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H EARTH & H OME T ECHNOLOGIES

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K AMADO J OE

M ILES I NDUSTRIES /VALOR F IREPLACES

A GIO

w w w. p e n i n s u l a - m e d i a . c o m

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Keeping you warm and safe for over 40 years.

If you’re looking for the ultimate in fireplace glass, you’ve found it. SCHOTT ROBAX® glass-ceramic is a product of over 40 years of engineering expertise and the most cutting-edge glass technology. With its high thermal resistance it can withstand even the highest temperatures without breaking while still evenly radiating heat throughout the room, proving once and for all that it’s the only glass that belongs between fire and your family.

www.schottrobax.com Look for the Warm & Safe promise only on products with SCHOTT ROBAX® glass-ceramic.

SCHOTT ROBAX® is a registered trademark of SCHOTT AG. Photography courtesy of FIAMMA – Argentina.

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Oh, the weather outside is frightful. Now the fire is more delightful!

Help your customers make instant holiday memories with the Dave Lennox Signature™ Collection Estate™ Series wood-burning fireplace. With one of the largest views in the industry, realistic masonry design and a choice of brick liners, the Estate Series is the perfect touch during the winter season. Visit lennox.com or call 1.800.9.LENNOX for product details.

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SCRABBLE, the distinctive game board and letter tiles, and all associated logos are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States and Canada and are used with permission. ©2010 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.

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contents

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 • VOLUME 5, NUMBER 6

46 49

features 8

GUEST EDITORIAL – MY DAD: A SUCCESS STORY

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BY BONNIE RICHINS

The general manager of Anaheim Patio & Fireside and daughter of retailer Kurt Lorig shares what she learned from her father, an icon of the casual-furniture industry.

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BY KIMBERLY RODGERS

Georgia-based Kettle & Grates creates beautiful outdoorkitchen designs for customers throughout the United States.

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SPOTLIGHT – STOVE REVIVAL?

BY CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

The industry’s top stove producers are optimistic that sales will improve this burn season.

With an engineering degree and a passion for outdoor grilling, Mike Miller founded Select Outdoor Kitchens, a manufacturer of outdoor-kitchen cooking components.

MARKETING MANEUVERS – ADDING RETAIL 32

Expanding into retail was a good strategy for manufacturer Ebel Inc.

SHOWROOM SHOWCASE – SELLING FUN

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS

Great Gatherings provides shoppers with a warm and pleasurable retail experience, turning them into repeat customers.

SOUTH SEA RATTAN TAKES INDOOR DESIGN OUTDOORS 34

BY SHARON SANDERS

The transition to outdoor furniture was a natural progression for North Carolina-based South Sea Rattan.

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HOT PRODUCTS FOR CERAMIC-COOKER FANS

BY CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

BY SHARON SANDERS

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OUTDOOR GRILLING RETAILER PROFILE – COOKING WITHOUT WALLS

SYNTHETIC WOOD THAT RESEMBLES REAL WOOD

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS

Highwood® USA, L.L.C, manufactures a synthetic wood that offers the beauty, look, and feel of natural wood, combined with easy maintenance and longevity.

HEARTH RETAILER PROFILE – EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED

BY SHARON SANDERS

This veteran hearth retailer knows from experience the necessity of reinventing one’s business when the market changes.

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BY SHARON SANDERS

Ever since Telescope Casual manufactured its first products in 1903, it has found ways to reinvent itself to stay in touch with the marketplace.

EARTH’S FLAME: A CLEANER, GREENER ALTERNATIVE

BY SHARON SANDERS

Earth’s Flame is a concept unlike anything that the hearth industry has ever seen.

AS I SEE IT – A LASTING LEGACY

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MY TURN – GRILLING GEAR

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS

The Companion Group specializes in the burgeoning grillware category, which is a potential gold mine for retailers.

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PRODUCT INNOVATION – AN INDUSTRY PIONEER

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departments 6

BY CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

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TWEET Publisher’s Viewpoint and Editor’s Message

Wood-stove manufacturer Pacific Energy Fireplace Products is credited with numerous industry firsts.

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INDUSTRY NEWS – EDITED BY KRIS KYES

LAST WORD – JOINING FORCES

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PRODUCT PROFILES

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PRODUCT PROFILES DIRECTORY

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AD INDEX

BY SHARON SANDERS

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M&G Group and Simpson Dura-Vent teamed up to create DuraVent, a dominant player in the venting industry.

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CORPORATE PROFILE – BUYING POWER

BY CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

ON THE COVER

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The Casual Classics Furniture Group is the largest memberowned design/build/buying co-op in North America.

HEARTH & HOME TECHNOLOGIES

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

Follow us on Twitter: @patiohearth

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See your way clear to a great 2011 Agio Reserve® dealers are already on their way. With bold and inspiring new collections from which to choose, our retailers are prepared for and planning on a banner 2011. Right now is the time to see how Agio’s broad and unparalleled spectrum of dealer support can help you build strong showroom traffic, which leads to increased sales, turns and profits. Follow the industry’s leading light. Become an Agio Reserve dealer today.

To become an Agio retailer call 888.997.7623 or contact us at info@agio-usa.com.

Agio is the registered trademark of Agio International Company, Ltd.

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Life Begins Outdoors.™

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tweet

PUBLISHER’S VIEWPOINT

W

ith advances in technology arriving at warp speed, it’s hard to remember when a particular technology first came on the scene. There are, however, certain defining moments when you can say, with confidence, that a certain type of technology is here to stay.

For Twitter, the defining moment, for many, was in late June of this year, when 76–year-old Larry King of CNN tweeted that he would be retiring from his nightly talk show after 25 years. Instead of making the announcement during his talk show (with over a million nightly viewers) or making the announcement on CNN, the King of CNN decided to make his announcement on Twitter, where he tweets as @kingsthings. When someone as popular and well known as Larry King—who is also a member of the other generation—makes an official announcement of this magnitude with a tweet, I think it’s safe to say that Twitter and tweeting are here to stay.

Starting in early 2011, readers of Patio & Hearth Products Report will be able to follow the magazine and receive tweets on industry news and new-product introductions by following us on Twitter: @patiohearth.

Our tweets will provide links to articles about important events in the patio, hearth, barbecue/grill, outdoorkitchen, and outdoor-living industry, in addition to keeping our Twitter followers up to speed on new-product introductions.

These new-product introductions and new collections are among the driving forces of our industry.

Because P&HPR is in the forefront of announcing newproduct introductions (with our very popular Product Profiles section in the print and online versions of the publication), tweeting about new products and new collections is just another way of keeping our readers

abreast of new products—and new product categories—that they should consider adding to their showroom floors.

We promise that by following P&HPR (@patiohearth) on Twitter, you will not be bombarded with tweets.We also promise not to send out tweets that aren’t newsworthy and that don’t warrant your time or attention.All of us receive more than enough technology noise during the course of the day, and we certainly don’t want to contribute to this noise.

While the printed version of P&HPR will always be the mainstay (and most effective form) of communicating with the industry, our tweets will supplement and enhance what we deliver, with each issue, in the way of valuable and insightful information and product announcements. Much like the online version (www.peninsula-media.com) of P&HPR, our tweets will be another avenue through which we will keep our readers on top of the industry, and they will serve as an effective complement to the printed version of P&HPR. To start receiving our tweets in early 2011, go to www.twitter.com; sign up, if you’re new to Twitter (it’s free); click Find People and enter @patiohearth in the search blank; and on the results page, click follow (under Actions).To follow P&HPR, you will never be required to send your own tweets.

IN MEMORIAM In every industry, there are certain individuals who can get by with just one name. In baseball, one of those names is Derek. In basketball, Kobe is definitely one of those names. In golf—love him or hate him—it’s Tiger.

Among male actors, Brad is all you need to say; with female actors, Meryl will suffice.When talking about rock and roll, Mick is all that needs to be said.

In the patio, hearth, and outdoor-living industry, Kurt

is a name that can stand alone. In early October 2010, Kurt Lorig, founder of Anaheim Patio & Fireside in Brea, California, passed away. Kurt first opened Anaheim Patio & Fireside in 1956. Kurt’s daughter (and the general manager of Anaheim Patio & Fireside), Bonnie Richins, has written a guest editorial that is an excellent tribute to her dad in this issue (see page 8).

After working alongside her father for many years, Richins knew, better than anyone else, what made her dad successful, in business and in life. She shares with us just some of the things that helped make Kurt (and Anaheim Patio & Fireside) a fixture within our industry.

His first-name-only identity is just one example of the impact and footprint that Kurt left within the industry.

While advances in technology will continue to move along at a rapid pace, and while we will discover new and different ways to communicate with each other, the old-school ways and methods of Kurt will never go out of style.

TONY RAMOS PUBLISHER TRAMOS@PENINSULA-MEDIA.COM

from the editor

T

he other day, while packing away my patiofurniture cushions in preparation for the winter, I recalled some of the fun times that my family and friends experienced during this past year—sitting outdoors in my backyard, sharing stories, jokes, and thoughts.A few of these gatherings were particularly memorable, including my mother’s 85th birthday party, a college send-off party for my son, and a 60th birthday party for a dear friend.

None of these events were extravagant affairs, but they were all special in their own ways.This made me realize how fortunate we are to be in a business that provides products to consumers that help bring them closer to the people in their lives.

New research from San Francisco State University (SFSU) suggests that the happiness created by purchasing an object fades as people become used

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to having it around, but experiences continue to provide happiness, over a longer period of time, through memories.

Ryan Howell, assistant professor of psychology at SFSU, found that experiences are more highly rated both because they often involve social bonding and because they give people a greater sense of being alive, both during the experience and on reflection.

It’s for this reason that a vacation with one’s family is priceless, compared with an expensive piece of jewelry. It’s also why investing in products for an outdoor kitchen or hearth room brings greater rewards than other material purchases. Some of the best memories of one’s life can be created by gathering family members or friends around a glowing indoor fireplace or a wellappointed outdoor room.

Some futurists are predicting that

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

we are nearing a postconsumer society, in which the drive to outbuy the neighbors will be replaced by the desire to collect memorable personal experiences. These range from vacations (from simple car trips to extravagant African safaris) to fun restaurant outings to annual backyard cook-offs with the neighbors. In a struggling economy, people are also seeking experiences because they allow for a momentary escape from reality.

This suggests why the Apple Store is always packed, when a neighboring mall store is often empty.The Apple Store is not just in the business of selling laptops and iPads; it’s in the business of selling a digital experience. In another example, customers could pay $1 for a simple coffee at a diner or a doughnut shop, but instead, many choose to pay up to $5 for a caffèmocha experience in a comfortable Starbucks seat. Consumers find these types of shopping experiences enriching, which explains why they keep returning to those stores.

In this issue, each of our featured retailers (Great Gatherings, Florida

Backyard, and Arizona Fireplaces) understands the importance of connecting with its customers in a personal, memorable way. Each provides consumers with more than just products and services—it provides them with inspiring shopping experiences that help them improve their lifestyles at home.These are the types of retailers that will continue to prosper, in good times and bad.

On a completely unrelated note, I’m looking forward to the year ahead, as Patio & Hearth Products Report launches its Twitter program.With nearly 200 million users,Twitter is a powerful medium that will allow us to get the word out quickly about new products and industry developments. If you haven’t opened a Twitter account yet, now’s the time to do it. It’s a great marketing tool for reaching customers, interior designers, landscape architects, manufacturers—and fellow Twitter users, like Patio & Hearth Products Report.

CAROL DAUS EDITOR CAROL@PENINSULA-MEDIA.COM

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Zone Heating with Napoleon’s Gas Stoves Makes More Cents.

Your customers will love the fact that Napoleon’s high efficiency gas stoves give them the solid heating performance they deserve. By enjoying the adjustable heat from Napoleon’s gas stoves, homeowners can turn down their furnace and save hundreds of dollars in heating costs throughout the season. Napoleon offers a wide range of stove sizes, decorative designs and finishes that suit your customers’ needs. Experience the full product line and options available on Napoleon’s Fireplace Design Studio – napoleonfireplaces.com/FDS. ®

1-800-461-5581 • napoleonfireplaces.com

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EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Tony Ramos tramos@peninsula-media.com

A

My Dad:

EDITOR Carol Daus

Success

carol@peninsula-media.com

Story

ART DIRECTOR Cass Estes cass@peninsula-media.com

by Bonnie Richins ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kris Kyes kris@peninsula-media.com

I believe that you can measure success not by your bank account, but by the way that you live your life: Be honest, be fair, and be there.

STAFF WRITERS Kimberly Rodgers Sharon Sanders Cheryl Dangel Cullen CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

These ideas I learned from my father, Kurt Lorig (1927–2010), who founded Anaheim Patio & Fireside on the site of a former gas station, in 1956, just a few minutes from the original Disneyland.

My dad lived his life the same way that he ran his business for 54 years. He valued personal integrity and had a clear sense of ethics—in the products he sold and in the long-term relationships that he had with customers, sales representatives, and manufacturing vendors.

Paul Piwowar From left: Bonnie Richins, Kurt Lorig, and Kurt's wife, Phyllis

BUSINESS MANAGER Susan Razetto

that many of those representatives will miss their afternoon tea-and-talk time.

CEO & PRESIDENT Tony Ramos

BEING THERE BEING HONEST If a customer asked, “Will this wrought-iron chair rust?” his answer was always, “It’s guaranteed to rust!”

He set clear and fair expectations, and he gave customers comfort in that honesty. He also understood the power of flattery, and having a light sense of humor with customers could go a long way. He told many customers that they deserved whatever products they were interested in buying.

BEING FAIR I started my career in the casual-furniture business at age 12, dusting tables, sweeping floors, answering telephones, and occasionally helping customers. I continued to work in the business throughout college, never expecting to stay, but I couldn’t find a good job after college. Soon, I discovered that my dad was a good teacher. Sure, I had a great college education, but what I learned from him about business could never be taught from a book or lecture. He was like Yoda, the sage of the “Star Wars” films.

He taught me lessons about fairness and about second chances. Dad would employ family members, even when a job did not exist. He’d rehire an employee who had left the company, but now needed a job.

Often, he’d reach into his pocket and pull out a few dollars to give to an employee who was short on cash for lunch.

Over the years, I’d sit next to him while he negotiated a deal. I learned a lot from those meetings. He could be tough, but he was always fair. Dad was especially tough on sales representatives, but he challenged them to serve customers the way that he did—and he had fair expectations for doing long-term business and keeping relationships strong. I know 8

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

My dad worked seven days a week. Every day was a new challenge, and he valued his presence in the business as being integral to its success.

He didn’t have an office, a cell phone, or a BlackBerry®. You could always find him “out on the firing line,” as he called it, focusing his efforts on communicating with customers, answering the phone, and selling products on the floor. His motto was, “Take care of your customer, from start to finish, and you will be successful.”

He couldn’t have been more right. That attentive care in customer service led Anaheim Patio & Fireside to evolve and grow as a business built on repeat, loyal consumers.

My dad rarely worried about competition. His worries were making the next sale and having the customer leave happy and satisfied after having a fun buying experience. It’s well known that the second and third generations of families shopped at our three stores. It was not uncommon for a 20-year customer to stop by the Irvine store just to say hello to Dad. He had that kind of magnetic personality.

He looked forward to attending trade shows in the hope of finding new and different products to sell.

Dad made it a point to meet the presidents of companies. He believed that establishing a good relationship with a company was key to a successful partnership.

All of us who have been touched by his honesty, fairness, humor, and personal magnetism will deeply miss his presence at Anaheim Patio & Fireside, doing what he did best: being there.

Bonnie Richins is the general manager of Anaheim Patio & Fireside, with locations in Brea, Irvine, and Huntington Beach, California.

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

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

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES: Patio & Hearth Products Report PO Box 2190 Skokie, IL 60076-7890 Subscribe online: http://www.peninsula-media.com/subscribe.html Email: patioandhearth@halldata.com Phone: (847) 763-9261

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by KRIS KYES

OW Lee Receives 2010 Manufacturer of the Year Award

OW Lee was recognized by the International Casual Furnishings Association this fall as the top manufacturer in the casual-furniture industry.

Consumers Respond Well to Vermont Castings’ Two-inone Stoves Since they were unveiled at HPBExpo in Orlando, in March 2010, Vermont Castings’ new Defiant and Encore two-in-one wood-burning stoves have been a huge hit with consumers.

Unlike other wood stoves available on the market, the Defiant and Encore are essentially two stoves in one, since they can be operated in a catalytic or noncatalytic mode.

Whether a consumer prefers a catalytic stove as a primary heat source (for longer, more even heating) or a noncatalytic stove (for easy operation and beautiful flames), these models provide the flexibility needed to make adjustments based Encore two-in-one wood-burning on lifestyle. In less than a minute, a stove homeowner can convert the two-in-one stove from catalytic to noncatalytic operation. As fuel prices and preferences change, the stove can be changed to adapt to one’s needs.

Rob Newcombe, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Monessen Hearth Systems Company, says, “The word from our dealers and distributors is that our two-in-one feature has brought some great innovation to the stove category.

Consumers like the fact that these products are 10

OW Lee (Ontario, California) was honored with the Manufacturer of the Year Award for 2010 at the ICFA Reception in September 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The event was full of excitement as manufacturers and specialty-store members gathered to celebrate excellence during the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™.

One manufacturer was honored in each of eight categories. Manufacturers were then judged on the following criteria: design and quality of products, merchandising, customer service, ethics, communications, and trade relations.

Terri Lee Rogers, co-owner and vice president of sales and marketing for OW Lee, says, “We were very surprised to be awarded Manufacturer of the Year. Although we had a trying year, with demand exceeding supply, we worked really hard to keep our customers updated and informed on order status.”

Founded in 1947 in Pasadena, OW Lee manufactures fine wrought-iron and wrought-aluminum casual furniture. OW Lee is one of the few remaining companies in the casual-furniture industry that still manufactures its products in the United States.

MHSC Appoints Rob Newcombe Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing Rob Newcombe recently joined Monessen Hearth Systems Company (MHSC) as executive vice president of sales and marketing. Prior to this new position, Newcombe held leadership positions with Whirlpool Corp., Electrolux Home Care North America, and Canadian Tire in the areas of sales and marketing.

With his extensive experience working with some of the most recognizable brands in the world, Newcombe is excited to be leading MHSC’s efforts to establish the Vermont Castings, Majestic, and Monessen brands as household names. He will play a pivotal role in ensuring that the iconic Vermont Castings brand is elevated, once again, to its premier status. flexible in terms of heating a home, are cost efficient to operate, are easy to clean and maintain, and offer thermostatic control.”

Newcombe adds that consumers appreciate that the Defiant and Encore are eco-friendly, since they are manufactured completely from recycled iron.

He says, “Not only do the stoves help people save money when they heat their homes, they’re made in a way that’s environmentally friendly. Since consumers want to buy green products, these stoves are particularly appealing.”

SCHOTT ROBAX Survey Reveals Shoppers’ Top Hearth-glass Concerns Residential hearth shoppers are primarily concerned with the cleanability, resilience, and temperature range of hearth and stove glass, according to the first-ever SCHOTT ROBAX® dealer survey. Over 200 hearth and stove dealers from all regions of the United States responded to the August 2010 survey conducted by SCHOTT

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

North America, manufacturer of SCHOTT ROBAX, an extremely heat-resistant, transparent glass ceramic used in many fireplaces and stoves.

Dealers responded that common questions they receive from customers include how quickly the glass gets dirty and how to clean it, whether the glass will break if it gets hot, and how hot the glass will get.

Other findings included that efficiency, safety, and aesthetics are the top three reasons that customers purchase ceramic-glass hearths. The survey also found that three out of four dealers use energy-efficiency or green information in their marketing and sales efforts, highlighting the growing importance of eco-friendly home and hearth products in the marketplace.

SCHOTT will use the results of the SCHOTT ROBAX dealer survey to develop a dealer-education program designed to equip small retailers better to maximize their sales of fireplaces and stoves made with SCHOTT ROBAX. This initiative will include the launch of an education program about the uses and benefits of high-quality, high-tech ceramic glass like SCHOTT ROBAX. Karen Elder, marketing manager of SCHOTT

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HomeTech North America, says, “Small hearth and stove dealers have been especially affected by the economic downturn, and SCHOTT wants to help them maximize every sales opportunity that walks through their doors. Our dealer-education program emphasizes the importance SCHOTT places on working with hearth and stove dealers to grow their business. These survey results will help us design the best program for retailers and arm them with the tools to succeed.”

Lennox Hearth Products Names Vice President of Operations Lennox Hearth Products (LHP) has appointed David Hazelwood to the position of vice president of operations. In his most recent position, Hazelwood served as vice president of manufacturing for Lennox International’s commercial business segment in Dallas, Texas.

Since early 2010, Hazelwood has been leading the fireplace-manufacturing operation in Union City, Tennessee, in addition to carrying out his existing corporate responsibilities. During that time, he has worked with the local team to move key initiatives forward; he will continue to have direct oversight of the Union City plant as part of his new position.

In addition, the manufacturing operations of both the LHP facility in Auburn, Washington, and Security Chimneys International, based in Laval, Quebec, will report to Hazelwood in an effort to integrate, refine, and enhance the manufacturing capabilities of the company further.

Wendy Howells, vice president and general man-

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ager of LHP, says, “David’s contributions have been outstanding over the last several months, and the entire company has truly benefited from his experience and insight. Further, he’s taken the time to get to know our operations on a level that demonstrates total commitment to our business objectives.

We could not be more delighted to have David accept a permanent position at LHP, where we will benefit greatly from his knowledge and capability.”

The Big Green Egg Company Names President The Big Green Egg Company, the leader and dominant brand in the ceramic-cooker market segment, has announced the appointment of a new president to lead the company. Ardy Arani, an accomplished business executive with over three decades of experience in a Ardy Arani wide range of industries, has been tapped to step into the role currently held by the company’s founder, Ed Fisher, who will now assume the position of chair.

“As we head into our fourth decade of success, I realized it was necessary to begin planning for future needs and the growth of the company, both domestically and internationally,” Fisher says. “In Ardy Arani, we have an exceptional business leader with a background in many business disciplines, from management to marketing, licensing, and operations. More important, he has significant experience at the top levels of some of the largest companies in the business world, and understands how to

grow a brand and bring value to stakeholders. We are very excited about this next phase of our history, and welcome Ardy to the Big Green Egg team.”

Olympia Chimney Supply Introduces Ventis Class A All-fuel Chimney System Olympia Chimney Supply (Scranton, Pennsylvania), a partner in the sweep and hearth industries for the past 11 years, recently launched its novel Ventis® class A all-fuel chimney system. Olympia developed the Ventis system after listening to customers describe what they needed in terms of the construction of parts, as well as installation and delivery criteria.

One Ventis attribute is that it is UL 103 HT listed.

In fact, Olympia worked with UL for over two years in the development and testing of the Ventis chimney system. “The UL testing standard for the class A chimney system is rigorous and challenging to pass,” William Kozlansky, co-CEO, explains. “We are proud of this monumental accomplishment.”

In addition, Ventis is the only brand of class A chimney in the industry that is backed by a forever warranty. Under the warranty, the system is covered for the lifetime of the original homeowner and is transferable to the next homeowner. Other warranties in the market are prorated after a certain number of years and are not transferable.

“At Olympia, we truly feel our future will be based on innovation,” Kozlansky says. “We want to continue to be a partner in the business to installers by listening to their needs and responding to them.” The Ventis system is manufactured inhouse at Olympia’s facility in Scranton, and

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OW Lee Sales Representative Ron Ball Receives ICFA Award installers can buy it directly from Olympia. “There are no middlemen at Olympia,” Kozlansky stresses.

According to Kozlansky, the company stocks its class A pipe in both 304L and 316L inner styles. Installers do not have to worry about backorders or special ordering because the products (including the 316L inner pipe) will ship on the same day that the order is placed.

Superior packaging of these pipes eliminates shipping damage. Since dented pipe is a huge problem in the marketplace, Olympia paid special attention to developing safe and secure packaging. Olympia received help in designing the Ventis packaging from many sources, including FedEx®.

“We truly adhere to the message conveyed in our tagline, ‘Your Partner in the Business!’ What partner wouldn’t step up to the plate and help out a friend in need?”

Kozlansky asks.

RH Peterson Mourns the Loss of Bill White Bill White, president emeritus of RH Peterson, died on October 16, 2010, at the age of 88. White had led RH Peterson for over 30 years as president before he retired in 2000.

During his tenure, he led RH Peterson from being a small, one-product company in a 17,000–square-foot building in Pasadena, California, to become a significant multiproduct part of the hearth and barbecue industries.

Bill White and his dog, Lacy

Leslie Bortz, president of RH Peterson, says, “Our successes are due, in large part, to Bill’s direction and leadership. He taught me an awful lot about how to treat customers, lead employees, and captain the ship. His advice and counsel continued to make significant contributions to the RH Peterson Company up until very recently.”

White was not only integral to the growth and development of RH Peterson, but was also a man of wide 12

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and varied interests. He wrote books on Santa Catalina Island, where he grew up, and on the Wrigley family (which originally owned the island).

He was active in local politics, and he also served as the president of the Crown City Kiwanis Club of Pasadena and as president of the Industry Manufacturers Council in City of Industry.

During World War II, White served in the U.S. Navy Fleet and received nine campaign ribbons and four battle stars. He was married for over 50 years to his Pasadena neighborhood sweetheart, Martha. White is survived by his daughter, Kim; his sons, Scott and Taylor; and four grandchildren.

Designer Dale Campbell Teams Up With Groovystuff Dale Campbell, a 20-year veteran of the casual-furniture industry and a celebrated furniture designer, has introduced his Dale Campbell new line, VinModern, for Groovystuff (Dallas, Texas).

Campbell’s designs were introduced during High Point Market at the Groovystuff showroom in High Point, North Carolina, in October 2010.

Campbell, a recipient of the Design Excellence Award, the ADEX Platinum Award, and the Pinnacle Design Award, was attracted to Groovystuff because of his interest in designing furniture using reclaimed wood. Groovystuff designs, produces, and distributes unique reclaimed-teak home furnishings. Chris Bruning, vice president of Groovystuff, says, “The ultimate goal, working with Dale, will be to modernize Groovystuff designs and take us to the next successful level, while expanding our demographics.”

Cal Spas Expands Regional Sales Management Team Cal Spas has added two regional sales managers to its outside-sales team. California-based Robert Velto joins the Cal Spas team with 14 years of experience in the spa industry. Velto will be covering the Southern zone of the Western states for Cal Spas, and his vast knowledge of the industry will contribute to a successful sales year in 2011.

Indiana-based Victor Moss brings 25

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

OW Lee Sales Representative of the Year Ron Ball was awarded the ICFA Lifetime Achievement Award at the 51st Annual Apollo Awards in September 2010 at the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™. A video montage was shown, with a variety of friends and colleagues commenting on Ball’s honesty and integrity—which he later mentioned as the thing that he hopes people appreciate about him most.

Terri Lee Rogers, co-owner and vice president of sales and marketing for OW Ron Ball Lee, says, “Ron is a great asset to our industry. Ron’s experience, in the field and on the manufacturing side, has helped our company become stronger and more efficient. He is an asset to OW Lee, to the retailers he serves, and to the casual-furniture industry overall.”

OW Lee Announces Sales Representatives of the Year OW Lee proudly announces that Ron Ball and Dennis Thurmer are the Sales Representatives of the Year for 2010. This special presentation was made during a sales-meeting dinner at the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™.

Ball has been selling OW Lee products since 2005 and has Dennis Thurmer and Ron Ball successfully developed OW Lee in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Texas, and Oklahoma. Ball has a lifetime of experience in the casual-furniture industry and was also the recipient of the industry’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 Apollo Awards.

Thurmer has been selling OW Lee products since 1977 and has successfully developed OW Lee in Eastern and Western Canada, Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. Thurmer’s experience and reputation have been contributing factors to OW Lee’s growth in its Northwest territory.

The Sales Representative of the Year award is presented each year in recognition of outstanding performance in the achievement of sales goals, excellence in customer service, and comprehensive support of the management team in sales and marketing strategies.

years of experience in the pool and spa industries to the Cal Spas team.

Moss will be handling Midwestern sales for Cal Spas, and his extensive experience in the spa industry will help drive sales for the hot-tub giant.

Woodard Appoints Scott Coogan as New Vice President of Design Woodard has appointed Scott Coogan as its new vice president of design. Coogan is a seasoned industry veteran and a well-known, accomplished designer in the casual-furniture arena.

Carl Loredo, chief marketing officer for Woodard, says, “We’re excited to have Scott join the company and lead our efforts in furniture design. With his many years of success in creatScott Coogan ing products for the home, Scott’s unique designs are widely recognized, and we look forward to leveraging his extensive knowledge and experience. I know he’ll help continue our goals of growing our market share and continuing Woodard’s reputation as a premier designer of outdoor furniture.” Coogan will be based at his home office in Sarasota, Florida, but will be traveling regularly between his office, China, and Woodard’s manufacturing facility in Owosso, Michigan.

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Leisure Design Appoints Mike Friedrichsen as Director of U.S. Sales and Marketing Toronto, Ontario-based Leisure Design recently appointed Mike Friedrichsen as its new director of U.S. sales and marketing. Friedrichsen brings the company many years of industry experience, most recently as the national sales manager for Treasure Garden, and previously as an Apollo Award–winning retailer in Cleveland, Ohio.

“We are excited to have Mike on board,” Richard Bockner, vice president of international sales, says. “His knowledge of both sides of the business is just what Mike Friedrichsen we need to help build our brand and distribution throughout the U.S. market. He will be assembling a sales force and helping us on our marketing strategies to get the word out to U.S. dealers about our incredible line of outdoor furniture.”

Leisure Design supplies a full line of outdoor woven products, including sectional pieces, seating, dining, and accessories; it offers domestic warehousing and quick-ship programs, and it will be introducing a custom special-order program next spring. For more information, contact Leisure Design at info@leisuredesign.ca.

Galtech Announces Sales Achievement Award Winners Galtech International recently announced its 2010 Sales Achievement Award winners at its annual sales meeting, held at the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™. Honored as 2010 Sales Representative of the Year was Matt Kotoski of Westminster, Massachusetts.

The following sales representatives were also recognized for their outstanding sales achievements during the 2010 season: John Benner and Matt Kotoski Ron O’Meara of Southern California; Gray Dobbins and Associates of Dunwoody, Georgia; Ray Smit of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Bob Oresman of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; and McElroy Marketing of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Hamilton Parker Company Acquires Mount Vernon Mantel Company The Mount Vernon Mantel Company, a leading provider of classic residential mantels designed to meet builders’ needs, was recently acquired by The Hamilton Parker Company. Adam Lewin, president of the Hamilton Parker Company, says, “We are proud to welcome the quality craftsmanship of Mount Vernon Mantels as a sister company to the Hamilton Parker family; this diverse and affordable product line will support our continual focus on customer service and satisfaction.”

The Mount Vernon Mantel Company manufac-

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WoodMaster Flex Fuel Furnaces Receive EPA Certification

Flex Fuel furnace

WoodMaster’s new Flex Fuel indoor and outdoor furnaces have been certified by the EPA. In addition, the furnaces are endorsed by the EPA’s Burn Wise partnership program, an effort that emphasizes the importance of burning the right wood, the right way, in the right wood-burning appliance to protect consumers’ homes, their

health, and the environment.

An EPA-certified wood stove or wood-heating appliance has been independently tested by an accredited laboratory and found to meet a particulate-emissions limit of 7.5 grams per hour (for noncatalytic wood stoves) and 4.1 grams per hour (for catalytic wood stoves). At an extremely clean 0.04 pounds per million Btu—one of the highest efficiency ratings issued by EPA—WoodMaster has demonstrated its strength in this product category.

Chuck Gagner is president of Northwest Manufacturing, Inc., the parent company of

tures classic designs and castings that are made broadly accessible through direct buying, modular production, and expertise in wood-processing technology. Specializing in cabinet designs that house virtually every major fireplace manufacturer’s brand and style, Mount Vernon Mantels offers builder-customized style, pricing, and delivery.

Mendota Hearth and St. Croix Stoves Hire Kevin Yowler Mendota Hearth Products and St. Croix Stoves have hired Kevin Yowler as a factory representative to cover Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Western Tennessee. Formerly a customer-service training manager, Yowler has 13 years’ experience and has certified over 200 technicians in the National Fireplace Institute’s gas program. Please email sales@johnsongas.com to contact Yowler.

Cal Heat Partners With ECHL Hockey Team Cal Heat, the indoor- and outdoor-sauna manufacturer from the Cal Spas family, has partnered with the ECHL hockey team, the Ontario Reign, for the upcoming 2010–2011 season. Cal Heat has provided the Ontario Reign, the minor-league affiliate team of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, with its IR200A infrared sauna to promote the players’ health and help prevent injuries throughout the season.

Casey Loyd, president of Cal Spas, says, “We are thrilled to partner with the Ontario Reign for their upcoming, highly anticipated season. Our infrared sauna has a number of health benefits and will offer the players the soothing therapy they need after a demanding game.”

According to the company, Cal Heat infrared saunas relieve joint pain, sore muscles, and arthritis, making the IR200A infrared sauna a perfect fit

WoodMaster. He says, “With our Flex Fuel furnaces, consumers have the option of choosing the least expensive fuel: cordwood, wood pellets, or wood chips. When customers pair that level of fuel flexibility with industry-leading efficiency, they save more money when heating their home. That’s why we can offer such a strong guarantee.”

WoodMaster Flex Fuel indoor and outdoor furnaces—the first bioenergy, flexible-fuel furnaces to be manufactured in the United States—are engineered with proven, ultraefficient, clean European technologies and WoodMaster quality and durability. WoodMaster partnered with SOLARFOCUS, an Austrian company recognized for its world-leading technology in multifuel furnaces, to bring the Flex Fuel furnaces to the United States. The furnaces burn cordwood, wood pellets, or wood chips.

WoodMaster furnaces are manufactured and distributed by Northwest Manufacturing of Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. Since 1989, WoodMaster has built industry-leading outdoor furnaces, continually finding innovative uses of natural energy and alternative fuel sources.

Its products are sold and serviced nationwide by a growing dealer network of natural-heating experts. WoodMaster dealers receive extensive inhouse and online training, and every dealer is factory certified. Annual continuing education is required to ensure that dealers meet high standards in knowledge and expertise, another commitment to leading the industry. For more information, visit www.woodmaster.com.

for the professional hockey team. Regular sauna use, combined with exercise therapy, could also help purge the body of unwanted chemicals, solvents, and toxic elements, and could promote many wellness benefits, including weight loss, the company says.

Groovystuff Holds Design Competition With Local College Groovystuff, manufacturer of reclaimed-teakwood home furnishings, recently partnered with Appalachian State University (ASU) in Boone, North Carolina, to create a design competition that gives students real-world experience, a chance to earn royalties on successful designs, and a reason to choose the home-furnishings industry after graduation.

Of the 110 students in ASU’s Industrial Design and Furniture Design programs (led by Professor Richard Prisco), 23 participated in the design competition. Their challenge was learning how to work with reclaimed teak and other materials typical of the Groovystuff line. The students were required to design an environmentally friendly product that reflects the Dick Idol brand and can be produced using sustainable manufacturing practices.

Chris Bruning, vice president of Groovystuff, says, “The design competition was an Olympic event for the 23 students involved from ASU, and the talent was indescribable, but as in any competitive race for the gold, there can be only one winner, and that winner was Lee Shan Beatrouse.” Influenced by the many styles of furniture produced by Groovystuff, Beatrouse designed a coffee table that used reclaimed Thai farming equipment, as well as teak root pieces, giving the table a very natural feel while maintaining a crisp and clean visual appeal. continued on page 60

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stove revival?

The industry’s top stove producers predict that sales will pick up this burn season. by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

W

ill consumers be flocking to buy wood and pellet stoves, with winter setting in and the recession presumably over? Some manufacturers say yes, while others are more cautious, fearing that there still might be some dark days ahead.

Nick Bauer, vice president of product development for Empire Comfort Systems (Belleville, Illinois), says, “We feel the marketplace is in a recovery mode. People are slowly regaining confidence in the economy and are starting to buy again.”

Jess Baldwin, vice president of sales for Monessen Hearth Systems Company (MHSC), Paris, Kentucky, agrees. “We’ll probably finish the year 10% ahead of a year ago,” he says, explaining that this figure includes both fireplace and stove sales. “Business has been spotty in some places, but overall, sales have been pretty steady since the end of the first

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Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

quarter of 2010,” he adds.

Roger Gripton is also optimistic. He is vice president of sales for Napoleon Fireplaces (Wolf Steel Ltd.) in Barrie, Ontario; he reports, “The market for wood-burning stoves is excellent,” although he says that the trend is toward “more basic stoves, with fewer bells and whistles.”

He continues, “We seem to run in cycles. In tough times, the demand is for a secondary (or even primary) heating source, with the goal of reducing energy consumption and the subsequent high utility bills. In a more prosperous economic environment, the sheer joy of sitting by a crackling fire, contained in a luxuriously appointed wood stove, is the sought-after item.”

Jeni Forman, vice president of dealer marketing for Hearth & Home Technologies (Lakeville, Minnesota), reports that wood-

stove sales are relatively stable, while pelletstove sales continue their roller-coaster pattern. “Still, between the fairly unchanged price of oil, over the past few months, and the relatively low price of pellets (plus their availability), the payback on a pellet appliance is compelling—at around 30 to 36 months,

Top: One of Hearth & Home Technologies’ new products is the Oakleaf, a small, cast-iron wood stove from Harman Home Heating.

Lower left: Vermont Castings’ Encore two-in-one stove, shown in bordeaux Lower center: The Morsø 5660 Standard zero-clearance fireplace enclosure Lower right: Napoleon’s 1400c wood stove

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depending upon the product. This should help move some product to close out the year,” she says.

HOPEFUL THINKING What, then, is the bottom line? Rob Sidoroff, sales manager for Pacific Energy Fireplace Products Ltd. (Duncan, British Columbia), says, “In many areas, we are seeing renewed optimism. Dealers feel the worst has passed, and many have installations booked out a month or more. The one sure thing you can count on is that winter will come.”

Even winter’s coming isn’t as predictable as it has been in the past.

Craig Shankster, president of Morsø USA (Portland, Tennessee), says, “We’re unseasonably warm. We think that the season is probably a month behind, so our anticipation for the year’s end is a lot like last year, without a lot of uptick in trade. In talking to dealers, we hear that consumers are filtering through the doors, but commitment to order is slow.”

There are exceptions, Shankster notes. He attributes some dealers’ success to aggressive, cutting-edge marketing efforts. “There are a few who are particularly proactive by increasing their public-relations efforts through the Internet. A lot of dealers don’t use the Internet as much as they could as a sales and marketing tool,” he says.

Case in point: Morsø’s primary market is not mainstream consumers, but is more likely to consist of younger homeowners who are “looking for high-quality, cutting-edge design—and who use the Internet for most of their research,” Shankster says.

To reach this market, Morsø is focusing a lot more attention on social marketing, including updates on Facebook and Twitter. “We’re trying to educate our dealers in that way as well, but they are slow to take up these ideas. We’re actually putting together a marketing course to be used as a training program that we can offer to regional Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association groups. It covers modern marketing, the importance of websites, social marketing, knowing your customer, general Internet presence, how keywords work, and how to use Web analytics to best advantage,” Shankster says.

NEW PRODUCTS Due to lingering uncertainty in the economy, Morsø is being cautious with new-product introductions. “All the products we could have launched this year, we’re keeping in our back pocket for next year. We didn’t want to launch a lot of products and have them fall flat due to the economy,” Shankster says.

Instead, Morsø launched its 5660 clean-lined insert and two zero-clearance enclosures for it. Shankster says, “Because we are a global brand, we have 16

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new-product development going on all the time. In Denmark, we launched five very sleek, high-end wood stoves that will find their way over here, so we will have a whole new line—like a subrange in our product line—coming up in 2011.”

Empire Comfort Systems’ Heritage cast-iron direct-vent stove, finished in matte black

Pacific Energy’s Alderlea porcelain cast-iron stove in majolica brown

Among Hearth & Home Technologies’ new products is the Oakleaf, a small, castiron wood stove from Harman Home Heating. “It is the first in a complete line of three new cast wood stoves to fill out the Harman cast wood lineup,” Forman explains. “The others will be launching in 2011.”

Empire Comfort Systems’ Heritage cast-iron stoves are relatively new to the market. “The Heritage stoves are unique in that they have the only ceramic-top burner that provides glow without the need to add rock-wool embers. These are also the only stoves engineered to sit directly on the floor—wood or carpet—without a stove pad,” Bauer says. He adds that last year, the company also updated the burner in its vent-free model to give it an even better flame appearance.

MHSC is doing well with Vermont Castings’ Defiant two-in-one and Encore two-in-one, new cast-iron wood stoves with a burn system that can be switched—within five minutes—from the factory settings to either a catalytic or a noncatalytic system. “No one has anything else like it,” Baldwin says. “So far, the response has been phenomenal.

It is very easy to switch, and maintenance in either mode is very simple.”

Also new at Vermont Castings is its Merrimack insert, with a 3.2–cubic-foot firebox. “For people with larger homes who need a larger-capacity firebox, the Merrimack carries on in the Vermont Castings tradition,” Baldwin says.

Napoleon Fireplaces has introduced a new cast-iron stove to address the higher-end market, as well as adding the new Timberwolf line, which is aimed at the entry-level market. “Obviously, it still

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

needs to look good and function efficiently, but there are opportunities in the low-price to midprice range—where heat is the main consideration in the purchase of a wood stove, and appearance is secondary,” Gripton says.

He continues, “Our Timberwolf line is a no-frills, basic, wood-burning heater that gets the job done, but with the same performance and quality expectations that are recognized as standard under our flagship Napoleon brand.”

Sidoroff is optimistic about Pacific Energy Fireplace Products’ Alderlea castiron stoves. “They have proven to be a home run, so we have expanded the line this year with a porcelain-enamel model (available in two colors), and we added a new cast insert,” he says. In addition, the company has introduced a new line of high-quality, value-priced woodstoves named True North. It is aimed squarely at giving dealers a product with which to hit back at the big-box stores.

THE DESIGN DEBATE With so many trends coming and going, it is difficult to track the pulse of what is hot in stove features at any given moment, but manufacturers are trying. “When I joined this industry, in the early 1980s, a wood stove was a black box in the basement,” Sidoroff says. “It is now considered a piece of furniture that can add a substantial amount to a home’s value, so it is important that we continue to evolve the burn technology and the aesthetics.”

In terms of design, “Contemporary is hot right now for fireplaces,” Bauer says, noting that linear burners, clean lines, and modern materials are all good for sales. He adds, “We are also seeing a move toward intermittent pilots and hotsurface ignition to save gas. These design and technology trends have not hit the cast-iron–stove market yet, but many of the innovations in fireplaces eventually migrate to freestanding stoves.”

While contemporary designs might be gaining inroads, don’t rule out traditional styles, Forman stresses. “In general, stove designs continue to be dominated by the traditional flavor in the United States, although we are starting to see

more of the European modern designs show up in pockets around the country,” she says.

EPA CHANGES Forman adds that where technology is concerned, “The emphasis seems to be on efficiency and emissions, especially with the coming New Source Performance Standards changes.” That being said, don’t look for a lot of new technological advances.

As Gripton explains, “Currently, the EPA is rethinking the emissions-level requirements for wood stoves. As a result, designing anything new—other than making relatively minor changes in appearance—would not be practical.

Testing a new stove to meet EPA’s criteria for clean burning costs tens of thousands of dollars—just in the testing costs, let alone the design and development costs. Unfortunately, until the EPA announces new targets for grams emitted per hour, it would not be prudent to invest time and money in something radically new—only to discover it would not be capable of meeting the proposed new standards.”

With few technological innovations reaching the market and economic woes lingering, what will turn up sales for stoves? “The economy is not really showing signs of recovery yet, but we do have the tax credit to help move stoves through the end of 2010,” Forman says. “On the bright side, the season is definitely picking up, and with the coming sense of urgency to save money, the tax credit should kick in to drive some strong sales.”

Gripton says, “Historically, as the economy gets tough, consumers naturally seek alternative means of saving money,” adding that these measures can range from dining out less often to turning off the lights in unoccupied rooms.

Frugality, he says, “certainly means keeping a close eye on the thermostat. When a homeowner reduces energy consumption by adjusting a thermostat downward, the end result is a colder, less comfortable home environment. A wood stove, strategically located in a continued on page 60

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Valor Horizon Series Radiant Gas Fireplace

SHOWCASE

www.valorfireplaces.com | 1.800.468.2567 Circle Reader Service No. 17

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marketing

MANEUVERS

adding retail Creating a retail presence in its hometown was a sound

by SHARON SANDERS photography by BETHANY VARGAS strategy for Ebel Inc.

i

n 2000, Ebel Inc. opened its fledgling retail store, Florida Backyard, in Jacksonville, Florida. At the time, the 12–year-old furniture manufacturer had a strong network of dealers across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, but no dealers in its hometown.

The expansion into retail has proved to be an effective tactic for Ebel on all fronts. It has enabled the company to boost sales and to raise awareness of the brand locally, and it lets the company see its products and programs from the points of view of retailers and consumers.

Ebel is a family-owned casual-furniture manufacturing business that was founded in 1988, by Anne Ebel, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In the beginning,

Above: Bright, airy showrooms have helped make Florida Backyard a favorite shopping destination for local Floridians.

Left: From left, Sabrina, Kai, and Anne Ebel have expanded Ebel Inc., the family casual-furniture business, to include retail operations (in addition to manufacturing).

Right: Opening the Ebels’ two Jacksonville, Florida, retail stores has proved to be a strategic business move, raising awareness of the Ebel brand locally and bringing in new business.

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the company manufactured resin benches. Anne moved Ebel to Jacksonville in 1994, at which time she expanded the business and its product lines to include high-end furniture in all-weather wicker.

All-weather wicker has since become Ebel’s specialty, and the company’s products are known for their quality and value. Anne’s two adult children, Kai and Sabrina Ebel, have since joined their mother as partners in the business.

DIVING INTO RETAIL The Ebels initially made the decision to open a retail store in their 16,000–square-foot Jacksonville headquarters/manufacturing building because they wanted to boost sales. At the time, there weren’t any Ebel dealers in the area, so it made good business sense to open a retail store.

Sabrina Ebel volunteered to head the effort, even though it was her first foray out of manufacturing and into the world of retail. She says that her colleagues in the casual-furniture industry gave her the

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

extra help and confidence that she needed to get the store up and running. “I’m so thankful for everyone who was willing to give me advice and who was always there for me along the way. I knew it was the right move for our business, and I was excited to see it take off,” she says.

When Florida Backyard opened its doors in 2000, it primarily focused on selling overstock and discontinued items. As the store’s popularity grew, it expanded into a full-line retail store that sold not only Ebel furniture, but casual furniture from other manufacturers (including Telescope Casual, Homecrest, Outdoor Lifestyles, Hanamint, and Galtech), as well as accessories.

“We know that all-weather wicker doesn’t appeal to everybody, so we chose complementary lines that would attract a broader range of customers. We couldn’t have done it any other way,” Sabrina says.

The showroom floor is so large that it’s possible to showcase all of Ebel’s collections each season, in addition to showing a complete selection from the

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marketing M A N E U V E R S Designers are such a big par t of our business, we want to keep our products in front of them at all times. If they are doing a project that requires outdoor furniture, we want them to think of us. other furniture manufacturers. “This is a luxury we don’t take for granted,” Sabrina says.

In 2004, Ebel opened a second Florida Backyard in Jacksonville; it is located in a more retail-oriented area than the original store is. The 6,000–square-foot showroom is bright and airy, with dramatic 20-foot ceilings and huge skylights. “It has been the perfect complement to our first store and has allowed us to reach out to new customers in the area,” Sabrina says.

Over the past 10 years, not only has recognition of the Ebel brand grown locally, but Florida Backyard has also gained an upstanding reputation in the community.

The retail store has been awarded an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, based on the fact that there have been no complaints against it from consumers; this is something that the store prominently mentions in its marketing materials.

Florida Backyard has also developed a loyal following among homeowners, commercial clients, and interior designers. Designers, in particular, have turned out to be one of the store’s fastest growing client groups.

The Ebels have worked with the local chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) for a number of years to develop close relationships and to create word-of-mouth referrals. Ebel sends ASID members product catalogs every season so that designers can find out what’s hot at Florida Backyard. The Ebels host

an annual wine-and-cheese reception for designers, encouraging them to come to the showroom to see what’s new and to talk to the sales team.

“Because designers are such a big part of our business, we want to keep our products in front of them at all times. If they are doing a project that requires outdoor furniture, we want them to think of us,” Sabrina explains. Florida Backyard has gained a comfortable foothold in the commercial arena as well, outfitting restaurants, hotels, and condominium complexes with its outdoor furniture.

When Florida Backyard came onto the scene in Jacksonville in 2000, the Ebels created an image for the store using local television commercials. They continue to maintain the commercials to this day, as well as to use print advertising and to participate in local home shows (so people can look at, feel, and sit on Florida Backyard’s products).

BIG ADVANTAGES According to Sabrina, being both a manufacturer and retailer has some big advantages. One is the fact that Ebel is able to test new furniture designs and ideas on consumers before bringing them to market. “It’s like our little test laboratory. We often make tweaks to our new collections based on the feedback we get in our stores,” she explains.

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Another advantage is that Ebel has more warehouse space than the average retailer. With more than 125,000 square feet of space, Florida Backyard has the ability make large early buys from other furniture manufacturers, and it can easily store the inventory on the premises.

Of course, customers don’t have to wait for any Ebel inventory to be shipped to them because it comes from the assembly line to the warehouse or is shipped directly to their homes.“Quick delivery is something that really sets us apart from the other casual-furniture retailers in Jacksonville,” Sabrina says.

One of the biggest advantages, according to Sabrina, is the ability to see the business from both retail and manufacturing perspectives. “Many times, a manufacturer will roll out a program that is obviously in the manufacturer’s best interest, but that really doesn’t benefit retailers. We can step back, see both sides of the story, and create programs and products that make everyone happy,” she says, adding that the manufacturing side can respond quickly and make changes at any time, if necessary.

There is no doubt that opening Florida Backyard has been a smart business move for Ebel. According to Sabrina, the two stores are doing exactly what they need to be doing: running smoothly and turning a profit, so that Ebel can focus on manufacturing.

This year, the company hired Mark Bottemiller (of the family that cofounded Homecrest Outdoor Living) as its new national sales manager. This move was made to take sales to the next level. “Everybody in the company feels very positive about what we are doing and the direction in which we are headed,” Sabrina says.

“You can’t beat that.”

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South Sea Rattan

Takes Indoor Design Outdoors

wife knew that South Sea R attan would have to offer something that its competitors didn ’t offer , if it St. Tropez seating group was going to flourish.

“We saw a need in the marketplace for wicker r attan furniture that

by SHARON SANDERS wasn’t expensive, yet looked and felt as if it were,” Kuo explains, so meeting that need is ver 25 years ago, Taiwan-based bamwhat they did. Accor ding to K uo, South Sea boo-furniture manufacturer Jacob Kuo Rattan has become kno wn for its style and fell in love with rattan wicker for its natural comfort, which are attributes that other combeauty, romance, and classic style. Today, panies making products that sell at medium Kuo and his wife, Esther, are running a sucto medium/low price points have had a hard cessful rattan-wicker furniture company, time achieving.

South Sea Rattan, in Greensboro, North “The marriage betw een our fabrics and Carolina. From the ground up, they built it frames really makes our furnitur e stand out themselves.

The company made a name for itself in the on a sho wroom floor. We also take pride in indoor-furniture industr y by making r attan- the fact that our cushions ar e more comfortwicker furniture that showcased a philosophy able than any other cushions at our price of style, comfor t, and affor dability. Three point. Consumers will still be spending a years ago, South Sea R attan intr oduced its couple of thousand dollars for nice seating first outdoor collections of wicker furniture— groups, even at the medium/low price point, using the same philosophy that has made its so I believ e they deser ve the best seating they can get,” Kuo says. products staples indoors for so many years.

South Sea R attan manufactures all of its cushions in its Gr eensboro facility and is THE PERFECT COMBINATION From the beginning, in 1985, K uo and his always looking for ways to make them mor e

O

comfortable. Like many of the higher -end furniture manufactur ers, the company also offers a wide selection of fabric colors and designs so that dealers can customiz e furniture for their customers.

“We feel that we’ve been able to jell all of our strengths together to cr eate the perfect style/comfort stor y. Our pr oducts hav e become the meat and potatoes, for many of our dealers, because the turnover for our furniture is so good,” Kuo says.

MOVING OUTDOORS The transition to outdoor furnitur e was a natural progression for South Sea R attan. It has been able to translate its indoor designs to the outdoors smoothly using synthetic wicker and Sunbrella® fabrics. The company has cr eated four complete outdoor collections: Key West, St. Tropez, Java, and Bahia; they are selling well through both indoor and outdoor channels.

The company offers all the same design and customization options that it always has for its indoor furniture. Kuo says that the S t.

Tropez collection, with a chocolate wicker weave, has been South Sea Rattan’s top-selling collection for the past few seasons.

“Customers are attracted to its clean, transi-

tional style, which is popular with consumers right now,” Kuo says.

The company has sev eral new designs on the dr awing board that it will be sho wing at the 2011 ICF A P review Sho w™ in Chicago, Illinois. Kuo is particularly excited about the fact that the company will be introducing three to four different styles of fully upholstered outdoor sofa groups with South Sea R attan’s signature comfor t and style. “W e’re hoping these not only will appeal to outdoor dealers, but will entice some of our curr ent indoor-furniture dealers to giv e outdoor furnitur e a tr y,” K uo says.

South Sea Rattan plans to expand its profile in the casual-furnitur e industry over the next few y ears and hopes to become the leader, at its price point, for specialty r etailers across the countr y. The company will be opening a West Coast war ehouse in L os Angeles, California, by the end of 2010.

South Sea R attan’s stor y is simple. “W e don’t try to be anything that w e’re not,” Kuo says. “We are a down-to-earth company that wants to help our dealers in any way w e can—by making furniture that is comfortable and that makes any indoor or outdoor r oom look its best.”

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R E TA I L E R

Top: The Richardson family (from left: Don, Debbie, Keith, and Kris) has transformed Arizona Fireplaces into a local destination for builders, designers, and homeowners.

Bottom: Arizona Fireplaces’ newly remodeled showroom in north Phoenix (completed in October 2010) has a natural flow that invites customers to browse.

expecting the

unexpected

Through good times and bad, Arizona Fireplaces has remained one of the strongest hearth retailers in Phoenix.

I

by SHARON SANDERS

photography by HOWARD KUFLIK

n 1980, when Don Richardson and his wife, Debbie, wrote a business plan for their new nail/staple venture in Phoenix, Arizona, they made sure to include one realistic statement: If we fail, we can always get food at Debbie’s parents’ house. Over the next 30 years, these first-time business owners went on to experience a rollercoaster of highs and lows that transformed their business into something they didn’t expect—but they never failed.

Today, the Richardsons not only own a prominent fastener and steel-fabrication business, but also own Arizona Fireplaces, a respected specialty hearth-retail operation that has been a story of survival from the very beginning.

In the early 1980s, the Richardsons were an idealistic, newly married couple; they settled in Debbie’s hometown of Phoenix after Don was transferred there, 22

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

from California, to become a distributor for plastic-collated nails and staples. They called their new business Arizona Fasteners Corp. At the time, the area was experiencing a housing boom, so the

demand for their products was high.

There was one problem, however, that changed their future forever. The problem was that the wood framers couldn’t pay the Richardsons for their framing supplies

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R E TA I L E R

If you have three parts of your business that have separate “strengths (but collectively make sense), one par t can struggle, and the other two are still there to pro tect it, defend it, pick it up, and get it to safety.

”

what they did. “We basically got into the fireplace business so we could get our money for our nails,” Richardson adds.

Grills, including the ceramic cooker from Kamado Joe shown here (on the right), are a central part of Arizona Fireplaces’ overall product mix.

until they had been paid themselves, after the final framing inspection had been completed for the house under construction. The framing inspection couldn’t be completed until a subcontractor had installed the fireplace (which often took a long time).

“It was frustrating because we had no control over the situation,” Richardson says. He remembers that one homebuilder joked that the Richardsons could get their nail money sooner if Arizona Fasteners went into the fireplace business—so that’s

THE UNEXPECTED In 1983, the Richardsons started selling basic, 36inch wood-burning fireplaces, under the name Arizona Fireplaces, to apartment builders (when apartments were being built rapidly and extensively). “We were barely a fireplace company, but we were selling lots and lots of them,” Richardson recalls.

Unfortunately, the boom years were short-lived. In 1985, Congress passed the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act (also known as the Gramm–Rudman–Hollings Act), effectively changing depreciation for apartment property. This devaluation of property was one factor leading to the collapse of the savings-and-loan industry in Arizona.

The Arizona apartment business fell apart. By

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1988, most builders had left Arizona and had set up shop in Nevada and California. He says, “This place was a ghost town. I had just built a building in 1986, and then, just two years later, everybody was gone.

The joke was that there wasn’t a pickup truck left in town. It was the toughest few years of my life.”

Even though the company was struggling, it had to follow its builders, so it opened small stores in Nevada and California. It was at that point that the Richardsons also realized that in order to survive, they had to change from a hybrid fastener/fireplace company into a dedicated hearth company, leaving their beloved nails and staples behind.

In 1988, Arizona Fireplaces opened its first fireplace showroom, at the urging of one of Richardson’s fireplace representatives. “I couldn’t understand why we needed to display the fireplaces, but I did it anyway,” he says, not realizing, at the time, that his three hearth showrooms would someday be the anchor of his retail business.

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R E TA I L E R

A SHORT REBOUND The Richardsons are thankful that they never let go of the steel-fabrication side of their fastener business, and they were able to rely on it for income during the building downturn. “The steel side carried us until the residential market came back,” Richardson says. They slowly built up their fireplace business again, with a new focus on the custom-home and remodeling markets.

In 2002, they opened a modern showroom in north Phoenix, where much of the custom-home business was migrating. “We had to make a decision to go where the business was going, or just stay where we were, in south Phoenix, and hope for the best,” Richardson says. They ended up investing the money to open the additional showroom, which kept them plugged into the new-growth area. “It turned out to be one of our best decisions. Builders and designers had a place they could trust to send their clients,” Richardson explains.

For several years, Arizona Fireplaces enjoyed some phenomenal growth and prosperity, as the Arizona housing market climbed back up to record levels.

The Richardsons now were able to close their California and Nevada stores and concentrate, once again, on serving the Phoenix market.

Just when they where getting comfortable, the housing market fell again. In 2007, the tract-home market crashed; 18 months later, the custom-home market followed suit. Phoenix went, in two years, from having 60,000 annual housing starts to having 6,000. “Living in a boom area is both a blessing and

curse, because what goes up must come down,” Richardson says.

He believes that it’s been tougher for the hearth industry (in general) to recover, this time around, because the housing disaster is national, and there’s no place to hide. “The big challenge, over the past two years, has been to have the overhead reduction keep pace with the revenue reduction. Everyone is struggling to keep red ink off the bottom line, and in the short run, success—in this current downturn—often means lower profits or just breaking even,” he says.

LESSONS LEARNED Richardson has learned, from experience, that one always needs to be willing to modify one’s business and to avoid having a big ego when it comes to making the needed changes. “What worked 10 years ago is not necessarily going to work today. You have to reinvent yourself,” he says. His showrooms are the perfect example. “In the beginning, I could barely be talked into showing anything, and then I turned 180 degrees—and the showrooms are critical to us, in this current market,” he explains.

In October 2010, the Richardsons gave their north Phoenix showroom a facelift to reflect a new beginning for Arizona Fireplaces. They changed the flow of the store, added new displays, and reduced the number of manufacturers whose product lines they sell.

“Even though the timing and cost of remodeling were bad, we couldn’t afford not to remodel, either,” he says, adding that every move that one makes as a

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business owner is critical, especially in tough times.

“You can make a bad move in the good times and cover it up, but if you make a wrong move in the bad times, the consequences can be severe because there is no cushion,” he says.

The Richardsons’ struggles have also caused them to adopt a business philosophy of threes:“If you have three parts of your business that have separate strengths (but collectively make sense), one part can struggle, and the other two are still there to protect it, defend it, pick it up, and get it to safety,” he explains. Today, the Richardsons maintain their hearth retail and installing-distributor operation; a fastener and steel-fabrication business; and a wholesale grill and gas-fireplace business in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.

Richardson admits that the journey that the company has made over the past 30 years has been quite different from the one that was originally planned.

There is no doubt that all the lessons he has learned, especially the tough ones, have prepared him for whatever comes his way next time.

The Richardsons’ adult sons, Kris and Keith, are positioned to take over the business some day. Both are very involved in daily operations, in addition to dabbling in other ventures in the hearth industry.

Richardson is confident that the future is solid, with his sons at the helm. “I believe they are going to be smarter in business than I ever was because all they know is the hard times, which gives them a great foundation. They haven’t experienced the gravy years yet, and that’s a good thing,” he says.

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E ARTH ’ S FLAME :

A Cleaner, Greener Alternative

by SHARON SANDERS

I

n 1955, Joe Leighton changed the hear th industry forever by inventing the first Blue Flame log lighter and gas valve, replacing paper and kindling for igniting wood in a fireplace.

His invention brought gas into wood-burning fir eplaces for the first time. Today, his daughter, Lisa Leighton, is heading a project called Earth’s Flame that has the potential to make an indelible mark on the hear th industr y once again. This time, it’s all in the name of the envir onment.

“Wood-burning fir eplaces ar e in danger of becoming extinct, in many areas of the country, because of their impact on the environment,” Leighton says. Growing up working in her father’ s company (Canterbur y Enterprises in Cor ona, California), she has always had a place in her hear t for the hearth, but she has a love for the environment as well.

There are about 38 million wood-burning fireplaces in the United States, and they are emitting 70,000 tons of harmful pollutants into the air every year, Leighton reports. She finds this troubling.

The industry’s first hybrid, clean-burning fireplace grate,

by Earth's Flame, is turning wood-burning fireplaces from black to green.

FROM BLACK TO GREEN “I feel that it is my calling to help find a solution to the problem,” she explains. In 2009, L eighton teamed up with Dur ango, Colorado-based air-emissions exper t Steve Marple to develop the technology that was needed to launch her environmental project.

Before they star ted the dev elopment pr ocess, Leighton and Marple met with the leaders of the Hearth, P atio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) and the EPA to discuss the facts: Millions of wood-burning fir eplaces in homes acr oss the countr y ar e polluting the environment, and the hearth industry needs to come up with a solution. Collectiv ely, they came to the conclusion that the only viable option was to cr eate a retrofit to reduce emissions.

“Since my dad’ s company originated the Blue Flame gas log lighter and v alve, it made sense that w e spearhead the effort to develop a product to satisfy the requirements of the EPA and air-quality districts,” Leighton says.

“I felt that my dad was passing the tor ch to me to turn wood-burning fireplaces from black to green.”

Just one year after their initial meeting with the HPBA, Leighton and Marple completed a pr ototype of a r etrofit that they call Ear th’s Flame. To their surprise, it not only was well received by the industry, but was given the Vesta Green Award for innovation and design, in March 2010, at HPBExpo in Orlando, Florida. “I believe that Earth’s Flame has the potential to make wood-burning fir eplaces a part of the green movement,” Leighton says.

A NEW CONCEPT Earth’s Flame is a concept unlike anything that the hearth industry has ever seen. Traditional emissions-reducing products focus on removing the pollutants from a poorly burning fire; the Ear th’s Flame pr oduct addresses the sour ce of the fireplace emissions: a poorly burning fire.

The product’s hybrid clean-burn technology featur es a gas-enhanced combustion system combined with an emissions-reducing grate that reduces fireplace emissions

“

Earth’s Flame is a concept unlike anything that the hear th industry has ever seen. Traditional emissions-reducing products focus on removing the pollutants from a poorly burning fire; the Earth’s Flame product addresses the source of the f ireplace emissions: a poorly burning fire .

”

up to 78%. With actual emissions of 2.7 gr ams per kilogram, it is the cleanest-burning retrofit in the open-hearth industry. Its output is w ell belo w the phase 2 emissions level of the E PA’s v oluntary wood-burning fir eplace pr ogram (5.1 grams per kilogram).

Besides r educing emissions, Ear th’s Flame impr oves the o verall performance of a fir eplace, pr oviding double the radiant heat while improving fireplace draft and indoor air quality. Unlike other retrofits, Earth’s Flame has no catalyst to replace, so it is able to remove fireplace emissions with the same efficiency for ev ery single fir e, throughout its lifespan. Made in the United S tates, Ear th’s Flame is constructed of stainless steel and can be installed easily in almost any low-mass or masonry fireplace, as well as in new construction.

A PASSION FOR THE FUTURE Leighton is ex cited to see what’ s on the horiz on for Earth’s Flame and is confident that it can truly help clean up the envir onment. The company shipped its first pr oducts to retailers in October 2010, and it is focusing on rais-

ing public awareness of the emissions crisis—and the fact that all o wners of wood-burning fir eplaces can no w do their part to protect both the envir onment and the health of their families.

Earth’s Flame is planning to offer a burn cr edit to dealers who ar e willing to demonstr ate the capabilities of Earth’s Flame on their sho wroom floors. The company has joined forces with the Arbor Day F oundation to plant tr ees and r eplenish for ests in dealers’ names when they purchase Earth’s Flame products.

Leighton will be working with go vernment agencies to create a tax credit/rebate (similar to the existing wood-stove tax cr edits) for wood-burning pr oducts that r educe emissions. “We are a little company with big plans,” she says.

In October 2010, the company mo ved its distribution operation fr om California to Dur ango, into a state that has a str ong focus on the envir onment. “By pur chasing our products, dealers will be a par t of the gr een movement, while at the same time, they will be helping to preserve the U.S. tr adition of wood-burning fir eplaces,” Leighton says.

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outdoor G R I L L I N G At right: From design to installation, Kettle & Grates will provide a complete, turnkey outdoor kitchen for residents of the greater Atlanta, Georgia, area.

Design services and product sales are available to customers across the country.

Below: Tony Jarski, owner and president, Kettle & Grates

cooking without walls Tony Jarski, business owner and all-around barbecue aficionado, loves building personalized outdoor kitchens for customers throughout the country.

by KIMBERLY RODGERS

photography by STEVEN DINBERG

e

ven though Tony Jarski’s outdoor-kitchen and fireplace company, Kettle & Grates, Inc., is based in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta, Georgia, he is able to create his beautiful outdoor-room designs for customers as far away as New York and California. A potential client only needs to visit the Kettle & Grates website and to complete and submit an online questionnaire; Jarski will send back a complimentary and personalized state-of-the-art 3D rendering of the customer’s outdoor space—no matter where he or she lives.

Jarski, owner and president, founded Kettle & Grates in 2008, after he moved to Georgia from Florida (where he owned a similar company, which he has since sold). In his 30 years of experience in the construction industry, Jarski estimates, he has built over 3,000 outdoor kitchens. He first started using 3D renderings in his previous business.

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Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

were looking for a way for people to visualize an outdoor kitchen when I came across this computer program,” he says. After learning the program (designed for architects, engineers, and users in related professions), Jarski gave every customer who walked through his doors a 3D rendering of what his or her potential outdoor kitchen would look like. “From that point forward, our sales were really enhanced,” he says.

With his newest venture, Kettle & Grates, Jarski uses an online form to gather all the pertinent data, such as dimensions, kitchen shape, and grill size. He also narrows down the details that make a kitchen one of a kind, allowing options for a side burner, refrigerator, outdoor television, trash and utensil drawers, an ice chest, and a beverage center. Wall and countertop preferences are selected, and there are even boxes to check when the customer wants a trash chute and a cutting board, for example. A comments field gives the client an opportunity to add

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GRILLING

other desired details, such as a fireplace, a firepit, lighting, or heating.

“I incorporate everything customers want, so the kitchen is workable for them,” Jarski says. A photo gallery on the Kettle & Grates website also gives potential customers ample ideas and inspiration (while providing excellent examples of Jarski’s stunning work).

Clients send photos of their outdoor spaces to Jarski, and this enables him to incorporate the aesthetic design of the house and the existing landscape into the drawing. After receiving all this information, Jarski completes his rendering and emails it back to the customers, who can then take it to a local builder for installation. Jarski says, “The drawing allows me to turn their ideas into a reality.”

While he might be unable to build kitchens for these distant customers, Jarski can supply them with all the products that they need to complete an outdoor room, since Kettle & Grates participates in online sales and ships products anywhere in the country. The complimentary drawing has proved to be a successful marketing technique and a boost to product sales. “After they receive the free rendering, people usually end up buying all their appliances from us,” Jarski says.

The company covers a diverse product mix from top-name manufacturers. It carries grills, smokers, ovens, and accessories from Big Steel Keg, Broilmaster, Bubba’s Ovens, the Holland Grill Company, Fire Magic, Kamado Joe, Primo, and Summerset. Fireplaces, gas log sets, and accessories are from Monessen, Napoleon, RH Peterson, Rush, and Vanguard. Outdoor lighting is from

Everglow and Legendary Lighting, and patio heaters are from Master and SunStar. Kettle & Grates is also an authorized dealer of all-weather LCD televisions from SunBriteTV. Even though Atlanta-area residents are fortunate to be able to visit Kettle & Grates’ showroom (which displays a full range of Jarski’s custom kitchens), they often use the online process as well—to take advantage of the complimentary drawing and to save time in the design stage. It is often the case that local customers end up coming to the showroom and contracting with Jarski once they see the quality and superior craftsmanship of his work.

Kettle & Grates builds outdoor rooms throughout Atlanta and the six surrounding counties, up to approximately 150 miles from the showroom.

Depending on the size and scope of the job, Jarski and his crew of three employees can construct jobs in a quick one to two weeks, either on-site or at the company’s showroom. “For very detailed custom jobs, we build everything on-site, but for smaller ones, we build here,” he says.

Jarski delivers a turnkey operation for every job, from the initial design and building to installation. “It’s a complete package, and once we deliver, we can have everything ready in a day—from installation to hooking up the gas and grill. People are able to cook in their new kitchens that night,” he adds.

Other than landscape and pool companies, Jarski believes, there are no direct competitors in the Atlanta area that specialize in building high-quality custom out-

door kitchens and fireplaces. In addition to using only 304 stainless-steel products, Jarski builds his kitchens using a method that is entirely different from what he has seen in most other contractors’ work.

“A lot of people in this area build their kitchens out of wood, but I build mine with cement boards that keep the expansion and contraction down. Everything I use is fire, weather, and termite proof,” he says. Jarski also uses 20-gauge steel studs, and all kitchens have bases that keep them off the ground.

According to Jarski, the scope of work that customers are requesting runs the gamut from large to small. “Some jobs can become very complex,” Jarski says. “I am currently working on one job that has a J-shaped outdoor kitchen with a grill, side burners, umbrellas, a footrest under the bar, and a huge outdoor firepit.”

People nationwide have found Kettle & Grates, and Jarski is busy keeping up with the demand. He mainly uses the major Web search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing) to spread the word; he occasionally advertises in a few Atlanta-area magazines, and he uses direct mail.

Since he opened the showroom two years ago, Jarski says, Kettle & Grates has already made good progress selling products online and building kitchens in the Atlanta market. He notes, “For just starting a new business, we have done very well. There is a good demand here for what we do.” He adds that the economy (with the resulting staycation trend) has also had an effect on his new business—in a very positive way.

“It has absolutely made a big impact,” he says.

Hot Products for Ceramic-cooker Fans

by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

You could say that Select Outdoor Kitchens is a product of its president’s imagination.

Mike Miller, with a degree in plastics engineering and a passion for outdoor grilling, engineered his own product—and subsequently, a company of his own to sell it.

Miller grew up under the tutelage of his father, Lowell Miller, general manager of Polyfab Plastics & Supply, Inc., Springfield, Missouri. The company provides a number of products, including corrosion-resistant goods for the marine, medical, aircraft, and architectural-signage industries.

Miller didn’t start working in the family business; instead, he took a job with a company outside Chicago, Illinois. On weekends, he enjoyed grilling on his Big Green Egg, but he found its wooden car t less than adequate for his needs.

“I always found myself redoing the cart that I got with it. I moved back home, and I made my own cabinet, as we had all the capabilities at Polyfab,” Miller recalls. “The resulting cabinet housed my Big Green Egg, but it didn’t look pretty.”

Miller continued tweaking his design for the next 18 months, until he got the design that he brought to market in 2009: the Osage Island, manufactured by Select Outdoor Kitchens (which has Polyfab Plastics as its parent company). Miller says, “The Osage Island is the largest cabinet we offer that is portable and that houses a ceramic cooker.”

A year later, the brand has taken off,

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Ceramic-cooker cabinets from Select Outdoor Kitchens come in thr ee sizes; from left: the Castor Island, the Osage Island, and the Finley Island.

and the product line is growing. It now includes two additional models: the Castor Island and the Finley Island. Like the Osage Island, they are portable cooking islands designed to accommodate ceramic kamado-style cookers.

Models vary in size and in drawer and door configurations, but they all have two things in common: watertight compartments and portability. Each island is made of a marine-grade polymer approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the cabinets prevent the entry of any water.

“We weld our cabinets together, so each compartment is watertight. Whether you’re storing seat cushions, dishes, or other products for outdoor entertaining, they will stay dry—even if you hose the unit off,” Miller explains.

Select Outdoor Kitchens’ biggest selling point (in addition to being water tight) is

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

The components of this modular cooking island fr om Select Outdoor Kitchens can be mixed and matched in any combination.

their portability. “If you’re outside on your patio, and you want to push the unit out by your pool or put it back in the gar age, you can,” Miller says. “It is nice to hav e a cabinet that is portable, so that when or if y ou want to move it, you have that option. It is the best of both worlds. You have the look of an indoor cabinet with all the stor age and accessories, but it is por table.”

The cabinets have become so popular that Select Outdoor Kitchens will also custom make cabinetry to clients’ specifications. Islands have been designed to accommodate gas grills, refrigerators, patio umbrellas, sinks, and televisions—for the complete outdoor-kitchen experience.

Customers can choose from eight standard cabinet finishes and six standard door designs (using stainless-steel hinges), and they can choose their own countertops.

Family crests or logos from a favorite

sports team or company can also be engraved on the unit. Moreover, when they add a variety of matching modular units, customers can create their own personalized outdoor-kitchen configurations to suit their needs.

Select Outdoor Kitchens is aiming to offer everything for the complete backyard experience. It already sells a line of Adirondack chairs, manufactured with hidden fasteners.

“You will not see a single fastener on the chair—no screws or anything,” Miller explains. “We’re welding and assembling them so they are nice, clean-looking chairs, with no screws. Our competitors who use the same material we do assemble it with a lot of screws. You won’t see a single screw on ours.” Next up will be por ch swings and a new table that is similar to a car t. It, too, will have hidden fasteners.

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showroom S H O W C A S E

selling

fun

Great Gatherings prides itself on selling fun pr oducts that bring families and friends together.

by KIMBERLY RODGERS

t

photography by MATT VAN DER MOLEN

he social scene in Washington, D.C., is one that focuses and thrives on a culture of entertainment. In addition to attending various charity and political events, Washingtonians love to entertain, and this gives them an opportunity to display their houses and belongings proudly.

Tapping into this social culture and entertaining lifestyle was Joe Pucci’s intention when he opened his two Great Gatherings stores (in Gainesville, Virginia, and Annapolis, Maryland) in 2008. “What we were really striving to achieve was a unique retail experience,” he says. “All of the products we offer are tailored to fulfill the needs of peo-

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ple who like to entertain in their homes. We believe it’s our responsibility to provide a one-stop shopping resource for them.”

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Great Gatherings really does have it all for people who love to entertain at home—inside or outdoors. “We are the fun part of the home,” Pucci says. There is a vast selection of billiard tables (with over 80 styles), poker tables, and pub tables, along with high-top dining, bars, and 120 barstools displayed at all times.

Air-hockey tables, bocce-ball sets, dartboards, foosball tables, shuffleboard sets,

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

and refurbished slot machines offer even more entertainment options. For the outdoor room, there is furniture, along with firepits and grills. Of course, all the essential accessories for every room of the house are represented as well.

Great Gatherings offers high-quality furniture from manufacturers covering a range of price points, helping the retailer meet the goal of offering buying opportunities in all price ranges. “We take a different approach to the marketplace,” Pucci says.

A good deal of Great Gatherings’ clientele might be middle- and high-income consumers; however, Pucci says, “We really don’t want to leave anyone behind.

Through some of the price offerings we have—in just about everything we sell— there is something for everyone.”

Indoor- and outdoor-furniture lines each represent about 35% of the business, with the balance coming from all the other items that Great Gatherings sells.

Game-room furniture comes from American Heritage Billiards, and outdoor collections are from a host of noted manufacturers, including Tropitone, Lloyd/Flanders, Brown Jordan, Cast Classics, OW Lee, Treasure Garden, and Kingsley-Bate. Grills are made by Viking.

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Top: Welcoming vignettes at Great Gatherings are intended to inspire and motivate the customer to entertain at home.

Left: Great Gatherings opened in 2008 with two locations, in Gainesville, Virginia, and Annapolis, Maryland.

Below: Eric Stalzer, district manager, Great Gatherings

A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE Call it retail therapy. That is the experience that Great Gatherings has created for visitors who walk through the doors of either of its stores, and that is what sets the retailer apart from the competition.

Eric Stalzer, district manager, says, “If you are having a gathering in your home, the first goal, as a host, is to make guests feel welcome—and that is what we emulate within our store environment. The phrase,‘Can I help you find anything?’ is not in our vocabulary.”

Rather, to create a warm and inviting atmosphere, members of the sales staff initially engage each visitor in conversation. “We want to start them talking about themselves and to have them feel welcome within our environment. That is the first goal we want to achieve when customers come in the door,” Stalzer says. Customer service is also paramount. Pucci adds, “The customer is always right, and we will go to any lengths to satisfy his or her needs. That service will pay us back tenfold.”

Upon entering either of Great Gatherings’ 18,000–square-foot locations, visitors will be wowed and can’t help but be motivated to create what they see within their own houses. “The whole idea is to encourage people and inspire them to entertain more often at home. We attempt to do that every day within our stores,” Stalzer says.

An area of about 3,000 to 4,000 square feet at each store’s entrance is devoted to what Great Gatherings calls its entertaining essentials, such as glassware/barware, serveware, books, and gift items. The area is themed (and changed on a regular basis) to reflect seasons, major holidays, or even insignificant ones. “Immediately, this tells customers that beyond being a billiards or furniture store, this is a store about entertaining,” Stalzer says.

Repeat business is critical to Great Gatherings’ success, and accessory items bring in repeat customers. “Someone may only buy one gaming table or outdoor furniture set from us, but people will come back to the store five or six times a year for the entertaining-essentials department,” Pucci adds. Crossover traffic is also vital; often, a customer who purchases a game table will come back, a few months later, to buy an outdoor set (or vice versa).

Depending on the season, the remainder of each store’s interior (approximately 14,000 square feet) is devoted to a mix of recreational products and outdoor-furniture lines, with all collections displayed in inviting, ideainspiring vignettes.

“Customers will not see a bunch of billiard tables lined up; they will enter a vignette that will show a billiard table with a bar and matching barstools, a high-top dining table, and a foosball table,” Stalzer says. “Now, customers can

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showroom S H O W C A S E visualize not just a billiard table, but the events they are going to host at their homes.”

From March through October, a patio space of about 7,500 square feet is devoted to outdoor furniture, with all collections also shown in room settings. False walls extend from the building’s perimeter, helping to create (and helping customers to visualize) a backyard setting.

Cards with entertaining tips and featured recipes are placed throughout each store, and on weekends, customers enjoy freshly popped popcorn and samples of various gourmet food items, such as oils for dipping bread.

During the summer, frozen drinks are made using a Margaritaville® machine.

“We want to create a fun atmosphere and give customers an excuse to

throw a party,” Pucci says. “It makes a big difference, and consumers quickly realize that we want to be their resource for entertaining.”

To communicate its message, Great Gatherings (which works with an outside agency) advertises extensively.

After experimenting with different media placements, Pucci settled on cable television as the most effective method of communicating everything that Great Gatherings offers.

“We’re on television three weeks and off one week, every month of the year. Our advertising promotes the art of home entertainment and provides insight into our vast offerings and expertise, which set the stage for your perfect, great gathering,” he says.

A HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE The genesis of Great Gatherings

Synthetic Wood

was its parent company, American Heritage Billiards, L.L.C., Streetsboro, Ohio, founded in 1987 by Pucci and a boyhood friend, John Hoffman. The two first got their start in the billiards business by installing pool tables, during their summer breaks, in high school. Today, American Heritage Billiards is a leading manufacturer of game-room collections, including not only billiards, but poker, pub, and game tables; bars and barstools; and related accessories.

Great Gatherings was a natural progression as a place to provide the entire spectrum of products—beyond game-room furniture—that one needs for entertaining at home. Over three years were spent in the planning stage. Starting a new retail venture in the middle of a recession, however, did cause some adjustments to the

initial game plan, which originally included opening up to 10 stores within 42 months.

“There are other locations we are looking at, but we are in a holding pattern, right now, before expanding.

Ultimately, we will have seven to eight stores,” Pucci says. “We opened in the heart of the economic slide— and we knew that—but we also felt that we had some good opportunities that presented themselves because of the economy.”

In spite of having opened a new business during a troubled economic period, Pucci is glad that plans proceeded for Great Gatherings, and he is very happy with the company’s success so far. In just a short time, Great Gatherings has elevated home entertainment to an art form—for every room of the house.

That Resembles Real Wood

H

ighwood® USA, L.L.C. (T amaqua, Pennsylvania), manufactures a truly remarkable product: synthetic wood that offers the beauty, look, and feel of natural wood, combined with easy maintenance and longevity. The company’s tagline in its logo—Nature’s Closest Riv al®—perhaps best describes this amazing material.

Wood requires regular maintenance, but no staining or painting is necessar y to keep products made fr om highwood® synthetic lumber looking their absolute best. An occasional washing with soapy water is the only care needed.

Craig Smith, dir ector of sales and marketing, says, “W e work har d to cr eate a pr oduct that feels as good as it looks. It is w ell made, sturdy, and the ultimate for use in all four seasons because of its ultr alow maintenance.

Everyone who sees it loves all that it offers.” In fact, the highwood product looks so much like natural wood, Smith adds, “When people step closer to it than 5 feet, w e find they ar e very surprised, once they examine our pr oduct. It’s easy to mistake it for real wood.”

All pr oducts ar e manufactur ed (thr ough an extrusion pr ocess) in the company’ s Eastern Pennsylvania facility, using advanced technology and product development to create a premium result. The highwood material is a truly synthetic lumber that contains no composites or v eneers; like natur al wood, it is made in solid pieces. The material is then cut and assembled locally , for an oper ation that is 100% made in the United S tates.

The color of an outdoor pr oduct made from highwood material will not fade, remaining stable thr oughout its lifetime.

Since highwood material does not absorb moisture, even where it has been cut, ther e will nev er be any water damage or fungal

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decay. highwood products are harder than cedar or r edwood and will nev er splinter , rot, warp, or suffer damage from termites or other insects.

First dev eloped in E urope in the 1980s, the highwood technology was brought to the United States in 2003 by John Quarmley, the company’s pr esident. Initially, the company worked with the spa market to pr ovide cabinetry, and today , many of the leading spa manufacturers throughout the United States and Canada use highwood synthetic wood.

As the material rapidly grew in popularity, its use was expanded to many other applications, including decks, docks, fencing, flooring, arbors, gaz ebos, architectural trim, and outdoor furnitur e. highwood synthetic lumber is now used in over 50 profiles (in 34 color options), and it is appr opriate for use in any semistructural application, in place of wood.

The company’s new est expansion is into the outdoor casual-furniture market, with the recent release of its Adirondack collection. The line features reclining Adirondack-style chairs (with cur ved backs for extr a comfor t), along with an ottoman and side table. A ll items ar e offered in white or toffee and ar e made with high-grade stainless-steel har dware. Chairs are available in siz es for adults and childr en, and all items fold for easy storage.

“Furniture is exciting, for us, because it is a new sales channel, y et w e ar e using the same w ell-proven technology—ther e is a pedigree behind it,” Smith says. “ There seems to be an o verwhelming gr owth in demand for low maintenance, not just in furniture, but in all aspects of outdoor living.”

Smith points out that many consumers, who love the look and quality of wood, might not even be aware that there is a viable synthetic option available, particularly in outdoor furni-

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

by KIMBERLY RODGERS

ture. He says, “W e giv e them tr ouble-free ownership without sacrificing the beauty of nature.”

Consumers and dealers face many options in the synthetic-wood market and could be confused about which pr oduct offers the best quality and the most natur al look. “We work, ev ery year, to impr ove both the material and the manufacturing pr ocess, so that w e have the most r ealistic synthetic wood combined with ultr alow maintenance.

We keep pushing ourselves to create a highend pr emium finish and to make ourselv es stand out in the market,” Smith says. highwood material is a nonto xic, ecofriendly product that is encapsulated; ther efore, it will not leach chemicals into the environment. “No doubt, deliv ering an ecofriendly pr oduct is v ery impor tant,” Smith says. While all highwood products ar e intended to provide a lifetime of service, they are r ecyclable. F urthermore, a single highwood furniture pur chase r eplaces multiple purchases of wood pr oducts, representing a better long-term value.

“We also run an eco-conscious facility and encourage our team to par ticipate in that, as well as to v olunteer in local ev ents that help the community,” Smith says. The company is about to break ground on its first solar-panel field to generate power for its offices.

The company saw a very positive response when it intr oduced its new line of synthetic furniture at the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™ and is in the process of dev eloping a dealer network.

“Not many people knew this material was available, and many w ere surprised to hear we use it in all sorts of different applications,” Smith says.

“We ar e in the furnitur e market for the

Top: Leading spa manufacturers feature cabinetry by Highwood.

Center: Ultralow-maintenance synthetic highwood has the look and feel of r eal wood.

Bottom: The Adirondack collection

long haul, and with the help of our channel partners, we will pay close attention to the demands of consumers and will advance our technology and dev elop furnitur e pr oducts that connect with those needs. We pride ourselves on good ser vice and on going abo ve and bey ond for our customers,” he adds.

“Our goal is to deliv er the most r ealistic, durable, and ultralow-maintenance synthetic wood in the market.”

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Please and Thank You

N APOLEON P RODUCTS

H EARTH & H OME T ECHNOLOGIES

G ENSUN C ASUAL L IVING

In some respects, these words are nothing more than an adverb and an exclamation. When used together in a sentence, ho wever, they convey a powerful message of heartfelt thanks and appreciation. With that thought in mind . . .

O UTDOOR L IFESTYLE

RH P ETERSON C OMPANY

K AMADO J OE

M ILES I NDUSTRIES /VALOR F IREPLACES

A GIO

E MPIRE C OMFORT S YSTEMS

w w w. p e n i n s u l a - m e d i a . c o m

w w w. p e n i n s u l a - m e d i a . c o m

K ALAMAZOO O UTDOOR G OURMET

I RONHAUS

G LOSTER

w w w. p e n i n s u l a - m e d i a . c o m

Please allow us this opportunity to say thank you to the companies (listed below) that advertised with Patio & Hearth Products Report in 2010. We greatly appreciate your business. It’s your advertising support that allows us to deliver P&HPR to the patio, hearth, barbecue/grill, outdoor-kitchen, and outdoor-living industry.

Here’s wishing all of our loyal advertisers continued success in 2011.

All the best, The staff of Patio & Hearth Products Report 303 Products AEI Agio Alfresco Home American Fireglass Belgard Big Green Egg Big Woods/Stellar Hearth Products Breckwell Bull Outdoor Products Bungalow by E-Z UP California Outdoor Concepts Caluco Casual Creations The Companion Group Couristan Crest Foam D&J Architectural Precast DiversiTech Domus Ventures DuraVent Earth’s Flame Ebel Elmira Stove Works Empire Comfort Systems Enviro

Exhausto FiberBuilt Umbrellas firegear FMI Products Galtech International Gensun Casual Living Glen Raven/Sunbrella Gloster Furniture Golden Blount The Hammock Source Hargrove Manufacturing Hart & Cooley Hearth & Home Technologies Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association Hearth Products Controls Highwood Hitzer The Holland Grill Company Homecrest Hudson River Stove Works Infratech International Casual Furnishings Association International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo Ironhaus

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet Kamado Joe Kenyon International Kingsley-Bate Lennox Hearth Products Mallin Casual Furniture Marth The Merchandise Mart Miles Industries Minden Grill MLW Stone Modern Home Products Monessen Hearth Systems Morsø Napoleon Products NorthCape International Omega Mantels Onward Manufacturing Outdoor Lifestyle Outdura OW Lee Oxford Garden Pacific Energy/Town & Country Palm Springs Rattan and Garden Classics Peak Season

patioHearth &

Protégé Casual QuickDryFoam Ragasco USA RH Peterson Rinnai SCHOTT ROBAX Security Chimneys Select Outdoor Kitchens Selkirk Corp.

Shademaker Simpson Dura-Vent South Sea Rattan Summerset Outdoor Living SunBriteTV Team Grill Telescope Casual Treasure Garden TUUCI Two Dogs Designs for Outdoor Living Tyler Retail Systems Wittus WoodMaster WoodPellets.Com ZipJack Custom Umbrellas

™

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www.peninsula-media.com

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as i S E E I T Top: Telescope Casual Furniture has done exceptionally well with its furniture made of low-maintenance, marine-grade polymer; pictured: the Brio sectional cushion collection.

Bottom: Telescope Casual Furniture’s Gardenella sling has been in the company's line for over 30 years, and it is still a customer fav orite.

a

lastinglegacy Family-owned Telescope Casual Furniture is one of the most r espected names in the outdoor-living industry. by SHARON SANDERS

i

t is no coincidence that Telescope Casual Furniture has been around for 108 years. Ever since this family-owned company (based in Granville, New York) manufactured its first products in 1903, it has found ways to reinvent itself to stay in touch with the marketplace, while at the same time, staying true to its core values.

Patio & Hearth Products Report spent some time with the company’s fourth-generation majority shareholder, Kathy Juckett, CEO, to find out more about Telescope Casual Furniture and to get her thoughts on the future of the casual-furniture industry.

Kathy Juckett, CEO, T elescope Casual Fur nitur e

How has Telescope Casual Furniture made a name for itself ?

Juckett: We’ve been in the outdoor-furniture business for over a century, under the same family ownership, which I think is truly remarkable and exciting. I am proud to be part of a company that cares about its reputation, not just sales volume. Despite all of the trials we’ve gone through, we’ve never compromised our core values: quality, value, and best-in-the-industry customer service.

Over the years, we have felt an intense amount of pressure when products coming out of China and other countries were sold for half the price of ours. It would be easy for us to make our furniture really cheap to compete, but we don’t. We live by our values and defend them staunchly because they represent who we are. I know that may sound corny, but that’s the way it is for us.

How is the company different today from what it was in 1903?

Juckett: Our products have evolved tremendously because we’ve never been content to stay the same and are always innovating. Initially, all of our products were constructed of wood, such as wooden public-seating chairs and telescoping cots for both world wars. In the early 1950s, when wood’s popularity was diminishing we added our foldingaluminum line.

In the 1970s, the company started powder coating and slinging furniture. My dad was instrumental in designing the current frame tubing for the director’s chair, and he created the concept of the slip-on cover (prior to that point, chair fabric was nailed to the frame).

He took that same concept and applied it to aluminum, which basically started the sling-furniture category.

In the 1980s and 1990s, we continued growing our business by bringing in wicker and cast-aluminum furniture (which, at that time, was just starting to gain popu-

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larity). There is no doubt in my mind that Telescope Casual is always going to be changing course, but we will do it strategically and within the confines of what we do best.

What is the toughest challenge that casual-furniture manufacturers are facing today?

What are consumers looking for in casual furniture today?

Juckett: It’s the health of the specialty retailer.

It’s been a tough sled for specialty retailers because of China and the recession. I think that buying products made in the United States (and buying something unique) is something that the specialty retailers can really hang their hats on; in particular, I think that buying U.S. products has taken on a more poignant meaning over the past few years. Now, besides being patriotic, it’s about the fact that buying from China means we’re sending jobs to China; buying U.S. products keeps jobs in the United States. I think that U.S. manufacturing needs to, and will, come back home.

Juckett: I believe there is still a large niche for specialization. Consumers want fabrics, finishes, and colors that allow them to create their own unique look. They don’t want to spend money creating beautiful indoor spaces and then settle for something generic from big-box retailers for their outdoor spaces.

Special orders have become really huge for retailers. They have become a way for them to compete against price-point furniture from China. I also think the widespread popularity of HGTV has opened people’s eyes to the amazing possibilities of the outdoor room. It has given them the courage actually to step out and do it themselves, instead of thinking they have to hire an expensive designer.

What is Telescope Casual doing to keep its business (and products) fresh and relevant in the marketplace?

Juckett: I think one of the biggest challenges we are facing is trying to figure out, in general, what the postrecession consumer wants and needs. It is a different retail world out there, today, than it was 10 years ago. Telescope Casual wants to create the right products, the right look, the right price point, and the right colors, but we also want to help our retailers get customers in the door.

One interesting thing we are doing is partnering with WSL Strategic Retail, which is a marketing-consulting company that works with manufacturers and retailers to create joint solutions to attract and keep shoppers. WSL basically analyzes how people shop by conducting detailed online surveys. We’ve spent quite a bit of time talking with our retailers and sharing WSL’s findings with them. This past year, we even created a best-practices guide for our retailers about how U.S. consumers are shopping.

What Telescope Casual styles and designs are you most excited about for 2011?

Juckett: Hands down, it is our marine-grade polymer furniture that looks like real wood. Our history is steeped in wood, but we moved away from it, like the rest of the industry, because many consumers don’t want to invest the effort needed to maintain it. Marine-grade polymer appeals to people not only because it’s easy to maintain, but because it’s beautiful and friendly to the environment as well. The industry, as a whole, is really embracing it, and that portion of our business is growing very rapidly.

One of our hottest products for 2011 is our Adirondack chair. It’s not the traditional flat chair that everyone offers; we’ve put our twist on it by making the seat out of sling. My nephew and two of my daughters put a bright red one in our catalog, and people are going nuts over it. We’ve also recently introduced a sectional in marine-grade polymer, with fashionforward colors and fabrics, that I know is going to do very well.

What do you think will be the next big change in the casual-furniture industry?

Juckett: I don’t know if I really foresee any earthshattering shift. One of the things that I have noticed, this year, is the fact that China isn’t as important for manufacturing as it once was. Retailers have had a number of issues getting product from overseas, and I’ve sensed (at least with our retailers) a hesitancy to commit to containers from China.

I really hope that the change will be more toward U.S. products, and that people will start realizing that if we give away our self-sufficiency, we give away our power as a country. I look at our busi-

Telescope Casual Furniture’s Adirondack sling collection, made of marine-grade polymer, is a perfect marriage of classic style and modern comfort that appeals to today’s consumers.

ness as a little microcosm of the world. One of the things that has kept Telescope Casual alive, all these years, is that we make and do everything we can inhouse, ourselves. It gives us the ultimate control over our destiny, from the standpoints of products, delivery, and customer service.

What does the future hold for Telescope Casual Furniture?

Juckett: I see us continuing the course we’ve been on for the past 108 years, which means continuing to be incredibly innovative; continuing to offer a great value; and continuing to support the daylights out of our products, our customers, and (ultimately) the consumer. We are always looking ahead to see what’s coming and trying to figure out how to make every step count.

Finest selection of contemporar y European stoves, and fireplaces Twinfire Wood Stove* *93% Efficient!

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www.wittus.com Circle Reader Service No. 37

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TURN

grilling

Gear

The burgeoning grillware category is a potential gold mine for retailers. by KIMBERLY RODGERS

t

here is a revolution occurring in the world of outdoor cooking. “We are seeing some real changes. Grilling is getting serious,” according to Chuck Adams, CEO of The Companion Group, Emeryville, California. Adams comments that the once-typical consumer habit of using the backyard grill to cook a couple of steaks and burgers, while all the side dishes were prepared in the indoor kitchen, is definitely changing.

Now, backyard chefs are preparing entire meals on the grill—from appetizers and side dishes to the main course and dessert. In addition, the modern palate is becoming more sophisticated, with consumers leaning toward ethnic tastes and using sauces, rubs, and pastes to add spice (and exciting new flavors) to their grilled foods. These trends, along with the continuing desire of consumers to stay at home and entertain, all translate into positive news for specialty retailers: The barbecueaccessory and outdoor-entertaining category is becoming one of the hottest in retail.

and practical solutions to outdoor cooking.

“Retailers are constantly looking for innovative products because it gives them something to talk to their customers about,” Adams says.

“There is a lot of product-development effort, on our part, to bring backyard grilling into the 21st century, in terms of technology.”

For example, the TurboQue™ introduces convection cooking to the outdoors. The TurboQue is a fan that is easily attached to most gas grills, circulating convection air currents to distribute smoke and flavor around food. “The well-versed kitchen chef understands what convection cooking gives you—shorter cooking times and tastier foods,” Adams says.

Adams is especially excited about Moistly Grilled®, a new two-piece, cast-iron unit that rests on the grill and holds water to bring humidity to the cooking environment. “When you cook in a humid environment, the natural juices of the food don’t evaporate, or evaporate much more slowly,” Adams says.

For example, a 4-pound chicken, cooked on the grill—with no humidity component—will weigh 3 pounds when it’s done, having lost a pound of liquid. When the cook uses Moistly Grilled, however, a 4-pound chicken will weigh 3.4 pounds when it’s done. “It’s shocking, how good it tastes,” Adams says. “We really think that in the next five years, cooking with humidity is going to become the way to grill.”

The Steak Station™ digital meat thermome-

Above right: Moistly Grilled holds water to cr eate humidity in the grilling environment, keeping foods moist, juicy, and tender.

Above left: The Steak Station allows the cook to monitor the temperature of up to four steaks at the same time.

EXCITING NEW PRODUCTS For 26 years,The Companion Group has led the barbecue-accessory market with a host of products and concepts that bring truly creative 38

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

Left: The TurboQue fan easily attaches to gas grills, circulating air to distribute smoke and flav or around food.

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ter solves a real problem for cooks who grill multiple steaks at the same time. The Steak Station allows the user to monitor the temperature of up to four steaks, using separate probes. Made from stainless steel and silicone, the Steak Station can be used on the grill or in the oven. An easy-to-read monitor shows the desired degree of doneness for each cut of meat, measuring from 115 to 170 degrees. “It’s very well priced, so retailers are moving them off the shelf very quickly,” Adams says.

The Companion Group has also seen huge success with the Pit Mitt™. Made of heat-resistant, strong aramid fibers (the same synthetic used in military applications), the mitt allows the user to handle hot items on the grill while the hands and forearms are protected from heat and burns.

“People are now using items like skewers, pepper roasters, and kebab racks, so there is a lot to move off the grill,” Adams says. “With the Pit Mitt, you just grab it and lift it. It handles a lot of heat, it’s flexible, and it is also very easy to manipulate.” The Pit Mitt can be used on either hand, and it’s perfect to use in the oven.

Although people love the unmatched convenience of cooking on a gas grill, they often miss the smoky taste that comes with grilling over wood or charcoal. The V-shaped gas-grill smoker box solves this dilemma.

Available in stainless steel or a nonstick finish (and in two sizes), the smoker box nestles underneath the cooking grate and holds wood chips to create a smoky flavor. “It adds a lot of dramatic taste, very similar to what you would get from cooking over wood or charcoal,” Adams says.

The company’s very successful and long-standing relationship with Steven Raichlen, barbecue guru and awardwinning author, continues to flourish.

For his newest book, “Planet Barbecue!” (Workman Publishing, 2010), Raichlen traveled the world, visiting 60 countries and collecting 309 easy-to-prepare, tantalizing recipes. In coordination with the book, The Companion Group will launch a new line of Planet Barbecue! pastes and rubs in early 2011.

“New products drive the business, and our recent introductions have been very well received,” Adams says. “A lot of our new products are especially innovative; they are really about changing grilling and educating people about the way they think about their grills.”

the grill about two years ago, and he believes that it’s a habit that will only continue to grow. “Our goal is to take consumers beyond the basics and teach them to cook the whole meal on the grill, from appetizers to dessert,” he says.

Adams adds that retailers have done a good job of stepping up their merchandising efforts, making their stores destinations for serious-minded grillers (especially men, who are constantly in search of new toys for their grills). In fact, “Grilling accessories have now become a huge gift for men, especially in December.

Like shirts, ties, and electronics, grilling items have become a go-to gift for men,” he comments.

“There is a gigantic gift-giving trend in this category. I think smart retailers will pick up on this and have items that someone can give as a gift—such as pizza stones, pepper roasters, and Steak Stations—on their shelves during the year’s fourth quarter,” he says.

Although The Companion Group sells its products through many different channels, the company is strongly committed to working with (and providing support to) independent retailers. “We understand how the retail marketplace works and are always available to help solve problems of any kind that may come up,” Adams says. “Our retailers are very important to us.”

AN IMPORTANT RETAIL MESSAGE In 2009,The Companion Group’s business grew 17%, despite the economic downturn. “People are staying home, getting together with their friends, and saving money on an expensive restaurant by grilling—and they need the tools for that,” Adams says.

Consumers usually don’t own a lot of grilling accessories (unlike kitchenware) beyond the basic tools. “It’s a new trend to cook all these different foods, like pizza, on the grill, and people don’t have the tools for them,” Adams says.

Adams began seeing the consumer trend of cooking the entire meal on

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I N N O VAT I O N

Right: Town & Country’s flush power vent blends in so well that it is virtually indistinguishable from the exterior of this house.

Below: Pacific Energy developed its economical True North stoves to give dealers a product line that is priced to let them compete with the big-box stores.

An

Industry

Pacific Energy and its Town & Country Luxury Fireplaces division are credited with many technological firsts in the hear th industry.

Pioneer

i

t is hard to believe that Pacific Energy Fireplace Products (Duncan, British Columbia), manufacturer of wood stoves since 1978 and a booming business with numerous industry firsts to its name, was started in Paul Erickson’s garage, while he worked at the business in his spare time. When North America was in the middle of the oil crisis of the 1970s, that’s when Erickson—who was then working in a metal-fabricating business, quoting jobs and doing some hands-on work—saw an opportunity and seized it.

“There was a big threat to the oil supply. The word was that we were going to run out of oil in 10 to 20 years. Up until then, people had just thought of it as a commodity for heating their homes and running their cars. In particular, there were a lot of

40

by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

people in North America using oil to heat their homes, and the idea of a wood-burning stove to supplement home heating was an idea that people paid attention to,” Erickson recalls.

Erickson found it easy to transfer his knowledge of design and metal fabrication to creating his first wood-burning stove, and in his spare time, he began fabricating the first units. Within about a year, he was able to quit his job and work at the business full-time. “I realized, despite everything else, it was gaining momentum on a local level,” Erickson says—and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, Erickson is president of Pacific Energy, as well as Town & Country Luxury Fireplaces, which he started in 2002. Combined, the two companies have 150 employees.

A CLEAN FACE Town & Country was born after an industry insider,Tom Pugh, asked Erickson whether he could build a high-end, luxury fireplace with “a huge glass and a huge flame, and without any louvers or vents.

My response was,‘Wonderful, but how come someone else hasn’t done it before?’” Erickson says.

He adds, “Pugh told me that other companies had rejected the idea, saying it was physically impossible to create that large a gas flame. It would overheat, wasn’t safe, and wasn’t certifiable. He had been rejected, up to that point, because fireplaces had louvers and vents around the firebox that were necessary. You couldn’t build one without these things.”

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

Erickson continues, “At the time, traditional gas fireplaces had an appliance look, with a relatively small glass area. Designers used to refer to them as microwaves on steroids. Tom’s idea was to get rid of all these louvers and have a clean-face fireplace, with mostly glass.”

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Erickson (with his research-and-development team) mulled over the idea; within a few months, they had hit upon a workable design. “We showed it to Pugh, and he liked it. It was original thinking, outside of the typical gas fireplace.”

There were still some major technical challenges to overcome, but they tackled each one—and in the end, they were credited with creating a new category. “Our design became the standard for clean-face design, and now, most fireplace companies offer a version. We didn’t coin that term, but it seemed so appropriate, and it stuck,” he says. Today, Erickson is not content to rest on his laurels.

CUSTOMIZATION IS KEY At Town & Country, he has decided to limit the line of clean-face fireplaces to seven distinct models, “which gives us, by far, the largest selection in that category. For now, we have held it at seven models, but continue to develop our design-a-fire concept,” he says.

Town & Country offers variations on fire, logs, stone, glass, and types of liners. Consumers can customize the interior of the fireplace with a con-

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temporary or traditional design to reflect their personal style—a concept that Erickson says had never been done before. “Typically, a fireplace came with brick panels and logs, and you hoped they looked the way you wanted. We’re offering interchangeable interiors. It has since been emulated, but we offer more than 200 design combinations.”

Town & Country’s biggest innovation in the past year was its flush power vent.

It’s Erickson’s answer to wall-vented fireplaces that rely on a large metal box that attaches to the outside of the house.

“People objected to the mechanical look of it and the size of it. It intruded; in fact, it is an eyesore,” Erickson says.

“The industry said it has to be like that because it is a function of how the fireplace works. We challenged that assumption, too, and developed the flush power vent.”

The vent is built into the wall and doesn’t protrude. It even has a paintable surface, which is also a new concept. “It can even match the siding on the house,” Erickson says, adding that the product was a Vesta Award finalist. “It seems like a small thing, but from a consumer perspective, it is big,” he says.

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The companies track retail sales through their warranty-card systems, and Erickson guesses that 30% to 40% of business is due to word-of-mouth advertising.

“There’s a lot of personal recommendation for our product, which is the best sale of all. Our dealers appreciate that.”

Erickson also believes that dealers appreciate the long-term relationships that the company has worked to cultivate. “We have a good number of distributors who have been with us over 20 years. We’ve gotten to know a lot of our dealers and resellers. They trust the prod-

FOCUSING ON WHAT COUNTS In the coming years, look for no major shift of focus from Pacific Energy or Town & Country. Just look for both companies to keep “firing on all cylinders,” Erickson asserts. “We’ll keep supporting Town & Country’s interchangeable interiors. Until a few years ago, people won-

dered what you were thinking about if you talked about using rocks instead of logs. Going forward, I see the media and the burn itself reflecting current interiordesign trends, which are moving targets.”

At Pacific Energy, Erickson is taking a focused approach. He says, “Between the entry-level stove and the cast-iron and porcelain stoves, we have the wood-burning category covered. We’ll build on that. We don’t want to add SKUs for the sake of it. We want the additional products we bring out to move, not sit on the floor.”

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DIVERSE PRICE POINTS Four years ago, Pacific Energy developed a cast-iron version of its best-selling steel-plate woodstove and introduced the high-end Alderlea line.

Erickson says, “It was an instant hit.

We’re growing and expanding on that line and doing a porcelain version of it.”

The Alderlea has even proved to be recession resistant. “It has outperformed everything else in this economy. It seems counterintuitive because this is our most expensive wood stove,” Erickson reports.

Pacific Energy has also introduced an economy wood stove, the True North.

“We developed it to give our specialty dealers something to compete with, against the big-box stores, at that price point. With the True North at the lower end and the Alderlea at the top, Pacific Energy has something for every price point, with a line running the gamut from a $900 wood stove to $3,000-plus stove,” Erickson explains.

This fall, Pacific Energy introduced its Warmland pellet stove in very limited quantities. “We don’t expect it to be our core business for some time to come.

We want to develop a platform and be in that part of the industry,” Erickson says. “A lot of pellet stoves have been brought out, over the years, that were not successful. We want to phase it in carefully and make sure it is bulletproof, which is why our introduction will be very careful and measured.”

Integral to any new product introduction, these days, is the Internet.

Consumers can go to the Pacific Energy and Town & Country websites to look at the products; from there, the sites direct them to go to their local dealers. “With each passing year, more and more activity is happening on our websites, but a lot of business is still word of mouth, with our product,” Erickson notes.

uct. They trust us. Others come and go, and we’re there. We listen. We have a high-quality product, and new product innovations are based on feedback from our dealer network.”

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WORD

M&G Group and Simpson Dura-Vent teamed up to create DuraVent, a dominant player in the venting industry.

by SHARON SANDERS

joining forces

I

n business, timing is everything, and the August 31, 2010, acquisition of Simpson Dura-Vent (Vacaville, California) by M&G Group (Assen, Netherlands) came together at just the right time. As U.S. regulatory agencies prepare to modify regulations for high-efficiency appliances, the newly merged company, M&G DuraVent, Inc., (dba DuraVent) has the combined resources and experience that it needs to usher in an era of environmentally friendly venting systems for high-efficiency appliances in the United States.

Simpson Dura-Vent has designed, engineered, and manufactured venting systems for gas- and wood-burning appliances in North America since 1956. Its superior technology is used to vent the finest hearth appliances across the continent, and it has been a favorite of specifying engineers and installing contractors.

In 2009, its parent company, Simpson Manufacturing Co., Inc., (maker of wood-to-wood connectors, concrete-towood connectors, and anchor-bolt systems) decided that the time was right to find a buyer that could bring its venting division to the next level.

POWER MERGER Steve Eberhard, president and CEO of DuraVent, was heading Simpson Dura-Vent at that time. He explains, “We were specifically looking for a manufacturer that had a strong vision for the future, and that could provide a plastic venting alternative to PVC that was environmentally friendly.” Eberhard decided to take the search to Europe, where high-efficiency appliances are about 10 years ahead of those in the United States. “Europe’s advanced technology is consumer driven because of the heavy taxes on natural gas and gasoline,” Eberhard says.

Simpson’s first (and only) choice of buyer ended up

Left: M&G DuraVent polypropylene elbows, made of extra-thick, corrosion-resistant material, are designed to prevent standing condensation.

Right: The M&G DuraVent Skyline vertical roof termination is a concentric pipe system with a powder-coated metal exterior and a polypropylene inner pipe for venting gas-condensing appliances. It is ice-formation free and is designed for superior flo w.

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being the European venting market’s leader, M&G Group.

This Dutch manufacturer designs venting products made of polypropylene (instead of PVC) for use in high-efficiency boilers and water heaters. M&G Group, with a market share of over 50%, began its operations more than 75 years ago and distributes its products in all European countries.

In 2005, M&G Group introduced its products in the United States. It has steadily been gaining market share— to the point that it has doubled its sales every year. M&G Group realized, however, that it wasn’t going to be able to continue growing at its current pace without a U.S. presence, in terms of warehousing, sales, and service.

Wim Straver, CEO of M&G Group and board chair of DuraVent, says, “We were looking for a U.S. partner, and that is how we came in contact with Simpson Dura-Vent.

It has an excellent distribution network across North America and a reputation for high-quality products, and its views and values match ours.” Eberhard agrees that the companies are a perfect match, in every way.

An important piece of the new alliance is the fact that both manufacturers are exclusively venting companies.

Eberhard explains, “We don’t make fireplaces or appliances; all we do is venting. The reason we’ve always done that is that we don’t want to compete with our OEM alliance partners. Most of our competitors in the United States do compete with their OEM partners, and we didn’t want to go that route.” M&G Group has the same philosophy.

Straver says, “We believe it is best to stick to our profession and to be a real specialist, so it’s clear to the marketplace who we are.” In addition, there is no duplication of products between the two companies; in fact, the product lines are complementary. DuraVent is already making preparations for U.S. production of its European products, both to save on transportation costs and to offer quick delivery.

M&G Group owns a high-tech laboratory in the Netherlands that is used to conduct detailed testing and optimization programs for its venting systems. “All the know-how and experience that we are able to gain in our laboratory are now available to DuraVent, so it can continue to innovate and improve its products,” Straver explains.

He adds that as U.S. products become more

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constitutes a very small percentage, and it’s only used by those manufacturers that have learned from the Europeans.”

Eberhard points out that most greenbuilding magazines and other green publications identify chlorides (PVC in particular) as a problem, and that they agree that when an acceptable alternative is presented for a PVC product, the alternative should be heavily considered. He adds, “As more appliances move into the high-efficiency category in the United States, the venting industry needs to provide an environmental-

ly sound option that high-efficiency appliances require.”

Europe has over a decade of product development experience under its belt, when it comes to high-efficiency appliances and their venting requirements.

Straver is confident that the U.S. gasappliance industries can benefit a lot from the knowledge of their European colleagues.

DuraVent is already hard at work testing and manufacturing venting products using polypropylene, and it plans to have a complete offering of

new products available by the AHR Expo® in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 2011. These offerings will include fully inventoried products on the shelf, labeled and ready to go.

Straver and Eberhard are filled with optimism about the future of the new alliance. “Both companies bring innovative ideas to the table, have great employees, and share a long-term view for the business,” Straver says. “DuraVent is committed to developing products that provide engineered excellence for our customers and the industry.”

Steve Eberhard

Wim Straver

sophisticated to meet changing efficiency regulations, DuraVent will have a marked advantage over its competitors.

VENTING FOR THE FUTURE Both Eberhard and Straver are excited about the possibilities that the acquisition brings—not only for DuraVent, but for future of venting in the United States.

The U.S. trend, over the past 20 years, has been to vent hearth appliances using PVC because it is readily available and inexpensive. An appliance will perform acceptably with PVC, provided that it doesn’t have a modulating burner.

The problem lies in the fact that as appliance efficiencies are improved, better-performing caps are needed and condensate needs to be managed. PVC products are not well suited to this. Recent research, according to the company, also shows that PVC is toxic when used as a venting material.

“It is at high risk for leaching chlorides not only into the air, but into the sewer system,” Eberhard says, noting that chlorides are hazardous materials.

DuraVent is proposing the use of polypropylene (the plastic venting product that M&G Group has developed and tested for the past 15 years) as an alternative to PVC. The company plans to demonstrate to the EPA, to regional and metropolitan air-quality management districts, and to sewer-treatment plants that they have a problem on their hands as the number of high-efficiency appliances vented with PVC grows. “This is a really important issue that needs attention,” Eberhard emphasizes.

He continues, “In Europe, 0% of highefficiency appliances are vented with PVC; they are all vented with polypropylene. In the United States, polypropylene

DuraVent

M&G M&G Group

M&G DuraVent

Power of Engineering Powerful Solutions Powerful Connections

Power of Engineering Powerful Solutions Powerful Connections

M&G is the leading manufacturer of venting for high efficiency heating equipment in Europe.

DuraVent is the leading chimney and vent manufacturer in North America.

M&G Group is a consortium of 13 operating companies in Europe and North America.

DuraVent operates two manufacturing plants and four distribution locations in North America.

M&G has been in business for over 70 years.

DuraVent has been in business for over 50 years.

M&G Group excels in technology, research & development, and continuous product improvement.

DuraVent excels in technology, research & development, and continuous product improvement.

Venting is M&G’s only business.

Venting is DuraVent’s only business.

Member of M&G Group

www.m-ggroup.com

M&G DuraVent, member of the M&G Group

800-835-4429

M&G Group

®

www.duravent.com

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Dave Lennox Signature Collection Estate Series The new Dave Lennox Signature™ collection Estate™ series

by Lennox Hearth Products features a spectacular 50x36-inch wood-burning fireplace as its flagship. One of the largest wood-burning units available on the market, it makes a gr and statement for custom builders and the homes of their clientele.

Newly designed brick-patterned liners with lar ge grout lines and exquisite detailing replicate the look of hand-laid brick, and a high dome design ensures that smoke is drawn out of the room.

Easily converted to be ready for gas logs, if so desir ed, the fireplaces are also available in 36- and 42-inch widths. Contact: www.lennox.com.

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Broil King Imperial XL

With over 1,000 square inches of total cooking space, stainless-steel dual-tube burners, and solid stainless-steel cooking grids, the Broil King® Imperial™ XL provides superior heat control and tremendous cooking versatility in two independent ovens, along with full extension dr awers and cabinet doors for optimal stor age space. Contact: (800) 245-5138 or www.broilkingbbq.com.

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Tiki Torch

Animal Kingdom Split-sling Dining

Agio’s 2011 Disney Resort collections continue to branch out with alternative dining options from the ever-popular Animal Kingdom collection. This group features elegantly comfortable split-sling seating, a slate-top table, and aluminum frames crafted to resemble genuine bamboo. With traditional and 360-degree swivel and tilt seating options, Animal Kingdom is sure to continue to be a customer fav orite. Contact: www.agio-usa.com.

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Meet the tiki torch 2010: It is no longer just a cheap wick on a bamboo pole. The tiki torch has been redesigned and is fueled by a 1-pound pr opane canister that will provide hours of outdoor enjoyment. Now, you have options; the tiki torch is shipped standard with a table base that can be placed on any patio table, or y ou can use one of the two optional systems available. These options include a four-section pole system (which includes elongated spikes for planting the tiki torch securely into the ground) and a rail clamp-mounting system (which allows you to clamp the tiki torch onto any edge and make its placement your choice). Contact: www.hearthdistribution.com Circle Reader Service No. 104

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Custom Flex and Custom Kits There is always a flexible solution with Dur aVent’s DuraFlex custom lengths and custom kits. Choose exactly the length of flex needed fr om four different stainless-steel flex products: DuraFlex Pro, DuraFlex SW, DuraFlex 316, and DuraFlex 304 (minimum order of 10 feet). Custom ovalization is available, too. Then, add exactly the components needed to complete a kit. Contact: (800) 835-4429 or www .duravent.com.

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Citadel II: Tallest Certified Fireplace in the Industry It isn’t often that a product offers looks, features, performance, and quality at a lev el to lead an entire industry in virtually every category. Design Dynamics™ introduces the new Citadel radiant direct-vent fireplace: a rare hybrid of modern innovation with an elegant and tr aditional masonry design. Contact: (866) 328-4537 or www.fmiproducts.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 106

Firepits by Omega Mantels of Stone Omega Mantels of Stone introduces a line of lightweight stone firepits that will add elegance to any outdoor setting. The firepits are constructed of the same fiv e different types of crushed stone used in Omega Mantels of S tone’s distinctive fireplace mantels. The only difference is that they are reinforced for outdoor use. The firepits can be customized for height, length, and depth. The openings can also be customized to accommodate any manufacturer’s firepit or gel fires. Contact: (877) 254-3965 or www.mantelsofstone.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 108

Sunbrella Flame Collection Sunbrella® has infused its furniture-fabric line with the new Flame collection, a gr ouping of warm, spicy fabrics ideal for a variety of furniture frames and styles. The fabrics include (from left) Darby Flame, Canvas Rust, Dupione Nectarine, Hendrix Clay, Emilio Nugget, Spectrum Sierra, and Carnegie Hearth. The Flame collection of Sunbrella furniture fabrics is available through Glen Raven. Contact: www.sunbrella.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 107

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November/December 2010 Patio & Hearth Products Report

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Broilmaster P3S Broilmaster’s superpremium P3S gas grill gets a facelift for 2011, along with component changes to enhance its versatility and a 12% boost in Btu to maintain its reputation for searing excellence. The P3S control panel has been lowered, giving the grill a cleaner, more contemporary look and allowing for simpler gas-line routing to the burner. An upgrade to the grill’s U.S.-made stainless-steel bowtie burner increases power to 45,000 Btu, while still allowing precise control—all the way down to its 12,000-Btu low setting. Two-piece, stainless-steel cooking grids—formed and w elded from 8-millimeter rods—heat uniformly and sear steaks like no others. The grids and griddle feature a limited lifetime warranty. Contact: www.broilmaster.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 109

Peacock Ocean Aqua Outdoor Rug Is it a plume of pr etty peacock feathers unfurled against a sea-colored sky or a darting school of festively colored fish? However the Design Excellence Awards judges at the 2010 Casual Market saw it, they loved what they saw: Peacock Ocean Aqua took top honors in the outdoor carpeting, rugs, and flooring category. All Sawgrass Mills® outdoor rugs come in either 5x8-foot or 8x10-foot sizes, and are crafted from handhooked, cottony-soft, solution-dyed DuraCord® to be resistant to rot, mold, mildew, fading, and staining. Contact: (800) 334-1078 or www.thehammocksource.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 112

Florence Wicker Sling Gensun has added wicker sling styles to the already-popular Florence collection. Combining cast aluminum and woven wicker, these additions bring together beauty and comfort second to none. The high-back design of the dining chair, swivel rocker, and love-seat glider makes relaxation on your patio the choice of family and friends. The collection also offers swivel barstools and balcony stools, a chaise, and a wide variety of tables. Contact: www.gensuncasual.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 110

Fireplace Draft Damper System (FDDS) The environmentally friendly Exhausto FDDS is the first completely automated draft-and-damper system for use with gas fireplaces. The FDDS quietly manages a perfect draft and prevents excess heat from escaping through the chimney when the fireplace is not in use. It eliminates the need for glass doors, opening up many new design options while allowing for a larger view area of the fire and a more natural look. The system consists of the E xhausto RS chimney fan, the mechanical fir eplace damper (MFD), and the ADC 100 contr ol.

Contact: (800) 255-2923 or www.chimneyfans.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 111

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Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

Arrington Firepit Chat Group Elegance and presence come together with the Arrington fir epit chat group, one of the bold new looks fr om the Agio ® 2011 collections. With a lovely focal point—a slate- and por celain-topped portable propane firepit—and 360-degree swivel and tilt seating (with fr ames that feature oversized, scrolled arms), Arrington gives your customers access to instant entertaining savvy that will keep them outdoors for many ex citing evenings to come. Contact: www.agio-usa.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 113

Heat & Glo 6000/8000 Moder n This new Heat & Glo fireplace combines the best of 6000/8000 C series with the modern look that so many homeowners desire today. Different from the typical contemporary fireplace with a landscape ribbon of flames, it has flames that are centered in the firebox and that rise from modern glass media. Media ar e available in four colors—including crystal, which creates a dramatic appearance of fire and ice. The black glass refractory reflects the flames and media, adding impact and interest to the fire. The 6000/8000 Modern can be installed at any height on the wall. Contact: heatnglo .com.

Circle Reader Service No. 114

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Hitzer Fireplace Inserts

Firepits by Omega Mantels of Stone

Built with Amish craftsmanship, Hitzer’s fireplace inserts are economically friendly and offer high heat output. Specific features include large-view firebox windows, 16 air baffles, two 110-cfm blowers, firebrick linings, damper-control systems, removable ash pans, and cast-iron firebox grates.

Contact: (260) 589-8536 or www.hitzer.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 115

Omega Mantels of Stone introduces a line of lightweight stone firepits that will add elegance to any outdoor setting. The firepits are constructed of the same five different types of crushed stone used in Omega Mantels of Stone’s distinctive fireplace mantels. The only difference is that they are reinforced for outdoor use. The firepits can be customized for height, length, and depth. The openings can also be customized to accommodate any manufacturer’s firepit or gel fires. Contact: (877) 254-3965 or www.mantelsofstone.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 118

Thru-Mount

DuraPro Fresh Air Kit

The patent-pending DuraPro combustion air system, by M&G Dur aVent, features a wall thimble and a ceiling suppor t box that supply outdoor air for combustion for wood and pellet stoves, including below-grade applications. The kit eliminates using conditioned inside air as combustion air and minimiz es downdrafts in below-grade installations.

Simplify installations with only one wall or ceiling penetr ation. It has a decor black finish and is made in the United S tates. Contact: (800) 835-4429 or www.duravent.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 116

Arctic Flame introduces its newest technology, Thru-Mount™, to its lineup of premium stainless-steel burners. The Thru-Mount technology, which is an integral part of the construction of all Arctic Flame gas ring burners, eliminates many of the problems (associated with traditional burners) that result in uneven gas flow. As pictured, this 30-inch high-capacity gas burner has ev en gas flow to all sections and all por ts, even at the lowest flow setting. On high settings, it has a truly r emarkable large-flame effect.

Arctic Flame gas ring burners with Thru-Mount construction are available through the company’s exclusive North American distribution, Hearthdistribution.com.

Contact: www.hearthdistribution.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 119

ĆĄ ‡” ›‘—” …—•–‘Â?‡”• ƒ FOHDU ƒ†˜ƒÂ?–ƒ‰‡ ‘˜‡” ‘—–†ƒ–‡† Â?‡–ƒŽ –ƒÂ?Â?• ™‹–Š –Š‡ Ž‡ƒ” ‹‡™ …‘Â?’‘•‹–‡ ‰ƒ• …›Ž‹Â?†‡”Ǥ Čˆ Entertaining without surprises. Translucent cylinder ’”‘˜‹†‡• ˜‹•‹„Ž‡ ˆ—‡Ž ÂŽÂ‡Â˜Â‡ÂŽÇĄ •‘ –Š‡›ǯŽŽ Â?Â?‘™ ™Š‡Â? –‘ ”‡Ƥ ŽŽǤ

Čˆ Goodbye, rust stains. Corrosion-free, non-marring

Sentinel: Sleek and Sophisticated FMI Products, L.L.C., introduces the Sentinel, a savvy new direct-vent gas fireplace with concealed electronic ignition, revealing only the magnificence of the fire. Features include a clean face, a full mesh screen, ceramic glass, and a meticulously detailed log set that is unmatched in the industry. The viewing area, 42 inches wide by 35 inches tall, provides a dramatic flame picture to enhance the industry’s finest refractory brick liners, which are individually cast and handfinished for incomparable masonry realism. Contact: (866) 328-4537 or www.fmiproducts.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 117

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Čˆ 5HÂż OOV DUH D EUHH]H Design is 50% lighter than steel, with ‡”‰‘Â?‘Â?‹… ŠƒÂ?†Ž‡ ƒÂ?† Â–Â‹Â’ÇŚÂ’Â”Â‘Â‘Âˆ ĆŞ ƒ– „ƒ•‡Ǥ

Čˆ Proven safety. ‹”‡nj–‡•–‡† †‡•‹‰Â? ™‹ŽŽ Â?‡˜‡” „—”•–Ǥ Čˆ 7ZR VL]HV Âż W DQ\ QHHG The Clear View 17 lb is perfect for home grilling, while the 11 lb ‹• ‹†‡ƒŽ ˆ‘” „‘ƒ–‹Â?‰ ‘” …ƒÂ?’‹Â?‰Ǥ

www.RagascoUSA.com 800.823.6677 Circle Reader Service No. 47

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Broilmaster H3X Packages

Broilmaster offers its all-new H3X series grill in packages to make it easier to order this competitively priced grill.

Available as an LP or natural-gas model on a black car t and as a natural-gas model on a black patio post or in-ground post, the H3X packages include the mounting, grill head, and one shelf .

The H3X series, the latest addition to the Broilmaster line, features a two-piece, stainless-steel cooking-grid set and a stainless-steel H-style burner with dual controls, packed into the company’s legendary 1/4-inch cast-aluminum grill head. Contact: www.broilmaster.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 120

Harman P35i

With a compact design perfect for smaller homes, the new Harman P35i pellet insert helps homeowners get the most out of their heating dollars. With Harman’s patented pellet feed and burn pot, this inser t will burn any grade of pellet fuel and produce optimal heat output. It has the widest heating r ange, with a low burn of 1.4 pounds per hour on manual, going as lo w as 6,000 Btu before shutdown. The P35i has automatic ignition, along with temper ature control that remains within one degree of the set level. Available in two firebox sizes (19.5 and 23.5 inches), the P35i is easily installed and cleaned with a slide-out r ail system. Contact: www.harmanstoves.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 123

Grand Terrace Wicker Sling Exhausto Exhausto is introducing a loaner program for local home shows to help introduce the chimney fan to y our customers. It is absolutely free to use, and the company even takes care of the shipping charges.

Included in this unique loaner program are a chimney fan, a model chimney, a press release for local media, and a poster. Contact: (800) 255-2923 or info@exhausto.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 121

Sunbrella Dusk Collection Six new styles have been added to the Sunbrella® High Point collection of furniture fabrics. Referred to as the Dusk collection, the fabrics feature plum tones, as well as warm grays and greens for a soothing, modern appeal. The new fabrics include (from left) Charisma Dusk, Strata Linden, Flagship Cocoa, Bisbee Wren, Flagship Plum, and Allure Dusk. They are available as cut yardage through Tri Vantage.

Contact: www.trivantage.com.

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Gensun’s Grand Terrace wicker sling collection combines beautifully detailed cast arms and legs with a custom-woven wicker seat, creating a striking and comfortable chair. The high-back design adds to the comfort, for a product that completes any outdoor room. The collection offers a dining chair, a swivel rocker, a love-seat glider, swivel barstools and balcony stools, and a chaise. Contact: www.gensuncasual.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 124

Hitzer Stoker Coal Stove Model 608 The Hitzer Stoker coal stove model 608 is a superior-quality product that your customers will love. Its features include a Btu range of 7,000 to 90,000, an integrated Coal-Trol thermostatic-control combustion air system, the ability to hold up to 90 pounds of coal, cast-iron doors, pewter or gold accents, double-wall construction, a 2-inch rear clearance and 4-inch side clearances, a 320-cfm circulation fan, and a galvanized-steel hopper (optional). Every Hitzer heating system is carefully handbuilt

by Amish craftsmen. Only the finest materials are used, and no shortcuts are taken.

Each system provides efficient burning with effective consumption of secondary gases. The result: more heat with less fuel consumed. Contact: (260) 589-8536 or www.hitzer.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 125

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Classic Black Stripe Pillowtop Hammock

Security Chimneys BIS Ultima CF With either a clean-face style or tr aditional louver option, the BIS Ultima™ CF wood-burning fireplace from Security Chimneys ™ offers large rectangular doors and is designed to fit any contempor ary or traditional interior. The latest entry in the BIS family features unique, all-in-one, double air-combustion control to help manage wood combustion and allo ws faster ignition. Learn more about the aesthetic and oper ating features of this EPA-certified, 86.6% efficiency-rated fireplace at the company’s website.

Contact: www.securitychimneys.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 126

MLW Stone, L.L.C., Introduces StacKIT Natural Stacked-stone Fireplace Kits This new product has the look and workmanship of authentic, natural stacked stone. Integrated with today’s innovative technology, it reduces significantly the cost of installation. Most natural stacked-stone fireplaces are cut and installed in individual pieces—but StacKIT surrounds are prefabricated into panels that are cut to standard fireplace-kit sizes and can be installed in minutes, just as you would install a marble or granite surround. These kits are stocked in MLW’s three standard sizes and include a header, two legs, a riser, and a three-piece

Heightened back support never before felt even half this relaxing. Firm, appealingly wide, interwoven polyfilled pillows provide uncommon lumbar uplift, even as they enhance cushiony hammock comfor t. The classy, classic black stripe pattern in cottony-soft, all-w eather, solution-dyed DuraCord® fabric is like a perfectly tailor ed tuxedo for your favorite patch of yard, while the South American cumaru-wood spreader bars further boost both looks and durability. The Hatteras Hammocks® Roman Arc® cypress hammock stand is sold separately. Contact: (800) 334-1078 or www.thehammocksource.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 128

Kamado Joe Stainlesssteel Grill Table The ultimate in beauty and w eather resistance, this table is constructed of brushed 304 stainless steel, with fold-down side shelves, locking casters, and a spacious storage area. It is shown with the Kamado Joe black stand-alone grill. It has the same dimensions as the company’s flagship grill and can also be used in an outdoor kitchen. The bands and hinge are available in either black powder-coated galvanized steel or 304 stainless steel. Contact: (678) 866-0642 or www.kamadojoe.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 129

Ellington Circular hearth; 6x24-inch interlocking panels, complete with corner pieces, ar e also available to accommodate raised hearths and wall applications. The product is available in two colors: Carden gold and multicolor. Contact: (800) 477-7665 Ext. 127.

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Made of all aluminum and sho wn in the antique copper finish, this tr ansitional design features sectional pieces that can be added or subtr acted to create larger or smaller circular arrangements.

Club chairs and club ottomans ar e also available to create the full deep seating experience. See Ellington at Mallin’s Chicago showroom at 1766 Merchandise Mart. Contact: (800) 251-6537 or www.mallinfurniture.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 130

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Monessen Arlington Directvent Fireplace

Harman Oakleaf Wood Stove

Ideal for smaller spaces, the Harman Oakleaf wood sto ve is compact and convenient. With Harman’s exclusive FireDome technology, the Oakleaf is highly efficient, producing long burn times and steady, even heat. The top-load feature means it’s easy to add wood, and the sto ve will hold more wood than other stoves of the same size. It also has an optional stainless-steel cooking grill that’s easy to remove and clean. The Oakleaf is easy to maintain and has a lar ge ash pan, which means less fr equent emptying. With quality castings, it is available in three finish colors. The Harman Oakleaf brings warmth and comfor t to any room. Contact: www.harmanstoves.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 131

Double-wall Stovepipe Selkirk announces a double-wall stovepipe with professional features, offered exclusively to the hearth market. Model DCC double-wall stovepipe is UL/cUL listed as a connector pipe betw een a wood stove and chimney.

The smooth lines of the black outer wall allow for slip connectors and easy installation. Selkirk received favorable feedback on this product line at HPBExpo in Reno, Nevada. Since that time, Selkirk has gone back and listed DCC for 6-inch clearance on all diameters and in all installation configurations—giving DCC the closest clearance of all stovepipes on the market. Selkirk has also gained the cU L S-641 listing for sales of DC C in Canada. DCC double-wall stovepipe is now in stock at the company’s Turners Falls, Massachusetts, and Prescott, Ontario, distribution centers, so place orders now for combined shipment with y our existing orders for chimney and venting products. Contact: (800) 443-6341 (United States) or (888) SELKIRK/735-5475 (Canada).

Circle Reader Service No. 132

Available in three different configurations, this fireplace can be installed as a peninsula, see-through, or left/right corner piece. Special accessory kits (including firebrick, glass, and porcelain inserts) allow you to customize a unique look for each home. The Signature Command™ system features a touchscreen remote, allowing homeowners to turn the fireplace on and off or adjust the three-step flame height from the comfort of their couch.

Contact: www.monessenhearth.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 134

Havana Club Cast Chair Dine in comfort with this beautiful combination cast/tubing club chair. The Havana club cast chair is Mallin’s introductory chair, available at a great retail price point. Sofas, love seats, barstools, ottomans, swivel rockers, chaises, and dining chairs are also available with this collection, and are available with or without back and seat cushions. See Havana in the Mallin showroom at 1766 Merchandise Mart, Chicago, Illinois. Contact: (800) 251-6537 or www.mallinfurniture.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 135

Kamado Joe Teak Grill Table Enjoy the beauty and weather resistance of a solid-wood Kamado Joe teak grill table. You will appreciate its generous working space, locking casters, and easy assembly. It’s shown with the Kamado Joe red stand-alone grill, which has the same dimensions as the company’s flagship grill and can be used in an outdoor kitchen. The bands and hinge are available in either black powder-coated galvanized steel or 304 stainless steel.

Contact: (678) 866-0642 or www.kamadojoe.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 133

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Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

Prestige Pro 600 Series The new Napoleon ® Prestige Pro™ 600 series comes loaded with all the to ys needed for complete outdoor enter taining. Among its features are up to 1,062 square inches of total cooking space, up to 95,000 Btu, 3/8-inch stainless-steel WAVE™ rod cooking grids, a deluxe high top, a space-saving roll-top lid with chrome trim accents and handle, an attractive pedestal base with concealed casters, electr onic ignition for easy starting, a ceramic infrared SIZZLE ZONE™ integrated side burner, an enclosed ice bucket and cutting board, an infrared rear rotisserie burner, and more. Contact: (877) 588-2220 or www.nacdealers.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 136

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Porta-Chef Pro The Porta-Chef® Pro is the little grill with big features. It’s perfect for tailgating; just snap in the legs, stand it up , and you’re set. Featuring a 14,000-Btu stainless-steel tubular burner system, a cast-iron cooking grid, and 360 square inches of total cooking surface, the Porta-Chef Pro offers an unprecedented amount of cooking capacity for a portable grill. Contact: (800) 245-5138 or www.broilkingbbq.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 139

Consider Morsø Your Organic Section Danish wood-stove manufacturer Morsø wants green-minded homeowners to seek out the or ganic section at local hearth and fireplace stores to compare eco-wise content when purchasing a high-performance wood stove. In a way that’s similar to what they would do at a gr ocery store, shoppers can now quickly scan the organic choice label, which lists the many ways that Morsø has gone the extra mile to produce wood stoves of the highest possible quality and energy efficiency.

Recycling initiatives and dedicated craftspeople make sure that the Morsø ingredients in every stove are environmentally friendly and durable, and that they certainly have not been modified to meet a particular price.

Giving owners the best possible wood-stove experience is a long-held tradition at Morsø.

Respecting the environment is another. This is why Morsø is freely distributing its professionally produced “The Organic Choice” video series: to encourage new or longtime wood-stove owners to realize fully the renewable benefits of local wood energy in a responsible manner, without beginners’ missteps or old-school methods. These five free Morsø educational videos are conveniently available online to guide your present and future customers with need-to-know tips and green-smart operating techniques. Morsø is freely distributing these green-smart videos at www.morsona.com, on Facebook, and on YouTube. Download all five Morsø educational videos to burn on a CD as a customer-appreciation gift, or post links to the videos on y our website or blog.

Contact: (866) 883-9619 or www.morsona.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 137

The Ledge From Valor Balancing seamless design with crisp profiles, the Ledge features a beautiful collection of three complementary finishes. Available in black, brushed nickel, and artisan patina, the Ledge is Valor’s latest addition to the highly successful Portrait series gas-fireplace family. Contact: www.valorfireplaces.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 138

SMART ERV Energy-recovery Ventilator SMART air & energy solutions™ is a collection of HVAC products designed to enhance comfort, improve indoor air quality, and save energy for homeowners. Today, everyone understands that we need to explore options for saving energy—while remaining comfortable in our homes. SMART air & energy solutions offers products designed to provide economical options while maximizing comfort. The newest addition to the SMART product lineup is the SMART ERV energy-recovery ventilator. This unit provides a fresh-air supply and humidity-control unit for residential housing. The unique poly wheel yields up to an industr y-leading 80% heat-recovery efficiency, and the twin variable-speed fans allow the installer to adjust airflow from 50 to 240 cfm—so the single unit can be adjusted for a r esidence of almost any size. Contact: www.smartairandenergy.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 140

Clear View LP Gas Tanks Offer your customers a clear advantage over outdated metal propane tanks with the Clear View composite LP gas cylinder. Clear View’s translucent design provides a visible fuel level and is 50% lighter than steel. Consumers lo ve the ergonomic handle and tip-proof flat base, and its corrosion-free, nonmarring material keeps patios clean. Contact: (800) 823-6677 or www.ragascousa.com.

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2011 Vermont Castings Signature Series Grill

From the 301 series (rated the number-one midsized grill for 2010 by a leading consumer magazine) to the top-of-the-line 501 series, ev ery one of Vermont Castings’ grills is made with pr emium craftsmanship and attention to detail. The company’s versatile new lineup offers something for ev ery customer, including a new entry-level model. With superior-grade 304 stainless-steel construction (excluding the 301 model) and Btu contr ol, each grill in the lineup is designed with the power to deliver amazing results, every time.

Contact: (800) 867-0454.

Circle Reader Service No. 142 Vermont Castings’ 501 series grill

Automated Tiki-torch Lighting System Enjoy the convenience of a remote-control lighting system for commercial or residential gas tiki torches. With the push of a button, this exclusive technology ignites torches in any weather, automatically relights them if they are extinguished by wind, and can be retrofitted to existing torches or added to any tor ch order. Contact: www.buytikitorches.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 143

Majestic B-vent Designer Fireplace Systems Perfect for homes in milder climates that want a lot of style, but not a lot of heat, the B-vent Designer series is available in see-through and peninsula models. With optional firebrick backs and sides, as well as standard black trim, these 42,000-Btu fireplaces offer great aesthetics and exciting design applications.

In addition, the Signature Command™ system, with an optional touchscreen remote control, brings fireplace controls right to the homeowner’s fingertips. Contact: www.majesticproducts.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 145

Harman 300i Wood Insert The new 300i has the same exceptional functionality as the Harman TL300 wood stove, but now, in an insert. It features Harman’s exclusive FireDome technology, completely burning the wood to deliver high efficiency and low maintenance. The large, 3–cubic-foot firebox is one of the largest on the market, allowing less frequent loading and long burn times. This insert produces even heat to keep the home at a comfor table temperature for many hours. The 300i easily converts to an open fireplace with the optional fire screen, offering the sights and crackling sounds of wood burning. It will complement any decor with three finish options, along with brushed stainless-steel trim.

Contact: www.harmanstoves.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 144

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Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

English Planters These English planters give a finishing touch to any outdoor setting. Varying sizes include 15, 19, and 28 inches.

The bottom of each planter is slatted to allow water to drain. Handcrafted of shorea hardwood using mortise-and-tenon joinery, these planters will weather proudly for years to come.

Contact: (877) 866-3331 or www.oxfordgarden.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 146

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A Green Heating Source An insert by Wittus provides a highly efficient, natural heating source that also serves as a focal gathering place for family and friends.

These inserts offer both radiant and natural convection heat—something you cannot get with an open hearth. Each insert has a large, full-sized firebox, so there is plenty of room for standard-length logs.

A fireplace insert is easily installed in the open hearth and can be adapted to fit any existing space in the wall. There are also optional matching steel surr ounds available in a variety of sizes. Higher fuel efficiency, higher combustion temperatures, and lower atmospheric emissions make burning wood in a Wittus insert an environmentally responsible addition to your home. No electricity is r equired. Pictured is the H530 inser t.

Contact: (914) 764-5679, info@wittus.com, or www.wittus.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 147

Vermont Castings’ two-in-one Defiant® wood-burning stove

Green Leader: Vermont Castings Wood-burning Stoves For 35 years, Vermont Castings has been committed to going gr een. The company’s foundry in Bethel, Vermont, operates entirely on hydroelectric and nuclear energy. All of the iron for Vermont Castings’ wood-burning stoves is 100% recycled from local sources. No other manufacturer can match Vermont Castings’ history of consistently exceeding the EPA’s standards for emissions. In fact, the new Defiant ® and Encore® models beat the competition, even when burned in noncatalytic mode. Contact: www .vermontcastings.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 150

AERO Market Umbrella The ZipJack AERO market umbrella changed the look of the classic market umbrella forever. Its patented canopy design gives the umbrella distinctive styling, while crosswinds and updrafts pass right through the canopy’s venting system. Easy maintenance enhances its attractiveness. The ZipJack AERO market umbrella can help every specialty patio retailer stand out above the crowd. Contact: (914) 592-2000 or sales@zipjack.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 148

Guy Harvey Outdoors Legend G4 Introducing the latest addition to the Valor insert family, the Legend G4: Considered the big brother of Valor’s highly successful Legend G3 insert, the G4 is a synthesis of distinct design and efficient, radiant heating performance. Contact: www.valorfireplaces.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 149

FiberBuilt Umbrellas Inc., manufacturer of high-quality retail and contract shade products, has expanded its Guy Harvey Outdoors division to include new fabrics, hammocks, tents, and accessories.

The fabric offerings, going into the 2011 season, include an even wider variety of Guy Harvey–inspired fabrics for use on cushions, pillo ws, and umbrellas. New patterns and colorways featuring turtles, dolphins, marlins, and angelfish hav e been added. Contact: (866) 667-8668 or www.fiberbuiltumbrellas.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 151

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Signature Series Bench The Signature 5-foot bench is a unique bench exclusive to Oxford Garden. It has a back panel that has been custom tailored to accept a wide panel, allowing for customized laser engraving of a company logo, image, illustration, or message in text. This versatile bench can be used in a v ariety of settings. Handcrafted of shorea hardwood using mortise-and-tenon joinery, this bench will be a lasting addition to any landscape. Contact: (877) 866-3331 or www.oxfordgarden.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 152

Hemispheres by Casual Creations

1400C Cast-iron Stove The new EPA 1400C cast-iron stove features Napoleon’s advanced wood-burning technology, which provides the cleanest, most efficient heating experience. With an impressive 70,000 Btu, the 1400C comfortably heats up to 2,000 squar e feet.

The solid cast-iron design boasts a European style and a single, decorative arched door with ceramic glass and a large view of the fire. An elegant and convenient lift-top lid exposes the hotter surface of the stove’s heavy-gauge–steel top—ideal for quick cooking. The stove is available in a traditional painted black or a rich, por celain-enamel majolica brown finish. Contact: (800) 461-5581 or www.napoleonfireplaces.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 156

Classic, bold, and captivating: This ultrahigh-style collection is shown with proprietary Daisy outdoor fabric and finished in a rich and luxurious night sky powder coat. Hemispheres is versatile and can be created to fit any outdoor room’s size and shape.

Hemispheres is available in sling, cushion dining, and deep seating.

Contact: (866) 355-8523 or www.casualcreations.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 153

Shade, Safety, and Fun, All in One ZipJack Custom Umbrellas introduces a new line of patio umbrellas designed to provide colorful, shaded play spaces for youngsters. KidBrellas are a great way to protect kids from the sun. KidBrellas easily convert from table umbrella to play space and feature bright, bold silkscreened animal illustrations with extended side panels that pr ovide extra coverage. Contact: (914) 592-2000, sales@zipjack.com, or www.zipjack.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 154

Cloud Gloster is pleased to announce its new innovative modular unit, Cloud, created by Mark Gabbertas, a London-based designer. Consisting of 28 individual modular units, Cloud is designed and engineered to be left outside. The cushion cores are constructed of reticulated foam with a Dacron™ wrap and removable covers. Contact: (888) 456-7837 or www.gloster.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 155

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PowerMate LE-1 Stairclimbing Hand Truck

The PowerMate® LE-1 motorized hand truck is the most versatile stair-climbing dolly on the market. The LE-1 does the lifting for y ou, protecting your back while keeping the load under contr ol. This stacking hand truck has a 40-inch lift—enough to load trucks or place products onto raised hearths. To see one in action, visit the company’s website. Contact: (519) 759-3292 E xt. 108 or www.PowerMate.info.

Circle Reader Service No. 157

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Jazz Collection The Jazz collection blends classic elements, crafted in A356 aluminum, to create a sophisticated family of furnishings. The Jazz collection by Outdoor Lifestyle includes an armchair, a swivel rocker, a swivel barstool, a stationary barstool, a love seat, and a 36-inch square table (also available as a rectangular table). All pieces offer Outdoor Lifestyle’s unique 15-year limited warranty on furniture frames, and a five-year limited warranty on paint finishes in r esidential use. Contact: Virginia Hamilton at (800) 294-4758, virginiah@olfurniture.com, or www.olfurniture.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 158

Phoenix Charcoal Grill ProFire Grills, a division of Modern Home Products Corp., has released the new Phoenix charcoal grill.

This innovative new design combines high-quality construction with unique temperature controls, including independently adjustable dual charcoal trays and upper and lower vents that can be fully opened for searing or par tially closed for slow cooking. The vents can also be completely closed to extinguish the fire–saving the charcoal. The grill’s heavy-duty construction is backed by a lifetime warranty. Contact: www.profiregrills.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 159

Palazzo Collection by OW Lee

The Palazzo collection brings a sense of classic elegance to the most fashionable outdoor spaces. Using Grecian style as its inspiration, the Palazzo collection offers a transitional look while maintaining the str ength and durability of handcrafted wrought iron.

Shown with the Ziggurat firepit base and Richmond cast-aluminum hear th top, the Palazzo collection’s details, including its understated finials, cr eate a sense of casual elegance.

Contact: (800) 776-9533 or www.owlee.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 161

New Cabinet Mantels From Rinnai Rinnai and Premier Mantles are excited to announce the availability of new cabinet mantels for Rinnai’s EnergySaver® fireplace (model RHFE-750ETRA). The cabinet mantels provide a stylish and functional finish for Rinnai Ener gySaver fireplaces. Cabinet mantels are available in wall and corner configur ations, and in unpainted, chocolate, oak, and custom finishes. Installation of the Rinnai Ener gySaver fireplace is made simple by using the cabinet-mantel system, eliminating the need for fr aming and drywall work. Assembly is quick and easy. Contact: (800) 767-0195 or pr emier@premiermantles.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 162

Cosmo Series by Wittus

la-Fete Dresses Up the Outdoors la-Fete’s cool and striking collection of modular casual furnitur e brings comfort and style to the outdoor-living space. Constructed with durable, lightweight, all-weatherproof materials and uniquely skinned with marine-gr ade vinyl, it is offered in a choice of four standard colors, as well as custom color selections. The new concept in contemporary outdoor furnishings sustains itself beautifully for r esidential and commercial projects. la-Fete is proud to manufacture this product in the United States and to produce the collection with materials that are 95% recyclable. A quick-ship program is available, as well as custom-sized pieces. Contact: (661) 702-1717 or www.la-fete.biz.

Circle Reader Service No. 160

Ten unique style variations make the Cosmo series one of the most versatile wood-burning stoves in the Wittus collection. The Cosmo is a balanced combination of contemporary Danish design and measured energy efficiency. Specifically designed to burn at 81% capacity, every Cosmo stove promotes a clean, pure environment. All Cosmo models use the same fir ebox, which measures 15 inches wide by 13 inches deep by 17 inches tall. The body of the Cosmo is available in black or gray steel, with top or r ear venting. Contact: (914) 764-5679, info@wittus.com, or www.wittus.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 163

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DV62 Fireplace

Insulated Components

Westgate Luxury Fireplaces introduces the DV62—not your ordinary clean-face fireplace. Westgate designers have gone above and beyond with every detail to make the DV62 extraordinary. With a huge viewing area of 1,466 square inches, 61,500 Btu, log set or glass burner options, and many liner possibilities, Westgate fireplaces are in a class above the rest.

Contact: www.enviro.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 164

Ronda USA’s new stainless-steel components for outdoor kitchens ar e functional, as well as elegant. Pictured here is Ronda’s drawer unit (QM19) with one single insulated front, two watertight inside cases, and telescopic guides. The unit features a hermetic closure granted by a magnetic seal. Ronda’s high-quality design components provide beauty and practicality for any outdoor kitchen. Contact: (714) 642-3494 or www.rondaoutdoors.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 167

Santorini Firepit by OW Lee

Deep Seating Skirts Windward Design Group recently added new deep seating skir ts to its product line. Skirts allow you—very quickly and easily—to dress up your outdoor seating in an inexpensive way. With Windward’s collection available in approximately 200 fabrics, customers are always able to find something that complements their decor. Windward’s products are proudly made in the United States. Contact: www.windwarddesigngroup.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 165

Four Seasons Swivel Glider Sophisticated styling defines the Four Seasons collection, a transitional deep seating group featuring rich, multihued braiding over an elegant, curvaceous frame. The collection is available in tobacco (shown) and Savannah finishes. Plush Leisureluxe™ cushions are available in over 200 fabrics from Sunbrella® and Outdura®. Tables are available in flat or beveled glass or with Lightweights™ natural stone tops. All Erwin and Sons collections are handcrafted, weaving premium high-density polyethylene over heavy-duty, 360-degree–reinforced aluminum frames. The collection includes 14 pieces. Contact: www.erwinandsons.com.

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The new Santorini chat-height firepit from OW Lee is designed for those looking for a smaller and more affordable outdoor firepit—without sacrificing the quality and reliability for which OW Lee is known. This firepit offers a beautiful fireside ambience using propane, and it comes with a natural-gas converter. The hearth top is designed to sit inside a captur ed rim, which allows the 5,700-Btu firepit to be transported as one unit. Contact: (800) 776-9533 or www.owlee.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 168

Regatta Deep Seating Clean, fresh, and airy, simplicity abounds; plush seating with contrasting welting: Regatta by Casual Creations is unique and tasteful. This collection is also available in sling and cushion dining with coordinating tables. The Regatta collection will surely fit any outdoor location. Contact: (866) 355-8523 or www.casualcreations.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 169

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Florence Sectional Lounging Collection

Messina The Messina collection is one of Ebel Inc.’s two new aluminum groups for 2011. This sleek, crossover collection includes a woven-aluminum detail in the backrest, translating Ebel’s signature woven look into a new medium. Messina includes new items, such as a crescent sofa and a 48-inch ottoman, while the dining collection includes three table sizes and two chair options. Messina is co vered in a rich, hand-applied walnut frame finish, and it includes plush, 7-inch cushions in Sunbr ella® fabric. Contact: (904) 399-2777 or www.ebelinc.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 170

The Florence collection by Outdoor Lifestyle uses bold, interwo ven lines to create airy (yet solid) pieces. Made of pr emium A356 aluminum, this collection offers buy ers an armchair, a swivel rocker and a swivel barstool (both available in a 25-inch balcony height), a stationary barstool, and a love seat. Each piece comes with Outdoor Lifestyle ’s unique 15-year limited warranty on frames, and a five-year limited warranty on paint finishes in residential use. Contact: Virginia Hamilton at (800) 294-4758, vir giniah@olfurniture.com, or www.olfurniture.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 173

Trenton

New Cabinet Mantels From Rinnai Rinnai and Premier Mantles are excited to announce the availability of new cabinet mantels for Rinnai’s EnergySaver® fireplace (model RHFE-750ETRA). The cabinet mantels provide a stylish and functional finish for Rinnai Ener gySaver fireplaces. Cabinet mantels are available in wall and corner configur ations, and in unpainted, chocolate, oak, and custom finishes. Installation of the Rinnai Ener gySaver fireplace is made simple by using the cabinet-mantel system, eliminating the need for fr aming and drywall work.

Assembly is quick and easy. Contact: (800) 767-0195 or pr emier@premiermantles.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 171

Ipanema With myriad possible seating combinations, the Ipanema collection

by Zuo Modern is fun, versatile, and dazzling with possibility. The weave is a UV-treated synthetic with a reinforced interior aluminum-tube frame. The cushions are made of water-resistant covers and foam.

Contact: (510) 877-4087 Ext. 107 or www.zuomod.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 172

Homecrest Outdoor Living offers a variety of deep seating collections for 2011. F eatured here is the Trenton deep seating collection, which emphasiz es unadorned, clean lines, evoking an Arts and Crafts aesthetic appeal. At home in any setting, the uncompr omising Trenton collection sets the stage for liv ely entertaining, fun, and games with the family, or a relaxed evening at home. This inviting setting features the Trenton motion chat chairs in the Sedona finish. The comfortable cushions are done in the beautiful (and truly authentic looking) ultra leather (color: Waylan). At the center of this ser ene setting is Homecrest’s cast firepit, also in Sedona. Contact: www.homecrest.com.

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M55 Cast Freestanding Pellet Stove The M55 pellet and multifuel sto ve provides up to 55,000 Btu at 79.8% efficiency, featuring the nicest pellet flame in the industry. The burner system of this pellet stove is designed to manage the waste byproducts of combustion actively. As a result, you can enjoy the longest cleaning inter vals of any pellet stove on the market. An added adv antage that comes with this burner system is that it allows you to burn not just pellets, but alternativ e fuels—corn, wheat, barley, grass, and bark pellets—without changing any par ts. Contact: www.enviro.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 175

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PRODUCT

Cal Flame Hibachi Grill

Enviro E20 Clean-face Gas Insert The E20 is the first in a series of clean-face fir eplace inserts from Enviro. At 24 inches wide and 18 inches tall, this inser t will fit most fireplaces—even small wood zero-clearance fireplaces. It is a direct-vent insert with a 3-inch/2-inch or 3-inch/3-inch v ent configuration. The E20 can be dressed with a detailed log set and 3D brick liner , a fluted liner, or a black porcelain liner, or you can choose glass burner options in black or clear glass. There are four unique surround choices to fit a variety of styles, from traditional to modern, in three- or four-sided variations. This high-efficiency insert has a cast-iron heat exchanger and boasts 81% steady-state efficiency. The E20 provides 23,000 Btu and has a 50% turndown capability. Contact: www.enviro.com.

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Del Mar The Del Mar collection features occasional tables and dining chairs designed to be reminiscent of traditional wicker silhouettes, but softened with rolled backs, sloping arms, and skirted bases. The collection is executed in Viro® resin and offered in two fashionable colors, sienna brown and Kubu gray. Seating comfort is afforded by plush outdoor cushions covered in Outdura Hot Shot hemp fabric. Contact: (757) 627-4844 or www.furnitureclassicsltd.com.

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The Cal Flame hibachi drop-in grill features two 15,000-Btu concealed burners with individual burner controls.

The hibachi drop-in grill conveniently installs into any Cal Flame barbecue island and features a highly polished steel griddle plate that is fully welded to the base. It featur es a heavy-duty cooking surface for high heat r etention and a large-capacity trough that conveniently catches oil. Contact: (800) C AL-SPAS or www.calflamebbq.com.

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Merlot Swing Lounge Domus Ventures has introduced the Merlot swing lounge for the 2011 season.

No chains or ropes are involved—steel hangers provide a smooth, quiet, and comfortable glide.

Since few people use swings on their front porches, the unit comes complete with the frame and canopy. This item will be in the Domus Ventures warehouse for next season or can be or dered container direct. Contact Dave Hill at (800) 888-5293 or us1@domusventures.com.

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Palm Springs Rattan and Garden Classics

Ventis Class A All-fuel Chimney System Olympia Chimney Supply Inc. introduces its latest innovation: the Ventis® class A all-fuel chimney system. Manufactured by Olympia Chimney Supply in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the Ventis class A all-fuel chimney pipe is UL 103 HT listed. It is available and in stock with either a 304L or a 316L inner wall and is composed of a variety of components designed to meet your specific needs and preferences. The Ventis class A is backed by O lympia’s forever warranty and is shipped in exclusive and patented packaging that vir tually eliminates shipping damage. Ventis is only available directly from the manufacturer and cannot be found in big-box stores. Contact: (800) 569-1425 or www.olympiachimney.com.

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Palm Springs Rattan and Garden Classics has announced the addition of its Sav annah and Garden Gate cast-aluminum furnishings for the outdoors. Each collection combines traditional styling with durability and is available to retailers for immediate shipment. The 100% aluminum frames are handcast and welded prior to a multistep handfinishing process. The Savannah dining pieces are designed to incorporate a traditional royal shield-like back, accented with a cast decor ative open-grid motif. A chaise and a 24-inch side table also are available. Contact: (727) 524-1476 or www.palmspringsrattan.com.

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Trieste Looftlighter

The Looftlighter® is the fastest, cleanest, safest, and easiest method for lighting your barbecue grill or wood fireplace. The Looftlighter ignites wood or charcoal in fewer than 60 seconds with its patented hot-airstream process. Simply plug the Looftlighter into a wall socket and touch the nose of the lighter to your wood or coals. In about 15 seconds, sparks will appear. At this point, withdraw the Looftlighter by 3 to 6 inches and continue heating the same spot. Before you know it, you will have a roaring fire. Contact: (845) 877-7321 or www.looftusa.com.

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New Contemporary Alternatives Burner

Real-Fyre introduces the new Contemporary Alternatives burner, which allows you to place glass or gems directly on the burner. There’s no need for sand or v ermiculite when using this specially engineered glass-and-gems system. It features stainless-steel construction, an on/off remote-ready valve system, easy access hidden controls, vented or vent-free certification, and a stylish look. It will be av ailable soon in 18-, 24-, and 30-inch sizes. Contact: (800) 332-3973 or www.rhpeterson.com.

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Trieste, named for one of the richest seapor ts in northeastern Italy, is a cosmopolitan collection of seating and occasional furnitur e. This all-weather group features tightly woven, herringbone-patterned frames (in cool gray) that are lithe and angular, with tailored cushions creating a simple form that exudes r efined luxury. Contact: www.whitecraftinc.net.

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Sunnyvale Dining Group Alfresco Home introduces the Sunnyvale 48-inch wrought-iron round dining group.

This set comes with four classic-styled dining armchairs and a 48-inch r ound dining table. Both the chairs and table featur e Alfresco Home’s unique jigsaw mesh, matched with a classic matte black finish. The Sunnyvale 48-inch round dining group is a classic and practical group for any patio setting. Contact: (610) 7 31-0440 or www.alfrescohome.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 186

RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITY

HART & COOLEY INC., the leading manufactur-

er of grilles, registers, diffusers, venting systems and chimney systems in the U.S. and Canada i s currently looking for a Product Manager for chimney and venting products for the Selkirk and Hart & Cooley brands. This position is located at our Corporate Office in Grand Rapids, MI.

Plantation MAX Classic The Plantation MAX Classic parasol uses TUUCI’s exclusive Aluma-TEAK state-of-the-art hardwood finish combined with durable Armor-Wall aluminum construction, so the parasol is guaranteed to endure for generations. The Plantation MAX Classic parasol further features a giant canopy with classic European tailoring. Contact: (305) 634-5116 or www.tuuci.com.

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If you have experience in marketing, product planning and commercialization please send your resume to:

Seth.Berghorst@hartcool.com

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PROFILE

Left: Hampton Below: Esquire

buying power Casual Classics, a national casual-furniture buying group, is able to offer high-quality pr oducts at reasonable prices because of its strength in the marketplace. by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

w

hen you find a Casual Classics hangtag dangling from a piece of patio furniture, you’ve come upon a product that means much more to the retailer than most products do to the stores where they are found. When it comes to Casual Classics, retailers have an actual stake in the product. They are its owners, designers, manufacturers, retailers, and service departments, all rolled into one.

Casual Classics is the brand name for the Casual Classics Furniture Group, Rancho Cordova, California, “the largest member-owned design/build/buying co-op in North America,” according to Buzz Homsy, who founded the group in 2001, along with his nephew, David Ghiz, and the late Jim Bowen. Prior to that, the three men headed their own specialty Christmas retail stores located around the country—Ghiz, in Arizona; Bowen, in Ohio; and Homsy, in California.

Homsy explains,“As the industry matured and product became available in more places, chain stores like ours, in the specialty arena, didn’t have the right formula for entry goods and middle-priced product. We couldn’t get it from the United States. We knew China existed, but it was running product for mass merchants, so we were an anomaly. We knew the small store wouldn’t have much buying power in China.”

He continues,“When David and I came up with the idea of combining our stores to get more buying power, I called Jim. He said,‘Put me into the mix.’Then, with 65 stores, I went to a factory in China I knew; from there, we were able to provide our customers with better goods at entry.”

Today, the group boasts 224 stores and 33 retail partners (each owning a 33rd of the whole).“We are truly a collective bargaining force that now is in its own design business,” Homsy says, adding that the group bought items off the shelf until it started to design its own products, in 2003.“We translate what the customer is coming

into our stores and asking for into product under our own hangtag. We don’t compete, like a manufacturer, for floor space in a store.”

A five-person design committee takes ideas given to it by group partners and sends them to the overseas factories. Drawings come back and are tweaked; then, prototypes are developed.

“Some ideas are way out, some aren’t, and some stick. You remember that these partners are owners of their own destinies, so when they speak up and suggest a product be a little lighter, higher, or in a different color, across the room, you’ll get two or three more people who will say, ‘I’ve had the same thing in our stores.’ If you get enough feedback, it is a legitimate design, and we’ll go to work on it. I go to Asia five times a year, solely to source new vendors and approve product for the next season,” Homsy notes.

Now, the group has 1,500 of its own SKUs, consisting primarily of all types of patio furniture— from extruded aluminum, cast aluminum, and solid cast aluminum to teak and wicker.All types come from 10 overseas factories.

“All of our guys are trained operators, so they have the holding tank to accept containers of merchandise directly, and they pay their own bills,” Homsy explains.“We have no inventory in this country. We present our lineup for our members, and they will pick what they want for their own locations.”

Most products are priced at the entry

or medium level, but the group is starting to venture toward higher price points: It recently introduced a table with an inlaid stone top, and Homsy reports that this went very well.

Business has been good, and the Casual Classics Furniture Group doesn’t go looking for partners, these days; retailers interested in joining the group come to it. Homsy reports that six to eight territories are still open, including southern Texas, Tennessee, Indiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. “Our challenge, in the short term, is to stay abreast of changes in our industry and be first on the block with new technology, because we feel we can move faster than a manufacturer can,” he says.

“It is a unique experience when you’re in a market and that product belongs to the store,” Homsy adds.“When a consumer is in front of a salesperson who says,‘We’ve been dealing in Casual Classics for over 10 years, and this design comes out of 224 stores and 33 owners—we design it, we sell it, and we’re here to service it; you can’t find this kind of quality anywhere in town but from us,’ that’s a powerful statement.”

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Casual Creations Hires Chad Harper as National Contract Sales Manager Chad Harper was recently hired by Casual Creations to be the company’s national contract sales manager. According to Casual Creations’ executive officers, Harper’s experience in the industry and positive attitude will play a huge role in growing the company’s contract division on a national scale. Casual Creations is focusing on expanding its already diverse contract product line, as well as its national and international distribution.

Presidential Baton Passes to Next Generation at JCO Marketing Stuart Johnson has announced the appointment of Jennifer O’Kelley to the presidency of JCO Marketing, the 63-year old manufacturers’ representative agency based in Conyers, Georgia. O’Kelley is the fourth generation to head the venerable company. O’Kelley assumed the position after her father, Johnson, moved into a more consulting role with the company business. She will Jennifer O’Kelley have oversight of all the company’s territories, including Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

“It just seems like the right time for this,” Johnson notes. “Jennifer has worked hard in this business for over 26 years and has the respect and friendship of all our suppliers and customers, not to mention those of us who work most closely with her.”

Besides Johnson and O’Kelley, the close-knit JCO Marketing team includes Steve Carroll, vice president, with the company since 1973;

spot

LIGHT

Bella-Dura to design some of its own fabrics.

Summer Classics now has 120 fabrics that are exclusive to it.

Summer Classics: 30 Years and Counting

Carls Patio Opens New Showroom in Sarasota

Summer Classics, a leader in the outdoor-furniture industry, celebrated its 30th anniversary both at the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™ and at High Point Market.

This was Summer Classics’ first time exhibiting in High Point, North Carolina, in over 20 years. Harold Hudson, vice president of sales and marketing, says, “The response was great, and we were glad to be back. People had been asking us for years when we were going to return to High Point, and with this being our 30th year in business, the timing seemed just right.”

It seems that the public agreed, as the market proved to be a great success for Summer Classics.

Bew White, president, says, “People are concerned with comfort, quality, and fabric selection, and we continue to raise the bar in all of those areas. I think those are three main components that make us competitive in the industry.”

Summer Classics continues to excel by keeping its product lines and fabrics fresh and current. In 2010, the company introduced seven new product lines (which are available in over 160 fabrics). This year, for the first time, Summer Classics worked with Glen Raven and

Carls Patio, one of the leading outdoor-furniture retailers in the nation, opened the company’s 19th showroom on November 1, 2010. Gary Ecoff, Carls Patio’s president, says, “We are very excited about the new opportunity in Sarasota. Everyone knows the economy isn’t where we’d like it, but there are still a number of people who want to live the Florida lifestyle, and we intend to serve them.

Even in this challenging environment, we need to be able to execute our strategic-growth initiative.”

The new 10,000–square-foot Sarasota showroom further extends the presence of Carls Patio up Florida’s Gulf Coast. Carls Patio currently has Gulf Coast locations in downtown Naples, North Naples, and Fort Myers.

“We have been extremely pleased with the overall performance of our stores on the West coast of Florida,” Ecoff adds. “There is a good sense of style here, and the consumers have responded well to our selection of outdoor furnishings and accessories. It is our intention to continue our expansion north to Tampa and beyond in the coming years.” Carls Patio is part of a retail outdoor-furniture group that also includes six locations in California and the PatioFurniture.com website.

Follow us on Twitter: @patiohearth Stay on top of the latest news and new-pr oduct introductions/ collections in the patio, hearth, barbecue/grill, outdoor-kitchen, and outdoor-living industry.

patioHearth & ™

Products Report

The Source for Patio, Hearth, and Barbecue Products

continued from page 16

family room, fits the bill: comfortable heating with little reliance on the utility companies.”

It all comes down to value. Bauer says, “Consumers definitely look for more value for the dollars they spend.” Sidoroff agrees, adding, “It seems people are finally starting to spend again, but are doing so very carefully. If you can demonstrate the value and safety of choosing your company, you’ll get their business. The one obstacle I see, this year, is the incredibly low inventories many dealers are carrying. When the season hits, it is going to get interesting.”

READY OR NOT The question is whether dealers will be ready for the upturn. When it comes, what can they expect? “For 2011, we think new-housing construction is going to be flat,” Baldwin predicts, 60

Mitchell Johnson, who handles marketing; and Jo Ellen Johnson Kuehnel, office manager.

Company ownership will narrow to O’Kelley and Carroll, as equal partners.

“but on the specialty-retail side, especially in remodeling, we’re looking at numbers that could be 7% to 10% above 2010. We think people are going to start spending money remodeling. All the indicators are there.”

Bauer says, “We feel the consumer will continue to demand outstanding products, at value prices, for the foreseeable future. Consumers will also demand better efficiencies—whether from their cars or from their gas stove. Empire Comfort Systems plans to continue its focus on research and development to create outstanding products, with great fuel efficiency and value pricing.”

Forman adds, “Manufacturers will continue to increase overall efficiencies and reduce emissions, and consumers will start to notice the importance of these features when they purchase an appliance. Longer burn times, bigger ash pans,

Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2010

unobstructed viewing, and ease of use—we’ll all have to keep delivering more and more of these features, in the future, if we want to keep selling stoves for the long term. We’ll need to expand our offerings in terms of design, too.”

Gripton says, “I believe the demand for clean, efficient wood-burning products will remain strong for decades to come. There is a natural attraction to the mesmerizing, yellow, dancing flame that a natural fire produces.”

Most hearth retailers who have weathered the recession will find that times can only get better. As Sidoroff says, “Hearth retailers are a very resourceful lot, and those still standing have made the difficult decisions needed, over the past few years, to remain in business. They are well positioned to take advantage of a turnaround in the economy.”

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product profiles D I R E C T O RY

INDEX Phone

Website

Page

Company

Page

Agio ..................................................................................................44, 46

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

Alfresco Home............................................................................................59 Cal Spas ..................................................................................................58

California Outdoor Concepts ............ (877) 274-6773.......... www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com ..31 DuraVent........................................ (800) 835-4429 ........ www.duravent.com ........................43 Empire Comfort Systems .................. (800) 851-3153.......... www.empirecomfort.com ................25 Gensun Casual Living ...................... (866) 964-4468 ........ www.gensuncasual.com ....................9 Glen Raven/Sunbrella .................... (336) 221-2211.......... www.sunbrella.com ........................39

California Outdoor Concepts ..................................................................44, 47 Casual Creations ..................................................................................54, 56 Domus Ventures ..........................................................................................58 DuraVent..............................................................................................45, 47 Ebel..........................................................................................................57 Empire Comfort Systems ........................................................................46, 48 Enviro ..........................................................................................56, 57, 58 Erwin & Sons ............................................................................................56 Exhausto..............................................................................................46, 48

The HammockSource ...................... (800) 334-1078.......... www.thehammocksource.com ..........45

FiberBuilt Umbrellas ....................................................................................53 FMI Products ........................................................................................45, 47

Hart & Cooley................................ (800) 463-3341.......... www.hartandcooley.com ..................59

Furniture Classics ........................................................................................58 Gensun Casual Living ............................................................................46, 48

Hearth & Home Technologies............ (800) 669-4328.......... www.hearthnhome.com ..................64

Glen Raven/Sunbrella ..........................................................................45, 48 Gloster ......................................................................................................54

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association .................... (703) 522-0086.......... www.hpbexpo.com ........................41

The HammockSource ............................................................................46, 49 Hearth & Home Technologies......................................................46, 48, 50, 52 Hitzer ................................................................................................47, 48

Hitzer............................................ (260) 589-8536.......... www.hitzer.com ..............................26 Kamado Joe .................................. (678) 866-0642.......... www.kamadojoe.com ....................24 Lennox Hearth Products .................... (800) 9-LENNOX ........ www.lennox.com ..............................3 Mallin Casual ................................ (800) 251-6537.......... www.mallinfurniture.com ..................19 Miles Industries .............................. (800) 468-2567.......... www.valorfireplaces.com ................17

Homecrest ................................................................................................57 Kamado Joe ........................................................................................49, 50 la-Fete ......................................................................................................55 Lennox Hearth Products ..........................................................................44, 49 Looft USA ..................................................................................................59 LP International/PowerMate ..........................................................................54 Mallin Casual ......................................................................................49, 50 Miles Industries ....................................................................................51, 53 MLW Stone ..............................................................................................49

MLW Stone .................................. (800) 477-7665.......... www.mlwstone.com ........................26

Modern Home Products................................................................................55 Monessen Hearth Systems ................................................................50, 52, 53

Monessen Hearth Systems ................ (800) 867-0454.......... www.vermontcastings.com ..............23

Morsø ......................................................................................................51 Napoleon Products................................................................................50, 54

Morsø .......................................... (866) 883-9619.......... www.morsona.com ........................21

Olympia Chimney Supply ............................................................................58 Omega Mantels ..................................................................................45, 47

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

Onward Manufacturing ........................................................................ 44, 51 Outdoor Lifestyle ..................................................................................55, 57

Omega Mantels ............................ (877) 254-3965.......... www.omegamouldings.com ............63 Onward Manufacturing.................... (800) 245-5138.......... www.omcbbq.com ........................29 Oxford Garden .............................. (877) 866-3331.......... www.oxfordgarden.com ..................11 Ragasco USA ................................ (800) 823-6677.......... www.ragascousa.com ....................47 SCHOTT ROBAX ............................ (914) 831-2200.......... www.schottrobax.com ........................2

OW Lee..............................................................................................55, 56 Oxford Garden ....................................................................................52, 54 Palm Springs Rattan & Garden Classics ..........................................................58 Ragasco USA ......................................................................................51, 52 RH Peterson ..............................................................................................59 Rinnai ................................................................................................55, 57 Ronda USA................................................................................................56 Selkirk Corp. ........................................................................................50, 51 TUUCI ......................................................................................................59

Selkirk Corp. .................................. (800) 992-8368.......... www.selkirkcorp.com ......................15

Whitecraft ................................................................................................59 Windward Design Group ............................................................................56

Wittus .......................................... (914) 764-5679.......... www.wittus.com ............................37

Wittus ................................................................................................53, 55 ZipJack Custom Umbrellas ......................................................................53, 54

ZipJack Custom Umbrellas ................ (914) 592-2000.......... www.zipjackumbrellas.com ..............20

Zuo Modern ..............................................................................................57

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.

November/December 2010, Vol 5, No 6 © 2010 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.

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