Home Textiles Today - May 6, 2002

In a spring market that provided a real sense of optimism throughout the industry, vendors broke the mold on many new designs and steered away from the recent trend of introducing "me-too" products. The move toward value-added merchandise garnering higher price points continued as many suppliers eschewed the opening price point items.

• Business Today
• March housing goes out like a lamb
• Existing home sales should stay strong
• Business briefs
• Retail sales hurt by Easter shift
• Dropoff less severe than expected in April
• Dan River 1Q looks up

• News
• Target takes credit for Visa program
• Neiman Marcus growth hinges on home
• West Elm branches out with catalog
• Tidbits
• Pier 1 sets sights on younger consumers
• LNT puts stock in store-level managers
• Bonbonbini line is born
• Springs Baby adds Humphrey's Corner
• BJ's breaks into Atlanta
• Global gaffe: Wal-Martha in Japan?
• Liz Claiborne heads into home, again
• Court OKs Pillowtex reorg plan
• Dior brings fashion looks home
• DTI eliminates over 2,000 jobs
• Kohl's, Target coexist profitably
• Nautica now covers duvets
• Cost Plus World Market grows textiles assortment
• Kohl's measures up to dept. stores
• Retail briefs

• Opinion Today
• More than a few good men
• Off-target focus

• People Today
• Maison & Objet pushed back in January
• Cwirko leaves WPS for Mohawk Home
• Mettler made new chief at Macy's West
• Simply Home shifts sales responsibilities