Home Textiles Today - March 12, 2007

Through customer surveys and improved capabilities on its recently re-launched website, $4.7 billion closeout retailer Big Lots is sharpening its fix on its more upscale customer demographic and will spend the next three years tweaking its merchandise mix and marketing to cater to the more affluent shopper.

• Business Today
• Kohl's Posts Powerful Gains
• Integration Slows Federated
• Comp Sales Finish Firm
• Builders Outlook Brightens
• Dillard's Profit Surges
• February Chills Retail Sales
• Housing Starts Stalling
• Manufacturing Inches Ahead
• Quaker Fabric Tumbles

• News
• Fixing Pottery Barn is Priority at Williams-Sonoma
• Forget February
• Anna's Linens Makes Plans for Expansion
• PHI Signs New Licenses
• Kohl's Inviting Shoppers to 'Explore'
• Price Retreat in Market Basket
• Martha Stewart Aims for Profitability With New Programs
• Welspun USA to Enter Top of Bed
• Retail Briefs
• Target Upbeat on Home Department
• NY Home Textiles Show Joins 'At Home'
• WestPoint Forecasts A Better 2007
• Top of Bed Turns Down across Categories
• Pantone Streamlines Color
• Gottschalks Trims Back Home
• Ellison First Asia Marks Year
• CMI Names Bradshaw, Woll to New Posts
• Caldeira Opens China Plant
• BJ's Sales Rise, Profits Fall
• Hudson Industries, DuPont Launch Allergen Barrier
• Wal-Mart Reviews Home Resets
• Jaunty Co. Expands
• Federated Quarterly Profit Rises
• Nina Campbell Gains at Stein Mart
• Hartman Joins Bloomcraft

• Opinion Today
• Tears of Entrepreneurial Joy
• Enough with the Tiptoeing!

• People Today
• Springs Promotes Two
• ShopKo Taps Mullen for Marketing
• QVC Inc. Taps Rod Birkins
• People Briefs