Patio and Hearth Products Report - Mar/Apr 2012

OW LEE

M ONESSEN H EARTH S YSTEMS

TUUCI

T HE C OMPANION G ROUP

w w w. p a t i o a n d h e a r t h p r o d u c t s r e p o r t . c o m

Circle Reader Service No. 2

Infinitely mesmerizing New Rhapsody™ Direct-Vent Fireplace delivers endless appeal with Infini-Flame™ technology and a choice of styles.

Linear in design and stunningly multifaceted in effect, the Rhapsody expands the appeal of the Dave Lennox Signature® Collection, offering a sophisticated, energy-efficient and easy-to-install gas fireplace for any application that calls for a modern and contemporary look. Its 54-inch-wide viewing area showcases a continuous band of tranquil Infini-Flames enhanced by a porcelain interior with illusion panels and backlighting. A surround in a choice of finishes adds to the beauty of the fireplace.

Featured above: Rhapsody with Reflective Nake Panel and Reflection Floor.

Available this Spring from Lennox.

Circle Reader Service No. 3

For more information, visit lennox.com or call 1.800.9.LENNOX.

March/April 2012 • Volume 7, Number 2

16

features 8

16

58 26

GUEST EDITORIAL – WORKING TOGETHER

BY SHARON SANDERS

The chair of the International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) explains how ICFA promotes the common interest of all those in the casual industry.

Pro-Fab Industries Inc. is recognized throughout the hearth industry as one of the leaders in clean-burning technology.

28

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT – SUN STOPPERS

BY CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI

Our annual assessment of the shade-products market features interviews with executives of leading manufacturers.

2O

A BETTER WAY TO HEAT HOMES

BY ERIC PARSONS

OUTDOOR GRILLING RETAILER PROFILE – HEARTFELT MARKETING

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS

Fireside Outdoor Kitchens & Grills was created after its founder reached out to the community to help unemployed workers.

MARKETING MANEUVERS – A U.S. TREASURE

28 42

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS

BY GREG THOMPSON

Hildreth’s is proud of its legacy of running the oldest home-furnishings store in the United States.

22

30

MR. BAR-B-Q CELEBRATES 40 YEARS In honor of serving customers for four decades, Mr. Bar-B-Q has released a variety of grilling accessories for the specialty retail market.

WARMING UP OUTSIDE Australia’s Bromic Heating has introduced an exciting line of stylish and innovative patio heaters in North America.

The market for high-quality grills has improved as consumers create first-class backyard resorts.

BY CHERISE FORNO

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS

24

PRODUCT FOCUS – QUEST FOR QUALITY

46

CORPORATE PROFILE – HENAN HI-FLAME COMES TO NORTH AMERICA

BY CHERISE FORNO

32

SHOWROOM SHOWCASE – A WORKING FRIENDSHIP

Henan Hi-Flame has successfully entered the North American wood-stove market.

BY SHARON SANDERS

The owners of Indianapolis-based Especially Wicker turned their longtime friendship into a viable business.

HEARTH RETAILER PROFILE – WOWING CUSTOMERS

50

BY SHARON SANDERS

LAST WORD – LUXURY FOR LESS

BY CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI

A new 14,000–square-foot showroom has dramatically increased sales for Bowman’s Stove & Patio.

34

BRING ON THE HEAT

The HammockSource’s handmade hammocks are praised for their beauty, craftsmanship, and affordability.

BY SHARON SANDERS

U.S.-made heating products from Infrared Dynamics are known for their high quality, dependability, and durability.

58 36

AS I SEE IT – A NEW PLAYER

departments

BY SHARON SANDERS

The new line of casual furniture from Z-Line Designs has been well received in the marketplace.

38

6

HOTLANTA – PUBLISHER’S VIEWPOINT AND EDITOR’S MESSAGE

10

INDUSTRY NEWS – EDITED BY KRIS KYES

54

HPBEXPO ROUNDUP

58

PRODUCT PROFILES

BY CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI

78

PRODUCT PROFILES DIRECTORY

The founders of Kamado Joe see nothing but opportunity ahead as the market niche for ceramic cookers expands.

78

AD INDEX

MY TURN – HOT ADD-ONS

BY SHARON SANDERS

The Companion Group’s wide array of grilling accessories will bolster profits for specialty retailers.

40

On The Cover | OW Lee

4

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

PRODUCT INNOVATION – DREAM GRILLS

Follow us on Twitter: @patiohearth www.Facebook.com/PatioHearthProductsReport

Circle Reader Service No. 5

PUBLISHER’S VIEWPOINT According to Urban Dictionary (www.urbandictionary.com), Hotlanta is a common nickname for Atlanta, Georgia, that was popularized, beginning over two decades ago, through the marketing efforts of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau and various trade and tourist organizations. The hot in Hotlanta refers to the many wonderful things to do in Atlanta—and especially to the energetic nightlife for which Atlanta is famous.

To a lesser degree, it also refers to the hot summer temperatures common to Atlanta. While, in the past, the term Hotlanta was used primarily by those visiting Atlanta, with over 340,000 Google entries, Hotlanta is now commonly used by most Atlantans and has become synonymous with Atlanta.

Based on this year’s HPBExpo, which was held March 1–3 in Hotlanta, hot stood for a very good show. Attendance overall was up 14%, compared with 2011, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association. According to many of the show’s exhibitors, the quality of the attendees was excellent, with decision

makers making their way through the indoor exhibit area and outdoor burn area over the entire three-day period. Best of all, the overall sentiment and mood at this year’s HPBExpo were upbeat and positive among both attendees and exhibitors.

Based on feedback that I received from a number of exhibitors, Atlanta has always been a good venue for HPBExpo. It’s not surprising. The city is easy to get to, whether you fly or drive; good hotels that are located close to the Georgia World Congress Center are readily available (at reasonable prices); there are plenty of good restaurants where you can entertain without ruining the entertainment budget; the Georgia World Congress Center is one of the best convention centers in North America; and friendly customer service in downtown Atlanta is second to none.

There is even a Starbucks located in the convention center, just outside the indoor exhibit area (and we all know that we can’t go longer than 12 hours without our Starbucks fix).

Here’s my question: If Atlanta has proved successful, over the years, as a

venue for HPBExpo, why not have the trade show in Atlanta every year—or, at least, every other year?

Prior to launching Patio & Hearth Products Report, I attended a medical/healthcare trade show that was held every year in Atlanta.

All you had to say was, “See you in Atlanta,” and everyone in the industry knew Cass Estes exactly what you meant.

In the movie “Splash,” starring Tom Hanks and the late John Candy, there is a scene where Hanks and Candy are on a ferry on the Hudson River west of Manhattan; Candy pulls an immature and childish prank on an unsuspecting young woman. Witnessing Candy’s juvenile prank, Hanks disgustedly asks Candy, “Why do you keep doing that?” With seemingly no sense of regret, Candy replies, “When I find something that works, I stick with it.” In the case of Atlanta and HPBExpo, it seems to work, so (in the spirit of Candy) why not stick with it?

product offerings.

There’s no doubt that we’re in a competitive marketplace, but things could be worse. Take the overcrowded grocery market: When I was growing up, my parents bought all of their groceries from the local supermarket. If a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk was needed, there was a corner market nearby that sold a limited supply of items (including penny candy).

Today, groceries are purchased from a plethora of grocery-store chains, mass discounters (such as Wal-Mart and Target), drugstores, and even gas stations. Within a three-mile radius of my home, I can buy groceries from these stores: Vons, Ralphs, Albertsons, Stater Bros., Smart & Final, Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joe’s, Target, Wal-Mart, CVS, Rite Aid, and even the 99¢ Only Store.

Compared with the hearth and outdoor-products industries, the grocery market is much more price driven. One of the

best examples of this is Wal-Mart’s recent tactic for battling local grocers, such as Harris Teeter, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Wal-Mart is running a series of ads featuring head-to-head price comparisons with Harris Teeter on everything from toilet paper to chicken soup.

When you study the grocery industry, it becomes clear that many chains compete on price, figuring that leery consumers (bruised by the recession) are focused more on cost than on service— but this is a dangerous assumption. A report conducted by Harris Interactive in 2011 found that 68% of consumers say they will pay more for a product/service if they feel that they are getting a better customer-service experience.

It’s interesting that a large percentage of consumers in Charlotte—who have been bombarded by Wal-Mart’s ads on television, online, and in the local newspaper—claim that they still prefer to shop at Harris Teeter’s more upscale, service-oriented stores. I can relate to this because given the choice of buying groceries at Wal-Mart or Trader Joe’s,

REDESIGN With this issue, you’ll notice that we have slightly redesigned the articles and departments. Cass Estes, art director for P&HPR, decided that it was time to give the fonts and design of the articles and departments a new look. As usual, her efforts have resulted in an even better-looking and easier-toread publication.

Here at P&HPR, we are committed to producing a magazine that benefits our readers and advertisers—and just as our readers are constantly improving their showrooms and our advertisers are continually making product improvements, we will continue to improve upon the editorial content, layout, and design of the publication. That’s a promise and a commitment!

TONY RAMOS PUBLISHER TRAMOS@PENINSULA-MEDIA.COM

from T H E E D I T O R The shoppers are back, or so they say.

Retailers throughout the country have reported strong sales gains for February.

Consumers, motivated by mild weather and an improving economy, are finally spending again. Long-term predictions are also rosy, with a new report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., indicating that the U.S. market for outdoor furniture is projected to exceed $5 billion by the year 2017.

All of this is good news for retailers in the patio-furniture and fireplace industries, but it’s no time to rest. Shoppers who have put off spending for home improvements are returning to the marketplace, but big-box stores, mass retailers, and Internet-based businesses are aggressively going after their business. In addition, growing numbers of indoor-furniture retailers are now adding outdoor furniture, firepits, and barbecue equipment to their 6

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

I’d much prefer going to my neighborhood Trader Joe’s, which offers a fun shopping environment, friendly staff, and novel products.

Most specialty retailers that sell patio furniture, fireplaces, grills, and other outdoor products believe that customer service trumps price. The retailers featured in this issue have found that customers will pay more if they are treated well. Their customers seek them out because of their stellar customer service.

In order to prevent them from going to mass retailers and big boxes, they hire employees who are friendly, knowledgeable, and trustworthy, and they offer a wide range of high-quality products. They provide quick delivery times, painless return policies, customer support during busy times, attractive vignettes, and easy-to-navigate websites. As a result, these stores continue to win the hearts and loyalty of consumers who don’t object to paying a little more for this red-carpet service.

CAROL DAUS EDITOR CAROL@PENINSULA-MEDIA.COM

AWARD WINNING Napoleon Products ®

2012

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU! You, our valued dealers and distributors, are our inspiration in developing exciting and innovative products.

We appreciate your support over the past 35 years and look forward to many more to come and we also want to thank our new customers that stopped by our booth to share in the excitement.

The Napoleon Family If you were not able to go to HPBExpo, call 1-800-461-5581 or visit the Napoleon dealer website for your copy of What’s New 2012. It’s sure to leave you exhilarated. ®

1-800-461-5581 • napoleonfireplaces.com • napoleongrills.com • napoleonheatingandcooling.com Circle Reader Service No. 7

guest editorial

PUBLISHER Tony Ramos tramos@peninsula-media.com EDITOR

Working Together

Carol Daus carol@peninsula-media.com ART DIRECTOR

It’s our industry—be part of the team.

Cass Estes cass@peninsula-media.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kris Kyes

by ERIC PARSONS

t

he International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) was established nearly four years ago—making it a relative infant, when you consider how long our industry has focused on meeting the outdoor needs of the U.S. consumer. Its roots come from two different associations, each with common goals (but not with a single voice).

In 2007, the Summer and Casual Furniture Manufacturers Association and the Casual Furniture Retailers Association recognized the need to integrate their efforts and form an inclusive association with a mission (to create the desire for quality outdoor furnishings through industry partnership) that was to be the driving force. In August 2008, ICFA was born.

The success of our industry, in today’s complicated and challenging business environment, is dependent upon the ability of all the contributing players to perform better than ever before: the stronger the individual companies, the greater our combined potential.

Everyone—including manufacturers, importers, suppliers, retailers, designers, sales representatives, and media—has a critical role in the process, and each entity depends on the others for its own (as well as the industry’s) success. None of us is able to function effectively as an island, isolated from those around us, for if we are to succeed and prosper, there is a necessary dependence on others in the industry.

Each of us chooses to call this industry home, and all of us work, every day, to improve our positions within it. ICFA offers a vehicle by

8

kris@peninsula-media.com STAFF WRITERS

which each of us—together— can significantly improve that position. The purpose of ICFA is to promote the common interests of all of us who are engaged in the casual industry, thereby increasing demand for and promoting awareness of industry products.

The coming together of outdoorliving experts in an arena that fosters the sharing of ideas and the challenging of the status quo is exactly what ICFA is about; being an active member of our association enables you to influence the directions that we take and the opportunities that we pursue.

The benefits of being an ICFA member are limitless, chief among them being the opportunities for networking with industry peers who have chosen an active role in the promotion of our industry. We are fortunate to be surrounded by so many talented individuals and companies in our industry, and active membership in ICFA provides the opportunity to interact with them and learn from the successes they have achieved.

To improve the selling techniques and effectiveness of our industry’s front-line retail sales professionals, a multilevel sales-training program has been developed with the assistance of Greg Welsh of the Welsh Sales Group (Escondido, California). This ICFA sales-training certificate program provides basic, advanced, and master’s-level content (in DVD format) that is certain to improve the selling skills of even the most accomplished sales team.

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Cheryl Dangel Bartolini Cherise Forno Kimberly Rodgers Sharon Sanders Eric Parsons

In addition, we are developing a five-part webinar training series, launching in April, that will provide advanced training topics targeting sales management and sales representatives. Our monthly informational webinar education sessions serve to round out our training/development focus.

While several pages could be written detailing a list of the many tangible and intangible benefits available to ICFA members, a brief tour of our website (www.icfanet.org) will instead provide this comprehensive list. Also found on the website are the names of the 30 members of our board of directors and the 14 members of our retail council.

These industry peers have chosen to become active members of the ICFA team and were elected and charged with managing the affairs of our industry association. Review the list; you will undoubtedly see the names of people whom you have grown to know and admire within our industry. Speak to them: They, too, will tell you about the value of ICFA. When the costs of being an ICFA member are minimal, can you afford not to become a member? It’s our industry—be part of the team.

Greg Thompson SOCIAL-MEDIA EDITOR Amanda Daus CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Paul Piwowar BUSINESS MANAGER Susan Razetto CEO & PRESIDENT Tony Ramos

Corporate Office Peninsula Media 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700 Torrance, CA 90503 (310) 792-7448 Fax (310) 792-7449 www.patioandhearthproductsreport.com

Tony Ramos Peninsula Media 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700 Torrance, CA 90503 (310) 792-7448 (310) 792-7449/Fax (310) 968-3962/Cell tramos@peninsula-media.com

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES: Patio & Hearth Products Report PO Box 2190 Skokie, IL 60076-7890 Subscribe online:

Eric Parsons is chair of the International Casual Furnishings Association and is president of Gloster (South Boston, Virginia).

www.peninsula-media.com/subscribe.html Email: patioandhearth@halldata.com Phone: (847) 763-9261

Built-In Grills & Hardware Build your outdoor Island.

SIDE BURNERS

OVENS

COCKTAIL CENTERS

ICE BUCKETS

FOOD WARMERS

DOORS

DRAWERS

BEVERAGE COOLERS

POWER BURNER

SOUND SYSTEMS

Award-Winning Hearth and Barbecue Manufacturer Founded in 2000, Cal Flame is an award-winning hearth and barbecue manufacturer that offers innovative backyard solutions for every home and budget. The feature-rich Cal Flame lineup includes grills, grilling and drop-in accessories, customized outdoor kitchens, KD barbecue islands, custom barbecue carts, fireplaces and firepits. Best of all, Cal Flame offers you peace of mind knowing that all Cal Flame products are ETL and CE listed for your safety. With Cal Flame, your dream backyard is finally within reach!

1462 East Ninth Street, Pomona, CA 91766 8 0 0 - C A L - S PA S | W W W. C A L F L A M E B B Q . C O M 1959-12 3-27-2012

BBQ ISLANDS

BBQ CARTS

FIREPLACES

FIREPITS

Circle Reader Service No. 9

H A R D WA R E

H A R D W A R E

GRILLS

Cal Flame offers everything a grillmaster could want in stainless steel cooking equipment and accessories—including professional grills, double side burners, food warmers, cocktail centers, doors & drawers, ice makers, outdoor refrigerators and stereo systems. Mix and match accessories until you find the combination that suits your gourmet needs.

{industry}

by KRIS KYES

Agio to Attend Spring 2012 High Point Market For the first time, Agio International Co. Ltd. will exhibit a selection of outdoor-furniture collections at the spring 2012 High Point Market (April 21–26). Agio-USA officials credit traditional furniture retailers who have recognized the benefit of adding outdoor collections to their product mix as the motivation behind the manufacturer’s entry into High Point Market.

Bob Gaylord, president of Agio-USA, says, “We are coming to High Point Market for the first time because we know there are indoor retailers who are ready to go into the outdoor-casual category. They’re creating an entirely new category within their stores. If an indoor retailer is ready to make the jump into outdoor, we want to be there to discuss the opportunity with him or her.”

Agio’s presence will be evident throughout the market. A 1,800–square-foot temporary showroom (#1512) has been leased at Showplace, in addition to a display outside, in the garden area between Main Street and Showplace. Agio International will also provide outdoor sets for the use of attendees at hospitality events at Sunset on 3, on Showplace’s third-floor balcony.

Agio-USA representatives feel strongly that showing at High Point Market will give the brand even greater penetration into the market of traditional furniture retailers. Andy Sokol, Agio-USA vice president, sales/furniture stores, explains, “As the furniture stores continue to embrace the outdoor-furniture category as a viable part of their mix, it now makes sense for us to exhibit at High Point Market. We want to give the furniture-store buyers easy access to our company, and High Point Market provides us with a wonderful place to introduce ourselves and our line.”

While visiting Agio’s showrooms and exhibits at High Point Market will serve as a formal introduction to the brand and allow buyers to visualize what their outdoor-furniture departments might look like, Gaylord plans to remind visitors that what they will see is just a taste of the manufacturer’s entire catalog.

He says that while Agio recognizes that most of these retailers don’t currently attend the Chicago, Illinois, markets, indoor retailers who are serious about the outdoor category really

Solair Shade Solutions Successfully Expands Brand and Market Capabilities Solair® Shade Solutions, a line of residential shade products from Tri Vantage® L.L.C., successfully completed the 2011 outdoor-living season, offering a virtually untapped shade category to patio-furniture retailers: retractable awnings.

Rett Haigler, business manager of shade-solution products, says, “Partnering with fine outdoor-furniture retailers has breathed life into a category that needed an effective solution to create more enjoyable and flexible outdoor-living spaces for consumers. Providing consumers the opportunity to experience our high-quality retractable awnings in a realistic setting, through the retailer chan-

10

nel, is a major step forward in the growth of the entire market.”

Since the brand’s introduction to the patio-furniture Increasing numbers of specialty retailers are adding resimarket in dential shade awnings from Solair Shade Solutions to their September 2010, Solair has partnered product mixes. with 130 specialty retailers; it expects the number of evolve its product models to offer high-quality stores carrying Solair flexible, attractive shade solutions awnings to grow to 150 by the featuring the latest technologies and beginning of the 2012 season. fabrics. Solair has implemented As part of Solair’s innovative design updates to several models, as approach to the development of well as to the quick-ship fabric colsophisticated and high-quality shade lection, to ensure that its awnings products, the brand has continued to complement any style of home.

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Agio’s Balmoral rectangular dining set comes from just one of several collections that will on display at the spring 2012 High Point Market on April 21–26.

need to attend the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™ in September.

Casual Market includes approximately 60 permanent showrooms and over 300 temporary exhibitors, he explains, and it represents the entire industry.

Top Dog Outdoor Living Announces Its Onlinecommerce Initiative Sharon DeFelice, founder and president of Top Dog Outdoor Living, announces the launch of her new company, which features an e-commerce outdoor-living site for consumers and hospitality design (HD) market professionals interested in purchasing midrange and high-level products.

DeFelice was formerly the CEO and cofounder of Two Dogs Designs for Outdoor Living. She resigned from that position earlier this year.

“We are proud to be answering the call from consumers, buyers, and HD professionals for a site that will be the ultimate showcase for all things outdoor,” DeFelice says. The company’s Marketplace for Outdoor Living is a one-stop outdoor online destination that distinguishes itself by featuring a comprehensive array of finequality products and increasing exposure to the consumer market while linking to password-protected sites for the hospitality industry.

“We are creating a site that is easy to navigate

OW Lee Announces Two New Quick-ship Programs OW Lee (Ontario, California), a manufacturer of high-end outdoor furniture, Casual Fireside collection firepits, and accessories, has launched two new quick-ship programs, allowing faster access to inventory for retail dealers and designers in all regions. The program includes the company’s Santorini firepit and a Monterra chat and firepit set, which can now be shipped within 10 working days from receipt of completed sales orders. The quick-ship programs (which were launched on March 1) have been entitled Fast As Fire, on Demand. They will be available to OW Lee’s customers through August 31.

Terri Lee Rogers, president, says, “We developed the new Fast As Fire,

on Demand program with quicker lead times on key products to maximize dealer success with our lines. In addition, we wanted to ensure popular items could be delivered to our customers in a timely manner for their short–lead-time installations.”

The Santorini firepit quick-ship initiative includes a choice of three hearth tops. The 42-inch hearth tops feature hand-cut ceramic tiles in sand, mocha, or calico. The Santorini firepit has a rich espresso finish and comes with a burner assembly. Fire-ring inserts— such as a log kit with lava-rock granules, a ceramic rock kit with lava-rock granules, a glass kit with decorative glass in two colors, or lava granules

only—can be ordered.

The Monterra chat and firepit set was conceptualized to offer a combination of OW Lee’s popular Monterra club chairs and the Vesuvius chatheight firepit. The chair options are the Monterra spring-base club chair and the Monterra swivel club chair, both with espresso frames and Fife ginger fabric cushions. The Vesuvius firepit base is paired with a Richmond 54-inch round hearth top in cast aluminum. “This pairing provides coordinated design style at a great price point,” Rogers says.

The Richmond hearth top’s frame is espresso, in keeping with the frames of the Monterra club chairs. The fire-ring

inserts featured in the Monterra chat and firepit set are the same as those for the Santorini firepit program.

OW Lee leased a 25,000–squarefoot warehouse to store the inventory for both of the new quick-ship programs. The building is adjacent to the company’s upholstery department and is in close proximity to the main manufacturing plant, making shipments to customers easy and fast.

“Last year, several dealers successfully placed Santorini on the floor because of our quick-ship program,” Rogers says. “It allowed them to show more selection with minimal increases in inventory, while still serving consumers quickly.”

and beautiful to view. The spectrum of products showcased on the site will be unparalleled. Unlike other sites that feature a variety of things for outdoor living at all quality levels and price points, ours will appeal to consumers, buyers, and HD professionals looking for something of outstanding value and fine quality—whether it’s a product for outdoor cooking, patio furniture, garden decor, a firepit, a storage shed, an outdoor canopy, a gazebo, or a fountain, just to name a few,” DeFelice says.

All vendors that place products in the Marketplace for Outdoor Living will benefit from increased exposure and sales when the marketplace incorporates additional sites, providing multiple avenues for consumers and HD professionals to access their products. “By participating in one site, vendors will have their products automatically included in all others,” DeFelice says. “The additional marketplace sites will be designed around major product categories to support search-engine optimization, boosting opportunities to increase traffic.”

In addition to free participation on the site, The Marketplace for Outdoor Living will give vendors the opportunity to invest in other promotional opportunities, including the Featured Product of the Week and special sales. The website will launch for the spring/summer season of 2012. To place products in the Marketplace for Outdoor Living (or to obtain more information), contact DeFelice at (215) 561-1122 or sharon@topdogoutdoorliving.com.

Sunbrella Launches Multiplatform Ad Campaign New print ads, videos, and a website celebrate worry-free living through the Sunbrella® Live Free Style campaign. Through the perspectives of an imaginative child and a practical parent, the campaign draws attention to the many ways that Sunbrella fabrics are used in everyday life.

Gina Wicker, design and creative director for Sunbrella fabrics, says, “We believe that people will relate to this campaign on many levels—as parents, homeowners, and individuals who enjoy the relaxing moments in life. With Sunbrella, the possibilities are endless, and this campaign highlights those aspects of creativity and imagination.”

Developed by Wray Ward, the campaign includes print ads that

Circle Reader Service No. 11

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

11

{industry}

Galaxy Outdoor: The Next Generation in Firepits, Fire Tables, Firepans, Fire Plates (for Landscaping), and Custom Outdoor-kitchen Packages Bruce Spangrud, creator/inventor of the original modular outdoor islands, launched Galaxy Outdoor (Las Vegas, Nevada), which manufactures a new and improved line of outdoor fire products and custom and stock outdoor kitchens. All framed structures built by Galaxy Outdoor are constructed with galvanized 120 12-gauge tubing (not studs), then welded together (not screwed together). Not only are these units more durable than competing products, they are also less

costly and easier to install.

Galaxy Outdoor’s product line consists of an unlimited range of finished or ready-to-finish custom islands (with stainless built-in island accessories to go with all islands), firepits, and fire tables. All Galaxy Outdoor products can be individualized to match the architecture of a home, its landscaping, its pool/spa design, and its entertaining areas.

The company also offers free consultations for customers or dealers who need design advice. “Regardless

incorporate aspects of the furniture, awning, and marine markets served by Sunbrella. Each ad features a QR code that takes visitors to a stop-motion animated video that brings the ad to life and offers additional information on Sunbrella fabrics.

John Roberts, creative director at Wray Ward, says, “This campaign allowed us to push creative boundaries and show Sunbrella fabrics in a completely different light. It allows consumers to look at Sunbrella fabrics with new eyes.” Three ads from the campaign have been released, with additional ads expected in coming months. The print ads will appear in trade and consumer publications throughout the year.

Settings for each ad were built using Sunbrella fabrics, showing the range of colors, textures, and designs available. In BMX, the first ad released, a young boy rides his bike through a rough terrain of boulders, rocks, and a flowing stream—all made from Sunbrella fabrics.

A new website (www.livefreestyle.com) pro-

of the degree of cusGalaxy Outdoor’s 35x52-inch Enterprise rectangle coffee tomization, we build table firepit with cut corners, on wheels, is easy to move our outdoor products anywhere in your backyard or patio. exactly to customers’ specifications—straight, angled, round, square, rectangle, or receive substantial rainfall and snow. triangle,” Spangrud says.

Since Galaxy Outdoor has develDue to Galaxy Outdoor’s streamoped manufacturing processes that lined ordering process, these next-gen- are extremely cost effective, the saveration outdoor fire products are ings are passed on; the profit margin shipped within two weeks from the for dealers is 45% or more. Dealers date of purchase. Another unique sell- interested in representing Galaxy ing point is Galaxy Outdoor’s 10-year Outdoor should call (702) 448-5600 warranty, which includes areas that or visit www.Galaxyoutdoor.com.

vides behind-the-scenes footage of the campaign’s creation. Two-minute videos tell the story of each ad (from the artist’s sketch to set building) while providing glimpses of the Sunbrella creative team and the finished product. “Live Free Style stays true to the Sunbrella brand promise of delivering a powerful combination of beauty, durability, and worryfree living for the moments you’ve earned,” Wicker says. “We are excited to share the campaign with Sunbrella fans and with those new to our brand, both consumers and the trade.”

Bull Outdoor Sponsors Academy of Country Music Barbecue Competition Bull Outdoor Products was the title sponsor of four barbecue events held as part of the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Experience, held March 30–April 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada. These events

Napoleon Wins Two Vesta Awards at HPBExpo Napoleon® received the Central Heating Systems Award and the prestigious Daniel J. Melcon Best-in-show Award for Hearth Products at this year’s HPBExpo Vesta Awards ceremony on March 2, 2012, in Atlanta, Georgia.

The HMF200/9600 Combo furnace won for its industry-first design, green technology, and fuelsaving capabilities. When the fire in the wood furnace dies down, a

12

second thermostat calls for heat and the gas furnace starts. As an added bonus, the ultra-efficient gas furnace also features a DC motor Wolfgang Schroeter, president of Napoleon Appliance, that can save up to displays the HMF200/9600 Combo furnace at HPBExpo.

80% on electricity bills. Napoleon manufactures both entire combination is backed by a the wood and gas furnaces in its warranty as a system—another Barrie, Ontario, facility, and the first in the industry.

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

included the ACM BBQ Throwdown, presented by Bull Outdoor. This event (sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society) drew barbecue competitors from around the world to compete for $50,000 in prize money.

The Bull Sin City Celebrity Rib Throwdown paired championship grill masters with countrymusic celebrities, who grilled using Bull Outdoor kitchens. The Bull Celebrity Chef Showdown on the Strip allowed the best restaurant chefs in Las Vegas to compete on Bull Outdoor grills. The winner had the opportunity to donate the proceeds from the sale of a Bull Island to a favorite charity.

The Bull-B-Que Before the Que was an amateur grilling competition that kicked off the festivities in the weeks leading up to the headline event.

All four programs were part of the ACM Experience and were hosted by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Richey Industries Launches New User-friendly Site Richey Industries, Inc., has introduced a new website focusing on the company’s Great American Woodies casual-furniture collections. The website can be searched based on furniture type (seating, tables and groupings, or swings and A-frames) or by collection (Southern Cypress, Cottage Classics, Western Red Cedar, Lifestyle Poly-Resin). Each page highlighting a specific type of furniture can be viewed as one long scrolling page, or it can be searched by collection.

On each collection page, the entire collection can be viewed at once, or it can be viewed based on each of the three types of furniture. The website also offers image galleries that highlight each collection, and all images on the website can be enlarged for more detail. Dimensions for all products are included. The new website can be viewed at www.greatamericanwoodies.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 13

{industry}

Couristan Announces Winners of Its 85th Anniversary Grandprize Getaway In celebration of the company’s milestone 85th anniversary, Couristan conducted a grand-prize raffle at the Surfaces show (held January 23–26 in Las Vegas, Nevada), with two lucky customers winning an all-inclusive trip to their choice of two four-star tropical beach resorts.

Picked in a random drawing from hundreds of entries, Couristan’s winners are Matt Lund of Foremost Interiors (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Jan Mink of KL Mink and Sons, operator of the Fine Rug Gallery at Macy’s (New York, New York).

Both Lund and Mink will receive a four-day, three-night trip for two to their choice of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, or the Riu Palace in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

The trip includes airfare, lodging, drinks, and food for two people, with convenient scheduling and booking provided to both winners through Couristan’s full-service New Jersey travel agency.

Ron Couri, president and CEO of Couristan, says, “Couristan’s 85 years of growth and success are due, in large part, to the ongoing support of our customers, and we felt that this landmark anniversary was the perfect opportunity to give thanks to our amazing network

of dealers. We celebrated in many ways, with special discount offers at the winter 2012 markets and with this fabulous grand-prize getaway that I’m sure Matt and Jan will thoroughly enjoy. Our thanks go out to all of those who helped Couristan mark this important milestone in our corporate history.”

HD Expo Returns to Las Vegas on May 15–17 The nation’s leading event for the hospitality industry is back in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the Hospitality Design Exposition & Conference (HD Expo) will take over the bustling strip from May 15 through 17, 2012. The three-day event will allow attendees to gain insight into industry trends while learning how to maintain success in the ever-evolving and ultracompetitive world of hospitality design. Led by industry experts, the show will feature idea-generating educational sessions, an intimate awards ceremony, and special events focused on the latest and most innovative products and services.

Liz Sommerville, group show director for The Hospitality Design Group, says, “For 2012, we look forward to offering guests an invaluable experience, while also paying tribute to the industry’s leaders and innovators who have supported the show over the years.”

Produced by The Hospitality Design Group and presented by Hospitality Design magazine, the show continues to grow and to exceed expectations, drawing more than 7,000 atten-

dees and 900 exhibitors under one roof to offer their latest inventions and ideas.

The meshing of interior designers, architects, purchasing agents, and hotel owners and operators—as well as other buyers, sellers, and hospitality influencers—is what makes the show such a supreme success.

Products and new solutions range from accessories, artwork, bedding, electronics, fabrics, furniture, and case goods to flooring, lighting, plumbing and bath fixtures, textiles, wall coverings, window treatments, and even new technologies.

Tervis Announces Leadership Changes Tervis Tumbler Company, the leader in insulated drinkware since 1946, has announced the promotion of Richard Kaplan to president and chief brand officer. Board member Patrick Redmond was also recently named president and CEO. Norbert Donelly, owner, says, “At Tervis, we put a strong emphasis on bringing in top-notch talent to elevate the company. It’s talented people such as Rich and Pat who will continue to lead Tervis on a path of strategic growth.”

Talented employees are making quite an impact at Tervis; the company has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years. The familyowned business has grown from just 200 employees a few years ago to nearly 650 today—with plans for continued expansion. Kaplan and

Redmond will be instrumental in leading the team to continued success.

Rhapsody From Lennox Wins Vesta Award The new the new Dave Lennox Signature® collection Rhapsody™ direct-vent fireplace by Lennox Hearth Products (LHP), Nashville, Tennessee, won a 2012 Vesta Award in the Hearth Products: Gas Products category at HPBExpo (held in Atlanta, Georgia, in March). With a best-in-class design featuring contemporary styling elements, the Rhapsody direct-vent fireplace offers an energy-efficient, easy-to-install decor option for the modern home.

Available this spring, the Rhapsody features a 54-inch viewing area equipped with LHP’s innovative Infini-Flame™ technology, which showcases a continuous band of tranquil flames. This breathtaking design is enhanced by a porcelain interior that features optional illusion panels and backlighting to add design interest— even when the fireplace is not in use.

With an efficient burner design (rated at 70% AFUE), the Rhapsody provides more visible flame per Btu, for added energy savings, and will continue to operate even in the event of a power failure. Two flame configurations and three surround finishes are available; its lightweight design and adjustable nailing flanges make installing the Rhapsody simple (with the versatility of true clean-face installation for flush wall mounting).

Select Outdoor Kitchens Expands Into Hospitality Industry Select Outdoor Kitchens, a leader in supplying portable outdoor-kitchen cabinetry, gas grills, and ceramic cookers, recently expanded its product offerings to include turnkey, all-inclusive cabinetry units for the hospitality industry. Mike Miller, president, says, “There isn‘t anybody else offering a turnkey product that would be a self-sufficient island. These new products are full-service cooking stations that include water hookups, sinks, refrigeration, and electrical outlets, making them ideal for hotel and resort kitchens.”

He adds, “We’re sticking with portability, but we are offering hotels, restau-

14

rants, and resorts turnkey units.” Select Outdoor Kitchens is focusing on a standard product line first and will expand the product based on customers’ individual needs. The company has more than 40 years of experience in creating cuttingedge outdoor-cooking cabinetry designed to function as a complete kitchen.

Outdoor-grilling cabinets and islands are made of weather-resistant material designed for durability and superior functionality in an outdoor environment. This cabinetry has spaces to fit the Big Green Egg, as well as gas grills, refrigeration, patio umbrellas, sinks, and televisions, allowing cus-

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

tomers to move an indoor-cooking experience entirely outdoors.

This new product is currently available, and the company will provide more detailed product information in the months ahead. “This year, we are going to focus on getting brochures, literature, and price points in place,” Miller says.

These grilling cabinets are not the only way that Select Outdoor Kitchens is branching out into the hospitality design industry. The company is also launching a high-end furniture line for resorts that offers unique safety features and a sleek design. The furniture has no visible hardware and is welded together

The Finley Island (above), a home-use design by Select Outdoor Kitchens, inspired the company’s new hospitality-market cooking stations.

with the same technology used in Select Outdoor Kitchens cabinetry, hiding screws and fasteners for superior safety and a polished look.

Circle Reader Service No. 15

product S P O T L I G H T

sun stoppers

by CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI

Shade products break out in a bold way.

s

hade products are no longer wallflowers, content to blend into the scenery. Shade products are speaking up loudly and boldly, as if demanding their moment in the spotlight. Umbrellas are going bold with color, patterns, and even graphics. In fact, some umbrellas are embellished with entertainment systems, earning them the name of party umbrellas.

Do you think that shade products don’t talk? Think again. Custom messages and promotions are popping up on umbrellas more and more. Bryan Sanches, sales manager for California Umbrella (Pomona, California), says, “Customization is still a hot trend when it comes to colors and canopy patterns, but the area where we see a lot of growth and potential is printing. We’ve seen some interest from retailers in promotional shade products to sell with sets that have the retailer’s logo branded on the canopy. Consumers wanting to customize also have increasingly wanted the option to print text and graphics.”

Consumers, he says, want the graphics to coordinate with the patterns or colors that they are using in their outdoor decor (or for a special event). “Contract customers are also taking a greater interest in branding on the umbrella when they request quotes,” Sanches adds.

HOT COLORS When it comes to color, the hotter, the better. Hot orange, pink, and bright reds, along with woven patterns and stripes, are in demand. While Jeff Leisen, sales manager for Galtech (Newbury Park, California) reports seeing a large amount of earth-toned fabric with bronze frames, he adds, “The new Sunbrella® hot pink has done very well for us in early buying, so it’s exciting to see something so outside of the box 16

1 being received so well by our industry.”

The hot color trend is growing.

Treasure Garden’s Cha Cha collection features four bright, textured colors (pomegranate, lime, lemon, and melon) that are “selling extremely well, especially on our Shanghai style,” according to Jeff B. Dorough, vice president of sales and marketing for Treasure Garden and Shademaker (Baldwin Park, California).

“Color trends for 2012 are energetic and bright,” Dorough adds, pointing to Sunbrella’s new hot pink, its Steeplechase Malibu stripe, and Treasure Garden’s Sunbrella Cannes cabana stripe. Stripes in other color families are selling well, too. He reports, “All these colors and styles bring energy and enthusiasm to any outdoor environment—residential or commercial.”

Debbie Maytidu, sales manager for FiberBuilt Umbrellas (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) agrees. She says,

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

“We are seeing a trend toward brighter colors, from stripes to geometric designs.” In response, FiberBuilt Umbrellas has introduced new options in fabric this year, from spun polyester to furniture-grade fabrics.

Maytidu adds, “This is allowing us to provide a broader range of colors, patterns, and designs for our price-sensitive customers.”

Amid all the talk of color, Rett Haigler, business manager for Solair Shade Solutions (Glen Raven, North Carolina), maker of retractable awnings, adds one qualification: Sales of bright colors tend to be regional.

Going for bold colors are the Southwestern states, Florida, and California. Conversely, the East Coast, New England, and the Midwest are still fans of the tried-andtrue hues. They opt for “beige, black, and safe colors that work with most outdoor furniture,” Haigler says.

MIXING IT UP Mix color and pattern together, and you get another trend, Michael Caravita suggests. Caravita, principal of Caravita USA Inc. (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina), emphasizes the importance of color combinations such as black and white, tans and browns, and blue and white. So strongly does Caravita believe in color combination as an emerging trend that the company highlighted several of these designs with a black-and-white color scheme at the 2011 Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™.

“Accentuating a shade with contrasting binding and alternating fabric colors brings a new dimension to the shade,” Caravita explains. “We have

1. Treasure Garden’s 10-foot square cantilever umbrella in a black finish with Sunbrella’s 5404 natural fabric

3

2 seen, in the past, striped fabrics—but using different colors of fabric on the valances or accenting vents can make for a very sophisticated look.”

Different types of fabric are also making headlines. A case in point is Sattler Reflect acrylic, a fabric that Caravita will be introducing this year. “We are always looking for new and innovative textiles to introduce. Reflect acrylic has a glitter sheen, not only deflecting the sun, but also providing added UV protection,” Caravita says. Haigler adds, “What is making headway is a textured solid fabric,” mentioning heathered fabrics in which you can feel and see the texture of the weave.

Of course, green (in the sustainable sense) is also an overriding trend. “The most interest we have seen is for wood umbrellas that come from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council,” Sanches says.

PARTY CENTRAL Many shade products have features that certainly are lovely to see, but consumers want more. In response, Treasure Garden and Shademaker are turning umbrellas into media centers, complete with fullfledged entertainment systems and speakers. “Now, you can make any umbrella the center of the party—a very cool new accessory,” Dorough says.

If you’re having a party under your umbrella, then size matters. Last year’s trend toward large shade products that precisely fit their designated spaces not only continues to be strong, but is still growing. Sanches says, “There is a strong momentum toward large canopies, especially in the contract side of the industry.”

Maytidu notes, “Bigger and better is still the direction of the trends, but price points and quality products are becoming

more important.”

Haigler adds, “Consumers are really trying to figure out what kinds of shade solutions they need, and size is going to be subjective.” He suggests that use, durability, and the ability to complement the style of the consumer’s home and furnishings are still paramount considerations.

NEW FOR 2012 Sanches reports that California Umbrella overhauled the majority of its series to add canopy sizes, to upgrade materials, and to expand market reach for 2012. He says, “California Umbrella is a line built to showcase the traditional shade umbrella. Our new products take the conventions and show how our use of materials can enhance the product.”

Sanches is most excited about the company’s Vast series of cantilevers, which feature multiple-position tilts and what is, Sanches says, “the heaviest base capacity in the marketplace.”

Other new entries are California Umbrella’s redesigned wooden umbrellas, which have been upgraded to meranti (shorea) wood. “This beautiful wood source is dense and straight, and it finishes naturally with a warm wood feel. Our deep selection of sizes and the combination of models featuring fiberglass components have outsold our best expectations and projections,” Sanches says.

California Umbrella has added its own line of performance fabrics, called Pacifica, to the selection for market-style umbrellas. Pacifica fabrics are solution

dyed, with a four-year colorfastness warranty, and they come in over 20 solids and patterns.

“Our new fabric line is also very competitively priced, providing a cost savings at a time when prices everywhere are

4

2. TUUCI’s exclusive Aluma-TEAK finish is available on its Plantation Premier parasols.

headed upward.

As a result, our first run of the season has completely sold out, and we are working hard to fast-forward our delivery schedule for the year to meet the faster-than-expected sales,” Sanches explains.

New this year at Caravita are the Classic

3. Galtech’s faux-bamboo tiki thatch autotilt umbrella for residential use 4. FiberBuilt’s Contempo umbrella 5. California Umbrella’s Vast 338 cantilever umbrella

5

6. Detail of California Umbrella’s Mati 118 umbrella, constructed with meranti wood

6 series and Plus series of shade umbrellas. Several of Caravita’s signature shade collections are being offered at two levels. “The introduction of these lines in signature and premium options will allow retailers to provide a high-quality shade for a competitive price. Our Plus series takes our shade to the next level, providing a premier

shade product for those who want the ultimate in luxury,” Caravita says. The Plus series is positioned as a premium shade solution, with a solid-aluminum hub in complementing or contrasting powder finishes.

“The new Classic and Plus series shades allow retailers and designers the option of offering a cost-conscious solution—without sacrificing the caliber of the product,” Caravita explains, noting that the traditional Riviera, Samara, and Amalfi collections are also being offered

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

17

product S P O T L I G H T in Classic and Plus options.

Caravita’s Belvedere and Amalfi collections have undergone makeovers and have been added to the Plus series (with added luxury features). “There is still a demand for luxury shade products that are even easier to operate, and that adjust to the environments and applications they are meant for,” Caravita says.

For example, a new foot pedal that provides easy 360-degree rotation is part of the Amalfi Plus series. The Amalfi also received an added feature: a selfadjusting canopy, which ensures that the canopy will always remain level, even when the umbrella has been installed on an uneven surface.

The Classic series offers a variety of sizes and shapes that use Caravita’s signature UV-stabilized resilient plastic hub.

These products use the same solutiondyed acrylic fabrics from Sattler and the same RAL powder finishes that they have always used, so there is no change in quality.

FiberBuilt Umbrellas has added

imal profile; a one-piece, 1.5inch–diameter aluminum pole; and FiberBuilt’s signature flexible fiberglass ribs. The Contempo is available in a variety of furniture-grade fabrics.

In addition, FiberBuilt Umbrellas has introduced Paradise Cushions, its retail arm. “We have developed Paradise Cushions in response to requests for better shade products at lower price points. Our coordinated umbrella-andcushion program offers a wide variety of fabrics, allowing us to support the retail market,” Maytidu explains.

Galtech has introduced a new Half Wall umbrella that can be used in a residential or commercial application. This umbrella measures 3.5x7 feet and allows the user to place it flush against a wall to maximize shade in tight quarters (such as cafés, bistros, or balconies).

“We have always designed our umbrellas a little differently from our competitors,” Leisen says. “Galtech has

retractable awning, and it comes in three sizes, which allows us to offer it with the quick-ship fabrics,” Haigler says. Also popular is the PS5000 retractable awning, which comes in a broader range of sizes, widths, and projections.

In 2012, Treasure Garden will be introducing several new products— many of them perfect for a party. The Starlight collar tilt umbrella comes in two sizes: 9- and 11-foot market styles with built-in rib lights to provide mood lighting.

The Ultimate Party umbrella is available in two styles, a 13-foot octagon and a 10-foot square. It features a media center for iPods and other MP3/MP4 systems. A large LCD panel displays the time and temperature, and the unit

the variety of hardwood grains that are available in this state-of-the-art composite finish.”

TUUCI has expanded its premier collections with introductions in the high-wind, semipermanent architectural shade category. New products include the F-1 series of high-tension shade platforms and the MAX range of cantilever and center-mast parasols. The F-1 range is built to withstand over 75 mph of sustained wind force, with its high-tension, stainless-steel–reinforced canopy and cable system, while the Ocean Master and Plantation MAX collections feature more large-format, traditional shade designs in both cantilever and center-

3 2

1 several new shade products to its line for 2012. One that Maytidu is promoting is the new Terrace umbrella, a price-sensitive umbrella with high-quality construction. “It is a market-style umbrella with a two-piece aluminum pole and flexible fiberglass ribs. We have expanded fabric selections for this series that tie into our cushion program for coordinated looks. This umbrella has been developed to meet the needs of retail customers,” she says.

Also new is an umbrella for customers seeking a more modern look.

The Contempo’s features include a min-

1. Solair’s newest textured fabric, the Silica line 2. The Solair PS2000 retractable awning 3. Caravita’s Amalfi collection is being offered with Classic and Plus series options.

18

always featured stainless-steel cables on our crank lifts, which adds a value to the umbrella that the consumer can easily identify with (and allows salespeople to sell a feature that is easy to demonstrate). Our unique, handpainted finishes, which replicate bamboo or woven wicker, are unlike anything on the market and provide our dealers with a unique product to sell.”

Haigler and the team at Solair are excited that awnings are gaining more traction in the retail patio-furniture sector. For example, Solair is now sold in the showrooms of 150 patio-furniture dealers, including several major chains, across the country. “We’re expecting a pretty big year for retractable awnings; they have never been sold in the patio-furniture channel, and we’re offering retailers a new opportunity to expand their shade offerings,” Haigler says.

Making news at Solair are the 14 fabrics available in the company’s new quick-ship program. Also doing well is the Solair PS2000 retractable awning. “It is everything you would need for a

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

features an AM/FM receiver with speakers.

This style includes the Starlight feature, which consists of built-in rib lighting that provides ambience, and the Moonlight feature, which includes a brighter center light (perfect for dining or reading). The Serenata also features a media center with LED lamps, an AM/FM stereo, an iPod and MP3-player dock, time and temperature readouts, and a remote control.

Also new at Treasure Garden are a 7.5-foot beach umbrella (in four bright O’bravia colors) and the Monaco base, in 100-pound round and square shapes, with an optional 30-pound addition available, with wheels and a built-in handle for easy moving.

The exclusive Aluma-TEAK finish is available on the entire range of Plantation Premier parasols from TUUCI (Miami, Florida). Dougan Clarke, founder/CEO and chief product engineer, says, “Aluma-TEAK is the most authentic, durable, and maintenance-free hardwood finish in the world. We have not only broadened the depth of shade products available in Aluma-TEAK, but have also expanded

mast models.

TUUCI’s Shadow Works division has spent years developing new technologies, many of which will be available in summer 2012, according to Clarke. Recent enhancements include smart autolift and telescopic-crank systems for easy deployment, as well as aesthetic improvements to the central components of the premium range of shade products.

The humble umbrella and awning have come a long way. Their forms are still relatively simple; they are strong to withstand the elements; they provide much-needed shade on a sunny day; and now, they come in any size, shape, and color combination. They can send a message and play your favorite tunes. They can tell you the time and temperature. They offer mood lighting.

They are truly the ultimate symbols of relaxation and entertainment—and the outlook for them is sunny. Haigler says, “People want to upgrade their homes, but don’t want to spend the kind of money a permanent solution such as a sun porch, screened-in porch, or Florida room requires. They are turning to retailers to find a solution.”

Circle Reader Service No. 19

marketing M A N E U V E R S

Hildreth’s rich heritage has made it a retail magnet for customers throughout the New York metro area.

A U.S. Treasure

by KIMBERLY RODGERS

photography by RONNYMILLS STUDIOS

f

or Henry Hildreth III, president and CEO of Hildreth’s Home Goods (Southampton, New York), carrying on the legacy of running the oldest home-furnishings store in the United States is, he says, “a little daunting at times, but also very rewarding and a true honor.”

The Hildreth name can be traced back to Thomas and Richard Hildreth, who left England in 1635 to escape religious persecution. The brothers first landed in Lynn, Massachusetts, and eventually made their way to the east end of Long Island in pursuit of better grazing land for raising livestock. In 1640, Southampton became the first English settlement in what is now New York.

By 1842, Southampton was a growing fishing village, and Thomas Hildreth’s grandson, Lewis Hildreth, opened Hildreth’s General Store to supply the daily needs of the many families then moving to the area.

Until 1870, when the railroad came to Southampton, the store received all its merchandise by ship; from Sag Harbor, goods were then carted to the store by horse-drawn wagons.

Lewis died of smallpox in 1870; his wife and two sons, Edgar and Henry, ran the store. In 1914, Henry’s son, Leon, took the reins, and his son, Henry Halsey Hildreth II, became president of the company in 1960.

20

After graduating from college in 1978, Henry Hildreth III joined his father at the store. He became president in 1990, becoming the fifth-generation family owner of Hildreth’s.

Henry Hildreth II died in 1992.

HILDRETH’S TODAY Over the span of 170 years, Hildreth’s has undergone enormous transformations. Lewis Hildreth first sold bread, crackers, wheels of cheese, salt, flour, fruit, vegetables, sugar, coffee, and tea—along with housewares and dry goods. In the 1940s, Leon Hildreth began to shift the merchandise focus from general-store goods to home furnishings to reflect a new era, in which many people stayed home to watch television, and to meet the furniture needs of the many residents with

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

second homes in the area.

Today, Hildreth’s offers a broad scope and an amazing array of merchandise, including indoor and outdoor furniture, along with a home-goods section that carries items for every room. Hildreth’s also features a custom-design department that offers soft window treatments, upholstery, and slipcovers (handsewn by Hildreth’s own workroom staff ), as well as a variety of hard window treatments (such as blinds, shades, and shutters). Special-order fabrics and interior-design services are also available.

“Our bread and butter are our indoor- and outdoor-furniture lines,” Hildreth says. With the advent of the outdoor room, he says, sales of outdoor furniture are now on par with those of indoor lines. Hildreth’s carries products from a top lineup of casual manufactur-

ers, from Barlow Tyrie and Telescope Casual to Lloyd/Flanders, Royal Botania, TUUCI, and Lane Venture.

For his customers, Hildreth notes, “In the 1950s and 1960s, wrought iron was the metal of choice; now, the choice is aluminum. Wicker has always been strong here because of our beach-cottage lifestyle, but people are also interested in plantation-grown teak.”

Hildreth says that he is also beginning to see a slight upswing in customers’ purchases of more contemporary pieces, with people mixing and matching different materials, such as teak and wicker or teak and aluminum or stainless steel.

Hildreth’s physical space has also undergone tremendous changes since Lewis Hildreth founded the business in a small storefront on Main Street. Today, Hildreth’s has three stores, making it— in addition to the oldest home-goods store in the United States—the largest home-furnishings and home-accessory store in the Hamptons.

Top: Hildreth’s Patio, which features all of the company's outdoor lines and accessories, is one of Hildreth's three locations in the Hamptons, making it the area’s largest homefurnishings and home-accessory store.

Bottom (from left): Henry Hildreth III, president and CEO; Eduardo Padin, sales; and Zerach (Z) Michel, patio sales manager

Circle Reader Service No. 21

marketing M A N E U V E R S Hildreth’s original Main Street store (which underwent major remodeling in 1980) is now part of the company’s largest showroom—a two-story building with 20,000 square feet of space. This space showcases all of Hildreth’s indoor furniture; its custom-design and decorating services; its children’s, housewares, lighting, fabric, and yarn departments; and the bed-and-bath shop—famous throughout the Hamptons for its selection of plush, luxurious towels and linens, its spa essentials, and a dazzling array of accessories and gifts.

Adjacent to the main showroom is Hildreth’s Patio which sells casual lines and accessories in a 7,000–square-foot space. Hildreth’s third location, in East Hampton, is a microcosm of both the main showroom and the patio store in 12,000 square feet. There is also a 60,000–square-foot warehouse.

THE MESSAGE Since the 1890s, when wealthy New

Yorkers discovered Southampton as a respite from city life, Hildreth’s has continually drawn customers from outside the local area. “We live in a fairly small town with people who live here yearround, but we also get a large influx of people from Manhattan, Long Island, and New Jersey who own second homes here and who come out in the summertime,” Hildreth says.

Hildreth’s best marketing is its own time-honored reputation, which draws in many repeat and new customers. Indeed, the company’s tagline (bringing our best to you since 1842) is prominent in its marketing. Advertising is focused locally in The Southampton Press, Dan’s Papers, and The East Hampton Star. There is a goodwill spot on the local public radio station, and the company recently signed on with an area grocer to place an advertising kiosk in its store. Hildreth’s also participates in local charitable events.

Hildreth’s recently contracted with a company to begin experimenting with buy-

Warming Up Outside

ing Google AdWords to improve its name placement in search results. Hildreth’s website (www.hildreths.com) is loaded with information, including the company’s history—along with vintage photos and current information on merchandise, services, and special sales (with video spots featuring Hildreth and his family).

The company also uses Facebook and Twitter. “I think social-media use is the wave of the future, for sure,” Hildreth says.

“Its results may be hard to measure, but it is not that expensive to implement. When people communicate with you, it is important to communicate back to them in a timely manner.”

THE NEXT GENERATION Hildreth sums up his customer-service philosophy quite simply. He says, “I won’t give up making our customers happy until they are happy. That means that even if we are beyond warranty, I will keep fighting for that customer, doing the best I can to make him or her happy.” To

help him accomplish this, Hildreth strongly believes in cultivating a solid relationship with a few key manufacturers, rather than carrying products from a large number of vendors.

To run the operation, Hildreth’s relies on a staff of 65 employees. “We have a lot of great people working with us, many of whom have been with us for years and years,” he says. Hildreth’s wife, Colleen, is in charge of new-product development, and his children (Kailey, Sayre, and Henry) are already interested in working in the family business.

To remain close to his customer base, Hildreth often makes deliveries (going incognito) with his employees. Last summer, he began taking his elder daughter with him. “I wanted her to get her feet wet and find out what it was like to start not from the top down, but from the bottom up; she wants to work here again this summer, and my other daughter and my son are interested as well. Hildreth’s will carry on,” he says.

by KIMBERLY RODGERS

Patio heaters usually take a back seat to the many elements of an outdoor space,

pleasing, but they also cost a frac-

available for sale in fall 2012.

tional electric-element heaters

tion of what it costs to operate

“These products will comple-

prove ineffective and inefficient,

competing technologies—up to

ment our gas heaters and will

but that has changed with the intro-

and traditional gas heaters are

75% less to operate, per hour,

offer a highly effective and effi-

duction of products from Bromic

cumbersome and obtrusive,”

than a propane-based, mushroom-

cient electric alternative, at a

Heating (Sydney, Australia).

Joseph says. “Bromic heaters pro-

style heater.” Bromic heaters can

great price,”

Featuring a smart high-end design

vide an innovative solution to our

also be integrated to the electronic

Joseph says.

Top: Bromic Heating’s

never seen before in traditional

customers by addressing heating

(smart) control systems of a home

Electric heaters will

Tungsten Smart-Heat

heaters, Bromic products also pro-

efficiency, usability, comfort, and

or commercial building, allowing

also provide

gas range

vide increased functionality through

aesthetic appearance.”

users to manage heaters, as well

increased versatili-

as other devices, with a universal

ty, since they will

Left: Bromic Heating’s

remote control.

be suitable for both

Platinum Smart-Heat

indoor and outdoor

gas range

an innovative radiant-heat process.

“In cold outdoor areas, tradi-

The functional benefits of

Daniel Joseph, sales director, says,

Bromic’s Smart-Heat units (which

“Bromic heaters are the most styl-

feature patented design and tech-

The Platinum 500 Smart-Heat

ish outdoor, fixed-mount, radiant

nology) include increased efficien-

model is the company’s most pop-

gas heaters on the market to date.”

cy, since the radiant element in the

ular seller. Joseph says, “The

unit only heats within the heat

Platinum 500 gas range is very

are now available

Bromic Group, established in

zone; the ability to allow the user

stylish and is used in high-end

to dealers and dis-

1978. The Bromic Group is a well-

to direct the heat to a particular

design applications where the

tributors throughout North

market penetration, and we partici-

respected brand in the Australian

area; electronic ignition; and higher

heater should not detract from the

America. In California, the com-

pate in cooperative funding for a

plumbing and gas industry and

wind resistance than that of tradi-

aesthetics of the design decor.”

pany has established a ware-

number of programs.”

operates worldwide, with multiple

tional mushroom-style or other

Bromic heaters, including the

house in Los Angeles and a sales

divisions. The company has devel-

radiant heaters on the market.

Tungsten Smart-Heat gas series,

office in San Diego to streamline

a leap forward in the patio-heater

operations.

segment—and now, North

Bromic Heating is part of the

applications.

Bromic Heaters

Bromic Heaters truly represent

On top of better performance,

are suitable for use in semi-out-

quality, well-engineered products.

Bromic Heating products come in

door applications, such as high-

Bromic Heating, established in

a range of chic, stylish models. All

end hotels and restaurants, or in

Bromic Heating team as vice presi-

alternative for their customers in

2007 from the core technical

feature design elements—includ-

any residential outdoor room

dent of business development in

this growing market. “Less hassle,

expertise and commercial capabil-

ing brushed stainless steel and

where style and function are espe-

November 2011 to help the compa-

saving money, better aesthetics,

ities of the Bromic Group’s gas

ultrathin styling—seldom seen in

cially important.

ny achieve the goal of increasing its

increased functionality, and

business, revolutionized outdoor

traditional patio heaters.

oped a solid reputation for high-

heating with the introduction of the Platinum 500 Smart-Heat gas series.

22

™

Karl Tschauner joined the

American distributors have an

North American distribution base.

greater performance: All these ele-

Bromic Heating is now introducing

In addition, Joseph says, “We have

ments are what make Bromic out-

only are our heaters better per-

electric units in both Platinum and

a number of programs in place with

door heaters smarter heaters,”

forming and aesthetically more

Tungsten models; they will be

our distributors to assist them in

Joseph says.

In addition, Joseph says, “Not

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

In addition to gas heaters,

Sunbrella速 is a registered trademark of Glen Raven, Inc.

LIV E F R EE S TYLE

Limits, compromise and worry are never in style.

Freedom always is.

Discover fabrics that stand up to real living.

See them come to life at sunbrella.com/bmx.

Bring this ad to life.

Circle Reader Service No. 23

hearth R E TA I L E R PHOTOGRAPHY BY FINE ART PHOTO, INC.

Wowing

customers

A fireplace retailer reinvents its store to offer customers the best in hearth products and services.

by SHARON SANDERS

B

owman’s Stove & Patio (Ephrata, Pennsylvania) found a way to turn a leaky roof into a new beginning. After 35 years of serving generations of customers, store owner Lester Bowman decided that the time was right to remodel the store when a leak forced him to decide either to replace the roof or to add a second story. He opted for the second story.

The new 14,000–square-foot showroom was finished in March

Dustin Bowman (left) and his father, Lester Top right: Bowman's Stove & Patio’s 2011 remodeling, which features an eye-catching new exterior, has increased its walk-in traffic significantly.

Bottom right: New high-end displays showcase the latest hearth trends and technology, and they have made a huge difference in the store’s average sale.

24

photography by MATT POTVIN

2011 and is everything that he dreamed it could be, complete with a striking new entrance, two floors filled with high-end merchandise, and even an elevator. The first month after the remodeling, the difference in sales was staggering, and the pace hasn’t slowed down since then.

While Bowman’s transformed store is impressive, he admits that it wasn’t something that he aspired to when he and his wife, Brenda, started selling stoves out of their garage, in 1977. “We had an old house with electric heat, and our heating bill was higher than our mortgage, so we knew we had to make a change,” he remembers.

Bowman responded to an advertisement in a local newspaper looking for Fisher Stove dealers.

“It so happened that the company needed a dealer in our area, so it sent over six stoves. I put five in the back room of my house and one in the front room, for heat,” Bowman says.

After making a profit over the next

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

few years, Bowman brought in coal stoves; then, he added gas stoves to the mix. In 1984, he was doing enough volume to be able to move into the Ephrata location where the store is today.

The store had added income in the off season when he started selling wood furniture made by the local Amish people, and eventually, he branched out into casual furniture from well-known manufacturers, including Telescope Casual. “Looking back, making the decision to add

patio products helped set us up for what was going to happen next,” Bowman explains.

In 2005, a local chain of hearth/patio stores closed its doors, and that is when business really started to take off for Bowman.

“Thankfully, we already sold both hearth and patio products, so customers just started shopping at our store instead,” he says, adding that this was also when it made sense to bring in more high-end products. He notes, “This all happened when the econo-

STYLE. COME TO LIGHT.

Introducing the new Triumph Direct Vent Gas Insert With four different facings and a variety of colors to choose from, this new fireplace insert is a triumph in style. Provide your customers with a range of inspiring options to create an ambience for their homes in step with their unique lives. And because it’s from Majestic, your customers can expect great performance and quality. Triumph includes the exclusive Total Signature Command™ System, giving them full control over their fireplace experience, thanks to a touch screen remote and Smart Mode® thermostat.

Majestic is a brand of Monessen Hearth Systems Co.

Discover a few of the facing options available:

Floating Face in Textured Mocha with Black Porcelain Panels and Contemporary Stone and Glass Kit

Contemporary Arched Door in Textured Mocha with Tavern Brown Brick

Contemporary Rectangular Door in Vintage Iron with Cottage Red Brick

Glass Trim in Vintage Iron with Black Porcelain Panels and Contemporary Glass Kit

To find out more, visit majesticproducts.com

Circle Reader Service No. 25

hearth R E TA I L E R

A Better Way to Heat Homes When it comes to centralheating appliances, Pro-Fab Industries Inc. (Arborg, Manitoba) has always been at the

by SHARON SANDERS

bar with its innovation and atten-

bringing high-efficiency, central,

work countless hours

tion to the important details in

wood-fueled heating systems

so that we can keep

everything it does.

indoors. Its innovative two-stage

designing products

gasification boiler system makes it

that consumers want.”

When the EPA began imposing

front of the pack as an industry

restrictions on wood-burning appli-

virtually smoke free. The Empyre

innovator in environmental aware-

ances, Pro-Fab Industries looked at

Elite’s patent pending Air-Curtain

ness and clean-burning technolo-

it as an opportunity to set itself fur-

prevents smoke from coming into

gy. Its current lineup of indoor and

ther apart from its competitors. In

the home. “It’s a feature that peo-

about a Pro-Fab

outdoor EPA-qualified wood-gasifi-

2008, it created Empyre Pro series

ple love,” Cairns says. The unit is

Industries wood boiler,

cation boilers is receiving acclaim

high-efficiency outdoor wood boil-

rated at 89.7% efficiency and uses

but it’s another thing to

from retailers, consumers, and

ers, which were among the first to

only half the wood of conventional

see one in action. The

even the hearth industry itself.

achieve EPA phase 1 and 2 qualifi-

wood boilers.

company has put

The company, which now has

cations. “The feedback we consis-

For 2012, Pro-Fab Industries is

Retail Support It’s one thing to talk

Grant Cairns

together a burn pro-

five leading-edge manufacturing

tently heard was that it’s truly unbe-

launching the Empyre Elite 200,

gram that makes it

facilities in North America, was

lievable that there could be half the

expanding its popular product line

profitable for retailers to display

increase sales with the additional

built from a vision, 23 years ago, of

wood consumption and no smoke.

with models producing 125,000 to

operating units on their showroom

revenue stream that comes from

creating innovative heating prod-

This confirmed we were onto some-

200,000 Btu. It doesn’t stop there;

floors. “When potential customers

selling a clean-burning line.

ucts that were kind to the environ-

thing good,” Cairns remembers.

the company is also introducing the

can see a two-stage boiler gasify-

Empyre Outdoor 100, the next-gen-

ing, with a glowing orange flame

increased sales by having the most

eration version of its outdoor-boiler

that burns at 2,000 degrees, they

complete lineup of clean-burning

line. “The success of our new mod-

get excited. It’s an impressive

wood boilers on the market; they

sight to see,” Cairns says.

can be sold in every U.S. state,” he

ment and that people could afford.

Grant Cairns, vice president and general manager of the Pro-Fab

The Empyre Family The company has continued to

“Innovative retailers have

Group of Companies, says, “The

develop and engineer new clean-

els is a direct result of listening to

wood-heating industry has come a

burning models each year since its

our customers, which is an impor-

long way, and we’ve been in the

EPA debut, in 2008. Last year, Pro-

tant gauge for what products we

retailers to promote its products at

economy, are watching over their

forefront of that evolution.”

Fab Industries released the industry

develop next,” Cairns explains.

open houses and shows, and it

household operating expenses,

He adds that the company’s

The company truly partners with

says. Homeowners, in the current

offers accredited training courses

and products from Pro-Fab

the industry in the 1990s, when it

first EPA-qualified indoor wood boil-

research/development department

to keep retailers up to speed on the

Industries fit the bill in every way.

manufactured its Empyre conven-

er. In 2011, the Empyre Elite 100

is one of the most advanced in the

latest product developments.

“Our focus has always been on

tional wood boilers of high-per-

won the Vesta Award in the Central

industry, conducting cycle testing

According to Cairns, the company

green products, and the fact that

forming stainless steel. While regu-

Heating Systems category.

and durability testing of all its prod-

has enjoyed steady growth, over

we can bring traditional wood

ucts. He says, “We take product

the years, as a result of its innova-

burning into the high-tech arena is

The company made its name in

lation has caused the industry to

changer: the Empyre Elite 100, the

The breakthrough Empyre Elite

change tremendously, Pro-Fab

100 has made alternative energy

development very seriously, and

tive product designs. In addition,

a bonus that everyone can benefit

Industries continues to raise the

available to more homeowners by

we take pride in the fact that we

retailers see an opportunity to

from,” Cairns says.

my started to go bad, so fortunately, we didn’t feel the pain, as other retailers did.”

A FRESH START Bowman’s Stove & Patio has enjoyed mostly uninterrupted prosperity over the years, but the excitement of the remodeling project has infused new life into the business that no one could have predicted. The store was given Casual Living’s 2011 Merchandising Award for Best Storefront; its eye-catching Craftsman-style entrance includes dramatic stonework, a bright-red awning and shutters, and a professionally landscaped front courtyard that serves as an outdoor showroom for the store’s patio furniture.

Bowman says that the new storefront has significantly increased the attention that the store gets from passersby on the highway. “People do a double take and then make a U-turn to see what we are selling,” he explains.

Dustin Bowman, son of the owners, was the mastermind behind the remodeling project, working closely with architects and builders through its completion. His plans doubled the size of the showroom (from 7,000 to 14,000 square feet), which has opened up space to bring in more products—and has given the Bowmans the luxury of merchandising in a way that they never could have in the past. The expansive hearth area glows with over 40 26

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

burning units from manufacturers that include HearthStone Stoves, Blaze King, Morsø, Kozy Heat Fireplaces, Mendota, Enerzone, and Enviro.

The store also carries grills from Fire Magic and Big Green Egg Company. “We have brought in high-end products that we wouldn’t have even considered carrying in the past, and people are buying them because everything looks so beautiful. Without a doubt, we have the largest selection of hearth and patio products in the area,” Bowman says.

Now that the store has stunning displays that showcase the latest trends and technology, its public image has completely changed. Bowman says, “When people walk through our doors, they can see that we’re serious about what we do. If they happen to be shopping at our competitors’ stores, many of them will choose to do business with us because we offer the wow factor that pushes them to make a decision.”

MOVING FORWARD While Bowman’s Stove & Patio is still basking in the excitement of the new store, the family is careful not to take its eyes off the thing that has given the store continued success, over the years: Keeping the customer number one.

“We can have the most spectacular showroom in town,

but if we lose sight of our customers’ needs, we are nothing. We have always prided ourselves in the fact that we are a service dealer first, before anything else, and we take every extra step to meet our customers’ expectations,” Bowman emphasizes. Living proof of that philosophy is evident in the store’s repeat-customer business—many buyers are third-generation customers whose grandparents bought stoves from the Bowmans in the 1980s.

The family understands and appreciates the fact that the business has managed to overcome the financial struggles that have caused many other retailers to fold over the past few years. It has done its best to stay focused only on the business, not allowing itself to be discouraged by constant news of a dismal economy. Bowman feels that one of the biggest challenges that lies ahead is consumers’ continued fear of uncertainty. “People are much more cautious about making purchases because they listen to the news, and they are scared,” he says.

At the same time, he is also planning his strategy for the time when the economy turns around enough to make more people ready to buy again. “We want to make certain that we are ready to handle the business in the same way, with the same level of service, no matter what happens,” Bowman says. “We are always ready and willing to make changes. If we weren’t, we wouldn’t be here today.

Circle Reader Service No. 27

outdoor G R I L L I N G

Heartfelt

Marketing

A grilling retailer prospers after helping his local community.

by KIMBERLY RODGERS

photography by SWEET WILLOW PHOTOGRAPHY

a

ugusta, Georgia, resident Greig McCully originally entered the outdoor-kitchen industry by lending a hand to his friend, Phin Hitchcock, who had started a mission that provided job skills to people who had fallen out of the workforce. They created a carpentry shop and taught the group the basic skills needed to build tables for the Big Green Egg and other kamado grills.

The mission evolved not only into providing an opportunity to a group of people who needed a second chance, but also into a business, when Hitchcock and partners McCully and William Lanier began selling the tables throughout the United States, in January 2009. They appropriately named their business Taproot—the main root of a tree that provides support for other roots to branch out and grow. In an oak tree, the taproot eventually breaks off, and the tree is then self-sufficient.

To get to know the industry better, McCully attended HPBExpo, along with several other trade shows. “What soon occurred to me is that my local market failed completely to pick up on the outdoor-kitchen business. No one in the second-largest city in Georgia was even selling outdoor appliances, not to mention doing anything with design work or buildouts,” he says.

28

This gaping hole in the local outdoor-room segment soon led McCully and Hitchcock (who serves as a minority partner) to start Fireside Outdoor Kitchens & Grills. They named their store after Fireside Ministries, the stillthriving mission group that formed Taproot. After locating a 3,000–squarefoot space in the historic district of Old Town Augusta and completing extensive improvements, the partners opened the store in May 2010.

CREATING A HOBBY Fireside Outdoor Kitchens & Grills meets the needs of chefs seeking any item related to outfitting an outdoor

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

kitchen. “My target market is the guy who cooks outside his home, so I need to have an item that is going to be attractive—whether he comes in looking for a smoking chip or a different type of charcoal, or he wants to build a $100,000 outdoor kitchen,” McCully says. “I have to have the right product, or he is going to leave.”

The showroom features five outdoor kitchens, and 17 different grill brands are available from top-name manufacturers, including Alfresco, Fire Magic, Big Green Egg, Holland, TEC, Viking, and Weber. There are also custom-built grills and cabinetry, preconstructed islands, indoor and outdoor

fireplaces, firepits, accessories, and outdoor furniture for sale.

McCully provides a complimentary 3D computer-aided design drawing to assist in creating an outdoor space. He explains, “Beyond giving people a complete design, we understand how outdoor kitchens work and how to set up the most functional kitchen, based on a customer’s particular needs.”

McCully does not build kitchens, but will work with a customer’s own builder or contractor to oversee completion of an outdoor kitchen from start to finish, or will provide a referral to a local contractor.

Soon after opening the store, McCully observed that people would come in and comment that they already owned a grill, but had never learned how to use it properly (or to its maximum capacity). “From the beginning, I believed that the only way to make it, in this business, was to create outdoor cooking as a hobby,” McCully says.

“You can’t just provide a grill, but must make grilling an ongoing regular activity, so it becomes part of someone’s monthly, weekly, or even daily life. This will never happen if someone does not know how to use his or her grill.”

Almost immediately after opening his store, McCully decided to add an

Top: Greig McCully started Fireside Outdoor Kitchens & Grills after he saw a need for an outdoor-kitchen store in the Augusta market.

Center: Located in a historic building in Old Town Augusta, Fireside Outdoor Kitchens & Grills displays five full outdoor kitchens.

Circle Reader Service No. 29

outdoor G R I L L I N G

Mr. Bar-B-Q Celebrates 40 Years Mr. Bar-B-Q, an international distributor that excels in supply-

Bar-B-Q because it is able to deliver

ing cutting-edge barbecue tools

throughout the world.

new styles of grilling to customers

to use the same old things.”

Grill brushes remain the compa-

by CHERISE FORNO cept from Mexico.

Since grilling is typ-

ny’s most popular item, as everyone

ically an activity asso-

needs reliable ways to clean and

ciated with picnics,

40th anniversary with new product

ing kebab tool, inspired by cooking

maintain grills. Zemel says that cus-

tailgating, camping,

offerings, new packaging designs,

techniques commonly used

tomers are constantly looking for

and holiday celebra-

and a newly revised website

throughout Brazil, is a new product

durable, effective brushes to clean

tions, Zemel says,

(www.mrbarbq.com). The Old

by Mr. Bar-B-Q. Zemel notes that

grills more efficiently. Mr. Bar-B-Q’s

serving platters are

Bethpage, New York, company

observing cooking styles in other

triple-action brush was the number-

another popular item

began as a charcoal company and

countries has helped the company

one brush in the United States last

among outdoor-grilling

quickly grew and evolved as it

bring many great items to the U.S.

year, according to Zemel.

fans. For the 2012

introduced innovative accessories

market. “It’s interesting to see how

to the industry, according to Marc

everybody else does it,” he says.

to create these best-selling items by

company’s new multi-

Zemel, CEO.

“Everybody does it differently; it’s

changing existing products and

layer burger press is

just amazing.”

adding new tools that make grilling

already selling quickly;

and accessories, is celebrating its

“We specialize in designing and

For example, an inventive hang-

Each year, the company’s goal is

grilling season, the Mr. Bar-B-Q’s hanging shish-kebab set

an exciting experience for its cus-

it makes preparing

“It’s what makes us stand out in the

developing new products and

tomers. “These are all items no one

burgers in advance and transport-

ple have been choosing to enter-

industry.” Zemel explains that the

grilling technology have led Mr. Bar-

has had before,” Zemel says. “We

ing them to the grilling site easy

tain at home, instead of traveling

company’s vast knowledge of bar-

B-Q to offer its customers endless

design our products to be different.”

and convenient.

or going out to eat.

becue-cooking techniques and its

grilling tools and possibilities.

ability to remain in the forefront of

Through the use of grill toppers such

becue topper allows the cook to

high-quality items to the mass mar-

time barbecuing in their back-

technological advances and design

as woks and griddles, people can

multitask, increasing the number of

ket, Mr. Bar-B-Q also has a

yards because it is not an expen-

set Mr. Bar-B-Q apart from other

easily and effectively grill vegetables,

items that can be grilled at once. “It

ChefMaster product line, which

sive thing to do, and barbecue

barbecue-accessory suppliers.

fish, chicken, beef, and pizza. High-

holds shrimp and fish, so they don’t

offers higher-quality, specialized

accessories are particularly

“We’ve never run out of ideas,” he

quality, reasonably priced tools even

fall through the grill,” Zemel explains.

tools for food-industry profession-

affordable,” he says. Suggested

says. “We are the leaders in the

allow barbecue enthusiasts to grill

“It’s a nice item to have on a grill.”

als. One product, the professional

retail prices for accessories from

industry, not the followers.”

these items simultaneously with

meat tenderizer, uses 48 stainless-

Mr. Bar-B-Q range from $9.99 to

patenting products,” Zemel says.

Mr. Bar-B-Q has a diverse customer range, from specialty dealers to home centers. As an international

This attitude and commitment to

Mr. Bar-B-Q’s stainless-steel bar-

Spoon tongs are another inno-

In addition to offering many

“People are spending more

ease, to create an infinite number of

vative product; they give the user

steel razor blades—designed to

$99.99, so there is something for

textures and flavors.

the ability to do many tasks at

penetrate any cut of meat—for

every style of cooking and every

once, such as mixing sauces, bast-

superior tenderizing and marinating.

budget. For the future, Mr. Bar-B-Q

For 2012, Mr. Bar-B-Q has

Zemel stresses that the current

will continue to build on its 40

company, Mr. Bar-B-Q also has a

released many new products to con-

ing, braising, and handling meat

strong presence in Canada, Mexico,

tinue its long tradition of introducing a

and vegetables. The onion-season-

market for grill accessories is very

years of experience in the indus-

Colombia, various European coun-

variety of new patented products into

ing brush is a novel tool that cuts

strong. People are grilling year-

try to create high-quality barbe-

tries, Australia, and New Zealand.

the market each year. “We introduced

an onion in half for very effective

round, and sales in the industry

cue tools, parts, and accessories

This cultural diversity is a strong

a lot of new products, as we always

seasoning. The tool uses superior

have increased. With the current

to help its customers take grilling

asset to the intuitive nature of Mr.

do,” Zemel says. “People don’t want

technology to adapt a cooking con-

state of the economy, more peo-

to the next level.

outdoor-cooking school. “The primary intent was to teach people to use what they already owned,” McCully says.

Classes are free and are held every Tuesday, year-round, regardless of the weather. Topics range from mastering burgers, shrimp, and chicken on the grill to the basic elements of smoking and low-and-slow cooking.

Since opening, McCully has hosted over 70 classes, all at no charge. “My mission is simple: I want to make every single person who walks into my store a better cook. I don’t care if people buy their equipment from me because I believe a grill is sold in someone’s backyard. If I can make people in their backyards good cooks, then they will become salespeople for me when their friends are looking for new grills,” he says.

About 45 people typically attend classes each week, but McCully (and his two employees, who are also passionate 30

about grilling) have hosted as many as 100. “People really enjoy the lessons, and we make them as interactive as possible. For example, when we do pizza, we set up the grills, prepare all the ingredients, give a 30-minute lesson, and then hand it over to our customers,” he says.

AN OPEN MARKET Located in an area with a year-round grilling season, Fireside Outdoor Kitchens & Grills is well positioned to capture the Augusta outdoor-kitchen market. When McCully was doing his research prior to opening, he was surprised at the lack of outdoor-kitchen stores not only in Augusta, but beyond the city as well. “As I looked around the country for other business models to follow, I could not find many stores truly dedicated to an outdoor-cooking theme,” he says.

McCully regularly participates in home/outdoor shows, where the aroma of

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

his grilled food always draws a crowd— and potential customers. “I recently attended a major Augusta horse show, where I set up three booths. As a result, I will now be delivering kitchens to customers in Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina,” he says.

“They all said they could not find anyone, where they lived, who knew about outdoor-kitchen design.”

In addition to marketing Fireside Kitchens & Grills through shows, McCully has used all the standard advertising forms—from print, television, and radio ads to coupons and Internet marketing (including newer advertising intended for smartphones and tablets).

McCully has found that the best way for him to spread the word about his business is what he calls experiential marketing. “It started with our cooking lessons, but it’s more than that; if there is a charity event in the Augusta area, I have been in

it. I am not only able to help a charity, but that is where I get the greatest return on my time and money,” McCully says. As a result of his high profile and involvement in community events, Fireside Outdoor Kitchens & Grills already has a mailing list of 3,000 people (in just two years).

Many entrepreneurs would be hesitant to start a business in a climate of economic struggle, but McCully believed (and acted) differently. “Virtually everyone thought I was nuts, but I was excited about starting the business when the economy was on a decline because it forced me to be lean,” he says.

He continues, “Because there wasn’t a whole lot else going on, banks were eager to make loans, and realtors were thrilled to do anything I wanted to get the deal done.

I felt that there was not a better time to test a business model. If it could succeed in this market, even at the break-even point, then everything else was just roses.”

pizzacraft™ BASICS Get me started

We have what you want.

Let us help you choose what you need.

RAICHLEN RECOMMENDS Grilling with authority

TRIED AND TRUE Setting you up for success

Contact Bobbi.

13 years of personalized service meeting independent retailer needs.

She understands your business.

Circle Reader Service No. 31

To request a catalog please call Bobbi at 800-521-0505 or email sales @ companion-group.com

showroom S H O W C A S E

a working friendship A long-established business, owned by friends, has flourished because of their complementary ways of working together. by SHARON SANDERS photography by LARRY GINDHART PHOTOGRAPHY ty for decorating, so she started helping me decorate show houses, which was part of my job,” Krueger remembers.

After the friends gained a reputation around town for their decorating skills, they decided to open their own shop,

G

ood friends Marilyn Krueger and Vicki Goode have managed to turn their longtime friendship into big business with their Indianapolis, Indiana, retail store, Especially Wicker L.L.C. The two ambitious women possess an entrepreneurial spirit that has helped them grow their wicker-furniture business from just an idea, 25 years ago, into a popular shopping destination.

Goode and Krueger didn’t start out in the furniture business, but they have

32

always had the drive to succeed. Before the pair opened the retail store, Krueger was a social worker for 18 years, and Goode was a teacher. Krueger took a break from social work and landed a job at a wicker retail store in Indianapolis.

One day, while she was working at the store, Goode (who was new to the area) came in to purchase some furniture.

That’s where their story began.

“We hit it off immediately and became fast friends. Vicki had an affini-

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

built on the premise of home design.

In 1987, Especially Wicker was born.

“All of our clients were rooting for us to make it on our own, which is what gave us the motivation to give it a try,” Krueger explains. Their first store was a

Top: Color, texture, and style are abundant in the Especially Wicker showroom, which was created to inspire its customers.

Center: Marilyn Krueger (left) and Vicki Goode (with store mascots Mandi and Sadie) Right: Especially Wicker has gained a reputation for the full-service design assistance that it offers its customers.

ing customers to let us help them build and furnish their sunrooms. People are surprised that we can help them do both, and they end up so much happier with the results,” Krueger adds.

small, 3,500–square-foot space on the north side of Indianapolis that specialized in indoor wicker furniture.

Within a year, they almost doubled its size, when they moved a couple of blocks, to a 6,500–square-foot storefront. “We were unique, at the time, because we didn’t just sell furniture; we made house calls to help people design their indoor spaces.

It was something our competitors didn’t offer,” Krueger explains. To this day, the store’s design services are its claim to fame.

Especially Wicker made the initial

jump into outdoor furniture after it started selling Lloyd/ Flanders allweather wicker, which became an instant hit with the store’s local following. By the late 1990s, it was selling so much of Lloyd/Flanders products that it

became one of the manufacturer’s top five retailers in the country, even surpassing the sales of many multistore chains. The store began carrying products from other major vendors, including Classic Rattan and Woodard. “That is really when we started to switch our emphasis and focus from indoor to outdoor wicker,” Goode says.

Today, the store’s product mix is 80% outdoor and 20% indoor wicker.

According to Goode, moving toward outdoor products was an easy transition for the sales staff. In addition, the duo’s interi-

or-design talents translated naturally to outdoor spaces and to a regional staple: the sunroom. “We regularly deal with customers who have just built new sunrooms that are too small to fit the furniture that they want,” Krueger says.

She explains that when people hire builders to create their sunrooms, they assume that a standard 12x12-foot room is what they need. What they don’t realize is that they need to consider their lifestyle and how they will be using the room before they determine its size and dimensions. “We have actually started encourag-

MOVING UP In 2007, Especially Wicker made its biggest move yet, when Goode and Krueger purchased a 17,000–square-foot building (up the street from their store), completely gutted it, and transformed it into something very much in Especially Wicker’s style. It features a dramatic double staircase—and a casual, homey environment that has become its signature.

The store’s entire second floor is dedicated to outdoor furniture from vendors that include Lloyd/Flanders, Lane Venture, Summer Classics, Brown Jordan, Pride Family Brands, and Telescope Casual.

According to Krueger, almost 90% of the store’s business is custom orders. Its perspective on selling has always emphasized designing for the home, not just selling a piece of furniture off the showroom floor. “It is really the only way we know how to do business,” she explains. The store prides itself on loyalty to its manufacturers and credits much of its success to those relationships.

“We have so many custom orders that we need to work with manufacturers who follow through; if they mess up an order, it reflects on us. Our word is our bond to our customers,” Krueger says. She adds that she doesn’t often experiment with new manufacturers, even if they appear to have some short-term opportunities. “We think long-term relationships are more important than changing it up every year to see what we can get,” she says.

The location of the new store has brought in many new customers. It is visible from a major street that is traveled by nearly 85,000 cars each day. It’s also directly across the street from a remodeled strip mall that has major retailers and upmarket restaurants. “Our walk-in traffic has increased significantly since the

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

33

showroom S H O W C A S E

Bring on the Heat

by SHARON SANDERS

Patio heaters have become an inseparable part of today’s fully appointed outdoor rooms.

Dynamics to this day.

Robert Cowan, joined the compa-

heat, so it’s ideal for

Along with outdoor kitchens, enter-

ny and set to work expanding the

trellised or covered

tainment systems, lights, and foun-

size, scope, and product lines of

patios. The newly

tains, patio heaters make it possi-

Infrared Dynamics. Edwin retired in

updated Sunpak

ble for the party to keep going all

the late 1980s, and the younger

TSR (for twin-stage

night long—even when the temper-

Cowan continues as the compa-

remote) has a bril-

ature drops. Infrared Dynamics

ny’s owner and design engineer.

liant stainless-steel

(Yorba Linda, California), the origi-

Under his direction, the Sunglo

face and offers

nator of the first patio heater, has

heater has evolved to meet the

remotely controlled

been committed to the art of mak-

changing needs of consumers and

on/off and high/low

their outdoor

Top: The Sunglo A270 portable patio

ing outdoor heat for over 50 years.

the marketplace.

heat settings. It is

patios—by provid-

heater

In the late 1970s, Cowan’s son,

tangular design and produces directed

available in natural-

ing heated comfort

to develop its line of pioneering

or propane models, and with a vari-

gas or propane

after sunset.

products aimed at making any out-

ety of mounting options (including

models.

door setting warm and comfortable.

post-mounted and ceiling-sus-

For 2012, the company continues

It is now offered in natural-gas

The heaters are

Both heater

Center: The Sunpak TSR remote-control patio heater

also used in con-

pended versions). The control sys-

styles have their

vention centers,

in 1967 by Edwin J. Cowan, a gas

tems for Sunglo heaters use either

special places in

amusement parks,

engineer who had a vision of

manual ignition (with a thermocou-

almost any patio or

ski resorts, retire-

designing, manufacturing, and sell-

ple safety feature) or automatic

outdoor-space

ment homes, and

ing his own gas appliances. One of

spark ignition with electronic flame

design. Larger out-

his many innovative ideas was an

monitoring.

door areas often use a combination

dens and zoos. Portable Sunglo

Sunglo and Sunpak heaters have a

all-weather outdoor patio heater, which he named the Sunglo™.

of Sunglo and Sunpak heaters to

heaters are a Hollywood film/televi-

reputation for outlasting and out-

ond heater, the Sunpak®, which

create even heat in all areas.

sion-industry staple, used both

performing their competition.

Infrared Dynamics was founded

This first-of-its-kind outdoor

Infrared Dynamics offers a secwas created in 1984 to extend

Left: The Sunpak Classic patio heater

even public gar-

behind the scenes and, often, in

According to Robert Cowan,

Beyond the Backyard

front of the cameras. The compa-

the company will continue to

While heat-seeking homeowners

ny’s A270 model can be seen at

update its heater lines with more

love the convenience and quality of

many Hollywood red-carpet events,

automated controls and more con-

no base—so it could be mounted

heaters from Infrared Dynamics, the

including the Academy Awards.

venience for the user. He says,

on ceilings or walls to heat even the

company has translated them to

tor to protect the unit from rain (and

smallest areas. It is also perfect for

commercial settings as well. They

Dynamics have always been made

facturer, we are well placed to

to aid in even heat distribution). The

long, narrow patios where floor

are the perfect way for restaurants,

in the United States and are

continue making the outdoors a

Sunglo patio heater remains one of

space is at a premium.

resorts, and golf clubs to extend

known for their high quality,

comfortable place for people well

dining and entertainment hours on

dependability, and durability.

into the future.”

heater used radiant (infrared) heat

patio-heating options. The Sunpak

that felt like the warming rays of the

heater was unique in the market-

sun. It featured a stainless-steel

place, at the time, because it had

perforated screen for the infrared emitter and a dome-shaped reflec-

the key products of Infrared

The heater has a compact, rec-

Products from Infrared

because it targets exactly the customers we are trying to reach,” Krueger says.

This, along with word-of-mouth advertising, has given Especially Wicker an edge in its market.

Going forward, the owners plan to start focusing more on the commercial end of their business by seeking business from local country Especially Wicker specializes in high-end wicker furniture for indoor, sunroom, and outdoor settings. clubs, golf clubs, and hotels. Two years move,” Krueger explains. ago, they incorporated the commercial side of the busiTwo years ago, the store began advertising in a ness as VM Contract Sales and Design. regional magazine that reaches more than 80,000 highThe fact that Krueger and Goode are female business end homes each month. “It has worked well for us owners also gives them the ability to bid on local and 34

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

“We believe that as a U.S. manu-

state government projects in Indiana as a certified Women’s Business Enterprise. “We know the new arm of our business requires a whole new set of skills and focus, but we are up for the challenge. We are always looking for new ways to extend our reach,” Krueger explains.

Over the past 25 years, Goode and Krueger have found their core values to be the glue that keeps them the best of friends, great partners, and fair employers— and gives them concern for their customers’ desires.

Those who choose a career path with Especially Wicker tend to stay with the company for a long time (which speaks volumes). Linda Bash, sales associate, has been with Goode and Krueger for 20 years. “Do the right thing, and living is easy,” Bash says.

This motto, which Bash exemplifies, has caught on with everyone at Especially Wicker. The owners have added to it: “Treat your customer the way you want to be treated,” they say. Both mottoes extend not only to the customer, but to each other and to the store’s vendors. Krueger adds, “Being a good business owner means that you care for your customers and your products—and I can say, without hesitation, that we do.”

Circle Reader Service No. 35

As I See It A NEW PLAYER Z-Line Designs is generating a buzz in the casual market with its distinctive outdoor furniture.

by SHARON SANDERS

Z

-Line Designs, Inc., San Ramon, California, is the nation’s leading import manufacturer of ready-toassemble furniture in the home-office, homeentertainment, office-seating, and home-decor categories. Products from ZLine Designs are designed to appeal to the savvy consumer who wants something sleek, modern, and high tech.

In October 2011, Z-Line Designs debuted a new line of casual furniture that was very well received, and the line’s sales were very successful in just 60 days. Patio & Hearth Products Report spent some time with Jim Sexton, founder and CEO, to take a peek into the company’s new venture.

What is the history behind ZLine Designs?

Sexton: It’s not what one might expect. It all started when a friend told me that something called the Internet was going to become big. I thought, “If this Internet thing takes off, everyone in the United States is probably going to need home-office furniture”—so my wife and I started the company out of our garage, in Silicon Valley, in the early 1990s.

We hired an individual who could educate

36

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

me on manufacturing in China (which was a huge learning experience).

Our first product was a Z-Line Designs desk; it was successful, and retailers began requesting more and more new products. Z-Line Designs grew at a very fast pace, and today, we bring close to 100 new items to market every season and do business with the largest retailers in the country.

Why did you start selling outdoor furniture?

Sexton: My wife came home, one day, with outdoor furniture for our backyard, and I was shocked to find out it was so expensive. Sure, it was nice, but it was not worth the high price tag.

My company manufactures millions of products in China every year, so I knew we could make quality casual furniture for a lower price.

Why do you think that Z-Line Designs will be able to make a name for itself in the casual-furniture industry?

Sexton: It’s the same reason the company has

been able to succeed in the home-entertainment/home-office furniture market: We have a passion for making products that have a wow factor—from design to function. A person can walk into any retailer’s showroom and immediately spot Z-Line Designs products because they have a very distinctive look. We know the same will hold true with our casual furniture. The Z-Line Designs brand also is one of the most recognized brands in the furniture industry.

Above: The Bali collection Above right: The Palos Verdes collection Bottom: Jim Sexton

“We have a passion for making products that have a wow factor—from design to function.”

What niche does Z-Line Designs fill in the casualfurniture market?

Sexton: Based on what I’ve seen in the marketplace, I feel there are two sectors when it comes to casual furniture: One is high-end, high-style product that very few people can afford, and the second is low-end product that lacks style. There is no manufacturer in the middle, with styles and prices that appeal to the average consumer. There is no doubt in my mind that Z-Line Designs has the capability to create midprice casual furniture to fill that gap.

Our furniture has always been designed with creativity in mind, so we are not going to make just another dining set. We have always made products that people want to buy, not something that’s boring.

We house seven designers who pulled together our very first line last year, and it is anything but boring. The fact that we got numerous orders in just 60 days (after

showing at just two trade shows) tells me that we are on the right track.

biggest opportunity and challenge?

Why did you decide to enter the casual-furniture industry now?

Sexton: Our biggest opportunity is growth. There is a whole casual market out there that hasn’t even seen our products yet because we entered the game so late last year (in October). We are going to make a gigantic push this year to grow our casual-furniture business. From what I’ve seen so far, I don’t think any other manufacturer has the looks that we have, nor do any manufacturers stretch the design envelope as far as we can. As for the biggest challenge, I really don’t see one this year, except for the fact that we are going to be growing quickly.

Sexton: It’s really a combination of two reasons. First, because the economy is so bad, people aren’t traveling the way that they used to; what they’re doing is turning their backyards into mini resorts.

They are taking the money that was previously used to go to Hawaii (or any other vacation destination) and investing it in their backyards. That’s why we decided to go into the casual business now—because we saw a large opportunity. The second reason is simply the fact that I’ve never been a follower. If everyone is going to the right, I’m going to go to the left because the left is the place where you will find the diamonds.

What do you see as your

What does Z-Line Designs need to do to capture the attention of new dealers and their customers?

Sexton: We plan to get our name out everywhere we can. We have always been hugely into television spots. One can’t

turn on a television on a Tuesday night without seeing one of our commercials.

We plan to continue this same strategy with our outdoor products. Z-Line Designs will also be showcasing our casual-furniture products at the ICFA Preview Show™ in July and at the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™ in September.

What is your vision for the future?

Sexton: My vision for the future is that our casual-furniture assortment will be just as successful as our other categories, if not more successful. I have always been in touch with what the public will buy, and I stay on top of the trends that are current in the marketplace. Z-Line Designs has always been innovative, unique, and committed to bringing the highest-quality products to the market, and we will continue this commitment with our casualfurniture assortment.

®

*(/*5& t */7*5&t */41*3&

Circle Reader Service No. 37

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

37

my T U R N

hot add-ons The Companion Group’s grilling accessories make perfect gifts for outdoor-cooking fans.

by SHARON SANDERS

o Chuck Adams

38

ver the past 10 years, cooks have been making their way out of the kitchen and into their backyards to enjoy the tastes, smells, and creativity of outdoor grilling. Chuck Adams, CEO of The Companion Group—a leading manufacturer of barbecue tools, accessories, and other outdoor cooking products—is helping to bring this growing passion for grilling to the next level.

“Grilling is not just about hot dogs and hamburgers anymore. People are getting creative and making things like stuffed pork rolls, steamed potatoes, and other foods one would have never imagined could be cooked on a grill. Retailers can take advantage of this growing trend and translate it into dollars,” he explains.

In 1984, Adams started the company (with Doug Fielding) in Berkeley, California, when they designed an environmentally friendly charcoal starter. While the product did fairly well, they realized that it would be tough to run a one-product business that would have any longevity—so they started designing other products.

Adams remembers that this was at a time when restaurants were shifting from griddle-

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

cooked food to grilled food, so the duo started making products for the grill. His theory, Adams says, is that restaurant food eventually translates to the home, in some form. “There wasn’t much innovation in grilling back then, so we had free rein,” he remembers.

Today, The Companion Group is based in Emeryville, California, and it sells hundreds of products for grilling to major retailers and specialty retailers. Its brands include Charcoal Companion®, Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue™, Planet Barbecue™ spice rubs and pastes, and pizzacraft™, the newest member of its family of brands (a complete line of pizza stones and accessories). The company’s philosophy focuses on innovation and problem solving for the grill, and it has proudly been first to the market with many of its unique products.

A NEW GRILLING GENERATION Adams has seen the whole grilling category blossom since he began designing accessories, 28 years ago. He says that the most dramatic change is the fact that people are cooking foods that are much more innovative and interesting than ever before, including more ethnic foods.

“People have gone from just cooking meat on the grill (and everything else in the kitchen) to cooking everything on the grill,” Adams explains.

He says that space management has become a big product area for The Companion Group because people are looking for the most efficient way to cook their appetizers, main course, side dishes, and desserts on the grill at the same time. One way that this can be achieved is by using grids, in varying sizes, that prevent foods from falling through the grill. The temperature can even be turned up and down on different areas of the grill to cook individual foods.

Adams adds that the frequency of grilling has doubled over the past 10 years, which has caused many people to switch to gas grills for convenience. “It’s a fact that food cooked on a gas grill doesn’t have the same flavor that it does with charcoal or wood,” he explains. “I am a huge cook myself and I’m passionate about giving people a way to create more flavorful food on the gas grill.”

The Companion Group is seeing success with its humidity products; these add moisture inside the grill, which makes for juicier meats. Its new V-shaped smoker box drives smoke (which translates into flavor) directly through the food on the grill grate.

Pizza is a big grilling trend right now, and

Top: The Companion Group created an entire line of ™

pizza accessories called pizzacraft ; pictured are the line’s square tile pizza stones.

the company is doing well with its pizzacraft brand, which includes artisan-quality pizza stones and tools for the grill.

“Everybody loves pizza, but if it’s cooked properly on the grill, it’s much better than it is from the oven. Add a smoke element, and you get a wood-fired, smoky taste,” he says.

CREATING THE RIGHT MIX Based on 28 years of experience, Adams has some strong recommendations about what retailers should carry as part of their grilling programs.

Traditional items such as oven mitts, tongs, and brushes should be the beginning of any program, but they are not the core items, as many retailers might think. “Grilltop items outsell our tools, by far,” he says.

Grilltop products include baskets, racks, woks, and space grids. Other consistent sellers include meat thermometers (because the biggest complaint about grilled food is that it’s dry) and grill lights (because people are cooking more in the evenings). One of the top reasons that people grill is for taste, so a good program should also include flavor-enhancing items such as smoker boxes, wood chips, planks, rubs, and sauces.

1

2

Adams recommends carrying items that reflect the food trends of the geographic area and the items that the retailers have a particular interest in themselves. “Since most people in the outdoor/patio area somehow relate to cooking, they should make it a point to parlay their own interests into (or expose themselves to) things that will help their customers,” he adds.

Adams also sees grilling gift centers as an emerging opportunity for specialty retailers. “Mass merchants phase out most grilling items after the summer, so there is really nowhere for consumers to shop if they want to purchase an item for a gift,” he says, adding that grilling accessories are the go-to gift for men.

He says, “The major retailers will never step up and create gift centers; it’s just not their business model. They are

4 ®

1. The Charcoal Companion silicone grill light ®

2. The Charcoal Companion V-shaped gas grill

3

smoker box ™

3. pizzacraft

more interested in selling a heater in the winter. If independent retailers put gifts in their grilling areas and promote them a little bit over the holidays, they will be amazed at what they sell.” Over the past two years, The Companion Group has seen a 30% surge in sales during November and December, which it attributes to gift centers.

With growing sales, Adams is more optimistic than ever before about the growth of the grilling-accessory category, and he sees it as a huge, untapped profit

stainless-steel curved

smoker boxes ™

4. The Charcoal Companion® Flip-Tip digital thermometer

center for specialty retailers—if they are serious about wanting to increase sales.

He adds, “If retailers can make themselves the go-to places for the person who wants to become a serious griller or wants to purchase a gift, they are going to have success.”

Circle Reader Service No. 39

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

39

product I N N O VAT I O N

dream grills A business duo’s innovative products are sought by barbecue buffs around the world. by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

t

hree years after escaping from the corporate world (with a dream of starting their own grilling business), entrepreneurs Bobby Brennan and Kerry Coker are having the time of their lives. Feeling that they had lost control over their schedules and their free time while working together at a division of Siemens, where Brennan was vice president and Coker was chief financial officer, the two kicked around the idea of starting a business together.

They both loved barbecuing and both owned ceramic grills. “We liked this style of cooking and thought we could develop a better-quality product that would have thicker ceramics and better features than the grills we had (while costing 15% less),” Coker recalls.

The pair got down to business, exiting their jobs and starting Kamado Joe in 2009 as co-owners; Brennan took the title of president and Coker became vice president. From the outset, they had fun because they loved what they were doing. “When I tell people I own a grill company, they say, ‘Wow! That must be a lot of fun,’ and it is. Grilling is fun,” Coker says.

Three years later, the partners are also happy to report that they are doing very well. By the end of 2010, sales were up over 300%. “It was our first year, so while 300% was a big number, we were a new company,” Coker says.

Then came 2011. The first half was extremely strong, with sales up 46%, but the market lagged in the second 40

half, according to Coker; nonetheless, he happily reports, the company ended its third year with sales up 31% over 2010 sales. “We do a fairly substantial amount of business in the Southern Hemisphere, with dealers in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Argentina, and what really helped us was the business from down there; we are experiencing nice growth in those markets,” he says.

While the international markets make up only about 15% of Kamado Joe’s sales, that share is growing, and Coker would like to bump it up to 20% to 25%. Regardless, the international portion of Kamado Joe’s business has proven to have a nice balancing effect on the company. “Barbecuing is seasonal, but with that business in the Southern Hemisphere, our revenue and factory production are balanced out nicely,” Coker explains.

In 2009, the company started with one product. Today, it has 16. The Classic product line contains the company’s signature grill (the ClassicJoe) and the new BigJoe, which is 33% larger than the signature model.

The Legacy series includes two gas grills, the GasJoe and GasJoe Ultra. The Revolution series includes the ProJoe— an extra-large ceramic grill encapsulated in stainless steel, offered at a suggested retail price of $7,999—along with the ComboJoe, a professional-series gas grill seated next to a kamado (both in one cart). “These are cutting-edge, innovative products,” Coker says. “The

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

ComboJoe offers the best of gas and kamado-style cooking in one unit. To our knowledge, no one has done that.”

Coker admits that the company’s product introductions are coming fairly rapidly. After all, the company worked on the BigJoe, ComboJoe, GasJoe, and GasJoe Ultra last year, and they are all available now. Speed doesn’t mean that Kamado Joe is forging ahead blindly, though. “Response from consumers is good. We’re providing high-quality products, and we’re competitive on price,” Coker states.

Ideas for new products come from everywhere. “We started out with our first product based on our own experience,” Coker says, referring to his kamado cooking experience. Because Kamado Joe is based in Duluth, Georgia, where 52 degrees is considered cold, both Brennan and Coker get to enjoy a year-round outdoor-cooking season, and they have garnered a lot of experience as grillers.

The ComboJoe came about by accident, according to Coker. He says, “We were looking at stainless-steel tables for our kamado and pulled a gas grill next

to them to compare the finish, and we thought they’d look good together.”

As for the GasJoe, Coker and Brennan saw a hole in the market that they wanted to fill. Coker says, “We thought there was an underserved piece of market—above big-box prices, but not at the high end of premium-priced grills. We have a distribution model that allows us to introduce products and get them out quickly on a domestic and international scale.”

Brennan and Coker see nothing but opportunity ahead for a growing market niche, but there is good news and there is bad news. According to Coker, ceramic grills are a growing segment of the market; few consumers, however, know about them.

Coker says, “The market, overall, for

Top: Kamado Joe’s BigJoe, a larger version of the company’s signature ClassicJoe ceramic grill Center: The Kamado Joe ComboJoe features the best of both worlds: a gas grill and a ceramic grill in one cart.

grill products is back to where it was in 2005. The economy has been rough, and about 15 million grills were sold in 2005 and that is about the same as last year.

Sales of smokers and kamado-style grills, however, have consistently grown over these years. The growth trend in this segment has caused some of the big-box chains to become interested. and they are bringing in kamado-style grills at low price points.”

Coker sees this as a good thing. He explains, “Some say that it is awful that a kamado-type grill can be found in bigbox stores, but I see it as a good thing, if it helps grow the segment. If sales go from 2% to 5% or even 7% of the grill market, we’ll all be happy.”

He continues, “We don’t work in the big-box channel. We are focused on the specialty retail channel and work to give dealers superior products at a competitive price. The big-box guys don’t have the necessary skill sets to do a good job of selling this category. Consumers will see the grill in their stores and find that our retailers are more educated and experienced with the product. Specialty retailers can demonstrate, sell, and service the product, so we think our channel strategy will be successful.”

Why does Coker say that ceramic grills are a better option than traditional grills? The two reasons, he says, are “taste and flexibility: I say taste because cooking on a kamado gives you a smoky flavor, and the food tastes better and cooks more evenly. I say flexibility because a kamado can cook at high temperatures for searing steaks or tuna, maintain medium temperatures for or chicken or kebabs, and go low and slow for things like ribs or a pork roast.”

Because the kamado offers a smoker experience, Kamado Joe is also targeting consumers to buy into the idea of having two grills, for even greater flexibility. “It is really interesting that 70% of people who have a smoker or kamado also have a gas grill,” Coker says of the company’s market research. He admits owning a GasJoe and two other Kamado Joe models in his outdoor kitchen, but the co-owner of Kamado Joe isn’t your average barbecuer.

Still, he says, “You need more than one grill. You use a gas grill to cook a hot dog or hamburger and the kamado for ribs.

Sometimes, you’ll put vegetables on a gas grill because you may not want the smoky flavor, but then again, I use the kamado far more because of the premium taste.”

The idea of owning multiple grills is

not out of reach for a visionary company such as Kamado Joe, which has likened itself to Apple on more than one occasion. “We’re bringing cutting-edge products to the market, and we’re bringing excitement to the category with some of these innovative products. The ComboJoe is one example. Buy one cart, and you get two great ways to cook.

That’s exciting,” Coker says. “Our marketing also has been fun, edgy, and somewhat like Apple’s.”

Social marketing is big at Kamado Joe, and the company is very active on Facebook. Coker says, “We have found that many questions are asked and answered on Facebook. It is a two-way conversation. It is not an ad or a newsletter, and the conversation goes on all the time.”

Coker tells the story of a consumer, Andy Scalzo, who likes Kamado Joe on Facebook. He doesn’t work for Kamado Joe, but Coker and the team know Scalzo very well. Coker says, “He is very much a grill enthusiast and a fan of Kamado Joe. Our customers will ask a question of us, and Andy may very well answer the question before we can answer it—and our normal response time is two to four hours. That’s how enthusiastic some of

these kamado people are. For whatever reason, people are comfortable with that medium. Facebook is the medium of choice.”

Coker adds, “While grills aren’t as exciting as phones, I think the products are making it exciting for retailers to bring out these products for the underserved markets.”

In the near term, look for Kamado Joe to continue its rise up the visibility ladder. “This many sound corny, but we want to provide exceptional quality, value, and innovation,” Coker says. “Case in point: Kamado Joe recently updated its Classic series by upgrading its thermometer and lid and by adding a grill gripper and a new ash tool, which will be introduced later this year. We are always trying to make it better and still maintain the price level.”

In the meantime, the former suit from the corporate world wants everyone to know: “We’re having a good time, and we’re bringing some excitement to this segment of the grill industry,” Coker says.

“We bring out something; then, our competitors bring out something. It all benefits the consumer. It makes us stay on our toes to have the best product out there, so everyone benefits.”

BigJoe. Engineered to outsell all other XL grills.

Better Design. Better Materials. Better Price.

Easy-To-Read Temperature Gauge with Cooking Guide

Powder Coated Cast Iron Top Vent

Finished Bamboo Side Shelves

BigJoe sets a new standard in extra large ceramic grills.

Bamboo Lid Handle

Powder Coated Counterbalanced Hinge System

304 Stainless Steel Welded Utensil Pins (4 Each Side)

One of BigJoe’s most innovative features is the new counterbalanced hinge system. The heavy duty hinge allows for smooth and easy lifting of the sizeable BigJoe dome. It transcends the flimsy and cumbersome hinges of other major brands.

BigJoe also features a new ash tool for ultra quick cleaning, a fire box divider and a split heat deflector that allows simultaneous direct and indirect cooking.

Split Fire Box

Every BigJoe comes fully assembled and includes the side shelves, cart, ash tool, poker and grill gripper.

304 Stainless Steel Draft Door with Ash Screen Powder Coated Cast Iron Cart

Split Heat Deflector (10 Configurations)

BigJoe offers generous margins and carries a retail price well below other major brands.

304 Stainless Steel Ash Tool

Join the Kamado Joe family of dealers.

Apply at KamadoJoe.com or call (877) 215-6299.

Locking Wheels

Circle Reader Service No. 41

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

41

product F O C U S Manufacturers maintain that retailers can still attract consumers willing to invest in high-quality grills.

by GREG THOMPSON

Quest for Quality

e

ven families with money to spend might put off a Hawaiian vacation in 2012, but a first-class backyard luau could fit many budgets. Backyard entertainment and grilling go hand in hand, and manufacturers are hoping that an uncertain economy will not deter patio diners.

42

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

A top-notch outdoor grill might be a luxury of sorts, but Ted Mealing is one (of many) in the manufacturing community who believes that customers are still willing to pay for value.

So far, the numbers are bearing this out, with this year’s sales a bit stronger than last year’s sales at Onward Manufacturing Company (OMC), Waterloo, Ontario.

Mealing, director of marketing for OMC, predicts, “Consumers will remain extremely cautious with their spending; however, they still want to enjoy the outdoor-cooking lifestyle or staycation, and they should continue to purchase good-quality grills.”

For OMC, that means continuing to develop the company’s Broil King brand, with a focus on independent dealers. Middle- to upper-income customers are the heart of OMC’s target market, and the company relies on specialty dealers to promote the benefits of cooking versatility for grill users.

“The heart of our grill is the cookbox design, which is consistent across the full line of Broil King grills—no matter the price point,” Mealing says. “Because of the way they are designed, the components, and the type of material, you can sear at extremely high heat, cook with indirect heat, use a rotisserie (on almost all models), and cook on a plank.”

Customers who want to build upscale outdoor kitchens appreciate the cooking options, but they also seek the right look. Sleek stainless steel is still an aesthetic winner in 2012, and Modern Home Products (MHP) Corp., Antioch, Illinois, an umbrella company that owns ProFire Grills, caters to those who favor this streamlined aesthetic.

Tom Nitz, senior vice president for MHP, agrees that this trend is still going strong, with outdoor looks tending to mirror indoor sensibilities. “That is especially true when you are dealing with the more upscale properties and projects,” he says. “In addition, 90% of the grills that we sell are the built-in models, while only 10% are on carts. The whole ProFire line has heavy-gauge stainlesssteel construction. It’s built to commercial specifications, but it’s geared toward the outdoor residential market.”

MHP continues to offer its SearMagic® cooking system, which features reversible, anodized-aluminum cooking grids. “You have

Top left: The Oasis modular island by Napoleon Top right: The Broil King Regal 490 with four dual tube burners, a rear rotisserie burner, and a side burner Center: The 830i Aurora Combo grill by RH Peterson Bottom left: The Big Green Egg, in a Nest, with Mates

Circle Reader Service No. 43

product F O C U S one side that is flat, like a skillet, and then you turn it around, and it is ridged, like a traditional grid,” Nitz says. “We are now introducing that into the ProFire line, but we are redesigning the SearMagic with very thick (0.75-inch) grids. We have also experienced growth with our new Phoenix grill, which can roast, grill, steam, and smoke—all virtually flareup free. It truly cooks it all.”

In addition to its residential grills, MHP sells aftermarket replacement parts—a business that has stayed strong even during times when core grill sales remained flat. “The parts business has been growing for a couple of years now, and that can be attributable to the bad economy,” Nitz explains. “People are fixing their grills, and we have replacement parts for mass-merchants’ grills and for competitors’ grills.”

TAPPING DEMAND Are high-end grills easy to sell?

Elaine Remy, director of marketing for RH Peterson Company (City of Industry, California), acknowl-

GRILLS AT A GLANCE Big Green Egg Company ­ The Big Green Egg (in five sizes) ­ More than 100 EGGcessories ­ Natural lump charcoal (in 10- or 20-pound bags)

Modern Home Products (MHP) Corp. ­ MHP outdoor grills ­ Phoenix series grills ­ ProFire series grills

Napoleon Appliance Corp. ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Oasis modular islands Built-in Prestige series grills Napoleon charcoal cart grills Prestige P500 cart grill Bellagio patio torch

Onward Manufacturing Company ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Broil King Signet series grills Broil King Sovereign series grills Broil King Regal series grills Broil King Imperial series grills Huntington Rebel series grills

RH Peterson Company ­ ­ ­ ­

44

Fire Fire Fire Fire

Magic Magic Magic Magic

Echelon Diamond series grills Aurora series grills Aurora 830i Combo grill all–stainless-steel smokers

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

edges the challenges in today’s economy, but she maintains that it all depends on how the purchases are framed.

Consumers seek top-of-the-line products in many aspects of their lives, so why should outdoor entertainment be any different?

“Consumers often see a grill purchase as an investment in their homes, just as they would see new appliances or bathroom remodeling,” Remy says. “They want a product made in the United States, from a company with a long-standing positive reputation.”

Remy believes that 2012 is bringing a renewed energy to the premium-grill market. At RH Peterson, the company is betting on a new addition to its Fire Magic brand. “We recently introduced the 830i Aurora Combo grill, with one side gas and the other side charcoal,” Remy says.

“This type of innovative thinking keeps Fire Magic in the forefront.

Our plan is to continue to build quality products for the home that bring families together, whether it’s grilling on a warm Sunday afternoon or enjoying the coziness of Real Fyre gas logs on a chilly evening.”

Looking beyond the traditional summer season has long been a goal of grill makers, particularly for markets in colder climates. Jodi Burson, marketing manager for Big Green Egg Company (Atlanta, Georgia), believes that her company has made some headway in capturing this elusive market. “Given the Big Green Egg’s versatility, our customers cook outdoors all year, and that brings them back to their local dealers, year-round, for natural lump charcoal and EGGcessories,” Burson says. “Our international distribution network ensures product availability and on-time deliveries to dealers, at any time.”

Long known for its bold color and for ceramic technologies that provide insulation, heat retention, and material strength, the Big Green Egg makes its case to customers who want something unique. “Our product can grill, smoke, and bake at exact temperatures through easy adjustment of the patented airflow controls,” Burson says. “Our precision tem-

The new Phoenix grill by Modern Home Products

perature gauge, made in the United States, provides accuracy to 750 degrees (400 degrees Celsius).”

The familiar design has evolved in recent years, with changes that include improved ceramics, a patented draft door, and a patented dual-function metal top, permitting a wide range of cooking temperatures—from ultrahigh-heat searing to low-and-slow smoking.

“A permanent porcelain glaze ensures that the signature green color will not fade or discolor under any outdoor conditions,” Burson adds. “Other practical improvements, including a springassisted hinge system and a heavy stainless-steel cooking grid, have enhanced the traditional design.”

Burson is confident that 2012 is yielding better sales than last year, thanks primarily to a demand for quality that is likely to go up with greater customer awareness and an improved economy. “Dealers can rest assured that their investment is protected by a successful company with a reputation for manufacturing quality and world-class customer service,” she says. “We have lovingly and painstakingly nurtured this product, and we have gained legions of loyal fans and culinary aficionados around the world. We will continue looking for any opportunity to improve

upon the superior quality of the product and the customer service standing behind that product.”

Customers who walk into specialty retailers’ stores are seeking something beyond the big-box experience. According to Ted Scott, national sales manager for Napoleon Appliance Corp.

(Barrie, Ontario), the key to feeding this consumer demand is catering to the entire outdoor concept.

“Embrace the category,” Scott says.

“Don’t just have customers walk away with a grill. Sell them casual furniture, torches, heaters, and everything else that goes with it.”

Napoleon Appliance has found success by marketing the outdoor room to the do-it-yourself homeowner, and it’s a strategy that the company plans to continue with the Oasis™ product line. “The Oasis is a modular outdoor grill-island configuration that we developed a couple of years back,” Scott says. “It is built with 304 stainless steel on the doors and drawers. It is powder coated over galvanized treated materials. Consumers can choose different island configuration modules. If they want to make a horseshoe configuration, they can order a couple of 45-degree wedges. If they want a custom configuration, they can use an assortment to make the island of their dreams.”

Circle Reader Service No. 45

corporate P R O F I L E

Henan Hi-Flame Comes to North America

by CHERISE FORNO

U.S. consumers respond well to Henan Hi-Flame’s high-quality, low-priced hearth products.

a

s an international company that has thrived in Irish and other European markets, Henan Hi-Flame Metal Company, Ltd. (Zhengzhou, Henan, China), has successfully entered the North American wood-stove market through a partnership with HearthDistribution.Com (Kelso, Washington).

Since brothers Li Weibo and Li Weitao launched Henan Hi-Flame in 2000, the company has evolved

from being a stove-parts supplier to being an international manufacturer of stoves and the creator of a unique line of cast-iron wood stoves.

Bob Geiter, the U.S. distributor for Henan HiFlame, says, “Through this period of growth and maturity, Henan Hi-Flame developed a woodstove line that was modest in price and high in value, which supported a market segment that had heretofore been left untouched or ignored.”

The Li brothers have grown their company based on a mission to deliver high-performance hearth products, in relation to their cost. A strong commitment to manufacturing environmentally friendly products is another reason for Henan HiFlame’s growing success with hearth dealers throughout the world.

After supplying stove parts to the industry for four years, Henan Hi-Flame became a manufacturer of stoves for the European market. In 2005, the company established its own line of cast-iron wood stoves. For the past seven years, Henan Hi-Flame has been the number-one stove manufacturer in the Irish market.

After achieving much success in Europe and other parts of the world, the company’s founders turned their focus to exporting stoves to North America. HearthDistribution.Com was the company that Henan Hi-Flame chose to partner with because of its similar business approach to providing products of superior value and quality, while also minimizing inventory requirements for manufacturing.

While expanding its distribution network and sales volume, Henan Hi-Flame has maintained its commitment to manufacturing high-quality, environmentally friendly products at a consumerfriendly price. The company’s dedication to creating lines of stoves tailored to customers’ needs has also helped it remain a leader in producing a branded line of wood stoves.

From concept design to the finished product, Henan Hi-Flame creates polished, technologically superior stoves. Many highly advanced techniques

Top: The 577 cast-iron wood-burning stove Left: The 577 cast-iron wood-burning fireplace insert

46

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Circle Reader Service No. 47

corporate P R O F I L E Far left: Henan Hi-Flame Metal Company’s headquarters Left: The 905 cast-iron wood stove

are used in the company’s manufacturing facility. “Robotic welding and painting, laser and plasma metal cutting, computer numerical control (CNC) bending, CNC pattern milling, and automatic enameling and assembly lines are all available,” Geiter notes.

In order to maintain the highest standards, Henan Hi-Flame products have gained CE and EPA certification. The company’s stoves are durable due to their cast-iron and/or steel construction, and they are masterfully crafted, with advanced combustion systems.

Henan Hi-Flame stoves are popular in the industry because they deliver these high-quality results at a great value.

“From its inception, Henan Hi-Flame wanted to be recognized as an industry

leader in dollar value,” Geiter explains.

“It was critical for its products to provide the dealer and consumer with the best cost–benefit relationship—offering the best quality for the cost of the unit.”

Geiter says that the company will remain focused, in the years ahead, on meeting its customers’ needs for competitively priced, high-performance products.

According to Geiter, the products that best represent Henan Hi-Flame’s mission of offering cost-effective products are the HF-517U Pony stove, HF717U Appaloosa stove, and the HF577DU Mustang stove. The Appaloosa stove features a patented noncatalytic, clean-burning system that has been hailed as the future of green burning. It also contains a rear heat shield, an easy-

to-remove baffle for convenient chimney cleaning, and a double heat plate to increase the stove’s surface area for improved burning efficiency.

The Mustang stove boasts a heating capacity of up to 2,000 square feet, produces 70,000 Btu, and has an overall efficiency of 72%. For 2012, Henan HiFlame will continue to offer new stoves to its customers with the introduction of the HF-737DU Stallion stove, which is expected to become the company’s number-one seller, according to Geiter.

The 905 cast-iron wood stove will be available in the United States for the

Circle Reader Service No. 48

48

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

2012 burn season. This contemporarystyle, fully certified stove uses 16.5-inch wood and comes equipped with a large window for great views. Another product, which (until recently) was only available in Europe, will also be available in the United States for the 2012 season.

The 577IU cast-iron wood-burning fireplace insert is part of Henan Hi-Flame’s line; it features a decorative cast-iron panel system, burns wood up to 24 inches long, and is fully certified.

With the company’s expansion into the United States essentially only beginning, sales numbers for 2012 are predicted to surpass last year’s figures by far. Geiter says, “Henan Hi-Flame feels that it will become a substantial contributor to the wood-stove market for North America.”

design . innovation . durability

shade experience : made in miami

www.tuuci.com Circle Reader Service No. 49

LUXURY FOR LESS

by CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI

Sales are on the upswing for The HammockSource as demand increases for its stylish, affordable hammocks.

t

he HammockSource is making its hammocks by hand, just as they were made more than 100 years ago—and in the hammock business, that’s a good thing. Walter Reid Perkins III says, “They are still made in the traditional way. We’ve added some high-tech fabrics, but overall, it hasn’t changed a whole lot over the years. People buy the tradition, and it is loved by many.” Perkins is CEO of The HammockSource (Greenville, North Carolina), a company steeped in tradition that inspires customer loyalty for products that Perkins dubs affordable luxuries.

For a company with products that customers buy for their history (as much as their good looks and comfort), The HammockSource is surprisingly young.

The current CEO’s father, Walter Perkins Jr., was a tobacco salesperson in the Carolinas when he founded the company. On a trip to Pawleys Island, South Carolina, he purchased a hammock that was made locally, took it apart, and improved upon what was already a much-loved product. He began selling his creations from the back of his car.

Perkins says, “Dad’s hobby was woodworking, and he has always been crafty.

He took this craft and turned it into a manufacturing business. My father is a

50

natural-born entrepreneur and I’ve been part of the business my entire life.” His father incorporated Hatteras Hammocks in 1971, and Perkins, who grew up with hammocks, joined full-time after graduating from college in 1988.

Today, The HammockSource, which employs more than 200 people in the Carolinas, has three distinct brands.

Hatteras Hammocks, the original brand, is the most contemporary line, sporting brighter colors than those of the traditional products. The brand’s products use high-tech materials and use cumaru, an exotic hardwood (instead of the traditional oak) for the spreader bars.

In 1997, the company acquired the Original Pawleys Island Rope Hammock Company. Today, the brand is all about tradition, and hammocks are constructed just as they were more than a century ago, using today’s innovative, high-tech materials Nag’s Head Hammocks, the newest brand, consists of five retail stores located in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The business was originally started in the 1970s and was an Outer Banks icon when The HammockSource bought it in 2004. “People know it very well; one store is doing $1 million in hammocks,” Perkins states. “That’s key. It is important

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

for my retailers to know you can make money selling hammocks.”

Perkins believes strongly in the old sales motto of Elmer Wheeler (1904–1968): Don’t sell the steak—sell the sizzle. A hammock, Perkins says, “gives the consumer a good place to dream happy dreams, when all we hear around us are nightmares. There’s a lot of sizzle in a hammock. You see it in advertisements for Caribbean vacations and so forth. We make a product that has a good feeling, which makes it easy for dealers to sell the sizzle.”

Perkins gets fired up when retailers say that they don’t carry hammocks because the big-box stores carry them.

He says, “This is a crock. Big boxes carry everything you can come up with; specialty retailers have to differentiate themselves and give the specialty customer something he or she wants. We have the product for everybody. Everybody likes hammocks—everybody. Electricians like them; doctors like them; everybody likes them. The biggest things dealers need to do is to commit to it and sell it.”

The next step, Perkins says, is to show off the hammocks. He explains, “We

have several different merchandisers, but the best way to sell a hammock is to set up a stand and hang a hammock on it.

Allow someone to be able to sit in it, touch it, and lie down in it. Throw in some accessories, too. We have wheel kits, pillows, and other items to help increase sales.” At peak selling times, such as Father’s Day, Perkins says, “Move the hammocks to the front of the store.”

Remember, timing is everything.

“Dealers really need to take advantage of the most opportune time to sell hammocks. Father’s Day is huge for us. It is our Christmas. It is explosive at Father’s Day. You have the summer coming, and a hammock is a good gift. Dealers really need to show the product and carry our differentiated products—the higherend products you won’t see in the big boxes,” Perkins says.

Above, left: Walter Reid Perkins III Above, right: Hatteras Hammocks® Rio birch stripe pillowtop hammock on a Hatteras Hammocks Roman Arc® cypress hammock stand

Circle Reader Service No. 51

last W O R D

Left: The Hatteras Hammocks® forest-green Soft Weave® hammock on a Hatteras Hammocks Roman Arc® cypress hammock stand Right: The HammockSource’s Hatteras Hammocks® Deluxe DuraCord® rope hammock, in oatmeal, on a Hatteras Hammocks Roman Arc® cypress hammock stand

For those who heeded his advice, sales have been strong, despite the economy. “We have been affected by the economy, but we haven’t taken it on the chin as much as other products have,” Perkins says, attributing the company’s success to the quality of its affordable luxuries and to its fiscal conservatism.

Sales were strong in the 1990s, allowing The

HammockSource to grow through its acquisitions.

Perkins says, “Through it all, we’ve always managed our debt. We’re very conservative. We don’t get out on a limb, and as I tell my young boys, ‘Don’t buy your toys on time.’”

Nonetheless, Perkins acknowledges that it is harder than ever to make a dollar. He says, “Dealers want products to be cheaper, and prices and labor are going

Circle Reader Service No. 52

52

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

up, so you’re getting squeezed.”

That said, Perkins makes it a point not to complain about business. “We’re smart enough to figure out how to make money in this economy. Every day, we’re challenged to figure out how to survive and thrive,” he says.

Keeping a tight watch on spending is a must.

Perkins says, “We look at how we can deliver our products to our retailers at less cost in every way, including order entry. In this time of technology, we look at how we can create a streamlined and low-cost relationship with our retailers and (at the same time) keep them apprised of new products, special buys, and the need to look at their inventories for hammock times like Father’s Day.” Another key to survival lies in innovative products. Recent product introductions include DuraCord® and quilted hammocks; the newest product is a pillowtop hammock. “It’s the new item of choice for the specialty retailer,” Perkins says, describing the overstuffed hammock with several pillowsized cells as a quilted hammock on steroids. He adds, “We offer it in DuraCord as well.” It is currently offered in all the colors in the Hatteras line.

The HammockSource is relying on what Perkins calls its continued and contagious entrepreneurship to win ever more sales. He says, “Every day, we are full of ideas. We have more ideas than we can accomplish. We have to decide which ideas we want to pursue. Our employees here are wonderful.

We’re not stuck in the sand; we’re not complaining about the economy: It is what it is. Complaining doesn’t help. Let’s go.”

Approaching the future, Perkins is optimistic.

He says, “The casual industry looks good. We consumers want to be outside. We like it outside.

We like to entertain outside; we like to relax, by ourselves, outside. These desires will keep our industry strong.”

Perkins also has words of caution. He says, “We have seen times when the manufacturer had a lot of power, but times have shifted. Even though the retail consumer has always had the ultimate power, it is much more evident now. The Internet is putting the power of the purchase in the consumer’s hands like nothing we have ever seen before.”

He adds, “Niches will become more and more important. The seller’s value to the consumer will be even more important. The rest of us had better figure out something other than trying to have the lowest price. The one who builds a relationship with those consumers will get their dollars.”

Circle Reader Service No. 53

hpb EXPO Roundup

HPBExpo Unveils Hot New Products

by CAROL DAUS

photography by WILLIAM JOYNER

W

ith more than 300 exhibitors and nearly 5,000 attendees, the 2012 annual HPBExpo was a huge success. This year’s show (which was held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on February 29–March 3) was well received by specialty retailers and dealers who previewed exciting new hearth, barbecue, and outdoor-living products introduced to the marketplace for the first time.

If showgoers weren’t checking out these hot new products, they were taking advantage of educational and networking opportunities. HPBExpo is the largest trade show of its kind in North America.

Pictured here are some of the influential leaders in the hearth, barbecue, and outdoor-living industries who were among the exhibitors displaying groundbreaking products. Patio & Hearth Products Report is proud to spotlight each of them for helping to make HPBExpo 2012 a successful show.

WoodMaster Grant and Jill Gagner

ENERVEX From left: Keith O’Brien, Gitte Hagensen, and John Altiere

Dimplex Karen Torcoletti and Bill Horricks

Hitzer Cindy and Dean Lehman

Bernard Dalsin Manufacturing Joe Burns (left) and Tim Dalsin

RH Peterson Tod Corrin and Amy Bortz

American Fireglass From left: Matt Doll, Randy Doll, and Dave Wick

Miles Industries Art Sewell (left) and Kim Rodgers

Patio & Hearth Products Report Tony Ramos

54 Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Big Green Egg Lou West (left) and Jerry Stone

DiversiTech Ray Shelor

Classic Flame/Twin-Star From left: Alexia Rouquette, Bill Caples, and Andy Bandremer

M&G DuraVent Brooks Sherman (left) and Todd Campey

Bull Outdoor Products Will Hanson (left) and Frank Mello

Elmira Stove Works Tony Dowling

Empire Comfort Systems From left: Jane Bauer-Routh, Joe Brueggemann, and Nick Bauer

Bromic Heating Daniel Joseph (left) and Vincent Pao

Erwin and Sons From left: Lynn Shoop, Jake Erwin, and Derek Andersen

Hearthland Products Bob Borgeding

Hearth Products Controls Greg Steck (left) and John Wagner

Henan Hi-Flame Metal Doug Willis (left) and Dan Geiter

Infrared Dynamics Lisa and Bob Cowan

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report 55

hpb EXPO Roundup Looft USA From left: St. John Wiles, Vaughan Wiles, and Vanessa Buckley

Golden Blount From left: Bill Romans, Steve Blount, Julie Blount, Golden Blount, James Blount, and Bill Bentley

Modern Home Products From left: Tom Nitz, George Koziel, and Tom McAleer

Napoleon Products From left: Ted Scott, Roger Gripton, Wolfgang Schroeter, Ingrid Schroeter, and David Coulson

Selkirk Corp.

B.J. Point and Ginger Hutto

Olympia Chimney Barbara Andricks

Kamado Joe Ryan Rice and Gail Hamblin

SCHOTT ROBAX Scott Beach and Karen Elder

PelletCan Brian Cayson (left) and Ty Wright

Blaze King Chris Neufeld

The Outdoor GreatRoom Company Paul Nigon

Onward Manufacturing Colin Kirvan (left) and Ted Mealing

56 Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Old World Spices David Maples

Lennox Hearth Products Tom Krebs (left) and Robert Dischner

Infratech/AEI John Mazzota (left) and Peter Arnold

California Outdoor Concepts Clint Blevins

OW Lee Terri Rogers

Circle Reader Service No. 57

product

PROFILES

Classique Rectangle Dining Agio continues to lead the industry by combining design elements that meet homeowners’ needs. The Classique rectangle dining group features a unique blend of the most durable elements—cast aluminum with sling seating that surrounds a long-lasting porcelain-tile–top table.

Beautifully hand finished and with a coordinating umbrella, Classique makes an elegant statement and is sure to be a favorite with retailers and customers alike. Contact: www.agio-usa.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 101

BBQ Guru DigiQ The Big Green Egg BBQ Guru DigiQ temperature control system is designed to hold the desired temperature in your EGG for hours on end, and will even gradually lower the cooking temperature when cooking is done, so foods won’t overcook. Contact: www.BigGreenEgg.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 102

Monterey California Outdoor Concepts premiers its new firepit table, the Monterey.

Capturing that iconic California experience, the Monterey is at once a dashing addition to your backyard landscape. Your first impression is of dark mahogany footings, but run your hand along the realistic basketweave of its unique design and feel the warmth of fire, and you will instantly be transported to the winding, rugged coastline of the Monterey Peninsula. In the same way that the city of Monterey has always highlighted what is best about California, the Monterey firepit table has combined aesthetic beauty with practical function. You can easily put your feet up or put your glass down, while your friends admire your style, around a lively fire.

Contact: (877) 274-6773 or www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 103

Heat & Glo LUX The LUX delivers custom looks—without custom-installation hassles. A clean face and flush hearth design are only the beginning. Routine installation helps you put this ultramodern direct-vent unit in more homes—faster. Catch the eyes of your consumers.

Colorful flames rise through sculpted stainless steel and command attention on your showroom floor. A reflective, black-glass interior multiplies the fire and radiates the flames. With the largest viewing area in its class, it offers nearly invisible glass, 89% glare reduction, and dramatic views from every angle. Contact: www.heatnglo.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 104

58

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Circle Reader Service No. 59

product P R O F I L E S

URComfort by Tropitone

Galaxy Outdoor Galaxy Outdoor does it again by introducing 40 different stock sizes and shapes of 16-gauge, U.S.-made, 304 stainless-steel firepan and fire-plate packages. The company also offers 40 different shapes of fire rings and burners.

These include straight, round, S-shaped, H-shaped, square, and triangular burners.

All burners are 100% made in the United States with heavy-duty, 12-gauge, 304 stainless steel that is drilled (not punched), and they can be used with either LP or natural gas. All packages include the firepan or fire plate; the burner; two 5/8-inch whistle-free, stainless-steel hoses; a key valve; a gas key; a battery-powered spark igniter with a box and a stainless-steel cover; and all fittings. These can be ordered in natural-gas or LP versions. A huge variety of U.S.-made Galaxy fireglass (at prices as low as $0.85 per pound) is available and is sold separately. Firepit packages start at under $150. Contact: (702) 448-5600 or www.galaxyoutdoor.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 105

Slide-in Searing Station If searing and infrared cooking are your desires, Bull Outdoor Products has a new outdoor-kitchen component for you.

Designed to match the Bull Outdoor grill control panels and powered by a massive 25,000-Btu ceramic searing burner, the unit also has a stainless-steel cover that is the best place to prepare your food.

Contact: (800) 521-2855 or www.bullbbq.com.

Tropitone’s innovative URComfort™ system takes casual seating to another level of functional elegance by harmonizing with the movement of your body to find the most comfortable position. Both sling and cushion versions of the system are offered in two of Tropitone’s most popular frame designs, Montreux and Lakeside (shown). Having a minimum of moving parts makes the system easy to use and maintain. The seating system helps to create outdoor spaces that are havens of enjoyment.

Contact: www.tropitone.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 108

Fireview Elmira Stove Works’ Fireview wood-burning cookstove features antique styling, a viewing window for monitoring and enjoyment, high-efficiency secondary-burn technology, and a spacious 3–cubic-foot oven. Optional autoignition propane burners can run off the barbecue tank. National advertising support and protected dealer territories are available. The model shown has an MSRP of $5,295.

Contact: (800) 295-8498 or www.ElmiraStoveWorks.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 109

Circle Reader Service No. 106

Del Mar

Bel Air Collection

The Del Mar, another timeless firepit from the Signature series of California Outdoor Concepts, is truly an elegant creation. The base is streamlined, and curved metal rises to meet the granite in chat, dining, balcony, or bar heights.

The Del Mar provides the ultimate choices in versatility, with over 36 different color combinations and a firepit that changes easily into a cooler table for your drinks.

Replace either of these inserts with the complimentary granite insert (which also has a 2-inch umbrella hole) and you could be instantly sitting outside, in the shade. Value and beauty are the Del Mar’s best attributes.

Contact: (877) 274-6773 or www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com.

Gensun Casual Living introduces Bel Air sling and Bel Air wicker sling. This collection features a traditional/ contemporary design and now adds sling seating to the original cast-aluminum design. It is available in all seating configurations, and with over 200 fabrics and 13 frame finishes available, Bel Air will decorate any outdoor space in style. Contact: www.gensuncasual.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 107

Circle Reader Service No. 110

60

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Circle Reader Service No. 61

product P R O F I L E S Cal Flame Rings of Fire Firepit The Rings of Fire™ firepit is a triangle firepit that features a triangle firebox with two standing stainless-steel rings that overlap to create a vertical circle of fire.

With two breathtaking rings of fire, LED lighting, tempered-glass rocks, and a 60,000-Btu output, the Rings of Fire firepit serves both as an artistic centerpiece and as a functional firepit for any backyard. It also features a convenient tabletop and footrest—perfect for entertaining guests. Contact: www.calfireplace.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 111

Del Sol Deep Seating Give your customers the flexibility to create their own personal haven for entertaining. The Del Sol deep seating group features a lovely sofa, a love seat, and a 360-degree swivel rocker with handcrafted, all-weather–wicker frames and a matching table with a roomy, long-lasting porcelain tabletop. Weather-resistant cushions are elegantly neutral and accented with coordinating tailored piping and a complementary patterned fabric, for a look that is sure to move quickly from your showroom floors. Contact: www.agio-usa.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 112

Big Green Egg Charcoal When you reach for Big Green Egg charcoal, you know it contains only 100% U.S. oak and hickory premium select natural lump charcoal.

Now, the company’s high-quality charcoal is available in two convenient sizes: a 20-pound bag and the new 10-pound bag. Contact: www.BigGreenEgg.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 113

Woodland Timbers Gas Log Set Hargrove introduces Woodland Timbers, the newest addition to its Radiant Heat series of vented gas logs. Woodland Timbers expands the ember-glow viewing area, allowing abundant radiant heat to come into the living space. Each Woodland Timbers set comes with beautifully textured logs and charred fiber chunks that glow red hot in the center of the ember bed. Woodland Timbers log sets are available in 21-, 24-, 30-, and 36-inch models, in addition to see-through versions. Contact: (800) 725-4166 or www.hargrovegaslogs.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 62

62

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Circle Reader Service No. 114

Circle Reader Service No. 63

product P R O F I L E S Slide-in Double Side Burner This space-saving front-and-back side burner from Bull Outdoor Products is specifically designed to match the Bull Outdoor grill control panel and delivers over 22,000 Btu of cooking power. These units are sold with a low-profile stainless-steel cover, which doubles as the perfect food-preparation area. Contact: (800) 521-2855 or www.bullbbq.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 115

Charcoal Companion Herb Grid

The Charcoal Companion® nonstick herb grid is great for adding fresh herb flavors to a variety of foods (without losing the herbs through the grill grate). To use it, simply lock fresh herbs inside the hinged, screened grid.

Place food on top of the closed screen, lock the grid closed, place food on top of grid, and start to grill. During cooking, the rising heat of the fire permeates food with the flavors of the herbs.

Great for meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables, or grilled sandwiches, the product has an MSRP of $17.99 Contact: (800) 521-0505, sales@companion-group.com, or www.companion-group.com.

Defiant by Galaxy Outdoor Galaxy Outdoor’s Defiant 6-foot island is perfect for those who like to entertain outdoors. It features a seating bar that is 5 feet long and 42 inches tall, along with a 2-inch–thick stone counter and bartop with a chiseled edge. The Defiant is multifunctional, with a 32-inch stainless-steel grill and rotisserie back burner, a 30-inch combo storage unit with a door and two drawers, and a 4.5–cubic-foot stainless-steel refrigerator with a trim kit. The bar can be placed on the right or left side of the island and the unit comes with two swivel barstools with cushions made from Sunbrella® fabric. A 10-foot tilt umbrella is also available (and is also constructed of Sunbrella fabric). The dealer’s total package price is $4,255. For special volume pricing, contact the company. Contact: (702) 448-5600 or www.galaxyoutdoor.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 117

Circle Reader Service No. 116

New 54-inch Premium Grill The new 54-inch premium grill from Twin Eagles features 25,000 Btu, 14-gauge, 304 stainless-steel burners with a lifetime warranty.

It uses high-quality ceramic briquettes and boasts an infrared sear zone with a variable heat level. The grill has hexagonal grates for more surface-to-food contact and has zone dividers to regulate different temperatures. It has an easy-to-open hood-assist system and interior lights with hood-activated light switches for nighttime grilling.

Additional features include decorative LED control-panel lamps, a multiposition and stowaway warming rack, two independently controlled infrared rotisserie burners, and a large-capacity smoker box. Contact: www.TwinEaglesBBQ.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 118

Refractory Panels Hargrove Premium Products has introduced a new series of replacement refractory panels.

Multiple sizes are available, and panels can be cut to fit sizing requirements. Each panel is steel and fiber reinforced. Some models are available for UPS shipment. Contact: (800) 725-4166 or markh@e-hargrove.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 64

64

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Circle Reader Service No. 119

Heat & Glo TRUE 738 Bamboo/Thatch Umbrella Galtech’s 738 series faux-thatch/bamboo autotilt umbrella will turn any outdoor-living area into a tropical paradise. The handpainted finish and punched bamboo knots create a realistic-looking bamboo feel to complement the faux-thatch canopy. The faux-thatch canopy is available in a natural or java finish and will not rot, mildew, or attract insects in the manner of a real thatch canopy. Contact: www.galtechcorp.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 120

The Finley Island The Finley Island offers all you can desire in an outdoor-cooking cabinet in a compact, sleek design. The single drawer is the perfect place to collect your spices, sauces, or grilling utensils.

Underneath the drawer is a larger storage area perfect for all those necessary bags of charcoal.

Additional storage underneath the grill ensures that all your cooking accessories can find a clean, dry home within easy reach. The Finley also sports an umbrella insert for those hot summer days.

This cabinet has two swiveling casters and two rigid casters, ensuring that your cabinet goes wherever you need it to go. Contact: (800) 624-6512 or www.selectoutdoorkitchens.com.

The TRUE provides the most authentic masonry appearance available in a safe, convenient direct-vent gas platform. With a clean face and a flush hearth design in 50-, 42-, and 36-inch sizing, TRUE offers the largest viewing area in each class, for the ultimate fireside experience. High-definition logs and LED accent lighting help create bold, robust fires. Seen through reflection-free glass, the experience is so real that consumers might try to add another log to the fire. Sell your customers on a TRUE new wave of traditional style. Contact: www.heatnglo.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 121

Circle Reader Service No. 122

Circle Reader Service No. 65

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

65

product P R O F I L E S Broilmaster Stainless-steel Cart An all-new storage cart for Broilmaster P3X, H3X, and Q3X grills conceals a 20-pound LP tank—and your small grill accessories—to provide a neater appearance. The elegantly curved door opens 180 degrees for easy front access. Hooks inside the door help organize your favorite grill tools and keep them close at hand. All exposed sheet metal and screws on the new PSCB1 cart are made from 304 stainless steel, for lasting beauty. Four low-profile casters (two freewheeling and two locking) make repositioning your Broilmaster grill a snap. Contact: www.broilmaster.com.

Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue Grillgrate Oiler Brush This all-in-one grill-grate oiler keeps a steady supply of oil at the ready while applying a wider swath of lubrication than that applied by other brushes. The Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue™ grill-grate oiler brush features high-temperature–resistant plastic and silicone, as well as a heat shield to protect your hands during use. The oiler comes with a tray to catch any excess oil drops from the brush and to provide a surface for priming the device; its MSRP is $19.99 Contact: (800) 521-0505, sales@companion-group.com, or www.companion-group.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 125

Circle Reader Service No. 123

Firepit Enclosure Series

Select Cutting Board Select Outdoor Kitchens is pleased to offer its newest product, Select cutting boards, exclusively to dealers.

Every cook needs a great cutting board, and the company has developed one that will become your trusted sidekick in the kitchen or at the grill. The cutting boards are 12x18 inches, oval shaped, and available in 10 colors. The material, approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the National Science Foundation, is the same material that you will find in the best restaurant kitchens in the United States. Each cutting board has an attractive depression to catch any cooking juices. Cutting boards can be sold as is or customized with store logos. Contact: Mike Miller at mike@selectoutdoorkitchens.com or www.selectoutdoorkitchens.com.

Hearth Products Controls has introduced a new, tapered, unfinished firepit-enclosure series.

The enclosures have strong, welded, galvanized frames; HardieBacker® sheeting material; and proper venting for gas firepits. They are available in round, rectangular, or square models. Custom sizes also are available. Contact: (877) 433-7001 or www.HPCfire.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 126

Circle Reader Service No. 124

Go beyond ordinary.

Design-edly Different! beach patio market

Royal Red Stripe Large Quilted Hammock

ZIPJACK

CUSTOM UMBRELLAS ZIPJACK INDUSTRIES, LTD.

ELMSFORD, NEW YORK 10523 TEL 914.592-2000 FAX 914.592-3023

WWW.ZIPJACKUMBRELLAS.COM Circle Reader Service No. 66

66

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Part of the Hatteras Hammocks® Equestrian collection, the simple, elegant fabric pattern is based in rich, royal red recalling an old-time jockey’s vest on race day. Woven from the surprisingly soft outdoor fabric DuraCord®, the Royal red stripe large quilted hammock resists staining, fading, rotting, mold, and mildew.

Spreader bars are richly grained South American cumaru, among the hardest, most durable woods on earth; hanging hardware is zinc-plated steel. The hammock’s body measures 55x82 inches; its total length is 13 feet. Contact: (252) 758-0641 or www.thehammocksource.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 127

Paradise Tabletops Paradise tabletops from Gensun are absolutely stunning. They offer the beauty and natural look of stone, but eliminate all the maintenance, since they are manufactured using high-quality cast aluminum.

Available in two colors and many sizes, Paradise tabletops will enhance any outdoor seating collection.

Contact: www.gensuncasual.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 128

LED Autotilt Umbrella

New Slimline Single-element Heaters

Galtech’s 936 and 986 LED-lit autotilt umbrellas create the perfect nighttime ambience for summer parties. The low-voltage LED lamps are built right into the frame, allowing the user to operate the lights in three eye-catching modes: steady on, random chase, and flash. The steel-cable–driven autotilt function will extend the afternoon shade at any desired tilting angle. Contact: www.galtechcorp.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 129

The new Slimline single-element heater by Infratech incorporates a specially designed electric quartz heating element that produces safe infrared energy. With crisp, modern styling; brushed-stainless trim (with an optional dark, contrasting housing); and a narrow profile, a Slimline heater virtually disappears into the surrounding decor. Contact: www.infratech-usa.com.

Eventually, she’ll awaken to discover it’s not just a dream.

The New URComfort™ Action Lounger

Circle Reader Service No. 130

577 Cast-iron Wood-burning Fireplace Insert HearthDistribution.Com, Inc., is proud to introduce the 577 cast-iron wood-burning fireplace insert to the Henan Hi-Flame family of world-class cast-iron stoves. This larger unit is fully certified and will be available for the 2012 burn season. The 577 cast-iron wood-burning fireplace insert continues the look of stated elegance prominent and visible in all Hi-Flame designed stoves. The insert is available in two finishes: the high-temperature paint finish or the more stately porcelain-enamel finish, in either brown or black. It provides the user with simple (yet stately) lines and an unobstructed view of the fire; it uses wood up to 24 inches long. Contact: info@hearthdistribution.com or www.hearthdistribution.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 131

Use your smartphone QR code reader to learn more.

www.tropitone.com

Circle Reader Service No. 67

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

67

product P R O F I L E S Aesthetically Pleasing

Looking for originality?

Elmira’s unique vintage-styled appliance lines offer exclusive territories, national advertising support and excellent profit potential. Choose from Antique or retro-cool Northstar.

Infratech’s low-profile heaters and low clearance requirements allow the fixtures to blend into any environment seamlessly. Infratech heaters represent a good balance among efficiency, heating performance, and low visual impact.

Infratech heaters produce no harsh visible light or glare to spoil the mood or strain your eyes. Contact: www.infratech-usa.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 132

Qrave Grill

RANGES • COOKSTOVES RANGE HOODS • MICROWAVES REFRIGERATORS • DISHWASHERS

Broilmaster’s new Qrave grill might be the most versatile gas outdoor-cooking system that you can buy. With electronic ignition, an oval burner, and dual controls, the Qrave (pronounced crave) adjusts from as low as 7,500 Btu (for low-and-slow cooking and smoking)—but can still be cranked up to as high as 25,000 Btu (for grilling and steaming). The stainless-steel chip drawer slides out, so you can add chips without opening the grill. The stainless-steel drip tray catches all the drippings to eliminate flare-ups. Most of the drippings vaporize to produce flavorful smoke, while any excess liquids flow to the external drip bucket. Close the drain valve and fill the drip tray with water (or other liquid) to steam seafood and vegetables. The deep aluminum casting creates natural convection for exceptional heat and smoke circulation. The 0.25-inch–thick casting maintains a consistent temperature, all day and all night. A new precision probe heat indicator monitors the temperature and can even be recalibrated in your kitchen to ensure accuracy. Qrave grill heads fit all Broilmaster carts, posts, shelves, and side burners. Choose from LP or natural-gas versions. A special-package model—in the LP version only—ships in one carton, with a black cart and one side shelf. Contact: www.broilmaster.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 133

Hamptons Summer Stripe Deluxe Cushioned Double Swing

Adorned with nickel, brass, copper or chrome, each custom-built appliance is true to its era.

Models available in gas, electric, wood-burning or dual fuel.

Think outside the stainless steel box.

ElmiraStoveWorks.com 1 800 295 8498

Hand-dipped multiple times in honey-gold marine spar varnish, the curvy white-oak frame supports an abundantly wide, pillowy seat of cottony-soft, ultra–fade-resistant, all-weather DuraCord® fabric sandwiching a lavish layer of polyester fiberfill batting.

The fabric, part of the Hatteras Hammocks® Mariner collection, features bold stripes in alternating blues, golds, and whites seemingly lifted straight from some nautical flag flapping atop an ocean-bound yacht. Chains and hardware are zinc-plated steel, for heightened rust protection. Contact: (252) 758-0641 or www.thehammocksource.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 134

TK Torch Series The TK torch series from Hearth Products Controls has a new look this year. The company has enhanced the torch with a beautiful hand-hammered copper kano sleeve. Complement the look of your outdoor area with this distinguished quality detail. TK torches are available in electronic-ignition or match-lit (manual) versions. Contact: (877) 433-7001 or www.HPCfire.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 135

Circle Reader Service No. 68

68

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Ironhaus Express Direct-vent screens are the newest and best-value handcrafted face for gas fireplaces now available. They convert a potentially dangerous fireplace into a safe and very attractive element of art, all at pricing your customer will find irresistible. Contact: www.ironhaus.com or (866) 880-0900.

Circle Reader Service No. 136

Bungalow The lines from indoor to outdoor continue to blur with Bungalow deep seating and dining by Homecrest.

Bungalow is a slipcovered outdoor patio-furniture collection that offers the utmost versatility with a variety of sophisticated, durable, and weather-resistant fabrics. Its curvaceous cast feet add visual interest and style to the casual comfort you’ve come to expect from Homecrest. All slipcover fabrics are hand selected for softness, quality, and durability. Featured here is the Bungalow collection in Delft and diva fabrics and the sterling frame finish. Contact: www.homecrest.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 139

917 Euro Styled Wood Stove HearthDistribution.Com, Inc., is proud to introduce the newest member of the Henan Hi-Flame family of world-class cast-iron stoves: the 917 Euro Styled wood-stove line, which will be available for the 2012 burn season. These stoves are available in both standard-base and pedestal designs. The 917 Euro Styled wood-stove line is available in two finishes— either the high-temperature paint finish or the more stately porcelain-enamel finish, in brown or black. Euro Styled wood stoves offer elegant beauty, simple contemporary styling, and a large window for great views; they use 15-inch wood. The stoves are fully certified.

Contact: info@hearthdistribution.com or www.hearthdistribution.com.

BigJoe Split Heat Deflector by Kamado Joe The BigJoe split heat deflector allows you to bake, grill, and smoke with over 10 different configurations. The split design offers simultaneous direct and indirect cooking, so meat and vegetables can easily be cooked together.

The frame can also be used separately to raise the cooking grate and reduce the charring of tender foods. Contact: (678) 866-0642 or www.kamadojoe.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 140

Circle Reader Service No. 137

Shade, Safety, and Fun, All in One ZipJack Custom Umbrellas introduces a new line of patio umbrellas designed to provide colorful, shaded play spaces for youngsters.

KidBrellas are a great way to protect kids from the sun. KidBrellas easily convert from table umbrella to play space and feature bright, bold silkscreened animal illustrations with extended side panels that provide extra coverage. Contact: (914) 592-2000, sales@zipjack.com, or www.zipjack.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 138

Circle Reader Service No. 69

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

69

product P R O F I L E S Homecrest’s Universal Firepit Homecrest’s Universal firepit brings a blend of materials together to create a tastefully executed combination of faux materials, aluminum, and sling fabric. The top is offered in faux granite, Sorrento, Tuscan, or sandstone (shown in in Sorrento; color: cocoa bronze). The base is composed of aluminum with sling fabric and offered in all frame finishes and a large selection of sling fabrics, for a totally custom look. Homecrest’s Universal firepit is featured here with the Wescott balcony seating collection in the Sedona frame finish and tiger tri-sling seating option. Contact: www.homecrest.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 141

Pasadena Featuring the new 28-inch infrared insert, the Pasadena by Twin-Star offers ample shelf storage for electronic components, an open center shelf, a tiered mantel top to support today’s televisions, integrated wire management, left- and right-side storage, and side doors that can be configured in three distinct styles: with speaker grills (to conceal speakers within the mantel), solid-wood inserts, and glass inserts. The adjustable shelves feature a high-quality wood-veneer finish on both sides. The unit also has three-way–adjustable European (concealed) hinges and brushed-nickel door pulls.

Contact: www.twinstarhome.com.

SunpakTSR Patio Heater Infrared Dynamics introduces the new Sunpak-TSR outdoor patio heater, which features a handheld remote control. One slim remote handles on/off and high to low heat settings. The Sunpak-TSR’s stainless-steel finish reflects elegance and style on your patio wall or ceiling. It’s available in natural gas or propane models that give off quiet radiant heat.

Contact: www.infradyne.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 143

Circle Reader Service No. 142

Country Collection Montlake Insert From Lennox Available in Spring 2012, the EPA-certified and Washington State-approved Country® collection Montlake™ 230 wood-burning insert by Lennox Hearth Products converts a fireplace into an efficient, clean-burning wood heater. An innovative heat exchanger with the exclusive Lennox Thermal Fin Technology™ and a large ceramic glass viewing area maximize heat transfer for greater utility savings. Contact: www.lennox.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 144

BigJoe

by Kamado Joe BigJoe is engineered to outsell all other extra-large grills. One of BigJoe’s most innovative features is a counterbalanced hinge for sturdiness and easy opening. BigJoe also features a new ash tool for ultraquick cleaning, a firebox divider, and a split heat deflector that allows simultaneous direct and indirect cooking. Contact: (678) 866-0642 or www.kamadojoe.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 70

70

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Circle Reader Service No. 145

Valor L1 Linear Series Showcasing leading-edge design, high-quality finishes, and high efficiency, the L1 series combines Valor’s proven performance with the latest in linear design. The L1 provides two stunning fuel-bed designs (known as the Long Beach and Murano glass), both backed by steady, radiant warmth. Firebed liners include sand fluted, black fluted, and black reflective enamel. Contact: www.valorfireplaces.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 149

Prestige 500 Series NapoleonŽ is proud to announce its new Prestige 500 series. Ranging in output from 56,000 to 78,500 Btu and with 760 square inches of total cooking area (to feed up to 12 people), every grill in this series is a giant and will grill beyond satisfaction. The Napoleon SIZZLE ZONE™ side burner comes standard in all RSIB models and will sear you the perfect steak, every time. All P500 models feature chrome-plated warming racks for further rust resistance, and all are shiny and attractive. The PRO™ models feature i-GLOW™ backlit control knobs for easy grilling, anytime, and have chrome accents on the lid, handles, and towel bars. Contact: www.napoleongrills.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 146

Vista King Chaise The Vista King chaise by OW Lee is a new addition to the Vista collection. The chaise features a beautiful and elegant hexagonal wrought-aluminum frame. In addition, the Vista King chaise has a soft pillow back and fully formed and upholstered arms, as well as soft, deep cushions for maximum comfort and relaxation. Contact: www.owlee.com.

Salisbury Enjoy your patio in comfort and style with the Salisbury collection. This beautiful design can give any patio area a pristine and sophisticated look. The Salisbury collection includes pieces such as dining chairs, swivel rockers, chaises, and even a very comfortable love seat.

Each piece is handpainted using a three-step process and then baked twice for a long-lasting finish. Contact: (800) 251-6537 or www.mallinfurniture.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 147

Circle Reader Service No. 150

Quality Replacem Replacement ment Pilloows Cushions & Pillows sss Solution Driven Driveen sss Durable Construction Construction sss Service Exceptional Ser rvice

Majestic Triumph Direct-vent Gas Insert Featuring four different framing choices and an array of interior design combinations, the Majestic insert is a triumph of style for your customers. Two new 3D brick liners and a black porcelain liner create stylish impact on the inside—and with the exclusive Total Signature Command™ system, the fireplace controls are always right at their fingertips. Contact: www.majesticproducts.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 148

YYOUR OUR SOUR SOURCE C FFOR CE OR UMBRELLAS UMBRELL AS AND CUSHIONS CUUSHIONS 0..&../&0..0 www.paradisecushions.com 0..&.. /&0..0 & www.paradisecushions.com Circle Reader Service No. 71

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

71

product P R O F I L E S Chimney Classics by Jack Arnold Steel Chimney Pots Constructed of high-quality steel in a painted copper finish, the Chimney Classics

by Jack Arnold line offers the aesthetic elegance of the European Copper by Jack Arnold brand chimney pot, but at a price that will appeal to a wide variety of homeowners. These new and budget-friendly chimney pots, distributed to the hearth industry exclusively through Lennox Hearth Products, feature stylish looks with clean lines and two different silhouettes from which to choose. Contact: www.lennox.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 151

Flexible Natural Stone

G22 Making its debut in 2012 is RH Peterson’s dazzling G22 vented burner, with a hefty 40,000- to 65,000-Btu rating. The burner features a unique glass-front fender panel, allowing a better burn pattern and flame distribution. Currently available in your choice of 18-, 24-, and 30-inch sizes for both standard and see-through applications, the G22 is available in polished, mirror-finished stainless steel or in the new warm, reflective rose-gold finish. This burner is for use with RH Peterson’s Fyre Glass or Fyre Gems. Contact: (800) 332-3973 or www.rhpeterson.com.

MLW Stone introduces flexible natural stone. This revolutionary new slate product comes in 2x4-foot sheets and a 1- to 2-millimeter thickness and is offered in eight different color choices. The thin slate veneer is ultralight, easy to bend, and ideal for use on curved walls or

Circle Reader Service No. 152

Old World Spices & Seasonings

as a fireplace facing. Other applications include outdoor-kitchen islands, firepits, grill stands, mantel accents, entertainment centers, and more. Please request samples today and consider the possibilities.

Contact: (800) 477-7665, henry@mlwalker.com, or www.mlwstone.com.

Old World Spices & Seasonings has introduced must-have grilling accessories.

These Championship rubs and sauces are award-winning national brands and are the perfect complement to your grill area. Old World is your one-stop shop for over 25 varieties of barbecue rubs and five varieties of sauces. One taste, and they will keep your customers coming back for more. Contact: (800) 241-0070 or www.oldworldspices.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 155

Circle Reader Service No. 153

Plantation MAX Cantilever by TUUCI TUUCI’s Plantation MAX cantilever creates a cool retreat with warm ambience. Its exclusive Aluma-TEAK state-of-the-art hardwood finish is combined with TUUCI’s durable Armor-Wall Aluminum™ construction, making a parasol guaranteed to endure for generations. Featuring classic European tailoring, the Plantation MAX cantilever provides 144 square feet of uninterrupted shade and ambience. Contact: www.tuuci.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 154

72

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Sunglo A242 Patio Heater The Sunglo model A242 freestanding patio heater by Infrared Dynamics has a very slim profile on your patio. The A242 Sunglo radiant heater offers the flexibility needed to move the heater on decks or patios piped for natural gas or under-deck propane. No electrical power is needed. The A242 heats an average 12-foot area with sunshine-like heat.

Contact: www.infradyne.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 156

New Vermont Castings 2012 Signature Series Grills

Seville Seville is a distinctive and luxurious collection that offers a cozy design. The Seville collection is designed beautifully with comfort and style in mind. This collection consists of a sofa, love seat, and chaise. Barstools, club chairs, and ottomans are also available. Seville is available with many beautiful, high-quality Sunbrella® fabrics. This design can complete any outdoor area.

Contact: (800) 251-6537 or www.mallinfurniture.com.

Manufactured in the United States from 304 true stainless steel* and the company’s hallmark cast iron, the 2012 grills feature the Vermont Castings Signature FlavorSeal system and deliver the premium quality and performance that your customers expect. Vermont Castings is proud to say that with a propane-tank pullout tray and a sear burner on the 422 and 522 models and an all-new tool kit and cover,* its Signature series grills now provide even more standard features. *This excludes the 332 model. Contact: www.vermontcastings.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 160

Circle Reader Service No. 157

Bainbridge Dining SearZone Phoenix Grill introduces the new SearZone infrared side cooker. This optional stainless-steel unit has rust-free, anodized-aluminum SearMagic® cooking grids, which heat up faster and cook foods at a uniform temperature. The reversible grids provide increased versatility, with a ribbed side for grilling with sear lines and a smooth side that is ideal for cooking delicate foods. The electronic ignition ensures easy and reliable starts, while the pullout drip tray allows for easy cleaning. Contact: www.mhpgrills.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 158

Bainbridge Dining is part of the Southern Living Home collection, exclusively

by NorthCape. Bainbridge features a contemporary design; a lightweight aluminum frame; and durable, UV-protected polyethylene woven resin. The willow thick weave is especially captivating when paired with tones from the company’s newly expanded fabric library. For more information on Bainbridge dining or additional options from this collection, visit the company online. Contact: www.northcapeoutdoor.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 161

New Rock and Glass Kit From Valor

Terrace Umbrella

Available on the Horizon, H4, and Legend G3 insert models, this accessory kit includes both clear and black glass beads for installation, depending on customer preference. A contemporary upgrade for Valor fireplaces and inserts, the rock and glass kit (shown here with the Legend G3 insert) further diversifies the Valor product line. Contact: www.valorfireplaces.com.

The new Terrace umbrella has been developed in response to requests for a slightly more contract feel than a standard patio umbrella provides. This durable market umbrella was designed for residential use and is budget conscious. Made with a furniture-grade, solution-dyed–acrylic canopy (rather than spun acrylic or vinyl-coated weaves), it has a look and feel that are more upscale. It’s available in two sizes and three finishes, with an optional push-button tilt. For more information, contact Paradise Cushions

by FiberBuilt. Contact: (866) 668-8668 or www.paradisecushions.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 159

Circle Reader Service No. 162

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

73

product P R O F I L E S Championship Barbecue Rubs How do you gain repeat business and traffic in your store? Become the expert in Championship barbecue rubs. These eight nationally and regionally recognized brands will keep your customers coming back to your store for more. From Kansas City to Texas to Carolina to Memphis, this display has 48 units of the best barbecue rubs in the country and is an attractive addition to your grilling accessories. Contact: (800) 241-0070 or www.oldworldspices.com.

Broil King Premium Grilling Accessories With over 25 years of experience building premium barbecues, Broil King® is a name that has become synonymous with quality. For 2012, Broil King launches a line of professional grilling accessories to complement and enhance the outdoor-cooking experience. The Broil King line of premium grilling tools and lifestyle accessories is designed for the consumer who is looking for professional-caliber grilling tools. The premium line includes lifestyle accessories to expand a griller’s menu offerings; accessories such as the deep-dish grill wok and stone grill set allow consumers the opportunity to create restaurant-quality meals in their own backyards. Contact: (800) 245-5138 or www.broilkingbbq.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 166

Circle Reader Service No. 163

SearMagic by ProFire ProFire® grills now have SearMagic® cooking grids available as an upgrade on Professional series grills. These high-performance, rust-free, hard-coat anodized aluminum cooking grids heat up faster and cook foods at a uniform temperature. The reversible grids provide increased versatility, with a ribbed side for grilling steaks, chops, burgers, and ribs (branding them with sear lines); the smooth side is ideal for cooking delicate foods, such as fish, other seafood, and vegetables—and even French toast. Contact: www.mhpgrills.com.

Monterey Collection The Monterey collection is as versatile as it is striking. Monterey features a clean contemporary design; a lightweight aluminum frame; durable, UV-protected polyethylene woven resin; and plush deep seating for added comfort. The cappuccino thick half-round weave is stunning when complemented with many combinations from NorthCape’s newly expanded fabric library. For more information on Monterey, visit the company online.

Contact: www.northcapeoutdoor.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 167

Circle Reader Service No. 164

LHD62 Linear Direct-vent Gas Fireplace Napoleon® is pleased to introduce its dynamic 62-inch linear direct-vent gas fireplace, which can be installed in both residential and commercial settings. The LHD62 of the Linear High Definition series comes standard with a Topaz CRYSTALINE™ ember bed, porcelain reflective radiant panels, electronic ignition, and noncombustible facing materials, making it the perfect fireplace for lobbies, entranceways, hallways, bars, lounges, living rooms, and more. The LHD62 offers an output of 50,000 Btu and a fuel-saving electronic ignition (with battery backup). A safety screen and modulating thermostatic remote control come standard with the unit. Contact: (800) 461-5581 or www.napoleonfireplaces.com.

Casa bistro swivel stools from OW Lee are available in three heights: counter, bar, and the new pub height. Made from wrought iron, with a dark-bronze frame finish and posh oat fabric, the Casa swivel stools embody elegance and functionality. All three heights are available in the Villa and Chalet bistro styles as well. Contact: www.owlee.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 165

Circle Reader Service No. 168

74

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Casa Bistro Swivel Stools

Stylishly Relaxing Cast in A356 aluminum, Ballantyne melds Georgian elegance and sensuous French curves to grab attention. This collection offers choices in dining tables (54- and 100-inch), a 54-inch coffee table, armchairs (cast seat and luxury seat), a dining swivel rocker, and lounge selections (armchair, settee, and swivel). Each comes with the company’s industry-leading 15-year limited warranty on furniture frames and a five-year limited warranty on paint finishes in residential use. Contact: (800) 294-4758, virginiah@olfurniture.com, or www.olfurniture.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 169

Acapulco Collection

Contempo Umbrella The Contempo umbrella is perfect for outdoor rooms with a modern decor.

Contempo is a 9-foot umbrella with a canopy that opens to an almost completely horizontal attitude for a truly minimal profile. The umbrella is constructed with a one piece, 1.5-inch–diameter aluminum pole available in bright aluminum and champagne bronze finishes. Features include FiberBuilt’s flexible fiberglass ribs and a wide selection of marine-grade, solution-dyed–acrylic canopies. Contact Paradise Cushions by FiberBuilt for more information. Contact: (866) 668-8668 or www.paradisecushions.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 170

Real Fyre Fyrebacks Real Fyre Fyrebacks are beautiful accents to any contemporary or traditional fireplace, reflecting the fire’s flame and warmth. Both a striking rose gold and subtle black porcelain have been added to the collection, which includes highly polished mirror and brushed-satin finishes. The Fyrebacks are available in contemporary stepped Art Deco and traditional arched designs in 18-, 24-, or 30-inch sizes—or the new 36-inch size.

Contact: (800) 332-3973 or www.rhpeterson.com.

Combining comfort and unique style, the Acapulco collection provides the ambience needed for hours of luxurious entertaining and relaxation. This arrangement brings exceptional character and charm into any outdoor setting. Contact: (925) 743-4000 or www.z-linedesigns.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 173

South Beach Padded Sling Tropitone’s South Beach padded sling outdoor-furniture collection, by noted designer Richard Holbrook, takes Tropitone’s contemporary design to a new level. To keep up with the needs of modern exteriors and of landscape architecture, Tropitone introduced its padded sling seating system. A two-piece, two-sided fabric seat is slung across the seat and back frame, creating a modern look while providing enhanced comfort. Contact: www.tropitone.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 174

Circle Reader Service No. 171

Starlight Collar Tilt by Treasure Garden The elegant and durable Starlight collar tilt from Treasure Garden sets industry standards for fashion and design, for both daytime and evening. With built-in rib lights, the Starlight will light up your party all through the night. It’s available in two sizes: 9 and 11 feet. The collection features the finest tilt design ever. You simply turn the collar, even while sitting down, for infinite degrees of shade comfort. With over 25,000 shade options, Treasure Garden is the number-one name in shade. Shown is the UM8009SL DC7–5462HP in Sunbrella® hot pink and 54048 Sunbrella charcoal, with the BW509 classic base in black. Visit the company’s expanded showroom at #1655 Merchandise Mart in Chicago, Illinois. Contact: info@treasuregarden.com or www.treasuregarden.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 172

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

75

product P R O F I L E S

Serenata Umbrella Light and Media Center

AERO Market Umbrella The ZipJack AERO market umbrella changed the look of the classic market umbrella forever. Its patented canopy design gives the umbrella distinctive styling, while crosswinds and updrafts pass right through the canopy’s venting system. Easy maintenance enhances its attractiveness.

The ZipJack AERO market umbrella can help every specialty patio retailer stand out above the crowd.

Contact: (914) 592-2000, www.zipjackumbrellas.com, or sales@zipjack.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 175

Broil King Keg Charcoal Grill The Broil King® Keg charcoal grill features a high-performance design that builds upon Broil King’s philosophy of engineering superior-performing grills that evoke passion for outdoor entertaining.

Unlike most ceramic kamado-style grills, the Broil King Keg’s durable body is made of double-walled steel with high-grade insulation between the walls. This technologically advanced design holds temperatures at a narrow range for continuous, even heat. This allows consumers to cook low and slow and create moist, traditional U.S.-style barbecue in their own backyards. The steel body also offers outstanding durability through all weather conditions. The Keg features a total cooking area of 480 square centimeters, including a main cast-iron cooking grid that is perfect for locking in the heat and a secondary chrome coated rack ideal for more delicate foods, such as seafood. The Broil King Keg’s standard features also include a large precision temperature gauge, removable resin side shelves, and a durable stand with large wheels for portability. Contact: (800) 245-5138 or www.broilkingbbq.com.

Treasure Garden’s Serenata umbrella light and media center illuminates any backyard party. With eight adjustable LED lamps, this umbrella light is also compatible with iPods, MP3/MP4 players, phones, and other music sources to entertain guests. In addition, the Serenata has a dual-band AM/FM stereo system; an LCD panel showing the time, temperature, and radio stations; and a wireless remote. The Serenata is a must for your next outdoor party. With over 25,000 shade options, Treasure Garden is the number-one name in shade. Shown is the Serenata-00 in bronze. Visit the company’s expanded showroom at #1655 Merchandise Mart in Chicago, Illinois. Contact: info@treasuregarden.com or www.treasuregarden.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 178

Cal Flame Sound of Music Audio Panel The portable Sound of Music™ audio panel is a stainless steel panel that can virtually be mounted to any indoor or outdoor surface. It features a marine-grade stereo system with built-in iPod controls that conveniently charge and operate your iPod or iPhone; two 4-inch, 72-watt weatherproof speakers; and a state-of-the-art remote control.

The iPod dock transmits radiofrequency audio to a high-output, high-range speaker system. It also features a large IC-FM tuner with improved reception and an additional auxiliary port for other MP3 systems. Contact: www.calflamebbq.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 179

Circle Reader Service No. 176

Mercury Bed and Sun Lounge TUUCI’s Mercury bed and sun lounge is constructed with TUUCI’s polished-titanium ™ Armor-Wall aluminum frame and modular marine-grade components.

High-performance fabric cushions, bed coverings, and sheer privacy curtains, all topped with shade, create the ultimate in open-air relaxation. Contact: (305) 634-5116 or www.tuuci.com.

With Outdoor Lifestyle’s Complements collection, you find an eclectic family that delivers creative flair and true value. Offering inviting armchairs (the Coral armchair), solid Moda side chairs and armchairs (Moda meets or exceeds ANSI/BIFMA X5.1-2002 requirements), and the detailed Terrace 48-inch round dining table, this group is special. The company offers an unmatched 15-year limited warranty on frames and a five-year limited warranty on paint finishes in residential use. Contact: (800) 294-4758, virginiah@olfurniture.com, or www.olfurniture.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 177

Circle Reader Service No. 180

76

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

Complements Collection

Triple-function Media Mantel Cabinet

Miami Collection Grand in scale and richly detailed, the Miami collection captures a sophisticated look rarely seen in outdoor furniture. Woven by hand of ultrawide all-weather wicker that is then wrapped around a sturdy aluminum frame, the Miami has superior durability against the elements, while providing style and appeal. Contact: (925) 743-4000 or www.z-linedesigns.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 181

Twin-Star’s triple-function media mantel cabinet with an open center shelf for mediacomponent storage is perfect for small spaces. Its left side contains a 23-inch ClassicFlame electric fireplace insert. On the right side, behind a locking solid door, there’s a shelf for storage and a thermoelectric mini cooler. The unit has integrated wire management and comes in two shades: empire cherry and oak.

Contact: www.twinstarhome.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 185

Northstar Northstar retro-styled appliances from Elmira Stove Works are great for kitchens, recreation rooms, and cottages. The Northstar line includes refrigerators, ranges, microwaves, range hoods, and dishwashers. They are available in nine colors, plus infinite custom colors. For the model shown, with an optional keg system, the MSRP is $3,995.

National advertising support and protected dealer territories are available. Contact: (800) 295-8498 or www.ElmiraStoveWorks.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 182

Ironhaus Ironhaus is proud to introduce the new addition of freestanding screens to its popular fireplace-door line.

Available in rectangular or arch, and in all the finishes and textures your customers love, this much-anticipated line is sure to be a hit on your display floor. Freestanding screens are available in stock and customizable sizes. Call Ironhaus for pricing and details. Contact: www.ironhaus.com or (866) 880-0900.

Mercury Deep Seating Barlow Tyrie introduces Mercury deep seating, featuring Sunbrella® V77 waterproof fabrics. This contemporary design is modular in that by adding or subtracting arm units, you can build multiseating sofas or individual chairs.

The new Sunbrella V77 fabric will be offered in taupe, charcoal, and natural. The 316 marine-grade stainless-steel base and frame are also available in a white powder-coat finish—for when a truly no-maintenance product is required. Contact: (800) 451-7467 or www.teak.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 186

Circle Reader Service No. 183

Bella-Dura New Power Burner The oversized, cast-brass, two-ring burner from Twin Eagles is the most powerful residential power burner, reaching 70,000 Btu. The burner is specifically designed to deliver the intense, focused heat that is essential when cooking in an oversized stockpot or wok. The two-ring burner is also capable of delivering low heat for simmering.

The reversible commercial cooking grate on model TEPB24HG-B is constructed of 8-millimeter stainless-steel welded plates. Contact: www.TwinEaglesBBQ.com.

Bella-Dura’s 2012 casual-line patterns are shown (from top): Template is an allover abstract graphic, hand-drawn by the well-known North Carolina designer Susan Hable. The designer’s artwork was interpreted for Bella-Dura using a chunky basketweave ground and line work that is reminiscent of embroidery.

Summer Tide is an up-the-roll stripe constructed with a ribbed weave that gives this pattern a dry look and soft hand. Aloha depicts the silhouette of tossed tropical leaves on a striped ground, adding multicolors to this charming pattern.

Contact: www.bella-dura.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 187

Circle Reader Service No. 184

March/April 2012 Patio & Hearth Products Report

77

advertiser I N D E X Advertiser

Phone

product profiles D I R E C T O RY Website

Page

Company

Page

Agio ..................................................(888) 997-7623 ..............www.agio-usa.com ................................5

Agio ................................................................................................58, 62

Big Green Egg ..................................(770) 938-9394 ..............www.biggreenegg.com........................52

Barlow Tyrie............................................................................................77

Bull Outdoor Products ......................(800) 521-2855 ..............www.bullbbq.com................................29

Bella-Dura ..............................................................................................77

Cal Flame..........................................(800) CAL-SPAS ............www.calfireplace.com ............................9

Big Green Egg ................................................................................58, 62

California Outdoor Concepts ............(877) 274-6773 ..............www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com ..57

Bull Outdoor Products ....................................................................60, 64

The Companion Group ....................(800) 521-0505 ..............www.companion-group.com ..............31 Elmira Stove Works ..........................(800) 295-8498 ..............www.elmirastoveworks.com ................68 Empire Comfort Systems..................(800) 851-3153 ..............www.empirecomfort.com ....................27 Galaxy Outdoor ................................(702) 448-5600 ..............www.galaxyoutdoor.com ....................69

Cal Flame ........................................................................................62, 76 California Outdoor Concepts............................................................58, 60 The Companion Group ....................................................................64, 66 Elmira Stove Works..........................................................................60, 77 Empire Comfort Systems ................................................................66, 68

Galtech ............................................(805) 376-1060 ..............www.galtechcorp.com ........................61 Gensun Casual Living ......................(866) 964-4468 ..............www.gensuncasual.com......................13 Glen Raven/Sunbrella........................(336) 221-2211 ..............www.sunbrella.com..............................23 The HammockSource ......................(800) 334-1078 ..............www.thehammocksource.com ............62

Galaxy Outdoor................................................................................60, 64 Galtech ............................................................................................65, 67 Gensun Casual Living ......................................................................60, 67 The HammockSource ......................................................................66, 68

Hargrove Manufacturing....................(800) 725-4166 ..............www.hargrovegaslogs.com..................48

Hargrove Manufacturing ..................................................................62, 64

Hearth & Home Technologies ..........(800) 669-4328 ..............www.hearthnhome.com ......................80

Hearth & Home Technologies ..........................................................58, 65

Hearth Products Controls ................(877) 433-7001 ..............www.hearthproductscontrols.com ......53

Hearth Products Controls ................................................................66, 68

Henan Hi-Flame Metal ......................(360) 425-4200 .............. www.hearthdistribution.com ..............47

Henan Hi-Flame Metal......................................................................67, 69

Homecrest ........................................(877) 599-4803 ..............www.homecrest.com ..........................11

Homecrest ......................................................................................69, 70

Infrared Dynamics ............................(888) 317-5255 ..............www.infradyne.com ............................64

Infrared Dynamics ............................................................................70, 72

Ironhaus ............................................(866) 880-0900 ..............www.ironhaus.com ..............................39

Infratech ..........................................................................................67, 68

Kamado Joe ....................................(678) 866-0642 ..............www.kamadojoe.com ..........................41

Ironhaus ..........................................................................................69, 77

Lennox Hearth Products ..................(800) 9-LENNOX ............www.lennox.com ..................................3

Kamado Joe ....................................................................................69, 70

Mallin Casual Furniture......................(800) 251-6537 ..............www.mallinfurniture.com......................59

Lennox Hearth Products ..................................................................70, 72

Miles Industries ................................(800) 468-2567 ..............www.valorfireplaces.com ....................21 MLW Stone ......................................(800) 477-7665 ..............www.mlwstone.com ............................70 Modern Home Products ..................(888) 647-4745 ..............www.mhpgrills.com ............................65 Monessen Hearth Systems ..............(800) 867-0454 ..............www.mhsc.com ..................................25

Mallin Casual Furniture ....................................................................71, 73 Miles Industries ................................................................................71, 73 MLW Stone ............................................................................................72 Modern Home Products ..................................................................73, 74 Monessen Hearth Systems ..............................................................71, 73

Napoleon ..........................................(800) 461-5581 ..............www.napoleonproducts.com ................7 NorthCape International ....................(708) 563-2890 ..............www.northcapeinternational.com ........15 Old World Spices ..............................(800) 241-0070 ..............www.oldworldspices.com ....................45 Onward Manufacturing ....................(800) 245-5138 ..............www.omcbbq.com ..............................63

Napoleon ........................................................................................71, 74 NorthCape International ..................................................................73, 74 Old World Spices ............................................................................72, 74 Onward Manufacturing ....................................................................74, 76

Outdoor Lifestyle ..............................(800) 294-4758 ..............www.olfurniture.com ............................35

Outdoor Lifestyle..............................................................................75, 76

OW Lee ............................................(800) 776-9533 ..............www.owlee.com ..................................79

OW Lee ..........................................................................................71, 74

Paradise Cushions

by FiberBuilt Umbrellas ..................(866) 668-8668 ..............www.paradisecushions.com ................71

Paradise Cushions by FiberBuilt Umbrellas ......................................73, 75

RH Peterson Company ....................(800) 332-0240 ..............www.rhpeterson.com ..........................37 Select Outdoor Kitchens ..................(800) 624-6512 ..............www.selectoutdoorkitchens.com ........43 Treasure Garden/Shademaker ..........(626) 814-0168 ..............www.treasuregarden.com....................19

RH Peterson Company ....................................................................72, 75 Select Outdoor Kitchens ..................................................................65, 66 Treasure Garden/Shademaker..........................................................75, 76 Tropitone..........................................................................................60, 75

Tropitone ..........................................(949) 951-2010 ..............www.tropitone.com..............................67

TUUCI ..............................................................................................72, 76

TUUCI ..............................................(305) 634-5116 ..............www.tuuci.com ....................................49

Twin Eagles ......................................................................................64, 77

Twin-Star/Classic Flame....................(866) 661-1218 ..............www.twinstarhome.com ......................51

Twin-Star/Classic Flame ..................................................................70, 77

Z-Line Designs..................................(925) 743-4000 ..............www.z-linedesigns.com ........................2

Z-Line Designs ................................................................................75, 77

ZipJack Custom Umbrellas ..............(914) 592-2000 ..............www.zipjackumbrellas.com..................66

ZipJack Custom Umbrellas ..............................................................69, 76

Patio & Hearth Products Report (ISSN 1939-6929) is published bimonthly by Peninsula Media, 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700, Torrance, CA 90503. US Postage Paid at Lebanon Junction, KY 40150.

March/April 2012, Vol 7, No 2 Š 2012 Peninsula Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Peninsula Media, 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700, Torrance, CA 90503-5514, patioandhearth@halldata.com, phone: (847) 763-9261. While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the materials presented in Patio & Hearth Products Report, they are not responsible for the correctness of the information and/or opinions expressed.

78

Patio & Hearth Products Report March/April 2012

TAMARACK

Circle Reader Service No. 79

Circle Reader Service No. 80