Home Décor Veteran Mike Larkey Joins Fortunoff

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 9/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

Uniondale, N.Y. —

Veteran home furnishings retailer and supplier Mike Larkey has joined Fortunoff here as a consultant.

Larkey will oversee all furniture, rugs, mattress, pictures and mirrors merchandising, reporting to dmm Dave Vernon on day-to-day activities and to president Charles Chinni on strategic directions, Chinni told HTT.

Larkey's and Chinni's relationship goes back 35 years to when they both were at the former Bamberger's New Jersey. "We are reevaluating the way that Fortunoff will go forward in the furniture business," Chinni explained. "I've built a very effective group of people to analyze the business and I'm really excited about the team."

Larkey most recently was svp of marketing at Linens 'n Things. Prior to that he was president of SofaTrend, a division of Robinson & Robinson Furniture Corp. Earlier he was evp of Jonathan Lewis International, an upholstered furniture manufacturer, and president of Ayers Chairmakers. Earlier he was merchandise manager for the former Bon Marche, Seattle. He also served in buying and merchandising positions at B. Altman, May Co. Los Angeles, and Federated Department Stores.