Home Textiles Today - June 20, 2011

NEW YORK - With a little dab of characteristic panache to its name, Material ConneXion is literally a connection to material - unlike anything else that exists in the marketplace today.

• Business Today
• Pier 1 Profit Nearly Doubles
• NRF: Retail Container Traffic Close to Flat Through July
• Same-Store Sales So-So
• NRF: May Retail Sales up, But Consumer Spending Still Slow
• Duckwall-Alco Narrows Loss

• News
• Proposte Sees Boost in U.S. Attendance
• Altamont Capital Partners Invests in The Robert Albert Group
• Social Media Websites Advance Businesses
• HFPA Networking Party Set
• Surtex Honors Designers
• Summer Social Planned
• Gordmans Plots Steady Expansion
• Buyers and Suppliers Gearing up for Shows
• Softline Partners with GuardIn Technology
• Showtime Buyers More Willing to Order Fabrics
• Windows Peek Through; Performance Used to Push Opening Prices
• Frette Opens Beverly Hills Flagship
• Dollar General to Open 10th DC
• Fab.com Joins the Flash Sale Fray
• Williams-Sonoma Ecommerce Goes International
• Yarn Trafficking Legislation on the Way
• Williams-Sonoma: Direct Sales on Track to Eclipse Stores
• Living and Working Legends: Arthur Tauber
• Home Industry Adopting Online Technologies

• Opinion Today
• The New Texas Ranger
• Retail Politics

• People
• Kvaal Joins Huntsman Textile Effects
• Capel Rugs Promotes Bristow in High Point
• Chris Madden Signs on with Brandgenuity
• Engle Promoted at Mitchell Group
• Granatoor Joins Ellery Homestyles
• J.Queen New York Expands Staff
• Jeff Simon Moves to Hollander
• New England Curtain Show Set for October
• New Pres at Neiman Marcus Direct
• Apple Retail Chief to Become JCPenney's CEO