Patio and Hearth Products Report July/August 2013 by Peninsula Media

H E A RT H & H O M E T E C H N O L O G I E S

PEAK SEASON

BROIL KING

www.patioandhear thproductsrepor t.com GENSUN

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contents July/August 2013

| Volume 8, Number 4

72 42

My Turn – Barefoot Friendly By Kimberly Rodgers

The product-development and design teams of Oriental Weavers have contributed to the growth of the outdoor-rug category.

Product Innovation – Onward and Upward By Cheryl Dangel Bartolini

Onward Manufacturing’s Broil King® brand has grown dramatically in recent years and is now sold in more than 34 countries.

88 48

Corporate Profile – A Modern Classic By Jesse Burkhart

From developing the first-ever outdoor grill to adding popular kamado cookers to its line, Modern Home Products has been a major player in the industry.

Insight – Making Homes Warm By Cherise Forno

features 8

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Hearth Retailer Profile – Five-star Service

Product Spotlight – Inside Out

By Sharon Sanders

By Cheryl Dangel Bartolini

Ensuring that customers come first has made these Minnesota hearth retailers among the best in the business.

The latest performance fabrics are now just as likely to be found inside homes as outdoors.

Outdoor Grilling – Survival of the Fittest By Cheryl Dangel Bartolini

This grill store came back bigger and stronger after being hit by Hurricane Sandy.

Big Green Egg Company constantly unveils fun and functional products, keeping customers returning to stores.

in every issue 6

Thanks Publisher’s Viewpoint and Editor’s Message

By Sharon Sanders

Industry News – Edited by Kris Kyes

Greenhouse Mall becomes Outside in Style as part of a companywide rebranding strategy.

ICFA Preview Show Roundup

As I See It – Inspired Outdoor Designs

Product Profiles

Product Profiles Directory

Ad Index

By Sharon Sanders

On the Cover | Phoenix Deep Seating by Gensun Casual, www.gensuncasual.com

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Last Word – EGGciting Times By Greg Thompson

Showroom Showcase – Refreshing a Brand

Tropitone is recognized throughout the industry for its fashion-forward, ultracomfortable furniture collections.

Gold Eagle plans to expand the popular 303 Products line as customers look for ways to protect and preserve their outdoor furniture.

54 26

Insight – Gold Eagle Soars By Cherise Forno

Two veteran retailers share their thoughts on opening new stores in different states.

By Michael Chiarello

Marketing Maneuvers – Expanding Horizons By Kimberly Rodgers

Guest Editorial – Pizza, Hot Off the Grill Celebrity chef Michael Chiarello offers tips on how to grill the perfect pizza.

WoodMaster offers a variety of cost-effective, clean heating solutions for residential and commercial use.

IGNITE YOUR OUTDOOR SALES WITH OUR OUTDOOR GAS FIRE PITS. Agio was the ﬁrst in the industry to offer a way to enhance outdoor entertaining with the development of portable ®

gas fire pits and chat groups. Today, Agio innovations give home owners warm and inviting products to relax outdoors. Agio continues to lead while popularity of outdoor fire options grows among consumers. Add Agio outdoor fire pits to your floor and watch your margins and sales heat up. For more information on Agio outdoor gas fire pits, visit www.agio-usa.com today. Agio is the registered trademark of Agio International Company, Ltd.

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PUBLISHER’S VIEWPOINT

I still remember the first time I shopped at Nordstrom.

Even though I purchased only a single dress shirt, after the transaction was completed, the salesperson walked around the sales counter, shook my hand, handed me my package, and said, “Thank you for shopping at Nordstrom. We hope to see you again soon.” The look on my face most likely resembled that on the face of Gertie (the little girl played by Drew Barrymore) in “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” when she first encounters E.T. in the bedroom. Why was I so shocked? It was for the simple reason that the common courtesy of saying “thank you for your business” and exhibiting thanks in a genuine, meaningful way is not so common anymore. Customers—especially retail customers who are using disposable income to make nonmandatory purchases—want to be appreciated. Many people work hard for their money, and when they finally decide to make discretionary purchases, they would like to be acknowledged in a way that lets them know that they are giving their money to a person (or company) who appreciates their business. This is especially true of purchases that have price tags in the thousands—particularly in the five-figure category. Back in the 1980s, when I worked for a medical/health-care publishing company, I learned a very valuable lesson from Pamela McGregor, who owned a sales-representation company for manufactur-

ers of home–health-care products. While attending an annual industry trade show, McGregor stopped me in an aisle and asked me for whom I worked. Slightly taken aback, since Pamela knew where I worked, I replied, “I work for Brentwood Publishing.” “No, you don’t,” she replied rather curtly. She then asked, again, for whom I worked. This time, I responded by giving her the name of the magazine for which I worked. Once again, McGregor replied, “No, you don’t.” Seeing a rather bewildered look on my face, McGregor told me, “You work for your customers.” With that, she turned and walked away; it was one of the best lessons (and pieces of advice) that anyone had ever given me. Here are a few ways to thank your customers for their business. You don’t have to do these things for every customer, but you might want to consider using this show-of-appreciation approach with customers who spend more than a certain amount—or with regular (repeat) customers. Give a book. There are many industry-related consumer books that you can find on Amazon.com. There are books on outdoor living, outdoor furniture, outdoor cooking, fireplace design, and outdoor entertaining, just to mention a few topics. Many of these books can be purchased for less than $20, and if you contact the publisher directly and buy in quantity, most publishers will give you a healthy discount.

Give a gift card. A $25–$50 gift card for Amazon.com, Starbucks, or a local restaurant is an excellent way to say thanks. You can either purchase a gift card and mail it to your customer or email an e-card gift. When someone is spending $5,000 or more at your store, spending $25–$50 to say thanks is a drop in the bucket in its effect on your bottom line—yet that $25–$50 investment will go a long way in building a lasting relationship with the customer. Send flowers or a plant. Particularly because women tend to be the driving force behind many of the products and collections purchased in the patio, hearth, barbecue/grill, and outdoor-living industry, sending flowers or a plant is a sure-fire way to be remembered, and it is a sincere and genuine way to express appreciation. Since this issue marks the seventh anniversary of Patio & Hearth Products Report, we send a sincere thank you to our readers and our advertisers—from me and from the entire staff of P&HPR. We truly appreciate your readership and your advertising support. TONY RAMOS PUBLISHER TRAMOS@PENINSULA-MEDIA.COM

FROM THE EDITOR

Many veteran retailers feel they’re at a standstill. The

economy is gaining steam and consumer spending is up, but their sales figures are lackluster, compared with those of the pre-2008 boom years. After bouts of unemployment, years of belt tightening, and an uncertainty related to the future, many consumers adopted frugal shopping behaviors that became the new normal. A recent shopping study (conducted by the Acosta Marketing Group), however, investigated the current attitudes and behaviors of two distinct shopper segments: those making $100,000 or more in annualized household income 6

and those making less than $45,000. These two groups represent more than 60% of U.S. shopper households—and therefore, they significantly influence retail sales. Although it’s not surprising that the latter group’s greater financial hardships resulted in more frugal shopping habits, data from the study revealed an interesting finding: Both groups, even as the economy has improved, shop for products on sale, as well as generic brands (which are generally less expensive than name brands). If shoppers with higher levels of disposable income are practicing price-conscious habits, it leads one to believe that this trend isn’t a result of economic necessity, but is more likely to be the result of marketing that emphasizes value over quality. If that’s the case, maybe it’s time for retailers and manufacturers to offer higher-end products and services, instead of focusing

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

on value-based pricing. In a quest to lure more affluent shoppers, many mass retailers have rebranded their operations by focusing on product attributes and shopping experiences, rather than on consumers’ price sensitivity. Restoration Hardware has become RH, concentrating on high-end furnishings and artistically arranged displays. REI revitalized its brand by redesigning its stores, loyalty program, and merchandise offerings to attract younger customers. Target, recognizing that it couldn’t compete directly on price with Walmart, has transformed itself into a destination for middle-income and affluent fashion-conscious consumers who can discuss cosmetics choices with beauty consultants and pick up Phillip Lim or Jason Wu designs at affordable prices. Karen Galindo, owner of Outside in Style in Austin, Texas, took advantage of the

improving economic situation to rebrand her own retail operation, which was formerly known as Greenhouse Mall. Galindo understands that to be successful as a specialty retailer, it’s imperative to engage consumers who often get bored while shopping. “Our job, as specialty retailers, is to make people think a step ahead, when it comes to design and style,” she explains in our Showroom Showcase column on page 34. Although it’s tempting to compete with the mass retailers and big-box stores on price, Galindo understands that the best way to retain customers is to make shopping a pleasurable experience by offering an ample inventory of high-quality, fashion-forward products. She knows that customers don’t mind paying more for merchandise that they believe is well made and that looks good. Regardless of whether today’s customers make pur-

chases directly from glossy catalogs or based on friends’ likes or favorites on social-media websites, the reality is that human beings will usually buy for emotional reasons—which is why their perceptions of your store and products are critical. Given an improving economy and a greater focus on home improvement (both inside and outside the house), you might consider rebranding or (at least) revitalizing your store. Brighten your showroom, add new product lines, and reach out to your local community through targeted advertising and social-media channels. The shoppers are back, and they aren’t as fixated on prices as they were a few years ago. They’re looking for dependable products—displayed in inspiring ways—that will bring happiness to their lives. CAROL DAUS EDITOR CDAUSWRITE@SOCAL.RR.COM

WHEN WE THINK GRILLING, WE THINK OF IT ALL. CHARCOAL TRAY

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guest editorial

PUBLISHER Tony Ramos

PIZZA, HOT OFF THE GRILL

tramos@peninsula-media.com EDITOR Carol Daus

This excerpt, adapted from celebrity chef Michael

cdauswrite@socal.rr.com

Chiarello’s new book, shows how easy it is to cook pizza over an open fire.

by MICHAEL CHIARELLO

ART DIRECTOR Cassandra Estes cassestes1968@gmail.com

n “Live Fire: 125 Recipes for Cooking Outdoors” (Chronicle Books, 2013), I go beyond the grill, featuring six distinctive ways to cook with flames and embers. One of my favorite things to make (using a live fire) is pizza. While I was at Tra Vigne in St. Helena, California, I must have worked 1,000 days at the pizza oven. We always had one person making the dough and one person doing the cooking. On a busy day, making pizza dough was one of my favorite tasks. It’s meditative to work flour and water together into a dough—and then, to watch it transform again when it’s exposed to heat. I can’t help thinking about all the people, over hundreds of years, who’ve done this task, using the same motions. As it turns out, grilling is a perfect way to cook amazing pizza. Read on for a few tips, along with a recipe for pizza dough that works well with an endless array of toppings.

Pizza-making tips: • allow time for the dough to rise twice—I like to start the dough the day before I’ll grill the pizza; • don’t try to cook pizza on your grill (or in an oven) without a pizza stone; • make sure that the grill is very hot before you cook the dough; • if you prefer not to grill pizza, you can make it in a very hot oven, but it won’t have the same authentic pizzeria

Pizza Dough This recipe makes 10 balls of dough (each weighing 6 ounces— about 4 inches in diameter). Good pizza dough starts with a sponge—a sort of predough mixture of yeast, flour, sugar, and water. You let the sponge ferment for about four hours. Then, you add the rest of the ingredients to make the actual dough. This gives your pizza crust better flavor, as well as the tiny air pockets that make the crust chewy (but still even in texture, without big holes formed by air bubbles). The type of yeast that you use matters. I use fresh beer yeast for my pizza dough. Look for this in the dairy section of your market, or ask your grocer to order it for you. Make the dough ahead of time, and refrigerate it overnight (or freeze it

for up to six months). Let it come back to room temperature before you begin to work it. Sponge ingredients: 1 ounce fresh beer yeast or 1 package (2.25 teaspoons) active dry yeast (not fast acting) 2 cups warm water (at 105 to 115 degrees) 1 tablespoon sugar 2 cups high-gluten (bread) flour Dough ingredients: 1 batch sponge 1 cup warm water (at 105 to 115 degrees) 1 cup all-purpose unbleached white flour 4 cups high-gluten (bread) flour 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt (preferably gray salt) For the sponge: In a large bowl, mix the yeast, warm water, sugar, and highgluten flour with a

wooden spoon until there are no lumps. The sponge will be very wet and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm (but not too hot) area for four hours (or overnight). For the dough: Lightly oil a large bowl and set it aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the sponge, warm water, all-purpose flour, 3 cups of the high-gluten flour, and salt. Mix this, at low speed, until the dough comes together to form a ball that is soft and sticky, but smooth (five to six minutes). Increase the machine’s speed to medium, and gradually add the remaining 1 cup of highgluten flour. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Gently knead it by hand until it is smooth. If you give the dough a hard

slam onto your work surface several times, this will help gluten develop, making the dough smoother and more elastic. Transfer the dough to the lightly oiled bowl, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise, at room temperature, until it doubles in volume (two to four hours). Divide it into 10 equal portions. Roll each section into a ball. You can begin working with the dough right away; if you want to store it, use a lightly oiled 9x11x2-inch container with a lid. Place the dough balls in the container, side by side; drizzle the tops with olive oil to keep a skin from forming; and cover the container. The dough balls will keep, refrigerated, for 24 hours, or can be frozen for up to six months.

crust (which is blistered outside and tender inside); • if you have a wood-burning oven, by all means use it for pizza; and • you can crack a pizza stone if you put a cold stone on a hot grill rack or a hot stone on a cold surface—take some care, so your stone will last longer. A pizza stone is usually either earthenware or ceramic, and it gives the bottom of a pizza crust its crisp, even texture. I wouldn’t even try to cook a pizza over a fire without a stone. I have pizza stones that have lasted for years, but I’ve also cracked a few of them. To keep them intact, handle them gently, and try not to place a hot stone on a cold surface—or a cool stone on a very hot grill. Because a pizza stone is porous, don’t ever use detergent to wash it (because it will absorb the odor and flavor of the detergent). Instead, wait for the stone to cool completely and then scrub it with a dry brush or a damp cloth. SAME DOUGH, DIFFERENT OUTCOME You only need to make one kind of dough for focaccia, piadina, pizza, and flatbread, in that order. If you just shape the dough lightly with your fingers, that’s focaccia. A thinner (but still soft and doughy) version is a piadina, which I usually top with a highly flavored paste or spread, some shavings of a hard cheese, and a salad. Make the dough thinner yet for pizza (I like it crisp), and then make flatbread by rolling this dough just about as thinly as you can. Michael Chiarello is chef/owner of Bottega (Yountville, California); founding chef of Tra

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Kris Kyes kris@peninsula-media.com STAFF WRITERS Cheryl Dangel Bartolini Jesse Burkhart Cherise Forno Kimberly Rodgers Sharon Sanders 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

Vigne (St. Helena, California); author of eight cookbooks; wine grower for the

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES:

Chiarello Family Vineyards; tastemaker

Patio & Hearth Products Report

behind NapaStyle (www.napastyle.com);

PO Box 2190

Emmy Award winner for Food Network’s

Skokie, IL 60076-7890

“Easy Entertaining With Michael Chiarello”;

and one of the finalists of Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters,” season 1. He has been named

Chef of the Year by the Culinary Institute of America and by Food & Wine magazine. Read more at www.michaelchiarello.com.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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

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INDUSTRY

NEWS by KRIS KYES

RH Peterson Company Promotes Key Staff Members RH Peterson recently announced several significant promotions of its senior management staff.

These promotions reflect the substantial contributions of key members of the organization: Jerry Scott is now senior vice president; Mike Waller, vice president; Dominque Seim, senior managing director; Martin Yan, senior managing director; Ben Thorp, managing director; and Ramon Ramirez, senior manager.

Leslie Bortz, president of RH Peterson, says, “These dedicated, intelligent, and hard-working people have all made significant contributions to our company.” Adding that these individuals fully deserve their promotions, Bortz says, “We’re delighted to recognize their outstanding efforts in strengthening From left: Jerry Scott, Martin Yan, Mike Waller, Dominque Seim, Ben Thorp, and Ramon Ramirez our organization.”

Saber Grills to Handle North American Sales and Distribution for Dancook Dancook, a new line of Scandinaviandesigned kettle barbecues and outdoor fire bowls, has just been intro-

duced to North America (www.dancookusa.com). The line was first featured in the booth of Saber Grills, L.L.C., at HPBExpo in March 2013, and shipments are currently being

distributed to retailers. Denmark’s Dancook has been making outdoor cookware for 20 years; 2013 marks the company’s first foray into the North American market. Operating under the philosophy that innovation and great style do not have to come with a high price tag, Dancook makes

Mallin Casual Furniture Announces Staff Appointments Mallin Casual Furniture, a division of Minson Corp., has promoted

Brenda Pereyda (who worked, side

Brenda Pereyda

Jay Weber

by side, with the late Merv Conn for more than 30 years), making her vice president of sales. Her strong knowledge of the industry, leadership, and dedication have proven her to be a very important part of the success and growth of Mallin.

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Mallin has also named Jay Weber as its vice president of marketing. Jay has more than 37 years of experience in marketing and sales, with the past 28 years being spent in the seasonal outdoor industry. He has been with ScanCom North America since 2004, pioneering and developing the North America market into the successful business that exists today. He says, “I am very proud and excited to be joining such a prestigious and successful company as Mallin. I am looking forward to helping the company develop new products and markets so that we can begin our next phase of growth.”

products that not only are beautifully and simply designed (using high-quality materials), but are value priced. Dancook’s North American distribution is being handled by its sister company, Saber (Dancook The Dancook was purchased by 1800 charcoal Char-Broil, Saber’s grill parent company, in late 2011). The North American line for Dancook includes four grill products. Rob Schwing, general manager of Saber, says that initial reaction from the industry has been extremely positive. “We knew the Dancook line would generate a lot of attention because the products are so stylish, but there’s a deeper story about quality manufacturing that resonates with outdoor retailers. These cookers look great; they perform really, really well; and they’re available at a consumerfriendly price point,” Schwing says. “They fit beautifully with the Saber business philosophy.”

M&G DuraVent Launches Positivepressure Chimney: DuraStack M&G DuraVent now offers a solution for positive-pressure chimneys:

DuraStack®, a modular, double-wall, positive-pressure chimney system. Fully

tested and listed to UL 103, UL 1978, ULC/ORD C959, and ULC S604 standards, DuraStack offers versatility for a variety of applications, including boiler breeching, engine exhaust, chimney stacks, and grease ducts (model DIS only). The DuraStack DIS and DAS venting systems are cylindrical, prefabricated, modular venting systems incorporating a unique extended inner flange designed for quick assembly and pressure-sealing capability. DuraStack DIS and DAS are composed of a thick-gauge material for the inner pipe and coupling, providing a strong and rigid assembly; have a selfcentering flue design that significantly simplifies and accelerates the installation process; and have a coupling configuration (patent pending) requiring only one locking band and the use of a regular, less expensive, high-temperature silicone sealant. Available in diameters of 5 to 36 inches, the DIS line offers double-wall, 2-inch insulated chimneys, and the DAS line offers a 2-inch air-insulated product. For premium corrosion resistance and durability, the inner wall is constructed from 0.035-inch stainless steel (304 or 316). This is coupled with a 0.018-inch outer wall of stainless steel (304 or 316) or Galvalume® (aluminum–zinc alloy) coated steel. The DIS is lined with the highestquality insulation, densely packed to ensure low heat loss and maximum draft—and to permit a 1-inch clearance to combustible materials.

Information about product specifications and features, as well as the new DuraStack catalog and sales sheets, can be found by visiting www.duravent.com.

Bella-Dura Adds MJ Ramos to Its Merchandising and Design Team Bella-Dura®, manufacturer of high-performance textiles, recently hired MJ

operations strategy. As Bob Rowan, Jacuzzi CEO, explains, “The appointment of a global leader of our spa business demonstrates our continued commitment to drive growth worldwide and reflects the global opportunity we envision for this strategic business. We are committed to our ongoing investments in product innovation and reliability—and to creative marketing programs to drive dealer sales and

profitability. The business has seen a strong start to the 2013 season, and with the appointment of Peter, we are ready to bring global best practices in product, marketing, and service to our dealer communities around the world.” Jacuzzi has made a number of growthdriving investments in recent years. In 2011, Jacuzzi established a new worldclass manufacturing facility, and in 2012, it embarked on several new marketing

initiatives that continue to deliver market-share growth for its dealers. In addition, Jacuzzi added two new brands to its portfolio with the acquisition of ThermoSpas in 2012 and Dimension One Spas in 2013, further strengthening its leadership position. Munk joined Jacuzzi in April 2011 as head of the Jacuzzi European business units, where he proved his leadership skills by implementing a pan-European

Ramos to be part of its merchandising and design team. With more than 20 years of expertise in the manufacturing and distribution of luxury textiles and trimmings, Ramos brings extensive experience, an impeccable eye, and design acumen to Bella-Dura. Irwin Gasner, Bella-Dura/Wearbest CEO, says, “MJ is an exceptionally talented individual with an incredible eye and intuition for design. Her past collaborations have produced many of the best-selling fabrics and trims in production today. We are honored and thrilled to have her on our team. We are already planning some amazing things.” Ramos has a rich textile and trimmings heritage. She began her career at Sunbury Textile Mills and later moved on to become the creator of the Highland Court brand, a luxury division of an international wholesaler. Highland Court is characterized by its signature style, which embodies livable opulence; it features elegant damasks, luminous silks, and plush textures coordinated with beautiful trims, all of which have become favorite resources for interior designers worldwide. “I specialize in working with textile manufacturers, trimming mills, wholesale distributors, and private companies around the world. My passion is to bring these companies to the next level in their business by creating and adding new ranges of decorative products, new collections, and color stories,” Ramos says. “I am beyond excited to start working with Bella-Dura. Not only is it an amazing fabric, but its colors are limitless and vibrant (almost unheard of in the performance category), and its applications are vast. The sky is the limit with Bella-Dura.”

Jacuzzi Brands Corp. Appoints New President of Global Spa Business Jacuzzi has appointed Peter Munk to serve as president, global spa, as part of

its continued strengthening of the Jacuzzi leadership structure. In this newly created role, Munk will focus his efforts on the growth of the spa business worldwide, to include sales and marketing, engineering and product development, and global-

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July/August 2013 Patio & Hearth Products Report

INDUSTRY NEWS approach to using resources across all markets. Rowan notes, “Peter’s emphasis on the growth of our European spa business has resulted in outstanding results in an extremely difficult economic environment. His strong commercial background in dealing with all types of retailers and distribution in a variety of industries—combined with his experience in product development and branded consumer products—makes him the ideal person to fill this critical role.” Prior to joining Jacuzzi, Munk was president and general manager for ACCO Brands for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, and he was vice president of consumer products at Black & Decker Europe. Munk started his career with Colgate Palmolive in Scandinavia after studying business and economics in Denmark and the United Kingdom. He is a Danish national who speaks several European languages, and he has worked in Denmark, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Firetainment Appoints Sales Representation in North America Firetainment, Inc., producer of highquality fire tables and supplier of

fire-table cooking accessories, has announced that the company has expanded its network of sales representation throughout North America. Firetainment will be reaching retailers and dealers in the commercial out-

door markets by partnering with qualified sales representation. Firetainment has appointed Pinnacle Sales Group, a 24-person sales/marketing team known for high-end product lines and customer service. It also has appointed three expert manufacturers’ representatives: Gary Freeland & Company; Home & Hearth, Inc.; and Kaeco L.L.C. All of the sales representation was chosen with industry experience and highquality customer service in mind. With the new sales teams in place, Firetainment will be focusing on growing the brand and expanding sales. Since the launch of the all-season fire table, Firetainment has been seeing an increased interest in its products. With more versatility and convenience than traditional woodburning firepits, Firetainment tables offer the benefits of a firepit, but also many other features to complete the outdoor-living space. The tables are full sized, functioning as regular dining tables and offering a cooking mount and complete cooking package for preparing meals. The idea behind the fire table is that it has three functions in one: fire, table, and cooking (thus providing the ultimate entertainment experience). This concept continues to be the reason for consumer interest and for new marketing programs implemented by Firetainment.

Cal Flame in Pomona, California is Hiring a PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER BASIC FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITY: Provides the BBQ Grills/Hardware Division with engineering and other technical support for the development of new products and overall quality improvement.

Selkirk Builds New Test Lab at Michigan Headquarters Construction is now complete on the 1,300–squarefoot test lab at the Selkirk Corp. headquarters in Grand

Rapids, Michigan. For many decades, contractors, engineers, and architects have come to trust Selkirk to engineer and manufacture products to the highest standards. The new lab is one additional way that Selkirk continues to build on this trust. This new, three-story addition was designed to make testing possible on test chimneys, vents, ducts, and accessories (for compliance, design spec- Selkirk Corp.’s new test lab in Grand Rapids, Michigan ifications, industry requirements, and standards). Having the lab in-house allows timely, cost-effective testing to ensure that every product meets all quality requirements and has the highest safety and performance ratings. Products used in the construction of the lab include a Milcor brand roof hatch and a damper and exhaust fan from Selkirk’s sister company, PennBarry. Since 1920, Selkirk has been a leading manufacturer of chimney, venting, and air-distribution products for the commercial and residential HVAC and hearth industries. Selkirk manufactures products in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For more information, visit www.selkirkcorp.com.

Cal Spas Announces New Operations Manager Cal Spas has hired Ted Helgert as the organization’s new operations manager. Helgert will be responsible for

optimizing the manufacturing operations and quality-assurance results of Cal Spas. With more than 20 years of spa-manufacturing experience from his tenure with Sundance Spas and L.A. Spas, Helgert joins Cal Spas with a

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITY: • Provide timely support to manufacturing, distribution, vendors, dealers and product end-users to diagnose problems and implement solutions to resolve complaints and production problems. • Release Engineering Change Order to release new products, feature, components, sub-assemblies and assemblies. Also release test data, BOM, drawings, process sheets and owner’s manuals. KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS / ABILITIES • Must have BBQ Grills Gas Experience • BS in engineering field, BSME preferred • Must possess an above average proficiency in Solid Works, Auto Cad, and all MS Office applications. Detail oriented. • SOME INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL REQUIRED We offer a competitive salary along with a comprehensive benefits package to include: Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401(k) If interested email resume to: mvalenzuela@calspas.com

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Ted Helgert

background in senior- and executivelevel operations, manufacturing, and quality-assurance management. Helgert has a proven business record in the spa industry and has been critical to the success of many key

initiatives, including the launch of the ISO 9001 quality manufacturing process for Sundance Spas. His experience was successfully applied, over the past 7 years, in his role as vice president of operations for Therm Products. Helgert’s educational background is fundamentally rooted in manufacturing engineering. Helgert climbed into the ranks of management leadership with McDonnell Douglas in 1988. He entered into spa business management in 1993. His postgraduate technical training covers quality management, lean manufacturing, and compliance with government manufacturing standards. “I am excited about this role with Cal Spas,” Helgert says. “I look forward to working with and leading my team of peers into the already bright and positive future of Cal Spas. Together, we will focus on setting the bar for the development of our products and processes, while providing a rich and fulfilling work environment for our Cal Spas family of employees and dealer base.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Soundcast Systems Brings New Music System to Marketplace Soundcast Systems, developer and manufacturer of high-performance wireless music systems, has launched

Melody, its newest, compact omnidirectional Bluetooth® wireless speaker system with a fresh, new modern look and styling. Melody’s high-quality speaker design produces exceptional sound in any environment. At only 9 pounds, weighing far less than a Louis Vuitton handbag, Melody is designed to go places. Its water- and UVresistant, all-weather–plastic enclosure; its high-capacity internal rechargeable battery; and its stylish, built-in, sturdy carrying handle let music lovers stream their playlists from any location—from the kitchen counter (while cooking) to the beach (for an afternoon in the sun) to the backyard (for a barbecue). Melody delivers 360 degrees of sound perfection, with deep bass and up to 20 hours of uninterrupted use.

Melody’s technology excels in open spaces, where many speakers lack the sound quality needed to make an impact outdoors. The acoustic design involves multiple speakers and woofers radiating sound equally: four bass radiators and four high-performance, full-range speakers that play in an omnidirectional manner, so that everyone can enjoy the music. The stylish and portable system delivers more than high-quality sound; it boasts a sleek, cool, and sexy design to appeal to today’s sophisticated and savvy consumers who are seeking more than the typical rectangular style of other Bluetooth speakers. Most important, Melody functions wirelessly, allowing users to access and listen to their personal music library/collection or enjoy a wide variety of music apps, including Pandora®, Spotify™, Rhapsody®, iTunes®, TuneIn®, and others. The system is outfitted with the

latest v3.0 Bluetooth The Melody and AAC/AptX® portable lossless-quality music system codecs for superior audio performance. Whether at home or at a remote gathering, Melody plays music wirelessly using any Bluetoothcompatible smartphone, tablet, iPad®, iPod®, iPod Touch®, or computer. Melody also includes a 3.5-millimeter input port, which permits connection of any music device for added flexibility. Devin Bronson, music recording artist and producer, says, “As a lead guitarist, recording producer, and passionate music lover, I know, firsthand, the vital importance of reproducing

music as accurately to the live performance as possible, as we do in the studio. I can tell you that I’m blown away at the soundstage depth, deep bass, pure vocals, and lifelike performance that the new Melody system delivers from such a compact system—blown away, I’ll say again.” continued on page 93

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Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

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Circle Reader Service No. 15

It’s cool under here.

spotlight

Inside Out

This season’s fabrics are connecting the indoors to the outdoors through colors, textures, and motifs. by CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI

t sounds confusing, but among outdoor-fabric insiders, the message is clear: What’s in is out and what’s out is in, today. Actually, it is quite simple. Irwin Gasner, CEO of Bella-Dura/Wearbest (New York, New York), sums it up best: “We are seeing that general consumers are well aware of (and actively seeking) per2 formance fabrics. They want fabrics that can stand up to the everyday demands of life. Outdoor fabrics are coming in, and indoor fabrics are going out,” he says. Gasner adds, 3 “There is a definite blurring of the lines between indoor and outdoor fabrics and furnishings. We attribute this to the fact that the designs, materials, colors, and patterns are beautiful—and applicable to either setting. The outdoor market has taken a cue from the indoor market—and to some extent, vice versa.” He says that outdoor rooms now embody many traits of indoor rooms: “plush fabrics and 16

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

upholstery, beautiful patterns, some color, and (at other times) lovely neutrals. Consumers are embracing color more than in the past and are very savvy in mixing and matching color, patterns, and textures. It is an excit-

ing time for our industry,” he explains. Gasner points out that Bella-Dura has always been marketed as an indoor/outdoor fabric. “Our award-winning design team takes great pride in creating fabric collections that appeal to each market,” he says. Gina Wicker, design and creative director for Glen Raven Custom Fabrics/Sunbrella® (Glen Raven, North Carolina) agrees. She says, “The most significant overall trend for outdoor fabrics is the way in which these fabrics more closely resemble interior fabrics in look and feel.” Wicker reports that Glen Raven began focusing on interior decor several years ago. It was a natural fit, Wicker says, “because the central attributes of Sunbrella fabrics—fade resistance, easy cleaning, and durability—

1. Glen Raven’s Spectrum mushroom fabric (on

are important both inside and outside the home.” THE INS AND OUTS For many outdoor-fabric manufacturers, however, gaining a foothold in the indoor market hasn’t always been easy. Wicker explains, “The primary challenge we have faced is that consumers, manufacturers, retailers, and interior designers closely associate our brand only with the outdoors, so we have had to get the word out that Sunbrella is ideal for use both outside and inside the home.” Wicker notes that Glen Raven is making steady progress in this educational process through advertising, idea homes, editorial coverage, and direct communications with members of the trade. “When people understand the Sunbrella story for interiors, they become strong supporters,” she says. Natalie Scott, vice president of sales and marketing for Sattler Corp. (Hudson, North Carolina), says that the Outdura brand, too, is growing in its use inside the home because it is not just beautiful, but durable. “The residential indoor category is definitely becoming more important,” she says. When marketing Outdura to the indoor market, Scott says, “Marketing materials at the point of sale are key simply because the performance story has to be told, and information that is readily available for the consumer to pick up helps in the final sale. After our recent rebranding, our marketing department focused on just this, and our customers have embraced the support passed along to the retailers’ store floors and salespeople.” Gasner reports, “When we first entered the outdoor market, we were noticing that our fabrics were well received, but were often shown as accents/pillows.” That has changed. Now, he says, “Our fabrics are being used on outdoor umbrellas and indoor furniture. Because of Bella-Dura’s design, hand, and performance, it is a perfect fabric for almost any application.” INFINITE APPLICATIONS For consumers, durable, beautiful fabrics represent the best of both worlds. Outdoor fabrics are durable, colorfast, and attractive; why wouldn’t people want them indoors, too?

Wicker explains, “While there are certainly some fabric colors and styles that are more appropriate either inside or out, we have made a conscious effort to bring those two worlds closer together, so that homeowners can achieve cohesive home decor. Another important benefit of this trend is the availability of a greater variety of fabric for use outdoors—including chenille and bouclé, which traditionally had been limited to interior use.” For manufacturers, being in both worlds can mean additional profits. Joan Worthy, a sales representative for Phifer Inc. (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) says, “Phifer is just entering this market, but already getting tremendous response to its designs in performance fabrics for interior use. The transition is smooth, as more colors for the outdoors are playing to interior needs as well. These are versatile fabrics that can be used for either application—or both.” Chuck Zaberto, vice president of sales for the Solarium division of Richloom Fabrics Group (New York, New York), is on board, too. He says, “With Solarium being only one of Richloom’s many divisions, the concept of the outdoors moving in becomes a perfect marriage of our outdoor and upholstery business units.” In all, it is a win–win situation for both sides of the market. Nancy Egge, designer for Twitchell (Dothan, Alabama), says, “We are pleased to see the trend of the outdoors moving indoors. We are proud to be able to say that, as a U.S. textile mill, our sales 8 have increased—and as a result, we have expanded our production capacity. We will continue to promote our fabrics to different markets and manufacturers with innovative ideas. We will also continue to promote both outdoor and indoor uses, rather than switching entirely from an outdoor to an indoor focus.” Bella-Dura targets the casual and the indoor-residential markets, as well as the to-the-trade markets (both residential and contract). “We have a broad marketing platform,” Gasner states. “Due to our diversified

sofa) with canvas cornsilk trim and a variety of Sunbrella® pillows (furniture by NorthCape International) 2. Outdura’s Poet gray fabric 3. Pleats fabrics by Bella-Dura 4. Glen Raven’s Sunbrella® Sunset fabric collection; from top: Meridian mango, Posh persimmon, Flagship raspberry, Zara sunset, and Cha Cha sunset 5. Fabrics from Bella-Dura's Pleats collection

6. Bondi citrus fabric from Outdura 7. Twitchell’s Textilene® shimmery fabrics 8. Richloom’s Palma rainbow fabric 9. Richloom’s Trek rainbow fabric 10. Fabrics from Twitchell’s Textilene® line

platform, we are seeing a great increase in sales.”

COLOR IN THE MAINSTREAM The color story for the year is big. “Strong, vibrant color is one of the latest trends in fabrics right now,” Scott says. “Color blocking is also very popular. We’ve been very successful with wide stripes and with the combination of colors without the expected balance of a neutral.” Gasner adds, “We love color, and even in the downturn, we did not shy away from it. People are embracing

color, now, on a much larger level. We are even seeing color used much more for the base cloth of upholstery, not just for the pillows. Color has finally emerged from accent pillows to the main stage.” Among the trending colors, according to Zaberto, are peacock and other teals, along with melon and coral. Gasner suggests that the colors that are important right now are cooler naturals (such as charcoal and silver) with turquoise, melon,

July/August 2013 Patio & Hearth Products Report

spotlight

Phifer’s Designed Fabrics line, including eco-friendly GeoBella® cushion fabrics and sleek Phifertex® outdoor fabrics

and citron as accents. “In fact,” he points out, “one of our newer collections leads with silver and melon. We think, going forward, that pastels will become more important, as well as tone-on-tone stories. For example, stripes and patterns will have a range of blues and turquoise within one pattern, which will give them a more sophisticated indoor/outdoor look.” Egge says, “Bold colors continue to dominate accent pieces, but are creeping into mainstream, everyday fabrics because people are becoming more comfortable with color. Blues continue to be important, ranging from blue greens to red blues.” COLOR AS AN ACCENT Wicker says, “Consumers are adding splashes of color with accent chairs, pillows, throws, and other accessories, and they are using a rich new color palette inspired by trends in women’s fashion. The little black dress, today, might actually be a little cobalt-blue dress, and you see 18

that same color direction in homedecor options. Another important accent color in upholstery is a deep raspberry, which is also popular in cocktail attire.” While Phifer’s core sellers continue to be neutrals, Worthy says, bolder colors—such as shades of fig, emerald, indigo, aqua, and azalea—are new and fresh. They are showing up in “pillows, accessories, chairs, and sofas that also feature pops of these bold colors,” she says. The color story, for neutrals, is changing. Wicker says, “While neutrals will always be important for larger items of home decor, such as sofas, we are seeing neutrals (including bright white, cool taupe, and soft gray) taking an even stronger hold.” Furthermore, despite all the predictions about bold color trends, Scott notes that Outdura’s best-selling color is still a neutral. “We are, however, seeing bold pops of color. The color trend definitely goes hand in hand with an economy that is moving in a positive direction,” she explains. Egge says that there will always a market for neutrals, but she advises enlivening them by adding a shimmery texture to a

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

neutral palette. She adds, “Another trend I see is mixing warm and cool neutrals together. Grays are important to this palette as well.” TOUCHABLE TEXTURES Among the hot trends, indoors and outside, is texture. Worthy sees a demand for “lots of texture in a dry/matte, less-shiny finish. Think natural, hemp, burlap, and so forth,” she says. Egge likes shimmery textures and textural patterns with several colors mixed together. “From afar, it blends to one color. Up close, you see several colors,” she says. Pattern is a trend for the outdoor consumer. “For Outdura, and in the fashion world and furniture world (indoor and outdoor), skins are everywhere,” Scott says. Outdura was so successful with Wild Thing (its leopard-skin pattern), she says, that the company followed up with Crazy Horse, a zebra-skin pattern. Outdura features the zebra pattern not only in the traditional black and white, but in bold, high-impact colors such as pesto, magenta, and the new (and very popular) lemongrass. Also popular are graphicsinspired patterns. Scott says, “From

clean lines that interlock in unique ways (such as our Poet gray pattern) to straight and angular Missoniinspired looks (such as Bondi citrus), the traditional floral or frame has been replaced with a new modern, simple style.” WHAT’S NEW Among new trends, Gasner sees the emergence of fabric manipulation. It is all about creating fabrics that have loft and volume, he says. To capitalize on that trend, BellaDura introduced Pleats in June 2013 at Showtime in High Point, North Carolina. “As the name implies, this new collection features a revolutionary double-beam construction, providing the textiles with permanent pleats. The fabrics, in a range of colors and patterns, feature loft and volume—a 3D texture,” he says. “As we focus on the indoor and outdoor categories, we strive to offer the marketplace something new, revolutionary, and beautiful,” Gasner adds. “Pleats offers texture, loft, and a soft hand—and is something that, until now, has not been available in the performance category.” At Glen Raven, Wicker states,

richloom customer care center / 261 ďŹ fth avenue, new york, ny 10016 furniture: t:212.684.3388 general: t:212.685.7707 contract: t:212.685.2187 www.richloom.com Circle Reader Service No. 19

spotlight the company’s talented research/development team is continually improving Sunbrella fabrics in terms of both performance and aesthetics. “Because of its work in yarn creation, fabric formation, and finishing, we can continue to deliver superior performance without sacrificing luxury or look,” she says. Wicker is particularly excited about one of Glen Raven’s newest developments, Sunbrella Rain,

3 which combines specially engineered Sunbrella fabrics with a recommended fabrication approach to create waterproof cushions. She hints at new applications in development under the Sunbrella brand, created by applying Sunbrella fibers and yarns in unexpected ways. “For example, we created Sunbrella Strap for strap upholstery; it offers all of the strength of traditional vinyl, but with the feel of a cool, comfortable textile,” she says. “Terry is another example of how we have used Sunbrella yarns in an innovative way, creating a knitted outdoor fab-

1. Phifer’s GeoBella® cushion fabrics 2. Richloom’s Godiva rainbow fabric 3. Marapi rainbow fabric by Richloom

ric that has the look and feel of cotton terry, yet is Sunbrella tough.” Glen Raven launched its Renaissance line of Sunbrella upholstery fabrics with recycled content a few years ago, and in 2012, the company added a Renaissance line of awning fabrics called Unity. “These new shade fabrics have a green story because they incorporate recycled content. Equally exciting is how using recycled materials to create the fabrics results in a heavier, more highly textured appearance that consumers really love. This heather look is also reflected in our Renaissance upholstery fabrics, and it enables consumers to carry this textured look throughout their home decor,” Wicker says. Worthy states that Phifer’s suncontrol fabrics (for both interior and exterior roller-shade and awning applications) continue to be popular in a growing market. New products include designer colors; high-performing, energy-saving options; and green fabrics with sustainable content. At Outdura, it appears that anything goes. Scott is seeing everything from upholstered headboards to water floats incorporating Outdura fabrics. “Daybeds continue

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

to be a trend in the residential world that initially started in the high-end hotel scene, where upholstered water floats are now emerging,” she says. Crypton is a finish that Scott says has been successful. “It adds to the product features already inherent in our solution-dyed acrylic. The Crypton finish is waterproof and antimicrobial, which allows us to go into different market segments,” she reports. Richloom’s Solarium division, Zaberto says, “recently entered into partnership with U.S.-based indoorfurniture manufacturer Southern Motion (Pontotoc, Mississippi) to supply Solarium outdoor fabrics to cover traditional indoor frames. It will be heavily promoted as a performance story for today’s active lifestyles.” Twitchell’s Textilene® products “are known throughout the industry for their strength, abrasion resistance, and fade resistance,” Egge explains. “We offer custom flameretardant fabrics. All fabrics are Greenguard certified and phthalate free, which is important for commercial applications. I see these technical standards moving toward becoming residential requirements in the future.” WHAT’S NEXT Gasner says, “This is an exciting time for fabrics in general. There are new innovations that enable fabrics to work harder for the customer. As people embrace outdoor

rooms and spaces, they also are personalizing them and making them lovely. We also see such amazing new introductions from our partners, offering a breadth of designs and new innovations that are exciting—for us and the customer.” Wicker suggests that the future will bring even more applications for outdoor fabrics. She says, “Sunbrella fabrics will continue to improve in performance and aesthetics, based on creative inspira1 tions and advancing technology. We anticipate finding new applications for Sunbrella fibers and yarns, with a goal of increasing the range of accessories that offer high-performance attributes and that coordinate well with our fabrics.” Wicker adds, “The future, for our brand, will certainly be influenced by manufacturers and retailers who carry Sunbrella fabrics. Our teams are continually in the marketplace, and we know the next great idea can come from anywhere—particularly from consumers who know and value our fabrics.” Scott, too, has a positive outlook. She says, “There is still a great amount of growth in our core industry, as well as in sister industries. Performance is now understood and appreciated by consumers, and they are willing to pay the extra cost of solution-dyed acrylic to have a fabric that will withstand the elements. The same holds true on the indoor residential side, but for a different set of performance requirements.” She explains that the presence of children and pets, when the fabric’s overall resistance to staining is taken into consideration, sets the stage for growth for Outdura. Egge is equally optimistic. “Twitchell will be introducing stock additions in the fall that will hit on many of the expanding applications,” she says. “Outdoor decor and fabrics are as big, right now, as the industry has ever been.”

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MARKETING MANEUVERS

expanding horizons Outdoor-furniture retailers find success by opening new stores in different geographic markets. by KIMBERLY RODGERS photography by BRYAN OSTER

JASON MILLSTEIN

ome specialty retailers have a strong desire to expand their businesses. Once these entrepreneurs have achieved a level of success in one or more store locations, many are ready for the excitement, new challenge, financial rewards, and security that additional growth ultimately can bring. As CEO of Today’s Patio (Phoenix, Arizona), Chad Scheinerman knows very well the thrill ride of expansion. With five locations in metropolitan Phoenix and one in Tucson, Arizona, the company opened its seventh location— in San Diego, California—in January 2013. “We had been looking for some places to grow and felt the Arizona market was tapped out; there was really nowhere for us to go, here, where we felt we would be successful,” he says. After looking at a few markets in different states, Scheinerman found a great opportunity in San Diego, about 350 miles from Phoenix. He says, “With the attrition going on among specialty dealers in Southern California, we saw this as an opportunity for us to grow.” Even though the Arizona realestate market was one of the hardest hit when the economy tanked, Today’s Patio had some of its best years, according to Scheinerman. He says, “Therefore, economically, we felt comfortable going into the California market; it was all about finding the right location and the right lease.” He was able to find exactly what he was looking for at a

former Carls Patio store located in the Kearny Mesa district of eastern San Diego. Carls Patio (Boca Raton, Florida) exited the California market in late 2012. Scheinerman says, “The location had been a patio store for 20 years, so it seemed to be a smart decision to go in there with our business model and philosophy.” Since the 18,000–square-foot store opened, Scheinerman has been happy with its performance. He says, “We have been received very well by the com-

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

munity, and our sales are stronger than I had originally anticipated.” Scheinerman’s father, Henry, and Charles Revson opened the first Today’s Patio showroom, in 1979, in the affluent Phoenix community of Paradise Valley. Over the next 20 years, there were more store expansions and closings, but no concrete growth—until the opening of the company’s next two stores, in Glendale and Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2004. The company’s flagship Scottsdale store has a 10,000–square-

Top left: Chad Scheinerman Top right: Today's Patio in San Diego is the company's seventh store (and its first California location) Bottom left: With encouragement from some of his major vendors, Jack Wills opened his fourth location in Memphis in 2011 Bottom right: In addition to a 15,000–squarefoot showroom, the Memphis Jack Wills store includes warehousing

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MARKETING MANEUVERS

foot showroom and a 2,000–squarefoot design center. Warehouse operations were then consolidated, in Phoenix, in what has evolved into a 65,000–squarefoot space with an attached 6,000–square-foot clearance center—the company’s fourth showroom. Today’s Patio opened its fifth location in 2008 (in Gilbert, Arizona) and its sixth, in Tucson, in 2010. Scheinerman follows a certain philosophy for the growth of Today’s Patio, and it has proved to be a success. He says, “We will add more stores, eventually, but I never like to put a timeframe on expansion, for us. Some companies, regardless of the industry, put plans in place to open a certain number of stores in a certain number of years. That is not our way of doing things.” FILLING A VOID In the late 1990s, droves of executives, managers, and staff of various vendors relocated to Northwestern Arkansas to serve the ever-growing needs of the area’s well-known corporate giants (including Walmart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt Transport Services). The area

Top left: Today's Patio’s 18,000–squarefoot store includes a chair gallery Top right: The Today's Patio concept has been received very well Bottom: Colorful cushions attract customers

Tulsa,” Wills says. He took over a 15,000–square-foot endcap space, previously occupied by a national golf vendor, in a large commercial strip on one of the most heavily traveled streets in the state.

swelled with new homes; third-generation retailer Jack Wills saw an excellent opportunity to expand to the area, in 2001, and open his second Jack Wills Outdoor Living store. Wills had been serving the area from his single store—more than 100 miles away, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The new 10,000–square-foot store, located in Tontitown, Arkansas, also has another 10,000 square feet of outdoor space. “Northwestern Arkansas was growing rapidly, and we were doing many deliveries and installations, so it made sense to open a store there,” Wills says. “It is a small market, without a large population, but we cater to the people who live in that area— especially the many executives.” A few years later, Wills opened a third store, in Little Rock, Arkansas. Again, Wills expanded to satisfy a specific need. “Our Rainbow Play Systems® business, which is a large part of our market, drove us to

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Little Rock,” he says. In addition, although the company was already serving Northwestern Arkansas, it was important to have a presence in the centrally located state capital, which has a larger population. In 2010, that store moved to its current location, on the outskirts of the city. “It’s not a very big store, but we are in an area of new growth. The location also gives us the zoning and outside space to display a variety of play systems, since we are sitting on four acres,” he says. In 2011, Wills opened a fourth store in Cordova, Tennessee (an area partially annexed by Memphis). This store came about when the main distributor of Rainbow Play Systems switched vendors, leaving a big hole in the local market. “I had been approached by Rainbow and had support from my main patio vendors to replicate, in Memphis, what we were doing in our store in

SUCCESSFUL EXPANSION When expanding to a new location, proximity is an important factor to consider. For example, opening stores in Little Rock and Memphis (with warehousing) considerably eased the workload for the Jack Wills Outdoor Living Tulsa staff. “We had been serving Little Rock from Tulsa and taking loads up there every other week, driving more than four hours, each way, in one day; it was very hard. Now, the Memphis store can completely take care of Little Rock’s needs, since they are less than two hours’ drive apart,” Wills says. Scheinerman and Wills agree that the ultimate success of a store comes from a strong management team and well-trained staff. This component becomes more critical during expansion, when an owner is often based in a different location. When it comes to success in expansion, Wills says, “Organizational skills are important, but you need the right people in place—and then, faith in the people you do have.” Scheinerman adds, “I am very adamant that once I open a new store, it needs to be up and running smoothly, like a welloiled machine, before I take on another task.”

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HEARTH RETAILER

five-star service Two Minnesota hearth retailers find that practicing exceptional customer service drives their profits. by SHARON SANDERS photography by CHRISTOPHER JOPP AND KRISTA WEISZ

ong, chilly winters make Minnesota one of the prime markets in the country for stove and fireplace dealers, but this opportunity comes with competition. There are two longtime hearth stores, 90 miles apart, that share a similar business perspective: Don’t just sell to customers; take care of them. This outlook has given them an edge in their markets. Energy Products and Design Inc. (Rochester) and Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces (Minneapolis) prove that a retailer doesn’t necessarily have to be the newest, biggest, or wealthiest to succeed—because

Top left: Brent and Christy Buchan Top right: Energy Products and Design takes care of its customers with heart and passion Bottom left: Jean and Pete Solac Bottom right: Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces is known for finding the right heating solutions for diverse situations

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

it’s what one does that makes one stand out from the competition. Brent Buchan is the second-generation owner of Energy Products and Design, which was started in 1978 by his parents, Jim and Sandy Buchan. This year, the store was honored with a 2013 Vesta Award as Hearth Retailer of the Year. While the award is given to a retailer for displaying excellence in many operational areas (merchandising/store design, marketing, installation services, employee training, and financial management), Buchan and his wife, Christy, emphasize that taking care

of their customers is the heart of their business. “It’s not always about having a jaw-dropping showroom, the most expensive products, or the best marketing. For us, it’s about being true to who we are,” Buchan explains. “What we do is take care of people, and we just happen to be in the hearth business. I don’t wake up in the morning and ask myself how many fireplaces I’m going to sell. I come to the store excited to work on a fun project and wondering what I’m going to be able to do for the next person who walks through our front door.”

Buchan adds that he’s not driven by volume and dollars in the same way that he’s driven by the sense of doing something of which he can be proud. He says, “I know profits will come if I focus on doing what is right.” The Buchan family has evolved its business over three decades, riding the ups and downs of the economy while trying to stay in touch with consumer demand. For many years, high-volume new-home construction fueled its bottom line, but that came to an abrupt halt when the housing market went bust. The store was forced to look in a new

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Circle Reader Service No. 27

HEARTH RETAILER direction for its profits. This was the turning point when the Buchans discovered what kind of retailers they needed to be to stay relevant in the marketplace. “We are not just fireplace order takers who don’t have contact with our customers. Our business has become more personal. We are advisors, designers, consultants, and professionals who see it as a personal challenge to match the right product with the right person,” Buchan explains. The store has done a careful job of selecting products from a wide variety of manufacturers, so customers can choose from interesting and relevant options. “I want people to come into our showroom and get as excited as I am about our products,” Buchan says, adding that his passion for customer service is what drives him. It’s the norm for him (or one of his staff members) to stop, on the way to or from work, to help a customer with a simple repair or problem (sometimes, at no charge). He says, “We want to feel good that we have taken care of our customers and played fairly on every sale. We see ourselves as a contributing member in a tightly knit community, not just as business owners.” Hearth veteran Pete Solac of Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces shares Buchan’s philosophy, when it comes to meeting people’s needs. The store’s downtown Minneapolis location (which has been around

Top right and left: Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces has been making heat in the community since 1977 Bottom right and left: Personal attention fuels customer service at Energy Products and Design

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

since 1977) is a destination not only for people who live in the city who are looking for products that they can’t find anywhere else, but for people from the far reaches of Minnesota and from Western Wisconsin, the Dakotas, and Iowa. Its slogan, Out of the Ordinary Products and Services, has served as its calling card for many years. “We do things that are a little unusual—or do usual things a little unusually,” Solac says. He and his wife, Jean, have owned the store since its beginning. Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces specializes in carrying fireplace and stove brands

that solve problems or address specific heating needs. Solac says, “We make an effort to keep current with the many products in our industry. We are trying to provide the hearth product that works—for any situation.” The Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces sales team not only helps guide people to make the right choices, but also gives customers reality checks. “We often explain to homeowners that a big, open fireplace is a challenging choice in a modern, tight home. They are bucking building and energy codes,” Solac says. He continues, “We can make it work by addressing all these issues, but we also explain alternatives that may make them even happier, in the long run— even if those alternatives weren’t their original dreams.” He adds that more than half of the store’s customers live in homes that are 50 or more years old, so there are many other challenges that the store deals with regularly. Solac has strong relationships with a wide range of manufacturers. They are able to provide him with anything that his customers need, from classic Victorian styles (from Valor, Vermont Castings, and Jøtul) to ultramodern linear gas fireplaces (from Ortal and Montigo, but also from Travis, Jøtul, and Valor). He says that there is a trend in the area, right now, favoring fireplaces and stoves that are neutral, with cleaner lines—even when a building’s architecture is primarily from a different era.

He says, “People are putting modern appliances (as opposed to antique designs) into older homes, so we are always shifting our displays. If we don’t have something, whatever its style or function, we are on the lookout for a source.” One of the store’s more unusual offerings is a soapstone masonry heater from a Finnish company, Tulikivi. It offers the most efficient way to turn wood into heat, Solac says. After a fire has burned for a few hours to heat the soapstone, the fireplace will radiate heat for another 12 to 24 hours. These masonry heaters are found all over Europe in different forms. Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces is also a distributor for this product. The biggest challenge—and the reason for the success of Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces today—is finding the right solutions for diverse situations. “We are able to do this by slowing down and listening to people, instead of just trying to sell them what we have on the floor. It’s about getting to know what’s motivating the sale for any particular customer,” Solac explains. He adds that residential architects are one of the store’s strongest sources of new customers because they know Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces as a resource. Solac also has ties to the area’s commercial-building community. Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces recently supplied a massive firepit and two linear fireplaces for the new Minnesota Twins ballpark in downtown Minneapolis. “This kind of challenge is where our background with diverse products, vendors, and architects comes together and ties in perfectly with the philosophy of our business,” he says. Buchan and Solac (who know each other and have supported each other’s efforts, over the years) both understand that they need to continue to stay in touch with their markets and customers—because they are constantly shifting. “Our experience has taught us that one can never get too comfortable because when you do, things will change,” Buchan says. “I know the one thing that will never change is a customer’s need to be understood and taken care of—and we plan, always, to provide that care.”

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OUTDOOR GRILLING

survival of the fittest Flooded out after Hurricane Sandy, Jetmore Fireplace Center gets back to high ground. by CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI photography by RONNYMILLS STUDIOS

e heard the term underwater bandied about liberally, over the past few years, as homeowners grappled with the declining value of their homes. Never has the term been so accurate, however, as when it was applied to the victims of Hurricane Sandy. For 42 years, Ben and Theresa Ragucci had been the proud owners of Jetmore Fireplace and BBQ Center Inc. in Wantagh, New York, a town slightly inland from Long Island’s South Shore. For 42 years, they remained dry through any number of storms and hurri-

Top: When Hurricane Sandy struck, flooding damaged Jetmore’s 5,000–square-foot showroom Left: Ben Ragucci (left) and his sales team Right: Jetmore is known for its large supply of grilling accessories

canes—but Hurricane Sandy (in October 2012) was different. After the storm, the Raguccis discovered 4 feet of water in their 5,000–square-foot store. The devastation was overwhelming. “We lost everything within 4 feet,” Ben Ragucci says. “Everything on our floor was gone. Our grills, displays, and everything had to be thrown away; nothing was left behind.”

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

If that wasn’t bad enough, Ragucci’s home was in the same shape. It, too, was filled with 4 feet of water. He says, “The storm completely destroyed everything on our first floor. Everything went: clothes, furniture, and everything you can think of in a home.” Despite the chaos in his personal and business lives, Ragucci

persevered. “The store was out of commission for about a month. Then, we reopened, if only partially. We wanted to open in case we could help people with something,” he says. The business started the cleanup by discarding everything that had been destroyed. “Of our products, 60% to 70% had to be thrown out,” Ragucci recalls. Then, Jetmore began to rebuild by installing new drywall, flooring, and rugs—in short, the works. That’s not the worst of it, though. Ragucci didn’t have any insurance to cover the damage in either his store or his home. “No one expected 4 feet of water in this location (or at my home). In 42 years, I

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OUTDOOR GRILLING

never had insurance,” he says. Now, Ragucci’s home and business are back to where they were before the storm. By Memorial Day, the official kickoff of the summer grilling season, the store was 90% completed; it was just waiting for new computers. Rebuilding Ragucci’s home was a longer, more painful process. The family lived solely on the home’s upper floor; the entire ground floor was gutted. Rebuilding was slow and tedious. Nevertheless, the Raguccis came through it all somehow. Ragucci explains, “We used all the strength and all the resources we had.” In resources, he is including his team of employees. In the business, he has two sons (Larry and Philip) and three grandsons (Joseph, Philip Jr., and Eric). His daughter-in-law, Amelia, is the bookkeeper. During the main selling season, 26 employees join the family members; that number winds down to 19 in the off-season. Without insurance, Ragucci had to rely on his wits and his financial savvy to get back on his feet. “We had good credit, and I had some of my own money, too. I did everything I could. I didn’t want to see 19 people go out of work,” he says.

Above: Jetmore carries a wide range of grills, including DCS by Fisher & Paykel, ProFire, Char-Broil, Weber, and Lynx

With everything turned upsidedown, Ragucci had to find a new way to do business. He says, “Some vendors were very kind to us, and others—well, they stood pat. They gave us standard terms and everything, which was OK. I could handle it. Other vendors were very, very good to us. We’ve been dealing with them for 42 years, and they came across for us.” Ragucci owns his store and his warehouse outright, which was a huge plus. Another positive was that the warehouse was dry; it did not take on any water. “We had all our backup stock in the warehouse. I lost displays, along with merchandise that was stocked in the store, but everything in the warehouse was OK, so it wasn’t a complete disaster,” he says. He adds that seven trucks were total losses because they went underwater. He has now purchased six new trucks; three handle service for Jetmore’s gas grills and three are for delivery and installation. Back when the Raguccis founded Jetmore, they started out with a little store selling tool sets. Later, they added grills, with Charmglow being one of the first. Ragucci says, “No one had heard of gas grills—and, to my amazement, they sold. After that, we kept growing, growing, and growing. We brought in more different brands. Then, we started with stoves.” At one point, Jetmore carried patio furniture, too. Ragucci says,

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

“We didn’t have a place in the store to stock it, so we got out of that business.” Today, the store carries many major brands of grills, from CharBroil, Weber, and DCS by Fisher & Paykel to ProFire and Lynx. Also on the showroom floor are fireplaces and stoves from Travis Industries and Stoll Fireplace, as well as Dagan Industries tool sets. Ragucci chooses products based on quality and price. “If someone tries to sell me a grill, I look for missing price points and try to fit the product between what I already have, so I have something for everyone. Price and quality are everything,” he says. Ragucci maintains strict control over every aspect of the business; that he was able to bring the store through a disaster (without insurance) is a testament to his ability. He advertises in newspapers and airs commercials on television, but Jetmore isn’t using any social media—yet. Ragucci says, “I don’t have anybody to run it and keep up with it. I keep telling the younger people to do something about it. I hope they will. I think we need to be there.” As for special events, Jetmore hosts some barbecue cookouts in the parking lot “and that’s about it,” Ragucci says. He participated in home shows for 20 years, but has dropped that effort completely. He says, “All you’re doing is greeting your own customers. You’re not getting anyone new. We’ve been here for 42 years; people know of us, and we know them. I don’t want to spend that kind of money to do that kind of advertising.” It is that type of frugal thinking

that paid off when Hurricane Sandy hit. Ragucci says, “People come to us because of the time we’ve been here. We have our third generation working here. We do the best we can, and it’s right. We do the best by the customers. We take care of them and answer their complaints.” Looking ahead, Ragucci is optimistic. He says, “The way the market is going, I think things are going to be brighter than they have been; 401(k)s are up, so I think everyone is happier. Sales have been good, so despite Sandy and the economy, we’re doing well. We will have a bright future, and I think business will go back to where it was in 2006 and 2007.” What did Ragucci learn from the Hurricane Sandy experience? “Going backward, I wouldn’t live in this area. I would move to higher ground,” he jokes. Becoming serious, he amends that statement: “No, we’re going to stay here, and I’ll run my business as I’ve been running it for 42 years—and my life, too,” he says. “We just had to get out there and do what we had to do,” he adds. “I never stopped to think. Many nights, I probably didn’t sleep more than an hour. I had an awful lot on my mind, but we have good people, and they helped. We didn’t think about tomorrow. We always said, ‘Let’s finish today first.’” There is one major change coming for the Raguccis. If another disaster like Hurricane Sandy were to occur, this time, they will be ready. They are getting insurance for both their home and their business.

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SHOWROOM SHOWCASE

Refreshing a Brand

A savvy Texas retail operation takes on a major rebranding effort to promote its individuality and future direction.

aren Galindo, owner of Outside in Style (Austin, Texas) isn’t afraid to shake up things. The spunky Texan is serious about doing what it takes to remain a genuine specialty retailer during a time when it’s tempting to compete on price. “Our job, as specialty retailers, is to make people think a step ahead, when it comes to design and style. To do this, we constantly have to reassess our merchandise and our businesses to make sure we are at least two steps ahead of the mass merchants,” she says. In June 2013, the three-store chain finished a major rebranding effort that Galindo is confident will keep it fresh, focused, and relevant for the future. Galindo’s parents started the business, in 1977, as Greenhouse

by SHARON SANDERS Photography by SARAH MOORE

Mall, selling greenhouses—and then, patio furniture. Galindo and her husband, Paul, along with their friend, Tracy Wolfrom, took over operations in 1994. Over the years, the store has gone through many changes, but the one that it underwent in the past year is the most dramatic. It has carved out a comfortable niche for itself as a specialty retailer with a strong selection of outdoor-living products, including high-end brands (such as Gloster and OW Lee). When the Galindos made the decision to rebrand, it wasn’t a reactive move—but rather, a proactive one. “I think it’s a good exercise, periodically, to evaluate where you stand in your retail life,” Galindo says. “It is too easy for retailers who have been around for 30 years not to make the sig-

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

nificant changes that are necessary to stay current. When you offer the same thing over and over again (even if you are known for it), people won’t feel compelled to come back.” She explains that consumers are harder to sell to, these days, because they get bored easily. “We need to engage consumers. If we don’t make our experience exciting and more relevant to how people want to shop, they will shop online and out of catalogs, and they will not even bother to come to a store,” she says. A NEW PATH The Galindos knew that they didn’t have the expertise necessary to tackle the rebranding effort on their own, so they partnered with Sphere Trending (Waterford,

Michigan), a consulting agency that specializes in predicting and analyzing trends. “We needed experts who could help us bring our business into the future. Even though it was a financial investment, we knew that if we tried to do it ourselves, we could end up looking just as we did when we started,” Galindo says. The rebranding affected every aspect of the business, from a new store name to fresh merchandise and physical remodeling. “I was amazed by all the thought that goes into every decision. Just coming up with our new name, Outside in Style, was complex—because it had to appeal to our target demographic,” Galindo explains, adding that the name change was long overdue. She says, “We renamed ourselves to let con-

sumers know that we are capturing a part of the market that has to do with style and outdoor living. We want to be perceived as being fresher, newer, and younger.” The original Austin store is the oldest of three locations (two in Austin and one in San Antonio). It underwent massive construction; the entire 10,000–square-foot space was reskinned and resurfaced. The new store has a combination of stucco with corrugated metal, stone, and wood that gives it an industrial/modern look. The showroom was designed to be more interesting, less confining, and more open. There are also more pedestrian areas for walking and shopping. Late last summer, the Galindos liquidated much of the store’s merchandise to free space for updated

designs and styles that reflect its new image. The store is taking a cleaner, simpler approach to merchandising and is embracing the less-is-more philosophy. “I believe that people are overstimulated when there are 40 collections on a showroom floor, so we have refined our product selection,” Galindo says. The store has also pared back its accessory selection to give people more relevant choices. “We want people to see us as arbiters of good taste, not just sellers of furniture,” she explains, adding that specialty customers want to be associated with a retailer who knows style. “When a retailer is fashionable, even down to the way the staff dresses on the showroom floor, it makes people want to take advice from it,” she adds. Galindo says that she is commit-

ted to creating an environment that is less sales driven (and more experience driven) because people shop differently today than they did 10 years ago. They have information at their fingertips that they never had before. “We are dealing with customers who come in with their iPads and flick through 20 pictures of outdoor rooms that they like on Pinterest. We need to be the experts who tell them how to translate their dreams onto their patios: That is our value, as opposed to a mass merchant’s. We need to be prepared to give them the shopping experience that they want, not just sell to them,” Galindo says. The store also uses social media (such as Facebook) to showcase outdoor-room success stories, so customers can get ideas before they even visit the store.

Top: After major rebranding and remodeling, Outside in Style is known as the place to go for the latest outdoor furniture Bottom left: From left, Karen Galindo, Paul Parker, Cory Levlon, Scott Moore, Tracy Wolfrom, and Paul Galindo Bottom right: Outside in Style refined its product collections to match the tastes of its target customers

July/August 2013 Patio & Hearth Products Report

SHOWROOM SHOWCASE

MOVING FORWARD Through the whole process, the Galindos have deliberately not lost sight of what Outside in Style is, as a retailer. “I think it’s crucial to identify your brand equity and build on it. Dump the baggage that may be holding you back, and then find a way to carry (and marry) the positive equity to your future brand,” she says. Galindo continues, “For example, our

positive equity is that we are known for carrying the best merchandise in the industry, but our baggage is that we are also known for being expensive. Well, one kind of goes with the other. We needed to dump the perception that we are overpriced and reinvent the notion that we are fashion forward and value driven.” Even with so much work already accomplished, Galindo says, there is still

much to be done. She also plans to work on operational issues, training, and customer education. “It’s something that will continue indefinitely,” she predicts. Galindo says that the rebranding effort has inspired her and her husband to take a hard look at the business, what it is, and what they want it to be in the future. “I think retailers stray off the path of what makes them who they are,” she says. “We are a specialty retailer that has

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Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Outside in Style has a fresh, clean vibe that's all its own

partnerships with the manufacturers in our industry, and we work with them, hand in glove, to bring the best possible products to our consumers. Anything short of that, and we’re off our path.”

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, 5 2 1'$ / ( $ / $ %$ 0$ ::: 3($ .6($ 621 ,1 & 1 (7 Circle Reader Service No. 37

As I See It

INSPIRED OUTDOOR DESIGNS Because of their comfort and flair, Tropitone’s collections appeal to both residential and commercial shoppers. by SHARON SANDERS

ropitone®, a name synonymous with casual furniture, has always been big on style, performance, and quality. Originally established in 1954 as a commercial brand (gracing hotel and motel pool decks), Tropitone changed the performance standards for an entire industry by applying the rigorous requirements of the commercial market to outdoor furniture for the home. Patio & Hearth Products Report spent some time with Cap Hendrix, president and CEO of Tropitone, to get his take on the casual-furniture industry and find out what the company is doing to stay in touch with today’s marketplace.

How is Tropitone continuing to build its reputation as a leader in the casual-furniture industry? Hendrix: We never stop trying to please our customers. That is who we have always been. Tropitone’s overriding goal is to provide its customers (residential and commercial) with what they want, when they want it—the first time, every time. This is a goal that few enterprises are ever able to achieve; however, a true industry leader must organize itself around attaining that goal. Tropitone understands that it cannot reach that goal alone and that it needs collaborative relationships with its supply and distribution partners to make it happen. That said, it is critical that we partner only with those companies in the supply and distribution chain that share the same customer goals as our company. 38

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

What has been one of Tropitone’s biggest successes? Hendrix: One of the successes that has helped make Tropitone what it is today is the fact that the company hasn’t wavered, when it comes to manufacturing its products in the United States. Despite the flood of Chinese imports over the years, it has sustained its manufacturing plants in Sarasota, Florida, and Irvine, California (against all odds). Some of the major drawbacks of having a manufacturing base thousands of miles away are complex supply-chain logistics and long order-cycle times. We strongly believe that our close-to-market, short–cycle-time value proposition resonates with our core customers. Many other North American manufacturers are starting to explore value propositions similar to ours.

What does a casual-furniture manufacturer need to do, today, to stay relevant in the marketplace? Hendrix: The idea of relevance is the same for any participant—in any marketplace or industry. An enterprise must have a clear understanding of who its customers are, what those customers truly value, what unique value the enterprise can create for those customers, and what competencies are required to create that unique value. The concept may be simple, but the execution can be complex and expensive—especially for a seasonal, cyclical industry (such as casual furnishings).

What emerging changes/opportunities does Tropitone see in the industry? Hendrix: We see two megachanges occurring over the next five to 10 years. The first is the relative influence of Chinese manufacturing. Following the economic crisis of 2009, the Chinese realized that they could no longer rely upon the economic policies of the past 30 years to fuel the growth of their country. The stated policy of the Chinese government today is to de-emphasize low-wage, low–value-added export manufacturing. This means that China will remain an important manufacturer of casual furnishings, but cost and complexity will continue to increase. There is already a visible shift to higher-priced, higherquality, value-added goods. The second megachange is the integration of digital and traditional marketing/sales strategies. Today’s consumers not only are better informed than previous generations, but also don’t compartmentalize their shopping and purchasing between digital and showroom activities. Fortunately, casual furnishings are the perfect fit for the combination digital/showroom experience because—as when buying an auto-

Top left: Cap Hendrix Top right: Tropitone’s South Beach cushion group

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As I See It mobile—consumers are most likely to want to experience the furniture in a brick-and-mortar store prior to purchase. This click-and-brick combination will be very powerful and beneficial for the casualfurnishings industry, going forward.

What products are you most excited about for the upcoming season? Hendrix: I’m energized by the momentum that Tropitone is building, every year, with products that have features that go beyond aesthetics. Two years ago, we introduced self-adjusting, articulated-movement URComfort® seating, which was the first outdoor seating to be accredited by the American Chiropractic Association. Last year, we introduced fire features to our most popular table collections. Customer response to both URComfort and our fire products has exceeded our expectations. This response, yet

again, confirmed that our total-performance value proposition is what dealers and their customers want. This year, we will build on that success with new fire products, as well as seating and accessories that enhance the outdoor fire and tabletopcooking experience. At the May 2013 HD Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, we continued to strengthen our commercial-product position. Designer Richard Holbrook (who took Tropitone’s design aesthetic to a whole new level) has built on his ultrasuccessful South Beach collection with a complementary cushion group. These new modular seating models generated lots of interest from our residential distribution partners who attended HD Expo. Montreux II padded-sling dining by Tropitone

In addition, we introduced optional fabric panels that complement Holbrook’s popular Cabana Club collection. These new additions are part of the Tropitone brand’s migration into spaces beyond its traditional core of poolside, cafe, and balcony settings. I’m also excited about the new Tropitone MODA™ and Tropitone Valora™ brands (which were created to complement the original Tropitone brand). Tropitone MODA was introduced last year to meet the needs of commercial and residential spaces that call for fashion-driven designs. Its collections feature ultrastylish upholstered, woven, and aluminum finishes (with fresh fabrics). Tropitone Valora is the opposite: driven by utility and intended to satisfy basic requirements, yet with Tropitone’s approachable flair. Valora was formally launched to the residential market at the ICFA Preview Show™ in July. It will be introduced to the commercial market in November, at Boutique Design New York.

What does the future hold for Tropitone?

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Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Hendrix: I have great optimism for the future, based the outlook for the economic landscape. The long-term economy is generating some growth, despite having to overcome governmentpolicy headwinds. The short-term, cyclical economy is gaining solid traction in both the commercial and residential segments. Commercial properties are going through a renewal process, as their financial prospects brighten. There are also signs that growth in consumer wealth and home sales has stimulated the residential segment. Barring any unexpected turn of events, the next several years appear as if they will be very good for Tropitone and the casual-furnishings industry.

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my turn

BAREFOOT FRIENDLY Technology helps Oriental Weavers create stylish outdoor rugs that feature texture and warmth. by KIMBERLY RODGERS

rea rugs often add the finishing touch to an outdoor room, providing form and function— from a pop of color and a cozy, warm feeling to a layer of texture; protection from dirt; and the definition of a dining, chat, or accent space. As other product categories have, outdoor rugs have truly grown in design sophistication and durability of construction since the explosion of the outdoor room. Moreover, compared with other elements of an outdoor space, rugs are relatively lowcost purchases that instantly transform a space, making them a good value (and an increasingly popular category with consumers). Jonathan Witt, vice president of Oriental Weavers USA, Inc. (Dalton, Georgia), says, “The outdoor market has evolved significantly since we entered it—and dramatically, within the past few years. The first outdoor rugs were very simple one- and two-color designs in beige and brown, with occasional black accents on the borders. Technology has evolved tremendously, and we can offer up to eight colors

Top: Jonathan Witt Middle: A Caspian-collection rug by Oriental Weavers Bottom: A rug from the Lagos collection

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

in a single outdoor rug, resulting in endless designs and surface textures.” Since it first entered the U.S. rug market in the early 1990s and the outdoor-rug channel in 1998, Oriental Weavers has been a leader in the growth and marketing of the outdoor-rug category. The company is the U.S. division of The Oriental Weavers Group (Cairo), established in 1980 and now—with manufacturing/distribution sites on five continents—the world’s largest producer of carpets and area rugs. Products from Oriental Weavers are noted for their inventive patterns and styles, which are the key to what sets the company apart in the industry. “Our world revolves around color and design,” Witt says. “We are known, foremost, for fashion-forward designs that are always on trend.” Witt explains that Oriental Weavers works hard at developing close relationships with the furniture industry, in addition to collaborating with designers to ensure that the company’s products are in sync with what consumers are demanding. Witt adds, “As the world’s largest manufacturer of rugs, with more capacity than any of our competitors, Oriental Weavers is able to offer our customers the widest variety of qualities, textures, and price points available in the area-rug industry

today.” Oriental Weavers offers six outdoor-rug collections, covering more than 100 different designs in various sizes. Witt says, “Our five-color, multitextured rugs in the Caspian, Montego, and Bali collections are our best sellers, with the Caspian being our biggest hit of spring 2013. Our most popular rug size is 5x8 feet, but we are starting to see a trend toward consumers purchasing 8x10-foot outdoor rugs; the larger rugs better accommodate outdoor dining and conversation areas.” Most of the company’s rugs (including larger sizes) retail for less than $299. Durable construction and a large variety of designs also allow outdoor rugs to be used inside the home. Witt adds, “Building on our success, our latest offering is the Lagos collection, which we introduced earlier this year.” This exclusive offering features textured, flat-woven construction with shades of deep navy, bright red, aqua blue, lime green, tangerine orange, and vibrant citron. “These colors are right on trend for upcoming outdoorfurniture and fabric groupings,” Witt says. Quality is a crucial component of any rug, and Oriental Weavers has more than 30 years’ experience in inventing its own innovative technologies to produce durable, continued on page 93

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product innovation

ONWARD AND UPWARD Onward Manufacturing reaches new heights through product and market expansion.

by CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI

nward Manufacturing Company (OMC), Ltd., which makes and markets Broil King® grills (among many others), has been busy. Ted Mealing, marketing director for OMC (Waterloo, Ontario), says, “We are selling Broil King and other brands in more than 34 countries now.” By other brands, Mealing means such well-known names as the Broil-Mate®, Sterling®, Blue Ember, and Fiesta brands, as well Barbecue

Top: The Broil King Keg grill with its trailer-hitch adapter Bottom: The Keg with its stand and removable side shelves

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Genius® and GrillPro®. “Grills are all we do,” Mealing says. “OMC has been dedicated to the manufacture of barbecue grills for almost 30 years. Grills are the only products that the company makes. Decades of experience in building (and cooking with) high-quality grills have taught the company what it takes to design and build a grill that performs well in any environment.” Three North American factories—located in Waterloo and in Huntington, Indiana, and Dickson, Tennessee—handle all the manufacturing, and they supply grills worldwide. That’s quite an accomplishment for a company that has been family owned since 1906. “As a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-quality gas-grill products for more than 20 years, OMC has built a reputation for quality, durability, and cooking performance,” Mealing says. OMC’s barbecue grills, he points out, are designed and engineered to work as high-performance cooking systems across the full product/model range—regardless of the brand name on the outside. There’s more, though: It isn’t all about performance, but also about fulfilling a user’s perception of high-quality cooking. “Our barbecue grills are designed to maximize flavor for outstanding results,” Mealing says. A DISCIPLINED APPROACH Keeping so many brands in good shape is no easy feat. “Broil King is the flagship brand, globally, and is our focus in all markets. Our disciplined channel-management strategies, in each of our markets, guide allocation of our brands

and series, with the goal of eliminating conflicts,” Mealing explains. Manufacturing was simplified two years ago, when OMC acquired Fiesta Grills and its factory in Huntington. The company is reaping big dividends now. “Our investment in North American manufacturing and distribution gives us access to a highly skilled and experienced workforce, efficient production practices, and high-quality materials, enabling us to provide our customers with a high-quality product while maintaining competitive prices. We can be close to our vendors and supply chain, and we can react to customer requirements quickly,” Mealing explains. Today, Broil King products are manufactured in OMC’s Waterloo and Huntington facilities, while GrillPro and Fiesta products are manufactured primarily in the Dickson factory. The recently acquired Huntington facility also manufactures OMC’s premium stainless-steel grills: the Imperial, Regal, and Baron series. “The facilities are fully integrated, with inhouse design and engineering, tool-and-die making, precise metal stamping and fabrication, powder-epoxy painting, porcelain enameling, injection molding, aluminum die casting, final assembly, packaging, supply-chain processes, and distribution,” Mealing says. The reason the company handles everything that it can in-house is simple: He explains, “We are committed to involvement in the entire manufacturing process; manufacturing in North America ensures control of the quality, from start to finish.”

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product innovation

The Broil King Baron grill

NEW AND IMPROVED The three factories have focused, in recent months, on tweaking existing products and developing new ones. OMC has updated the style and profile of its Imperial and Regal grill models with a new lid design and cookbox that complement the grills’ aesthetic attributes (while communicating the powerful performance of these grills). New to the product line is the Baron series, which consists of stainless-steel grills in an upper-midlevel price range. The Baron series, which shares the new lid design of the Imperial and Regal series, ranges from a five-burner model with side and rear burners to a three-burner model for smaller outdoor spaces. Relatively new to the product lineup is the Broil King Keg charcoal grill, a kamado-style grill that features a high-performance design that builds on Broil King’s philosophy of engineering superior grills that evoke a passion for outdoor entertaining. Unlike other kamadostyle grills, the Broil King Keg’s durable body is made of double-walled steel, with highgrade insulation between its walls. “This technologically advanced design holds temperatures in a narrow range—for continuous, even heat. This allows consumers to do low-and-slow cooking and create moist, traditional U.S.-style barbecue in their own backyards. The steel body also offers outstanding durability through all weather conditions,” Mealing says. The Keg features a total cooking area of 480 square inches, including a main cast-iron

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

cooking grid and a secondary chromecoated rack that is ideal for more delicate foods (such as seafood). The Broil King Keg’s standard features also include a large, precise temperature gauge; removable resin side shelves; and a durable stand, with large wheels for portability. In short, the grill incorporates many of the performance principles associated with Broil King, according to Mealing, from precise heat control and cast-iron cooking grids to an optional heat-diffuser kit. “It even has a trailerhitch adapter for tailgating,” he adds. Since its launch (in September 2012), the Keg has received positive reviews, according to Mealing. He says, “It is a new offering in a niche category (relatively speaking), and it has generated a lot of excitement and interest due to its steel construction and performance capabilities.” OMC has also enhanced a number of features of its product lines. One example is the addition of leg levelers to the Imperial and Regal series—along with dual-tube, 1.2-millimeter–thick stainless-steel burners and heavier, reversible stainless-steel and cast-iron grids. Another trending item is a newly launched line of premium accessories sold under the Broil King brand name. The Broil King accessory items are made of heavy-duty stainless steel and cover a broad range. “The accessories have received numerous compliments from our trade partners on packaging, design, and construction,” Mealing says. All of these product advances and introductions have been made with one goal in mind: ensuring that “cooking performance remains best in class, across the Broil King lineup. The cooking system is designed and engineered to ensure that food juices are vaporized, both at the cast-iron grids (at the point of contact) and at the full-coverage, stainless-steel Flav-RWave™ below the grids. This design produces the genuine barbecue flavor consumers are looking for,” Mealing states. In addition to Broil King, OMC has manufactured a full line of grills selling in the

United States under the Huntington brand name since 2010. Huntington grills are offered to various channel partners, enabling them to provide, Mealing says, “high-quality, U.S.-made grills, through the midtier price ranges: These grills provide excellent value to the consumer.” The grills are designed for performance, with tube burners (on three-, four-, and fiveburner grills); full-coverage heat to vaporize food drippings (creating barbecue flavor); and cast-iron grids for heat retention. Consumers can choose from cart or cabinet models and will receive warranty coverage, along with full parts-and-service support. MANY BRANDS Can a company ever offer too many brands? Perhaps, but that’s not true of OMC. Mealing says, “We constantly review the brands and models (in reaction to customer and consumer feedback) and are streamlining our line on an ongoing basis.” The past few years have seen a whirlwind of innovation at OMC, and that isn’t expected to change any time soon. OMC is determined that its brands—every one of them—will retain topof-mind awareness among buyers. That explains the company’s strong presence in social media. Broil King product information can be found at its website (www.omcbbq.com), and the brand can be followed on Facebook, as well as on Twitter. In addition, grilling advice and product videos are available on YouTube. Mealing says, “We continue to work with our customers and listen to consumer feedback to enhance the performance and enjoyment of our barbecue grills. We are committed to being more than just a grill company to our customers.” To that end, OMC provides complete support programs and resources to its consumers. It isn’t the work of just one individual; it takes a team of players. Mealing says, “Broil King is a brand that is growing in popularity, globally, due to the efforts of our distribution and channel partners.” This effort starts with building excitement and creating brand awareness (and understanding) among consumers, through education. It continues through the execution of full merchandising programs at the point of sale, and it concludes with postpurchase support—provided by customer-service centers based in North American factories—and comprehensive warranty/parts support. It’s a lot to keep tabs on, but for OMC (which is used to having many balls in the air at one time), it’s just another day at the office.

Circle Reader Service No. 47

CP corporate profile

A MODERN CLASSIC

Gas-grilling pioneer Modern Home Products evolves while expanding its customer base. by JESSE BURKHART

idely viewed as the U.S. culinary pastime, grilling plays a starring role in any retelling of the country’s food heritage. Perhaps Modern Home Products (MHP), Antioch, Illinois, should be credited, then, with writing one of the earliest and most important chapters in that history: It developed the first-ever outdoor gas grill for consumer use in 1960, effectively becoming a founding father of the grill industry. Before reaching that milestone in grilling, MHP, founded in the 1950s by Walter Koziol, developed decorative gas-fueled outdoorlighting products under the brand name Charmglow. As that business expanded, Koziol explored ways to use gas in other outdoor products. Then, Koziol’s brothers, Ted and Harry Koziol, joined the company; they were instrumental in Charmglow’s growth. That’s when Walter Koziol engineered the first consumer outdoor gas grill: a round steel grill that he eventually fashioned into a rectangular cast-aluminum gas grill with a hinged lid (a better, more efficient design). Tom Nitz, senior vice president of MHP, says, “We were the original gas-grill company, back in the early 1960s. As far as actually making gas grills goes, MHP is probably the longest-standing gas-grill company in

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

the industry.” Of course, the company’s product portfolio has evolved (along with the company itself ) over the past half century. MHP’s forte is still residential gas grills, but strategic business advances and a sharpened focus on the outdoor-kitchen segment have turned the company into a provider of more versatile solutions for specialty retailers intending to offer the complete outdoor room. Perhaps the most significant development for MHP, in the past decade, was the acquisition of ProFire, a line of all–stainless-steel grills known for built-in applications that helped MHP expand its business into outdoor kitchens. Nitz says that MHP thought that it was missing out on that segment, so the acquisition (in late 2006) made sense. “We didn’t have anything in the all–stainless-steel category, so it allowed us to enter into a new arena—not just with the gas grills, but also with all the basic accessories that somebody would put into an outdoor kitchen,” he says. Around the same time as the ProFire acquisition, Phoenix (a manufacturer of gas

Top left: From left, Tom Koziol, Tom Nitz, and George Koziol Top right: The WNK 4 grill Bottom: ProFire’s 48-inch built-in grill

grills) went bankrupt, opening the door for MHP to extend its product range once more. When Phoenix abandoned the equipment used to cast its grills, MHP contacted the foundry where the grills were made and assumed production of the line. The Phoenix line is now branded through ProFire. The Phoenix line, Nitz says, “allowed us to expand our customer base into different types of stores that don’t currently carry the MHP brand. Most of the Phoenix buyers are not MHP customers because it’s a different grill

and a different way of cooking, so we were able to expand our customer base, which is what our goal was.” This summer, MHP will attempt to expand its customer base again when the company introduces its first-ever line of kamado grills and stands. This is a response to requests that MHP has been receiving from customers who are looking for kamado alternatives, according to Nitz. The new revenue streams that MHP is generating build on the foundation of the company’s traditional business of cast-aluminum grills, decorative outdoor lighting, and aftermarket replacement parts (which the company began selling in the mid1970s, and which still represent 40% to 50% of the company’s sales). All of MHP’s products are made at its two manufacturing plants—one in Antioch and the other in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The MHP line is anchored by the WNK 4, the company’s best-selling model. It features 642 square inches of cooking surface, electronic ignition, a built-in heat indicator, patented H stainless-steel dual burners, and a swing-away warming rack. The line also includes infrared and hybrid grills, along with cart models. MHP’s outdoor-lighting collection,

Everglow gas torches

once known as Charmglow, is now branded as Everglow, with a lineup that includes gas and electric lamps, torches, lighting bases and posts, and replacement parts. MHP’s sales methods differ from those of many other grill manufacturers, with products sold mainly using a two-step distribution model. Although MHP does ship directly to dealers in some areas, the distribution strategy enhances customer service by allowing specialty retailers the benefit of working with a distributor who is already in the retailer’s backyard, according to Tom Koziol (nephew of

Walter Koziol and son of Ted Koziol), president of MHP. The distribution model “is really the key to our service,” Koziol says. “All of our distributors are fully trained by us (at either factory), and then our representatives provide service to the distributor. This just gives us an extra layer of people—who are knowledgeable about our products—to help on the ground level.” When customers want to speak with the company directly, though, MHP executives make themselves readily accessible, and the manufacturer takes pride in the

fact that no employees have voice mail. “We don’t believe in that; we believe that (customers) should be able to talk to a live person. The customer-service aspect of a small company can’t be overvalued,” Koziol says. The natural intimacy and flexibility of a small company also confer certain benefits on its employees, Nitz explains, counting the company’s low-key atmosphere and minimal turnover rate as keys to its success. “We try to create an internal culture where everybody is on board for the same common cause, and we take a very family-oriented approach with our employees,” he says. Moving forward, don’t expect MHP to stray far from the path that Walter Koziol blazed so long ago. After all, its track record of strategic business expansion, multilayered customer service, and internal stability has stood the test of time. “Over our 50-plus–year history, we’ve centered ourselves on quality, which goes beyond products,” Nitz says. MHP treats its people well, he explains; as a result, “Distributors and dealers get a great product at a good price: They can make money on it and keep their doors open,” he concludes.

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July/August 2013 Patio & Hearth Products Report

insight

Making Homes Warm WoodMaster offers customers who are cranking up their thermostats cost-efficient and clean alternatives. by CHERISE FORNO

ince making its first furnace, in 1989, the entrepreneurial WoodMaster has expanded its product line to include residential and commercial furnaces that use natural energy and alternative fuel sources, including cordwood, wood chips, wood pellets, corn, small grains, and other renewable fuels. WoodMaster furnaces are manufactured and distributed by Northwest Manufacturing (Red Lake Falls, Minnesota), which was founded by brothers Chuck, Bruce, and Ron Gagner. WoodMaster offers a robust product line of both indoor and outdoor alternative-heating furnaces for residential and commercial markets (in addition to pellet grills, in-floor heating, snow-melting systems, and water-distribution systems). Staying true to its longstanding reputation for manufacturing environmentally friendly and innovative products, WoodMaster was the first company to create bioenergy Flex Fuel furnaces. Todd Strem, sales and marketing manager for WoodMaster, says, “The Flex Fuel series is the leader on the EPA’s Burn Wise website (www.epa.gov/ burnwise/owhhlist.html) due to its unsurpassed low emissions.”

Top: The Flex Fuel furnace by WoodMaster Middle: A forced-air furnace from the commercial series Bottom: The Mini Hog pellet grill

While creating new product lines, WoodMaster still offers its original product line, which continues to remain extremely popular in the industry. “Our traditional WoodMaster models (MF3300,

MF4400, MF5500, and MF6500) have been WoodMaster’s most popular products,” Strem says. “Their ease of use and dependability make them stand out in the industry.” The gasification and thermalstorage technologies used by Flex Fuel furnaces are more efficient than those used in many other furnace designs. Woodmaster Flex Fuel furnaces burn an entire load of cordwood or pellets in the firebox without shutting down, and they store the excess heat to be used as needed. This process reduces emissions and waste. “With the Flex Fuel furnace, you also have multiple fuel options— cordwood or wood pellets—and this helps the consumer control savings and provides ease of operation,” Strem says.

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

With environmental conservation becoming increasingly important in the industry, the Flex Fuel series continues to become more popular. “Recently, with the proposed EPA New Source Performance Standard changes, the Flex Fuel series has gained a lot of ground,” Strem says. Other features of the Flex Fuel products include an optional selfignition device that is programmable, based on time or water temperature. Solar capability enables users to save money by using less fuel. A large ash chamber makes ash cleanup quick, and self-cleaning heat exchangers are another feature that reduces maintenance. The WoodMaster Flex Fuel series is more than 92.5% efficient and is EPA phase 2 qualified. For the future, WoodMaster will continue to focus on creating more efficient and responsible products. “WoodMaster stays ahead of industry changes and consumer demands by collaborat-

ing with European companies on emerging clean-energy technologies,” Strem says. WoodMaster also works closely with other manufacturers, industry experts, and government agencies. This collaboration has helped the company manufacture efficient and technologically advanced products that also adhere to the highest emissions standards. According to Strem, the quality of WoodMaster dealers also sets the company apart in the industry. All WoodMaster dealers are factory certified. They also receive extensive training and support, including annual education/training to keep their knowledge current and competitive. WoodMaster will continually create new and improved products to stay in the forefront of the industry. The company’s latest product release is in its commercial series, which includes hot-air furnaces and boilers. “A new product we are excited about is the WoodMaster commercial series—light-duty edition,” Strem says. This series of pellet- or chip-fueled hot-air furnaces is ideal for poultry farms and greenhouses. These furnaces are fully automatic, self-cleaning, and reliable. Strem points out that these new products are also a good choice for the environmentally conscious consumer. He says, “Burning wood produces no net increase in greenhouse-gas emissions, while reducing U.S. dependency on foreign oil supplies; it brings jobs and revenue back into our local economies.”

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insight

Gold Eagle Soars Acquiring 303 Products in 2012 boosted this company’s market position.

old Eagle (Chicago, Illinois), a family-owned business that has specialized in gas additives and fuel stabilizers for more than 80 years, continues to uphold its mission to provide superior products in each new endeavor that it undertakes. In 1932, Armin Hirsch founded Gold Eagle and vowed to produce the most innovative automotive chemicals to prevent and cure engine problems. The company has evolved, over the years, but its core mission has remained the same. With best-selling brands such as STA-BIL® fuel stabilizer and HEET® gas-line antifreeze, Gold Eagle has established a reputation for high-quality products and customer care. Gold Eagle was also named a top small-company workplace by Inc. magazine. Marc Blankman, president and CEO of Gold Eagle, says, “Our products are known for performance. Our products are trusted. Our vision is to make products that protect, preserve, and perform.” Blankman explains that Gold Eagle—as one of the few remaining family-held companies in the

Top: Marc Blankman Bottom: 303® Patio Furniture Cleaner™ and Patio Furniture Protectant™

by CHERISE FORNO

industry—still maintains the same level of commitment to customer service, product quality, and superior marketing strategies. “We take a lot of pride in that,” he says. “We think it’s an advantage.” Another attribute of the company that has contributed to its long history is its ability to adapt to changing consumer needs and to branch into new markets. Gold Eagle acquired 303 Products (Palo Cedro, California), which has built a leading offering of protectants, cleaners, and associated products, in June 2012. 303 Products is known for manufacturing more than 10 highquality products for the UV screening, protection, finish maintenance, and cleaning of rubber, vinyl, plastics, textiles, metals, and leather. Blankman notes that it was very important to find a company such as 303 Products, with a reputation for the same commitment to its customers and to product quality that Gold Eagle has as its tradition. He adds that the acquisition has gone very well. “It’s been absolutely phenomenal,” he says. According to Blankman, Gold Eagle will continue to expand on the products available through the

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

303 Products acquisition. He says that the very strong marketing and sales team of Gold Eagle will build on the foundation established by the previous 303 Products owner. The current mission of Gold Eagle is to let consumers know more about the product line and that there are simple, effective products avail-

able to help extend the life of outdoor furnishings and accessories. One of the most popular products is 303 Aerospace Protectant™, which is water based and environmentally friendly. “It can be used on so many different things,” Blankman says. It works as a sun protectant, as well as a restorative application. “It’s the only product that we know of, today, that can work like

this,” he reports. 303 High Tech Fabric Guard™ also is used very effectively on patio furniture to preserve the quality of the fabric by protecting it against water damage and the harmful effects of sun exposure. Blankman adds that Gold Eagle will build on 303 Products not only by expanding on current product offerings, but also by making consumers more aware of what is available. “The previous owner of 303 Products did a great job of building a foundation,” Blankman says. “Our interest is to build further upon that. Our job is to understand consumer needs in that channel and fulfill those needs.” Gold Eagle’s products have a dual effect on preserving the environment: using environmentally friendly products and increasing the longevity of products such as outdoor furniture. By protecting the quality of furniture and making it last longer, consumers can conserve resources because they will not have to replace products as often. Blankman stresses that Gold Eagle is looking forward to continuing to work with the patio-furniture market—and to meeting the needs of consumers by offering high-quality products and unparalleled customer support.

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last word

EGGCITING TIMES Big Green Egg Company continues to dazzle customers and retailers with an exciting array of new products. by GREG THOMPSON

uilding a devoted following via crystal-clear brand recognition is the holy grail of marketing, and it is no easy task. For Big Green Egg Company (Atlanta, Georgia), awareness is a largely organic phenomenon fueled by steady word-of-mouth promotion, throughout the United States and beyond.

of EGGcessories keeps customers coming back to the store. “As one example, we are supporting a huge interest in pizza with our plate setter, pizza stone, and products that go inside the EGG,” Arani says. “There is a line now, with everything from dough mats to pizza tools. We’ve got things to make a calzone, and all of our Italian-

A legion of EGGheads eagerly spreads the word, and a network of authorized dealers relies on the product to generate buzz on the sales floor. Ardy Arani, managing director of Big Green Egg, says, “We don’t sell through mass merchandisers. We sell through authorized dealers, many of whom are foodies who love cooking on an EGG®. They can tell you how to smoke, broil, grill, and bake—and they’ll share recipes.” For specialty dealers working to build repeat business, a huge array

themed products have really taken off this year. It all gets back to the lifestyle attributes of the EGG, which bring customers in the door.” AN EGG LEGACY Almost 40 years ago, before anyone had heard the word staycation, the company’s founder, Ed Fisher, began exploring the cooking methods of the Far East. Fisher ultimately embraced the concept of the ancient Japanese clay cooking device known as a kamado.

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

After experimenting with countless prototypes, Fisher developed the modern EGG, widely viewed as the original U.S.-designed ceramic cooker. Following these humble beginnings, the company has continued to thrive—in economies good and bad. From the narrow prism of 2013, Arani echoes the sentiments of many manufacturers, lamenting the blanket of snow that covered much of the United States until the end of April. “I’m sure many of us were wondering, a few months ago, when is this going to stop, so people can get outside?” he says. “As I look back on results for the quarter and movement of product, we’re actually continuing our multiyear trend, which is steady growth. We are doing well. People are getting out, buying EGGs, and enjoying them.” While few patio-industry manufacturers like cold weather, Big Green Egg’s executives frequently point out that the product is essentially impervious to the elements. Internet EGGhead forums routinely show people digging through 4-foot snowdrifts to reach their buried EGGs. It’s an unusual message in outdoor cooking, but it helps attract dealers in cold-weather states. The frigid-temperature capabilities of the EGG are no gimmick, and the company backs its claims with rigorous testing. “We put the EGG in a large freezer and take it well below zero,” Arani explains. “The EGG comes out of that and

Top: Big Green Egg’s pizza EGGcessories Bottom: From left, the XLarge, mini, medium, small, and large EGGS; at the rear, the promotional EGGzilla

is immediately heated up past 1,000 degrees—well above the normal range a consumer would use. The EGG does not flinch: no signs of thermal cracking. If customers are getting cabin fever, and they want to get outside, they can use the EGG—because it will not be fazed at all.” Thanks to meticulous manufacturing quality control, the company’s engineers are content with the proven design of the EGG. Pieces surrounding the EGG, however, have received major additions, in the form of new tables and islands that are just now making their way to authorized dealers. At HPBExpo 2013 in Orlando, Florida, Arani and the marketing team unveiled a new stainless-steel and aluminum backyard island that features high-end roller drawers and 76 inches of preparation surface. The additions are part of a company philosophy that essentially maintains that if it’s worth doing, it should be done with the highest possible quality. With that ethos in place, team members came up with a table design that mimics the overall look of the EGG. “It’s contoured,

curved, and dark green, just like the EGG,” Arani explains. “It complements the shape, feel, and functionality of the EGG. So far, the response has been amazing. It’s only been out for about three or four weeks, but a number of distributors, around the country, are reporting great sales at the dealer level.” Another new line features hardwood tables made from eco-sourced wood culled from sustainable forests in Central America. “Consumers were asking for something a little higher end—exotic woods like royal mahogany and teak,” Arani says. “We spent the better part of a year working on these, and they are absolutely gorgeous. The tables provide another dimension to an EGG—particularly for someone who wants something that appears more like a piece of outdoor furniture. Now, we can satisfy their interest—whether it’s for a metal product or a wooden one.” Satisfying demand by expanding options is a staple of the company’s primary message. Standard propane barbecues can do a great job of grilling food, but Arani is keen to point out that the EGG can effectively grill, bake, roast, smoke, and cook in the low-and-slow mode. Baking a pie or a loaf of bread is well within the unit’s capability, and both are things that devoted users do not hesitate to do. Inevitably, the sight of a pie—pizza or other— emerging from an outdoor-cooking unit sparks plenty of conversation, and that kind of interaction brings family and friends closer together. “People want to experience the taste of the food and the unique experience of cooking on an EGG,” Arani says. “When someone buys an EGG, he or she comes together with friends and family to experience the lifestyle.” THE BIG EGGZILLA IDEA The familiar five EGG sizes of mini, small, medium, large, and XLarge will soon be joined by an XXLarge model. Its introduction is motivated, in no small measure, by the success of EGGzilla. Executives introduced the aptly named trade-show promotional behemoth at HPBExpo 2011, where it was an instant hit. A Hollywood prop company built the largerthan-life replica with uncanny detail that made it perfectly resemble a functional EGG. HPBExpo attendees posed with the massive EGG as if it were “the Eiffel Tower,” Arani jokes. Not long after, interest poured in, with people asking an unexpected question: Where can I buy an EGG that big? The idea simmered as Arani and his team seriously pondered the possibilities. “We thought there might be a commercial application, but it started to dawn on us that there was also a segment of the consumer market that would be interested in something that big,” he recalls. “People investing five figures in upgrading their backyards are looking for products like this because they entertain a lot of people. That’s where it began. The seed was planted.” To develop a true XXLarge to the same standard as the other five sizes took the “better part of a year,” Arani says, with considerable testing and

prototyping. Problems of weight, packaging, and shipping to dealers had to be conquered. What about consumers? Could they easily pick up the XXLarge EGG and take it home? After successfully addressing the logistical challenges, the company introduced the XXLarge EGG at HPBExpo 2013. Tentative plans are in place for it to start reaching dealers’ showrooms in late 2013 or early 2014. “What’s been remarkable, to us, is that demand has not tapered off,” Arani says. “If anything, there is more demand. Dealers have presold several units, and this has taken on a life of its own. Every once in a while, a company ought to do something just because it can and push the limits of its technology.” He continues, “In some ways, we started manufacturing this new XXLarge line just to see whether we

Big Green Egg’s custom cooking island

could do it. We wanted to push the envelope, and I’m happy to say we did. I think the product is going to be very well received. If you have 20 or 30 of your closest friends over, and you want to feed them all at once, we can take care of you.”

Circle Reader Service No. 55

July/August 2013 Patio & Hearth Products Report

ICFA Preview Roundup

A SNEAK PREVIEW by CAROL DAUS photography ROB BAKER

Tropitone Tanya Stevens (left) and Mariana Villacres

any movers and shakers from the casual-furniture industry participated in this year’s ICFA Preview Show™, held July 16–18 in Chicago, Illinois. These individuals took time out of their busy summer schedules to display an impressive array of outdoor-living products, giving specialty retailers an opportunity to view new collections prior to the four-day Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™ (slated for September 17–20, 2013). These manufacturers recognize the importance of offering retailers variety, innovation, and superior customer service. Given their expanded product lines, they have been particularly responsive to consumer demand for stylish and functional outdoor-living merchandise. Patio & Hearth Products Report salutes these industry mavericks for making the show a success and for continuing to offer some of the best designs and customer service in the marketplace.

Outdoor Lifestyle Virginia Hamilton and Fred Ilse

Ebel Mark Bottemiller

Patio & Hearth Products Report Tony Ramos

Windward Design Group From left: Amber Schinas, David Peace, Carrie Morales, and Marc Morales

NorthCape Tom Murray

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Kingsley-Bate Clay Kingsley (left) and Brian Blakeney

Gensun Casual From left: Lisa Zhou, Jan Trinkley, and Sherry Cai

Woodard Matt Weiss (left) and Bill Herren

Agio Mike Gaylord

Agio Bob Gaylord

TUUCI Ward Usmar

OW Lee Terri Rogers (left) and Leisa Rogers

Homecrest Kelly McComb and Todd Wingrove

Mallin Casual Furniture From left: Ken Chen, Brenda Pereyda, and Jay Weber

Treasure Garden Jeff Dorough

Patio Renaissance From left: Mike Anzelde, Albert Lord, and Andrea Dibello

Telescope Casual Bill Vanderminden

July/August 2013 Patio & Hearth Products Report

PRODUCT PROFILES Ceramic-glazed Lava Stone Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens introduces ceramic-glazed lava-stone surfaces from Italy. Given the wide variety of unique glossy, matte, and metallic glazes (in addition to the company’s handpainting capability), the lava-stone surfaces are ideally suited for homeowners looking for a stunning, unique look; for durability; and for timeless beauty. These surfaces instantly transform tabletop and countertop surfaces into breathtaking works of art. Contact: (855) 839-5063 or www.brownjordanoutdoorkitchens.com. Circle Reader Service No. 101

Sea Life

Milano

This high-performance novelty pattern from Solarium has a sophisticated coastal appeal. Solarium, Richloom’s brand name for its decorative weather-resistant fabrics, is recognized throughout the industry for its decorative styling and superior performance. Contact: www.richloomfabrics.com.

Meadow Decor’s Milano collection is a mix of classic and modern. This wicker dining set incorporates some new materials for a unique design. The polyethylene-lumber and glass tabletops are supported by sleek aluminum frames. The same design is reflected in the legs of the generously wide wicker dining chairs. Contact: www.meadowdecor.com.

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Cirrus Firepit Agio continues to lead the industry with new, exciting looks in outdoor fire. The trend continues to build, and the Cirrus firepit delivers exceptional beauty, with a masterpiece stained-glass top that includes a lovely scrolled design in warm, inviting browns and gold. With the firepit’s brushed-aluminum base and a hand-applied finish, your customers are sure to love adding warmth and ambience to their outdoor rooms while you add new revenue to your bottom line. Discover the hottest pieces in outdoor living at the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™, showroom 1628, or visit the company’s website. Contact: www.agio-usa.com.

Cal Flame P Series P4 Grill No matter what size your backyard celebration, the P series P4 grill delivers the best in technology and innovation to master your grilling needs. The 32-inch–wide P4 grill is equipped with built-in grill lights for evening convenience, a rotisserie, a griddle, a smoke tray, and four stainless burners (totaling a 60,000-Btu output). Experience the ultimate in outdoor grilling with the Cal Flame P series P4 grill. Contact: www.calflamebbq.com. Circle Reader Service No. 105

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Eon Deep Seating Collection The Eon Banff deep seating collection is now available in sparkling white. This deep seating collection truly delivers the look and feel of wood, without the hassles of annual maintenance. Beautifully designed and generously proportioned, the Eon Banff deep seating collection is the perfect addition to any outdoor-living space. Cushions are handmade using only Sunbrella® fabric. Contact: www.eonoutdoor.com. Circle Reader Service No. 106

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

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PRODUCT PROFILES Rochester Bar Group Your customers will gather around for cocktails (or just conversation) with the light and airy look of Agio’s Rochester bar group. Durability and beauty pair well together with this set, which includes a lovely lattice bar and coordinating scrolled swivel bar seating, all with a gorgeous hand-applied finish. With this bar group’s weather-resistant cushions for comfort and all-around good looks, Agio continues to give your customers collections that let their style come forward. To find out how Agio can enhance your outdoor offerings and increase your traffic, visit the company at the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™, showroom 1628, or visit the company’s website. Contact: www.agio-usa.com. Circle Reader Service No. 107

A Gas Grill Becomes a Charcoal Grill A Napoleon exclusive: The optional charcoal tray gives you the freedom to switch from gas to charcoal with ease. Simply replace your sear plates with the charcoal tray, fill it with charcoal, and light it using your gas burners. Replace your cooking grids—and now, you’re charcoal grilling. Contact: www.napoleonfireplaces.com.

SCHOTT ROBAX SCHOTT ROBAX® has developed new creative decorations and colors. All colors and decorations are lead free, temperature resistant, and scratch resistant. Manufacturers can now choose from mosaics, playful graphics, and familiar frame designs using eight different colors, giving fireplace or stove glass ceramics distinctive designs that will distinguish them from standard products. Contact: (941) 831-2200 or www.schottrobax.com. Circle Reader Service No. 109

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DCS Built-in Island All the capabilities of an indoor kitchen can finally be realized in an outdoor setting: DCS offers a complete kitchen solution in both built-in and freestanding categories. From outdoor warming drawers and patio heaters to refrigerators and side burners, DCS manufactures the finest of everything you need to complete your outdoor kitchen. Contact: www.dcsappliances.com. Circle Reader Service No. 110

Dolce Collection: Tivoli/Ivory-Multi (4078/7439) Create a special spot that becomes the heart of the home with the refreshing appeal of the Dolce collection from Couristan. Designed to withstand the outdoor elements (yet stylish enough to be used in indoor settings), Dolce features a variety of patterns, ranging from sophisticated traditional motifs to bold florals. Offering the largest color bank of all the company’s power-loomed outdoor/indoor collections, Dolce fashions have a unique aesthetic that varies from subtle and simple to vibrant and intricate. Woven of 100% fiber-enhanced Courtron™ polypropylene with polyester accents, this dynamic collection is mold and mildew resistant to provide long-lasting performance in open-air living spaces where water and moisture are prevalent. Contact: www.couristan.com. Circle Reader Service No. 111

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Carlisle Collection Ebel Inc. introduces Carlisle, new for the 2013 season. This fully upholstered outdoor collection is constructed with an aluminum frame, and it comes standard with the new Sunbrella® Rain fabric in Spectrum mushroom. Various seating pieces are available, including a swivel recliner. Bases are available in either driftwood or chestnut frame finishes. Tables and dining options can be mixed and matched from the Dreux, Laurent, Napoli, and Portofino collections, allowing the ultimate in style customization. Contact: www.ebelinc.com. Circle Reader Service No. 112

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PRODUCT PROFILES Broilmaster Side Burner Broilmaster has introduced two side burners that drop into place in its new stainless-steel shelf (or into a stainless sleeve, for built-in applications). The 10,000-Btu infrared side burner makes a great sear station to seal in the flavor of steaks and chops before moving them to the main grill. The 15,000-Btu conventional side burner lets you prepare sauces and side dishes right at the grill, keeping the entire cooking process outdoors—where it belongs. Both side burners feature electronic ignition, a heavy-duty stainless-steel grid, and a stainless-steel cover. Both are available for LP or natural gas. When the burner is not in use, the cover closes flush, to provide more than 250 square inches of stainless-steel shelf space. The versatile shelf-mount system can be attached to either side of any Broilmaster Premium gas grill, providing the unique opportunity to add two side burners to the grill—using two of the same burners or a combination of infrared and conventional burners. Contact: www.broilmaster.com.

Eon Milan Counterheight Dining Set This beautifully proportioned new counter-height dining set is the ideal combination of style and function, looking great on the patio, balcony, or terrace. This slightly upscale and more refined design is the perfect fit when ordinary just won’t do. Made from an engineered polymer, this dining set is built to last a lifetime. Contact: www.eonoutdoor.com. Circle Reader Service No. 117

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Parapan High-gloss Solidacrylic Door Fronts Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens unveils the Parapan line of high-gloss solid-acrylic door and drawer fronts for outdoor kitchens. Featuring a comprehensive palette of 22 rich neutrals and vibrant brights, Parapan has colors that run all the way through the almost 0.75-inch thick material and will never fade. Contact: (855) 839-5063 or www.brownjordanoutdoorkitchens.com. Circle Reader Service No. 114

Moroccan Collection by Sunbrella The Moroccan collection by Sunbrella® features a vibrant combination of blues and neutrals in bold patterns and stripes. These luxurious colors create a warm and inviting environment, indoors or outdoors. Moroccan collection fabrics are perfect for creating a lush living-room environment, or you can use these fabrics for throw pillows—to add a pop of color to a sofa or chair. The fabrics shown (from top) are Viento nautical, plush maize, Zara Moroccan, Trax blue, Francois barley, Trax denim, and Flagship nutmeg. Contact: www.sunbrella.com.

With the right grilling equipment, you’ll find that the distance between simple dishes and gourmet masterpieces is very short. All DCS grills are designed for high-performance outdoor cooking, featuring high burner power and intense, full-surface searing temperatures. Targeted to the outdoor-cooking enthusiast, DCS is intended for those who demand the very finest cooking appliances. Contact: www.dcsappliances.com. Circle Reader Service No. 118

Hampton Sling

New 36- and 58-inch SimpliFire™ wall-mounted models provide instant ambience and up to 4,800 Btu of heat. These units do not require any venting and can be quickly installed by being hung on the wall and plugged into an electrical outlet. Units feature glass media and standard LED backlighting, which can rotate through more than 10 colors. Blue or yellow flames create unique personalization and are easily controlled with slim standard remotes. Contact: www.fireplaces.com.

The Hampton collection by Windward Design Group® features a marine-grade–polymer frame that is significantly stronger, more scratch resistant, and more durable than furniture made from recycled materials. The collection is made entirely in the United States, from material to end product, and has a completely recyclable frame. Hampton is available in sling, padded sling, and deep seating models—all at what the company calls the most competitive price on the market. Contact: www.windwarddesigngroup.com.

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SimpliFire Linear Wall Mounts

Traditional Grill

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

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PRODUCT PROFILES SCHOTT ROBAX Atmosfire Dry Wiper SCHOTT ROBAX® named Fireside Distributors as a key distributor for the recently developed Atmosfire™ dry wiper. SCHOTT Hometech, a division of SCHOTT North America Inc., introduced the Atmosfire dry wiper, a cleaning pad specifically for glass-ceramic viewing windows in fireplaces and stoves. The ergonomically shaped sponge features a textured surface that is tough enough to remove soot and dirt without using chemical cleaning fluids or scratching the surface of the glass. Fireside Distributors will be stocking the product and will have the Atmosfire dry wiper available for purchase by hearth retailers. Contact: www.schottrobax.com. Circle Reader Service No. 120

Big Green Egg Tables Genuine Big Green Egg tropical mahogany and solid teak hardwood tables—sourced from eco-sustainable forests—are unique works of art, carefully crafted by skilled artisans to provide you with years of beautiful form, function, and enjoyment. Each table offers an ample, convenient working and serving area for a large or XLarge EGG; optional locking casters are available. Contact: www.BigGreenEgg.com. Circle Reader Service No. 121

303 Fabric/Vinyl Cleaner 303® Fabric/Vinyl Cleaner™ is a premium cleaner specially formulated to clean all indoor and outdoor fabrics, carpeting, and upholstery while rinsing residue free. It’s designed to accomplish even the toughest, heaviest-duty cleaning jobs safely, using no harsh chemicals. 303 Fabric/Vinyl Cleaner safely removes difficult stains, including dirt, oil, grease, coffee, tea, ink, and pet stains. It contains no caustics or acids, and it’s nonflammable and nonfuming. Contact: (800) 367-3245 or www.303products.com.

Flexible Natural Stone 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 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. Circle Reader Service No. 124

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Mission

Viento by OW Lee

The Mission woven collection by Leisure Design will become the focal point of your outdoor landscape. These oversized, modular pieces can accommodate large groups with ease, so invite the gang. All pieces are sold individually, so you can create your own personal Mission statement. Contact: (877) 998-4427 or www.LeisureDesign.ca.

Inspired by 18th-century Italian design, Viento combines a flowing interplay of ornate metalwork and comfort. Spanish for swirling wind, Viento has detailed elegance that is unmatched. Contact: www.owlee.com.

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iving the Dream

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PRODUCT PROFILES

Charleston The Charleston woven collection by Leisure Design conjures up the romance of Southern living and of enjoying a sultry summer day on your porch or patio. Featuring a full selection of dining and deep seating, the collection includes single and double chaises. The Charleston collection creates the perfect ambience for life outdoors. Contact: (877) 998-4427 or www.LeisureDesign.ca.

Lotus The Lotus collection from Gensun Casual Living is a stunning cafe collection. Lotus features dining, balcony, and bar seating. A settee and matching tables complete the collection. New for 2014 are three stunning finishes: ruby, sapphire, and emerald. Contact: www.gensuncasual.com.

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Charcoal Companion Stuff-A-Burger

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Grilling stuffed burgers has never been this much fun. The classic stuffed burger originated in the 1950s, in a working-class neighborhood bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota; it was called the Jucy Lucy. This stuffed-burger phenomenon influenced the development of the inventive Charcoal Companion® Stuff-A-Burger® press and nonstick basket (designed for extrathick stuffed burgers). Together, they make a great gift. This set also comes with the “Charcoal Companion Stuffed Burger Recipe Book,” which includes delicious recipes for stuffed burgers, with influences from across the United States and around the globe. The MSRP is $29.99. Contact: (800) 521-0505, sales@companion-group.com, or www.companion-group.com. Circle Reader Service No. 127

Big Green Egg Custom Cooking Islands Big Green Egg custom cooking islands are designed and engineered to work perfectly with the EGG for years of enjoyment. The custom cooking islands feature stainless-steel and aluminum construction; heavy-duty roller drawers; ample storage cabinets for charcoal and utensils; locking casters; and a durable, weather-resistant, powder-coated finish—and each island comes with a lifetime warranty. Contact: www.BigGreenEgg.com. Circle Reader Service No. 130

Mervana Complete your outdoor decor with this swivel rocker from one of Mallin’s new collections. The Mervana collection complements your lifestyle and delivers versatility and elegance. Expertly designed, with deep cushions, this collection will welcome you home and invite you to relax. Contact: www.mallinfurniture.com.

737SR Galtech’s new 737SR 9-foot autotilt umbrella integrates state-of-the-art components, including a stainless-steel cable lift with a contemporary chrome/silver finish, to create the ideal shade platform for contemporary furniture designs. This model is also available in a 7.5-foot size. The umbrella is shown with the new 2014 Sunbrella® fabric, iris. Contact: www.galtechcorp.com.

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Kasmira Stripe Solarium takes a modern approach to the outdoor room with this new twist on a cabana stripe. This multicolor pattern is the perfect feel-good design to brighten up a patio or deck. Solarium, Richloom’s brand name for its decorative weather-resistant fabrics, is recognized throughout the industry for its decorative styling and superior performance. Contact: www.richloomfabrics.com. Circle Reader Service No. 132

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PRODUCT PROFILES

Tungsten Smart-Heat Electric Heaters The Tungsten Smart-Heat™ electric is the latest addition to the Bromic Heating range. Available in four models, the heaters have an attractive black mesh covering the elements to match any decor. The wall- and ceiling-mounting brackets allow heat to be directed where needed to maximize efficiency. Suitable for both commercial and residential applications, the new Tungsten Smart-Heat electric can transform any alfresco space into a usable entertainment area, all year round. Contact: (800) 301-1293 or www.bromicheating.com. Circle Reader Service No. 133

Monterey

Cal Flame LBK 780 BBQ Island Add a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen to your backyard landscape with the Cal Flame LBK 780 BBQ island. Simply choose the finish that complements your home resort, and transform this breathtaking BBQ island into the best solution for your outdoor-entertaining needs. Whether you are hosting a party or enjoying intimate backyard meals, the LBK 780 BBQ island is perfect for you and your home. Contact: www.calflamebbq.com. Circle Reader Service No. 134

The Monterey fire table by California Outdoor Concepts is a dashing addition to a backyard landscape. Your first impression is of dark mahogany footings, but run your hand along the realistic basketweave of its unique design, 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 combines aesthetic beauty with practical function. You can easily put up your feet or put down your glass, while your friends admire your style, around a lively fire. Contact: (877) 274-6773 or www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com. Circle Reader Service No. 135

Phoenix

303 High Tech Fabric Guard 303® High Tech Fabric Guard™ is a premium, patented formula that restores fabrics’ lost water and stain repellency. Recommended as the best fabric protectant by leading outdoor-fabric manufacturer Sunbrella®, 303 High Tech Fabric Guard restores water repellency, which guards against mildew formation, prevents leaks, resists soiling, and protects against both water- and oil-based stains. Treated fabrics maintain their original colors and remain breathable. Contact: (800) 367-3245 or www.303products.com. Circle Reader Service No. 136

The new Phoenix collection from Gensun Casual Living features clean, smooth, flowing lines in a beautiful marriage of elegance and comfort. Phoenix is available in sling, padded sling, and cushion seating, along with a new line of matching tables. The collection is shown in the new medallion finish. Contact: www.gensuncasual.com. Circle Reader Service No. 137

Canvas Capri Tufted Hammock Plush, grommet-tufted contours cradle you as an overstuffed featherbed would in this Hatteras Hammocks® masterpiece of comfort, new for 2013. Two layers of cottony-soft, all-weather Sunbrella® fabric sandwich a fluffy center of recycled polyester hollowfill fiber made from recycled plastic drink bottles. The spreader bars are richly grained South American cumaru; the hanging hardware is zinc-plated steel. The hammock body measures 55x78 inches, and its total length is 13 feet. The tufted trapezoidal pillow comes included, though the Roman Arc cypress hammock stand is sold separately. Contact: (800) 334-1078 or www.thehammocksource.com. Circle Reader Service No. 138

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PRODUCT PROFILES Bellevue From Ebel For the 2013 season, Ebel Inc. introduces the new Bellevue collection. This smaller-scale group is available in a variety of seating pieces. Tables and dining options can be mixed and matched from the Dreux, Laurent, Napoli, and Portofino collections, allowing the ultimate in style customization. The Bellevue collection is available in driftwood and includes 5-inch–thick cushions. Contact: www.ebelinc.com. Circle Reader Service No. 139

Somerby When filling their outdoor spaces, many U.S. homeowners seek comfort, function, and convenience above all else, and the Somerby dining collection fits those needs perfectly. It’s newly merchandised with coordinating pieces in the Inspired Visions collection from Peak Season. Contact: www.peakseasoninc.net. Circle Reader Service No. 140

Evolution 360 Waterpit Series In March 2013, HPC launched the new Evolution 360 waterpit series at HPBExpo in Orlando, Florida—winning two Vesta Awards (for Outdoor Hearth Product and Outdoor Best in Show). The innovative Evolution 360 incorporates the water, gas, lighting, and control system in one fully assembled, factory-tested 52-inch insert. It includes a 90,000-Btu firepit in a four-scupper or 360-degree copper bowl, a filtered autorefill water system, and lighting—all controlled electronically. There's also the flexibility of enclosing it with the stone of your choice. Contact: (877) 433-7001 or www.HPCfire.com. Circle Reader Service No. 141

Snow Splitter Selkirk Corp. has introduced a snow splitter for its chimneys. This new snow splitter consists of two galvanized-steel panels that are mounted on a pitched roof above the chimney pipe. Used to deflect snow and ice, the snow splitter prevents unnecessary strain on (or damage to) the chimney pipe. Contact: (800) 433-6341 (United States), (888) 735-5475 (Canada), or www.selkirkcorp.com. Circle Reader Service No. 142

Phifer Designed Fabrics Phifer Designed Fabrics—plush, 100% recyclable GeoBella® cushion fabrics and sleek, slingable Phifertex® outdoor fabrics—are available in an array of intricately woven designs in dobbies, wicker weaves, stripes, and jacquards. Phifer furniture fabrics are equipped with the stability and strength needed for outdoor performance, yet many are soft and touchable enough for deep seating cushions. Phifertex fabrics can also be used in sling, awning, umbrella, pillow, and new/unusual applications. Contact: (800) 221-5497 or www.phifer.com. Circle Reader Service No. 70

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PRODUCT PROFILES Charcoal Companion V-shaped Gas Grill Smoker Pellet Box Now you can add smoky flavor to meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetables with the Charcoal Companion® V-shaped gas grill smoker pellet box with pellet tube. The stainless-steel V-shaped smoker pellet box comes in two sizes and easily turns your gas grill into a smoker. The unique V shape fits under the grate, between the flame-deflector bars, on most gas grills. For continuous smoke, you can use the pellet tube to add pellets while cooking on the grill. At last, you can embrace your grilling spontaneity, since the pellets do not require presoaking. Charcoal Companion Smokehouse-Style Wood Pellets™ come in a variety of flavors and are sold separately. The MSRPs are $16.99 (small) and $24.99 (large). Contact: (800) 521-0505, sales@companion-group.com, or www.companion-group.com. Circle Reader Service No. 144

Carmel The Carmel in chat height makes its debut in the California Outdoor Concepts line of firepit tables for the 2013 season. This beautiful firepit table was named after Carmel, California, because it’s considered a cultural Mecca by visitors and residents. The company designed the new Carmel chat with well-tailored legs on a clean aluminum torso to echo that scheme. The Carmel will be at home in stylish and sophisticated outdoor venues. Available in early spring, the Carmel will be shown in lustrous tones of black or brown. Crowned with your choice of four granite finishes and 11 glass options, it will truly offer that aesthetic look where soft sand meets cypress-covered cliffs. Contact: (877) 274-6773 or www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com. Circle Reader Service No. 145

517U Pony The Pony, a small, cast-iron wood stove offered by Hi Flame America, has a 1.2–cubic-foot firebox that can hold 16-inch logs. The superior design features both top and rear vents for installation flexibility, a steel rear heat shield for safety and enhanced air convection, a double heat plate to increase surface area for improved efficiency, and an independent ash pan. This stove has a maximum heat output of 37,000 Btu per hour and can heat an area of up to 1,200 square feet. The Pony comes with a traditional black painted surface or an enamel coating in either black or brown. Contact: (201) 625-1978 or www.hiflame.com. Circle Reader Service No. 146

732SR Galtech’s deluxe commercial umbrella series is available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes to create the perfect ambience in all hospitality settings. Featuring a modern, contemporary chrome finish; solid-resin hubs and finials; and double-walled aluminum ribs, the SR series is available in 6x6-, 7.5-, 9-, and 10x10-foot sizes. Contact: www.galtechcorp.com. Circle Reader Service No. 72

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PRODUCT PROFILES HF-737U Stallion Hi Flame America offers the HF-737U Stallion for those who are looking for that classic design in a large wood-burning stove. The advanced, furniture-quality cast-iron technique used on this stove makes it a beautiful addition to your living space. With a maximum log length of 24 inches, the 2.6–cubic-foot firebox can hold a fire for up to eight hours. This stove boasts a maximum output of 75,000 Btu per hour and is capable of heating an area of up to 2,100 square feet. The Stallion features a side door for easy loading; an air-washed glass front door for a great view of a genuine fire; and a separate, smaller front door for easy access to the ash pan. Choose either the traditional black painted surface or glossy black enamel. Contact: (201) 625-1978 or www.hiflame.com. Circle Reader Service No. 148

Lana Homecrest Outdoor Living proudly introduces the Lana collection for 2014. Calm as still waters is the Hawaiian meaning behind the name Lana, and that is precisely how you will feel while relaxing in these comfortable pieces from Homecrest. The versatile Lana collection features both a spring chair and a spring lounge chair. Both provide sensational comfort and movement. Made of aluminum, this spring-base collection is available in both sling and padded-sling seating options and is available in all frame finishes. All Homecrest products are made in the United States. Contact: www.homecrest.com. Circle Reader Service No. 149

Ambrosia Collection: Villa Rosa/Multi (4783/0864) Uncover the wonders of the Ambrosia collection, a stunning assortment of floral arrangements designed to offer a splash of color and texture to your setting of choice. Handcrafted of 100% durable polyester, these modern-day handmade pieces offer an elegant and transitional appearance, with their subtle touches of fashion and bold design motifs. The collection features a variety of large-scale floral designs that have been handcarved and scaled to perfection. The bold color scheme offers shades of ivory, azure, black, teal, and coral, with each color selected for its ability to add a touch of modernism to interiors needing a punch of pizzazz. The Ambrosia collection will provide the perfect element of fashion and color for chic and contemporary decorators who like to explore their true inner visions. Contact: www.couristan.com. Circle Reader Service No. 150

Heat & Glo REVO Series The REVO series includes the three thinnest AFUE-rated, ANSI-compliant fireplaces available. Square, linear, and vertical models feature slender, 7-inch–deep profiles. Flames elegantly rise through Razor™ burners and produce immediate heat output—from 8,200 to 24,000 Btu. Installing a REVO is stunningly simple. Once a hole has been made in the wall and SLP venting pipe has been set, the lightweight units are hung on included mounting brackets (or can be recessed into the wall). Contact: www.heatnglo.com. Circle Reader Service No. 151

Paprika Collection by Sunbrella The Paprika collection by Sunbrella® adds spice to any setting with the warm tones of reds, oranges, and browns. A large-scale houndstooth, Bingham sunset, has a retro vibe and serves as a perfect accent fabric; Viento paprika, a unique stripe pattern, features groups of nine stripes offset by sections of its rust-colored solid background; and Simone flame and Palace fiesta use textured yarns to create softness and surface interest. Perfect for settings indoors or out, the Paprika collection’s fabrics create a comfortable surrounding for relaxing or entertaining, adding color to an outdoor room or making the family room cozier than ever. The fabrics shown (from top) are Bingham sunset, Trax terra, Simone flame, Trax wren, Palace fiesta, and Viento paprika. Contact: www.sunbrella.com. Circle Reader Service No. 74

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Come join us at the Chicago Casual Market: Space B 8-5093

the

Montecito Quality

Comfort

Warehouse locations in Dallas, TX and Vista, CA

Value (760) 599 - 1021 www.sunsetwestusa.com

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PRODUCT PROFILES Wilshire Wilshire delivers both strength (meeting or exceeding ANSI/BIFMA X5.1-2002 requirements) and classic style to customers searching for solid value. Offering an armchair; a swivel rocker; a swivel barstool; a stationary barstool (which can be stacked up to five stools high, in balcony height); and love-seat selections, Wilshire complements any setting beautifully. Each piece comes with a 15-year limited warranty on frames and a five-year limited warranty on painted finishes in residential use. Contact: (800) 294-4758, Virginia Hamilton at virginiah@olfurniture.com, or www.olfurniture.com. Circle Reader Service No. 153

Napoleon Outdoor Linear Gas Fireplace

Benton The Benton collection from Homecrest is both unique in design and sound in comfort. Homecrest’s Benton collection blends comfort, elegance, and functionality to provide transcendent relaxation. This strikingly beautiful collection features a high-back dining chair, a high-back swivel rocker, a stackable dining chair, a balcony swivel rocker, and a chaise. The dramatic lines of this collection are simple, yet they make a statement. This all-aluminum collection features the Aluma-Roc™ mechanism, is available in all frame finishes, and is available in both sling and padded-sling seating options. Contact: www.homecrest.com.

Napoleon introduces a truly unique outdoor fireplace with a linear, modern design. Constructed of weather-resistant 304 brushed stainless steel for maximum outdoor durability, this stylish fireplace will bring excitement to any outdoor area. It features a glass wind deflector (two, with the two-sided unit) to ensure operation in windy conditions, plus a safety valve that, if the flame goes out, turns off the gas supply. The wind deflector’s glass is accented with an LED light strip that transitions through the RGB color spectrum to create an eye-catching effect. With these features, plus the option of either a one-sided or a two-sided (see-through) unit, the outdoor linear gas fireplace is the perfect addition to any backyard oasis. The outdoor linear gas fireplace offers 60,000 Btu, electronic ignition, an all–stainless-steel burner chassis for maximum outdoor durability, and a beautiful topaz CRYSTALINE™ ember bed. Optional colored-glass media kits are available to replace the standard ember bed, giving customers the options that they deserve when creating their backyard oases. Contact: www.napoleonfireplaces.com. Circle Reader Service No. 155

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Newport Newport, one of NorthCape’s stunning new offerings for 2014, is a low-slung KD modular collection that adds casual style to any outdoor space. This is a great opening-price modular sectional, with value and scale that appeal to younger buyers. In addition, the set, as shown, fits into only three boxes, reducing logistics and storage costs. Newport is available in three distinctive finishes of handwoven HDPE resin over a sturdy aluminum frame, and it includes plush cushions featuring Sunbrella® fabrics and Gore® Tenara thread. When you’re looking for style, comfort, and value, look no further than NorthCape. Contact: www.northcapeoutdoor.com. Circle Reader Service No. 156

Violet Pebble Yellow Outdoor Rug This handsome, heirloom-quality outdoor rug, winner of a 2012 International Casual Furnishings Association Design Excellence Award, recalls timeless Asian floral prints designed to soothe both sight and spirit. Handhooked in the age-old Eastern manner from synthetic DuraCord® yarns, Sawgrass Mills® by Hatteras Outdoors rugs resist rot, mold, mildew, fading, and staining, yet have the sought-after softness of cotton. Violet Pebble yellow comes in either 5x8-foot or 8x10-foot sizes and is also available in pesto and garnet color palettes. Contact: (800) 334-1078 or www.thehammocksource.com. Circle Reader Service No. 76

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PRODUCT PROFILES

GeoBella Phifer’s high-end performance indoor/outdoor GeoBella® cushion fabrics are built tough and sit pretty. Made from recycled yarns, plush GeoBella fabrics are touchably soft—perfect for indoor use—and brawny, to withstand the outdoor elements. Phifer’s chic fabrics feature on-trend and classic color combinations and designs in traditional and contemporary weaves and are exceptionally durable, fade resistant, stain resistant, and easy to clean, even with bleach. Contact: (800) 221-5497 or www.phifer.com. Circle Reader Service No. 158

Sag Harbor Swivel Rocker Handcrafted from the finest all-weather materials, Kingsley-Bate’s Sag Harbor deep seating swivel rocker lounge chair is a beautiful addition to any natural setting. The piece is handwoven using extralarge wicker fiber, making it heavier and more substantial than typical outdoor wicker seating. Contact: www.kingsleybate.com. Circle Reader Service No. 159

FlexBurn Wood-burning Stoves by Vermont Castings Explore FlexBurn™ technology—a Vermont Castings exclusive—available on both the Encore and Defiant models. Your customers can select the burn method that suits their lifestyles without having to choose between stoves. Among the most efficient stoves on the market, each FlexBurn is crafted in the United States and backed by a limited lifetime warranty that will ensure your customers’ peace of mind for years to come. Contact: www.vermontcastings.com.

Luxury Clean-face Insert American Hearth has added an all-new luxury version of its direct-vent insert that takes its Franklin series upscale. With its valve and controls discreetly concealed behind the surround, this unique, heater-rated, clean-face insert has no visible louvers. This clean look focuses all of the attention through the large, ceramic-glass view window—400 square inches on the 30,000-Btu model and 584 square inches on the 35,000-Btu model—providing an unobstructed view of the fire. The handpainted, seven-piece log set nicely fills the wide and deep firebox and complements the look of any of the three optional liners. Every Franklin luxury insert includes a multifunction remote-control system that adjusts flame height and blower speed—either manually or automatically (in thermostat mode). The remote can also switch the insert from intermittent pilot (with battery backup) to standing pilot, to provide uninterrupted heat during an extended power outage. To complete the installation, American Hearth offers surrounds, as well as decorative fronts in several styles. American Hearth products are made in the United States. Contact: www.americanhearth.com. Circle Reader Service No. 161

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) 245-518 or www.broilkingbbq.com. Circle Reader Service No. 162

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Solair PS2000 Retractable Awning Solair® retractable awnings deliver superior quality, style, and flexibility while offering retailers a seamless, no-inventory, high-margin opportunity. The PS2000 comes in 12-, 16-, and 20-foot widths with a standard 10-foot 2-inch projection, and it is available in any pattern of high-performance, beautiful Sunbrella® fabric. The PS2000 makes it easy to transform a scorching hot deck or patio into a beautifully shaded outdoor-living space. Contact: www.solair.com. Circle Reader Service No. 163

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Home heating products that are kind to everyone’s home. SCHOTT ROBAX® glass-ceramic creates a more energy-efficient, eco-friendly and safe environment for your customers. When used in a closed fireplace system, ROBAX glass-ceramic transfers more heat into a room and reduces the amount of firewood needed, as compared to an open heating system. It also allows the fire to burn more completely, preventing other particles from being released into the air. Get all the information you need to ignite your sales right to your inbox. Join the SCHOTT ROBAX Dealer Program today at schottrobax.com.

www.schottrobax.com

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SCHOTT ROBAX® is a registered trademark of SCHOTT AG.

PRODUCT PROFILES

Solair PS5000 Retractable Awning

Replacement Slings Let Patio Sling Express be your source for custom-made replacement slings. With a few simple measurements from the frame, the company can make a custom-made sling for just about any manufacturer. There’s no need for the original part number. Choose from more than 100 top-quality replacement sling fabrics from Phifer, Twitchell, Sunbrella®, and Batyline. Don’t wait weeks for slings that don’t fit. Replacement slings from Patio Sling Express typically ship in two weeks or less. The company can even add a private label to each sling you order. Free fabric-sample rings are available, and there are easy-to-follow instructions on the company’s website. Contact: www.PatioSlingExpress.com.

Solair® awnings enrich the comfort of outdoor-living spaces by providing extended shade, UV protection, and energy savings. The top-of-the line Solair PS5000 has three available projections and can be custom built to any width from 10 to 25 feet. Available in more than 150 Sunbrella® fabric patterns, Solair retractable awnings offer a seamless, no-inventory, high-margin opportunity to provide premier shade solutions for consumers who want to cool down their outdoor spaces. Contact: www.solair.com. Circle Reader Service No. 165

Broil King Baron Series The all new Baron™ series from Broil King offers power and performance in a variety of sizes to suit any avid griller. The Baron series features premium stainless-steel accents, including a durable lid with cast-aluminum end caps, drop-down side shelves, and cabinet doors. At the heart of the Baron series is Broil King’s legendary cooking system: heavy-duty cast-iron cooking grids, stainless-steel Flav-R-Wave™ technology, and powerful stainless-steel Dual-Tube™ burners. Contact: (800) 245-5138 or www.broilkingbbq.com. Circle Reader Service No. 166

Quick-ship Seat Cushions There’s no need to stock a large inventory of replacement cushions for the season. Quick-ship seat cushions from Patio Sling Express are ready to ship in three to five working days. Don’t wait weeks for custom cushions or to replenish stock. The company’s quick-ship seat cushions are ready when you need them. This universal-size seat cushion measures 20 inches wide by 18 inches deep by 3 inches thick, and it fits most patio chairs. Quick-ship seat cushions feature an elegant knife-edge design, a zippered opening, and generous fabric ties. Choose from 18 beautiful fabrics from Phifer, GeoBella, and Sunbrella®. Free fabric-sample rings are available now. Contact: www.PatioSlingExpress.com. Circle Reader Service No. 164

Madison by OW Lee The Neoclassical styling of the Madison collection is rooted in the popular look favored by the Founding Fathers. Refined Grecian elements give this collection a sophistication that few match. Contact: www.owlee.com. Circle Reader Service No. 167

Montecito The Montecito collection (a Marcia Blake design collaboration) is a comfortable, generously scaled grouping with a wonderful blend of cognac and tobacco hues. The rich color of the stock cushions complements the darker tones of the Montecito wicker, as well as the contrasting welts. According to West Stewart, CEO, the collection presents itself well and the company’s retail partners have been pleased with its success. The richness in the color of the weave and the texture of the resin itself command a premium, at the retail level, and the collection is working its way to the prime spots on the retail floor. Stewart adds that one of the biggest contributors to the collection’s success is comfort. His family has been in the indoor-upholstery business for three generations, he says, so this has helped him design what he calls the most comfortable outdoor furniture. The commercial-grade frame and progressive spring system provide the same seating geometry for someone who weighs 120 pounds as for someone who weighs 350 pounds. Contact: www.sunsetwestusa.com. Circle Reader Service No. 168

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Karavia

Wyndham The wide arms and charming, skirted style of NorthCape’s Wyndham collection combine classic elegance with modern comfort. The lightweight, sturdy aluminum frame and handwoven white round-weave HDPE resin exude timeless appeal, without the maintenance needed by traditional wicker. The Wyndham collection also offers attractive motion pieces, including high-back swivel gliders, and it offers the ability to customize your backyard escape with plush cushions that feature Sunbrella® fabrics and Gore® Tenara thread. When you’re looking for style, comfort, and value, look no further than NorthCape. Contact: www.northcapeoutdoor.com. Circle Reader Service No. 171

Karavia by Oriental Weavers is machine woven and made of durable polypropylene. Rugs have the texture and natural coloration of real seagrass, but have the low-maintenance properties of synthetic fibers. Contact: www.orientalweavers.com. Circle Reader Service No. 169

Melody The latest Bluetooth® v3.0 technology, combined with the world-renowned portable music systems from Soundcast Systems, yields the Melody, an ingenious, portable, all-weather Bluetooth speaker. Featuring the latest in Bluetooth connectivity and an auxiliary audio input (combined with unmatched sound quality), Melody will become your modern-day personal sound machine. Melody’s small size makes it easier than ever to take music anywhere and everywhere you want to be. Don’t let Melody’s petite size or elegant looks fool you: It has the power to rock any beach, house, backyard, or indoor/outdoor gathering you care to host. Contact: www.soundcastsystems.com. Circle Reader Service No. 170

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July/August 2013 Patio & Hearth Products Report

PRODUCT PROFILES Santorini

The Oven by Summerset Professional Grills Summerset Professional Grills introduces the oven. Constructed of all 304 stainless steel, the oven makes it possible to cook a variety of foods outdoors—from roasting meat to baking desserts and pizza. Get out of your indoor kitchen and start enjoying the great outdoors. The oven is the perfect party conversation piece and is a practical outdoor oven at a practical price. Currently available in built-in models or freestanding countertop models, this unit is ready for outdoor entertainment. Contact: www.summersetgrills.com.

Crafted of premium A356 aluminum, the Santorini collection places a premium on eye appeal. The collection features an armchair, a swivel rocker, and swivel barstools, as well as a deeply plush lounging armchair, a corner swivel chair, a spring chair, and rectangular ottoman selections. Each comes with a unique 15-year warranty on frames and a five-year warranty on paint finishes in residential use. Contact: (800) 294-4758, Virginia Hamilton at virginiah@olfurniture.com, or www.olfurniture.com. Circle Reader Service No. 173

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Fabrics From Twitchell Cutting-edge, bicolor, PVC-coated polyester fabrics formulated from Twitchell’s premier brand Textilene® are the latest in all-weather shade fabrics. They are unmatched for strength and beauty, designed to withstand many years of indoor and outdoor use, and ideal for all shade applications. Contact: www.twitchellcorp.com. Circle Reader Service No. 174

Tropitone Fire Tables Tropitone expands its table program with the introduction of 24 fire tables and expanded options for tabletop cooking and entertaining. Following the successful Uniquely Tropitone®

best-in-class, total-performance approach, the new fire tables will include eight new gas models, eight new charcoal models, and eight new gel-fuel models. The new fire-table models were designed with interactive tabletop cooking and entertaining in mind. Contact: www.tropitone.com. Circle Reader Service No. 175

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Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Bazza MGP Aluminum Sling The clean style of a simple curve, constructed with award-winning quality: What more can you ask for from such a beautiful collection? The aluminum frames of the chair, chaise, and table are dressed with an attractive and comfortable marine-grade polymer (MGP) surface. Style possibilities are nearly endless, with contrasting powder-coat, MGP, and sling colors. The chaise lays flat for a superclean, elegant look around your pool or patio. Contact: www.telescopecasual.com. Circle Reader Service No. 178

Lagos Lagos (machine-made of 100% polypropylene), the newest indoor/outdoor introduction from Sphinx, may be the best yet. The unique high-low effect created by the woven frieze-cut pile (in addition to flat-weave construction) offers a great hand, as well as plenty of texture and surface interest. The unique eight-color construction of Lagos features the shades of deep navy, bright red, aqua blue, lime green, tangerine orange, and vibrant citron, which are right on trend for upcoming outdoor-furniture and fabric groupings. Simple patterns in bright colors play off the neutral ivory and chocolate flat-weave colors, and the polypropylene easy-care construction makes Lagos the perfect solution for any indoor or outdoor space. Contact: www.orientalweavers.com. Circle Reader Service No. 176

Mona The Mona lounge chair is part of a deep seating collection made with an aluminum frame and handwoven with HDPE to resemble water hyacinth. This collection features standard seating, sectional seating, and dining (with woven and plank-style occasional and dining tables). The Mona collection is available in honey hyacinth and dark-brown hyacinth. Contact: www.woodard-furniture.com. Circle Reader Service No. 177

MIX N’ MATCH

KINGSLEY˜ BATE

™

ELEGANT OUTDOOR FURNITURE

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July/August 2013 Patio & Hearth Products Report

PRODUCT PROFILES

Firepits by Summerset Professional Grills Summerset Professional Grills is pleased to announce that it has now expanded its line to include firepits. Choose from five beautiful firepit designs to add the extra flair you have been looking for; each firepit includes a burner, installation lines, and fireglass. Firepits are available finished or unfinished (for DIY customers). Contact: www.summersetgrills.com. Circle Reader Service No. 179

Carmel Deep Seating Swivel Lounge Chair

Twitchell’s Dual-sided Fabric Twitchell’s new dual-sided fabric, formulated with a clear-coated PVC over colored core yarn, is ideal for an array of shade applications. Featuring a metallic sheen and developed from Twitchell’s premier brand Textilene®, the fabric is designed to withstand many years of indoor and outdoor use. Contact: www.twitchellcorp.com.

Kingsley-Bate’s Carmel deep seating swivel lounge chair is made from the finest all-weather fiber and has the authentic look and feel of real wicker. The group also includes an ottoman, a sofa, a settee, a coffee table, and a side table. Contact: www.kingsleybate.com. Circle Reader Service No. 182

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Treasure Garden’s O’bravia Wedge Table Bases by Tropitone Tropitone® introduces four new wedge table bases, available in two of the Tropitone brand’s most popular designs: Montreux and Lakeside. These two transitional designs span a wide range of style preferences. The new wedge tables were designed to create interactive seating arrangements using any seating. The four new base models include the Montreux wedge tea table, the Montreux wedge end table, the Lakeside wedge tea table, and the Lakeside wedge end table. Each of the four new wedge table bases will be introduced with 11 tabletop-color options: two faux marble, six faux granite, and three solid colors. Contact: www.tropitone.com. Circle Reader Service No. 181

Popular stripes are exclusively from the O’bravia™ collection by Treasure Garden. The Milan stripe features a combination of a neutral gray, boulder, with a fresh kiwi green and vineyard, an accenting deep purple. The urban inspired New York stripe is constructed of a rich gold, a crisp yellow, and a complementing neutral boulder gray. The O’bravia collection of high-performance, environmentally friendly fabric designed for outdoor applications comes with a four-year fade warranty. This proprietary performance fabric is constructed of 100% solution-dyed polyester yarns. Contact: www.treasuregarden.com. Circle Reader Service No. 183

Nottingham Nottingham’s neat, contemporary-style, cushioned-comfort dining set creates the perfect inviting atmosphere for your outdoor-dining experiences. The dining armchairs and side chairs and tables (with adjustable legs) are expertly crafted with high-quality, weather-resistant wicker over heavy-gauge aluminum frames. Chairs feature tapered, highly polished aluminum legs, and they can be paired impeccably with matching square or rectangular dining tables with tempered-glass tops. Contact: (866) 919-1881 or www.ratana.com. Circle Reader Service No. 184

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

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PRODUCT PROFILES

Eclipse Deep Seating

The Eclipse deep seating collection by Windward Design Group® offers a traditional frame design with plush cushions that provide the ultimate experience in outdoor comfort. Lounge chairs are also available with an optional high back. Eclipse is available in over 200 fabrics and four different cushion styles, and it is made entirely in the United States. Contact: www.windwarddesigngroup.com. Circle Reader Service No. 185

Newport Collection

Celaya Sling Bring style and comfort to your outdoor space with Mallin’s new Celaya sling collection. The style of this chaise can complement even the smallest outdoor spaces. Enjoy your backyard even more this summer with this piece, which is sure to transform your patio into an elegant outdoor-living space. Contact: www.mallinfurniture.com. Circle Reader Service No. 186

Inspired Visions Embellished details are what today’s outdoor consumer is looking for—and the 2014 Inspired Visions collection from Peak Season has the perfect blending of both transitional and eclectic accents, allowing today’s consumers to design, create, and make the most of their outdoor spaces. Contact: www.peakseasoninc.net. Circle Reader Service No. 187

Create a beautiful space for entertaining in comfort with this versatile set of all-weather–wicker furniture. Its modern, modular design allows for stacking and storing with ease. Frames are available in black or white with the cushions pictured. Cabana or poolside, Meadow Decor’s Newport collection brings the vacation home. Contact: www.meadowdecor.com. Circle Reader Service No. 188

Viewpoint Fireplace Series A fireplace should be enjoyed from every angle in a room, and Stellar Hearth’s new Viewpoint series maximizes that potential. The unique shape of the firebox provides greater sight lines than a typical trapezoidal or rectangular box can, whether on a flat wall or as a corner installation. Add the choice of massive logs (in the traditional version) or the new floating Vortex burner of the modern version, and you have a product that no other dealer can match. Viewpoint fireplaces are available with 36- or 48-inch viewing areas, but are built to fit where comparable fireplaces can’t. Contact www.stellarhearth.com. Circle Reader Service No. 189

Catalina Sectional Patio Renaissance’s Catalina sectional, shown in the driftwood finish, features indoor style with outdoor durability. It’s pictured with cushions in Sunbrella® Cote truffle fabric and with pillows in Whispy chocolate. Catalina is also available in a roasted-pecan finish. Contact: www.patiorenaissance.com. Circle Reader Service No. 190

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

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PRODUCT PROFILES

St. Catherine MGP Cushion Constructed of the company’s very popular marine-grade polymer (MGP), the St. Catherine MGP cushion collection combines the comfort that Telescope is known for with its durable, worry-free MGP. The curved, wide MGP arms allow for added comfort and complement the gentle curves of the legs. The collection’s durability allows the use of this product (either under cover or out in the open) without concern. The collection uses stainless hardware that is hidden, whenever possible. This sort of attention to detail is what sets this product apart from the competition. This collection coordinates with the company’s St. Catherine MGP sling collection. Contact: www.telescopecasual.com.

Monterey Crescent Sofa Patio Renaissance’s Monterey Crescent sofa, in the bark finish, features indoor style with outdoor durability. It’s pictured with cushions in Sunbrella® Mainstreet wren fabric and pillows in Outdura’s Whitney timber fabric. It’s accented with the company’s new firepit, with a dark-bronze base and a Durban solid-marble top. Contact: www.patiorenaissance.com. Circle Reader Service No. 193

Holland Bench The Holland bench is part of a deep seating collection made with an aluminum frame. The bench can be used with or without a cushion and is part of a larger collection featuring deep seating and dining. The Holland collection is available in 30 distinctive finishes. Contact: www.woodard-furniture.com.

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Tribute Series Grills by Vermont Castings Now, customers can get the sophisticated style that they’ve come to expect from a Vermont Castings grill in a smaller, more compact package. The sleek Tribute series adds a new three-burner, 39,000-Btu model—plus a new two-burner, 26,000-Btu model—to the extensive lineup of Vermont Castings grills. All Vermont Castings grills feature North American stainless-steel burners and exteriors, an EasyFlame ignition system, and exclusive cast-iron endcaps and grates. Contact: www.vermontcastings.com. Circle Reader Service No. 192

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O2 Collection New from Treasure Garden for 2014: The exclusive O’bravia2™ collection is available only through the TGD container program. This high-performance, 7-ounce, solution-dyed polyester fabric is available in 16 of Treasure Garden’s best-selling colors, including red, kiwi, mocha, and black. A three-year fade warranty provides excellent value in today’s marketplace—A Better World of Outdoor Fabrics™. Contact: www.treasuregarden.com. Circle Reader Service No. 195

H-burner Series HPC now offers a full line of CSA-certified rectangular H-burner firepit inserts in five sizes—from 24x12 up to 54x16 inches. Inserts are available in three versions: simple match lit, push button/flame sensing, and the popular remote electronic ignition with autorestart. All models come fully assembled and feature a stainless-steel pan, H-burner, and controls, and they are built for LP or natural gas. They are CSA certified in the United States and Canada as compliant with the standards for decorative gas appliances: outdoor fireplaces. Contact: (877) 433-7001 or www.HPCfire.com. Circle Reader Service No. 196

Nottingham From Ratana Featuring bold, sophisticated design with spacious plush seating and armrests, Nottingham creates the richest, stunningly modern look that one would admire for years in any open-air environment. Nottingham newly introduces more multiplicities, in addition to its modular cousins—including the 2.5-seat sofa, a side table, and dining side chairs and armchairs—all meticulously handwoven with the premium, taupe-colored wicker over commercially structured aluminum frames. Unwind in this luxuriously comfortable seating. Nottingham is truly a masterpiece collection that transforms your backyard into a one-of-a-kind, outdoor-retreat paradise. Contact: (866) 919-1881 or www.ratana.com. Circle Reader Service No. 197

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

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PRODUCT PROFILES

Pillow Talk Luxuriously plush, with designer details, the all-weather Pillow Talk collections by South Sea are more than just toss pillows. Handcrafted in the United States using the highest-grade all-weather fabrics, Pillow Talk comes in 25 sets for easy coordination. Select from a spectrum of colors and patterns, with reversible sides working in perfect harmony. Mix and match, or choose a set knowing that it works together flawlessly. Contact: www.southsearattan.com.

Nonstick Grateconditioning Spray Bull Outdoor’s nonstick grate-conditioning spray makes grilling easy. Specially made for high-temperature grilling, this nonfat spray conditions grates prior to grilling and simplifies cleanup. The spray is the perfect product to include in your grilling-accessory offerings. Contact: (800) 521-2855 or www.bullbbq.com. Circle Reader Service No. 201

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Grace Front Collection Blue Rhino Gas Firepit (GAD1399SP) With its slate tile and steel mantel, this handcrafted Uniflame® LP firepit, by Blue Rhino®, features the classic elements of high-end furniture—with the durability of weather-resistant steel. Its decorative base cleverly conceals a propane tank (not included) and the control panel, making it an attractive centerpiece for your outdoor-living space. With its 30,000-Btu stainless-steel burner, you can enjoy all the ambience of a classic fire without the mess of tending ashes. Adding to its elegance, this unit is available with colored fireglass, which beautifully accents its flames. The unit is easy to assemble, with no tools needed, and includes a one-year limited warranty and a protective cover. Contact: www.BlueRhino.com.

The sleek and sophisticated lines of Mendota’s new Grace front collection will surely turn heads. Arched and frame designs in two widths, used alone or in concert, and optional touches (such as accent corners, accent bars, and a choice of five finishes) let families create the hearth they’ve always envisioned. The Grace front collection features eight core elements and five gorgeous finishes, making it possible to create hundreds of different looks. Contact: www.mendotahearth.com. Circle Reader Service No. 202

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Terrace Wilton-woven for indoor or outdoor use, the Terrace collection sets the standard for this category using seven colors (most indoor/outdoor rugs use two to three, at most). Providing great value, these rugs have designs that include bold florals, geometrics, and classic patterns that provide options for any space. Made of 100% olefin and Wilton-process machine-woven in Egypt, a rug measuring 5 feet 3 inches by 7 feet 6 inches retails for $111. Contact: www.capelrugs.com. Circle Reader Service No. 200

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Tahoe by Dimplex The simple black frame of the Tahoe wall-mounted fireplace leaves the revolutionary Opti-myst flame technology to shine and enhance its audience. The contemporary rock bed can be set to create a meandering flame. The flame can be viewed with or without heat. Revolutionary ultrasonic technology is used to create the flame and smoke effects of the Dimplex Opti-myst. As the mist rises up through the logs, the light reflects against the water molecules, creating a convincing illusion of flames and smoke. The result is an appearance so authentic that it will be mistaken for a true wood-burning fire. The unit uses 120-volt power (1,400 watts) and can generate 4,779 Btu. Contact: www.dimplex.com. Circle Reader Service No. 203

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PRODUCT PROFILES

IntelliDraft

The new St. John group by South Sea brings together aesthetics, durability, versatility, and value. The high-quality construction uses powder-coated aluminum framing with high-density, all-weather synthetic wicker. Choose from a selection of high-quality outdoor fabrics, including Sunbrella®. Sectional and standard deep seating options are available. South Sea is owned and operated in the United States, with warehouses in North Carolina and California. Contact: www.southsearattan.com.

The IntelliDraft is the first completely automated venting-control system used with gas fireplaces and other gas-fired decorative appliances. Designed specifically to maintain proper draft conditions and air for combustion, IntelliDraft provides safe operating conditions that are ideal for multifamily buildings and single-family dwellings. The system allows users the freedom to integrate almost any fireplace design and eliminates the need for glass doors. By saving energy and eliminating unnecessary emissions, IntelliDraft is a truly green solution. Contact: www.chimneyfans.com.

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St. John by South Sea Rattan

Sunpak Face Trim Infrared Dynamics introduces its new color combinations for the new Sunpak patio heater’s face trims. Pictured is the new copper/bronze finish. This color works with either the stainless-steel or the flat black Sunpak heater body. The soft, two-tone finish blends in with nearly any decor. The company also offers a new satin-shine black face trim and the original brushed-stainless silver finish. Contact: (888) 317-5255 or www.infradyne.com. Circle Reader Service No. 205

Galaxy Outdoor Galaxy Outdoor is redefining the outdoor-dining experience. The company builds custom fire dining tables that will fit with any outdoor-kitchen design. Firepits and tables have been gaining a lot of ground in the outdoor-living arena. Galaxy has seen a trend in the market: People are spending more time entertaining in their backyards. The company has had a huge number of requests, over the past few years, for full dining tables with fire features. As always with Galaxy products, they are made with the finest craftsmanship and materials in the industry. All Galaxy products are also 100% made in the United States. Don’t miss out on Galaxy’s 2013 early-buy program, which gives dealers free shipping for the rest of the year. With a minimum $5,000 first order of any Galaxy products, your company can earn free freight on all orders for the rest of 2013, saving you thousands of dollars throughout the year. Contact: Jeff at (702) 448-5600, jeff@galaxyoutdoor.com, or www.galaxyoutdoor.com. Circle Reader Service No. 206

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

KitchenAid Three-burner Gas Grill Make your outdoor-dining experience unforgettable with the KitchenAid three-burner gas grill. With the Even-Heat™ system (allowing consistent distribution of heat across the grill surface for even cooking), a total Btu of 48,000, and a 483.6–square-inch primary cooking rack, this grill becomes the main target of envy. It comes equipped with three stainless-steel main tube burners and a side burner that individually ignites with electronic continuous ignition; each burner generates 12,000 Btu. Contact: www.kitchenaidgrills.com. Circle Reader Service No. 208

Mendota FullView Modern Fireplaces Mendota’s FullView modern fireplaces and fireplace inserts transform traditional hearths into elegant, sophisticated art forms. Conventional log sets and brick linings give way to contemporary elements such as glass fire stones, tumbled marble, and natural river rock. Flames dance against the owner’s choice of panoramic panels; they expand and amplify the nuances of the fire. Only FullView modern fireplaces and inserts combine today’s high-efficiency green technology with century-old Mendota craftsmanship. Contact: www.mendotahearth.com. Circle Reader Service No. 209

INDUSTRY NEWS

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Sunset West Teams Up With the ASID to Assist Hospice Patients Sunset West (Vista, California) has partnered with the San Diego chapter of the

American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) for the Pacifica House Project 2013. As part of the Hospice of the North Coast, Pacifica House is a 4,466–square-foot residential inpatient facility that provides hospice services in a homelike atmosphere for terminally ill patients and their families. Sunset West has donated the furniture for the outdoor-living area of this six-bedroom house in Carlsbad, California. Gerald Bouvia, emerging-professionals chair of the San Diego ASID chapter, says, “We appreciate Sunset West’s continued support of the ASID chapter locally. In the past, Sunset West has sponsored our annual golf tournament at Lomas Santa Fe Country Club, and it is refreshing to know that it is so willing to step up and donate furniture for our outdoor-living environment here at Pacifica House.” Hospice of the North Coast held a grand opening of the Pacifica House resi-

my turn

dence on July 12, 2013. It included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, refreshments, entertainment, and tours of the facility, as well as recognition of those who helped plan and create the residential facility.

Groovystuff Website Includes Dealer Portal With Special Discounts Groovystuff recently launched a dealer portal on its company website

(www.groovystuff.com). The new portal will give dealers instant access to extensive product details and pricing, and dealers will receive exclusive discounting. The portal is also compliant with mobile Web browsers for instant smartphone access. Through the portal, dealers will have access to more than 270 items: more than 150 new items and 119 proven repeat performers that form the foundation of the Groovystuff line. The items are all organized in 24 easy-to navigate categories for both indoor and garden applications. There are 120 items with dealer pricing of $99 or less and 23 price reductions from the 2012 catalog, allowing retailers to purchase up to 20% of the

Groovystuff line at pricing levels lower than those of 2008. According to Chris Bruning, principal and visionary behind Groovystuff, “The new website was engineered specifically to meet the demands of the expanding Internet market, and it makes Groovystuff more accessible to the global audience of retailers and interior designers searching for a reliable source of sustainable home furnishings.” Bruning adds, “The site is constantly updated with live social-media content and new product releases packed with high-quality photography and video, giving retailers and interior designers real-time point-of-purchase information to help close more sales.”

Alfresco Home Opens Chicago Showroom Alfresco Home (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), a designer and manufacturer of distinctive casual furniture,

has signed a lease with Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc., for a 2,200–square-foot showroom in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. The new

showroom, located on the 16th floor (suite 16-120), features Alfresco Home’s cast- and extruded-aluminum, Everwoven™ all-weather wicker, and wrought-iron marble mosaic collections. Joseph Cilio, founder and CEO, says, “We are very pleased to join the extremely talented group of outdoor/casual-living vendors that are part of this excellent industry. We are most excited not only to provide convenient Chicago access to our current customers, but also to introduce Alfresco Home to many new retailers.” In addition, Alfresco Home will feature its bistro collections, marble mosaic accent collections, and other outdoor accessories. The July ICFA Preview Show™ also marked the official launch of Alfresco Home’s Fornetto™ woodfired oven and smoker. Cilio adds, “As we begin our 10th season at Alfresco Home, we feel that taking a showroom on the 16th floor helps us serve our international dealer base more completely. We are very excited about the future for both Alfresco Home and our customers.”

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years’ experience in inventing its own innovative technologies to produce durable, long-lasting products. All outdoor rugs are machine-woven of 100% polypropylene, a petroleum-based fiber formed into yarns through extrusion. This process gives the rugs added durability, moisture-wicking capabilities, and resistance to tears and stains. They are UV protected for maximum colorfastness and are mold/mildew resistant . RETAILER SUPPORT Because there have been so many other essential market segments to focus on, some patio retailers are just now starting to add outdoor rugs to their product offerings. Oriental Weavers works with many different channel partners—including traditional furniture stores, catalogs, and the Internet—and is enthusiastic about building relationships with specialty retailers. “Oriental Weavers believes in partnering with our distribution channels to offer them the breadth of products they desire,” Witt says. “We work closely with each retailer to learn its market needs and then develop a product line to meet its individual requirements and

goals. Since many specialty retailers are new to this channel, and no two retailers are the same, we tailor a program for each one.” Oriental Weavers provides retailers with a variety of promotional assistance and support, including an information-packed website (www.owrugs.com) giving consumers and retailers an opportunity to view product images and available sizes. There are links to information on design (including today’s trends), in addition to a photo gallery, instructions for choosing the correct rug size, and a tutorial on area rugs. “We ensure that our retailers have the support that is needed. We see this specialty retail channel as having huge growth potential for us, and we look forward to cultivating more retailer relationships in the coming years,” Witt says. Oriental Weavers has showrooms in High Point, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; New York, New York; and London. In Nevada, it recently expanded its space at World Market Center Las Vegas. The company’s domestic manufacturing facility is located in Dalton; other factories are in Egypt, China, and

Turkey. At all its manufacturing sites, Oriental Weavers adheres to a stringent corporate environmental policy that is committed to the consistent improvement of production processes to minimize their effects on the environment. In the past year, Oriental Weavers has also increased its presence in social media, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Houzz (a design/remodeling website). “Pinterest and Houzz have both proved to be excellent platforms for conveying trend and color stories to our retailers

Left: A Lagos-collection rug by Oriental Weavers Right: A rug from the Caspian collection

and the general consumer. Facebook continues to be a great avenue for feedback on everything from new products to promotions to general business,” Witt says. “Use of social media is definitely changing the way we reach our retailers and consumers today.”

July/August 2013 Patio & Hearth Products Report

Advertiser Index Advertiser

Product Profiles Directory Phone

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Agio ..........................................................(888) 997-7623 ..............www.agio-usa.com..........................................5 Alfresco Home ..........................................(610) 731-0440 ..............www.alfrescohome.com ................................49 Big Green Egg ..........................................(770) 938-9394 ..............www.biggreenegg.com ................................55

Company

Page

Agio................................................................................................................58, 60 Big Green Egg................................................................................................64, 66 Blue Rhino............................................................................................................90 Bromic Heating ....................................................................................................68

Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens ..............(855) 839-5063 ..............www.brownjordanoutdoorkitchens.com ........82

Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens ....................................................................58, 62

Cal Flame/Cal Spas ..................................(800) CAL-SPAS..............www.calflamebbq.com..............................9, 12

Bull Outdoor Products ..........................................................................................90

California Outdoor Concepts ....................(877) 274-6773 ..............www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com ............51

Cal Flame/Cal Spas........................................................................................58, 68

The Companion Group ............................(800) 521-0505 ..............www.companion-group.com ........................33

California Outdoor Concepts ..........................................................................68, 72

Couristan ..................................................(800) 223-6186 ..............www.couristan.com ......................................73 DCS by Fisher & Paykel ............................(888) 936-7872 ..............www.dcsappliances.com ..............................31

Capel Rugs ..........................................................................................................90 The Companion Group ..................................................................................66, 72 Couristan........................................................................................................60, 74

Ebel ..........................................................(866) 752-6320 ..............www.ebelinc.com ..........................................95

DCS by Fisher & Paykel..................................................................................60, 62

Empire Comfort Systems ..........................(800) 851-3153 ..............www.empirecomfort.com ..............................29

Dimplex ................................................................................................................90

Eon/Gracious Living ..................................(800) 465-5660 ..............www.eonoutdoor.com ..................................70

Ebel................................................................................................................60, 70

Galtech......................................................(805) 376-1060 ..............www.galtechcorp.com ..................................41

Empire Comfort Systems................................................................................62, 78

Gensun Casual Living ..............................(866) 964-4468 ..............www.gensuncasual.com ..............................13 Glen Raven/Sunbrella................................(336) 221-2211 ..............www.sunbrella.com ......................................21

ENERVEX ............................................................................................................92 Eon/Gracious Living ......................................................................................58, 62 Galaxy Outdoor ....................................................................................................92

Gold Eagle ................................................(800) 367-3245 ..............www.303products.com ................................11

Galtech ..........................................................................................................66, 72

The HammockSource ..............................(800) 334-1078 ..............www.thehammocksource.com......................72

Gensun Casual Living ....................................................................................66, 68

Hanley Wood ............................................(866) 490-3097 ..............www.poolspapatio.com ................................91

Glen Raven/Sunbrella ....................................................................................62, 74

Hearth & Home Technologies....................(800) 669-4328 ..............www.myhht.com ..........................................96

Gold Eagle......................................................................................................64, 68

Hearth Products Controls..........................(877) 433-7001 ..............www.hpcfire.com ..........................................53 Hi Flame America......................................(201) 625-1978 ..............www.hiflame.com ..........................................71

The HammockSource ....................................................................................68, 76 Hearth & Home Technologies ........................................................................62, 74 Hearth Products Controls ..............................................................................70, 88

Homecrest ................................................(877) 599-4803 ..............www.homecrest.com ....................................40

Hi Flame America ..........................................................................................72, 74

Kingsley-Bate ............................................(703) 361-7000 ..............www.kingsleybate.com..................................83

Homecrest......................................................................................................74, 76

Leisure Design ..........................................(877) 998-4427 ..............www.leisuredesign.ca ....................................14

Infrared Dynamics ................................................................................................92

Mallin Casual ............................................(800) 251-6537 ..............www.mallinfurniture.com ..............................47

Kingsley-Bate ................................................................................................78, 84

Meadow Decor ........................................(866) 838-8822 ..............www.meadowdecor.com ..............................81 Mendota Hearth ......................................(319) 365-5267 ..............www.mendotahearth.com ............................87

Leisure Design................................................................................................64, 66 Mallin Casual ..................................................................................................66, 86 Meadow Decor ..............................................................................................58, 86

Merchandise Mart Properties ....................(800) 677-6278 ..............www.casualmarket.com ................................89

Mendota Hearth ............................................................................................90, 92

MLW Stone ..............................................(800) 477-7665 ..............www.mlwstone.com......................................76

MLW Stone ..........................................................................................................64

Napoleon Products ..................................(800) 461-5581 ..............www.napoleonproducts.com ..........................7

Napoleon Products ........................................................................................60, 76

NorthCape International ............................(708) 563-2890 ..............www.northcapeinternational.com ..................25

Nexgrill ................................................................................................................92

Onward Manufacturing..............................(800) 245-5138 ..............www.broilkingbbq.com..................................45 Oriental Weavers ......................................(800) 832-8020 ..............www.owrugs.com ........................................43

NorthCape International..................................................................................76, 81 Onward Manufacturing ..................................................................................78, 80 Oriental Weavers ............................................................................................81, 83

Outdoor Lifestyle ......................................(800) 294-4758 ..............www.olfurniture.com......................................23

Outdoor Lifestyle ............................................................................................76, 82

OW Lee ....................................................(800) 776-9533 ..............www.owlee.com..............................................2

OW Lee..........................................................................................................64, 80

Patio Renaissance ....................................(866) 698-5673 ..............www.patiorenaissance.com ..........................61

Patio Renaissance..........................................................................................86, 88

Patio Sling Express ..................................(866) 638-6416 ..............www.patioslingexpress.com ..........................74 Peak Season ............................................(866) 606-6330 ..............www.peakseasoninc.net................................37 Phifer ........................................................(800) 221-5497 ..............www.phifer.com ............................................77

Patio Sling Express ..............................................................................................80 Peak Season ..................................................................................................70, 86 Phifer..............................................................................................................70, 78 Ratana Home & Floral ....................................................................................84, 88

Ratana Home & Floral ..............................(866) 919-1881 ..............www.ratana.com ..........................................65

Richloom Fabrics Group ................................................................................58, 66

Richloom Fabrics Group ..........................(212) 685-5400 ..............www.richloomfabrics.com ............................19

SCHOTT ROBAX............................................................................................60, 64

SCHOTT ROBAX ......................................(914) 831-2200 ..............www.schottrobax.com ..................................79

Selkirk ..................................................................................................................70

Solair ........................................................(888) 403-7052 ..............www.solair.com ............................................15 South Sea Rattan......................................(336) 294-4100 ..............www.southsearattan.com..............................85 Summerset Professional Grills ..................(800) 966-8126 ..............www.summersetgrills.com ............................63

Solair ..............................................................................................................78, 80 Soundcast Systems ............................................................................................81 South Sea Rattan ..........................................................................................90, 92 Stellar Hearth Products ........................................................................................86

Sunset West..............................................(760) 599-1021 ..............www.sunsetwestusa.com..............................75

Summerset Professional Grills ........................................................................82, 84

Telescope Casual ......................................(800) 451-0938 ..............www.telescopecasual.com............................69

Sunset West ........................................................................................................80

Treasure Garden/Shademaker ..................(626) 814-0168 ..............www.treasuregarden.com ..............................3

Telescope Casual ..........................................................................................83, 88

Tropitone ..................................................(949) 951-2010 ..............www.tropitone.com ......................................39 Twitchell ....................................................(800) 633-7550 ..............www.twitchellcorp.com ................................36 Vermont Castings Group ..........................(800) 867-0454 ..............www.vermontcastings.com ..........................27

Treasure Garden/Shademaker ........................................................................84, 88 Tropitone ........................................................................................................82, 84 Twitchell..........................................................................................................82, 84 Vermont Castings Group ................................................................................78, 88

Windward Design Group ..........................(941) 359-0890 ..............www.windwarddesigngroup.com ..................67

Windward Design Group ................................................................................62, 86

Woodard Furniture ....................................(800) 877-2290 ..............www.woodard-furniture.com ........................59

Woodard Furniture..........................................................................................83, 88

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. July/August 2013, Vol 8, No 4 ÂŠ 2013 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.

Patio & Hearth Products Report July/August 2013

Circle Reader Service No. 95

Circle Reader Service No. 96