Home Textiles Today - February 2, 2004

The New York City February Mini-market is perpetually reinventing itself, just like the industry around it. This year's event is proving to be no different. After several years of consolidation in both the retailer and supplier communities, the Mini-market is struggling to find an identity — especially since its considerably bigger sister, the New York Home Textiles Marke...

• Business Today
• Mixed signals from housing market
• Confidence is high but job concerns linger
• Dan River stock hits the rapids
• Bad weather slows strong sales
• NYSE to drop Dan River
• Trade group bullish on housing
• Mill's woes 'fundamental'
• Selling units, Sears triples profits

• News
• Blair looks to trade up with larger, upscale catalog
• Coalition vows to be kingmaker in 2004
• Afghani rugs arrive in U.S., blankets head out
• Pine Cone Hill launches new line
• Thomasville expanding its showroom
• CEO delivers straight talk on China
• Countdown to quota elimination
• WPS names vp of bed merchandising
• Sears has full plate in 2004
• Developing a China strategy is key
• Doomsday scenario unlikely, says CEO
• Fung predicts a time of instability, uncertainty
• Capps: Vigilance will be needed
• Polymer announces appointments
• Retail briefs

• Opinion Today
• Welcome to the world of monopsony!
• The gloves are coming off

• People Today
• IFDA names its 2004 international board
• Conran dies at 71
• IMRA morphs into RILA
• Invista promotes four top executives pending sale