your home and furnishings.”

Branch says, “It’s about comfort andstyle. You don’t want to buy a bunch ofuncomfortable stuff that you’re just goingto look at and not use. Of course, you alsodon’t want something that’s hard to lookat—so if it looks good, and it’s comfort-able, then you’ve knocked out the maincomponents of an outdoor room you’ll

want to spend a lot of time in, right away.”Remy adds, “If the family tends to linger

around the table after a meal, perhaps thefocus needs to be on a larger table, ratherthan on a traditional sofa/chair conversa-tion area. Space permitting, and if there aresmall children, perhaps a dedicated playarea and/or dining area for them (with atable-and-chairs set of an appropriateheight) might be an option.”

She continues, “I love making s’mores,so for me, a firepit or fireplace would be amust. One space I would create, as a col-lector of wines, would be an area withbarstools and an extended counter forwine tasting.”

Stearn agrees with Remy’s approach. “Ihave my large family over for dinner nearlyevery Sunday, so I wanted a well-designedspace that would allow us to congregate,”she says. “I have lots of seating space and awell-equipped kitchen/barbecue area (so Ican enjoy the outdoors and my familywhile cooking). What has been the most

enjoyable is having an outdoor home the-ater that allows the sports fans to be partof the family while watching the game.”

A STARTUP ROOMNot everyone can fully equip an out-

door room from the get-go. To start off,Dan Shimek, CEO of The OutdoorGreatRoom Company (Eagan,Minnesota), recommends a firepit tablewith a lazy susan on top, surrounded bycomfortable seating. Then, situate a grill orgrill island off to the side, install flamelighting accessories, and “tie it all togetherwith a pergola type of product that helpsdefine and make the space more comfort-able,” he says.

Shimek recommends choosing prod-ucts that “are exciting and inviting—thatcontribute to warmth and a great out-door-room experience. People who enterthe room should feel its warmth andappeal. You want the feeling of beingenclosed in an outdoor room that is stillopen,” he says.


Page 20, top: The Westport collection fromKingsley-Bate offers the deep seating thathomeowners want in an outdoor room.

Page 20, bottom left: This outdoor roomincludes everything that you would want in yourindoor kitchen, all from Fire Magic (from left):an Aurora gas grill (#A660i-2EIN, $4,479); adouble side burner (#3281, $925); a Legacycharcoal grill with a smoker hood (#14-SC001C-A, $1,894); two storage access doors (#33924-SR, $304); and a refrigerator (#3590A, $709).

, top: Lynn Stearn, vice president ofsales and marketing for SunBriteTV, is pleasedwith her new outdoor room, which features acovered patio/deck area furnished with weath-er-resistant, top-of-the-line patio furniture, afirepit, patio heaters, an outdoor kitchen, sur-round-sound audio, and a SunBriteTV 4610 all-weather outdoor television.

Page 21, middle: Protégé Casual's Manchestercollection offers deep seating and dining piecesto help complete the ultimate outdoor room.

Page 21, bottom: Jay Branch, president of TheHammockSource, says that a high-quality ham-mock is an ideal addition to an outdoor roombecause nothing is more fundamental toextended relaxation.


Consumers who live in colder climatesmight wrestle with deciding whether anoutdoor room is a worthwhile investment.Branch says, “You can certainly have a ter-rific outdoor room in Chicago, Illinois,especially since many longstanding notionsare now changing about the ideal time ofyear for spending time outdoors.”

He explains, “Labor Day is no longerthe absolute benchmark for the end ofoutdoor enjoyment, especially if youroutdoor room is in a partially enclosedarea, with quality outdoor curtains usedas borders to the actual outdoors. Whatare now often dubbed the shoulder sea-sons, early fall and late spring, offer someof the finest opportunities for relaxationin a well-designed outdoor room.”

Stearn says, “You can have a beautifuloutdoor room, in any climate, with theright design. In extremely cold-climateareas, it is important to have the area shel-tered, so that the heat doesn’t escape thespace in the winter. Of course, have lots ofoutdoor gas- or radiant-heating units towarm the area for outdoor enjoyment.”

THE BIG COVER-UPWhen the season does come to an end,

many climates will require covering theoutdoor-room investment. “If you pur-chase weather-resistant, outdoor-ratedproducts, and if you have the proper cov-ers, you should be OK on most of youroutdoor items,” Stearn says. The use ofcovers can be based on personal prefer-ence, climate, and the degree to which thehomeowner trusts the manufacturers ofweatherproof products.

Shimek says, “The beauty of most ofthe products is they can stay in place allyear. The cushions need to come inside,but the wicker furniture (if of a goodgrade), grills, firepit tables, and so forthcan all stay outside.”

Knackstedt likes having a cover overthe outdoor room itself. “For places witha shorter summer season, consider adesign where the outdoor room is cov-ered, so furniture doesn’t have to be storedor maneuvered around,” she says. It isn’tjust homeowners in colder climates whoare weighing their options; those inwarmer climates can be reluctant to investin outdoor rooms because there are somany months when it is considered toohot to be outdoors.

“Climate varies tremendously all across

the country, which means that we all haveto make some routine weather allowancesin enjoying our time outdoors. InChicago, for instance, where they have lotsof snow, people can’t really use their out-door products year-round,” Branch says.

He adds, “Here in Eastern NorthCarolina, though, we get extreme heat andhumidity in summer that make it so youcan’t really enjoy time outdoors.” Whetherhomeowners live where the summers aretoo hot or where the winters are too cold,they can usually enjoy three seasons out-doors if they take the shoulder seasonsinto account.

Regardless of where one lives, “Byselecting quality items and keeping themcovered from the elements, you can stillhave a great outdoor room,” Remy says.Stearn agrees, saying, “Good-quality out-door products may seem expensive at thetime of the initial outlay, but it is impor-tant to look at years of life—and never for-get the importance of the confidence andconvenience factors that come with quali-ty products. These products are built towithstand all the elements.”

She continues, “I don’t care where youlive: It comes down to taking the time and

money to make it happen. When you takeit that seriously, you are more likely to doit well; that is when better furniture andbetter items come into play.”

WHAT’S NEXTHave outdoor rooms gone as far as they

can go? Branch says, “I think most peoplewould say, ‘I can’t imagine what else they’llcome up with,’ but the minute you thinkyou’ve thought of everything, somebodycomes up with something new and inno-vative. I don’t think anybody’s ever goingto reinvent the chair, but they’ll reinventhow the chair functions, how it looks, andhow it’s used.”

Stearn says, “Every year, I am moreamazed at the array of amenities availablefor the outdoor space. Homeowners havea choice of pure designer masterpieces offine furniture, carpeting, lighting, and art-work, as well as a full outdoor selection ofkitchen appliances. I can’t imagine whatmore could be available, but I can’t wait tosee what they come up with next.”

Mallory adds, “I see a younger genera-tion coming into our industry, so newideas will pop up soon. I think there is alot more we’ll see in the future.”


spot L IGHT

http://www.ezdri.com


http://www.olfurniture.com

One could say that William Thomas hasbeen comfortable selling the finer thingsin life throughout his entire retail career.After graduating from the University ofRochester, Thomas spent many yearsworking in the luxury-jewelry market.

He says, “When I decided to start myown business, I looked for a retail oppor-tunity that required somewhat less capitalinvestment than a jewelry store, but hadquite a few of the same components, suchas selling high-quality goods and high-end brand names, handling discriminatingcustomers, and needing to provide excel-lent customer service.” Since the high-endoutdoor-furniture and -accessories marketwas a perfect fit with his background,Thomas opened Desert Teak—a2,000–square-foot site located in PalmDesert, California—in 2006.

“I wanted to specialize in fine-qualityteak furniture. There wasn’t anybody in

the area focusing on it, although therewere other patio stores selling high-endteak products,” Thomas says. He workedwith an importer and had fully intendedto expand on the teak concept, but hisshoppers’ desires led him in a slightly dif-ferent direction.

He says, “The tremendous demand forwicker from our customers really startedeverything. People were asking for wickertables, chairs. and side pieces, along withteak, so we started offering it—and then,we decided to jump in with both feet.”

Thomas still believes that teak is theperfect material for the extreme sun andheat of the Palm Springs area’s climate. Hesays, “Teak seems to be a natural choicefor this weather. It is very resilient, canwithstand great extremes in temperature,and doesn’t get hot to the touch, yet themajority of our customers requested resinand metal furniture.”

Early in 2009, Thomas moved to a6,000–square-foot location in nearbyRancho Mirage and renamed his opera-tion Desert Patio. Today, he offers a com-plete lineup of aluminum, resin wicker,sling, and teak furniture from top-namemanufacturers (including Telescope

Casual, Koverton, Sunset West,Summerset Outdoor Living, NorthCapeInternational, Ratana, Caluco, Teakman,Galtech, and Shade Depot).

Thomas says, “I am grateful to themanufacturers I work with because theyreally helped us, as we started sellingbeyond teak. They took a risk in a downeconomy, but we had the confidence thatwe could fill an open space in the market,and our manufacturers supported us. Ican’t thank them enough.”

MARKETING THE MESSAGE In the first few years of running his

business, Thomas employed a proactivemarketing approach to sway shopperstoward visiting his location. He says, “Wedid focus on some very strong branding,but also on strong messages, with call-to-action marketing.”

One such device was offering coupons,both in the local newspaper and on theInternet. Thomas says, “Coupon pro-grams were certainly not widely used inthe area—or even used at all, when wefirst started doing them. Contrary to thenational trend, the local newspaper read-ership here is quite strong, and Internet

use is also high, so we had great successwith that.”

Thomas continually works on DesertPatio’s website (www.desertteak.com) tooptimize its placement in search engines,and he is also in the process of launchingan online-commerce operation. He says,“We feel that to offer to sell from theInternet is very important. Because of ourmarket area, our priority will still be theone-on-one relationship with the cus-tomer, but to offer that framework is defi-nitely most necessary today.”

Thomas believes that retailers with anonline presence have some distinct advan-tages. “It puts you on a certain level with


Top right: Since it maintains its natural

beauty and durability in extreme temperatures,

teak furniture is a big hit with Desert Patio’s

customers.

Top left: Vignettes in Desert Patio's show-

room are merchandised to reflect the level

of interior design expected in a home.

Bottom: A successful career in the luxury-jewelry

industry led William Thomas to enter the

high-end outdoor-furniture and accessories

market in 2006.

Enticing vignettes (with themes like the man cave) and savvy Internet strategies have

helped put Desert Patio on the map. by KIMBERLY RODGERS photography by BRIAN HELDER

MANEUVERSmarketing

outside the ordinary


http://www.owlee.com


the consumer, saying that you are a largecompany, an up-to-date company, and abusiness that knows how to operate inthe current environment,” he says.Desert Patio’s primary focus will still beon the traditional consumer but,Thomas says, “Customers have alsocome to expect some kind of Internetpresence from retailers.”

To reach as many different segments aspossible, Desert Patio’s marketing includesfour-color branded advertising in the localnewspaper and traditional magazines.Thomas says, “We tried radio, but we feltthat even though the copy was writtenwell, it didn’t paint with a strong enoughvisual palette for outdoor furniture. Theimage of a patio set by a pool in a print adliterally paints the picture for consumers,and they are able to see a color or look thatthey like that drives them into the store, orcertainly to give us a call.”

A NOTCH HIGHERCustomers who walk into Desert Patio

are treated to a colorful and bright setting,reflecting the natural beauty of the PalmSprings area. The showroom floor ischanged regularly, with a unique twist onthe traditional settings usually found in apatio showroom.

For example, some vignettes currentlyon display feature an outdoor version ofthe popular man-cave theme. Thomas says,“We try to match decorating the outdoorpatio of a home with the latest trends ininterior design, and one of those is the mancave or the man space. It’s an outdoor placewhere the gentlemen of the house can feelcomfortable, watch sports on television,relax, and maybe have brandy and cigars.”

The vignettes have been a big hit withDesert Patio’s customers, and Thomas hasseen positive results from them. He says,“They have been pretty popular, so far.

The women laugh, and it gives the mensome focus in the store.” One such spacefeatures six Savona Elite cushion chairsfrom Telescope Casual, a 54-inch chattable that sports an ice bucket in the cen-ter and has room for ashtrays, and a big-screen television. Thomas says, “Men cansee themselves in this space.”

Throughout the showroom, the mer-chandising goal is to inspire customers.“They will see some cutting-edge designsthat their interior designers are workingon; our goal is to help them with theirexterior spaces in the same way,” Thomassays. Along with five full-time employees,he works with a retired interior designerto help clients who want a professionallydesigned backyard.

He is also happy to work with themany contractors who come to the storeon behalf of their clients. “We try to helpeveryone as much as possible. For example,

we have created a site-plan map, whichhelps clients map out an outdoor room.It’s a simple piece of paper (with our logoand a few design suggestions), but it defi-nitely is a worksheet that helps them startto plan their outdoor spaces, in terms ofdimensions and traffic flow—the sameway a designer would start when furnish-ing the interior of a home,” Thomas says.

Customers and their contractors real-ly appreciate the site plan, and manycome back to the store with the plancomplete, ready to make their selections.Thomas says, “I think elevating outdoorfurniture to the same seriousness asindoor design is critical to specialtyretailing. If not, then everyone is goingto buy things, sight unseen, over theInternet—or go to the big-box storesand just live with the results that theythrow together.”

Gazebos Create Perfect Outdoor Retreatsby KIMBERLY RODGERS

G azebos have an interesting and rather

long history, which can be traced back

at least 5,000 years. Outdoor covered struc-

tures were first built as towers, on the roofs

of homes, to provide views of the surround-

ing land. Eventually, gazebos moved to the

ground, where they were used in the gar-

dens of Egyptian royalty and among the

affluent and aristocratic classes in ancient

Rome and Pompeii.

Gazebos were first seen in the United

States in the mid-1880s and were viewed

as status symbols, with the rise of the

new middle class. At the beginning of the

20th century, as homes were built with

grand porches, gazebos fell out of favor.

They had a resurgence in the 1930s, but

lost appeal again after World War II, dur-

ing the boom years of building tract hous-

es with patios.

In the mid-1980s, gazebos made a come-

back—and today, with the expansion of out-

door living, homeowners are more excited

than ever to add a covered structure to

define an eating area, create a gathering

spot, provide shelter, and generally enhance

the overall look of an outdoor space.

Since 1994, Country Lane Woodworking

(New Holland, Pennsylvania) has been sup-

plying gazebos, pavilions, pergolas, and

cabanas, through its dealer network, to sat-

isfy the needs of customers throughout the

United States and Canada. The company

has even shipped products to England,

South Korea, Spain, and African countries.

Samuel Stoltzfus began Country Lane

Woodworking by first building gazebos,

with his brothers, in a small shop on his

family’s farm. Today, a team of approximate-

ly 25 employees provides all manufacturing

and sales support from the company’s three

buildings in Lancaster County.

Country Lane Woodworking offers an

incredible selection of options, so con-

sumers can design and purchase outdoor

structures that best suit their individual

needs, design tastes, and budgets. From the

type and style of the roof and whether the

structure is made of wood or vinyl to the

color, flooring choice, and railing design, the

possibilities for creating a unique outdoor

structure are almost endless.

According to Jonas Stoltzfus, sales man-

ager, the company’s sales are spread about

evenly among pavilions, pergolas, and gaze-

bos. “Gazebos have always been our num-

ber-one item, and they have been the core of

our business for the past 17 years,” he says.

While gazebos remain popular, Country Lane

Woodworking has experienced phenomenal

growth in pavilions and pergolas.

“When the outdoor-living trend explod-

ed a few years ago, we began offering

pavilions and pergolas, and I believe that is

why our company has continued to grow,”

Stoltzfus says. Currently, the company’s

best sellers are its wooden Artisan pergola

and its vinyl pavilion. He adds, “Many peo-

ple are putting pavilions next to outdoor

pools and pergolas over patios, so we are

following right along with what is going on

in the outdoor lifestyle.”

All Country Lane Woodworking struc-

tures are designed and manufactured by a

dedicated team of expert craftspeople,

and they are backed by a 10-year warranty

and a complete customer-sat-

isfaction guarantee. Stoltzfus

says, “There are gazebo com-

petitors, but what sets us

apart is our quality, which

comes from our design and

from our craftspeople (who

pay attention to the details).

Other gazebos may look the

same, when you are standing

200 feet away, but when you

get up close and look at them

and shake them, you see the

quality in our products.”

He also notes that while

there are competitors that manufacture

only gazebos or only wooden pergolas,

Country Lane Woodworking is one of the

few companies that offers such a wide

selection of all types of outdoor structures.

Stoltzfus says, “It’s our variety and large

scale of products that have given us an

advantage over the competition as well.

Since we don’t build only with wood or

vinyl—or only gazebos or pergolas—we

can supply a dealer with a full line of shel-

ters in many different models and designs.”

Stoltzfus stresses that in addition to

offering a high-quality product, providing

excellent service is key to the company’s

success. He says, “I would describe our

service as more of a relationship with our

dealers. When we start working with deal-

ers, we establish a relationship, refer to

them as partners, and support them with

an office staff that is available to them to

answer all their questions and meet all

their needs.”

All products are shipped to dealers in

easy-to-assemble kits, but dealers located

in nearby states can also choose to receive

gazebos fully assembled. In addition to sell-

ing through its dealer network, Country

Lane Woodworking offers products through

its own local dealership. Stoltzfus says,

“This allows us to keep more in tune with

what the customer is asking for and the

direction of the industry. In turn, this helps

us to educate our dealers about what cus-

tomers are saying.”

Good communication with dealers is also

essential. Stoltzfus says, “We keep our deal-

ers informed with biweekly emails and

newsletters throughout the year; we hold

training every February, offering educational

seminars on sales and marketing. We are a

very innovative company and are always

investing in innovation and new products to

keep our dealers on the cutting edge of

the market.” For more information, visit

www.countrylanegazebos.com.

Along with gazebos (which are available with a range of options

and features), Country Lane Woodworking also manufactures

pavilions and pergolas to complete any outdoor space.

marketing MANEUVERS

continued on page 89

design . innovation . durability

shade experience : made in miami

www.tuuci.comCircle Reader Service No. 27

on’t expect to purchase a hot tub, patiofurniture, or a grill at Fireplace Village

(based in Bedford, New Hampshire)—because you won’t find them. After the U.S. economytook a dive, the 39–year-old hearth retailer took aserious look its business and decided that the beststrategy for the future was to go hard-core hearth.Over the past the past three years, the five-storehearth chain, which is the largest in New Hampshire,has eliminated all of the extras and has repositioneditself as a full-service specialty hearth shop.

Fireplace Village was founded by Brian Connellyin 1972 (in Worcester, Massachusetts) as a wood-stove shop. Over the years, it grew to become the firsthearth retail chain in the New England area that wasmore than a mom-and-pop operation.

When Connelly retired in 2003, business partnersMike Mussog and Jeff Horine bought FireplaceVillage, with a vision for growth. The first few yearswent as planned, with sales increasing every year; then,the economy abruptly caused them to alter their path.

With revenues down, Fireplace Village made thedecision to do the opposite of what most retailerswere doing at the time: It narrowed its product offer-ings instead of broadening them. Fireplace Villageneeded to be conservative with its capital, so it choseto eliminate anything that didn’t add value and thatwas a distraction to its hearth business. This includedpatio furniture and the high-end grills that had oncebeen consistent moneymakers.

“The dynamic of the business had changed. People

were looking for deals, and they could go almost any-where to get a gas grill. It wasn’t a differentiator for usanymore,” Mussog recalls. What Fireplace Village didwas shift its focus to its core strength, in hearth prod-ucts: wood-burning, gas, and pellet appliances—andeverything that went with them, from installation toannual maintenance. With all the distractions out ofthe way, it was full speed ahead.

SETTING A NEW PACEToday, Fireplace Village is a hard-core hearth opera-

tion that serves almost the entire state of NewHampshire, along with other parts of New England.The region is historically known as one of the biggestconsumers of hearth products and services in thenation, with many homeowners owning two or threeheating appliances to supplement their central heating.

“I have no doubt that we made the right movebecause New England has an inherent hearth culture.People love the look, smell, and feel of a fire in theirhomes, not to mention all the efficiency benefitsthese appliances bring,” Mussog explains. All five ofthe Fireplace Village showrooms in central andsouthern New Hampshire are stocked with the latestdesigns and most efficient hearth appliances availableon the market, including products fromHearthStone, Heat & Glo, Jøtul, Napoleon, andVermont Castings.

Fireplace Village is set up to meet all the serviceand aftercare needs that come with owning a hearthappliance or a traditional masonry hearth, including

annual maintenance, repairs, and chimney cleaning.Its in-house team of installers is fully trained and cer-tified to install and service all of its appliances.

“We are selling the value package to consumersthat we can do everything for them over the longterm, not just sell them a product and send them ontheir way. There is money to be made in aftercare thatcan benefit a retailer in the off season; it’s not justabout initial sale,” Mussog says.

People who buy Fireplace Village’s high-endhearth products are typically committed to extendingthe life of their investments, so they take full advan-tage of its services. “The funny thing is that throughall the turmoil, we continue to grow with our bestbrands. I think it is a testament to the quality of ourproducts and the whole process of not just selling theappliance, but installing and servicing it through itslifetime,” he adds.

HEARTH SPECIALISTSThe image of Fireplace Village has become of pri-

mary importance. The company is positioning itself asa hearth expert at every point, from the sales floor toits Internet-based marketing. Mussog believes thatwhen a retailer is viewed as an expert, everything asso-ciated with that retailer has a better perceived value.For that very reason, the company has shied awayfrom cutting prices and has focused on demonstratingthe value of its products and its service capability.

Over the past few years, Fireplace Village has usedsocial media and online marketing to help shape its


Left: Fireplace Village has set

itself apart in New England as a

hearth specialist with top prod-

ucts, lifetime service, and pro-

fessional installation.

Below: From left, Mike Mussog,

Jeff Horine, and Roger Mercier

of Fireplace Village

Fireplace Village

narrowed its product

focus to maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

by SHARON SANDERS photography by ROBERT FALCO

dhearth

RETAILERhearth

hard-core


http://www.monessenhearth.com


WoodMaster®is one of the

biggest names in outdoor

wood-burning furnaces in North

America. Never content to be just

another furnace company,

WoodMaster has recently taken its

passion for heating to the next level by

introducing a number of new products.

These include pellet grills, an

entry-level forced-air furnace, and the

European-designed Flex Fuel furnace

(which can burn three fuels). New and

longtime WoodMaster dealers are

thrilled to be introducing these offer-

ings on their showroom floors, as they

look for ways to boost sales in 2011.

The company first came onto the

hearth scene in 1989, after

Minnesota farmer Chuck Gagner

designed and built a simple, easy-to-

clean wood furnace to heat his

house. Gagner’s concept took shape

when he took his favorite features

from his past furnaces and melded

them together to create his idea of

the perfect heating appliance.

To his surprise, it quickly gained a

following among friends and neigh-

bors, and eventually, he began sell-

ing it to local retailers. By spring

1991, Gagner and his brothers, Bruce

and Ron, had moved the growing

business to Red Lake Falls,

Minnesota, so that they could begin

manufacturing and selling the units

outside the local area.

Today, WoodMaster products

(manufactured by Northwest

Manufacturing, Inc.) can be found in

homes across North America. The

company has earned a reputation as

a manufacturer that has some of the

most innovative and efficient furnaces

on the market. It is also committed to

finding pioneering uses for natural

energy and alternative fuel sources.

AN EXPANDING FOCUSIn 2010, WoodMaster ventured

into a new avenue of business

when it partnered with an Austrian

furnace manufacturer, SOLARFO-

CUS, to bring the first bioenergy

Flex Fuel furnace to the United

States. The company wanted to

design a wood-burning furnace that

would meet the standards of the

EPA’s Voluntary Low Mass/Low

Emission Fireplaces Program;

Gagner says, “It just made sense

for us partner with a company that

had a proven product, rather than

starting from scratch ourselves.”

The company now makes the fur-

nace, in its Red Lake Falls factory, as

the WoodMaster Flex Fuel. It is able to

burn up to three fuels, including cord-

wood, wood pellets, and wood chips.

The EPA’s Burn Wise website

(www.epa.gov/burnwise/owhhlist.ht

ml) shows it to be the cleanest phase

2 outdoor wood-burning hydronic

heater in industry, with an annual

average emissions level of 0.04

pounds per million Btu of heat output.

WoodMaster has also partnered

with ABioNova, a Swedish manufac-

turer, to offer its first commercial boil-

er system, the WoodMaster BioMax.

The BioMax boiler makes it possible

for commercial operations to convert

more affordably to biomass heat. It

uses wood chips or wood pellets to

heat water; the hot water, in turn,

runs heating systems for buildings

and grounds of any size and scope.

For 2011, the company has intro-

duced the WoodMaster D400 deck

pellet grill and the WoodMaster

T1000 Mini Hog pellet grill, which can

be used to smoke, grill, and even

bake food. These autolighting grills

cook food using forced-air technology

that creates circulated heat, as a con-

vection oven does. “They are the easi-

est, safest, and most versatile way to

cook outdoors,” Gagner says. The

fuel pellets, which come in a number

of flavors (including apple, cherry,

hickory, and mesquite), contain mois-

ture that creates juicy, tasty results.

In July, the company also debuted

its WoodMaster Force 20 furnace,

designed for the consumer who is

looking for furnace that is reliable

and affordable. The entry-level pellet

unit uses forced air instead of a boiler

to generate heat. Its cost is consider-

ably lower than that of a traditional

hot-water furnace.

Gagner is excited about the pos-

sibilities that the company’s recent

diversification brings. “There are

very few companies in the United

States that have products like ours,

and even fewer companies actually

manufacturing them here in the

United States,” he explains, adding

that he’s always looking for new

ways to innovate.

He says, “Our product lineup

appeals to a broader market than ever

before. This not only will bring new

business our way, but will also attract

a new type of customer to our current

dealers. I am confident that our prod-

ucts, coupled with our knowledgeable

dealer network and excellent cus-

tomer support, give us what we need

to stay at the top of our game.”

DiversificationDrivesGrowthfor WoodMaster

by SHARON SANDERS

RETAILERhearth

The WoodMasterFlex Fuel furnace


http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/owhhlist.html

http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/owhhlist.html

http://www.nwmdealer.com

Empire Comfort Systems, maker of Broilmaster Premium Gas Grills, introduces the Carol Rose Coastal Collection – outdoor

fireplaces in traditional and contemporary styles to light up your al fresco entertaining. Proven gas fireplace technology

meets shimmering stainless steel to add warmth and illumination to your extended living space.

follow us on Twitter@MrBroilmaster

Become a fan on Facebookfacebook.com/Broilmaster

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image. From hearth how-to postings on itsFacebook page to YouTube installationvideos and photo placement on manufac-turers’ websites, the company has infiltrat-ed the Web with its hearth expertise. “If Iwere buying a fireplace or stove and want-ed to find out how it would perform orlook in my home, the first place I wouldgo is the Internet,” Mussog explains.

Fireplace Village has created a very suc-cessful blog that is the anchor for itsonline-marketing efforts. Through theblog, Fireplace Village shares opinions andnews, and it answers questions abouthearth topics that are relevant to con-sumers. The blog entries typically includeeverything from short news items aboutthe latest oil prices to extensive articlesabout how to retrofit an old fireplace witha new insert.

Fireplace Village also houses thou-sands of its installation and product pho-tos on the Flickr® online photo-shar-ing/management service. “We share pho-tos with consumers so they can see whatproducts may look like in their homes. I

think it really helpsthem make a decisionabout purchases,”Mussog says.

He adds that it’s hard to visit any indus-try website or search online for hearthproducts or brands without seeing animage of a Fireplace Village installation orproduct. He says, “We’re just a little com-pany in New England that takes advantageof the big opportunities of social media toposition ourselves as the experts we are.”

POISED FOR THE FUTUREThrough all the uncertainties and

changes of the past few years, FireplaceVillage is optimistic about the future. It

has everything in place to move forwardand stay strong in the still-erratic econo-my. Mussog praises the efforts of the com-pany’s employees, who have maintainedprofessionalism and a good attitudethrough the events of the past few years.They make up a strong team that knowshow to gain and keep customers’ trust.

“I believe that a business can weatherany storm if it has talented employees,has the right products, and is able toleverage what it does best,” Mussogexplains. “I am proud to say that we areone of those businesses.”

RETAILERhearth


Stone Age Manufacturingoffers everything your customers want in an outdoor room,all created in lightweight concrete fora lifetime of trouble-free enjoyment.

See the Stone Age difference

Look For Exciting New Items in Our 2011 Product Catalog

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Above: Fireplace Village (Bedford, New

Hampshire) is the local go-to spot for everything

hearth related.

Right: One can find hearth products from A to Z

on Fireplace Village's showroom floor.

http://www.stoneagemanufacturing.com



http://www.lloydflanders.com


outdoor GRILL ING

Right: All Seasons Gas Grill & Fireside

Shop not only is serious about grills and

grilling, but is passionate about encour-

aging people to enjoy life through food.

Bottom: From left, Dave Backs, Mike

Martin, John David Riley, and Dan Sandlin

of All Seasons Gas Grill & Fireside Shop

the

n the shadow of the majestic hills and lush greenlandscape of Bowling Green, Kentucky, is a retail

store that cares just as much about encouragingpeople to love life as it does about making a sale. AllSeasons Gas Grill & Fireside Shop is a welcome breathof fresh air, at a time when consumer confidence isrecovering from a low point. Owner Dave Backs hasspent the past eight years building a strong, smart retailoperation with tons of heart.

In 2004, Backs and his wife, Sharon, bought All

Seasons Gas Grill & Fireside Shop from the Anschultzfamily (which had opened the store in 1999). Backs had30 years’ experience in the grill industry, working in manycapacities—from retail salesperson to national sales man-ager—and he was ready to get off the road and settledown with a store of his own.

“I wanted to get back into retail, where I had startedand had always gotten the most satisfaction,” he remem-bers. Backs hit the ground running with the new busi-ness, which already had a great reputation in the commu-

nity, along with a seasoned sales team. In the first few years, Backs spent his time fine tuning

the store’s product mix (adding 50% more grills, includ-ing grill islands) and introducing customers to his rela-tionship style of retailing. “Every single person who workshere loves what he or she is doing, and that is the heart ofAll Seasons Gas Grill & Fireside Shop,” Backs explains.“People come to us not just for our products, but for theexperience we give them during the entire sales process.”

All Seasons Gas Grill & Fireside Shop has gained areputation in the community not only for its personalityon the sales floor, but for its involvement in localevents—including everything from customer-apprecia-tion days to fraternity parties. “When we are invited to anevent, we bring a gas grill and a smoker, so people cantaste and compare the food cooked on each one,” Backssays. “It’s fun, and it gets people to ask questions aboutthe food and the grills. Everybody in our neck of thewoods knows who we are. We are seen as experts, so peo-ple come to talk to us about cooking, rubs, sauces, andmarinades.”

On most Saturdays, the All Seasons Gas Grill &Fireside Shop staff fires up one or two of its grills andmakes food for customers. Backs has personally trainedevery one of his employees in the art of grilling, and heconsiders them to be grilling maestros.

“There is not one person on my staff who can’t whip upsomething delicious on a grill or smoker. My theory is thatif you can make six things on a grill really well, every-

i

Dave Backs’ lifelong passion for grilling has fueled his business and has

helped turn others into diehard grillers. grill guru by SHARON SANDERS photography by RPM PHOTOGRAPHY NASHVILLE


http://www.southsearattan.com

T he portfolio of grill products offered by

Onward Manufacturing Company Ltd.

(Waterloo, Ontario) keeps growing to serve its

customers’ needs even better. The company,

respected for its Broil King®, Broil-Mate™, and

Sterling® brands, is also the sole Canadian dis-

tributor of Weber-Stephen products.

It recently acquired a new factory in

Huntington, Indiana. Ted Mealing, director

of marketing, says, “The acquisition was an

opportunity to expand our capacity in North

America, and in the United States specifi-

cally. It also placed us close to many key

quality suppliers.”

One of the brands manufactured at the

Huntington factory is called Huntington. In

a second plant in Dickson, Tennessee,

Onward Manufacturing will be producing

models under the already-established

Fiesta Gas Grills brand.

Mealing says, “The acquisition now

gives us a core U.S. lineup. We are in a

good position to establish these brands

and position them to fit within our portfo-

lio.” Mealing adds that Onward

Manufacturing made a conscious decision

to invest in the United States.

He says, “Anywhere you look these days,

there is a favorable trend toward products

made in the United States. I think there are

advantages to it—from where we source

materials to quality of materials and the way

we approach production, as a company—

that will help us to remain competitive.”

Onward Manufacturing’s flagship brand,

Broil King (which has a growing base with

specialty retailers), will also be manufac-

tured at the Indiana plant. Mealing says, “We

are focused on building the Broil King brand

through our Regal and Imperial series and in

our core lineup of cast-aluminum products,

which covers the Sovereign, Signet, Crown,

and Monarch lines.”

Onward Manufacturing values the rela-

tionships that it has with its specialty deal-

ers, and it is committed to providing them

with continued marketing support for the

Broil King brand. Mealing says, “We have

some strong programs for our independent

dealers and try to focus on ones that help

them build their businesses, such as traffic-

to-store programs (as opposed to simply

trade allowances).”

He adds, “We put a lot of detailed sup-

port and effort into marketing our product to

help retailers merchandise our grills proper-

ly. Educating the retailer’s staff through prod-

uct-knowledge sessions is also very impor-

tant, from basic sales skills to explaining the

advantages of the different features our grills

offer and what they mean to a consumer.”

Through this period of growth, Mealing

notes, the company continues to manage its

various marketing channels carefully to

avoid any confusion or conflict. He says, “We

are managing growth and making sure

everyone has the right product mix and infor-

mation—and, as a company, that we provide

the right support to build our brands.”

Broil King sets itself apart from the com-

petition because each grill in the line, at

every price point, is designed and engi-

neered to work as a cooking system. This

system includes stainless steel Dual-Tube™

burners, a technology designed to ensure an

even flame from front to back, providing uni-

form heat at the cooking surface; the stain-

less-steel Flav-R-Wave™, which instantly

vaporizes drippings, infusing food with fla-

vor; and Flav-R-Zone™ heat partitions,

which provide additional cooking flexibility

and heat control.

According to its own marketing research

(as well as industry feedback), all Onward

Manufacturing brands continually are given

high rankings in terms of quality, perception

of quality, and user experience. Established

over 100 years ago, Onward Manufacturing is

still a family-owned business. For over 30

years, the company has focused solely on

grill products. Mealing says, “We are grillers

at heart, and we focus a lot on that barbecu-

ing experience.”

Mealing adds that it is important for the

user to understand the value of the Broil

King brand and to appreciate that all its grills

are well made and manufactured in the

United States—and that ultimately, the con-

sumer benefits by getting a great product.

He says, “All around, in any of our brands,

we offer good value and superior perform-

ance, and we are very competitive in price.

We want our dealers to tell that story.”


outdoor

one will think you are a grill genius. I tell that to my cus-tomers as well,” he adds.

Backs himself is seen as a local grilling expert, mostlydue to the fact that he hosts a weekly cooking showcalled “Midday Live” on the local ABC affiliate. He hasbeen doing the show for eight years, so it has broughtmuch attention to the store, positioning it as the place togo for grills. In each seven-minute segment, he introducesa different recipe that he and his wife have created athome, themselves.

Backs tells his viewers that anything that can be cookedin a kitchen can be cooked outdoors on a grill, with just afew minor adjustments. He has made everything from hol-landaise sauce to asparagus and pork shoulder. The formatof the show is simple. The first part features Backs prepar-ing the day’s recipe indoors in a kitchen, and then he headsoutside to grill the food for the second half of the show.

He cooks on grills and smokers that are sold at his store,and he talks about them as he is grilling the food. “Theshow inspires people to look at grilling in a different way.They can make so much more than hot dogs, chicken, andsteak. I always encourage people to enjoy life, with theirfamilies and friends, through food,” he says.

STAYING ON TRACKWhile All Seasons Gas Grill & Fireside Shop’s cus-

tomer-service and marketing efforts have brought itmuch success, Backs is the consummate businessperson,with a constant eye on the store’s profits. Even throughthe recession, the store has posted consistent growth overthe past eight years—to point of tripling sales.

All Seasons Gas Grill & Fireside Shop is known asa one-stop shop for everything hearth and grill related,with products at a broad range of price points. On thegrill front, the store has had its best success withNapoleon®, Broil King®, and island grills fromAlfresco™.

Backs is always on the hunt for grills that intrigue cus-tomers and keep them coming into the store. “If a retaileris not ahead of the curve, its customers will be, particular-ly in the Internet age. People are resourceful, and theywill always find something that interests them, so it onlymakes sense to carry it in one’s store,” he explains.

Over the past three years, he has seen a dramatic fluc-tuation in high-end grill sales that has caused him toscrutinize his entire inventory and profit margins.“Margins have been shrinking, for a variety of reasons,and we needed to do something about it,” he explains.

He decided to join the industry’s United BuyersGroup, Highland, Wisconsin, in an effort to improve hismargins aggressively on as many products as possible,including grills, hearth products, controls, and acces-

sories. As a United Buyers Group retailer, he has thepotential to make an additional 6%–10% margin on topof his current margins.

Many of the products that the store is currently carry-ing are included as part of group purchases, and he hasbeen able to explore some new products as well. Backsstarted in the retail co-op business at the beginning of hiscareer and has always been a big believer in the concept.

“The problem in small business right now is the topline, not the bottom line. As retailers, we can cut costs,but if we aren’t making as many sales as we once were, weare never going to come out ahead. The buying group is away to bring up margin, which is what we need to do inorder to survive in this economy,” he explains.

THE FUTUREAll Seasons Gas Grill & Fireside Shop is content with

its reputation as a retailer that genuinely cares about itscustomers—and about offering products that can improvepeople’s enjoyment of life. “Life will always toss up chal-lenges, and I’ve come to expect anything,” Backs says.

He adds, “What makes All Seasons Gas Grill &Fireside Shop special is its ability to concentrate ontoday. Yesterday and tomorrow are the enemy of today, sowe make the best of things we are faced with today tokeep our business strong.”

GRILL ING

Onward Manufacturing is expanding U.S. production of its grills, including the Huntington model(left) and the Imperial series from the company’s flagship brand, Broil King.

Onward Manufacturing Expands in the United States by KIMBERLY RODGERS


http://www.couristan.com

f a business could have a personality, family-owned Backyard Masters in Farmingdale, New

York, would be voted most likely to succeed.Native New Yorkers Sherrie and Dean Salvani startedtheir retail business when they were just 19 years oldand newly married—with dreams for the future.

Today, 32 years later, the Salvanis and their threegrown sons run a popular three-store pool, spa, andpatio chain that has become a favorite of New Yorkers,from the Bronx to the Hamptons. The Salvanis’ natu-ral business sense, passion for service, and refusal tostop building their dream have brought them moresuccess than they could ever have imagined.

In 1974, the Salvanis had a $2,000 nest egg that

they wanted to invest in some kind of business. “Theway we started in retail was really an accident—a goodone, but not something we could ever have planned,”Sherrie Salvani recalls. From the beginning, theirfriends and family thought they were crazy, whichmade them want to do it even more. The ambitiouscouple started selling children’s little plastic wadingpools from their home.

“We had no intention of getting into the pool andpatio business; it just happened that plastic pools werethe first thing we could get our hands on,” Salvani says.The couple branched out and started attending mer-chandise shows to pick out fun, new products, includ-ing beach chairs and other outdoor items.

Five years later, to the surprise of everyone, theSalvanis opened their first retail store (in the Bronx),selling above-ground pools and accessories. It was notlong before business took off for them.

Salvani attributes their success to the fact that sheand her husband have great chemistry together. “Webring different things to the table. Dean is the salesper-son and I’m the administrator/buyer (and I love designand decorating). We are the perfect team to run a busi-ness together,” she says.

FROM POOLS TO FULL SERVICEAfter the Salvanis opened their first store, the busi-

ness seemed to take on a life of its own, evolving from


showroom SHOWCASE

a businesswith heart

Family-run Backyard Masters has prospered for more than three decades because of its commitment tocustomer satisfaction. by SHARON SANDERS photography by RONNYMILLS STUDIOS

i

Left: Bold, bright colors are a signature of

Backyard Masters, a 32–year-old retailer that

knows its customers' tastes inside and out.

Top right: Pools are the roots of Backyard

Masters, and they remain the centerpiece

of its outdoor-living business today.

Below: Backyard Masters is all about family:

from left, Sherrie and Dean Salvani and their

sons, Dean Jr. and Derek; not pictured is a

third son, Dustin.

carrying pools into selling hot tubs, outdoor fur-niture, grills, and (eventually) grill islands andoutdoor fireplaces. As the business grew, so didthe couple’s passion for outdoor living.

“Sometimes, you don’t know what your pas-sion is until you find it. We found it in our busi-ness,” Salvani explains. It wasn’t long before cus-tomers wanted help not only in buying prod-ucts, but in putting their backyards together, sothe Salvanis shifted the focus of the business andchanged its name to Backyard Masters.

The operation is now a full-service backyarddesign center that does everything frominstalling pools, spas, and hardscape to addingthe finishing touches with outdoor furnitureand custom grill islands. The new conceptbecame such a hit that the company opened twomore stores, in Patchogue and in Farmingdale(on Long Island).

The Farmingdale store is Backyard Masters’flagship location, with an impressive30,000–square-foot showroom floor filled witheverything that one could want for an outdoorspace. It was designed to excite customers; fromits dramatic black metallic paint and Chinesered windows to its waterfalls with colored water,there is nothing ordinary in sight.

“I like to see people’s faces when they walkinto our store for the first time,” Salvani says. Sheis meticulous about every detail of the showroom.

She says, “New Yorkers have a very edgy style thatis different from that of any other part of thecountry. They will go for a bright jockey red orbold prints without hesitation, so that’s what wecarry on our floor.”

One of her favorite dining groups has leopard-print cushions with a gold frame. She recentlybrought in cast-aluminum furniture with a cinna-mon finish that sold out in just a few weeks.“People who are looking for something they’ve

never seen before will find it in our stores,” shesays. Backyard Masters carries products frommanufacturers that include Woodard,Tropitone®, Suncoast, Weber®, Cal Flame®,and the top names in pools and spas.

CARVING OUT A NICHEBackyard Masters has been able to pull away

from its competition by offering its conception-to-completion design service, but it is not satis-



m ilk jugs, laundry-deter-

gent bottles, and the term

high performance are not typically

mentioned in the same sentence—

unless, of course, you are speaking

with entrepreneurs Doug Rassi and

Mark Phillabaum. They founded and

own Poly-Wood®, Inc., one of the

leading U.S. producers of casual out-

door furniture made from recycled

materials.

Since they started the company

21 years ago, they not only have

helped reduce waste in our country’s

landfills, but also have played a major

part in shaping the green-furniture

category, with a focus on style and

performance.

In 1990, high-school friends Rassi

and Phillabaum came up with the idea

of using recycled plastic milk jugs to

make plastic lumber for outdoor casu-

al furniture. Their first undertaking

was a classic Adirondack chair that

became more popular than they ever

could have imagined.

Chad Yordy, director of sales and

marketing, explains, “Poly-Wood

was the first company to bring a

style-oriented green Adirondack into

the market.” As interest in the com-

pany’s unique green products grew,

so did its furniture offerings. Today,

Poly-Wood has a full lineup of casual

furniture that includes everything

from relaxing rocking chairs to luxuri-

ous deep seating.

The company manufactures all of

its furniture in its 200,000–square-

foot plant in Syracuse, Indiana. Its

products are constructed from high-

density polyethylene (HDPE) that is

derived from postconsumer prod-

ucts, such as milk and detergent

bottles, as well from as postin-

dustrial products.

The material is purified to

remove contaminants (food

residue, paper, and adhesives)

and is then compounded into a

rigid board stock with a high

recycled-plastic content, by

weight. Poly-Wood extrudes

the purified HDPE into plastic

lumber to build its furniture.

The company takes pride in

the fact that its extrusion

process is modern and efficient,

using 3D design, computer

numerical control fabrication,

and lean manufacturing tech-

niques. Yordy says, “Our furni-

ture is not molded, as some

people think; it is assembled

just like wood or any other

material, which gives it a gen-

uine look that people love.”

PERFORMANCEAND STYLE

The green aspect of Poly-

Wood’s furniture is undeniably

appealing to consumers, but its

performance is what really

seals the deal. All of Poly-

Wood’s HDPE products have

exceptional resistance to corro-

sive substances, oil and fuels,

insects, fungi, salt spray, and

other environmental stresses.

HDPE does not absorb

moisture; therefore, it will not

rot, splinter, or crack—and it

also has superior weather

resistance. “In short, people

can leave their furniture outside

year-round, hose it off in the

spring, and be ready for outdoor liv-

ing,” Yordy says.

While the company’s flagship

Adirondack chair is still a number-one

seller, Poly-Wood is continually look-

ing for ways to raise the bar when it

comes to the design of its furniture.

“People are attracted to the perform-

ance and style of our products, and

then they consider it a bonus when

they find out it’s made from recycled

material,” Yordy says.

A few years ago, the company

added a whole new dimension to its

product line when it introduced light-

weight aluminum as a design accent.

Its sleek Euro collection for 2011 fea-

tures finely crafted aluminum frames

with durable Poly-Wood slats in fun,

bright colors. “Contemporary design

is hot right now, so this collection is

really doing well for us,” Yordy says.

For 2011, the company also has

introduced two new chairs that can

be paired with its dining tables: a

Chippendale chair and the timeless

Traditional Garden dining chair, with a

contoured seat. The Poly-Wood

brand has grown so significantly over

the past few years that the company

opened a gorgeous showroom on the

17th floor of the Merchandise Mart in

Chicago, Illinois, in June 2011.

NEW HORIZONSAs Poly-Wood looks to the future,

it is encouraged that green products

are surging in popularity, and it plans

to take full advantage of that fact.

“We have always been viewed as a

leader in green furniture manufactur-

ing, and we plan to continue to be

innovators,” Yordy explains.

One of the newest movements

within the green industry is cradle-to-

cradle recycling, founded on the

premise of recycling products repeat-

edly. “An item can be recycled again

and again, extending its life indefi-

nitely,” he says.

The company’s plan is to seek

more opportunities to partner with

individuals, companies, and organi-

zations that share the cradle-to-cra-

dle vision. “This is really the next

vision for our company, in addition to

continuing to take green furniture to

new levels of comfort, style, and per-

formance,” Yordy adds.

Poly-Wood Values Performanceand Sustainability by SHARON SANDERS

showroom SHOWCASE


The Poly-Wood

Adirondack

chair

http://www.303products.com


http://www.plantationpatterns.com



Backyard Masters' eclectic showroom vignettes set it apart as a retailer

that refuses to be ordinary.

fied in stopping there. In addition to its three retail locations,Backyard Masters has two large warehouses that it uses to storeproducts for its at-once stock program.

“People historically wait until the last minute to buy things,so we have chosen to be the retailer they can go to for last-minute purchases,” Salvani says. She explains that for every hottub, patio-furniture set, or umbrella on the floor, the companystocks two more in the warehouse. “When you are dealing witha seasonal business like ours, people won’t wait. They will gosomewhere else if the item isn’t available,” she says.

Backyard Masters also has an in-store service department thatstocks parts for its pools and hot tubs, and there are plans tooffer parts for patio furniture and grill islands as well. “We wantcustomers to know that we stock everything they need. It keepsthem happy and helps us build relationships,” Salvani says.

As most businesses are, in today’s economy, Backyard Mastersis constantly looking for creative ways to get customers to shopin its stores. One tactic that has worked well is running televi-sion spots every hour on the weekends. According to Salvani,people specifically mention the commercials when they come tothe store.

Backyard Masters has also begun to do more Internet anddirect-mail advertising, and it has started hosting private insid-er events. The events, by invitation only, are held for customerswho have made a purchase in the past. The cocktail-partygatherings are held on a weeknight, and customers who make apurchase on the same night receive a special preferred-cus-tomer discount.

The store also partners with some of its barbecue vendors,such as Weber, to grill food for customers on the weekends.Last year, the Salvanis even turned their Farmingdale storeinto a Christmas-tree shop, selling fully decorated, themedtrees to customers for the holidays. The concept was so wellreceived that they are planning to implement some other cre-ative ideas for the off season this year.

FAMILY FUTUREBackyard Masters is a family business to its very core. The

Salvanis have poured their whole lives into growing the busi-ness, and their three sons (Dean Jr., Dustin, and Derek) arevery active in daily operations as well. “They were raised inthe backroom of the Bronx store, so they have pool in theirblood,” Salvani jokes. “I even gave birth to one of my sons onthe same day I was working in the store.”

When the boys graduated from high school, the Salvanisencouraged them to go off on their own, but they all decidedto come back after college. “I am really glad we have the kidsaround so we can get their insights into the next generation’sthoughts and spending habits,” Salvani says.

In 2012, the Salvanis will be celebrating their 33rd year inretail, and they’re not showing any signs of slowing. BothDean and Sherrie say that they like to live life without lim-its—both personally and in business.

“We would like to duplicate our popular Farmingdale storein another area and take it to the next level,” Salvani says.“Our dream is to have people from all over New York—andeventually, beyond that—telling their friends that they haveBackyard Masters yards.”

showroom SHOWCASE

http://www.highwood-usa.com

Telescope CasualF U R N I T U R E


http://www.telescopecasual.com


t has been a little more than six years since Bella-Dura™ introduced its beautiful, durable, earth-friendly performance fabrics. A division of

Wearbest Sil-Tex Mills, Inc., Bella-Dura jumped intothe competitive indoor/outdoor-fabric market withits eyes wide open, knowing that it would have tooffer customers something different in order to betaken seriously.

Today, the company (based in Garfield, NewJersey) is enjoying more solid growth than it evercould have predicted, with casual-furniture manufac-turers in the United States and other countries show-ing more interest every year. Patio & Hearth ProductsReport spent some time with Irwin Gasner, presidentand CEO of Wearbest, to find out more about Bella-Dura and to get his take on performance fabrics.

How did Bella-Dura make its way onto the performance-fabrics scene?

Gasner: Wearbest has been a force in the indoor-fabric industry for over 30 years, and the company waslooking for the next mountain to climb. When wecame up with the concept for Bella-Dura, in early2000, performance fabrics were just beginning tomake their mark, casual-furniture deep seating wasstarting to emerge, and the demand for green productswas growing. The challenge was how to take thosethree opportunities and put them together. To us,Bella-Dura was the answer.

What has Bella-Dura been up tosince its 2005 launch?

Gasner: Our goal was to develop and deliversomething different from the product of any otherperformance-fabric manufacturer. Without adoubt, we have become what we had hoped for—and more. For the first few years, we spent a lot oftime marketing Bella-Dura, which laid the founda-tion for the brand.

Our efforts really began paying off in 2008, whenthe company won the Earth Minded Award from theAmerican Society of Interior Designers and launchedBella-Dura at the annual Hospitality DesignExposition & Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Then, in 2009, the financial world fell apart, andour whole industry took a big hit. Business started tolook up again in 2010, and 2011 has been utterly fan-tastic. Bella-Dura is steadily taking market share in allof the markets that it serves, including the residential,contract, and hospitality markets.

We wanted to build a brand that is recognized inthe marketplace for its multitiered performance andits sustainable attributes—while, at the same time,being known for great design. Our dream is beingrealized. We have customers doing huge programs andliterally putting in 50 to 100 SKUs.

We also have a number of casual-furniture manu-facturers that are first-time purchasers of Bella-Durathat we are thrilled to have as a part of the family. Iknow we will have our best Chicago InternationalCasual Furniture & Accessories Market™ this year.

What trends are you seeing in fabrics this season?

Gasner: I think neutrals are always going to be thebiggest story, but manufacturers have to excite customerswith new colors, fabrics, and weaves as well. I compare itto buying a dress or suit. If you go into a clothing store andsee the same old navy suit or beige dress, it’s not going toexcite you to buy.

We’re always challenged to do something different.Every season, we try to top our last—and somehow, ourdesign team always manages to do it.

One interesting thing about the outdoor-furnituremarket is that it plays it safe, in terms of design, and isusually about two years behind the indoor market inadopting new trends. Bella-Dura isn’t afraid to be a mar-ket leader, and we’ll do some crazy things with color.

We recently did pink fabric and showed it to U.S.casual-furniture manufacturers; they didn’t respond.

SEE ITas i

durable designsBella-Dura’s high-performance, eco-friendly fabrics complementtoday’s chic outdoor rooms. by SHARON SANDERS

I

PHO

TO C

OU

RTES

Y O

F G

RAN

DIN

ROA

D

Irwin Gasner, presidentand CEO of Wearbest

Right: Bella-Dura offers

consumers performance,

style, and sustainability,

bundled into one

amazing fabric.


http://www.bella-dura.com


We took it to Europe, and people wentcrazy. My bet is that pink for outdoorswill be in demand in the United States inthe next two years.

Why is the marriage betweenfabric and frame so important?

Gasner: It takes a certain level of sophis-tication to create a beautiful frame, and ifyou use the right fabric on a frame, itbrings the frame to life: It makes it sing.A consumer gets a warm, fuzzy feelingwhen he or she walks into a casual-furni-ture store and sees the right marriage offabric and frame.

On the other hand, I’ve walked intofurniture showrooms and seen the wrongmarriage—even if it was my own fabric—and I was embarrassed. You can put abeautiful fabric on a beautiful frame, butif it’s not the right match, it’s like beingmarried to the wrong person.

Do you think that all per-formance fabrics are creat-ed equal?

Gasner: No, they are not—not by a longshot. While there are many outdoor fab-rics on the market, some fibers will dosome things better than others. A perfectexample of this is abrasion.

Typically, abrasion is not a big per-formance factor in outdoor fabricsbecause people don’t sit on outdoor furni-ture for 12 hours a day. When outdoorfabrics are used in a hotel-pool setting,however, abrasion is a huge factor. If thereis a need for abrasion performance, thefiber needs to be specifically designed forthat application.

Fabric strength is determined by howit rates on the double-rub test, which is aback and forth motion that approximatesthe wear and tear that comes from some-

one sitting down on (and getting upfrom) an upholstered seat. Our fabricshave a minimum of 50,000 double rubs,which is way above the standard for out-door fabrics (around 3,000 double rubs).

When we created Bella-Dura, abrasionwas one of the performance attributes thatwe built into it because we wanted to crossover into many markets. It is attributessuch as this that make every fabric unique.

Will fabric play a big role inthe future of the casual-fur-niture industry?

Gasner: Absolutely: I think casual furni-ture and performance fabrics havebecome inseparable. You walk out tosomeone’s backyard, pool area, orextended living area, and the first thingsyou notice are beautiful fabrics. If youare shopping in a retail showroom, fab-rics are the first things that draw you to apiece of furniture.

They add warmth and make a spaceplush, rich, and inviting. I am certain weare going to see continued innovation infabric that will help keep casual furniturefresh and interesting to consumers formany years to come.

What are you looking forwardto over the next few years?

Gasner: I am looking forward to tellingmore people the Bella-Dura story: itsgreen story, its sustainable story, and itsperformance story. On top of that, Bella-Dura is made in the United States. It’s afourth-generation, privately held compa-ny that’s keeping jobs in the UnitedStates, which is a tremendous source ofpride. We are doing everything we can toget the word out to designers and con-sumers so they can see what a special fab-ric Bella-Dura is. Circle Reader Service No. 46

Bella-Dura patterns

(from left): Girasol,

Classico, Provence,

Canopy, Grand Damask,

and Block Party; the col-

ors reflect this season’s

trends of chic menswear

and bright hues.

as i SEE IT

http://www.crimsoncasual.com


http://www.galtechcorp.com


n 1977, Bernie Lowsky foundedPride Family Brands as a manufac-turer and retailer of PVC-pipe out-

door furniture in Fort Lauderdale,Florida. Business boomed, and his sons,Jamie and Steve, joined the business.Shortly thereafter, after some introspec-tion, they decided to reinvent the com-pany. It would not be the last time.

It was 1982, and the company had 14stores. “We were a like a little EthanAllen, with five stores in California andnine in Florida,” Steve Lowsky recalls; hehas worked at the family-owned businesssince he was in middle school. He adds,“Our factory produced for our ownstores. Then, we got into the wholesalebusiness in the early 1980s, and it

dawned on us: Retail is very difficult—and while wholesale is difficult, too, it iseasier to sell on a nationwide level.”

At that point, the Lowskys decided toexit the retail side of the business andfocus on the manufacturing, sales, anddistribution of the products. Over thenext decade, the business prospered andgrew. By the late 1980s, however,demand for the product category haddecreased, and the company reinventeditself once again. The decision was madeto go into value-priced extruded- andcast-aluminum outdoor furniture.

“We were selling tubular plastic, andwe wanted to be in the aluminum busi-ness. In late 1980s, we made the move togo into aluminum—and since our plastic

offering was already selling at HomeDepot, Walmart, Target, and other bigboxes, it made sense to produce alu-minum for those same customers,”Lowsky says.

This process was accelerated by thecreation of a plant and foundry in CostaRica. The product line was developed,and production began. The product linewas well received by retailers throughoutthe United States; the business grew.

In the early 1990s, two key decisionsconcerning the company’s future direc-tion were made. “The market hadbecome saturated with me-too prod-ucts, and there was very little differenti-ation of the products being made to theretailers and consumers,” Lowskyexplains, citing the glut of promotionalproducts (priced at less than $1,000)imported from China that took overfloor space at Kmart, Walmart, Lowe’s,and similar stores.

The first decision was to retool theCosta Rican factory to make high-endproducts, which took Pride FamilyBrands back to its roots as a specialtyshop. Then, in a second decision, thecompany went to China and created avalue line for the mass retailers that werealready among its customers.

“Pride Family Brands elected tochange the entire product offering andbegan making unique, custom-made,

high-end products constructed ofextruded and cast aluminum,” Lowskysays. “This was a very bold change, and ittook a great deal of foresight and visionto make this move. The reaction fromboth the retailers and consumers wasoverwhelming, and this enthusiasm con-tinues today.”

The high-end brand that marked thebig change is Pride Family Brands’Castelle brand, which is the company’score brand for high-end products today.Manufactured in Costa Rica, Castelle ismarketed and sold by about 300 special-ty patio shops throughout the UnitedStates.

The Prestige brand, also made inCosta Rica, is retailed through specificspecialty patio retail shops in the UnitedStates. Specific is the operative word:Similar to Castelle, Prestige is a brandthat is used often in comparative situa-tions, so that Pride Family Brands canoffer exclusive collections to its retailers.

“We have people working here tomake sure dealers have exclusive rights tothe products they pick in their tradingareas. That creates loyalty. Often, aretailer will spend hours with clients,choosing fabrics and coming up with allthe specifications that go into a custom-made piece of a furniture. We structureour products in such a way that theclient can’t go down the street and get

I

my TURN

Family-owned Pride Family Brands has

made a name for itself by being flexible and innovative.

by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

Top: The Coco Isle formal-dining collection

is shown in the rattan pecan finish with

sailcloth spice fabric.

Bottom: Pride Family Brands’ Regent sling

dining collection features an oval dining

table with the Madera cast-aluminum top.

Here, it is shown in the pecan finish with

Calvin spice fabric.

onwardand upward

Erwin Style. Erwin Service. Erwin Selection.

Our name says it all.

Erwin and Sons BRINGING PARADISE HOME

www.erwinandsons.com

Chicago International Casual Furniture Market • September 12-15, 2011 • Booths 8-1111 & 8-1114

Bahama Winds™ • Island Collection™ • Lightweights™ Stone Tops • Leisureluxe™ Custom Cushions • Wonderwood™Circle Reader Service No. 49

http://www.erwinandsons.com

the same from someone else, based onprice,” Lowsky says.

The Expressions brand is made in CostaRica and is distributed to department andfurniture stores. The SummerWinds brandis the lower-end line produced in Asia; it issold to about 60 patio shops and to big-box retailers such as Target, Bed Bath &Beyond, and pharmacy chains.

Does Lowsky wish that the productswere made in the United States? He says,“Sure: I’d love to do it in the UnitedStates, but each piece requires so muchwelding, custom paint finishes, and soforth that the retail price would be astro-nomical.” He notes that all raw materialsfor products come from the United States.

It is design that sets Pride FamilyBrands apart from the competition,Lowsky says. “Attention to detail: Thesethree words sum up what our business isabout. We use premium materials, made inthe United States, throughout the manu-facturing process, to ensure a long-lasting,quality product.”

He continues, “Our welds are nearlyinvisible, and the frames are hand pre-pared to provide a superior surface for fin-ishing. Our finishes are unique and very

high end. We produce ourown cushioning internally,to conform to each frame ina unique way. Throughoutthe process, it is the atten-tion to detail by all of ourpersonnel that ensures thatthe consumer receives a high-quality,long-lasting set of furniture.”

Product development is ongoing.“Each season, four or five new collectionsare designed, cataloged, and made readyfor sale,” Lowsky says. Five new collectionsfor the 2012 season were introduced at theICFA Preview Show™ in Chicago,Illinois, in July 2011.

Each collection features more than 20individual items, designed to meet almostany need. Collections were added in PrideFamily Brands’ cast, wrought, transitional,and tropical categories. Also new are sever-al new stand-alone items that Lowskypromises will be popular.

“We are a very vertically integratedcompany, so we can create a lot of new col-lections every year. Dealers know PrideFamily Brands is an exciting place that willhave a lot of new trends—and because weoffer exclusivity, most dealers want to

meet with us at ashow before theircompetitors getthere, so they canhave pieces exclu-sive to their stores before their local com-petition does,” Lowsky says.

Products are promoted throughnational trade advertising and someregional advertising. “We have a goodwebsite (pridefamilybrands.com) that iseasy to view and navigate. The number ofhits on our site tells us that consumers areusing this vehicle, more and more, as theyresearch their purchases,” Lowsky says.

He adds, “Facebook is yet anotherway that we get our message out; we postconversations and pictures, and we getfeedback, so I think it is very much agrowing trend in our industry. Imagine:free feedback—what you would normal-ly pay for, you get for free.”

In the near term, look for Pride FamilyBrands to continue moving “onward andupward,” Lowsky says. “We’ve beenblessed with a lot of years of hard work,and now we’re a bigger family businessthat is debt-free, but we’re not a big cor-poration. Most of our customers are fam-ily businesses, and we treat them all asthey would want to be treated. We wantto make sure business is good for every-one, and our egos don’t go past wherethey should.”

He says, “We will continue to bringgreat products to our customers and todevelop the products that are in demand.We are a lean company and can adapt toany market changes fairly quickly.”



CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT COOKS.

For those who demand a full,

working kitchen under the sun,

Challenger has a variety of outdoor

kitchen options built to last a lifetime.

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Left: The Madrid deep seating collection includes a large rec-

tangular coffee table and a square side table with the Artisan

cast-aluminum top.

Below: The Veranda deep seating collection is part of the

Castelle brand.

my TURN

http://www.challengercabinets.com/

http://www.challengercabinets.com

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http://www.overrandunderonline.com

orsø, a manufacturer of energy-efficient wood stoves, is taking

the innovation and flexibility of the Internetone step further and using it to make its ownversion of virtual in-home sales calls. CraigShankster, president of Morsø USA(Portland, Tennessee), says, “We’re lookingat ways we can generate an order for thedealer without the consumer necessarilyhaving to drive excessive amounts of dis-tance to visit a dealer.”

He explains, “Geography, in the UnitedStates, is a significant factor—and often,we’ll have great gaps of land betweendealers; we have to close those gaps. We

have a theory that when gas prices go higher, con-sumers will be less likely to travel 100 miles or so tofind a Morsø dealer.”

Shankster continues, “If we pump more moneyinto our website and give consumers more infor-mation, videos, and so forth, we can encouragethem to order (on behalf of the dealer) using ourwebsite.” To heighten the effect of the virtual in-home sales call and enable consumers to make theirpurchases in the comfort of their own homes or

offices, Morsø is investing in overhauling its web-site—in an effort to generate orders for dealers.

“We’re setting up smaller websites, on behalf ofthe dealer, that will link to ours. There are a lot ofdealers out there who do not invest a lot of moneyin website marketing (or just marketing in general),yet there is a whole generation out there that relieson the Internet. We have to help dealers gain visi-bility,” Shankster says.

He adds, “It is a big endeavor,” noting that thereis “a lot of clever technology out there that you cantap into; we can decide where the consumer iscoming from and program the website to go to acertain place.”

To Shankster’s knowledge, no manufacturer inthe wood-stove industry is taking orders online—and that’s not Morsø’s intent, either. “We want togenerate a hot lead or a virtual order. We’re nottaking money; however, we would certainly wantto be in the position to create a wish list for theconsumer and pass it to the dealer, in the hope thatthe dealer will follow through,” Shankster says.

Morsø is continuing to energize its social net-working via Facebook and Twitter and is fine-tun-ing its website for Google, Yahoo, and Bing search-


product INNOVATION

Above: Craig Shankster

Top and page 53: The Morsø 5660

standard zero-clearance fireplace

enclosure

Stove manufacturer Morsø upgrades its website to help increasesales for dealers. by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN m

a virtual company



es. Shankster says, “We’re putting a lotof money into search-engine optimiza-tion, right now, to help make sure we’recoming out at the top of the rankings.We’re also redesigning our website tomake it more user friendly.”

The reinvigorated Morsø website willbe launched in August, and Shanksterexpects every feature to be operationalby then. The relaunch was communicat-ed to dealers over the summer, and manyof them were invited to Morsø’sPortland facility for a preview unveiling.

“Some dealers spend a lot of moneyon telephone-directory advertising. Idon’t even take mine out of its bag,”Shankster notes. “There are dealers outthere who have had a grueling three-yearperiod and are reluctant to pump moremoney in their marketing efforts, so wewill do what we can. We’re limited aswell, so we have to make sure our invest-ment is the most efficient we can make.”

To reward key dealers who haveweathered the storm, Morsø orchestrat-ed a sales promotion, last year, to givethem a trip to Denmark in late August2011; 37 dealers made the grade. “Theyshowed significant growth over the pre-vious year, boosting sales 44% (com-bined),” he says.

The winning dealers will take a facto-ry tour, attend the Morsø summer party,and enjoy sightseeing in Copenhagen.“We’ve done this before—typically,every two years or so—and it has beenvery successful,” Shankster says.

Shankster is focusing on marketingwhile he is forced to cool his heels,awaiting new EPA regulations beforeintroducing new products to the UnitedStates. “We don’t know where the newEPA regulations are going to fall, andnow they’ve been pushed back, so we’re

cautious,” he says. He explains, “We know where we are

in terms of product lines, but we’rereluctant to bring in new products fromEurope until the new regulations are outthere. We want to be absolutely bullet-proof before we jump. Caution is stillvery much in the wind, but we’re stick-ing our neck out on one product for thecoming year, which is a new insert.”

That new insert is being called theS80-90 until it gets an official name.Shankster describes it as having a verywide mouth and as being “flush, clean-faced, modern—almost the iPhone ofwood-burning inserts. Because of thenew EPA standards coming through,we can’t directly lift the European ver-sion. We’ve put an extra 30% of devel-opment cost into redesigning the fire-box to make a U.S. version.” If all goesaccording to plan, the S80-90 will beapproved and launched in late 2011.

The balance of the product lineremains intact, with no real changes,according to Shankster, who notes thatthe Morsø 5660 contemporary fire-place insert continues to do very well.“We’ve concentrated a considerableamount on our contemporary line.Contemporary is a word bounced

around a lot, and some dealers wonderif it has a place,” Shankster says, addingthat the Morsø brand has evolved overthe past four years.

He says, “We’ve seen a style shift.Sales of the classic style of wood stoveshave moved from 87% down to 50%.For us, the contemporary, modern, orEuropean stove—or whatever you wantto call it—has taken over now. We’veconcentrated our marketing aroundthat. We can see, in the national pic-ture, there is a trend toward contempo-rary design, so our plans will be to domore of the same.”

Don’t expect Morsø to drop its clas-sic lines any time soon, though.Shankster says, “We’ll expand on classicdesigns regionally, such as in the NewEngland area. We won’t give up on clas-sic designs, but we will expand on thecontemporary.”

For the economic near term,Shankster describes Morsø as “reason-ably comfortable. We’re watching thepennies and hoping our investments arewell placed. We’re also concentratingon direct relationships with ouraccounts and making sure they are wellserviced.” To summarize, Shanksteradds, “Caution is still there.”

http://www.morsona.com


orthCape International, Inc., has beenmanufacturing fine casual furniture formore than 10 years and has experienced

the highs and lows of the industry firsthand. OwnerTom Murray has been challenged, at every turn, tomake the right decisions to keep his company in thegame and connected to retailers.

“One thing I’ve learned through tough times isthat manufacturers and retailers need each other,”Murray says. “We are in business together, and eachof us needs to be responsible for our part of the equa-tion if we are going to be around 20 years from now.”

As a casual-furniture manufacturer, NorthCapeInternational (based in Chicago, Illinois) is alwayslooking for ways to cut costs and increase the valueof its products. Over the past year, the company hasmade some strategic moves that will allow it to serveits dealers and their customers better. One of themost significant was to take a look at its offshoremanufacturing, from a cost-containment standpoint.

“For manufacturing in general, there is a reallygood opportunity in the United States right now,”Murray says. The company determined that it wasnot necessary to manufacture everything oversees,yet it wasn’t necessary to bring all of its manufactur-ing back to the United States, either. It reacted basedon where its raw materials are found (in many cases,in the United States), as well as responding to accel-erating labor- and freight-cost pressures abroad.

NorthCape International decided to bring backthe elements that add value, such as cushioning andfabrics for upholstery. “Furniture is rarely just theframe, especially in deep seating, so the cushions andfabrics are a very important part of our products’overall appeal,” Murray says.

The company now has two cushion factories upand running (in Illinois and California), where all ofits finishing work is done. These domestic factoriesmake it possible for NorthCape International to offerits customers more flexibility when it comes to deliv-ery times and customization of its furniture.

Both of the finishing operations have doubled incapacity over the past year, and they are still having atough time keeping up with production. Murraysays, “We continue to expand our relationships over-seas as a reaction to our overall company growth, butthe fastest-growing part of our business, bar none, isthe part that we do here.”

IMAGE IS EVERYTHINGIf there is one area in which NorthCape

International has improved dramatically over thepast year, it is how it visually presents itself and itsproducts. “We are in a fashion-oriented industry,and the way our products are presented in our mar-keting and advertising materials is extremely impor-tant,” Murray says.

NorthCape International has invested a significant

amount of money and time in product photographythat will be used in its advertising and marketingmaterials and on its website. According to Murray,the new visuals will benefit everyone—from the salesrepresentative who is now able to give a sales presen-tation more impact to the retailer who needs profes-sional images for television or print advertising.

The company will also be introducing a new cata-log this year. “We can line ourselves up against anymanufacturer, and our products will look just asgood, if not nicer. I just wish we had done it sooner,”Murray says.

For NorthCape International (or any manufac-

Right: NorthCape

International values its

connection to its cus-

tomers at every level.

Pictured is the Berkshire

collection.

Below, right: Tom Murray,

owner, NorthCape

International

last WORD

a strong bond by SHARON SANDERS

nNorthCape International’s growth can be attributed to its closerelationships with retailers.


http://www.northcapeinternational.com


turer), a strong relationship with dealers can be of morevalue than anything else. Murray is admittedly very candidand open with his dealers, and that has paid off in a big way.“A customer who does business with us for only one year isnot what we are about; the value of our relationship is forthe long term. Dealers know they can come to me for any-

thing because I want them to be a success,” he says. He adds that he is working more closely with dealers

than ever before, on everything from creating new prod-ucts to early-buying programs. When it comes to early buy-ing, NorthCape International understands that many of itscreditworthy customers don’t have the access to credit that


lastthey once did, so the company has made apoint of being both generous and aggressivein its terms.

“In my opinion, early buys are critical tothe success of both the retailer and the manu-facturer,” Murray says. With labor becominga bigger issue in China, manufacturers needwork early to secure labor in the factories.The early buy is also crucial when manufac-turers are discussing programs with factories,so it’s important to operations and banking.

“We know that retailers don’t have themoney to pay until their cash flow starts, so weare basically giving them a discount as a rewardfor planning ahead and having a good credit his-tory,” he says. He adds that he is very careful notto overload customers with more products thanthey can realistically sell (a practice that gavesome companies’ early-buying programs a badreputation in the past).

Murray says, “It’s not uncommon for me toturn down an order that I think is too largeand start at a lower volume. My goal is never tosell tons of product; it is to put my dealers in aposition to succeed.”

CANDID RELATIONSHIPSIn discussing the company’s relationships with

dealers, Murray is quick to mention the wordstrust and honesty. “With the amount of moneywe extend in terms, I’m trusting that customersare going to do the right thing. When they giveus significant business, they are trusting we aregoing to deliver—to the point where they canmake money,” he says.

Murray is always eager to share news andoffer dealers his insights into what he’s seeingand hearing in the industry. “If we don’t dis-cuss what issues could potentially affect ourbusiness, it could be bad for both of us,” heexplains. He also regularly talks with dealersabout the products that the company isdeveloping: what worked, what didn’t, andwhat will be tried next.

He says, “If there are common-sense thingswe can do to help our dealers and the company,we will do them. One needs to be followingthe economic trends constantly so as not tomiss out on opportunities that may arise.There is more to take advantage of when theeconomy is bad, in the form of acquisitionsand better advertising rates—and there is evena larger pool of qualified people, if you are hir-ing employees.”

Lately, Murray has noticed a lot moreoptimism from NorthCape International’scustomers; just six months ago, many of themwere concerned about whether they weregoing to be able to pay the mortgages ontheir buildings. “While there are many deal-ers who have gone away, there are still thosewho are in it for the long haul,” he says.“Business is getting better, but it will be dif-ferent. The manufacturers and retailers whoadjust will be fine.”

WORD

http://www.homecrest.com


http://www.ebelinc.com

SUNBRELLAGlen Raven’s Sunbrella design team

develops several fabric collections each year,as well as beautiful exclusive fabrics for fur-niture manufacturers. Gina Wicker, designand creative director of Glen Raven CustomFabrics, says, “One of our newest offerings isthe Heritage collection, which incorporatesrecycled Sunbrella content. We believe con-sumers will be attracted to these fabrics—first, because of the beautiful surface interestand color palette, and second, by the greenstory.” The yarns used in this new fabric col-lection were first seen in the SunbrellaRenaissance rug collection, which continuesto be popular.

Sunbrella’s research/development team iscontinually improving the performance ofits fabrics, and for many years, Sunbrellafabrics have been recognized by the SkinCancer Foundation as offering effectiveprotection from burning UV rays. “Whenused in conjunction with sunscreen,

umbrellas and awnings made with Sunbrellafabrics offer the best way for consumers toenjoy being outside, while protecting them-selves from the sun,” Wicker says.

According to Wicker, while neutralsalways represent the largest sales volume forSunbrella, consumers are gravitating towardfun colors (such as its new hot pink, alongwith sunny yellow and bright green). Sheadds that navy is now considered a neutralagainst which to showcase bright colors suchas red, pink, yellow, and other vibrant hues.

“We are seeing geometrics and playfulstripes, and in the case where traditional pat-terns such as frames or medallions are used,the color palettes are more modern and

Above: Sunbrella’s outdoor-dining fabric, with

cushions in canvas navy and decorative pillows

in Steeplechase Malibu

Left: Bella-Dura Grandin Road seat cushions


his season’s outdoor fabrics indicate how farthe industry has gone in developing collec-

tions that are durable, comfortable, green,and—above all—stylish. Consumers can select froma diverse range of fabrics that not only can brightentheir outdoor spaces, but also can create seamlesstransitions from inside the home to exterior areas,such as patios, decks, and outdoor rooms.

Fabrics clearly play a pivotal role in transformingan outdoor room into an extension of the rest of thehome. Glen Raven/Sunbrella® (Glen Raven, NorthCarolina); Phifer (Tuscaloosa, Alabama); Outdura(Hudson, North Carolina); and Bella-Dura™

(Garfield, New Jersey) offer exciting new outdoor-fabric options that customers will find enticing.

Fabulous fabric choices help

cost-conscious consumers spruce up

their backyards. by CHERISE FORNO

fabricf lair

product FOCUS

t


http://www.capelrugs.com


updated. Textures continue to be veryimportant, featuring slub or bouclé yarns, aswell as chenilles and velvets,” Wicker says.

PHIFER

The material that Phifer uses for itsoutdoor fabric is always improving andbecoming more environmentally friendly(and user friendly). Sling and cushionedfurniture uses recyclable material andantimicrobial technology. Phifer uses fab-rics infused with Microban® to provideantimicrobial product protection.Microban protection helps prevent the

growth of stain- and odor-causing bacteria,mold, and mildew. This provides lastingprotection to keep fabrics clean and freshlonger, compared with fabrics lacking thisprotection.

Two surfaces (one with and one with-out Microban protection) were tested in alab study, according to Hugo Benitez,Phifer’s market manager. Both were

exposed to bacteria and pho-tographed over a 24-hour period.Microban antimicrobial technolo-gy was shown to work immediatelyon the protected surface, while onthe unprotected fabric, bacteria grewand multiplied. “It’s exciting to havethis type of antimicrobial protection,”Benitez says. “We have decided to addthis to our whole line.”

In order to be in the forefront ofnew developments, Phifer strives to bein the vanguard where technologicaladvances, customer needs, and indus-try trends are concerned. Phifer has itsown department devoted to staying ontop of trends and searching for new waysto work with color and design. Thedepartment’s employees work two years inadvance to discover new color trends forfuture seasons. “We are continually work-ing on new designs and unique weaves totry to differentiate ourselves from themarket,” Benitez says.

Benitez explains that this level of inno-vation involves working with the sameyarns to create different looks and effects.This commitment to fresh designs hasgiven Phifer the ability to showcase more

than 400 fabrics this year, in addition topresenting sling materials. Benitez notesthat the colors on the hot list for this sea-son are gray and yellow (with variations onthis palette). “The combination of the twohas had a good reception this season andwe feel it is only going to be better in thecoming season,” he says.

OUTDURANatalie Scott, vice president of sales

and marketing for Outdura, agrees thatgray is a popular color choice this season.“Gray continues to be a strong color,”

Phifertex®

Slingable outdoor-

furniture fabrics

contain Microban®

antimicrobial prod-

uct protection to

keep fabrics

cleaner between

cleanings.


product FOCUS

http://www.bradfordlifestyles.com

Scott says. “We’ve had great success incoupling gray with green, gray with yellow,and gray with pottery.”

With solid sales, colors such as coffeeand natural white have taken the lead overmore traditional outdoor colors, such asforest green. Another current fabric trendis a great emphasis on linen-like looks.

“Outdura has done a great job ofemulating this look using two differentproprietary novelty yarns, both made of100% solution-dyed acrylic. One yarn isbouclé and the other is a special twistthat joins two colors, creating a beautifulmélange look. Both yarns work well inour higher-end dobby fabrics, whichseem to sell well on larger pieces of fur-niture,” Scott says.

To capitalize on the latest consumertrends, Outdura recently released fivecollections shown in Chicago, Illinois,during the ICFA Preview Show™ inJuly and the Chicago InternationalCasual Furniture & AccessoriesMarket™ in September. These collec-tions are called Well Traveled, HighDefinition, Cottage Charm, PunchLines, and French Laundry. “Our place-ment numbers on the new introductionsare quite strong, and we are pleased withwhat our customers have selected to taketo retail,” Scott says.

In addition to expanding its fabricdesigns, Outdura consistently seeksimprovement in the quality of its fabricand the use of more recycled fabrics inits production. “We are constantlyfocused on improving our processes,whether through manufacturing, finish-

ing, spinning, or fiber production,”Scott says.

A recent development for Outdura iscertification for Oeko-Tex® Standard100. According to Scott, all Outdura-branded fabrics were tested by an inde-pendent lab for harmful substances atevery stage in the production process.“Oeko-Tex certification is highly recog-nized and valued on an internationallevel—and once again, it reinforces ourmessage to the industry that we arefocused on producing the best in qualityfabrics,” Scott says.

BELLA-DURAIrwin Gasner, president and CEO of

Bella-Dura, stresses that casual furnitureand performance fabrics have becomeinseparable. “Beautiful fabrics are thefirst thing you notice when you walkinto someone’s backyard, pool area, orextended living area,” Gasner says. “Ifyou use the right fabric on a frame, itbrings the frame to life.”

Gasner expects neutrals to continue tobe popular with consumers, but he addsthat manufacturers need to entice cus-tomers with new colors, fabrics, andweaves. Bella-Dura currently offers an out-door fabric in pink. Although U.S. con-

sumers are cautious in introducing pinkinto their backyards, Gasner expects thatthis won’t be the case in a couple of years.

Customers are drawn to Bella-Durabecause of its durability. It received theAmerican Society of Interior Designers’Earth Minded Award in recognition ofthese performance attributes: It with-stood 1,500 hours of UV testing inArizona and Florida, as well as 50,000double rubs; it is bleach cleanable,antimicrobial, antifungal, and stain resist-ant; and it is silver certified as sustainableby the McDonough Braungart DesignChemistry Cradle to Cradle program.

LOOKING AHEADDespite the sluggish economy, fabric

manufacturers are optimistic about thefuture. “The industry is revitalized, and weare forecasting continued growth,” Benitezsays. Scott adds that both commercial andresidential markets are recovering nicelyand doing well.

Things are looking up, Wicker agrees.“Consumers are starting to spend again, yetinsisting on value and performance in everypurchase,” she says. “Materials must be notonly beautiful and comfortable, but alsolong lasting and trustworthy in deliveringon performance promises.”


Circle Reader Service No. 62Circle Reader Service No. 61

Above: French Quarters uses Outdura's new

bouclé yarn and captures a true French-linen look.

Page 60, top right: A hip and slightly edgy

grouping, Outdura’s High Definition creates a

modern feeling and features the trendy gray.

http://www.mlwstone.com

http://www.faulknerfurniture.com

New 303 SpeedDetailer

The new 303 Speed Detailer by 303Products not only cleans, but leaves abrilliant, dust-free shine as it protects usinga powerful SPF 40 sunscreen for paint,plastic, metal, glass, Plexiglas™, andfiberglass. Contact: (800) 223-4303 orwww.303products.com.Circle Reader Service No. 101

Bella-DuraBella-Dura™ fabrics combine

style, sustainability, andperformance and are right forany indoor or outdoorapplication. Bella-Dura™ fabricsare inherently and permanentlystain resistant, antimicrobial,antifungal, and bleachcleanable, with abrasionresistance exceeding 50,000double rubs and with 1,500

hours of lightfastness. Shown here are three patterns: a large-scale, up-the-roll stripe,Cabana; a skin, Sabu; and a textural stripe, Runway. Contact: (800) 544-0478 orwww.bella-dura.com.Circle Reader Service No. 102

VioFlame Patio TableBlack & Stone

now offers VioFlamepatio tables, whichuse the company’snew round andsquare patio burnersin portable,conversation-sizetables. There is nopropane tank or fixedgas line. The tablesare completelyportable, and thebio-ethanol fuelburns so cleanly thatit may be brought indoors. These burners can be decorated with fireglass and featurea holder for the burner that doubles as an ice bucket, in the center of the table, whenbeverages take priority over the fire. The long-lasting yellow flames create a splendidfocal point anywhere in your outdoor space. Contact: (800) 605-2515 orwww.blackandstone.Circle Reader Service No. 103

Santa Cruz Elegance and simplicity come together in the Santa Cruz collection from Agio®.

Intricate new chair-back designs add a delicate touch to the cast-aluminum dininggroup. Smoked-glass tabletops complement weather-resistant cushions, whilecoordinating swivel rockers and accent tables give your customers more entertainingoptions outdoors. Contact: www.agio-usa.com.Circle Reader Service No. 104

Wildlife by CapelSafari style: modern, bold, and sleek, Wildlife

adds a contemporary vibe to any space, indoorsor out. Wildlife is composed of anolefin–polyester blend and is machine woven inBelgium. The collection is available in twopatterns: Bengal and zebra. A rug measuring 5feet 3 inches by 7 feet 6 inches may retail for$159. Bengal is shown. Contact: (800)382-6574 or www.capelrugs.com.Circle Reader Service No. 105

BeachcomberHot Tubs

Beachcomber Hot Tubs builds thesame quality into every model, fromits highest-priced SLB 75 through itslowest-priced 321 model. The 321offers a solidly constructed,high-quality hot tub with aplug-and-play 110-volt design forcustomer convenience. Buyers can restassured that they get the sameguarantee and quality with every hottub that Beachcomber builds. Contact:(800) 663-6557 or www.beachcomberhottubs.com.Circle Reader Service No. 106

Double-wallStovepipe

Selkirk announces a double-wallstovepipe with professional features,offered exclusively to the hearth market.Model DCC double-wall stovepipe is UL/cULlisted as a connector pipe between a woodstove and chimney. The smooth lines of theblack outer wall allow for slip connectorsand easy installation. Selkirk received

favorable feedback on this product line at HPBExpo in Reno, Nevada. Since that time,Selkirk has gone back and listed DCC for 6-inch clearance on all diameters and in allinstallation configurations—giving DCC the closest clearance of all stovepipes on themarket. Selkirk has also gained the cUL S-641 listing for sales of DCC in Canada. DCCdouble-wall stovepipe is now in stock at the company’s Turners Falls, Massachusetts,and Prescott, Ontario, distribution centers, so place orders now for combined shipmentwith your existing orders for chimney and venting products. Contact: (800) 443-6341(United States), (888) SELKIRK/735-5475 (Canada), or www.selkirkcorp.com.Circle Reader Service No. 107

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http://www.blackandstone



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Patio Burners byBlack & Stone

Round and square patio burners byBlack & Stone can be installed in anynoncombustible surface and decoratedwith fireglass. Put beautiful flamesanywhere on your patio without anunsightly propane tank or fixed natural-gasline. These burners feature beautiful yellowflames that last for four hours, and theyuse clean-burning bio-ethanol, a greenproduct. The burner sits in a stainless-steelcontainer that is also ideal for use as an icebucket. Black & Stone provides you withthe best way to bring fire to your outdoorroom. Contact: (800) 605-2515 orwww.blackandstone. Circle Reader Service No. 108

Tungsten Smart-Heat by BromicHeating

The Tungsten Smart-Heat™ gas range,manufactured by Bromic Heating, offersunmatched features in the commercialoutdoor-heating market. The TungstenSmart-Heat gas range offers wind andwater resistance, electronic ignition,easy-pivot directional heat, and options forwall and ceiling mounting. The TungstenSmart-Heat gas range is truly a smartheating solution; it is available in 300- and500-burner models, with both available forpropane or natural gas. Contact:www.bromicheating.com. Circle Reader Service No. 109

Supremo

The Supremo telescopic patio umbrellaopens effortlessly, with a simple easy-lifthandle for comfortable opening and closing.The simple lift opens and closes based onbalance, with no strings, pulleys, or cranks.The 2-inch aluminum mast is channeled tooffer added strength, and it allows theexterior lift mechanism to move effortlesslyto an opened position. Contact: (877)530-8873 or www.michaelcaravita.com.Circle Reader Service No. 110

OutdoorKitchens

For those who demand afull, working kitchen underthe sun, Challenger has avariety of outdoor-kitchenoptions built to last alifetime. They are sturdyand versatile enough forself-made chefs of all levels, and they are on wheels, to go anywhere. Quality, durability,and versatility: That’s Challenger. Contact: www.challengercabinets.com.Circle Reader Service No. 111

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE.

E L E G A N T O U T D O O R F U R N I T U R E

KINGSLEY˜BATE ™

Casual Furniture & Accessories Showroom: #17-1077200 Gateway Court, Manassas, Virginia 20109 USA

t 703.361.7000 f 703.361.7001 www.kingsleybate.com KB1159


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California Outdoor Conceptsunveils yet another breathtakingseries of firepit tables, the Eleganceseries. Californians worship theirclimate and are devoted to theoutdoors. At every opportunity, theycan be found strolling along theboulevards of Beverly Hills and PalmDesert, stopping to relax and converseover drinks alfresco. Now, the allure ofthese iconic places can be enjoyed at

home with the Elegance series. El Paseo is reminiscent of the organic shapes of theMidcentury Modern vibe prevalent in Palm Desert. Elevate the pedigree of yourbackyard with this uniquely shaped firepit table by California Outdoor Concepts.Contact: www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com.Circle Reader Service No. 112

Outdoor Escape:Fresh Citrus

Offering picturesque renditions offavorite summer pastimes, theOutdoor Escape collection has anovelty appeal that is perfect forcomplementing themedoutdoor-living decor. Couristan’sFresh Citrus design showcases anoversized pattern of lemon wedgesand orange slices that adds arefreshing sense of whimsy to anyrelaxed oasis. Featuring a uniquehandhooked construction, eachdesign in the Outdoor Escapecollection has a textured loop pilethat adds dimension to the motifs. With patterns such as beach landscapes,lighthouses, and sea shells, these outdoor–indoor area rugs create a soothingatmosphere reminiscent of treasured vacation spots and outdoor hobbies.Welcoming the delights of bare feet, they are surprisingly sturdy and are designedto withstand the rigors of outdoor elements. Made with 100% fiber-enhancedCourtron™ polypropylene, these fun floor fashions are mold and mildew resistantand can be used in a multitude of spaces, like covered outdoor patios, sunrooms,and kitchens. Contact: (201) 585-8500 or www.couristan.com.Circle Reader Service No. 113

303 ProductsOffersFree-sampleProgram

303 Products, Inc., Palo Cedro,California, will be launching afree-sample program for retailers inthe United States and Canada thissummer. Retailers participating inthe program will receive a displaycontaining free consumer samples of 303 Patio Furniture Protectant™. Aninformational color pamphlet will be attached to each sample, and each displaywill contain 50 samples. A toll-free number on the back of the display will promptthe retailer to call when sample supplies are getting low. 303 Products will thenship a replacement display to the retailer. 303 Products will pay for all the costs ofthe program. Contact: (800) 223-4303 or www.303products.com.Circle Reader Service No. 114

St. TropezSushiTable

South Sea Rattan’sSt. Tropez sushi table combines style and function in one great product. The St.Tropez sushi table combines a base of new wide-weave synthetic wicker in achocolate finish with a round glass top. Tucked underneath are four casteredottomans (which open for storage) in your choice of fabric. Style and function:South Sea Rattan; see the collection at Chicago International Casual Furniture &Accessories Market™ suite #1785. Contact: www.southsearattan.com. Circle Reader Service No. 115

Shade, Safety,and Fun, All in One

ZipJack Custom Umbrellasintroduces a new line of patioumbrellas designed to providecolorful, shaded play spaces foryoungsters. KidBrellas are agreat way to protect kids fromthe sun. KidBrellas easilyconvert from table umbrella toplay space and feature bright,bold silkscreened animalillustrations with extended sidepanels that provide extracoverage. Contact: (914) 592-2000, [email protected], or www.zipjack.com. Circle Reader Service No. 116

NapoliNapoli is Ebel’s new aluminum

collection—with the company’sthickest cushion ever, at 10inches. Napoli is featured in a newframe color, driftwood, and isavailable in seating and diningpieces. Contact:www.ebelinc.com.Circle Reader Service No. 117

Beachcomber Hot TubsBeachcomber Hot Tubs

has unveiled a new model for2011 called the SLB 75. Thishigh-end hot tub is perfectfor affluent buyers who aredownsizing their homes andlooking for luxury productsto relieve stress, improvehealth, and enhancerelationships. The SLB 75 isequipped with everythingthat a buyer wants today, with an impressive listing of features and options. A newbrochure featuring the SLB 75 is now available from Beachcomber. Contact: (800)663-6557 or www.beachcomberhottubs.com.Circle Reader Service No. 118






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Bella-DuraBella-Dura®, which received the ASID’s Earth

Minded Award, is the standard by which allperformance fabrics are judged because of thefollowing performance attributes: It withstood1,500 hours of UV testing in Arizona and Florida, aswell as 50,000 double rubs; it is bleach cleanable,antimicrobial, antifungal, and stain resistant; and itis silver certified as sustainable by the McDonoughBraungart Design Chemistry Cradle to Cradleprogram. Bella-Dura’s award-winning designs aremanufactured in a family-owned, fourth-generationmill in Garfield, New Jersey. Contact: (800)544-0478 or www.bella-dura.com.Circle Reader Service No. 120

Willowbrook FirepitHomeowners continue to look

for the warmth and glow of fire fortheir outdoor rooms. Agio’sWillowbrook firepit chat groupfeatures—at its center—a portable,easy-to-use propane firepit. Theoctagonal tile top has ample roomfor entertaining, and long-lastingaluminum C-spring seating iscomplemented by comfortablecushions covered with fade- andmildew-resistant all-weather fabric.Contact: www.agio-usa.com.Circle Reader Service No. 121


AERO Market UmbrellaThe ZipJack AERO market umbrella changed the look

of the classic market umbrella forever. Its patentedcanopy design gives the umbrella distinctive styling,while crosswinds and updrafts pass right through thecanopy’s venting system. Easy maintenance enhancesits attractiveness. The ZipJack AERO market umbrellacan help every specialty patio retailer stand out abovethe crowd. Contact: (914) 592-2000,www.zipjackumbrellas.com, or [email protected] Reader Service No. 119



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sectional by SouthSea Rattan combinesa wide syntheticweave in a chocolatefinish over apowder-coatedaluminum frame.The St. Tropezsectional is part ofthe largest and mostcomprehensive collection produced by South Sea Rattan. The St. Tropez collectionincludes seating, dining, and motion pieces; curved love seats; and sushi tables.Visit South Sea Rattan in its Chicago, Illinois, showroom (Merchandise Mart #1785)or view the company’s website. Contact: www.southsearattan.com.Circle Reader Service No. 122

RegattaDeep Seating

Clean, fresh, and airy,simplicity abounds; plushseating with contrasting welting:Regatta by Casual Creations isunique and tasteful. Thiscollection is also available insling and cushion dining withcoordinating tables. The Regattacollection will surely fit anyoutdoor location. Contact: (866)355-8523 orwww.casualcreations.com.Circle Reader Service No. 123

Northstar BrewMaster

What’s cooler than a 1950s retro-styledrefrigerator from Elmira Stove Works? The samerefrigerator is—with a draft-beer–keg kit. Itcomes in nine standard colors, plus an infinitearray of custom colors to match bikes, hot rods,school colors, and more. Choose from threesizes. Contact: www.elmirastoveworks.com.Circle Reader Service No. 124

Versatile Morsø3610 Wood StoveRadiates Warmth

The largest wood stove in the Morsøcollection, the 3610 wood stove wasdeveloped specifically for the North American market. With built-in versatility andan optimal design, this radiant classic with large viewing windows is ideal for areasof up to 2,400 square feet that require 60,000 Btu. The Morsø 3610, with granddouble doors, allows for maximum flexibility because wood logs of up to 24 inchescan be loaded into the stove from the front doors or through the easy-access sidedoor. A specifically designed air channel helps burn the fuel as completely andefficiently as possible. Contact: (866) 883-9619 or www.morsona.com.Circle Reader Service No. 125

Creative ConceptsCapel’s Creative Concepts program is a

means of creating a truly personal area rug.With more than 700 mix-and-match base andfabric options, dealers and designers cancapture their customers’ unique personalitiesthrough a simple three-step process. First,choose a base: Capel offers six indoor–outdoorbase carpets, each of which is composed of

high-performance olefin. Second, choose a border: Customers can choose fromone of 120 woven indoor–outdoor border fabrics or can provide their own material.Each rug is available in single-, double-, and triple-border construction. Third,choose a size and shape: Creative Concepts rugs are available in a range of sizes,starting at 3x5 feet, and in rectangular, square, octagonal, and runner shapes.Shown is the Grassy Mountain base with the Lenox border. Contact: (800)382-6574 or www.capelrugs.com.Circle Reader Service No. 126

Grill CartsMade with a decades-long

tradition of craftsmanship, eachChallenger grill cart is builtwith yourenjoyment inmind. They areeasy to cook with,functional, andsimple to clean,with plenty ofbuilt-in advantagesthat will make your grilling hassle free.They are built to last a lifetime, providing greatcookouts for years to come. Contact: www.challengercabinets.com.Circle Reader Service No. 127

Contemporary Insert Empire’s all-new Loft direct-vent gas insert turns your inefficient wood-burning fireplace into a

clean-burning contemporary fireplace. With its linear burner, porcelain lining, variable-speedautomatic blower, and louverless surround, the Loft insert’s clean lines will update the look of yourhearth from medieval to modern. Choose a surround in a stylish matte black or in a bold stainlesssteel and black. Add a dash of sparkle to your Loft insert with the available decorative glass inblack polished, blue clear, and clear frost versions. Your fireplace dealer offers additional glasscolors. The millivolt insert lets you choose from six control options—from a simple switch to aprogrammable-thermostat remote. Empire’s exclusive Green Earth Preferred™ intermittent-pilot(IP) insert eliminates the standing pilot for enhanced fuel efficiency. The IP system includes anon/off remote control. Empire offers Loft direct-vent fireplace inserts in 20,000-Btu and 27,000-Btumodels, both in LP or natural-gas models. Contact: www.empirecomfort.com. Circle Reader Service No. 128



http://www.elmirastoveworks.com





The EleganceSeries: Rodeo

California Outdoor Conceptsunveils yet another breathtakingseries of firepit tables, theElegance series. Californiansworship their climate and aredevoted to the outdoors. At everyopportunity, they can be foundstrolling along the boulevards ofBeverly Hills and Palm Desert,stopping to relax and converseover drinks alfresco. Now, theallure of these iconic places can beenjoyed at home with the Eleganceseries. The Rodeo will bring youthe Art Deco look of old Hollywoodwith its sleek, modernist shape.Fire glowing off reflective glass, inthe center stainless-steel firepit,surely will give your backyard thatmillion-dollar appeal. Contact: www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com.Circle Reader Service No. 129

AmalfiThe Amalfi pendulum

cantilever has a powerful armthat lifts its shade high aboveany outdoor dining table orseating area. Floating freely, itoffers an unobstructed view,with its sleek design. It’sversatile in every sense, withthe options of rotating 360degrees, of being permanentlyaffixed to any deck surface, oreven of being wall mounted.Contact: (877) 530-8873 orwww.michaelcaravita.com. Circle Reader Service No. 130

FabStrap FabStrap™ is an innovative,

environmentally green product,made in the United States, thatunites the best features of slingand strap furniture in a stylishhybrid of lasting performance,function, and value. Hospitalityproperties and homeownersalike will benefit from theappearance and support of

sling furniture, without sacrificing the durability and elasticity of strap furniture.Offered through Casual Creations, FabStrap will significantly reduce previouslong-term costs associated with the maintenance and replacement of poolsideand beachside furnishings. FabStrap is easily removable (no tools required) andfeatures an adjustable tensioning system to deliver years of comfort anddurability. FabStrap is available in hundreds of color combinations to meet themost discerning specifications, and it can be quickly and economically changed,whenever desired, for a fresh new look and style. Contact:www.casualcreations.com.Circle Reader Service No. 131


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http://www.treasuregarden.com



Over and Under, Inc., specialists in manufacturing custom out-door cushions, slings, and protective furniture covers for nearly 30 years, announces that itsnew high-performance outdoor cushions are available for all outdoor furniture. All cushionsare made to your specifications, using the latest in high-tech materials and innovative cus-tom crafting—and they are backed by an unparalleled five-year warranty. The difference is inthe details. Since the low-maintenance, mold-free high-performance outdoor cushion isdesigned to dry in three hours or less, you’llspend more time enjoying your outdoor furnitureand less time with a wet bottom. Luxuriouslycomfortable, it’s the high-performance outdoorcushion: If it feels dry, it is dry. Contact: (877)484-2104 or www.overandunderonline.com.Circle Reader Service No. 134

HHT’s CarolinaOutdoor GasFireplace

Whether you’re remodeling a patio orbuilding a new outdoor-living space, theCarolina gas fireplace will make it a warm andcomfortable area. The Carolina features a

beautiful fire, with HHT’s exclusive FireBrick™ technology offering a seamless,real-masonry brick pattern and providing 25% more heat than a metal refractory model.Standard features on the Carolina include a stainless-steel screen and grate, the IntelliFirePlus™ ignition system for maximum fuel conservation, and stylish controls with anergonomic design. Contact: heatnglo.com. Circle Reader Service No. 132

EZ-Dri CushionsEZ-Dri polyether–polyurethane foam outdoor cushions dry almost immediately after

exposure to rain, salt spray, melting snow, morning dew, washing, or other forms ofmoisture and humidity.Large, open pores allowmaximum water drainageand air circulation,permitting use quickly aftercushions have been wet oreven saturated. With EZ-Drioutdoor cushioningmaterials, you achieve thebest of both worlds:long-lasting wear andcomfort combined withextremely fast drying. Contact: www.ezdri.com.Circle Reader Service No. 133

http://www.overandunderonline.com

http://www.ezdri.com



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Covington:Tropics Garden

Designed with today’s busyhouseholds in mind, the Covingtoncollection showcases versatile floorfashions with impressiveperformance features that add totheir everyday appeal. Becausethey are made of the finest 100%fiber-enhanced Courtron™

polypropylene, Covington area rugsare water resistant and can be usedin a multitude of spaces, includingcovered outdoor patios, porches,mudrooms, kitchens, entryways,and many, many more areas.Treated to prevent the growth of mold and mildew, these multipurpose area rugsare exceptionally easy to clean and are even considered pet friendly. The newTropics Garden design has a versatile floral palm motif that would perfectlycomplement island-themed decor. Featuring a unique handhooked construction,this beautifully detailed area rug has the distinctive aesthetic of an artisan-craftedproduct. Contact: (201) 585-8500 or www.couristan.com.Circle Reader Service No. 135

DreuxEbel’s new woven

collection, Dreux, is availablein two beautiful new framecolors, driftwood andchestnut. The collectionfeatures the new wide weaveand is perfect for dining,lounging, and relaxing. TheDreux line even includes abeautiful outdoor daybed.Contact: www.ebelinc.com.Circle Reader Service No. 136

Indigo Lounge Chair

Crimson Casual’s Indigo lounge chairis a unique design that appeals to bothcontemporary and traditional tastes andprovides the comfort and the U.S.-madequality for which Crimson Casual isknown. The Indigo collection ishandcrafted from tubular extrudedaluminum and is available in both

cushion andsling styles.Choose frommany CrimsonCasual fabricsand frame finishes to add an inviting touch to anyoutdoor setting. Contact: www.crimsoncasual.com.Circle Reader Service No. 137

Elmira Stove Works Warm up your Victorian, country, or stone home, log

cabin, or cottage—any kitchen, with the charm ofElmira’s Antique appliances. Ranges, refrigerators, wallovens, dishwashers, and microwaves are available inthe Antique line. Contact: www.elmirastoveworks.com.Circle Reader Service No. 138

Finest selection of contemporary European stoves, fireplaces, and grills Phoenix Grill

Wittus Inc. 914.764.5679

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Artisan Mantel Provides ContemporarySetting for Loft Burner

Strong horizontal lines and subtle matte finishes make the new Artisan mantels from EmpireComfort Systems the ideal complement to surround the company’s Loft series burners. Available ascabinets or corner cabinets, mantels in the Artisan series are sized to fit Empire’s deluxe vent-freefireboxes and will fit some fireplaces and fireboxes from other manufacturers. Every Artisan mantelis hand assembled from 0.75-inch medium-density fiberboard—for strength and stability—and thenfinished with two coats of durable, chip-resistant paint in one of two colors: uberchic matte white orbroodingly artistic matte black. Contact: www.empirecomfort.com. Circle Reader Service No. 139

Laguna Collection Erwin and Sons brings artistry and performance together with its new Laguna collection, an elegantly

crafted flat-weave seating group in rich Cahaba finish. Each piece is as ergonomically comfortable as it isalluring to the eye. The collection—ideal forinteriors, as well as outdoors—includes athree-seat sofa, a love seat, a club chair, arocking club chair, an ottoman, andwoven-top coffee and end tables with8-millimeter (0.3-inch) tempered, beveledglass. Leisureluxe™ Supreme Comfortcushions are available in over 200handsome performance fabrics. Contact:(770) 579-0414 or www.erwinandsons.com. Circle Reader Service No. 140

Café UmbrellaGaltech debuts its new 6x6-foot deluxe, commercial

café umbrella, new for 2012. Anchored by acontemporary silver finish, the 762SR model is an idealumbrella for any commercial setting. Features includedouble-thickness aluminum walls, single-poleconstruction, and solid resin hubs for increaseddurability. Contact: (805) 376-1060 orwww.galtechcorp.com.Circle Reader Service No. 141

TribecaBlack OutdoorRug

Perfect rows ofimperfect circlesinterlock like links ofornate chain in thiseye-pleasingintersection of thetraditional and thecontemporary.Handhooked in the age-old Eastern manner from blackand oatmeal-colored synthetic DuraCord® yarns, thisheirloom-quality Sawgrass Mills® outdoor rug won’trot, mold, mildew, fade, or stain, yet it has thesought-after softness of cotton. An exceptionalcomplement to back deck or beach-house floor, Tribecablack comes in either 5x8-foot or 8x10-foot sizes, and isalso available in garnet, spruce, and pesto colorpalettes. Contact: (800) 334-1078 orwww.thehammocksource.com.Circle Reader Service No. 142

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See it for yourself at the following locations

Chicago – The Merchandise Mart – Suite 1760Atlanta – AmericasMart – Building 2, 9th Floor - The Gardens SectionSyracuse – Corporate Showroom

Adirondack Balcony SetLife just got a little better with the new Adirondack Balcony Set by Poly-Wood®. Complete with curved back and contoured seat for luxury outdoor comfort. Available in three heights and six traditional colors. Call or visit us online for more information.

877-457-3284 polywoodinc.com

Made with recycled material.

MADE IN SYRACUSE, INDIANA





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Comfortable, StylishFolding Furniture

Faulkner offers comfort, quality, and style ineasy-to-carry, easy-to-store folding furniture. Faulknerrecliners feature an easy-to-use lever lock system forselecting reclining angle; they are available in a varietyof high-density padded or mesh fabrics. The director’schairs feature a mesh panel insert and a lightweightaluminum-tube frame. They are available in blue, black,and green, with padded armrests. The high-back chairsare adjustable to five positions with high-density backsupport, available in green, black, and wineberry. AllFaulkner chairs feature UV-resistant polyester or cottonfabric. Optional accessories include an attachableserving tray, a carrying bag, and an accessory pouch.Contact: (888) 441-2708 or www.faulknerfurniture.com.Circle Reader Service No. 143

Solaris by Heat & Glo

Inspired by the setting sun, the Solaris™ is theworld’s only see-through, circular, direct-vent gasfireplace. This award-winning fireplace features artisticperformance never seen before in fireplaces. Availablein two models, it is also the world’s thinnestsee-through circular fireplace and can be installed on awall framed with 2x6-inch lumber. The Solaris 36-SThas a patent-pending transparent Razor™ burnerpositioned at the center of the fireplace, producingflames that appear to be suspended in midair. TheSolaris 36-MR has the same advanced burnertechnology and is outfitted with LED lighting andmirrored glass, creating a dramatic illusion ofcontinuous, levitating flames dancing into infinity. Forthe surround, 36 color combinations of powder coat orgloss paint are available for both models. Unmatched inthe industry, the Solaris is ideal for both residential andcommercial applications. Contact: www.heatnglo.com. Circle Reader Service No. 144

Grand Terrace FirepitGensun Casual Living has added a firepit to the popular Grand

Terrace collection. This collection represents elegant design withexceptional value. The new 54-inch firepit features fullcast-aluminum construction, a copper bowl, a firescreen, a poker,and a fire grate, and it is available in 11 frame finishes. Copperbowls are also available separately for use as beverage coolersduring those wonderful summer days. Contact:www.gensuncasual.com.Circle Reader Service No. 145

CatalinaPatio Renaissance is pleased to present Catalina, a luxurious (but

affordable) deep seating and dining collection. This weather-resistant lineis available in a sectional, a club chair, a swivel rocker, a sofa, a love seat,a round ottoman, and single and double adjustable chaises, as well asdining and bar chairs. Customers have the option of choosing betweenwoven or aluminum table bases. Contact: (866) 690-5673 orwww.patiorenaissance.com.Circle Reader Service No. 146

Sunbrella.comThe Sunbrella® online fabric showroom has been redesigned with new

functionality aimed at improving the fabric-search experience. The updatesinclude advanced-search, quick-drape, fabric-coordinates, and sharing functionsthat provide more ways than ever before for visitors to experience Sunbrellafabrics. The search yields individual fabrics or multiple options (depending on theinformation that a visitor provides) and creates a starting point in the selection ofSunbrella fabrics. The Sunbrella fabric online showroom recently won a silverAmerican Advertising Federation Triad ADDY® Award for interactive mediawebsite, consumer HTML. Contact: www.sunbrella.com.Circle Reader Service No. 147



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Elmira’s unique vintage-styled appliance lines offer exclusive territories, national advertising support and excellent profi t potential. Choose

from Antique or retro-cool Northstar.

Looking for originality?

Adorned with nickel, brass, copper or chrome, each custom-built appliance is true to its era.

Models available in gas, electric, wood-burning or dual fuel.

Think outside the stainless steel box.

RANGES • COOKSTOVESRANGE HOODS • MICROWAVES

REFRIGERATORS • DISHWASHERS

ElmiraStoveWorks.com1 800 295 8498


Jalapeño Rack by BigGreen Egg

For a crowd-pleasing appetizer, the new Big Green Eggjalapeño rack holds up to 20 jalapeño peppers stuffed withcheese or other savory ingredients. The heavy-dutystainless-steel rack is dishwasher safe, and the set includes ahandy corer. Contact: [email protected] orwww.biggreenegg.com.Circle Reader Service No. 148

Phoenix Charcoal Grill

ProFire Grills, a division of ModernHome Products Corp., has released thenew Phoenix charcoal grill. Thisinnovative new design combineshigh-quality construction with uniquetemperature controls, includingindependently adjustable dual charcoaltrays and upper and lower vents that canbe fully opened for searing or partiallyclosed for slow cooking. The vents canalso be completely closed to extinguishthe fire–saving the charcoal. The grill’sheavy-duty construction is backed by alifetime warranty. Contact: www.profiregrills.com.Circle Reader Service No. 149

Breathe-EasyRecliner byErwin andSons

The Erwin and SonsBreathe collection

introduces its new Morris-style recliner, a generously appointedhigh-back chair with four adjustable positions for superb relaxation.Its ergonomically designed Leisureluxe™ cushion offers flawlesslumbar, neck, and head support. The Morris-style recliner isavailable in an array of finishes and hundreds of performancefabrics. Contact: (770) 579-0414 or www.erwinandsons.com.Circle Reader Service No. 150

Firepits byFaulkner

Faulkner Furniture introduces itsnew firepits, with distinct design andelegance. These firepits are constructedof 100% steel with a black finish that isattractive, but durable enough towithstand high temperatures. The bowlis 7 inches deep and 29.5 inches indiameter, surrounded by a 5-inch–wide mesh screen table contour, for a total diameter of 40 inches. Theheight, from the floor to the mesh rim, is 14 inches. The firepits are available in standard mesh or diamondmesh designs. A spark protector comes standard with each firepit. Arc-shaped mesh benches are purchasedseparately. These benches are also constructed of 100% steel with a black finish. They are 16 inches highand 13 inches wide. The length of the outer arc is 22.5 inches; the length of inner arc is 17 inches. They aresold in boxes of two. Contact: (888) 441-2708 or www.faulknerfurniture.com.Circle Reader Service No. 151


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Umbrellas bySummerset OutdoorLiving

Summerset Outdoor Living is excited to announcethe introduction of its newest umbrella collection.These transformative umbrellas are created, designed,and manufactured in the United States and aredeveloped with the highest-quality Sunbrella® fabrics.Summerset umbrellas can be custom designed tocoordinate with any outdoor setting and are availablein four sizes: 9 feet, 11 feet, square (10x10 feet), andrectangle (10.5x6.5 feet). In addition to this variety ofsizes, Summerset umbrellas can include alternatingpanels, accent designs, single or double wind options,and valance upgrades. Please contact the company tocustomize your design for your showroom—tocreate that wow appeal. Contact:www.summersetoutdoorliving.com.Circle Reader Service No. 152

BungalowThe lines between indoors and outdoors continue to

blur with Homecrest’s introduction of a new collection,Bungalow. Bungalow is a slipcovered deep seating anddining collection that allows consumers versatility, withHomecrest’s wide array of sophisticated,all-weather–resistant fabric choices. Because theBungalow slipcover is removable, it offers endlesspossibilities for fashionable change. This fullyupholstered collection combines the Homecrestcomfort you have come to expect with today’s organicstyling. Bungalow is crafted of aluminum for durabilityin the outdoor environment, and its curvaceous castfeet add an unexpected visual pleasure to thiscollection. Dress your outdoor space as you would yourindoor space with Homecrest’s Bungalow collection,and impress your friends and family. Contact:www.homecrest.com/designcenter.Circle Reader Service No. 153 Circle Reader Service No. 77

Flush-mountApplication

For a lower-profile, seamless look, Infratech’sW and WD series heaters can be recessed withan optional flush-mount frame kit. This supportsthe heater within a small pocket in the ceiling.Contact: www.infratech-usa.com.Circle Reader Service No. 154

Highwood USAHighwood USA L.L.C. of Tamaqua,

Pennsylvania, continues to expand its ownbrand of finished products, announcing thelaunch of deep seating, benches, rockingchairs, and a king-size Adirondack at theSeptember Chicago International CasualFurniture & Accessories Market™. A range ofSunbrella® fabric cushions will also add tothe customization and comfort of thecollection. Check out the company’sshowcase store at shop.highwood-usa.com.Contact: (262) 501-2580 orwww.highwood-usa.com.Circle Reader Service No. 155



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Half WallGaltech International introduces

the Half Wall umbrella for 2012.The 3.5x7-foot rectangular shadeenables the umbrella to be placeddirectly next to a wall or window tomaximize shade coverage inconfined spaces. The 772 Half Wallumbrella is designed to be used inboth commercial and residentialsettings. Contact: (805) 376-1060or www.galtechcorp.com.Circle Reader Service No. 156

Hitzer Stoker Coal Stove Model 608

The Hitzer Stoker coal stove model 608 is asuperior-quality product that your customers willlove. Its features include a Btu range of 7,000 to90,000, an integrated Coal-Trolthermostatic-control combustion air system, theability to hold up to 90 pounds of coal, cast-irondoors, pewter or gold accents, double-wallconstruction, a 2-inch rear clearance and 4-inchside clearances, a 320-cfm circulation fan, and agalvanized-steel hopper (optional). Every Hitzerheating system is carefully handbuilt by Amish craftsmen. Onlythe finest materials are used, and no shortcuts are taken. Eachsystem provides efficient burning with effective consumptionof secondary gases. The result: more heat with less fuelconsumed. Contact: (260) 589-8536 or www.hitzer.com.Circle Reader Service No. 157

GrandTerraceWickerSling

Gensun’s GrandTerrace wicker slingcollection combinesbeautifully detailedcast arms and legswith a custom-woven wicker seat,

creating a striking and comfortable chair. The high-back design adds to the comfort, fora product that completes any outdoor room. The collection offers a dining chair, aswivel rocker, a love-seat glider, swivel barstools and balcony stools, and a chaise.Contact: www.gensuncasual.com.Circle Reader Service No. 158

Pro Joe byKamadoJoe

Pro Joe carries thelargest cooking area, the highest thermal retention, more precise temperaturecontrol, reengineered ergonomics, and an exceptional aesthetic design. Pro Joe isintended for planned or existing outdoor kitchens. It is made in the United States;its cart is optional. Contact: (678) 866-0642 or www.kamadojoe.com.Circle Reader Service No. 159

Montebello See-through GasFireplace

Enjoy a stunninglyrealistic fire insideand outside of thehome with thiscustomizable andconvenientsee-through fireplacefrom the Dave LennoxSignature collection.Its newly designed,high-definitionsplit-oak log set has a beautiful glow when burning in the expansive, two-sidedopening. A unique burner design provides 60,000 Btu per hour for superior flameheight, with a 50% turndown capability. The Montebello® ST offers the option oftinted glass, designed to enhance ambience while reducing outsideglare. Contact: www.lennox.com.Circle Reader Service No. 160

Summerset Outdoor LivingSummerset Outdoor Living stocks 12 of its most popular fabrics for quick

turnaround and offers over 40 durable Sunbrella® fabrics (with three-yearwarranties). For customized service, an OEM cushion program is available (all youneed to do is provide dimensions/pictures/samples). Throw pillows are alsoavailable in both rectangular and square sizes, along with four different vent stylesin umbrellas. Whether your customers seek a casual, classic, contemporary, orelegant look, Summerset Outdoor Living offers the furnishings, fabrics, cushions,pillows, and umbrellas that will match their decor. Contact:www.summersetoutdoorliving.com.Circle Reader Service No. 161

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Heritage by Sunbrella Glen Raven Custom Fabrics has introduced Heritage, a Sunbrella® furniture fabric featuring 50% recycled

content. With a homespun look and extensive palette of 12 colors, Heritage is a blend of postindustrialrecycled Sunbrella and Sunbrella virgin fiber that helps ensure that the product meets stringent Sunbrellaperformance standards. The recycled content comes from cutting-table waste from various customers, as wellas from fiber, yarn, and fabric waste from the Sunbrella manufacturing facility. The fabric is ideal for thosecustomers who want a beautiful fabric that also tells a story. Contact: www.sunbrella.com.Circle Reader Service No. 162



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IronhausIronhaus is proud to introduce

the new addition of freestandingscreens to its popularfireplace-door line. Available inrectangular or arch, and in all thefinishes and textures yourcustomers love, thismuch-anticipated line is sure to bea hit on your display floor.Freestanding screens are availablein stock and customizable sizes.Call Ironhaus for pricing anddetails. Contact: www.ironhaus.comor (866) 880-0900.Circle Reader Service No. 163

IntroducingNova

The Nova beam mountseries from Shademakerhas a truly unique design.It provides acommercial-awning–gradeshade solution within anexisting architecturalstructure. Nova’s designmaximizes the shadedarea, making it ideal forpergolas, arbors, gazebos,

lanais, or any other existing structure that requires overhead shade. Nova features quicksetup and easy operation, and it is easily detachable for storage. For over a decade,Shademaker has been the premier line of hospitality shade products for the finest resorts,restaurants, and country clubs around the world. The company offers 20 innovative shadestyles and 40 distinctive solutions to create beautiful and sophisticated outdoorenvironments. Engineered for strength and durability, Shademaker products providehigh-level functionality and long-term value. Shown is the Nova-27-S. Contact: (626)338-8810 or www.shademakerusa.com.Circle Reader Service No. 164

Sag Harbor Chaise: SH70 Kingsley-Bate’s Sag Harbor chaise has the genuine look of

weathered antique wicker, but with the lasting durability of thefinest all-weather materials. The chaise has adjustable backpositions for optimal comfort. An optional cushion is available forexceptional comfort and is made with Sunbrella® or Outdura®

Fabric. The chaise is shipped fully assembled and is constructedwith solid-teak wheels for movement with minimal effort.Contact: (703) 361-7000 or www.kingsleybate.com.Circle Reader Service No. 165

Grandview 230 Wood-burning StoveEminently elegant,

with an array ofversatile designoptions, the latestEPA-certified entryfrom the Country®

collection by LennoxHearth Products raisesthe standard for homeheating. Expansiveceramic glass givesunobstructed views ofthe fire, while theadvanced refractorysystem and innovativeheat exchangercombine to deliver the perfect amount of radiant heat. Easy operation and one-touchcontrol make product interaction a breeze. Contact: www.lennox.com.Circle Reader Service No. 166

RioThe Rio collection

represents a sunny,lighthearted take onclassically designedfurniture. In SouthAmerica, inspirationis a lifestyle and atropical paradise ishome. This collectionis built on the energyof Rio’s legendarycarnivals, pulsating samba scene, and expansive beaches. Wide woven layers createflowing lines within each piece. Accents are carefully braided into the designs, whilesmoothly styled deep seating is a collection hallmark. Luxurious back cushions and deepseating provide casual comfort throughout. Swaying, easy-moving design elements cracklewith the explosively entertaining lifestyle of Rio de Janeiro. Sweeping bodies arecomfortably built invitations to self-indulgence. The Rio collection provides an exoticfoundation for the festive nooks or rooms in your home. Contact: www.lloydflanders.com.Circle Reader Service No. 167

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Single Swing With OakArms—Royal Red Stripe

A singular single-swing experience: The frame and sumptuouslycurved, steam-bent, white-oak arms are repeatedly hand-dipped inmarine spar varnish, hued a warm honey gold. The plush seat, ofpillowy fiberfill batting, is sandwiched between two layers ofcottony-soft, all-weather DuraCord® fabric, resistant to rot, mold,mildew, fading, and staining. Part of the Hatteras Hammocks®

Equestrian collection, this simple, elegant striped fabric pattern isbased on rich, royal red—recalling an old-time jockey’s vest on raceday. Hanging chains are heavy galvanized steel. Contact: (800)334-1078 or www.thehammocksource.com.Circle Reader Service No. 168

Pit MittThe Big Green Egg Pit Mitt® is a soft, aramid-fiber glove that

allows the user to handle hot items around (and directly off ) a veryhot grill. The washable Pit Mitt is reversible for the left or right handand has silicone on the surface for a superior grip. Contact:[email protected] or www.biggreenegg.com.Circle Reader Service No. 169

Havenhill Pneumatic ChaiseHomecrest has added a new chaise to its popular Havenhill collection.

Havenhill is a sling group featuring a patented Butterfly Basket® thatoffers superior comfort. Taking comfort to the next level, thischaise features a pneumatic adjustment lever that allows youto adjust your position up or down with just the push of abutton. Customize the Havenhill pneumatic chaise or otherHomecrest products at the company’s website. Contact:www.homecrest.com/designcenter.Circle Reader Service No. 170

Hitzer 30-95 EZ-Flo Hopper Stove

The Hitzer 30-95 EZ-Flo hopper stove is an outstandingly efficient andconvenient heating source. With a 30-pound hopper, this stove hasextended long burns and produces over 60,000 Btu of evenly warmtemperatures. The advanced technology of a removable hopper is an addedconvenience of this top-choice stove. Like all Hitzer stoves, the 30-95 isthermostatically controlled, and it provides heating without electricity. Withheating capabilities of up to 2,000 square feet, the EZ-Flo meets yourheating needs, as well as providing beauty and charm for one’s home. Thefull-view firebox window allows easy viewing that creates cozy, warmrelaxation. With a stove color to match your home, the Hitzer 30-95 willdecorate your home, produce cost-efficient heat, and create a warm andsoothing environment. Contact: (260) 589-8536 or www.hitzer.com.Circle Reader Service No. 171

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New SL-series Slimline ElectricHeaters

With crisp modern styling, brushed stainless-steel trim with an optional dark contrasting housing, and narrowprofiles, Infratech’s new SL-series Slimline single-element electric heaters virtually disappear into the surroundingdecor. These heaters feature a durable anodized-aluminum housing with an architectural finish that is capable ofwithstanding years of outdoor use. Contact: www.infratech-usa.com.Circle Reader Service No. 172

Ironhaus Express Direct-vent screens are the newest and

best-value handcrafted face for gas fireplacesnow available. They convert a potentiallydangerous fireplace into a safe and veryattractive element of art, all at pricing yourcustomer will find irresistible. Contact:www.ironhaus.com or (866) 880-0900.Circle Reader Service No. 173

Big Pig and LittlePig Cabinet Smokers

Stone Age Manufacturing introduces the BigPig™ and Little Pig™, a pair ofrefractory-concrete and steel masonry cabinetsmokers. The Big Pig, at 7 feet tall, offersplenty of cooking area, while the Little Pigoffers similar features in a scaled-down,5-foot–tall package. Both feature a uniqueventing system for complete temperaturecontrol and thick insulating walls for maximumthermal efficiency, and both will accept anymasonry-compatible finish, allowing seamlessblending into any outdoor design. Contact:www.stoneagemanufacturing.com.Circle Reader Service No. 174



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LIFEREDEFINING

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PRODUCED BY

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MONDAY-THURSDAY

SEPTEMBER 12–15, 2011THE MERCHANDISE MART IN CHICAGO

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Tamarack Deep Seating WithCypress Firepit

The new Tamarack collection by OW Lee embodies outdoor luxury with anorganic (yet refined) appeal. The 100% aluminum frame allows this collection tobe enjoyed year round and in any climate, whether at the family lake house or adesert vacation retreat. The large-scale deep seating pieces feature plush, deepseat cushions, making the Tamarack collection comfortable and stylish. Tamarackis shown with the new Cypress aluminum chat-height firepit, made oflightweight, easy-care aluminum. Like all OW Lee firepits, the Cypress offers abeautiful fireside ambience using propane, and it comes with a natural-gasconverter. Contact: (800) 776-9533 or www.owlee.com.Circle Reader Service No. 178


VenturaPatio Renaissance is pleased to present Ventura, a

luxurious (but affordable) deep seating and diningcollection. This weather-resistant line is available in asofa, a love seat, a club chair, a swivel rocker, a diningchair, a dining swivel chair, and single and doublechaises. This beautiful collection looks and feels likereal wicker. Contact: (866) 690-5673 orwww.patiorenaissance.com.Circle Reader Service No. 175

MLWStone,L.L.C.,IntroducesStacKITNatural Stacked-stoneFireplace Kits

This new product has the lookand workmanship ofauthentic, natural stackedstone. Integrated withtoday’s innovativetechnology, it reducessignificantly the costof installation. Mostnatural stacked-stonefireplaces are cut andinstalled in individualpieces—butStacKITsurrounds areprefabricated intopanels that are cut tostandard fireplace-kitsizes and can beinstalled in minutes,just as you wouldinstall a marble orgranite surround.These kits are stocked in MLW’s three standard sizes and include a header, twolegs, a riser, and a three-piece hearth; 6x24-inch interlocking panels, completewith corner pieces, are also available to accommodate raised hearths and wallapplications. The product is available in two colors: Carden gold andmulticolor. Contact: (800) 477-7665 Ext. 127 or www.mlwstone.com.Circle Reader Service No. 176

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Napoleon BGD40G ModernMultiview Gas Fireplace

The demand for a modern, 36-inch, multisided gas fireplace has brought to lifeNapoleon’s new BGD40G, featuring an elegant topaz CRYSTALINE™ ember bed. Theraised linear burner creates a perfect display of YELLOW DANCING FLAMES® thatglitter throughout the glass crystals and the porcelain reflective radiant panels thatcome standard with these units. Available in see-though and peninsula models, theBGD40G offers a beautiful view of the fire from multiple sides. The 30,000-Btuoutput, with an impressive 50% flame/heat adjustment, allows for maximumcomfort and efficiency. Contact: (800) 461-5581 or www.napoleonfireplaces.com.Circle Reader Service No. 177



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Vermont Castings Aura Linear FireplaceWith the Aura’s amazing 70-inch viewing area, no other brand manufactures a wider fireplace.*

With a number of exterior and interior style options, it’s easy to create a unique look that’sstunning in residential or commercial settings. Its size doesn’t compromise its convenience,however. The longest standard production fireplace using only one 5x8-inch vent pipe,† the Aura iseasy to install and maintain. Featuring the exclusive Total Signature Command™ system, it offersultimate fireplace control. *Width is based on standard production models; excludes custommodels. †This excludes custom models; other similar noncustom models require nonstandardventing and, in some instances, dual vents, increasing overall installation costs. Contact:www.vermontcastings.com.Circle Reader Service No. 179

Westport DiningArmchair: WR15S

Designed by John Caldwell,Kingsley-Bate’s Westport collection iselegant in its simplicity. Accented bysolid-teak rails, the dining armchair ishandwoven with the finest all-weatherwicker around a powder-coated aluminumframe. A required cushion is soldseparately. The Westport collection isstocked in sea salt wicker and is availablein natural brown and black. Contact: (703)361-7000 or www.kingsleybate.com.Circle Reader Service No. 180

Malibu Bar SetThe Malibu bar set by NorthCape

International is a great addition to thealready best-selling modular collection todate. It features UV-protected, durable,flat-weave resin on a commercial-gradealuminum frame and two woven shelves;the barstools fit easily into the shelves ofthe bar for hassle-free storage. Contact thecompany for more information on Malibu,Malibu Grande, or accessories. Contact:www.northcapeinternational.com.Circle Reader Service No. 181

Join us under the umbrella.

With the collective knowledge and experience of our members, the ICFA is uniquely able to offer the toolsyou need to succeed in today’s competitive outdoor furnishings market. To learn how ICFA membership can


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Low CountryThis distinctive collection by Lloyd/Flanders lives up to the easy

reputation of its namesake. South Carolina’s Low Country has been atreasured cultural hub for generations, bursting with agricultural wealthand antebellum good taste. Grand plantations flourished in the mid-18thand 19th centuries; harbors welcomed ships from around the world,bringing influences of Caribbean, Asian, and European cultures to the LowCountry. All of these influences combined to form the region’s patchworkheritage. Contact: www.lloydflanders.com.Circle Reader Service No. 182

NorthshoreChat

Named for the coastalmarshlands ofMassachusetts, TommyBahama Outdoor’s NorthShore collection elegantlycombines classic details withnatural influences. Theoutstanding response to lastyear’s introduction of thedining collection encouragedthe company to create thechat and seating groups for the 2012 selling season. Bring the islandlifestyle to any location with Tommy Bahama Outdoor furniture. Contact:www.plantationpatterns.com.Circle Reader Service No. 183

ManchesterProtégé Casual’s Manchester party bar set brings the life of the party to

the outside. If you’re looking for an all-cast party bar at a great price point,this is right up your alley. Partner it with Manchester swivel bar chairs(along with Mario’s handmade pizza), and you’re set. The Manchestercollection is the largest cast collection in Protégé Casual’s lineup, withdining, sectional, and deep seating pieces, along with egg tables and theparty bar set—rounding out the collection and giving you everything youneed to extend your lifestyle outdoors. Contact: www.protegecasual.com.Circle Reader Service No. 184

MontreuxURComfort Cushion LoungeChair

URComfort™ cushion seatingharmonizes with the movement ofyour body to find the mostcomfortable position. Tropitone’sMontreux cushion collection isenhanced by the function andcomfort of the URComfort articulatedmovement system. The MontreuxURComfort cushion lounge chair is acombination of innovation and atrusted design. Contact:www.tropitone.com.Circle Reader Service No. 185

Plantation MAX Cantilever by TUUCITUUCI’s Plantation

MAX cantilevercreates a cool retreatwith warm ambience.Its exclusiveAluma-TEAKstate-of-the-arthardwood finish iscombined withTUUCI’s durableArmor-WallAluminum™

construction, makinga parasol guaranteedto endure forgenerations. Featuring classic European tailoring, the Plantation MAX cantileverprovides 144 square feet of uninterrupted shade and ambience. Contact: www.tuuci.com.Circle Reader Service No. 186

Cabana Beach ChairWith the Cabana beach chair, Telescope has added to its successful wood-furniture

line. This classic chair can use numerous acrylic fabric options to achieve any look youdesire. Shown in the photo are classic blue-and-white stripe, hot pink, white, and palmon a varnished frame. Contact: www.telescopecasual.com.Circle Reader Service No. 187

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Mezzo PizzaOven

Stone Age Manufacturingintroduces the Mezzo™

wood-fired pizza oven, theperfect complement for thecompany’s cabinet componentsystem kitchenislands—offering 810 squareinches of cooking area, anarched-roof design echoingthe traditional ovens of theOld World, and plenty ofthermal mass for optimum cooking performance. Constructed of reinforced refractoryconcrete, the Mezzo offers simple assembly and will provide years of trouble-free cookingenjoyment. Contact: www.stoneagemanufacturing.com.Circle Reader Service No. 188

Highwood USAHighwood USA L.L.C. of Tamaqua,

Pennsylvania, has added a range ofoutdoor accessory items that includesa useful add-on laptop table (shown)and a tête-à-tête connection table forits Adirondack chairs, plus otheroutdoor accessories—all made from itsunique, next-generationsynthetic-wood material. These itemsare available immediately. Check outthe company’s showcase store atshop.highwood-usa.com. Contact:(262) 501-2580 orwww.highwood-usa.com.Circle Reader Service No. 189

FlorenceDiningCollection

The Florencecollection uses bold,interwoven lines tocreate airy (yet solid)pieces. Made ofpremium A356aluminum, thiscollection offersbuyers an armchair, aswivel rocker, a swivelbarstool, a stationarybarstool (with bothbarstools available inbalcony height), and a love seat. Each piece comes with Outdoor Lifestyle’s unique 15-yearlimited warranty on frames and a five-year limited warranty on paint finishes in residentialuse. Contact: Virginia Hamilton at (800) 294-4758, [email protected], orwww.olfurniture.com.Circle Reader Service No. 190

South TerraceSouth Terrace is influenced by pieces

located in the Winter Garden of BiltmoreHouse, the Asheville, North Carolina,residence of George Vanderbilt andfamily. The all-weather collection iscrafted with resin molded over analuminum frame with a Viro® syntheticweave, designed specifically foryear-round, all-weather outdoor use. Thegroup has a sophisticated aesthetic withexposed bamboo-like legs, as well aschair and sofa backs with uniquefretwork designs that offer a distinctdesign statement. Contact:www.whitecraftinc.net.Circle Reader Service No. 191

Euro BistroTable

Bring style and performance to anyoutdoor setting with the sophisticatedlook of Poly-Wood’s new Euro bistrotable. Beautifully designed to handledemanding all-weather environments,the Euro bistro table matches finelycrafted aluminum frames with durablePoly-Wood slats in an exciting varietyof fashion colors. This table isavailable in three different heights:

dining, counter, or bar. Choose from 13 different slat colors and three different frame-coloroptions. Contact: www.polywoodinc.com.Circle Reader Service No. 192

OptifireVersatile and elegant, the Optifire from Bodart & Gonay offers endless design

possibilities. Created in Belgium with high performance in mind, this zero-clearance fireplaceis made to transform an ordinary living space into a warm and welcoming gathering place.Outstanding design features include invisible hinges, a locking system integrated into thefacade, and a large curved or flat glass window for an unobstructed view of the fire. For addedconvenience, a technologically advanced air-wash system keeps the glass clean and clear, athermostat control is used for regulating heat output, and all parts are easily accessible andserviceable from inside the firebox. Contact: (914) 764-5679 or www.wittus.com.Circle Reader Service No. 193

Casablanca Living SetThe Casablanca living set has a design of simplicity and clarity. It is composed of

all-weather, graphite-black Sunloom resin, handwoven over an aluminum frame. It features adistinctive taper-shaped armrest, made of aluminum that is 2 millimeters thick, using aspecial process of punching, bending, and welding. Casablanca uses a high-qualitypowder-coating and finishing process that can prevent scratching and color fading. Its strong,reinforced structure provides both comfort and contract quality. Contact: (866) 919-1881 orwww.ratana.com.Circle Reader Service No. 194










Manchester SquareConversation Firepit

The Manchester square conversation firepit by Protégé Casual says it alland was recently brought to life by popular demand. The company neededto expand on its already-popular all-cast–aluminum firepit in theManchester collection. Fire up you showroom—and customers’ outdoorrooms—with a great price point in a high-end firepit. Contact:www.protegecasual.com.Circle Reader Service No. 195

UltimateONEUltimateONE offers the latest technologies in

factory-built chimney design, providingsuperior performance, durability, and

safety. UltimateONE’s inner linerand outer casting are

constructed of all-welded304 stainless steel for

superior strengthand corrosionresistance.

Engineeredwith a web

coupler designusing an inch of

Superwool insulation that makes contact at the seam, UltimateONE allowsfor pipe expansion and eliminates cold-air infiltration. BecauseUltimateONE is locked together with a latch-type locking band, no-toolinstallations are quick, solid, and secure every time. Contact: (800)433-6341 (United States), (888) 735-5475 (Canada), orwww.selkirkcorp.com.Circle Reader Service No. 196

Napoleon’sNew CharcoalKettle Grill

Napoleon’s new NK22CK-Lcharcoal kettle grill features alarge grilling area and multiplevents, which are perfect for allcooking requirements. Threecooking heights are ideal for directcooking, indirect cooking, orsmoking. The NK22CK-L comescomplete with a22.5-inch–diameter cooking area;a porcelain enamel lid and bowl;adjustable air controls (top andbottom); an ACCU-PROBE™ temperature gauge; cool-touch, heavy-dutyhandles; a removable, high-capacity ash catcher; and a sturdy cart with astorage shelf. Contact: (877) 588-2220 or www.nacdealers.com.Circle Reader Service No. 197

Jazz Dining CollectionThe Jazz collection blends

classic elements, crafted inA356 aluminum, to create asophisticated family offurnishings. The Jazzcollection includes anarmchair, a swivel rocker, aswivel barstool, a stationarybarstool, a love seat, and a36-inch square table (alsoavailable as a rectangulartable). All pieces offerOutdoor Lifestyle’s unique15-year limited warranty onfurniture frames and afive-year limited warranty onpaint finishes in residentialuse. Contact: VirginiaHamilton at (800) 294-4758,[email protected], orwww.olfurniture.com.Circle Reader Service No. 198

Cayman CollectionBradford Lifestyles combines the classic beauty of teak with the modern feel of wicker.

The Cayman collection is artistically woven with an offset color of dark chocolate within themain honey wicker. Constructed of the finest plantation grade A teak and Raucord wicker,this collection is praised for its beauty and durability. Pick specific pieces for your idealgrouping, and add deep, comfy cushions in a wide array of fabric choices. Contact: (604)241-1030 or www.bradfordlifestyles.com.Circle Reader Service No. 199

RichlandSling

The beautifullyclean lines of thiscollection, inspiredby the Arts andCrafts movement, areas exciting today aswhen designers suchas Frank LloydWright first createdthese styles, 100years ago. Paying homage to Wright’s birthplace in Richland Center, Wisconsin, TelescopeCasual has named this exciting new collection the Richland sling collection. It isconstructed of the company’s marine-grade polymer and is available with an array ofexciting new sling fabrics. Create a complete outdoor room with this new collection and thecoordinating Richland cushion collection. Contact: www.telescopecasual.com.Circle Reader Service No. 200

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OceanMaster MAX Zero Horizon

With a minimalist design,TUUCI’s Ocean Master MAX ZeroHorizon maintains a zero verticalprofile, allowing for anundisturbed view of its naturalsurroundings. Built towithstand direct oceangusts and desert wind blasts, itfeatures maximized components to create adurable and functionally supreme shadeplatform. Contact: (305) 634-5116 or www.tuuci.com.Circle Reader Service No. 202

Advanced Convection Morsø5660 Fireplace Insert

The Morsø 5660 fireplace insert can transform nearly all openmasonry fireplaces into beautiful home-heating allies that candistribute 50,000 Btu per hour of heat to warm up to 2,200square feet. Already a top-selling fireplace insert, the 5660,available standard or with an optional blower kit, has a largecombustion chamber that accommodates 20-inch logs anddelivers high performance, with emissions of 4.5 grams per hourand efficiency of more than 75%. Houses without chimneys orfireplaces can also use the advanced-convection Morsø 5660 fireplace insert with the installation of a Morsø zero-clearanceenclosure and class A chimney (sold separately). The Morsø zero-clearance enclosure is designed, tested, and approved foruse solely with the Morsø 5660 standard and 5660 NA fireplace-insert models. Contact: (866) 883-9619 orwww.morsona.com.Circle Reader Service No. 204

Bainbridge Bainbridge by NorthCape International offers a luxurious resort feel and comfort for

your backyard at an affordable price. This Southern Living modular collection isversatile enough to fit anyone’s living space. Bainbridge features an elegant, curvedarm; a lightweight aluminum frame; durable, UV-protected polyethylene woven resin;and plush deep seating for added comfort. Contact: www.northcapeinternational.com.Circle Reader Service No. 201

Diamond Bay SeatingTommy Bahama Outdoor is pleased to present

Diamond Bay, new for the 2012 selling season.Handwoven elements with a rich, multistep finishenhance the furniture pieces, which are elegantlyaccented by your choice of exotic marble or durablecast-aluminum table surfaces. The unique storageottoman also adds functionality. Let Tommy BahamaOutdoor’s new Diamond Bay collection whisk youaway to far-flung locales, all from the comfort ofhome. Contact: www.plantationpatterns.com.Circle Reader Service No. 205

Flex FuelBioenergy Flex Fuel series indoor and outdoor furnaces are engineered

with proven, clean European technologies and WoodMaster quality anddurability built right in; Flex Fuel series furnaces’ fuel options—cordwood,wood pellets, or wood chips—help you control savings and provide ease ofoperation. Flex Fuel furnaces are also solar capable, which is another optionfor saving even more money and using less fuel. Of all the phase 2cleaner-burning hydronic heaters rated by the EPA, WoodMaster Flex Fueltops the list. Contact: www.WoodMaster.com.Circle Reader Service No. 206

Vista CollectionThe 100% aluminum Vista club chair envelops your body

with cushioned comfort. Soft pillow backs, fully formed andupholstered arms, and soft deep seat cushions arecombined with an elegantly sculpted, hexagonalaluminum-tube frame that exudes style and elegance. Vistais perfect for any outdoor setting. Contact: (800) 776-9533or www.owlee.com.Circle Reader Service No. 203


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Treasure Garden’s Hot Color TrendsFor 2012, Treasure Garden introduces the hottest new color trends from Sunbrella® and Sunbury. The

elegant and sophisticated collection includes a Swiss dot in hot pink from Sunbury. It is a timeless patternthat is colorful and cheery. The other colors that complete this new collection are the exclusive TreasureGarden Sunbrella Cannes cabana stripe, designed to coordinate with the new Sunbrella hot pink. The othernew color trends are stripes, stripes, and more stripes, which are bold, energetic, and fun. AnotherTreasure Garden exclusive is the company’s Sunbrella Sunset Beach. These new color trends will be ondisplay at #1655 Merchandise Mart, Chicago, Illinois. With over 25,000 choices available, Treasure Gardenis the number-one name in shade. Contact: www.treasuregarden.com or [email protected]. Circle Reader Service No. 208

Lakeside URComfort Cushion Action Lounger

URComfort™ cushion seating harmonizes with the movement of your body to find the mostcomfortable position. Tropitone’s Lakeside cushion collection is enhanced by the function andcomfort of the URComfort articulated movement system. The Lakeside URComfort cushion actionlounger with panels is a combination of innovation and a trusted design. Contact:www.tropitone.com.Circle Reader Service No. 209

Sonoma CollectionThe Sonoma collection of seating and dining selections melds beautiful

transitional styling with all-weather durability. The Viro® weave is presented in asophisticated Trax mink finish on frames that gently wrap around each seat. Withhundreds of outdoor fabrics from which to select, Sonoma is a study in chic,sophisticated style. Sonoma will be on display in Whitecraft’s new showroom,suite 1752 of the Design Center at the Merchandise Mart. Contact:www.whitecraftinc.net.Circle Reader Service No. 210

Toba Pellet StoveA contemporary heating machine designed with form and functionality in mind, the Toba

pellet stove has clean, simple lines based on style and technique. It is imported by Wittus andwas conceptualized by MCZ in collaboration with EMO, a market-focused Italian design firm.The 2011 IF Product Design Award–winning Toba represents a new way of thinking. This pelletstove is not just a fireplace, but a piece of fine furniture. A distinguished face in elegant colorsand a solid, rectangular body separate the Toba from other pellet products. Its distinctivefeatures include Comfort Air® technology, which extracts the heat produced by the stove withunequaled efficiency (over 90%). Contact: (914) 764-5679 or www.wittus.com.Circle Reader Service No. 211

PR

OD

UC

T

Vanuatu CollectionBradford Lifestyles introduces the Vanuatu collection. This beautiful

collection offers all the comforts of the bigger, heavier wicker looks, butwith a refined delicacy. The sides are airy and light, giving Vanuatu a softerlook with universal appeal. The collection has a full complement of piecesfor any combination. Big, bright, comfy cushions complete the set for asit-down, stay-awhile feeling. Contact: (604) 241-1030 orwww.bradfordlifestyles.com.Circle Reader Service No. 207







Chippendale Dining ChairInspired by

18th-centurydesign, the newChippendale diningchair by Poly-Woodfeatures the fine,intricate details ofthe classicChippendale style.The Chippendaledining chair pairs aunique, terracedlattice back with acurve, for a morecomfortable andrelaxing feel. Theexperiencedperformance of this collection, featuring a contoured seat and stylish legs, is sureto add a personalized touch to your outdoor environment. The Chippendale chairis available in six traditional colors and in three different heights: dining, counterand bar. Contact: www.polywoodinc.com.Circle Reader Service No. 213


MiniHog T1000The WoodMaster T1000 Mini Hog pellet grill

lets you party like a pro—at your event, at yourplace of business, or right in your own backyard.The 904-inch cooking surface providesbalanced heat to keep up with hungryguests. Cook better-tasting steak,chicken, burgers, and ribs (and all thatthe same time, if you want). Choosecustomized pellet flavors, made ofall-natural wood, to fit the tastes of yourguests: hickory, apple, cherry, maple,Master Blend, and more. Add your ownpersonal style with a customized grilldesign. Contact: www.WoodMaster.com.Circle Reader Service No. 215

Kamado Joe Grill Gripper

Made of durable 304 stainless steel for years of beauty and use,the Grill Gripper securely clamps onto any cooking grate. Avoid themess and potential burn hazard of moving or repositioning yourcooking grate. The Grill Gripper is included free with all Kamado Joeclassic grills. Contact: (678) 866-0642 or www.kamadojoe.com.Circle Reader Service No. 216

Tasmania CollectionThe Tasmania collection swivel gliding club chair offers comfort and

quality, with a 360-degree swivel base. It is as natural as it is comfortable.With its crosswoven pattern and a sea-grass touch, it offers the ultimatein design and style. The wicker is handwoven over a rust-free aluminumframe that withstands the hardships of weather. Contact: (866) 919-1881or www.ratana.com.Circle Reader Service No. 214

marketing MANEUVERS

NEW MARKETS Thomas echoes the conclusions of many

specialty retailers now emerging from a diffi-cult economy. “People are looking for valueand comfort right now, with value still at thetop of the list,” he says. “We would like toserve everybody, but my feeling is (as it waswith jewelry) that a specialty store caters to acertain audience: a more discerning client, andsomeone who appreciates the finer finishesand cushions, and the more unusual fabrics.”

Thomas also believes that for any specialtyretail store to grow in the future, it needs toattract younger buyers. He says, “This isalways a big challenge, in any industry.Outdoor living is enjoyed by all age groups,

but unless we prevent that market from goingoff to the big-box stores or turning strictly toordering on the Internet, we are going to losea large segment of our market.”

He adds, “There is no shortage of peoplein the younger market who line up for thelatest electronics, like Apple products or theKindle. They don’t mind spending moneyfor those products. How do we entice themto spend the money on outdoor furniture?”The answer is not a simple one. He says, “Ithink the younger consumers feel very com-fortable in a lifestyle store, and not just a spe-cialty one that only carries umbrellas orchaises. They want to go to a place wherethey love the experience.”

continued from page 26

Vermont Castings Signature Series301 Grill

Rated number one by a leading consumer magazine,* the 301 series offers theconvenience of EasyFlame ignition, LED controls, and powerful performance. Withpremium, 304-grade true stainless-steel construction and the company’s SignatureFlavorSeal system, this grill looks stunning and delivers precise results. Customerscan choose from freestanding or built-in models. Special marketing andevent-planning kits are available for all Signature series grills, helping increasesales and drive traffic to your store. *This is based on the 2010 midsize-grillcategory, 300 series. Contact: www.vermontcastings.com.Circle Reader Service No. 212


http://www.vermontcastings.com

http://www.WoodMaster.com




Advertiser Phone Website Page

303 Products ................................(800) 223-4303 ..........www.303products.com ....................40Agio ............................................(888) 997-7623 ..........www.agio-usa.com ............................5Bella-Dura ......................................(800) 544-0478 ..........www.bella-dura.com..........................45Bradford Lifestyles............................(604) 241-1030 ..........www.bradfordlifestyles.com ................60California Outdoor Concepts ............(877) 274-6773 ..........www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com ....15Capel Rugs....................................(800) 382-6574 ..........www.capelrugs.com..........................59Caravita ........................................(877) 530-8873 ..........www.michaelcaravita.com..................69Casual Creations ............................(866) 355-8523 ..........www.casualcreations.com ..................65Challenger Cabinets........................(574) 773-0470 ..........www.challengercabinets.com..............50Couristan ......................................(201) 585-8500 ..........www.couristan.com ..........................37Crest Foam ....................................(201) 807-0809 ..........www.ezdri.com ................................22Crimson Casual ..............................(205) 486-5102 ..........www.crimsoncasual.com....................46Ebel..............................................(904) 399-2777 ..........www.ebelinc.com ............................57Elmira Stove Works ........................(800) 295-8498 ..........www.elmirastoveworks.com ................76Empire Comfort Systems ..................(800) 851-3153 ..........www.empirecomfort.com....................31Erwin and Sons ..............................(770) 579-0414 ..........www.erwinandsons.com ....................49Faulkner Furniture ............................(888) 441-2708 ..........www.faulknerfurniture.com ..................61Galtech International........................(805) 376-1060 ..........www.galtechcorp.com ......................47Gensun Casual Living ......................(866) 964-4468 ..........www.gensuncasual.com ......................9Glen Raven/Sunbrella ....................(336) 221-2211 ..........www.sunbrella.com ..........................13The HammockSource ......................(800) 334-1078 ..........www.thehammocksource.com ............77Hearth & Home Technologies............(800) 669-4328 ..........www.hearthnhome.com ....................92Highwood USA..............................(262) 501-2580 ..........www.highwood-usa.com....................42Hitzer............................................(260) 589-8536 ..........www.hitzer.com ................................50Homecrest ....................................(877) 599-4803 ..........www.homecrest.com ........................56Infratech ........................................(800) 421-9455 ..........www.infratech-usa.com ......................11International Casual

Furnishings Association ..................(336) 884-5400 ..........www.icfanet.org ..............................83Ironhaus ........................................(866) 880-0900 ..........www.ironhaus.com............................66Kamado Joe ..................................(678) 866-0642 ..........www.kamadojoe.com........................18Kingsley-Bate..................................(703) 361-7000 ..........www.kingsleybate.com ......................63Lennox Hearth Products ....................(800) 9-LENNOX ..........www.lennox.com ................................3Lloyd/Flanders................................(906) 863-4491 ..........www.lloydflanders.com......................33Merchandise Mart ..........................(800) 677-6278 ..........www.casualmarket.com ....................81MLW Stone ..................................(800) 477-7665 ..........www.mlwstone.com ..........................61Monessen Hearth Systems ................(800) 867-0454 ..........www.monessenhearth.com ................29Morsø ..........................................(866) 883-9619 ..........www.morsona.com ..........................53Napoleon Products ........................(800) 461-5581 ..........www.napoleonproducts.com ................7NorthCape International ..................(708) 563-2890 ..........www.northcapeinternational.com ........55Outdoor Lifestyle ............................(800) 294-4758 ..........www.olfurniture.com ..........................23Over and Under ............................(877) 484-2344 ..........www.overrandunderonline.com ..........51OW Lee........................................(800) 776-9533 ..........www.owlee.com ..............................25Patio Renaissance ..........................(866) 690-5673 ..........www.patiorenaissance.com ................67Plantation Patterns ..........................(888) 446-4766 ..........www.plantationpatterns.com ..............41Poly-Wood ....................................(877) 457-3284 ..........www.polywoodinc.com ....................74Protégé Casual ..............................(239) 849-8444 ..........www.protegecasual.com....................73Ratana Home and Floral ..................(866) 919-1881 ..........www.ratana.com ..............................19Selkirk Corp. ..................................(800) 992-8368 ..........www.selkirkcorp.com ........................91South Sea Rattan ............................(336) 294-4100 ..........www.southsearattan.com....................35Stone Age Manufacturing ................(877) 371-8861 ..........www.stoneagemanufacturing.com........32Summerset Outdoor Living ................(951) 684-5090 ..........www.summersetoutdoorliving.com........75Telescope Casual............................(800) 451-0938 ..........www.telescopecasual.com ................43Treasure Garden/Shademaker ..........(626) 814-0168 ..........www.treasuregarden.com ............70, 71Tropitone ......................................(949) 951-2010 ..........www.tropitone.com ............................2TUUCI ..........................................(305) 634-5116 ..........www.tuuci.com ................................27Whitecraft......................................(800) 790-8677 ..........www.whitecraftinc.net........................17Wittus ..........................................(914) 764-5679 ..........www.wittus.com................................72WoodMaster ................................(800) 932-3629 ..........www.nwmdealer.com ........................30ZipJack Custom Umbrellas ................(914) 592-2000 ..........www.zipjackumbrellas.com ................79

ad INDEX product profiles DIRECTORY

Company Page

303 Products ..........................................................................62, 64Agio ......................................................................................62, 66Beachcomber Hot Tubs ............................................................62, 64Bella-Dura ..............................................................................62, 66Big Green Egg ........................................................................76, 80Black & Stone..........................................................................62, 63Bradford Lifestyles ....................................................................86, 88Bromic Heating..............................................................................63California Outdoor Concepts ....................................................64, 70Capel Rugs ............................................................................62, 68Caravita ................................................................................63, 70Casual Creations ....................................................................68, 70Challenger Cabinets ................................................................63, 68Couristan................................................................................64, 72Crest Foam ..................................................................................71Crimson Casual ............................................................................72Ebel ......................................................................................64, 72Elmira Stove Works ..................................................................68, 72Empire Comfort Systems ............................................................68, 74Erwin and Sons ......................................................................74, 76Faulkner Furniture ....................................................................75, 76Galtech International ................................................................74, 78Gensun Casual Living ..............................................................75, 78Glen Raven/Sunbrella ..............................................................75, 78The HammockSource ................................................................74, 80Hearth & Home Technologies ....................................................71, 75Highwood USA ......................................................................77, 85Hitzer ....................................................................................78, 80Homecrest ..............................................................................77, 80Infratech ................................................................................77, 80Ironhaus ................................................................................79, 80Kamado Joe............................................................................78, 89Kingsley-Bate ..........................................................................79, 83Lennox Hearth Products ............................................................78, 79Lloyd/Flanders ........................................................................79, 84MLW Stone ..................................................................................82Modern Home Products ..................................................................76Monessen Hearth Systems ........................................................83, 89Morsø ....................................................................................68, 87Napoleon Products ..................................................................82, 86NorthCape International ............................................................83, 87Outdoor Lifestyle ......................................................................85, 86Over and Under ............................................................................71OW Lee ................................................................................82, 87Patio Renaissance ....................................................................75, 82Plantation Patterns ....................................................................84, 87Poly-Wood..............................................................................85, 89Protégé Casual ........................................................................84, 86Ratana Home and Floral ..........................................................85, 89Selkirk Corp. ..........................................................................62, 86South Sea Rattan......................................................................64, 68Stone Age Manufacturing ..........................................................80, 85Summerset Outdoor Living..........................................................77, 78Telescope Casual ....................................................................84, 86Treasure Garden/Shademaker ..................................................79, 88Tropitone ................................................................................84, 88TUUCI....................................................................................84, 87Whitecraft ..............................................................................85, 88Wittus ....................................................................................85, 88WoodMaster ..........................................................................87, 89ZipJack Custom Umbrellas ........................................................64, 66

Patio & Hearth Products Report (ISSN 1939-6929) is published bimonthly by Peninsula Media, 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700, Torrance, CA 90503. US Postage Paid at Lebanon Junction, KY 40150. July/August 2011, Vol 6, No 4 © 2011 Peninsula Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to Peninsula Media, 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700, Torrance, CA 90503-5514, [email protected], phone: (847) 763-9261. While the publishers have made every effort to ensure theaccuracy of the materials presented in Patio & Hearth Products Report, they are not responsible for the correctness of the information and/or opinions expressed.


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