Schumacher, who left his executive post at HFA at the end of May, recently posted on his LinkedIn page that he had joined the board of the lifestyle retailer.

In his post, he noted, “For years I have admired R&B’s commitment to their team, customers, sustainability and social responsibility. Their recent designation as a B Corp, which means Room & Board meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability, is a testament to the culture they have built.”

He also noted that in April, the company transitioned into a 100% Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), which gives its 1,100 employees a financial stake in the organization.

“The new board of directors is tasked with providing strategic direction and financial oversight for the company during this time,” Schumacher said. “I can’t express how honored and humbled I am to become part of the Room & Board team.”

The post Mark Schumacher joins board of directors at Room & Board appeared first on Home News Now.

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — The Nasdaq Stock Market has given specialty furniture, bedding and home goods and appliances retailer Conn’s Inc. 60 days to submit a plan to regain compliance with a rule related to the timely filing of its quarterly reports.

On June 11, the company notified the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it was unable to file a timely 10-Q financial report for its fiscal first quarter ended April 30. The company said the delay was because it had been unable to complete disclosures related to possible amendments to, or the refinancing of its revolving credit facility that were required to be included in its 10-Q.

“As a result, the company is unable to file, without reasonable effort or expense, the Form 10-Q on or prior to the prescribed filing date,” the company said in its June 11 disclosure.

On June 20, the company received a delinquency notification letter from Nasdaq stating it was not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) because it had not filed the report by the due date required by the SEC.   

The company said the notice has no immediate effect on its listing  or trading of its common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. However, it said that it has until Aug. 19 to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rule.

Conn’s noted that if Nasdaq accepts its plan to regain compliance, Nasdaq may grant the company up to 180 calendar days from the prescribed mid-June due date for the 10-Q, or until Dec. 16, to file the 10-Q in order to regain compliance.

“However, there can be no assurance that these events will occur,” the company said in a statement issued Wednesday relating to the delinquency notice.

The post Conn’s receives delinquency notice from Nasdaq related to delayed 10-Q filing appeared first on Home News Now.

Loree brings significant consumer durables and retail channel experience, having served in C-suite roles at Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. for almost 25 years, including serving as the company’s CEO from 2016 to June 2022.

During his tenure, Loree led growth strategies to increase revenue from $2 billion to $16 billion. Under Loree’s leadership, the company enhanced its advanced manufacturing capabilities, increased operational excellence and responsible business practices, and was recognized as a best workplace for innovators as well as for diversity and inclusion.

“It’s been a privilege to serve as Interim CEO, and I’m proud of the entire SSB team’s commitment to our turnaround efforts,” says Genender. “Over the last eight months, we have successfully relaunched a large portion of our product portfolio, enhanced critical retail relationships, initiated national advertising campaigns, and improved service levels and operating metrics across our plant network. These accomplishments have only been possible through coordination and teamwork across all functions of the organization. We are beginning to see the success of these efforts through regained market share, and we are well positioned for future growth and success.”

I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the Serta Simmons Bedding team into the next phase of our company’s turnaround, grounded in progress and profitable growth,” says Loree. “Mark and the leadership team have laid a strong foundation for success, and I look forward to building on the turnaround strategy and developing a strong culture of accountability focused on driving financial results.”

“Jim’s appointment follows a thoughtful search for a permanent CEO by our board of directors. We are confident he is the right choice to help us continue accelerating our turnaround efforts and drive financial results,” Genender adds. “He brings deep experience from Stanley Black & Decker and General Electric and a record of delivering operating and financial results, and I look forward to working closely with him as board chairman as we continue to expand our business and drive profitability.”

The post Serta Simmons Bedding names Jim Loree CEO appeared first on Home News Now.

This is the first Ashley retail location opening for Goffena Furniture, which is a third-generation-family-owned business. The Troy store will employ about 17 people. Ashley, the largest furniture store brand in North America and one of the world’s bestselling home furnishing brands, has more than 1,100 locations worldwide. 

“We are thrilled to bring Ashley, the largest furniture retailer in North America, to Troy,” said Drew Goffena, Goffena Furniture senior vice president. “It’s amazing that we get to bring quality, stylish home furnishings with the hometown family feel of Goffena Furniture to the Troy community.” 

The new store will feature Ashley’s 7.0 store concept, a design approach that allows customers to experience a simplified, bright and open floor plan. The showroom will feature complete lifestyle vignettes, down to the final detail of lighting, rugs and wall art. Product categories include bedroom, dining room, upholstery, leather, occasional tables, home office, youth bedroom, recliners, mattresses and accessories. The store also has a new Ashley mattress gallery, featuring Ashley Sleep, Tempur-Pedic and Purple mattresses. 

The new store’s hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday noon – 5 p.m. Follow @ashleyofficial on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with promotions and events. 

The post Goffena Furniture & Mattress opens its 1st Ashley store in Troy, Ohio appeared first on Home News Now.

HIGH POINT — Universal Furniture has hired industry veteran Rick Lovegrove as vice president of upholstery, a new position devoted to the enhancement and growth of the company’s domestic and import upholstery business.

Lovegrove comes to the company from Four Hands, where he has worked for the past decade, most recently as president of upholstery and before that as vice president, product services group and upholstery.

Before that he worked at upholstery manufacturer G. Romano for more than 18 years, both as vice president of design and creative director and brand manager.

In his new position, he reports to Universal President Sean O’Connor, who started the upholstery business for the company around 2015 and who has since handled the development/merchandising responsibilities alongside Shannon Lookabill, vice president of product development. In addition to its import upholstery line produced in Vietnam, the company expanded into domestic upholstery when it acquired Southern Upholstery in 2019. The company said the acquisition allowed Universal to develop its domestic upholstery operations in 2020.

The company said that Lovegrove will collaborate closely with O’Connor and Lookabill to “drive strategic initiatives and innovation within Universal Furniture’s designs. Together, they aim to capitalize on emerging trends, enhance product offerings and reinforce Universal Furniture’s position as a whole home leader in the furniture marketplace.”

Universal said that Lovegrove’s leadership role at Four Hands expanded the category into the “largest product segment at the company. With a career distinguished by domestic and imported furniture expertise, Lovegrove brings a unique skill set to Universal Furniture, poised to drive innovation and growth within the upholstery segment.”

“The upholstery business at Universal has been a focal point in our growth strategy, aimed at expanding design appeal and growing sales,” O’Connor said. “The rapid expansion of this division necessitated the creation of this role, and Rick’s extensive industry experience positions him perfectly to lead and further accelerate our momentum.”

“Rick’s proven track record in scaling businesses within the furniture sector aligns with our vision for Universal Furniture’s future,” O’Connor added. “His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to innovate and meet the evolving demands of our customers.”

Lovegrove said he looks forward to this next step in his industry career.

“I am truly excited to join the Universal team,” he said. “The growth of the brand over the last couple of years has been exciting to witness, and I can’t wait to build and scale the next generation of the upholstery business.” 

The post Universal Furniture names Rick Lovegrove VP, upholstery appeared first on Home News Now.

SEFFNER, Fla. — Another dresser sold exclusively at Rooms To Go has been recalled because it does not comply with the performance requirements of the STURDY (Stop Tip-Overs of Risky Dressers on Youth) Act according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission.

On Thursday, the CPSC announced a recall involving 400 Cedona Natural View six-drawer dressers. Although there have been no injuries or incidents reported, the CPSC said that the units are unstable if they are not anchored to the wall, thus posing “serious tip-over and entrapment hazards” that can kill or injure children.

This is the second recall in the past two months for a dresser sold exclusively at Rooms To Go that allegedly does not meet the performance requirements of STURDY.

The recall involves the Cedona Natural View six-drawer dresser with model number 33117082, which is printed in black ink on a label at the back of the unit. The dresser is 68 inches long by 18 inches wide and 36 inches tall and weighs about 238 pounds.

The CPSC said the unit was made in India and sold at Rooms To Go stores nationwide and at www.roomstogo.com from November 2023 through February for about $1,000.  

Consumers have been advised to stop using the recalled dresser immediately and go to their local Rooms To Go for a replacement. The retailer, which also is contacting all known purchasers directly, will schedule a free delivery of the replacement dresser and remove the recalled dresser from their home, the CPSC said.  

For more information, consumers can contact Rooms To Go toll-free at 855-688-0919 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Or they can email productcare@roomstogo.com or go online at www.cedonadresserrecall.com.

Home News Now has reached out to Rooms To Go and is awaiting a response to this recall and the one involving its Mill Valley Jr. six-drawer dresser announced on May 2.

The post Dressers sold at Rooms To Go recalled because of tip-over, child entrapment hazard appeared first on Home News Now.

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — The passing of Thomas “Tom” Walter Lias has had many in the industry mourning a long-time loyal and committed business partner they described as tough yet empathetic as he sought solutions that would benefit both his company and his suppliers.

Lias, a 50-plus-year industry veteran who was chief executive officer of Gorman’s Home Furnishings & Interior Design in Michigan, died this past Saturday, June 15, in Winter Garden, Florida. He was 77.

Lias was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, and graduated from Chaney High School, also in Youngstown. He then entered the U.S. Army, serving as a drill sergeant, and later attended Youngstown State University and the School of Design at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

In 1983, he joined Gorman’s and worked his way up the company ranks to become president in 1996 and chief executive officer in 2017, retiring in June 2023.

The company said that under his leadership, he developed the move to its “100 Brands” strategy that expanded its line to include major names such as Bernhardt, Hooker, Lexington Home Brands, Stickley, Hekman, Hancock & Moore, Century, American Leather, Universal, Sherrill, Sam Moore, Theodore Alexander, Hickory White and others. Many of these brands represent the retailer’s focus on upper-middle to upper-end price points that combined a mix of domestic upholstery and imported along with some domestic case goods.

Alex Bernhardt Jr., president and chief executive officer of Bernhardt Furniture, said he had known Lias close to 20 years.

“Tom Lias was as fine a gentleman as I have ever met in the industry. I really loved the guy,” he told Home News Now. “He really loved the business, and he had such an effect on our business. We had tough conversations, you know, as customer and vendor type of relations and you are always going to have those things. But he always tried to find a win-win situation. Even when things were tough, he always had a positive outlook. I always felt that he was trying to get to a place that was good for both of us.”

He also described him as a leader who thought about where his business — and the business of his supplier — were headed, adding that he also was a big help in pointing out strengths and areas for improvement.

“You are going to hear these words from a lot of people — integrity, honesty — about him, but he also was very strategic about everything he talked about,” Bernhardt said. “He was always thinking a year down the road . He was never thinking about what was going to happen today. It was always about where is our business going? And where is your business going? But he was a real big fan of our brand, and he would come in and know exactly what we had done with branding over the past year and he would say ‘You did this really well. And I think you can work on X and you could build your brand if you did these things.’ He would never give suggestions that weren’t good. So I welcome the time that I got to spend with him — any time I did get to spend with him.”

Earlier in his career, Lias co-owned and was president of La-Z-Boy stores in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. He also was a sales representative, general manager and vice president for several Michigan Ethan Allen stores and also was Michigan and Ohio marketing manager for the company.

Kevin O’Connor first worked with Lias at Ethan Allen during the early 1970s. He later would work with him as a vendor in his executive roles at Samson Marketing, which include the Legacy Classic | Modern, Universal and Craftmaster brands.  

“Tom and I were both at Ethan Allen earlier in our careers,” O’Connor told Home News Now. “He was a terrific guy and a real student of the business, someone who loved the business and who did very well with it.”

He later came to work with Lias during his tenure at Gorman’s, mostly through Universal, although Gorman’s also sells Craftmaster upholstery, according to its website.

“He was a guy that you could talk to about trends, styling and what was working and not working at retail,” O’Connor said. “He was always a straight shooter. If he had a problem, he would tell you. But he was always a gentleman. He was a terrific individual and a guy I respected a lot for his knowledge of the business.”

O’Connor said that he and Lias also shared a common admiration for Pat Norton, the legendary late chairman of La-Z-Boy and a former vice president of sales at Ethan Allen.

“We were both fans of Pat Norton, who was a mentor to a lot of us over the years, starting at Ethan Allen and later La-Z-Boy,” O’Connor said, adding, “We shared that Pat connection. I was very close to Pat who was my second father and a great friend.”

Of Lias, he said, they went separate ways after Ethan Allen, but that he reconnected with him as one of Gorman’s accounts.

“I would see Tom more at markets when I became involved with Universal at Samson Marketing,” O’Connor said. “I got to know him more at that point. He was a very good Universal customer and helped us move the company from being more commercial to where it is as one of the more stylized and leading brands that it is today. He will be missed.”

Alex Reeves, president of Craftmaster, said he knew Lias for 25 years, years that also included Reeve’s service in executive roles at Sam Moore, Precedent and Hickory Hill.

“He was a great man and a great merchant,” Reeves said. “He had a great eye for furniture design and quality and understood value.”

But like others, he also described him as a true gentleman, who always made plenty of time to spend at your showroom over the years to see and discuss new product.

“He would make you work for the business and earn it, and I really felt like I did that in my early years,” Reeves said, noting that it took some time to learn Lias’ preferences as a retailer. “And then, after I had known him for a while, I would take him right to the things that would be a value to him. I wouldn’t waste his time.

“He always saw where the value was and always made time to put what I was selling into his lineup,” Reeves added.

Phil Haney, president and chief executive officer at Lexington Home Brands, said he had known Lias for more than 20 years both professionally and personally.

“Tom is one of the finest people I have known with a loving commitment to his family and the company that he successfully managed, along with Bernie and John Moray and Jeff Roberts,” Haney shared in Lias’ obituary. “Tom was also a mentor to me and was happy to share his insights and observations about our industry and helped me better understand the supplier/customer relationship from a collaborative point of view. I will miss Tom greatly and send my deepest sympathy to his wife, Chris, their son David and their extended family.”

Jeremy Hoff, chief executive officer at Hooker Furnishings, said he too knew Lias for more than 20 years, and in roles ranging from his time as a sales rep earlier in his career to his executive roles at A.R.T. Furniture, Theodore Alexander and Hooker. Describing him as a gentleman who will be sorely missed, he said that over the many years, his working relationship with Lias evolved into a friendship.

Hoff also respected his dedication for the industry, from the effort and passion he devoted to the marketing side of the business to his level of integrity, intellect and honesty.

Hoff also recalled how sometimes tough negotiations would evolve into moments of levity and lightheartedness.

“He would give me a hard time, and I would say, ‘There’s no need for a drill sergeant in the furniture business.’ And then he would start laughing.”

Bernhardt, of Bernhardt Furniture, agreed that Lias could be tough, but said he was always fair.

“The conversations you have in the showroom about pricing and distribution and things like this are always somewhat tense,” he said. “But because I believed in him and believed in his integrity, I believed in trying to find a win-win situation for both of us. Our business at Gorman’s has always been important. … He always had the needs of his business and our business in mind, and he would try to find a solution.”

Neil McKenzie, director of product development at Hekman Furniture, said he knew Lias since the 1990s, when McKenzie was vice president of sales at Baker. He described him as gentleman and a role model.

“If you listened to him, you would learn a lot,” McKenzie said. “He might not be sitting there meaning to teach you something, but he was very detail oriented and always explained his thoughts and you learned a lot from that.”

And along with his good communications and mentoring skills came another positive trait: staying true to his word.

“If he said he was going to do something, he would do it,” McKenzie said. “It might not be right then, but he would do it. His word was gold. He always had a plan on the table for the next season and he was always good at communicating that plan and how you could fit into it.”

Perhaps most importantly, many in the industry will remember him for the way he interacted with them as a person and left them feeling after the meeting.

“Tom was a keen businessman, a thoughtful leader and most importantly, a good person and partner,” said Alex Shuford III, chief executive officer of the Rock House Farm brands that include Century, Hickory Chair, Maitland-Smith, Hancock & Moore and others. He said he knew Lias for about 17 years.

“ I remember as a young seller how he generously spent time with me helping to close the empathy gap between the retailer and the manufacturer,” Shuford added. “The industry has lost a gentleman and a merchant.”

“He had incredible empathy,” added Alex Bernhardt Jr. “And to me empathy is the greatest quality a human being can have. He just always put himself in other people’s shoes whether it was his employees, his vendors, his suppliers or his competitors. He had a great sense of empathy for all of us, and that is the most wonderful type of person to deal with — someone who can see a bigger perspective than their own perspective.”

According to his obituary, Tom Lias was a passionate golfer and bowler, “clinching his first perfect 300 game at the age of 18 years old.” He also received many honors including The Detroit News naming him as a Michiganian of the Year in 2022 for his “significant contributions to the nonprofit community.”

It went on to note his more than 12-year involvement on the Arc of Oakland County board of directors, including as president. As part of his service on that board, he was described as being instrumental in the rebranding of The Arc’s Forever Plan, which supports individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities after their parents or guardians can no longer take care of them.

“Tom is survived by his beloved wife of 42 years, Christine “Chris,” and his cherished son, David; brother Charles (Barb) Lias of Boardman, Ohio, Uncle Dock (Barb) Lias of Leesburg, Florida, and many much-loved brothers-in-law and sisters-in-laws and nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Charles Lias and Annette Hadley Lias,” the obituary continued. “Tom will be remembered as a loving husband, father, friend, visionary leader and compassionate advocate.”

A celebration of Tom’s life will be announced at a future date. Contributions may be made to The Arc of Oakland County (https://www.thearcoakland.org/) or the National Fragile X Foundation (https://fragilex.org/) in Tom’s memory.

The post Remembering Tom Lias appeared first on Home News Now.

STARKVILLE,  Miss. — Miskelly Furniture is headed to Northern Mississippi to open its newest store here on Highway 12 early in August.

The store is set for a soft opening in mid-July with a grand opening set for Aug. 1. When opened, this will represent Miskelly’s seventh location, the retailer said.

According to CEO Oscar Miskelly, the retailer will open a 40,000-square-foot facility in what had formerly been a grocery store previously developed by former Houston Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt.

Starkville, also home of the iconic Mississippi State University, also appealed to the retailer, for a host of reasons, Miskelly told Home News Now. “We’ve always been a fan of college towns, and I especially like the young energy these towns bring. Also, Starkville, being a college town, gives us a wonderful opportunity to introduce young people to our brand and gives us a great pool of resources when it comes to hiring,” Miskelly added.

And while a college town has more than its share of upsides, Miskelly said the entire Starkville area is experiencing strong and sustained growth. 

He explained that Japan-based tire titan, Yokohama Tire Manufacturing, made a recent initial $300 million investment in the area, establishing an operational headquarters in the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park in Starkville that houses several business functions, including administrative, human resources, information management and planning.

Earlier, Steel Dynamics Inc. announced the selection of Columbus, a short drive from Starkville, for the company’s previously announced greenfield state-of-the-art, recycled aluminum flat rolled mill. 

The combination of an energetic and upbeat college town surrounded and supported by a steadily growing economy made the Starkville location too good to pass up, Miskelly said.

“The Starkville location, which will feature 37,000 square feet of selling space, is about two hours from Jackson, and we’re going to deliver out of the Jackson distribution center. We’ll run up there with next-day delivery, and we will be able to service those customers better than they have ever been serviced,” Miskelly said.

While the product assortments will closely mirror those of the existing store (top brands include Ashley, Vintage and International Furniture Direct in case goods; Ashley, Franklin and Homestretch in upholstery; and Tempur-Pedic, Miskelly’s brand, Diamond, and Sealy in bedding), Miskelly said, “We will have some price points and products that will appeal to college students, including mattresses and futons.”

This week, the company has already set up billboards in Starkville announcing the new store and says it will do “lots of promoting” the first two weeks to celebrate its seventh location and is also working on a host of promotions for Labor Day.

“We are confident that Starkville is the right location for the products and price points we offer and will also provide us with top-line growth,” Miskelly said.

The post Miskelly to open its 7th location in Starkville, Mississippi appeared first on Home News Now.

LOGAN, Utah — As part of a restructuring announced this week, Malouf Home has named Mark Thatcher president and Jesse Gibbs as head of business development and rep management.

Thatcher fills a role previously held by Eric Holmstead, who has been president since 2022. Before this he was national sales manager since 2019.

Holmstead will now serve as head of merchandising and global sourcing, addressing challenges on the sourcing side of the business, while also helping manage the development of new products.

“I’ve been working exclusively with our retail partners for the last 10 years, and my strong relationships and understanding of how to succeed in this space will influence the new products we’ll bring to market,” Holmstead said. “We’re already seeing the overwhelmingly positive response to our new mattresses. There are more big opportunities out there for our retail partners and for us, and I’ve already started working on them.”

Thatcher has been with the company as vice president, sales for the past two and a half years and before that was director, business development at case goods manufacturer Maven.

Before this he was director, online marketing and online marketing manager at Icon Health and Fitness for  more than 16 years.

As part of the restructuring, the company sales team has launched a new structure that classifies accounts by size, instead of by region.

“We needed to rethink the types of support we were offering our partners, so we can help maximize their business and offer them the right resources,” Thatcher said. “This new sales structure will create better partnerships with a higher impact for our retailers’ bottom

line.”

Jesse Gibbs has been with the company for just over eight years, previously serving as vice president, national sales, district sales manager and territory sales manager. Before joining Malouf, he was in product development and management roles at HRI Research for more than seven years.

In his new role, the company said that Gibbs is “working to provide more tools and resources for outside sales representatives, so they best serve the needs of retail partners, in addition to strategizing for tradeshows.”

CEO Sam Malouf said, “I believe we’re going to look back on this as a key moment for the company. We are returning to our entrepreneurial core, leveraging market shifts and focusing on our retail partners and customers. There’s a bright future ahead.”

The post Mark Thatcher named president of Malouf Home appeared first on Home News Now.

Machinery ranged from large-scale fabric and leather cutting machines to smaller sewing machines and embroidery equipment. Resources were also on hand with the latest components, ranging from hardware and hardwood samples to spring seating and sleeper mechanisms. Home News Now captured much of this with photos taken on the show floor. To catch a glimpse of the varied displays and people we saw at the event, scroll through the slideshow below.

Tom Inman, left, president of Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Inc., and Steve Walters, of Richelieu USA, at the Appalachian Hardwood booth during the show.

Atlanta Attachment Co., a sister company of Hickory Springs, showcased some of its sewing, cutting, material handling and custom equipment for the furniture and mattress industries.

Consew and Meistergram showcased some of their latest sewing and cutting equipment at the show.

A show attendee checks out some of the multiple products offered by Heico Fasteners, ranging from decorative hardware and nailheads to dowels, webbing, zippers and more.

Richelieu USA also showed a wide mix of products ranging from screws and decorative hardware to hinges, drawer slides, lighting, glues, finishing products and more. It has an estimated 145,000 items in stock across industry segments and also has access to another 200,000 SKUs for special orders, the company told Home News Now.

Pathfinder Cutting Technology brought one of its fabric-cutting machines to the show, where it provided live demonstrations of its latest technologies in the sector.

Andre MacDonough, a field technician at Zund, showed off equipment that determines how to nest patterns to be cut on a piece of leather. The goal is to minimize waste and improve yield and efficiency in the cutting of leather and fabric.

Zund occupied a space near the front entrance of the exhibit hall, providing visitors a view of some of its cutting equipment in action.

ABM International, a resource for industrial quilting machines, showed some of the patterns that its equipment can produce, offering customers a glimpse at its many custom capabilities in such processes.

The process of custom embroidery is shown on a machine that ABM International brought to the show.

More vendors are seen at the show on Friday. They said traffic was noticeably lighter on the second day of the event, but were still seeing existing customers and new prospects alike. The show allowed vendors to educate customers about their equipment, products and services in hopes of boosting their business in the second half and beyond.

The post Inside the Furniture Manufacturing Expo appeared first on Home News Now.