LOS ANGELES — Furniture and bedding maker and retailer Ashley is teaming up with three-time Grammy winning performers Pentatonix for a two-day, immersive pop-up here in November.

Ashley and Pentatonix will host “The Ashley Listening Rooms with Pentatonix,” a holiday-themed pop-up experience on Thursday, Nov. 2, and Friday, Nov. 3, at The Grove Storefront in Los Angeles. The free, open-to-the-public event will offer fans a unique listening experience to hear tracks from Pentatonix’s new holiday greatest hits album, The Greatest Christmas Hits, while enjoying Ashley’s newest furniture offerings.

“Ashley seeks to connect customers to the trends of the moment for their home, so what better time to do so than for the holidays when home is top of mind for everyone,” said Kelly Davis, vice president of marketing strategy at Ashley Global Retail. “This year we’ve worked hard to rebrand, refresh and update our stores, while offering affordable and relevant products for our customers with a modernized shopping experience. Through this activation with Pentatonix, we hope to continue to provide our guests with impactful shopping experiences.”

Attendees will walk through three uniquely themed listening rooms, featuring Ashley furniture pieces, where they will be fully immersed in the sounds of The Greatest Christmas Hits. In each listening room, attendees will be able to listen to a selection of songs from the holiday album in three different forms: vinyl, headphones and surround sound. Additionally, attendees will also be able to shop the Ashley furniture elements showcased via QR codes.

• The first listening room, “The Yule Log,” is an ode to Pentatonix’s famous Yule Log videos recreating the warm and cozy fireplace setting reflected in the artists’ Yuletide songs while showcasing Ashley’s Lombardia leather sofa.
• The second holiday-themed listening room is a physical representation of the new Pentatonix “The Greatest Christmas Hits” album showcasing the Maimz sofa, where guests can grab a pair of headphones and listen to the holiday tracks, silent disco style.
• The third “Winter Wonderland” themed listening room leans into bright whites of the holiday season with the comfort of Ashley’s Lindyn two-piece sectional.

“We are so excited to partner with Ashley to celebrate our recently launched Holiday album and bring fans a special listening experience,” said Scott Hoying, member of Pentatonix. “When you think of the holidays, you think of home, so this partnership with Ashley was a no-brainer.”

The first 50 people to arrive at the listening rooms across both event days will receive a complimentary copy of Pentatonix’s new album. Thirty guests will be chosen at random on Nov. 2 for a special meet and greet to be held later that day at the listening rooms. All attendees will have an opportunity to enter to win the grand prize of the event- two tickets to see the group perform in Palm Springs on Nov. 14 and a $1,000 Ashley credit.

See also:

• Ashley betting big on sleep accessories for High Point Market
• How much in scholarships did Wanek family and Ashley award?

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HIGH POINT — When the Red Lion Hotel (once the site of the downtown Radisson) closed in 2020, it put a hole in downtown hotel accommodations for marketgoers who liked being in the center of the action.

Now, a new SpringHill Suites by Marriott is on the way, slated to open in 2025 on the block across from Congdon Yards at 121 Virginia Place/401 West English Road, within walking distance of High Point Market showrooms, Truist Point stadium and its neighboring Stock and Grain food hall.

The hotel’s site, initially purchased by the Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation, was since sold to Benchmade Ventures, which is developing the property and held a ground-breaking ceremony yesterday, according to local news sources.

Benchmade Ventures’ website calls the Congdon Yards district a “high-density urban growth area slated to be High Point’s ‘new downtown’” and notes property values there have grown 400% in the past five years.

According to VisitHighPoint.com, development of the property calls for incorporating the older section of the historic Adam-Millis facility on the site (formerly part of the Paul Robert showroom) as part of the hotel’s lobby and lounge. That will be integrated with the new construction of the 128-unit guestroom tower, according to Fox8 News.

VisitHighPoint.com also notes that Barbour Spangle Design is slated to design the public interior spaces and two larger luxury suites. Barbour Spangle Design is owned by partners Christi Spangle and Christi Barbour, who is the first interior designer to chair the High Point Market Authority board.

See also:

• Manufacturer opening a new year-round showroom in High Point, and it could be a game-changer
• High Point students get leg up from industry in contest to design for local hotel

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MIDVALE, Utah – On the upside, the relaunched Bed Bath & Beyond platform has pulled in more than 300,000 new customers. But while related metrics are improving, Overstock.com Inc. net revenue still fell by double digits.

For the third quarter ended Sept. 30, total net revenue fell 19% to $373 million. The company posted an operating loss of $41 million vs. operating income of $5.66 million in the year-ago quarter. Net loss was $63 million, or $1.39 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $36.99 million, or 81 cents per diluted share, in last year’s Q3.

The company ended the quarter with $325 million in cash and cash equivalents.

During the first month of the quarter, the platform was still operating under the Overstock.com banner. The site transitioned to the Bed Bath & Beyond brand on Aug. 1.

Company CEO Jonathan Johnson stressed that the business is still in the early stages of capitalizing on its transition to Bed Bath & Beyond. “We have been successful in acquiring new customers and reactivating past customers. Total active customers grew sequentially over two years,” he said.

Although revenues were still down, orders returned to positive year-over-year growth the for first time in more than two years, he noted.

Key operational metrics included:

• Orders delivered up 3% to 1.9 million.
• Active customers of 4.9 million, down 15%.
• Average order value of $192, down 9%. This, in part, reflects the greater ratio of lower-priced soft home and housewares goods in the mix to reflect the legacy Bed Bath & Beyond assortment.
• Orders per active customer of 1.48, a decrease of 9% year-over-year

“It’s taken longer to warm up the (legacy Bed Bath & Beyond) email file than we hoped. We took some time because wanted to make sure we didn’t have any email caught in spam files,” said Johnson.

See also:

• It’s back! Beyond reintroducing liquidation model with familiar name
• Overstock steps Beyond its past in corporate rebrand
• Overstock overhaul? Hedge fund pushing for action

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BOSTON — AllModern, Wayfair’s modern specialty brand, is introducing a showroom in Austin, Texas, with grand opening festivities planned for Oct. 28.

The 11,071-square-foot store is located at 9722 Great Hills Trail 10 in Texas’ capital city.

Customers can shop everything from tabletop to decor to larger items like sofas and beds, touch and see products in real life, browse for inspiration, connect with design experts for advice and guidance, bring the small stuff home right away, or place an order for fast and free delivery to their doorstep.

Shoppers also have access to free design services with expert advice on everything from single rooms to full home redesigns. The store features a tech-first approach to shopping where shoppers can download AllModern’s app to build their cart and learn more about the designs they see in store.

The Austin store is AllModern’s third and its first outside of Massachusetts, joining showrooms in Lynnfield and Dedham, Mass.

A grand opening will take place from 1-4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 28, where customers will be invited to shop the store while enjoying refreshments, light bites and a live DJ. In addition, customers can shop AllModern’s Big Sale and receive an additional 25% off all in-store purchases through Oct. 29.

See also:

• It’s Wayfair’s turn to double down on a big sale to lure shoppers
• Wayfair in ‘exciting place’ as it hits on key earnings milestones in Q2

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ZEELAND, Mich. – High-end case goods manufacturer Hekman Furniture is celebrating its 100th anniversary in business.

“It’s kind of amazing for any company to survive through the Great Depression, World War II, the advent of market changing technology and so much more,” said Jim O’Keefe, vice president of sales. “Through it all Hekman has survived and thrived.”

The company’s story begins in 1893, when Edsko Hekman immigrated from the Netherlands to Grand Rapids, Mich., hoping to find his life’s work as a furniture maker. The Panic of 1893 – a severe financial crisis in the U.S. – would lead him to his first profession as a baker. Selling cookies door-to-door, Edsko eventually went on to found the Hekman Biscuit Co., which was later to become the Keebler Co.

Edsko’s love of furniture crafted in the Old-World Traditions would later blossom in his three sons John, Jelle and Henry. They would fulfill their father’s dream and start the Hekman Furniture Co. in 1922.

In 1970, the company became a division of Beatrice Foods, and in 1983, Hekman Furniture was purchased by the Howard Miller Clock Co. of Zeeland, Mich. In 1993, Hekman acquired Woodmark Furniture, an upholstery company founded by Elliot Wood, and Hekman then began to build on its ability to offer high-end case goods and upholstered furniture.

See also:

• High-end furniture manufacturer’s new cabinets ‘allow retailers to compete with Lowe’s’
• Hekman’s new designer-focused website offers free shipping, no minimum order

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HIGH POINT – High-end case goods and upholstery manufacturer Vanguard Furniture unveiled its Splendor case goods collection at the recent High Point Market, featuring bedroom, dining and occasional furniture.

The collection was shown in two distinct ways in the showroom: a light and airy vignette, showcasing the soft finishes and materials, as well as a dark and moody vignette highlighting darker finishes and bolder tones. The darker vignette is contrasted with the natural luminescence of selenite, a crystalline mineral material.

“We created the Splendor collection to showcase the inherent beauty found in natural materials,” said Vanguard President and CEO Andy Bray. “The soft sheen of natural selenite adds a touch of glamour and elegance to a space without feeling overly ‘glam.’”

The line can be styled with lighter finishes or contrasted with deeper, richer finishes such as Mocha and Peppercorn. All pieces in the collection can be customized with finishes from an array of curated wood stains, paints, metallic paints and premium leaf finishes.

“The possibilities are limitless, and we can’t wait to see all the stunning interiors our customers create with Splendor.”

Bray said Vanguard’s time at market was successful, with at least 1,000 people in the company’s showroom Saturday. A good market isn’t judged by sales though, he said; it’s the quality of the interaction that counts.

“We’re here to inspire,” he told Furniture Today. “Markets aren’t as much transactional as they are about spending time with people. We’re lucky if our factory gets two days of production out of it. It’s all about building and strengthening relationships.”

Bray also talked about the strong designer presence.

“Most people we’ve seen are designers,” he said. “But on the luxury side, retailers are more design-driven anyway. Even with our retailers, you know there’s a designer involved somewhere.”

The company also revealed the favorites of its designers. Those included the “M” shaped, fully upholstered Origami chair; the modern Flynn dining table, which features a cast aluminum top and triangle-shaped travertine bases; and the Wright dining chair, which features a narrow, open oak frame and T-shaped silhouette.

See also:

• Vanguard CEO: How did we get here? And where are we headed?
• Vanguard Furniture invests $5.9 million in capacity build

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MIDVALE, Utah – Beyond Inc., parent of “the new Bed Bath & Beyond,” plans to come full circle with a new site launch in the works.

By the end of 2024, the company will relaunch Overstock.com as a platform hewing to the brand’s original model: offering a cross-category assortment of liquidation merchandise.

This marks a relatively swift pivot. Overstock spent most of 2022 exiting non-home categories to establish itself as a home-only site offering value-priced furniture and home goods. Its acquisition of Bed Bath & Beyond’s intellectual property this past June and subsequent rebranding under that banner in August further expanded its total home proposition by amplifying soft goods and housewares.

The look of the new Overstock.com site will likely mirror the legacy site, but it will be crafted in a way that differentiates it from the current Bed Bath & Beyond platform, according to company CEO Jonathan Johnson.

“I don’t’ think that modeling it as a furniture or a home furnishings site is the thing to do,” he told investors during this morning’s call to review Q3 financial results.

There will be no merchandise overlap between the new Overstock.com and the current Bed Bath & Beyond platform. Products will be offered at “true liquidation prices,” he added.

Johnson also hinted that in the longer run, Beyond Inc. may field additional pure play platforms. He offered no details but noted that the company is “opportunistically and patiently looking at other targets to grow our ‘Beyond’ vision.”

See also:

• Overstock steps Beyond its past in corporate rebrand
• Overstock board brings on celebrity “turnaround king” to assist with Bed Bath reinvention

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CHICAGO — High-end French furniture and lifestyle brand Ligne Roset will open a limited time pop-up next to its flagship store here.

Located at 440 N Wells St. in River North, Living Ligne Roset: The Pop-Up Shop will offer a variety of rare, marked down designs, while maintaining the brand’s service and craftsmanship.

“This pop-up location is an opportunity to find Ligne Roset gems at a discounted price,” said Simone Vingerhoets-Ziesmann, executive vice president of Ligne Roset in the Americas. “Ligne Roset’s core values are non-conformism, creativity and freedom of expression, and we believe everyone, at any life stage, should have the opportunity to welcome our products into their home.”

The store will sell sofas, sectionals, beds, dining sets, cabinetry and accessories with discounts of up to 80% off. Included in the store’s initial selection are pieces such as Togo by Michel Ducaroy and Pumpkin by Pierre Paulin. There will also be designs like the Odessa rectangular dining table in marble and walnut by Mauro Lipparini, Alando desk by Eric Jourdan, and TV dining chair, also by Paulin. These pieces will be a mix of floor samples and discontinued designs.

“We are excited to forge an even deeper relationship with Chicago’s illustrious design community,” said Francois Vijayan, brand ambassador and merchandising director of Ligne Roset Chicago, “and we’re looking forward to seeing the joy our customers feel when they discover a unique piece with its own special story to cherish for years to come.”

The pop-up will be open from November through December.

See also:

• Oh mycelium! Ligne Roset moves one step closer to a mushroom-based sofa
• Why furniture retailers are fired up for opportunities in the Windy City

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — Direct-to-consumer home furnishings brand Castlery is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the launch of a limited-edition collection themed “Timeless Design, Boldly Elevated.”

The new collection includes 16 products, reimagined from Castlery’s best sellers, and it consists of less than 100 pieces per item.

The 10th anniversary collection revisits the brand’s iconic pieces and gives them a makeover with the use of premium materials such as Toronto marble, burl wood and premium woven yarn.

“We are incredibly proud of this milestone and how far we’ve come as a brand,” said co-founder Declan Ee. “To mark our 10th year, we’ve taken the opportunity to explore the use of distinctive, luxurious materials with our signature designs, to elevate and curate a cool and collectible series that’s out of the ordinary.”

Among the products in the launch are:

• The Marlow sofa collection — available in three modules: armless two-seater sofa, wedge sofa and armless sofa — is a channel-tufted sofa in Chair Revival fabric and sitting on honey oak wooden legs. Ranging from $3,679-5,349, depending on configuration.
• Occasional tables including the Cupid coffee table, $999, and Mika side table, $599. Both are constructed of burl wood, with the Cupid table featuring contrasting strips of polar and elm burl veneer.
• The Sloane group of dining table, dining chairs, TV console, sideboard and shelf, offered in warm honey oak finish.
• The Ingrid chair, $899, has a fully upholstered seat with tilted backrest and is covered in Umber Panache fabric, exclusive to this limited edition collection.
• The Sacha armchair, $1,099, is fully upholstered and offers a low-slung, sculptural silhouette.
• The Rochelle performance boucle bed, $1,599, is reimagined in a duo-toned woven chenille and solid honey oak legs. Available in queen and king.

Apart from the furniture, Castlery is also releasing limited-edition tote bags to commemorate the anniversary and sporting the same signature fabrics as seen in the collection: Vivid Merlot and Chai Revival.

The 10th Anniversary Limited Edition Collection is available for purchase online. Founded in 2013, Castlery is available in more than 100 metropolitan areas across the U.S., Australia and Singapore.

See also:

• DTC furniture line grows with 2 new sofas
• Sitting pretty: Dozens of seating options make up DTC brand’s new introductions

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CHICAGO — With talk of rising costs and inflation and how consumers’ holiday shopping might be affected, retailers and industry experts alike have been speculating whether this holiday will be a season of cheer or a season of fear. Are consumers still planning to spend, or will they be more money conscious?

Circana’s newly released Holiday Purchase Intentions Study just might have some of the answers. The annual study combines valuable perspective on how consumer behavior is changing compared to recent years when it comes to spending and celebrations, as well as new insight into things that are having the biggest impact on that behavior, such as the economy, demographics, timing, value, social media and pent-up demand.

“Consumers are giving thought to spending less this holiday season, but they’re still setting their own purchase priorities,”  said Marshal Cohen, chief industry advisor at Circana. In Cohen’s written report about the study, he points out that “consumers convey conflicted feelings about spending this holiday season,” and “old and new traditions come together for a different kind of shopping season.”

Conclusions Cohen made in the report include:

• Overall, consumers plan to spend similarly to last year on holiday shopping, but they are also prepared to spend more on core gift items.
• Demographics reveal unexpected shifts, with the largest declines in the upper- and lower-income segments.
• Planned credit card usage has hit a new high.
• Plans for both charitable giving and self-gifting have fallen this year.
• Negative feelings about the economy and personal financial situations have both escalated, compounding last year’s concerns.
• Mass merchants, department, chain and clothing stores are high on shoppers’ lists, but stores providing food, value and an experience will capture more of the consumer’s attention.
• Nearly one-third of the respondents, 29%, plan to spend on the home, with a mean spend of $348.
• More consumers will celebrate the holidays at home – 61% of consumers plan to eat their Christmas meal at home, up five percentage points from last year.

“Conflicted spending apprehension from the consumer, combined with the potential for a three-week long, last-minute spending surge in December, makes Holiday 2023 a complex one to plan for and measure,” Cohen added in the report. “Christmas Day lands on a Monday this year, which will split Super Saturday shopping once again (between Dec. 23 and the weekend before), while also giving consumers the ability to push their shopping right up to the last minute on Sunday, Dec. 24. Retailers will need to wait for Christmas week results to get a true read on how the traditional season ended.”

Consumers will not only be shopping later than usual for the holiday season, but they’ll also be putting a higher emphasis on getting a good deal. Circana’s report says: “Overall value for the price and special sale price both grew as top factors that will influence where consumers will shop for gifts this year, identified by more than 40% of holiday shoppers.”

The 22-page robust report also covers the growth and decline of gift categories, how social media will influence consumers’ decisions and more.

See also:

• Customers want the furniture shopping experience, so ‘submerge’ them in it
• Survey hints at how home can grab some of that higher holiday spending

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