Patio & Hearth Products Report November/December 2016

WINSTON FURNITURE

BIG GREEN EGG

SUPREME FIREPLACE

www.patioandhearthproductsreport.com ORTAL USA

Circle Reader Service No. 3

contents November/December 2016 • Volume 11, Number 6

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63 Features GUEST EDITORIAL – WORKING TOGETHER

By Gene Butler

SHOWROOM SHOWCASE – BROTHERS IN BUSINESS

By Cheryl Dangel Bartolini

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The chair of the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association describes how membership benefits specialty retailers.

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AS I SEE IT – ECLECTIC DESIGN

By Sharon Sanders

SPOTLIGHT – THE COLD IS COMING

By Greg Thompson

Sunset West’s business has grown by 40% in two years because of stylish collections that resonate with today’s consumers.

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Stove manufacturers unveil their latest models as the industry longs for plunging temperatures.

16 MARKETING MANEUVERS – VIVE LA DIFFÉRENCE

By Kimberly Rodgers

A one-of-a-kind store in Virginia attracts customers from near and far.

22 HEARTH RETAILER – REINVENTING A BUSINESS

By Sharon Sanders

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Two brothers build a powerhouse of a retail business by personalizing its products and customer service.

MY TURN – A FRESH APPROACH

By Cheryl Dangel Bartolini

Alfresco Home’s competitive advantage is that its products and operations are handled differently.

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PRODUCT INNOVATION – POSITIVE CHANGE

By Cheryl Dangel Bartolini

The rebranding of a fourth-generation family business ensures success for generations to come.

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Adjustments to Montigo’s dedicated team result in exciting new products and customer-service enhancements.

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OUTDOOR GRILLING – MEMPHIS–STYLE BARBECUE

By Kimberly Rodgers

CORPORATE PROFILE – A TRUE PARTNERSHIP

By Sharon Sanders

This barbecue store caters to competition cooks, as well as backyard-grilling enthusiasts.

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Strong relationships with retailers have strengthened Winston’s position in the marketplace.

48 INSIGHT – OUTDOOR FRIENDLY

By Cherise Forno

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Malibu Outdoor Living’s diverse product line appeals to customers seeking style, affordability, and durability.

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In Every Issue

INSIGHT – CLEAN AND EFFICIENT

By Cherise Forno

American Energy Systems is a leading innovator in automated technology for solid-fuel combustion.

54 SHOP TALK – BRAND AMBASSADOR

By Ryan Bloom

A store owner benefits from being an advocate for a grill manufacturer.

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AT LAST

Editor’s Message

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INDUSTRY NEWS Edited by Kris Kyes

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WHAT’S NEW: 6 HOT PRODUCTS TO SELL NOW PRODUCT PROFILES

Follow us on Twitter: @patiohearth www.facebook.com/patiohearthproductsreport

61

LAST WORD – INFRARED IMPACT

By Kimberly Rodgers

PRODUCT PROFILES DIRECTORY

The technology behind Saber’s premium grills expands the possibilities for outdoor grilling.

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AD INDEX

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Circle Reader Service No. 5

editor’s message

At Last

My beloved Chicago Cubs are finally World Series champions, and it only took 108 years. It still feels like an ethereal dream, but the wait until next year is finally over. I

grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, attending games with my family, usually sitting in the bleachers just above the ivy-covered outfield wall of Wrigley Field. Later, as a young adult, I moved to Wrigleyville to be closer to the Friendly Confines.

Being a fan of a team dubbed the lovable losers hasn’t been easy, though. To summarize Chicago’s great journalist, Mike Royko, “It builds character.”

No other team in Major League Baseball took this long to win the World Series, and the Cubs nearly let this one get away, too. After battling back from a 3–1 deficit after game 4, the Cubs faced an incredibly spirited Cleveland Indians team that refused to give up until the final out. In the end, Chicago My Cubs program from a game in 1969 (the disastrous prevailed with an 8–7, 10season when—after being in inning victory in a winnerfirst place for 155 days—the take-all game 7, which some Cubs collapsed in midSeptember) are saying was one of the most exciting World Series contests in history.

Numerous offbeat curses (involving a goat, a black cat, a Gatorade-soaked glove, and an overzealous fan named Steve Bartman) have been blamed for the Cubs’ prior pathetic postseason matchups. I guess that’s why many superstitious fans are now claiming that the Cubs were destined to win the World Series this year because of the number 108. I don’t believe in numerology, but the following facts are fun to ponder.

There are 108 stitches in a baseball, designed by the Cubs’ first manager and ace pitcher A.G. Spalding, whose office was originally located at 108 West Madison Street.

The original name for Wrigley Field was Building 108. The left and right field corners at Wrigley Field are 108 meters from home plate. Tom Ricketts, the Cubs’ owner, located his business, TD Ameritrade, at 108th Street in Omaha, Nebraska. In the 1989 film “Back to the Future Part II,” which is 108 minutes long, the Cubs win the World Series.

This year, the Cubs won game 7 in the 10th inning and scored eight runs.

I’m certain that a curse didn’t cause the Cubs’ painfully long losing spell, nor did the baseball gods pronounce that they would win on the 108th anniversary of their last World Series win. A century of failed seasons occurred because owners were too cheap to acquire top athletes, management refused to add lights for night games, and countless managers and players ultimately lacked the motivation and resources to get the job done.

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Carol Daus cdauswrite@socal.rr.com

When the Ricketts family bought the Cubs in 2009, the immediate goal was to develop a winning team for Chicago’s long-suffering fans. A major rebuilding effort was launched by drafting players such as power hitter Anthony Rizzo, as well as by modernizing Wrigley Field. In 2014, Ricketts hired his new president of baseball operations, Theo Epstein, who helped the Boston Red Sox end an 86-year World Series title drought in 2004.

Hiring a talented and innovative manager, Joe Maddon, was the icing on the cake. He worked hard to create a dream team with players such as Kris Bryant, Ben Zobrist, Addison Russell, Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, David Ross, Jason Heyward, and Aroldis Chapman. It’s a team that plays within its talents and beyond its years. It’s also a team that’s dedicated to the fans, which is a large reason for its success.

Whether you’re running a baseball team or a specialty store, two basic principles must be upheld. First, for true success, there must be a commitment to winning. Second, there must be reverence for the stakeholders, whether they’re fans or customers.

Most store owners see themselves as being in business to make money, but just as Ricketts focused on making fans happy, store owners must focus on delighting their customers—by providing distinctive merchandise displayed in attractive vignettes, courteous staff members who are knowledgeable about products, and exceptional service that motivates customers to return and to spread positive reviews. If you make your customers happy, you are guaranteed to make more money.

Take a moment to revisit your operation, from top to bottom. Whether they are slight adjustments or major changes, there might be improvements that will make you a retail champion. I promise it won’t take 108 years.

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Because not all homes or apartments are made with fireplaces, NorthCape’s new line of indoor/outdoor “firespaces” help friends and family celebrate the holidays in warm, captivating ambiance. Because these beautiful firespaces require no special ventilation, they are perfect for use indoors or outside!

Whether adding a little ambiance to your holiday gathering or creating a toasty spot on a covered porch or patio, firespaces from NorthCape Fire are definitely the way to light up the holidays this season!

Circle Reader Service No. 7

For more information, visit us online at www.northcape.com/northcape-fire or contact your sales representative.

GUEST EDITORIAL

By Gene Butler

Working Together

A

s a store owner, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the nuts and bolts of daily operations. It can be difficult to find time to think beyond next week’s staffing schedule, this month’s sales numbers, or that VIP customer coming in a couple of hours. There is always something to do, but for the livelihood of our stores—and the consumers’ lives that we brighten with our products—we must look beyond what’s right in front of us. We need to care for our industry’s longterm interests and educate consumers on all of their options, including why they need fireplaces, stoves, grills, or (in my own case) water-efficient irrigation systems for the dry climate in my hometown of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

As a longtime member of the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), I’ve witnessed the power of our industry coming together on numerous occasions. In a recent case that began in mid-December 2014, Governor Gary Herbert (R) of Utah proposed a prohibition on all wintertime wood burning in Salt Lake City and six surrounding counties.

Wood- and pellet-fueled fireplaces, stoves, and masonry heaters were going to be included in the regulation, effectively removing an abundant, affordable, and renewable energy option for Utahans. It also would have eliminated a large segment of the hearth market in Utah.

This burn-ban proposal was a response to the violation of federal air-quality standards in parts of Utah (along the Wasatch Front and in the Cache Valley) at times during the winter. The mountain ranges in parts of Utah are prone to inversions, as are many areas in the West. Cold air is trapped there without a strong wind, allowing pollution to stagnate.

According to the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), wood smoke was only 5% of the problem, so Utah would still be facing the same air-quality problems even without wood-burning appliances. The ban in Utah also would have unnecessarily punished homeowners who had already invested in cleaner-burning appliances. After all, many of today’s low-emissions hearth appliances produce up to 90% less smoke/particulates than older stoves and fireplaces produce.

Even though this was all happening 600 miles from my store, I knew it could set an ominous precedent—and that if our industry did nothing, it could result in the same ban being copied in New Mexico. If that happened, I would effectively be forced to stop offering any of the various wood-burning hearth appliances sought after by many of my customers.

That’s why I didn’t hesitate in urging my affiliate, Rocky Mountain HPBA, to get involved in the issue. With literally no time to spare, the HPBA quickly began a campaign to

raise customer awareness of the ban and mobilize a grassroots movement supporting a more reasonable alternative.

Within a matter of weeks, the Utahans for Responsible Burning Gene Butler campaign was launched. At public hearings, Utahans came forward in droves against the regulation, which influenced state regulators to decide to cancel their proposal. State lawmakers then overwhelmingly passed HPBA-supported legislation preventing Utah’s DEQ Air Quality board from imposing a similar proposal in the future. It was signed into law, in March 2015, by the same governor who had originally proposed the ban.

It was such a rewarding experience to work with the HPBA to ensure that my business could still thrive (while preserving consumer choice). It was the right thing to do for the general public and for our entire industry. My work, however, isn’t done, and neither is the HPBA’s—nor is yours, if you sell hearth products. Calls for burn bans and other initiatives restricting hearth products continue in various parts of the country.

The relatively new concept of zero net energy (ZNE) construction could have an impact on the ability to install gas hearth appliances in new homes. ZNE is under serious consideration in California and could soon be on the agenda in many states and cities across North America.

ZNE has suddenly sprung up to create a buzz not only in the green-building arena, but also among designers, architects, urban planners, and others. Significantly reducing the energy required by homes is generally a good thing for North America, and we need to be certain that hearth products will have an important role to play in this movement.

The 21st century is an era of continuing change, shifting priorities, and ever-evolving consumer demands; 35-millimeter film, portable CD players, and drive-in theaters are long gone, but consumers continue to desire (and spend money on) picture taking, music listening, and movie watching.

We all recognize that a fire on the hearth and grilling both have innate, enduring appeal, satisfying basic human needs for warmth and companionship. Our creative challenge is to show consumers how our products can enhance their lives. If we are successful, they will buy.

My mission—our mission—your mission is to get involved with the HPBA. Get your message out there, educate your customers, make sure laws and regulations don’t hobble our industry, and be proud of the products you sell.

Gene Butler is chair of the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association and is president of The Firebird (Santa Fe, New Mexico), a leading stove, fireplace, and irrigation supplier.

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

PUBLISHER Tony Ramos tramos@peninsula-media.com

EDITOR Carol Daus cdauswrite@socal.rr.com

ART DIRECTOR Cassandra Estes cassestes1968@gmail.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kris Kyes

STAFF WRITERS Cheryl Dangel Bartolini Cherise Forno Kimberly Rodgers Sharon Sanders Greg Thompson SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Greg Thompson CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Jeffrey Kehl BUSINESS MANAGER Susan Razetto CEO & PRESIDENT Tony Ramos

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NEWS BY

KRI

SK YES

Industry

Majestic Brand Relaunch at Hearth & Home Technologies Brings Company Numerous Benefits As a holding entity for multiple iconic brands, Hearth & Home Technologies (HHT), Lakeville, Minnesota, values its long-held reputation among industry dealers and wholesalers. A relaunch of the company’s Majestic Brand is not so much a fix as it is an opportunity to make improvements.

With a team effort led by V.P. Berger, president of HHT, the benefits thus far have been numerous, and stakeholders are pleased with the progress. Patio & Hearth Products Report sat

The Marquis II fireplace

products, sales tools, and the value chain.

The largest area of focus is products.

Majestic products are now manufactured in our award-winning facilities in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and Lake City, Minnesota, which means that retailers will benefit with proven platforms, lean-manufacturing capabilities, and the quality they expect from all HHT brands.

In addition to improving the product line, we have also introduced new marketing and sales tools

The Quartz fireplace

down with Berger to talk about the specifics of the brand relaunch and what it means for customers.

P&HPR: How does the Majestic Brand relaunching benefit hearth retailers in the United States and Canada?

Berger: Our areas of focus to help retailers are

Castelle Launches SummerWinds Signature Aluminum Line Castelle has launched the SummerWinds Signature aluminum line and its 2017 collections. Under the leadership of Rory Rehmert, newly appointed president, SummerWinds has expanded its product offering of steel casual collections and lounging pieces to include high-quality cast- and extrudedaluminum furnishings. Designed to meet a need in specialty retailing, the SummerWinds Signature aluminum brand includes seven complete collections in traditional, transitional, and contemporary styles.

“Exciting things are planned for our SummerWinds brand for 2017,” Rehmert says.

for each of the products. We believe that shifting Majestic to exclusively wholesale distribution to serve dealers will ultimately benefit everyone. It demonstrates our commitment to the wholesale partners, providing them with opportunities to grow their businesses, while also providing dealers with the tools and services they need to grow their

“A full complement of well-designed collections and individual pieces has been crafted in durable aluminum in response to a need recognized in the marketplace.”

The SummerWinds Signature aluminum collections are crafted of cast and heavy-duty extruded aluminum for superior weather resistance. Each piece boasts a unique and generously proportioned scale, allowing for ergonomic seating comfort. The finish is 100% polyester powder coat for long outdoor life.

Steve Lowsky, CEO of Castelle, says, “The SummerWinds brand has been a successful component of our overall stable of quality outdoor-living products previously serving a designated mass market. With the addition of the aluminum collections,

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The Echelon II fireplace

businesses. Dealers will get timely delivery and great service, with a proven and capable wholesale partner and distribution network.

P&HPR: What Majestic products are particularly noteworthy, in terms of product features and consumer demand?

Berger: We are close to completing a 100% relaunch of the entire Majestic brand, which involves a full line of products that deliver the quality and reliability that our customers expect. There is a strong consumer demand for all gas direct-vent products, inserts, and wood products across modern and traditional fireplaces. The new Majestic lineup spreads across all categories with enhanced feature sets that are going to excite customers.

Starting with the recent Quartz (pictured), it provides excellent flexibility not only for consumers, dealers, and customers, but also for builders who are looking for a great traditional fireplace or a modern look. The Echelon II is a new linear gas fireplace available in several single-sided and

SummerWinds Bellevue sling dining

we look forward to expanding the focus of the brand and growing its position across midsize retailers.”

Collections in the line are the contemporary Bellevue and Novato, along with the traditional/transitional Milano, Regent, Heritage, Meridia, and York. For more information, call (855) 612-9800.

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Castelle Brandstrengthening Launch Continues With Showroom Redesigns

ally beneficial collaboration with many of our designer favorites for finishing touches.” The goal was to allow designers and retailers to get the looks for their clients, and a showroom-handout look book was provided.

“The response to this initial showroom presentation was overwhelming,” Lowsky says. For more information, visit www.castelleluxury.com or call (855) 612-9800.

Castelle High Point showroom

Castelle® recently unveiled the first of its showroom redesigns. As the next phase in Castelle’s brand-strengthening initiative, showrooms in High Point, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; and Chicago, Illinois will be reconfigured and designed to highlight the collections, as well as luxury outdoor living. In the High Point showroom, designers Debbie Berge and Kristin Alber of Found by Domestic Bliss and RestyleSource took the total redesign to the next level. The design team has been tapped for all Castelle showroom revamping.

Steve Lowsky, CEO of Castelle, says, “The look and on-trend feel of our showrooms are important components of our overall brand strengthening.

Each of our collections is presented to the utmost advantage through coordinated displays and accessorizing.” Outdoor rooms within the 4,000– square-foot High Point showroom were created through the use of movable walls and product placements. Floor coverings, art, and accessories completed the vignettes.

Alber says, “In partnering with our marketing team, we were able to achieve for Castelle a mutu-

see-through sizes. It has many options for customization, so it hits the sweet spot for consumers looking for a high-end, nearly custom contemporary fireplace, and we are continuing to see excellent growth in this category. The Marquis II is a beautiful gas fireplace with traditional styling. It meets the demand from consumers who want the ambience of a masonry fireplace and realistic split logs—all with the convenience of gas.

agers. They are also posted to the manufacturer’s website (www.castelleluxury.com), socialmedia sites, www.castelleblog.com, and the Castelle YouTube channel.

“We make a considerable investment each year in the new products we introduce, and with the creation of enhanced marketing tools, we are able to assist our retailers in promoting the collections, as well as presenting the Castelle story in an attractive and consistent manner,” Lowsky says.

Castelle Launches 2017 Series of Collection and Company Videos

Castelle Names Lindsey Berman Brand Ambassador

A series of professionally produced videos was introduced by Castelle during Casual Market Chicago for multiplatform use. The series includes individual product videos highlighting each collection debuting for 2017. Also included is a video featuring the handcrafted production of Castelle luxury outdoor furnishings.

Steve Lowsky, CEO of Castelle, says, “The videos were designed Cover of Castelle brochure to provide a visually informative (yet concise) message about our new products and company. Each story can then be told across multiple platforms, including online and mobile applications.”

The videos are available online and on a USB drive available from Castelle territory man-

In conjunction with the rebranding efforts underway at Castelle, Lindsey Berman has been named brand ambassador. Her activities will include representing Lindsey Berman Castelle in all facets of the brand-awareness initiative. Steve Lowsky, CEO of Castelle, says, “We are excited to add Lindsey to our promotional and marketing team as our brand ambassador. Her background as a spokesperson for charitable entities on a state and national level will prove to be a valuable asset as we work to heighten exposure for our luxury brand.”

Berman held the title of Mrs. Florida in 2008 and 2015. Throughout her reigns, she worked for numerous charitable organizations (including Safe Kids Worldwide and United Way). “I am excited to join with Castelle and work to present information and trends about the company’s lineup of luxury home furnishings,” Berman says.

We are excited not just about one product category, but also about the entire product line, as we relaunch it over the next six months.

P&HPR: How is HHT working with specialty retailers, dealers, and wholesalers to accomplish the relaunching of the brand so far?

Berger: It starts with a comprehensive national distribution strategy,

and that is what we have done here.

We are assuring customers that their quality, and the on-time delivery that they expect, will remain unchanged and uninterrupted. Within 48 hours of announcing this shift, all customers of the Majestic brand were contacted, and the distribution strategy to serve dealers and consumers was explained (along with how it will benefit all of us).

We have the utmost confidence in

The Companion Group’s Pizzeria Pronto Stovetop Pizza Receives Glowing Review The Gourmet Retailer has named The Companion Group’s Pizzeria Pronto® stovetop pizza oven one of its editors’ picks as a housewares winner. It was noted for its quick and powerful heat, cooking pizza The Pizzeria that tastes as delicious as that from a professional pizza oven.

Pronto stovetop The Pizzeria Pronto stovetop pizza oven turns any gas range into a pizza oven pizza oven. It can heat up to 600 degrees in about 15 minutes and cook a pizza in six minutes. The award was based on innovation, functionality, quality, and overall value.

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

our wholesalers to execute this distribution strategy and ensure the best quality, delivery, and cost as we do it.

We are going to equip our wholesalers with the tools necessary to make sure that they are confident and ready to serve the dealers in their markets.

P&HPR: What will be happening during the transition period (through January 2017)?

Berger: Over the next few months, we are going to work closely with our dealers and wholesalers to ensure that the dealers are informed correctly on wholesalers they can buy from and to make sure that they are effectively and efficiently transitioned to new wholesale partners. We want to ensure that we are maintaining these relationships with the Majestic brand. These hearth retailers will still see the same quality they have come

NEWS

Industry

Telescope Celebrates Robert Vanderminden’s 65-year Tenure Five generations of the family running the successful Telescope Casual Furniture (Granville, New York) gathered with other staff members on November 2 to celebrate Robert D. vanderminden Sr.’s 65 years of hard work for the company, and he’s still going strong. vanderminden, chair of the board for the company, says, “I have enjoyed myself every moment I’ve been here. I think you have to. That’s why I’m still here; it’s still fun.” vanderminden, 89, has a long history of working hard in the industry. In 1941—at the age of 14—he began working in a sawmill and lumberyard, earning $0.21 per hour stacking lumber, according to Heather Pauquette, marketing coordinator for Telescope. Over the next few years, he repaired sewing machines for the lumberyard and constructed storage racks.

As a teenager, vanderminden continued to gain experience during his year at the Coast Guard Academy, where he sailed on the USCGC Eagle training vessel. In addition to falling in love with sailing, he gained valuable hands-on experience in working with the fabrics and framework of a sailing vessel that would help him later in his career.

While studying management engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, vanderminden used any free time he could set aside to redesign a Telescope wooden line of furniture in 1951. He then went on to make changes to Telescope’s director chair, which included the addition of a removable seat and back.

“The easily replaceable seats and backs meant that customers could easily choose from a wide variety of colors and change their colors

years later,” Pauquette says. company adapt and solve prob“This caused the popularity of lems over numerous decades. “In the director chair to explode.”

1980, during gas rationing, he The director chair— designed and built our wasteTelescope’s flagship prodwood–burning system to heat our uct—was selected as the 47th entire facility, which we’ve been product in the Illinois Institute using ever since,” Pauquette says. of Technology’s list of 100 This intelligence and eye for best-designed products of design led to vanderminden modern times. being awarded the International In the 1970s, as the execuCasual Furnishings Association’s tive vice president for Lifetime Achievement Award in Robert D. Vanderminden Sr. Telescope, vanderminden 2011—as well as many internationcontinued to be innovative, al design awards, throughout his bringing new designs and furniture to the comcareer. vanderminden also devoted time to pany’s product line to meet increased demand bringing up his five children and passing on his for higher-quality furniture with powder-coated work ethic to the next generations of his family. finishes. vanderminden worked with the compa“As hard as he worked, he always made time for ny’s aluminum-extrusion supplier to create slothis family,” Pauquette explains. “Every Sunday, ted tubing, which made it possible to introduce they would all go to church in their brightly colthe Gardenella sling collection in 1977. This line ored ski clothes—and as soon as the last hymn became the standard for the industry by being was over, the whole family headed for the slopes the first collection to feature a doweled sling in a in its Pontiac station wagon.” groove design, Pauquette says. vanderminden not only made time for his The Gardenella sling collection continues to own children, but has been actively involved be one of Telescope’s best-selling products with the Granville Little League for more than 60 almost 40 years later, with more than 1 million years. “There are 500 kids from the local rural units sold. This innovation has been one of many communities involved in the program, and Bob accomplishments for vanderminden. He not made sure Telescope has always been the main only crafted many new lines, but also designed benefactor for the program,” Pauquette says. the equipment needed to construct them. “He vanderminden’s daughter, Kathy Juckett, CEO was responsible for the design of the product of Telescope, gave vanderminden a plaque and from the late 1950s forward, and is still actively jacket at the celebration ceremony to honor his designing products for the Telescope line today,” incredible contributions to the company.

Pauquette says. vanderminden, asked how long he plans to convanderminden’s creativity also helped the tinue working, replies, “until it stops being fun.”

to expect, and we believe they will actually get better service from our wholesale partners (who have been committed to us for years and know the brand so well).

that they will continue to receive quality Majestic products in a timely manner, and I think we are all excited about the future of the Majestic brand as we take this step together.

Leslie Bortz, president, says, “It is personally gratifying to see our promising younger employees rise in the ranks to become members of the executive management team.”

P&HPR: What has been the feedback from hearth dealers about this new branding strategy?

RH Peterson Promotes Dominque Seim to Assistant vice President

NorthCape Acquires Rights for Terra Flame Home Products

RH Peterson Company has promoted Dominque Seim to the position of assistant vice president. Jon Bridgwater, executive vice president, says, “Dominque is young, energetic, and bright; he is in position to bring our manufacturing processes to a higher level.”

In 2004, Seim joined RH Peterson as a master scheduler. He quickly rose to several supervisory and management positions. His focus has been to improve processes, increase throughput, and ship high-quality products to customers.

NorthCape (Alsip, Illinois) has acquired North American distribution rights for Terra Flame Home lantern and torch fire accessories. The line has been rebranded as NorthCape Fire. All NorthCape Fire products will be powered exclusively by SunJel gel fuel. NorthCape launched the new line at Casual Market Chicago. Tom Murray, president of NorthCape, says, “Terra Flame has developed some great Firespace products, and we are excited to make the products more convenient and cost effective for dealers and end users to enjoy.”

Berger: The feedback has been resoundingly positive. We actually announced the brand-strategy change back in October 2015, and that was a comprehensive relaunch of the Majestic brand, going back to its heritage of direct-vent, gas, and woodburning fireplaces.

Feedback on our distribution has been good across the board. Our wholesale partners appreciate the commitment that we have made to them to help grow their businesses, and our dealers appreciate the transparency—and understand it, based on our core strategy. We have assured them

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

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NEWS

Industry

Phifer Unveils Expanded Cushion and Sling Options for Color Box Phifer Inc.’s Color Box of furniture-fabric samples is now available in three customized options. The compilation previously contained swatches of both GeoBella® indoor/outdoor high-performance cushion fabrics and Phifertex® outdoor sling fabrics, but is now available in cushion- or sling-only options as well. Unveiled each fall, the Color Box presents the year’s new color and pattern offerings.

From the exterior graphics and color-themed organization to the enclosed set of trend cards, the Color Box inspires creativity and encourages mixing and matching. The box has become a handy tool for customers assembling fabric collections, eliminating guesswork and making it easier to envision and create coordinated looks for both indoor and outdoor spaces. For the 2016–17 season, Phifer introduced 375 new fabrics and eight color and pattern trends.

The Phifer Color Box

Phifer Promotes Fabric-design Director Phifer Inc. has promoted Monica Thornton to the position of director of design. With more than 24 years’ experience in the outdoor -fabric arena, Thornton possesses in-depth knowledge of the industry and its global evolution. She has been employed as senior designer at Phifer for the past three years and previously held design and marketing positions elsewhere.

Hugo Benitez, national market manager for Phifer’s Designed Fabrics division, says, “Monica has been an integral part of our Designed Fabrics team, creating fabric collections that have made Phifer a leader in design. Her knowledge of outdoor furniture markets has been instrumental in Phifer’s continued growth worldwide.”

Coyote Joins Nationwide Marketing Group Coyote Outdoor Living (Dallas, Texas) has joined Nationwide Marketing Group, a buying/marketing organization for independent retailers. The new alignment expands Coyote’s access to independent retailers.

Jim Ginocchi, president of Coyote, says, “Coyote is pleased to join Nationwide as its new vendor partner.

Outdoor living is an exciting and promising growth area for Nationwide’s retailer members and we are pleased to have the opportunity to align with these forward-looking retailers to make premium-level outdoorliving products accessible to consumers.”

The Coyote product portfolio encompasses gas and charcoal grills and smokers, refrigeration and refreshment products, storage and cabinetry doors, and cook-

ing and maintenance accessories, all built from premium 304 stainless steel. Patrick Maloney, senior vice president of appliances for Nationwide, says, “Nationwide is excited about our newest vendor partnership with Coyote.” Its products, he adds, offer high quality at key price levels in the growing mass-premium category, enhancing Nationwide’s breadth of assortment in the segment.

From our family to yours...

This Holiday Season, may you discover a little of The Pawleys Life magic with our iconic handwoven rope hammocks, furniture and accessories.

They’ll be sure to put a twinkle in someone’s eye.

Call 800-334-1078 today for our 2017 catalog / thehammocksource.com We’d love to see you at the Las Vegas Market / January 22nd – 26th / C1379

Circle Reader Service No. 14

NOvEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

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Monica Thornton

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

In addition, Coyote products are available through a network of distributors across North America. For more information, visit www.coyoteoutdoor.com.

The Outdoor GreatRoom Company Announces New Logo The Outdoor GreatRoom Company™ (OGC) has announced a new logo.

Hilary Mays, marketing-content specialist, says, “As we continue to evolve and innovate, our brand must grow with us.”

For the past year, the company has worked to refresh the brand, and this new logo is the final step in that process.

The new visual identity reflects how OGC wants to be perceived in the marketplace: as something modern, innovative, and fun.

“The logo itself is a redesign using elements from our first logo—respecting the past, while preparing for the future,” Mays says. “The new logo

ICFA Manufacturer Leadership Award Presented to Treasure Garden For the 13th time (and seventh year in a row), Treasure Garden has been recognized by retailer members of the International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) with the Manufacturer Leadership Award in the shade category. Presented during Casual Market Chicago, the award recognizes overall manufacturing and customer-service excellence.

Margaret Chang, president of Treasure Garden, says, “Our team has conGary McCray of the International Casual Furnishings Association presents Margaret sistently been singled out with this award as a leader in the shade category, based on the high quality of our manufacturing and customer-service efforts. Chang and Oliver Ma of Treasure Garden with the 2016 Manufacturer Leadership Award We are always thrilled to be recognized in this manner, but the true reward is in earning the satisfaction of our customers, year after year.” The award joins 12 previous ICFA Manufacturer Leadership Awards and other awards on display in the company’s permanent showroom (1655) in the Chicago Merchandise Mart.

continues to focus on the fire as the heart of the outdoor room, under a pergola, and now, it also represents the fire as the heart of a home, as we expand into indoor accessories.”

Modernizing the brand and making it more versatile reflect where OGC is, as a company, and its commitment to giving customers what they want (as they want it). The new logo will officially be launched on January 1, 2017, with the publication of the 2017 product catalog.

Couristan Appoints Mark Ferullo Vice President of National Accounts Couristan Inc. recently appointed Mark Ferullo vice president of national accounts. As an industry veteran with more than 20 years’ experience, Ferullo will lead and execute Couristan’s exploration and strategic development of new business opportunities. Ron Couri, presiMark Ferullo dent and CEO of Couristan, notes, “Mark’s creative leadership and unique experiences in sales and operations within the home-furnishings and area-rug industries will provide tremendous value to his role within our company.”

Circle Reader Service No. 15

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

SPOTLIGHT

The Cold Is Coming Stove manufacturers and retailers are hoping for a strong selling season.

BY GREG THOMPSON

Harman’s Allure50 stove

The Sirocco 25 insert from Blaze King

Members of the patio industry typically hope for pleasant weather. Hearth-product sellers,

however, tend to reside at the other end of the spectrum.

For them, plunging temperatures add up to better sales. Nick Bauer says, “If the fourth quarter gets cold, it could give us a nice little year-over-year jump from a warm fourth quarter in 2015.”

Bauer is president of Empire Comfort Systems (Belleville, Illinois).

His sentiment is likely to be a common one among stove manufacturers.

Manufacturers also tend to agree with the notion that economic stability leads to consumer confidence.

Transforming that confidence into genuine enthusiasm depends on new-product offerings.

Product updates and awareness of trends are also important in inspiring consumers. In addition, manufacturing processes that focus on efficiency allow stove makers to become better at meeting the needs of retailers.

HEARTH & HOME TECHNOLOGIES Gas and wood have led the way in stoves this year for Hearth & Home Technologies® (Lakeville, Minnesota).

According to Jeni Forman, senior vice president of U.S. sales, dealer/wholesale, gas stoves are a relatively small category, while wood is showing the usual slow and steady growth.

“I think milder temperatures and low fuel prices are contributing to the fact that gas and wood seem to be preferred over pellet fuels right now,” she says.

“Traditionally, gas and wood have been viewed more as the fuels of choice for heating a cold room, while pellet fuels are thought of more as powerful heaters for larger areas.”

The company is excited about new controls on pellet stoves, particularly the Harman EASY Touch control on the Absolute43 stove. Plans are in place to introduce the new control system across the Harman line in 2017.

“EASY Touch control puts an entire-

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The Shaker stove from Wittus

Enviro’s S20 steel gas stove, modern design

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Hearthstone’s Bristol DX stove, in basil

The 1450 wood stove from Napoleon

fuel types. Stoves are a great solution for meeting secondary heating needs in any home, and that isn’t going to change any time soon.”

Regency’s F2400 classic wood stove

Supreme’s Fusion EPA wood-burning insert

ly new form of control in consumers’ hands, with respect to managing their heat, stove, maintenance, and service,” Forman says. “As with fireplaces, we are also seeing trends toward more modern or simple designs in stoves. Our new Harman Allure50 (a modern pellet stove) and the new Discovery series wood stoves from Quadra-Fire are highlighting these modern and more simplified trends.”

Forman believes that a new

mindset among stove manufacturers and dealers is necessary for changing times. She explains, “I think we all need to get used to these warmer weather patterns and low fuel prices, recognizing that this could well be the new norm for stove seasons to come. We need to understand why consumers are buying stoves and design stoves that meet those demands. Overall, I think stoves are here to stay, and we can continue to expect steady growth across all the

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

WITTUS Wittus®—Fire by Design (Pound Ridge, New York) relied on a designer from Italy, Antonio Citterio, to style a stove inspired

by Early American Shaker furniture. The move paid off as the successful Shaker stove, a combination of form and function (with a contemporary edge) that fits many design scenarios.

Patti Boker Elkon, promotion and sales support, tracks trends in an effort to react to these design scenarios. Sometimes, trends materialize before the sales figures have a chance to catch up; such has been the case with recent demand for outdoor-cooking products.

The company’s Happy Pizza oven is an example of a product gaining momentum. It has the ability to be placed indoors or outside, and it sits on a portable trolley, so it can be wheeled to a desired location.

“The Heckla and Klassic are cookstoves that have cooking and baking compartments on top and the firebox directly underneath, so these stove are kitchen tools and heat sources,” Boker Elkon adds.

“The Domino 6 and 8 Maxi from Italy are perfect products for the kitchen. The cookstove tops and full-range ovens make these versatile cooking tools and sources of heat.”

Sales-boosting stove accessories, such as the Wood Stocker, are natural add-on items, and Boker Elkon confirms that this Dutch item has

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

done well. The Wood Stocker is a modular product, made of CORTEN™ steel, that can hold about a half cord of wood in each section.

Boker Elkon echoes the concerns of many stove makers. She explains, “New EPA regulations have put a lot of us on edge and have even caused some products to be discontinued. Stoves have had to be retested, which is a costly endeavor. The lower oil prices and warmer winters have also contributed to downsizing in the world markets.”

Boker Elkon believes that business can still sizzle. “We think business will steadily pick up as the economy gets stronger,” she says.

“So far, there has only been a slight rise since last year. Our focus is on contemporary European products for a more affluent market; tastes in hearth products are getting more modern, with an eye toward good design and concern about the environment.”

NAPOLEON Wood-stove sales have generally been flat, compared with last year’s sales, according to Stephen Schroeter, senior vice president of sales, marketing, and administration for Napoleon Fireplaces (Barrie, Ontario). He believes that sales of gas stoves will stay on the upswing for the foreseeable future, however.

“If you are a wood buyer, and that is your fuel of choice, you will remain a wood buyer. The woodstove buyer is typically looking for a larger stove with longer burn times,” Schroeter explains.

“Many, however, are opting for the benefits of a gas stove,” he adds.

SPOTLIGHT

Blaze King’s Ashford 25 insert

The Madrona square-front stove, with logs, from Valor

The medium direct-vent cast-iron stove in porcelain black from Empire The Berkeley cast-iron three-sided gas stove from Enviro

“Fuel is affordable, and gas (versus wood) makes it easier to keep your home clean.”

Schroeter reports that today’s consumers are continuing to express an interest in more modern/contemporary-style stoves for wood and gas, and dealers would do well to feed this demand in the future. While there will always be demand for wood, Schroeter predicts, “Wood will continue to decline, in coming years.”

Instead, gas-stove sales will continue to grow for several years to come, primarily because the aging population will continue to favor the benefits of burning gas over wood—especially as they grow “tired of buying or splitting wood, carrying it into the home, and cleaning up after it. Those will all be contributing factors to the growth of the gas-stove category,” he says.

BLAZE KING Chris Neufeld, vice president of Blaze King Industries Inc. (Walla Walla, Washington), laments that the first two quarters of 2016 were slow for sales of wood stoves and wood-burning fireplace inserts. Unlike many years, when the season builds to a peak over several weeks, this year “it was as if a light switch was turned on, and orders started arriving overnight,” he says.

All of the company’s units (with many options that meet the 2020 EPA standards) have been in high demand. “Our Sirocco 25 insert, which we showed at HPBExpo this year,

has been overwhelmingly well received in the marketplace,” Neufeld says.

“There is also some pent-up demand for the new Ashford 25 insert,” he continues. “It’s based on our successful freestanding model’s design, for late introduction this year.”

For Neufeld and his team, the late launch is part of a strategy that has involved significant investments in a new company-wide operating system and new fabrication machinery. “Both have allowed us to respond much more quickly to the increased and immediate demand for our products,” he says.

“We’ve complemented our research/development programs with new engineers and updated modeling programs. These allow us to bring new products to market much sooner than in past years,” Neufeld adds.

HEARTHSTONE Riding what he calls a “new wave of housing starts,” David Kuhfahl, president of Hearthstone Stoves (Morrisville, Vermont), enjoyed a healthy sales increase in EPA–certified wood fireplaces.

For the company’s signature soapstone and castiron wood stoves, Kuhfahl noticed a shift to the value proposition among many customers. “That is, we saw stronger response to the less expensive models,” he says.

A new state-of-the-art development lab (with three dilution tunnels) is now in place to ensure

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preparedness for the 2020 EPA standards. Right around the corner, Kuhfahl anticipates that an extension of the company’s successful Aurora line will contribute to a successful 2017.

“There will surely be some waves in the industry with our new enamel color, which will make our competitors red with envy,” he says. “We are also taking a hard look at wood and gas inserts, possibly for late 2017 or early 2018. Our first 2020 freestanding stove is finished with internal testing and will be in certification shortly.”

New construction, cheap gas, and maturing millennials will continue to fuel what Kuhfahl predicts will be a prosperous year. “Millennials will get married, have babies, and move to the suburbs; oil prices will continue to fluctuate between $40 and $60 a barrel due to fracking, so those are easy predictions,” Kuhfahl says.

“As for wood burning, it remains the most common and greenest renewable and sustainable energy source in North America and the world—and part of a lifestyle we enjoy, here in Vermont,” he adds. “A wood-burning stove will keep you warm and enable you to cook your food in the event of a grid failure due to a storm.”

EMPIRE The stove category’s sales have remained consistent at Empire. There have been increased sales of gas-fireplace products, too.

“Accessory shelves and stone inlays remain

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Empire’s small vent-free cast-iron stove in porcelain mahogany

popular,” Bauer reports. “We have seen a definite shift away from the lighter colors in the enamel finishes to the more traditional enamel colors and flat black.”

Lean-manufacturing capabilities have improved steadily, thanks to the addition of “the right people, with the right expertise,” he says.

Empire has also added equipment and technology that “allows us to make more components inhouse—helping us control costs and improve delivery,” Bauer explains.

He believes that the outdoor category will present opportunities for continued growth in the long term. In the short term, it could use a bit of help from Mother Nature.

Cold weather at the end of 2016, he explains, would be an improvement over the warm weather that characterized the same period of 2015. Bauer says, “I’m cautiously optimistic for our 2017 and our future.”

VALOR Paul Miles is president and director of sales at Miles Industries Ltd. (North Vancouver, British Columbia), maker of Valor® fireplaces. He partially attributes a 20% stovecategory sales jump to a cleaner-design option for the company’s top-selling Madrona stove model.

Miles calls the Madrona “a proven performer. Dealers know it will make customers happy,” he says.

Manufacturing capabilities at Valor remain characteristically strong, with expanded facilities recently making room for increased production volume and engineering capabilities.

The extra capacity will come in handy, especially with the Valor line continuing to gain in popularity, combined with favorable economic conditions.

For the long-term future, Miles predicts, “Steady as she goes is my best guess. Fuel prices are keeping out of the news—meaning steady, low natural-gas prices, which help sales.”

He adds, “Government rules and regulations are the biggest wild card. We need to

The Absolute43 stove from Harman

Wolf Steel’s Vicenza pellet stoves

The Waitsfield DX stove, in basil, from Hearthstone

keep sending the message that energy-efficient, zone-heating, clean-burning natural gas and LP fireplaces and stoves are a great, environmentally responsible way to provide home comfort; gas is the champagne of clean fuels.”

REGENCY Customers are finding stoves from Regency® Fireplace Products (Delta, British Columbia) to be neither too big nor too small, but just right.

Those medium-sized stoves are big sellers, thanks to carefully planned dimensions that offer many customers “the perfect amount of

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heat for their living spaces,” according to Daniela Lucarino, product manager.

Medium-sized stoves are built on the premise that “customers want something big enough to heat their rooms, but not so big that the heat prevents them from enjoying that space,” she says. According to Lucarino, that comfort zone is made possible by a control that regulates the amount of heat at the touch of a button (Hampton H27)—or by using a side-mounted draft rod to control air intake (Regency F2400).

Echoing the sentiments of many of her colleagues, Lucarino sees a trend toward more modern and contemporary styles, and ideas are on the drawing board to capitalize on this trend. “Our Alterra CS1200,” she says, “is a step in the right direction.”

Customers are increasingly environmentally conscious, and Lucarino notes that this sensibility will remain a top-of-mind consideration for a lot of customers. “It continues to be a hot topic of discussion,” she says.

“Many regions in the United States and Canada continue to offer rebates to customers who switch their old wood-burning units for higher-efficiency units,” she adds.

“The competitive market, combined with all these rebates, is making stoves more and more affordable. This is a win–win situation for

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

SPOTLIGHT

The Wittus Stromboli rotating woodburning stove

The Duet EPA woodburning see-through fireplace from Supreme

The H27 Hampton gas stove from Regency

customers and the environment—and our Pro-series F3500 and F5100 offer customers high efficiency and the quality they have come to expect from Regency.”

ENVIRO Sales of gas stoves are running ahead of 2015 levels for Sherwood Industries’ Enviro brand (Victoria, British Columbia), and Cherbel Yousief, president, reports that 2015 sales were far ahead of 2014 sales. “Pellet-stove sales are down, while wood is flat,” he adds. Yousief is banking on the growth trend for gas “as consumers look for convenience and more modernlooking inserts, freestanding stoves, and fireplaces,” he says.

Meanwhile, the company is in the preliminary stages of making its wood stoves compliant with 2020 rules. “We do not see this as a growing category,” Yousief says, “but it must be done in order to preserve our complete offering of all fuel types.”

New investments in machinery and equipment attest to Yousief’s willingness to boost production capacity—to deliver even more value to the dealer network, at a competitive rate. “In addition, as many consumers are looking for a nicer finish and greater variety, we will be further investing in a new powder-coat line and a porcelain-enamel facility,” he says.

“This will help us meet the demand of today’s

Valor’s Madrona traditional stove

consumers for better product aesthetics.”

With infrastructure investments moving at a fast pace, Enviro is preparing to release a variety of gas products in 2017. These will not replace current models, but will enhance an alreadystrong lineup.

Moving forward, Yousief predicts, “There will always be consumers for all types of fuels; however, if one were to go by the market trend, gas will be the fastest-growing category. As more manufacturers compete in this arena, price will become a concern: More competition will bring on price pressure, and that pressure will be downward.”

SUPREME As 2016 comes to a close, Supreme Fireplace Inc. (Montreal, Quebec) is keen to keep the momentum it has built with its EPA–approved see-through wood stoves and fireplaces. The company’s Vision see-through stove, for example, is described by Katherine Marcakis,

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mechanical engineer, as ideal for consumers who want to furnish an open-concept floor plan. The Vision stove is highly efficient, with a heating capacity of 2,000 square feet.

“This year, we introduced Fusion, the only wood insert that can be installed with a 5-inch liner,” Marcakis says. “This product comes with a patented adjustable circulating chamber, which greatly simplifies installation. The circulating chamber can be adjusted to the size of the existing fireplace and can maximize the circulation of air around the firebox, even without the use of blowers.”

Supreme products are user friendly, thanks to a patented technology that includes an automatic air control. According to Marcakis, “This innovative mechanism regulates the combustion air of the fireplace automatically with the temperature of the unit and minimizes the consumer’s intervention. All our products also come with built-in barbecue grills—unique accessories that really set us apart from our competitors. This feature allows consumers to cook their favorite foods inside their fireplaces or stoves, once the wood is reduced to embers.”

Unlike many noncatalytic EPA products, Supreme products do not have secondary air tubes. Instead, secondary combustion is maintained through a baffle, which was designed to prolong combustion, increase efficiency, and reduce emissions.

“Eliminating the secondary air tubes allows us to design products with a greater viewing area,” Marcakis explains. “States are growing stricter about allowable emissions, so we also predict that consumers will opt for fireplaces, stoves, and inserts with minimal emissions.”

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

INTRODUCING THE NEW FUSION WOODBURNING INSERT, CERTIFIED TO BE INSTALLED WITH A 5 INCH LINER

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www.supremem.com Circle Reader Service No. 21

WOODBURNING PRODUCTS

Marketing Maneuvers LADIFF

Vive La Différence This contemporaryfurnishings retailer stands out in Virginia.

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY DARYLL MORGAN

Andrew Thornton and Sarah Paxton

By the time he was 25, Andrew Thornton had left his native England and traveled the world—living in London,

Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and the United States (in New York and California). He also found time to hitchhike across the United States eight times—once, with a golden retriever—and to work in Haiti, where he oversaw production of handicrafts and baskets for export to the United States.

Seeing the U.S. business potential of these goods, Thornton shipped a container to Charlottesville, Virginia, and opened a retail store there in 1980.

He aptly named the new venture La Différence, from the national tourism slogan of Haiti: Vive la Différence.

The store opened in a 2,000– square-foot space. Within two years, its focus became modern and contemporary indoor home furnishings and accessories. The business quickly doubled its retail space, and customers began referring to it simply as LaDiff. In 1987, LaDiff moved to a new A 5,000–square-foot garage 15,000–square-foot space in was converted to showcase Charlottesville, and within three contemporary outdoor lines years, it took over an additional

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LaDiff occupies a downtown Richmond building from the 1800s

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Circle Reader Service No. 23

Marketing Maneuvers LADIFF

5,000 square feet.

In 1992, Thornton and Sarah Paxton, his wife and business partner, decided to open a second location in downtown Richmond. By 1994, they had concentrated their focus on the larger metropolitan area of Richmond and had closed their Charlottesville store. They relocated their personal and professional lives to Richmond.

LaDiff draws customers from all over the country After two moves, LaDiff eventually settled into its current home, a building dating from the 1800s. The three-story structure, located up Castelle this year and have been pleasantly surin the historic Shockoe Bottom district, was comprised with it, in our first season,” Thornton pletely refurbished by Thornton and his partners. reports. “This was the first time we saw people buying living- and dining-room groups combined.

THE MODERN HOME This may sound usual to a traditional patio store, When it first opened, LaDiff went against the but for us, it was a nice little boost.” tide of traditional design—by far, the most popuThornton comments that an ongoing educalar style at that time. “When we first came to tional process is called for in explaining to cusRichmond, people thought we were never going tomers why outdoor furniture can cost as much to make it in such a conservative arena,” as (if not more than) indoor furniture. “When Thornton comments. As the interest in (and people are used to buying a table and chairs for trend toward) modern design grew, however, their outdoor spaces at a relatively inexpensive LaDiff soon became a destination for shoppers price, it is a bit of a leap to spend $8,000 to throughout the South. It also became known $12,000 for an entire outdoor group,” he says. along the Eastern Seaboard (and beyond) as the MARKETING THE NAME source for contemporary furnishings. “We draw In August 2014, the retailer officially changed its from all over the country. People fly in, spend the name to LaDiff. The formality was simply a day with us, and fly back; we arrange delivery,” reflection of what customers and employees had Thornton says. been calling the store for decades.

For many years, the store had been dabbling La Différence had been a bit awkward for in outdoor furniture as an adjunct to its indoor some people to pronounce, but the shortened offering. “Several years ago, we made plans for a version rolled easily off every tongue. Thornton concerted expansion in the category, but the says, “The transition went very well. For some recession hit, so we hunkered down to ride it reason, it hit the Associated Press, and the news out,” Thornton says. “Once we felt the economy went out internationally.” had stabilized, we proceeded with a major The LaDiff name is prominent throughout remodeling of our indoor garage into a model Richmond, from the sign on top of the building showcase for our outdoor lines.” to the colorful logo displayed on its delivery He adds, “It also was becoming more obvious trucks. LaDiff is also well known through its that the outdoor space was turning into the new advertising campaigns. living room. Instead of having a dining table and “There is very little we do not do, when it a couple of chairs, people wanted to furnish a comes to marketing,” Thornton comments. complete room.” At the same time, the technolThose efforts include televisions commercials; ogy and manufacturing processes have advanced, radio sponsorships on NPR; newspaper and improving the quality of products that can be magazine advertising; email marketing; and an used outdoors. Thornton comments, “I think all active presence on various social-media platof these factors, combined, led us to take this forms, including Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, market more seriously.” and Twitter.

Today, LaDiff carries many of the top names Thornton adds, “My wife uses the analogy in casual/outdoor living, including Kingsleythat using social media is like a having a converBate, Jensen Leisure Furniture, Castelle, Gloster, sation at a cocktail party. You actually have backKettler, Fermob, and Royal Teak. “We just picked

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and-forth communication with someone, as opposed to placing an ad in a newspaper (a one-sided message).”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE The three-story Watkins– Cottrell building, which Thornton and his partners purchased in 1998, takes up almost an entire city block in downtown Richmond. “It is a pretty amazing building, with parts of it dating from the late 1800s. It was an old wholesale-hardware store,” he says. “We purposely chose to be smack-dab downtown in Richmond—partially to be a flagship store in a historic urban environment, but also because we are very involved in the entire Richmond community, including its politics and infrastructure.”

The entire building has about 115,000 square feet of space, with LaDiff inhabiting 70,000 square feet. The rest of the building is fully leased to other companies. “It has great bones: The walls are 2 feet thick, and there are magnificent beams, 100 feet long, holding up trusses. It feels like an old department store from the 1920s. There is a sense of place and grace to the building. It has tremendous character—like a well-aged lady,” Thornton says.

A distinctive 5,000–square-foot area is now devoted to showcasing outdoor products. “We have a magnificent old garage space (with 30-foot ceilings), which we converted for outdoor furnishings,” Thornton says. The space is technically indoors, but it has no air conditioning or heating, giving customers the feeling of being outside.

Water features, murals, gardens, decks, and walkways add outdoor ambience to the space.

Prior to Thornton’s purchase of the building, it had been vacant for 30 years. LaDiff not only brought the space back to life, but truly made a significant impact on the rebirth of downtown Richmond. “We feel that we are more than just a retail location,” Thornton says. Indeed, LaDiff was one of the first businesses to rehabilitate a building in downtown Richmond—and it is now a cornerstone of the city.

“As in many urban areas, there had been significant flight to the suburbs. We made a conscious decision to gentrify in a downtown environment, which has led to quite a bit more retail business coming back to the area,” Thornton says. ”There is now a thriving restaurant and tourist scene, but when we first undertook the rehab, we were certainly ahead of the curve.”

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Circle Reader Service No. 25

Hearth Retailer FIREPLACE STONE & PATIO

Reinventing a Business A well-established hearth retailer rebrands and expands to strengthen customer service for shoppers and builders.

From left, Dale and Jeff Funk; Dave Modlin

BY SHARON SANDERS DENNIS LAUER PHOTOGRAPHY

The recent rebranding effort of Fireplace Stone & Patio (Omaha, Nebraska) is shining a

bright light on the specialty retailer’s alreadysuccessful business. The dynamic operation is reaching out to new markets and increasing its visibility, while fine-tuning service to its longtime, loyal customers at the same time.

The family-owned business was started in 1932, by Chelsey C. Cain and a partner, as Lumberman’s Brick & Supply Company. It was a wholesale supplier to the construction industry that partnered with local commercial contractors, providing them with everything from hardware, brick, and masonry supplies to basement doors.

Over time, the business developed a reputation for its service and strong relationships in the community. As the marketplace changed, the growing business saw opportunity in hearth products and brought them into the mix in the late 1970s.

The introduction of the hearth category opened the door to a whole new client base with residential builders. There was a natural transition to retail sales, too, as builders needed a place to send their customers to pick out fireplaces. Everything changed.

Jeff Funk, president and CEO, says, “We’ve become the go-to hearth dealer for custom- and semicustom-home builders in the area.” Funk took the reins of the business from his father, Dale, in 2004, becoming the fourth-generation co-owner of the company.

Dale has since served as chair.

began an effort to transform all of the company’s retail stores, starting with a new location in Lincoln. “We knew that if we wanted to keep growing, we would need bigger showrooms to merchandise our products better,” he says.

He worked closely with a local architect to design a sigA fresh image nature look for all the stores. brings Fireplace Over the next few years, the Stone & Patio to new heights Waukee and Grand Island locations were completely remodeled—and the flagship store in Omaha was gutted and rebuilt, featuring an impressive 9,000–square-foot showroom. With the new stores completed, the time was right to rebrand the business.

“We had been toying with the idea of changing our name for many years because The operation is now a full-service hearth Lumberman’s Brick & Supply Company didseller/installer, with four upscale locations in n’t tell our story. Being a family business and Nebraska (in Omaha, Grand Island, and having a long history is a good story, but you Lincoln) and Iowa (in Waukee). It offers don’t always have time to tell it, and I was products with the level of sophistication that tired of people calling to ask how much our its customers are looking for, including fire2x4s were,” Funk says. The official unveiling places and stoves from Heat & Glo, of the new name and image was planned to Heatilator, Napoleon, Kozy Heat, Innovative dovetail with the grand opening of the Hearth Products, Astria, Quadra-Fire, Omaha retail store in 2014.

Hearthstone, and Harman. Today, it carries a To ensure that the name change would be strategic mixture of hearth, grilling, and outseamless, a comprehensive communication door-living products, along with a selection of plan was rolled out in advance. The change exterior-masonry supplies. was first shared with builder clients (to help THE TRANSFORMATION alleviate any confusion).

After carving out its niche in the market, the “We didn’t want them to think that we retail operation was working to bring it up to were going out of business. We explained the the next level. “We have never wanted to get reasoning for the change and assured them comfortable to the point that we stop bringwe were still the same company, with the ing new ideas and products to our customers. same owners,” Funk says. “It also gave us the We are always re-evaluating our operation,” opportunity to meet, face to face, with some Funk explains. In 2008, Funk and his team of our builders who usually just send their

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

F

TruFlame TECHNOLOGY

Circle Reader Service No. 27

Hearth Retailer FIREPLACE STONE & PATIO

customers to our showrooms and don’t actually come in themselves. It’s good for them to see that they are sending their clients somewhere nice, with high-quality products; this actually reflects positively on them.”

As the grand opening of the Omaha store drew closer, announcements were made on the company website, in social media, and on local radio. There also were trade and consumer open-house events. “Everything, together, generated a great deal of excitement in the community. People from all over the area stopped in, curious to see what we had done. It was a huge success,” Funk reports.

STAYING IN THE PUBLIC EYE The new name has proved to be a smart step forward; it has amped up visibility, especially among passing drivers. “We’ve noticed a significant increase in the number of walk-in shoppers,” Funk says. “In the past, most of our retail customers were crossovers from builders’ jobs.

Now, they come in specifically looking for retail products.” Funk is committed to continuing the momentum from the brand launch, and he has put a solid marketing plan in place—with help from Mandy Hemphill, marketing coordinator, and Dave Modlin, vice president. The three touch base every week to discuss what’s working (and what’s not) and to make plans accordingly.

Funk says, “All of our messaging is cross-platform, from our email blasts to our website and social media. We reuse the marketing messages in all the channels, but just tailor them differently.

It’s efficient and keeps the message consistent.” Funk explains that Facebook has been particularly effective because of the viral aspect of people sharing content with their friends. He adds, “A lot of people use Facebook, so it generates tons of impressions without our having to spend much, in terms of advertising dollars. I can spend $25 on an article, blog post, or product highlight, and it can potentially be seen by thousands of people.”

The store’s website (www.fireplacestone patio.com) is a major part of its marketing effort

Updated showrooms offer plenty of space for the latest products

and was refreshed as part of the rebranding. Funk says, “We are always updating content to keep it engaging. It takes less effort than one might expect. For us, it is as simple as doing things such as updating our blog or highlighting seasonal products.

For example, we recently shifted the images on our homepage from summer landscaping to winter hearth and grill products. It makes a big difference.” He adds that updating the website’s content regularly also helps with search-engine optimization.

Just as important as promoting the new brand message to the public was creating a new

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company culture. “It has to be clear—who we are and why we do what we do—because it unifies us as a team,” Funk says, adding that unity is important because it enables the team to provide the service levels that customers expect. “With four locations, we have lots of moving parts, so we all have to be on the same page,” he notes.

Fireplace Stone & Patio has worked hard to bring customers in the door and create a terrific experience for them. “Anyone can sell a set of patio furniture or a fireplace. We go one step further in everything we do,” Funk explains.

“We plan to continue improving and enhancing our brand messaging, operational communications, and business processes. It’s who we are, as a company. Perhaps, someday, I’ll be lucky enough to pass the torch to our family’s fifth generation.”

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Warm air shifts up and back into room.

Cooler zone protects wall.

Valor radiant heat warms room.

HeatShift.™

Valor’s unique HeatShift™ system transfers excess heat upwards through hidden ducts and back into the room—completely bypassing the wall and surface areas above the replace—so valued artwork, a TV or construction materials stay cooler.

The right heat in the right place.

Circle Reader Service No. 29

Outdoor Grilling MEMPHIS BARBEQUE SUPPLY

Memphis–style Barbecue A retailer fills a void in the market by offering grill products for both the backyard enthusiast and the competition cook.

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS

As Jimmy Shotwell traveled around a five-state area in the South (as a district sales man-

ager for a roofing manufacturer), he came across many barbecue-supply stores that catered to competition cooks. He noticed, however, that there was nothing similar in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

This was of particular interest to Shotwell, as he also participated in barbecue-cooking contests in the area. “I would have to get specialty products from Missouri—St. Louis or Kansas City—when I would compete, because I couldn’t get them here,” he says.

Since Memphis–style barbecue is prominent and well known throughout the region, Shotwell was amazed that there was no store in Memphis that dedicated itself solely to selling

PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK CHIN

barbecue supplies. He says, “When I would travel to the Kansas City area, there were stores that dealt strictly with supplying products to barbecue teams and backyard enthusiasts. In Memphis, we had stores that had sections dedicated to grills, but not the competition-quality products we needed. Our options were limited.”

In 2013, while taking part in the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, Shotwell expressed a dream to fellow team members and friends Chris West and Will Hampton. “I told them I would love to open my own barbecue-supply store where we’d sell everything but the meat,” Shotwell says.

The trio spent the entire summer of 2013 working on a business plan.

“We came up with the idea of opening

Jimmy Shotwell

The store sells charcoal, gas, pellet, and ceramic grills from top manufacturers

Attendance is always high at free monthly cooking classes

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Outdoor Grilling MEMPHIS BARBEQUE SUPPLY

a place where the competition cooks could come, but we also wanted the backyard griller—the king of the cul-de-sac—or the person who just wanted to fire up the grill and come buy supplies,” Shotwell explains. In May 2013, Shotwell realized his dream: He and his business partners, West and Hampton, officially launched Memphis Barbeque Supply in a 2,800–square-foot storefront in Bartlett, Tennessee.

The specialty store has filled a void in the barbecue market and

Shotwell instructs class participants in all aspects of grilling

FREE CLASSES Memphis Barbeque Supply will always cater to competition teams, but to serve the growing nonprofessional segment better, the retailer began offering free one-hour classes to customers. “We try to hold at least one class a month (and sometimes two, depending on the time of year). The response we receive to them has been amazing.

We have seen an increase in day-of-class sales and long-term sales directly related to our classes,” Shotwell says.

He says, “We had 90 people show up for the last rib class we did. There is an empty store next door to us, and we rented it for the day to accommodate all the people who came.” The times and dates for upcoming classes are posted on the store’s Facebook page, and classes are usually full within 48 hours. Facebook has been a tremendous tool for the store in communicating with customers. “How little money we spend on it and how much feedback we get from our customers surprised me,” Shotwell adds.

The classes are for backyard enthusiasts who are looking for knowledge. Shotwell explains, “They have seen how to cook a whole pork shoulder on television, but they have never done it themselves; they need someone to walk them through it.” For each class, two pieces of meat are always cooked and ready to serve. A third is uncooked so that Shotwell can instruct attendees in how to trim and prepare the meat, in addition to explaining the different parts of the cut. “Then, we show the class how to set up the grill and start the cooking process,” he says.

Charcoal and gas grills from Napoleon, pellet models from Louisiana Grills, and ceramic cookers from Primo are among the top-name products carried. Charcoal grills represent the biggest portion of sales, since that is the most popular outdoor-cooking method in Memphis, according to Shotwell. He says, “One surprise is the surge in popularity of pellet grills, which are moving tremendously; I can’t keep them in stock.”

He adds, “We also carry some of the competition

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has been received with open arms by barbecue lovers. “When we opened, our customer base was about 50% barbecue teams, with the other half made up of barbecue enthusiasts,” Shotwell says.

“We have seen those who don’t compete come out of the woodwork, and they now make up 65% to 75% of our business.”

He attributes growth in this area to television cooking shows, which have sparked a desire in their viewers to learn how to cook using the methods and products that professionals use. Shotwell adds, “They also want the skills to be able cook in their backyards or for church functions. They simply enjoy barbecuing and that lifestyle.”

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Circle Reader Service No. 33

Outdoor Grilling MEMPHIS BARBEQUE SUPPLY

stoves, and more than a dozen different types of wood and charcoal.

In grills and smokers, Memphis Barbeque Supply aims to offer the best quality available to meet the needs of its customer base.

“There is a price level for Memphis. We know our customers, and their budgets are not going to accept a grill costing $4,000 to $5,000,” Shotwell says.

The retailer has seen a surge in sales of pellet models from Louisiana Grills

smokers from Backwoods Smoker and Red Box Smoker. These are units you won’t find in everybody’s backyard, but they are used by our teams.” More than 250 rubs, sauces, marinades, and injections are offered in a variety of flavors and heat levels, along with grill accessories and utensils, deep fryers, camp

BARBECUE CULTURE In Memphis, people take barbecuing seriously.

Shotwell comments, “There are barbecue restaurants on every corner here, and they are not parts of chains.” Through its products and classes, Memphis Barbeque Supply has made a significant impact on the barbecue market throughout the region, for both backyard grillers and competitive cooks. “We have about a 400-mile footprint

of customers we ship to or who come visit us,” Shotwell says. “Two weeks ago, we had a customer from Louisiana who was here visiting family, and we were on his checklist of places he wanted to visit in Memphis—so we were a destination for him.”

Although running the store keeps Shotwell busy, he and his team still dabble in a few cooking events, especially the annual Memphis in May contest (where his vision for Memphis Barbeque Supply first took shape). “We need to have a presence there, since it is one of the world’s largest barbecuecooking contests,” he says. The team also participates in charity events for Operation BBQ Relief (Pleasant Hill, Missouri), a nonprofit organization.

“There has always been a great barbecue culture here in Memphis, but now, we are giving backyard enthusiasts the opportunity to create the best racks of ribs they have ever had—in their own backyards,” Shotwell says. For competitive cooks, he adds, “Teams were beating down our door before we even opened, looking for products. Now, some of the teams have become our partners, telling us about new trends they see in contests. They are helping us to stay ahead of the curve by offering the latest products for all our customers.”

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Circle Reader Service No. 35

INSIDEOUT

Showroom Showcase

Brothers in Business A 6,000–square-foot store in Woodbridge opened in 2001

Foresight and hard work turn the Toronto patiofurniture market InsideOut.

BY CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI PHOTOGRAPHY BY BLOOR PHOTOGRAPHY

When they took part-time jobs in high school—

working at a patio-furniture store—brothers Sam and Christopher Mele had no idea that patio furniture would be their destiny. They worked at all hours during high school, selling products and managing outdoor-furniture stores. They paid for college with their earnings. Even then, they worked at a patio store, gaining experience and seeing firsthand the ins and outs of running a business. Sam obtained a degree in marketing; a short time later, Christopher gained a degree in economics.

Still, they continued working at the store—but it wasn’t to last.

Soon after Christopher got his degree, the brothers talked it over: They knew that they were onto something. They had experience; they just needed financing, if they were to open their own outdoor store, as they dreamed.

“Our vision was always that we could complete the whole backyard, from start to finish,” Sam Mele remembers. “No one was doing that, at the time. Then, stores just sold outdoor furniture. They were inexpensive, short-term, shortsighted products. We thought that people would spend more, and we could see backyards looking like what you’d find indoors.”

Their quest to get financing did not go well. “We were very young, and the banks looked at us awkwardly. We told them we had a

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

InsideOut’s offerings include a wide mix of products

Sam (left) and Christopher Mele

Six Toronto-area destination stores have high-quality products and knowledgeable staff

combined 20 years of experience, but no one believed us,” he recalls, pointing to work experience dating back to their early teens. “We took whatever savings we had and paid for everything out of pocket,” he says.

In 2001, the brothers opened their own store, InsideOut Patio Furniture, in a 6,000–squarefoot space in Woodbridge, Ontario (near Toronto), with four employees. Were they nervous? “Yes, we were quite nervous at the time,” Mele says. “When we were buying products, it was fun, but it was also a much different experience, using your own money.”

The Meles executed their plan as originally envisioned, investing in higher-value, higherticket items and customizing things along the way. They offered customers their choices of fabric, piping color, and shape for their cushions.

“At that time, everything you bought came in a box. We moved away from that really fast,” Mele says. Later, the business added grills to its product lineup. “At the time, no one else was doing both. They sold either patio furniture or grills.

We thought it was easy to transition,” he adds.

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OFF-SEASON STRATEGIES Being headquartered in the Toronto area, the Meles were naturally concerned about the seasonality of their business. “That’s particularly true because we were buying products that were at a much higher price,” Mele says. “That’s when we decided to bring in some items to boost sales in the off-season.” Grills sold well in April through August and a little into September and October, so the company took on fireplaces to help sales in November through March.

“We’ve always stayed open. Back in the day, seasonal stores like ours would close. We’ve always been open all year round,” Mele says.

The brothers now have six stores and 100 employees. The flagship store in Toronto and the original Woodbridge location serve customers all over the greater Toronto area and throughout the province. They have become destination stores for those looking for highquality products, skilled service, and value.

Both stores continue to offer the three product lines they were founded on: outdoor furniture, grills, and fireplaces. The other four locations focus exclusively on patio furniture. “We believe we have the largest selection of outdoor furniture and barbecues all under one roof,” Mele says. “From start to finish, we can furnish your entire backyard.”

To this day, they’ve stuck to their original business plan to stock the stores with only highvalue products. “We look for suppliers with strong brands and distribution strategies. We look for products and companies with a story to tell. We want Canadian-made products with the best warranties in their class,” Mele says. The business also seeks products that offer the latest in technology, and the Meles carefully choose products about which they, along with their staff, are passionate. Mele explains, “We ask ourselves, ‘Can we get excited about the product? Is there a real need in the market? Is this what our customers are asking for, and is this a want?’”

As a result, the stores are populated by outdoor furniture and accessories from Protégé Casual, Ebel, and Ratana, among others. When it comes to grills, they focus on Napoleon, Weber, and Big Green Egg products. Their dominant fireplace line is Napoleon.

At the two full-line stores, roughly 75% of the showroom floors are devoted to patio products; 20%, to grills; and 5%, to fireplaces, although they feature a large selection of mounted fireplaces, both interior and exterior, occupying the wall space. When the temperatures fall, sales of fireplaces heat up, as do sales of custom outdoor covers; the showrooms’ configurations also change. “We can cover any custom barbecue island, piece of furniture, boat, scoreboard, or basketball net, whether residential or commercial,” Mele says. “That gets us through a big part of the off-season.”

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

INSIDEOUT

Showroom Showcase

Fire tables are popular at InsideOut

BRINGING THE OUTSIDE INDOORS Furniture is displayed on the showroom floors with all the trimmings. Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize is the company’s motto. Patio furniture is shown with outdoor speakers, solar lights, and a choice of more than 500 stocked seat and toss cushions, lanterns, and tiki torches. Grills and barbecue accessories are placed alongside the

patio furniture to create outdoor rooms.

For added impact, freshly cut flowers and greenery are scattered throughout the room settings. It was a brilliant merchandising idea that happened by chance. “We decided to bring in fresh flowers, one Saturday, and we noticed it added a different ambience to the store, so we started doing that,” Mele recalls. “We will dis-

GETTING SOCIAL Communicating with the customer base is largely the responsibility of Nick Matthews, director of social media, who says, “We’re social—really social—and have a great connection with our customers, giving them what they want: relevant content.” Social marketing is part of what the business does, every day. “We are able to connect with our customers about current promotions, share customer stories, and provide very useful information,” Matthews adds.

InsideOut’s website (www.insideoutpatio.ca) is extensive, and through it, the company has gained considerable brand recognition. As a result, it has customers throughout Canada looking for its products, so it ships across the country (using its own delivery service). “Our website is a tool for customers to research products, see lifestyle photos, and get an idea of the scope and scale of our company,” Mele says.

“We are an authority, when it comes to patio furniture and barbecues.”

InsideOut has seen phenomenal growth since it was founded by two college-age brothers with a dream, in 2001. Today, as young and energetic as ever, the Meles are not resting.

Their next goal is to increase their hospitality business by 25%. To that end, they have recently promoted two longtime employees, Elaine Ni and Melanie Oldford, to the positions of directors of hospitality sales and design—to seek business proactively from hotels and restaurants.

“We’ve always done business in this sector,” Mele states. “Now, we just want to do a lot more of it.”

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play flowers on the coffee and dining tables and by the cash desk. The store has a very natural feeling, so this is just another way we try to bring the outside into the store.” For the same reasons, the staff lights votive candles in the room settings and uses artificial grass and natural-bamboo screens in the retail displays.

Setting it apart from its competition is InsideOut’s in-house cut/sew operation, which turns out custom, made-to-fit outdoor covers, as well as customizable cushions and umbrellas.

Three employees staff the sewing operation, and customers love the ability to get something completely their own.

“We still contract out some of it because we can’t keep up,” Mele says. ‘The sheer volume is impossible for us, but having our own people lets us be flexible in what we can offer.”

He adds, “We find ways to personalize our products and our service experience.” The Meles extend personal service to live grills, where they host cooking demonstrations and invite interested customers to come in and cook something.

Mele says, “Those are just a few of the ways we set ourselves apart; however, it’s the combination of many ways, in their totality, that offers a unique value proposition to our customers.”

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Circle Reader Service No. 39

EclecticDesign they make about us) that may or may not be accurate. Once you are able to figure each other out—whether it’s how they like to order products or knowing who the go-to person is for making decisions—things start to become clear.

After you’ve worked together for a while, the relationship becomes seamless, and you’re able to get into a comfort zone. That is the upside of long-term relationships, and ours have made us what we are today.

Sunset West

AS I SEE IT

Sunset West’s focus on blending styles and product lines resonates with consumers and designers.

BY SHARON SANDERS

Manhattan deep seating

Sunset West (Vista, California) has secured a foothold in the casualliving industry that is catapulting its growth.

The La Costa collection

In the past two years, the company has seen its business increase by nearly 40%. Patio & Hearth Products Report sat down with Wes Stewart, owner, to discuss what has led to the company’s solid standing with dealers and to find out how the company plans to continue that trend into 2017 and beyond. Stewart also shares his thoughts on the direction of the industry and how specialty retailers fit into the equation.

What are some of Sunset West’s recent successes?

Stewart: The company has accomplished many things, over the past few years, that I would consider to be successes, one of them being the launch of our new cushion operation in 2015. Sunset West furniture is designed for both good looks and comfortable sitting, and we take great pride in that fact.

By sewing cushions in-house at our Vista headquarters, we have control over what we produce—more now than ever before. It allows us to tailor comfort, which is something we have been concentrating on specifically in 2016.

It also allows us to respond quickly to rush orders and to meet customers’ timelines. One unintended consequence is the fact that every time I go down into the cushion room (and see the different colors of cushions as they are

being made), I’m able to identify trends as they are happening, in real time, based on what customers are choosing.

What makes Sunset West a dealer favorite?

Stewart: I was talking to a dealer of mine recently, and he told me that every time he sells our product, he makes money. I believe that is what makes Sunset West a dealer favorite: the fact that dealers make good margins selling our furniture.

Our value resonates with customers. The retail price is not too high, so customers don’t shy away from our product or hassle dealers because they don’t believe it warrants the price they are asking. Above and beyond that, we can ship quickly, and we have products in stock when they are needed.

Why are the company’s long-term relationships with dealers so important?

Stewart: Any time you start a relationship (business or personal), there is always a getting-to-know-each-other phase—especially in business. There are assumptions manufacturers make about dealers (and assumptions

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What collections/pieces are resonating with consumers?

Stewart: Our casual (yet sophisticated) Coronado collection continues to be a tremendous driver of our business. Wrapped in driftwood resin wicker, it checks all the boxes for current design trends.

Another collection that is retailing well is our Provence collection, which was a new introduction for us in the middle of last year.

It’s a well-scaled, simple wrought-iron collection that appeals to both traditional and transitional tastes.

Which products on the horizon are the most exciting?

Stewart: More than the types of products we offer, going into next year, we are excited about the way we are blending our product lines. While we still offer furniture collections, we are also approaching design with an eye on eclectic style.

For example, we are taking our resin wicker and matching it up with aluminum pieces, and we are pairing our driftwood/teak pieces with wrought iron: This curated style is creating a buzz with dealers and customers. The days of the matching sofa, chairs, and coffee table are quickly passing.

If you visit any designer’s indoor-furniture showroom, it is not about matching pieces; it’s about creating personality by bringing together pieces that are unified by color, texture, and shape. At Casual Market Chicago, Sunset West introduced its new slipcover collection, which is the centerpiece of this new direction.

The slipcover pieces blend beautifully with pieces in our other furniture collections.

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SUNSETWESTUSA.COM

760-599-1021

Circle Reader Service No. 41

A Fresh Approach Alfresco Home is different and wouldn’t have it any other way.

BY CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI

MY TURN

Alfresco Home

Marco Bay deep seating

Different: That’s a word that is frequently used at Alfresco Home LLC

congested markets, it makes you wonder how it can to describe its products, possibly maintain any people, and way of doing differentiation to business. There is no set itself apart cookie-cutter from the crowd. approach to prodIt comes down ucts here, and to six elements, Joseph Cilio, CEO Cilio says. The and president, is very company difforthright about ferentiates itself making that point. through a “We are not a meunique mix of too company—not our products that are people, our products, the fresh in style, funcThe Cornwall services we offer, the value, or tional, comfortable (to dining collection the comfort,” he says. “We are dissit in or to look at), and pretinctive. The people we have working sented at their correct values. for us are special, and so are the products and Ultimately, there is impeccable service with the opportunities that we offer our broad cusunyielding customer support. tomer base.”

“We make it easy to do business with us in It has always been that way. Cilio and his many different ways. It is a dynamic, inclusive, wife, Kimberly, founded Alfresco Home in and comprehensive approach,” Cilio explains. “It 2004 to bring independent retailers unique is a well-grounded and proven method. When products at a value that would keep their outour team and our products can fulfill the steaddoor customers happy. fast principles that we set for ourselves, our cusThe pair, along with Cilio’s brother and tomers are going to be winners.” business partner, Anthony (who is executive With a total of 24 employees at its vice president overseeing the design, developPottstown, Pennsylvania, headquarters and 28 ment, and procurement teams), began by focusindependent sales representatives in North ing on casual furniture. Today, that ranks as the America, Alfresco Home strives to provide company’s largest segment. style, comfort, and high-quality products at an In 2009, it introduced a garden-accent diviexceptional value. “We back that up with havsion, offering glazed and terracotta pottery, ing the best customer service in the industry. statuary, fountains, and lightweight pottery for We support our customers, sales, and products commercial and residential applications. Most 150%,” Cilio states. “It is a really simple philosrecently, it eased into the outdoor-entertaining ophy that we’ve lived with for many years. market by launching a gourmet division of outTreat everyone fairly. Give people something door ovens and grills, with the Fornetto woodthat works for them or that they need. We fired oven in 2013—and later, the Fervor grill. want to be different things to different people.

It’s a nice formula.”

A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE While sales are good, Cilio knows there is Given that Alfresco Home competes in such plenty of room to grow. He says, “I think that

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most retailers don’t know the full breadth of our furniture capabilities. They don’t know we are one of the best companies to work with in developing their casual-furniture and grill businesses. I would love for more people to come into our showroom, talk to our sales team, and learn what we can do for them.”

To that end, each of the three divisions is constantly evolving. For instance, the casual-furniture division now boasts 32 collections, from cast and extruded to all-weather woven-wicker furniture. In particular, Cilio is very pleased with the company’s newest line of mixed materials, which combines wood and wicker with other materials. “It’s a very strong line and a very strong piece of what we do,” he says.

Its newest segment, the gourmet division, sells to an independent retail base throughout North America. “A lot of our current gourmet customers are involved with us in either our casualfurniture or garden-products areas,” Cilio says.

Was he hesitant about getting into a market that is already crowded with grill manufacturers? “Not at all: The growing movement toward the outdoor room has developed beyond what anyone originally thought. The outdoor-entertaining market is enormous. We enjoy eating outdoors with family and friends, and I’ve always been involved with and intrigued by the outdoor-entertaining business,” Cilio says, explaining why the new division made perfect strategic sense.

Moreover, he saw additional opportunity.

He says, “Our gourmet customers deal with manufacturers who sell to anyone and everyone, including mass merchants. Some of the outdoor-grill products they buy are strong brands, but do not always allow our customer to stand out; our Fervor and Fornetto products provide differentiators and best-value products for their customers. We are working to make sure the independent retailers can be different, making a good margin on ovens and grills while

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

selling a product that is built well and has good support.”

SOMETHING DIFFERENT For example, the Fornetto oven, which was the centerpiece of the division’s launch in 2013, “is quite different from what is in the marketplace,” Cilio notes.

When Alfresco Home followed that launch with the introduction of the Fervor grill, it made waves again. He says, “It offers many options for what a grill can be, and we positioned it much like our furniture or garden accents. It is, quite simply, something different.”

Cilio admits it is a tough industry, but he is nothing if not proactive, taking a stand and issuing a challenge. “We can build a grill for anyone, at any price, because the people we partner with have been doing it for several years, and we have experience in that field. If you want to be in this business, you have to be on your game and relevant,” he says.

For 2017, Cilio promises that Alfresco Home will put a big effort into its mixed-materials collection for casual furniture, including extruded-aluminum and woven components, and will expand its vintage wood and wicker collections.

La Lima deep seating The Fervor six-burner grill

As always, Cilio says, the company is accessory minded and will continue to offer new products there as well.

In general, 2017 will see new transitional designs, as well as newly designed firepits in various sizes. “We’re seeing less and less, every year, of the traditional products of the past. Many newer products have cleaner lines to them,” Cilio remarks. “Overall, you are seeing an evolution from what we know as the old traditional style to the transitional, with cleaner lines—straighter lines.

Traditional sales need to blend with the transitional designs. Millennials are searching for outdoor furniture, and it has to be in line with their mode and their fashion sense, which aren’t necessarily traditional.”

Cilio is impressed with product design in the casual-furniture industry.

He says, “The sharpness of the designs and uniqueness are amazing, and designers and manufacturers are producing beautiful products.”

With so much creativity in the marketplace, Cilio is passionate about staying on trend. He says, “To stay on the cutting edge of design, we have to be in the forefront of fashion and constantly thinking, ‘What can we do to offer new and exciting products? How do we give our customers and their consumers the best product experience in the marketplace?’”

Moving forward, Cilio promises, Alfresco Home will remain open-minded. “We listen carefully to our current

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

customer base while absorbing influences from the fashion world and products outside of our marketplace. Our furniture, garden, and gourmet divisions will continue to evolve,” he says.

Beyond that, he’s working to bring Alfresco Home’s uniqueness to new markets. He says, “One of our goals is to gain more awareness at the independent-retailer level. There’s a large market out there, and we’re always meeting new potential customers, so we will continue exploring other markets we can serve.

We evaluate opportunities every day.”

Realizing that this statement sounds like something for headline news, Cilio promptly adds, “We’re not jumping into any new categories today. Let’s just say it is important to stay tuned.”

Product Innovation Montigo

PositiveChange At Montigo, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

BY CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI

There’s been a changing of the guard at Montigo® (Langley, British Columbia). In early 2016, Dan

Binzer, founder and president of Montigo, sold his interest in the company to go back to what he loves the most: being involved with the hands-on design of fireplaces, which made this company what it is today. Stepping into the role of CEO in the summer of 2016 was Jonathan Burke, who came to Montigo from the alternative-fuel sector, where he did a lot of work with natural gas.

The change doesn’t have anyone worried. In fact, Binzer has stayed on and really has returned to what he loves: design and product development. “He is evaluating new designs in the lab every day. He reached a point in his life when he wanted to do the things he really enjoys doing,” Burke says.

In 1972, Binzer set up shop in Vancouver, British Columbia, with a handful of employees, designing and manufacturing fireplace inserts for the local marketplace, namely homeowners wanting to make the switch from wood-burning to natural-gas fireplaces. “Dan was a fabricator and saw an opportunity to enter the gasfireplace market when it was in its infancy,” Burke says. “He has responded to the marketplace in an Apple-like fashion and preceded the market with products the market didn’t yet know it wanted.”

While Burke is new to the fireplace industry, it was Montigo’s unique competitive edge that prompted him to make the change. “Some manufacturers don’t manufacture in North America.

We do. We have an accredited CSA lab, so we do all our testing in-house. Montigo has been a leader in cool glass, and we’ve been using it to enhance our fireplaces—while maintaining safety standards. We work closely with architects and designers in new-product development to try to stay ahead of the game and get a sense of the market and where it is going,” Burke says.

“On our custom side, we are unique in our ability to accommodate very unusual demands,” he continues. “We’ll do extreme vent runs and power venting that allow our fireplaces to be installed almost anywhere—and to meet almost any wish, when it comes to design. Every product is of high quality. We test every unit. Each unit is burned at our facility and is run through

The CabanaFire PL42VFO outdoor fireplace

along with Montigo’s line of accessories.

The R View (R324STIO) indoor/outdoor seethrough fireplace

a full gamut of tests. You are assured it will work (because it did when it left the plant).”

The company’s growth was fueled by the demand, in the 1980s, for apartments that had their own direct-vent fireplaces. “These were multistory apartment buildings, and it was a significant selling feature for builders to offer units with their own fireplaces,” Burke says.

“Binzer saw an opportunity and started supplying builders with the fireplace units they demanded—and branched into new-home construction as well.”

Today, the company has two manufacturing facilities: one in Langley and another in Ferndale, Washington. Together, they employ more than 120 people, many of whom have been with the company for longer than a decade. The Langley location houses the principal design team, and standard and custom units are manufactured there. The Ferndale facility specializes in standard residential fireplaces,

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RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL The product line has grown considerably from its early days, now including not just inserts, but gas and propane direct-vent and outdoor units, see-through models, linear fireplaces, and log sets. “You name it,” Burke says, pointing to work that extends from residential installations and new-home construction to myriad commercial applications.

“We’re in hotels, sports complexes, and education facilities. Today, sports arenas have big fireplaces in their high-end restaurants and foyers. Educational facilities put fireplaces into their lobbies and student-union buildings. We also provide custom fireplaces at the higher end of our residential work, where we’ll design custom units for architects,” Burke says.

“The market has been good, with steady business,” he reports. “We are dependent on newhousing starts in Canada and the United States.

We haven’t seen radical growth, where housing starts increase in leaps and bounds. Instead, we’ve seen nice, steady growth, which is preferable—so business has been good.”

Burke does notice a growing demand, which is largely regional, for more modern, European–style, and linear fireplaces. He says, “Certain parts of the country prefer the traditional fireplace, with brick and traditional log sets. In Western Canada, customers prefer the more linear styles. Either way, we’ve been riding the wave and doing very well.”

Likewise, the commercial side of the busi-

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Distinction D6315NI-2 With optional Speckled Stones and Driftwood

The perfect combination of performance and design A CONTEMPORARY FIREPLACE OVERTAKING YOUR ENTIRE RANGE OF VISION WITH ELEGANCE AND STYLE

THE LINEAR D6315NI-2 & DL6315NI FROM MONTIGO Distinction D6315NI-2

50,000 BTU

The newest addition to the prestigious Montigo catalogue, The Distinction o ers a wide scope of luxury with 63’’ of viewing area. You won’t have to sit close to the Distinction to feel the heat, as it features circulating fans to warm any space. Or enjoy a more gentle ame and heat with the 50% turndown. The unit also comes standard with re ective porcelain liners, multi color LED uplighting, Ceramic glass and a full function remote.

Distinction DL6315NI

40,000 BTU

A Simpli ed version of the D6315NI-2, this unit has the same 63’’x15’’ proportions to add personality to any space. The DL6315NI ambitiously features a 40,000 BTU burner and a 30 foot wall switch wire. Any options that are standard to the D6315NI-2 can be added to the DL6315NI, giving you complete freedom to customise and match to your space.

FEATURES

• 63’’ wide glass

• 18” Framing Depth

• Up to 50,000 BTU/HR Montigo 4TH generation linear burner • Multi-Color LED Lights

• Quiet heat circulating fans

• Powervent capable to meet any vent configuration up to 100 feet • Heat distribution kit

Dealer Inquiries welcome,

Please Call: 1.800.378.3115 or Email: sales@montigo.com

www.montigo.com

Circle Reader Service No. 45

Product Innovation Montigo

ness, which represents about 20% of sales, has experienced steady growth among hotels, educational institutions, and larger retailers (which are incorporating hearths into their designs to enhance the shopping experience). Commercial and high-end residential sales don’t experience the typical seasonal highs and lows, but provide consistent sales all year.

To maintain (and fuel) sales in the commercial segment, Montigo focuses on the architectural community and is involved in trade shows and industry organizations. “We get a lot of word-of-mouth referrals from homeowners and between architects and builders,” Burke explains. In addition, the company promotes products through the standard advertising channels and attends various regional trade shows in areas where dealers support the company’s efforts. Montigo has a social-media presence, and Burke plans to increase it.

“It is something we want to get more active in,” he says.

NEW INTRODUCTIONS New for 2017 is Montigo’s CabanaFire™, which Burke calls “a revolutionary outdoor fireplace.” It’s a linear unit with a patented outdoor heating capability, constructed with fans that provide steady heating and can operate in 40-mph winds. A big selling point is that it can be built into covered or screened porches.

The BF100ST fireplace, with an indoor/ outdoor kit

Requiring zero clearance to combustible materials, the fireplace has a glass front with a screen, and Burke indicates that in-house designers are looking at offering see-through versions, as well as several other options.

The product was well received during a soft launch this summer and will be available by spring 2017.

This winter, Montigo will release its new Distinction series of linear fireplaces, with 36- to 72inch viewing areas, in single sided and see-through models. All standard direct-vent models will come with a glass front and a screen—or the option of power venting with Montigo’s Cool Pack system, which keeps the glass cool to the touch (eliminating the screen requirement).

“This unit continues our tradition of a clean-faced

fireplace, and we spent an inordinate amount of time making the flame exceptional,” Burke explains.

Binzer, he adds, “remains our harshest critic—with the highest expectations, when it comes to making the flame just right.” Other products are in development; Burke says, “Our lab is very busy and is working at staying ahead of the game.”

Burke is optimistic that his first year with Montigo will have solid sales. He says, “We are already getting the feeling that 2017 will be a very strong year. We were on the road all summer with dealers and distributors, and the business is growing on all fronts. We look forward to meeting that demand.”

Going forward, Burke says, it is his goal to grow the business. “There have been ups and downs with the economy, but this is a great business, with lots of opportunity for further growth. Most important, there is a dedicated team here at Montigo. In everything those people do, they are focused on the product and the customer,” he explains.

“Dan built—from nothing—a company with unique attributes,” Burke adds. “You can quickly fix things such as social media and marketing, but you can’t fix a product that isn’t any good. This is a company that meets customer expectations and builds a highquality product.”

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Circle Reader Service No. 47

ATrue Partnership Winston

CORPORATE PROFILE

Echo deep seating

Winston excels by understanding the needs of specialty retailers and their customers.

BY SHARON SANDERS

Listening is what Winston® Furniture Company (Haleyville, Alabama) does best—and listening is what has kept the forwardthinking Southern casual-furniture company relevant for the past four decades. Steve

Herenlip, vice president of sales and marketing, says, “You have to offer dealers everything they need to be profitable, and it’s not always just about making beautiful furniture.”

Going into 2017, Winston will be bringing some fresh additions to its lineup of stylish and comfortable furniture, as well as moving into the second season of its successful quick-ship program. The premise of the new program was embraced by the dealers this past season as a means of lowering their inventory carrying costs and warehouse overhead and of maximizing turns on real estate to boost sales and profits.

Winston has been in touch with the marketplace from the very beginning. It started making furniture in 1975, as a division of Marathon Corp. Over the next decade, the company flourished, and in 1986, it acquired the well-known wrought-iron and tubularsteel company Lyon-Shaw Inc. After that strategic move, it steadily increased its presence as a force in the burgeoning casual-furniture industry.

Winston was one of the first manufacturers to introduce cushions for outdoor furniture, which played a major part in launching the trend of comfortable outdoor seating. Since then, comfort and motion have been inherent parts of every collection of Winston furniture.

Another milestone for the company, which

Key West dining

made it possible to offer customers a strong value proposition, was the 2007 acquisition of the Kessler facility in Mexico. This move provided low-cost manufacturing and overhead, in addition to an on-site cast-aluminum foundry.

All production was moved to the facility in 2009, which allowed the company to streamline manufacturing costs. The building blocks of the company, back then and today, are its management, people, service, value, and programs. That brand legacy is what has led the company to be a 12-time nominee and fivetime winner of the International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) Manufacturer Leadership Award.

DEALERS MATTER Winston sets itself apart as an innovator in outdoor furniture that brings dealers the qual-

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ity and style that they are proud to display on their showroom floors. Since the beginning, furniture with motion has been the hallmark for the brand and is an important part of almost every collection in the line. Design direction often comes from feedback it gets from both representatives and dealers on the front lines.

“They have the stethoscope on the marketplace; they hear the heartbeat better than anybody else,” Herenlip says. He adds that in the 11 years that he’s been managing Winston, the best thing that he has done (and continues to do) is traveling with sales representatives and visiting dealers. “Their insight helps shape our new introductions and programs because no one knows better than they do what the market is asking for and what is working,” he says.

Last season, Winston launched the first phase of its dealer-friendly quick-ship program in direct response to what it had been hearing from the field. The way dealers do business today has changed from what it was 10 years ago and is greatly dictated by the marketplace.

Dealers are extremely cautious about (and even reluctant to) buy large amounts of inventory up front, resulting in high carrying costs during the season, as well as concerns of having excessive carryover products for another year and beyond. Dealers walk a fine line, both in having to satisfy the increase of special-order business, year after year, and in providing instantaneous gratification for the consumer.

Winston’s quick-ship program basically has Winston serving as the dealer’s off-site inventory warehouse for on-time consumer demand.

“We have taken the inventory risk off the table for the dealer and have made sizable inventory investments up front, so they don’t have to,” Herenlip explains.

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Circle Reader Service No. 49

Winston

CORPORATE PROFILE

The way the program works is simple: Dealers select quick-ship furniture (which is available in a predetermined selection of fabrics and frame colors) to display on their showroom floors.

Purchase orders for sales are submitted.

“If a dealer writes five purchase orders during the week, we will ship to the dealer five times. All furniture in the quickship program ships from Haleyville, whereby we have a fixed-freight program in place from there, with low product minimums,” Herenlip says. All products that are part of the quick-ship program ship in three business days or less, with no exceptions.

Winston introduced the Key West padded-sling group (a padded version of the company’s long-successful Key West sling collection) as the exclusive offering

for the first phase, in 2016. Herenlip says, “The response to the program was solid the first year. Sales exceeded our expectations, and every order shipped in less than two days strengthening the credibility of expanding the program for 2017.”

Phase two, for the 2017 season, will feature 13 furniture collections and 85 SKUs, and all quick-ship products will ship from Haleyville in three days or less. Phase three, which launches in 2018, will expand the program even further, with expectations of introducing additional new collections and adding present core products to the program—giving dealers and customers the ability to make special orders from a preselected group of fabrics, with shipping in 10 business days.

Herenlip has high expectations for the future of the program. “We look at this as a

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business solution that crosses the bridge in satisfying the consumer’s demand for special orders with quick gratification. This program is a business proposition supporting the dealers, letting them run their businesses leaner and working toward increasing their profitability,” he says.

Herenlip emphasizes that the quickship program is incremental—in addition to the company’s catalog of core product offerings, which includes 11 finishes, 500 fabrics, and 66 sling fabrics that are available by special order in just four weeks. He says, “Our special-order business is what we are all about, and that will never change.”

COMING NEXT YEAR For 2017, Winston is introducing furniture that appeals to today’s diverse marketplace, from traditional customers to the growing base of millennial buyers. The new offerings include Echo, a mixedmedia collection that features extruded aluminum and faux-wood slats. Its contemporary profile is geared toward millennials who are looking for simple lines. The seat cushions are constructed of an innovative nonslip fabric that keeps the cushions from moving, thus eliminating the need for ties (which keeps the profile sleek).

There is also Avignon, a new mixedmedia chat chair that pairs extruded aluminum with cast aluminum. “It is a tremendous value that was received extremely well at both the ICFA Preview Show™ and Casual Market Chicago,” Herenlip says. The new Breeze collection is right on trend with its gray twisted weave and mixed-media tables with fauxwood tabletops (with appeal for scale, comfort, and value).

In every new collection, the company has introduced motion, an inherent legacy of the brand. Winston has also added firepits in two sizes and three of its top finishes to its lineup. All of these offerings and more will be available to ship in three days or less through the second phase of the quick-ship program.

The momentum that Winston has gained is exciting, both for the company and for its representatives and dealers.

Winston is fully committed to the relationships that it has developed over the years. “We are part of a small industry, so business is about people and relationships,” Herenlip says. “It’s getting tougher and tougher to be a profitable retailer. The best things we can do, as manufacturers, are to continue to listen; to be aware of the ever-changing marketplace; and to be relevant, with products and programs that allow dealers to make money.”

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Circle Reader Service No. 51

Outdoor Friendly Malibu Outdoor Living’s fun and durable designs bring a touch of playfulness to backyards and porches.

Maywood sling dining chairs and the Napa table

Malibu Outdoor Living

INSIGHT

BY CHERISE FORNO

As Malibu Outdoor Living (North Kingstown, Rhode Island) grows its diverse product line and prepares for a busy year ahead, it remains committed to using high-quality materials that are also eco-friendly for the construction of its furniture.

While using 100% recyclable material, Malibu Outdoor Living does not sacrifice function or style in its furniture’s design.

Mike DiCenso, cofounder, says, “Our goals for 2017 are to come out into the marketplace with products that add value to our line. Malibu Outdoor Living, for 2017, is making a big splash, as far as new products go.” The company is releasing 20 new products in all categories: dining, counter/bar-height seating, accent pieces, a cushion box, and a sling chaise. 2017 will see “the most new products we’ve ever introduced,” DiCenso says.

Malibu Outdoor Living, however, did not want simply to add more products to its offerings; it wanted to add function and style with each piece. During the development process, Malibu Outdoor Living used dealer and customer feedback, as well as its

own observations and research, to develop fresh pieces for its unique line. “We are building our brand with necessary products and colors,” DiCenso says.

The new products in the lineup have been well received. Additions include fun furniture for kids, such as an Adirondack chair and side table.

These allow children to have their own spaces in outdoor-living areas. Another new option offered by Malibu Outdoor Living is an increase in customization. Consumers can now select any of the company’s 14 available colors to make any two-tone combination that they desire. This addition allows people to have more creative input into the design of their furniture, for a truly personal touch.

The company’s accent pieces have personalization options as well. Whether through the addition of colorful barstools, end tables, or contoured footstools, Malibu Outdoor Living has a wide variety of ways to elevate any outdoor space. Two new colors are NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

52

hitting the scene in 2017: Aruba blue and dark gray. Aruba blue has been a popular choice in the industry for casual seating, barstools, gliders, and Adirondack chairs, DiCenso reports, and dark gray should prove to be in high demand this year. “A dark gray is a very popular and growing color in dining and deep seating,” he says.

Adirondack chairs offer a wonderful opportunity to add a pop of color to yards or businesses.

Lime and tangerine are eye-catching selections, while hues of dark brown, weathered wood, and light gray deliver a more traditional look. In Hyannis addition to offering dining chairs more styles and colors, Malibu Outdoor Living decided to add motion to many of its pieces—both to meet customer demand and to deliver added comfort and function.

With the product and customization additions, DiCenso says, Malibu Outdoor Living should have a successful year. “I’m predicting quite a jump for 2017,” he says. “We think we will see tremendous growth.” Another reason for the new products to gain popularity is that the company made it a priority to keep pricing almost unchanged (so even new products have reasonable prices).

DiCenso explains that Malibu Outdoor Living’s prices and highquality construction make it stand out from competing companies. It also offers a diverse line of products that will only continue to grow.

“We believe that the overall fit, finish, and quality of construcPATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

The Yarmouth swivel chair

tion, especially of our dining tables, set us apart—as does being the only one in the sector to offer an extension table,” he says. The extension table gives customers a convertible dining space without difficult storage. The table measures 43x76 inches when closed, extending to 43x100 inches when fully open. It is also convenient to use because the extension leaves can easily be stored under the table when they are not in use.

Looking ahead, Malibu Outdoor Living will focus on its dining section, which remains extremely popular. “Dining was a huge category for us in 2016,” DiCenso says, and it’s no wonder that the company’s dining category is a success. It’s made using the highest grade of recycled HDPE, available in a wide array of colors (including red and turf green), and its round, square, and rectangular tables offer seating for two to 10 people in both traditional and contemporary styles. In addition, the tables are backed by a 20year warranty, and they require little maintenance or cleaning.

Even with Malibu Outdoor Living’s many new developments and its rapid growth, DiCenso says, the company remains successful by staying true to its manufacturing roots. The company has more than 40 years of experience in manufacturing, assembly, warehouse operation, and distribution. It will continue to use this knowledge with further product development and technological advances. “The most important thing is that all we’ve done, our whole life, is manufacturing,” DiCenso says. “The company keeps growing at a pretty good pace.”

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CleanandEfficient

INSIGHT

American Energy Systems

American Energy Systems’ appliances are among the most innovative and economical in

BY CHERISE FORNO the industry.

As a leading innovator in automated technology for solid-fuel combustion for more than 43 years, American Energy Systems Inc. (Hutchinson, Minnesota) continues to

deliver high-quality products and services that exceed industry standards. Mike Haefner, president, says, “We do more than just manufacture MagnuM and Country Flame wood, wood-pellet, corn, and flex-fuel appliances: We’re providing a better way of life for our customers and solutions to global energy shortages.”

The company’s devotion to eco-friendly and efficient products is paramount in its ongoing success. American Energy Systems uses biomass and renewable fuels to help preserve natural resources—while providing customers with the energy that they need. “MagnuM and Country Flame appliances are flex-fuel capable, which allows you to burn fuels that are available in your area. This makes MagnuM the ecological and economic choice for thousands of homeowners today,” Haefner says.

One collection that delivers power and style is the Country Flame Harvester pedestal series, which builds on the combustion technology— wood-pellet, corn, and biomass—implemented in the original MagnuM. The Harvester has 75 pounds of fuel capacity (enough to heat a home or office for up to 50 hours). It is also easy to operate and maintain, with features that include a self-cleaning firepot. Decor options such as nickel doors and trim help it fit beautifully into any space.

“Our mission of the past 43 years has not changed,” Haefner says. “We will continue to manufacture high-quality, state-of-the-art renewable-energy solutions to heat our customers’ homes and businesses economically; save our precious resources; enjoy the romantic side of life; and have a safe, comfortable, warm setting for you and your family—all while putting money back into your pocket.”

In order to stay in the forefront of the hearth industry, American Energy Systems invests in cutting-edge manufacturing techniques and partners with the most knowledgeable people in the field to create combustion technologies. It also stands apart because it keeps parts available that enable customers to upgrade their products conveniently, to keep pace with new advances.

“New, innovative technologies will emerge, and as always, American Energy Systems will lead the pack,” Haefner says. He adds that this is a necessity so that customers can keep their products and meet ever-changing efficiency standards.

With the advent of the The MagnuM Countryside stove EPA New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), “American Energy Systems has moved forward in developing and updating its product offering to meet and exceed requirements of the new standards,” Haefner explains. “Customers can be assured that their MaguM or Country Flame appliances will give them years of service—while exceeding the new standards.”

The American Energy Systems product lineup features many automated flex-fuel, wood-pellet, corn, and agrifuel appliances, including pedestal and legged stoves, as well as fireplace inserts. The MagnuM and Country Flame lines are popular because of the numerous options that both provide. “MagnuM and Country Flame owners appreciate having a choice of modern cabinet designs (which offer a European look) or our proven traditional Eastern styling,” Haefner says.

Other popular features include a large ceramic-glass viewing area that not only is beautiful, but is adept at setting a calm atmosphere. Multiple heat ranges can easily be selected using the electronic control center, as well as an autoignition option. “All automated-combustion models can be installed using battery backup, wind power, and even solar power,” Haefner adds.

Another popular safety feature is available, in case there ever is a problem with an appliance.

“The diagnostic/safety control center will tell you what is going wrong and keep you safe by shutting down the system, should a problem occur,” Haefner says.

Haefner believes that trends will continue to favor high-quality wood pellets, along with appliances that offer many options. As this movement toward renewable fuels for heating grows, products such as those in the MagnuM and

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The Country Flame Crossfire insert

Country Flame lines, which are already renowned in the industry, will become more prevalent, he says. “With the NSPS regulations, clean-burning automated-combustion systems will become a necessity around the country,” Haefner predicts.

Moving forward, American Energy Systems is committed to keeping its reputation for delivering highquality, low-maintenance products and extraordinary customer service.

To facilitate this, the company recently surveyed thousands of customers to see how they liked their products, what American Energy Systems could improve on, and whether they would purchase another appliance from the company.

“What we found out is that our average customers have owned their units for more than 15 years; thousands still have their units going after 25 years or more, and they can’t see why they should have to purchase new ones, with their existing ones still running strongly,” Haefner says. He adds that these research results emphasize the versatility and longevity of American Energy Systems’ products.

“Customers choose our products over others because they want products that will last a lifetime,” he says. “One 91–year-old woman has had her unit for more than 15 years, takes care of it herself, and cannot bear to be without it.

That speaks for itself.”

Challenges to the industry have made customers seek automated-combustion systems such as MagnuM and Country Flame appliances, Haefner explains, both to comply with regulations and because they are simpler options.

He says, “The MagnuM Countryside is still the most sought after multifuel stove that we have, and when we ask customers why, they just say, ‘Don’t change a thing; this stove just works.’”

American Energy Systems products go through rigorous testing to meet every standard, and the goal remains to give customers the best heating options available to maximize efficiency. “All of our products are designed to produce the maximum amount of heat at the highest efficiency possible, based on installation being done correctly and proper fuel being used,” Haefner says.

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

O F

W H A T ’

S

N

E

W

NEW PRODUCTS, NEW PEOPLE, NEW PASSION. THE FULL-SENSORY EXPERIENCE AWAITS. HPBExpo attracts thousands of professionals that live and breathe the indoor-outdoor lifestyle. For three days, immerse yourself in the glow of fireplaces, sizzle of barbecue cuisine, and vibrancy of new patio designs. Feel the warmth of not only products aflame, but partnerships being forged. From new business strategies to evolving regulations and certification, gain insight into the future of the industry and transform your passion into profits. Learn more at HPBExpo.com.

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For more information, call 703-522-0086 or email info@hpbexpo.com Circle Reader Service No. 55

SHOP TALK Urban Bonfire

Brand Ambassador Urban Bonfire prospers by being a brand ambassador for Saber.

BY RYAN BLOOM PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHILIPPE BOVET

In our constantly changing economy, there has never been as much focus on the term brand as there is today. Manufacturers invest countless resources (financial and human) to develop their brands.

Retailers invest in brands that they hope will create consumer appeal and increase their value proposition to consumers. To many consumers, brand is everything.

Consumer brand loyalty is one of the most valuable assets any company can ask for: If consumers are loyal to brands, they are supportive, forgiving of mistakes, and proud to represent the brands they love.

In 1985, when New Coke was launched, loyal Coca-Cola drinkers protested until the Customers were treated to grilled meat, handcrafted cocktails, and live music at the store’s Endless Summer event in September

Urban Bonfire in Montreal

Saber’s grills and accessories were featured at a recent in-store event

original version was brought back. When Apple announces a new and innovative product, its loyal followers will camp outside its stores for a first chance to buy the new product. Early adopters of Tesla Motors products have waited months—or in some cases, years—to get a car. This is the power of brand, and in today’s digital economy (where the consumer’s voice, opinion, and support have never been more powerful), it has never been more critical for retailers to become brand ambassadors.

As a retailer in the barbecue/grill industry, our focus has

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been on selling fewer brands than many of our direct competitors, while investing far more resources into brand ambassadorship than anyone in our market. It takes little to no sophistication simply to sell a product.

This is why we see so many examples of retailers who sell based on lowest price.

In reality, selling by discounting is the ultimate race to the bottom. The mere fact that manufactures have created minimum advertised prices and MSRPs is a result of retailers’ devaluing of their brands by discount selling. How does a manufacturer protect the integrity of its products and demonstrate their value to consumers if retailers sell at huge discounts, just to make a sale? It is evident that the most loved, respected, and successful brands rarely (if ever) discount their products.

Brand ambassadors are partners—along with manufacturers, distributors, representatives, and consumers—in creating true and lasting connections to products. An ambassador does not simply regurgitate the same old features-and-benefits list that comes with every product under the sun.

Ambassadors can offer their own unique perspectives on brands or products because they have firsthand knowledge of (and insight into) the products that they are selling.

Becoming a brand ambassador doesn’t happen overnight, and it certainly takes a considerable investment of time and resources, but the return on these investments can have a massive impact on a retailer’s business model.

Urban Bonfire is a Saber® Grills ambassador. We proudly promote the Saber brand in our showroom and communicate why we have chosen the Saber brand of grills over other brands on the market that have similar price levels. We have made a firm commitment not to bring in other grill brands that compete within

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

the price range of Saber.

This does several things. It instills confidence in our sales team that we believe in what we sell. It allows us to become true product experts. We sell far more volume of one brand, maximizing profitability and minimizing inventory requirements. It allows our service/maintenance team to assist clients with professional after-sale support.

When I visit grill retailers selling 15 to 20 brands of grills, my immediate question is how these people can be experts in this many things. How can they sell enough of any one brand to establish credibility with consumers? How are consumers not confused when they walk into the showroom? How do their salespeople know how to guide consumers? How do they service this many products and stock this many parts and accessories?

There is no question that retailers of the future will focus on fewer products, better experiences, and the ability to share (with their staff and clients) the brand stories of the products that they choose to sell. Now, more than ever, less is more.

To become Saber ambassadors, we choose to make an investment in our relationships with the entire supply chain that brings Saber grills to market. At Urban Bonfire, we do eight things each year to support these relationships.

First, we attend consumer and designer trade shows to exhibit the Saber brand to consumers and trade partners. Second, we produce ongoing newsletters, recipes, tips, tricks, and cooking techniques that are specific to Saber. Third, we create video content.

Fourth, we hold before- and after-purchase Saber grilling classes.

Fifth, we have an end-of-summer Saber customer-appreciation event.

Sixth, we provide Saber with client feedback and potential product/accessory improvements. Seventh, we donate several Saber grills to local charity auctions and cook on Saber grills at local events for the less fortunate.

Eighth, we allow potential clients to try a Saber grill before they buy it.

These are major investments for a single location to manage, but have proved to be experientially and economically successful for us since we began this program, in 2014. Our passion and commitment to the brand are known and felt by our staff, customers, and suppliers. This is how partnerships and trust-based relationships are formed. This is the backbone of the new economy: Consumers buy from retailers who are knowledgeable and passionate—

and who demonstrate expertise not only in what they sell, but in why they sell it.

It has never been more important than it is today to focus on brand ambassadorship and the establishment of trust with the consumer. The successful retailers of the future know that their roles as conduits between manufacturers and consumers are the value-added proposition where they can confidently retain profit margins. This psychology will position these retailers for success. They will be ready to tackle the rapidly

shifting landscape in consumer buying patterns— where brands, stories, and key differentiators are the pillars of the experience.

Ryan Bloom is the owner of Urban Bonfire (Montreal, Quebec), a highly successful interactive retail store that specializes in selling grills and outdoor-kitchen products, as well as outdoor-living experiences.

Winter sunset on the deck.

Together, outside.

Bring your indoor gatherings outside in any season with the comfort of an Infratech heating system. Climate-controlled, eco-friendly and energy efficient. Customize with a variety of mounting, finish and control options, including smart home integration, and enjoy convenience, style and warmth – even when it’s cold outside.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

WWW.INFRATECH-USA.COM | 800-421-9455 2-YEAR WARRANTY | PROUDLY MADE IN USA

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To learn more about our capabilities or view our gallery, please visit infratech-usa.com

Infrared Impact In Saber’s premium grills, a patented cooking system produces better-tasting food.

Saber

LAST WORD

The Cast 500 grill

Saber® Grills LLC (Columbus, Georgia) has made a significant impact on the premium-grill category since its introduction at the 2011 International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo. Saber grills are sold exclusively

through independent outdoor/casual and leisure specialty retailers. Gary Butler, Saber’s vice president and general manager, says, “We have been received extremely well by the dealer base. Often, we are reminded that we are the newest of the new—for our cooking technology and for the value we offer to both the dealer and the consumer.”

Saber’s unique technology features an advanced (and proprietary) infrared cooking system, and its use translates into better-tasting food. Butler says, “Our cooking system and performance are very strong. From a dealer and consumer perspective, this is reinforced by our customer-satisfaction levels.

Consumers say that food coming off our grills tastes amazing. We really deliver on that emotion for the consumer.”

That superb taste comes from the patented infrared cooking system in every Saber grill, which directs airflow away from the cooking surface—allowing the food to retain its natural moisture and producing juicer, tastier results.

Saber has also solved the problem of flare-ups (often associated with other gas grills). The company’s exclusive design features a cooking grate and an infrared emitter that combine to vaporize drippings, adding natural smoke (and flavor) to food.

Butler says, “The design of our cooking system eliminates flare-ups; you won’t find that in other infrared or gas grills. Our design was pur-

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS

poseful. How we engineered the cart and overall ergonomics of the grill took quite some time to study. We looked at how things were done in the marketplace to determine what was right and what was wrong— and out of that came the Saber design.”

He adds, “Our infrared system is also unique in that we have low and high settings.

One of the main advantages of Saber is that we are not just for searing or getting to a high heat (grills heat to 700 degrees in 10 minutes or less). The consumer can actually regulate the heat, using zones, in our cookbox.”

Furthermore, Saber grills use 30% less fuel than traditional gas grills, making them extremely fuel efficient.

Saber grills are manufactured using 304 commercial-grade stainless steel. Other important benefits and features include a noflex lid design, ensuring years of stability; a built-in tilt storage rack for warming or roasting; porcelain-coated burner boxes; and firebox liners and grease trays that facilitate easy cleanup. The cart and firebox are fully welded using a 1-inch tubular steel frame, providing

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superior strength and stability.

In addition, Saber has made it simple to change fuel sources, using either propane or natural gas, and all Saber grills are noted for their easy assembly. Butler adds, “We use one bolt to put the grill together. It is an easy process to service and assemble the unit.” All Saber grills are certified as meeting the highest safety and performance standards in the industry, ensuring users’ safety and the grills’ reliability.

NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED Saber offers a wide variety of models, including freestanding and built-in grills, along with an outdoor-kitchen series. The Saber Cast series was introduced in September at Casual Market Chicago.

The line will be available to consumers in January 2017, with products available at lower prices. The line includes the Saber Cast 330 P two-burner model, the Saber Cast 500 P threeburner model, and the Saber Cast 670 P fourburner model (with a side burner and stainlesssteel shelves).

In June, the Saber Cast 500 grill was included in “The Best Grills in America Reviewed” in

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Popular Mechanics, and it received a 2016 Editors’ Choice Award from the magazine. “It was quite an honor to receive the award. I believe we were recognized because our grills are easy to use—but more important, they offer the benefits of no flare-ups, even heat distribution, easy igniting, and quick preheating. Ultimately, what stands out is the overall cooking performance of the grill,” Butler explains, from searing a steak at a high heat level to cooking a chicken at a low temperature to using the warming rack to roast food slowly.

From its inception, Saber has provided an incredible value in the premium-grill category, with prices that have enabled more customers to enter the segment. Butler says, “Our grills are high-end, high-quality products that are available at an accessible price.

Consumers find our products to be a great value for what they receive in return. This is very important to us, as we move forward in our product line, to catch a variety of consumers.”

Saber grills will continue its focus on offering its product lineup only through independent specialty retailers

We feel very good about where we are and where we are “going.

We know that when people buy a Saber grill, they find out how awesome it is and how wonderful the food coming off the grill tastes.

”

throughout North America. Butler says, “We really enjoy our dealer base. I think the dealers are committed to the brand—and, of course, we are very committed to them. Saber is going to have some great promotions for our dealers next year to get both our dealers and consumers excited about Saber grills, and we are currently working on them. It’s going to be a great year.”

CUSTOMER SUPPORT For both consumers and dealers, Saber provides unparalleled customer service and support. On the company’s website (www.sabergrills.com), consumers can register their products and get access to FAQs, order tracking, and product bulletins. Parts and schematics for each grill, custom accessories, product manuals, and

Sunset West

AS I SEE IT

continued from page 40

grilling guides are also available online for each product. Butler says, “Consumers have made a well– thought-out purchase, and we want to instill assurance and confidence in them through not only our warranty, but the excellent customer service and support we offer.”

The website also has a blog link (www.betterbarbecue.com) that gives readers a wealth of information about how to use a Saber grill.

Included are recipes, tips and tricks, how-to videos, outdoor-living ideas, and other blog posts.

Saber is a division of Char-Broil LLC—one of the oldest gas-grill companies in the United States, well regarded for introducing the category to the marketplace. Char-Broil’s parent company is the W.C. Bradley Company, a pri-

vately held company that owns a diverse group of businesses focusing on home/leisure products and services.

Butler says, “We have done a good job of introducing a new grill line to this channel, and we have a lot of momentum, in terms of success. We feel very good about where we are and where we are going. We know that when people buy a Saber grill, they find out how awesome it is and how wonderful the food coming off the grill tastes.”

Butler predicts that more consumers will shift toward purchasing a grill that uses infrared technology. He says, “It is a growing category. The flavor of grilled food is the top reason that people grill, and I think infrared cooking is going to play a big role in getting more people to try different types of meals that you can make on an outdoor grill.”

The Provence collection

How important do you think eclectic style will be?

Stewart: For some of our more fashion-forward dealers, this look is becoming very important because it is something different.

Right now, all that’s available online is matchedset furniture, so it resonates with designers and high-end buyers looking for something unique and personal.

We want to be the one-stop shop to pull together an eclectic outdoor space. In trying to pair different pieces from different manufacturers, one has to deal with varying lead times and logistics (which can be frustrating). Sunset West will make it simple.

In 2017, we will be doing a big marketing push online to make our product visible in design channels such as Houzz. We are also creating an image library that dealers can use in their marketing and advertising.

Over the past few years, how have you seen specialty retailing change?

Stewart: I think specialty retailing has been forced to change. Customers are asking for a wider selection of products, a better value, and quicker delivery—because of the influence of the internet.

For example, 15 years ago, someone who wanted to buy a leather sofa would walk into a sofa shop; put half down; and in 12 weeks, it would ready. Nobody cared that it took eight to 12 weeks; it was the norm.

Today, someone can go to Amazon Prime; pick out a sofa; and theoretically, it could be shipped the next day. The internet is influencing consumer expectations, so retailers have to respond to what consumers already know (or think they know) because they have already looked online. That is a real challenge that retailers face.

What will the coming year look like for the outdoor-living industry and for specialty retailers?

Stewart: I think the industry, as a whole, is going to continue to grow. One reason is that many new homes have outdoor rooms as part of their architecture, so people are embracing outdoor living more now than ever.

Specialty retailers can take advantage of this by

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being visible in their markets and offering a good product mix. There isn’t a consumer on the planet who wouldn’t want to buy from a local retailer, so it’s just a matter of retailers making themselves visible.

I think there could be substantial business to be had, in the next few years, when it comes to product replacement. The outdoor greatroom really started taking off in 2004–2005, and outdoor cushions have a life span. When people start looking into replacing their outdoor cushions, they will find that it can be expensive—so many will choose to purchase new furniture instead.

What are Sunset West’s biggest opportunities for 2017?

Stewart: Our new focus on eclectic design is going to be one of our biggest opportunities, as it opens up the door to new customers and sales.

I’m excited to see what it brings to our dealers.

In addition, we recently brought in a new sales manager, John Dorney, who is proving to be an unbelievable asset to the company. He brings us a lot of enthusiasm and experience.

Having Dorney take the reins for sales will free up my time to focus on our products and operation, so we can continue to introduce interesting and fashionable furniture.

WHAT’S NEW

6 Hot Products to Sell Now Onward Manufacturing

Mendota Hearth If you want wow, Mendota FullView Décor linear gas fireplaces deliver, with bold styling and clean lines. Choose from a wide selection of fronts and interior linings, including new wave and flat panels, as well as handcrafted fire bases such as birch and Norway spruce, to create a view that lasts a lifetime.

Contact: (319) 365-6282 or www.mendotahearth.com.

From necessities such as tongs and turners to innovative accessories such as rib roasters and pizza stones, the Broil King line of premium grill accessories offers grill enthusiasts more ways to enhance their outdoor-cooking experience.

Contact: (800) 245-5138 or

www.broilkingbbq.com.

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Wittus

NorthCape Big Green Egg The Big Green Egg stainless-steel rib and roast rack perfectly holds roasts and poultry on one side, allowing for even convection airflow around meats. When flipped over, the easy-to-clean stainlesssteel rack conveniently holds pork or beef ribs upright for perfectly done slabs of ribs. Contact: (770) 938-9394 or www.biggreenegg.com.

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The Elements collection from NorthCape Fire adds character and warmth to any garden/ outdoor-living space. Inspired by the earth’s resources in their purest forms, Elements will charm guests and family members with its contemporary lines and organic materials. Each piece is powder coated in a rust finish to provide years of carefree use. The entire collection is accented with real river rocks, making each piece of the Elements collection a one-of-a-kind work of sculptural art. Contact: (708) 563-2890 or www.northcape.com/northcape-fire.

Minimalistic and sophisticated, the unique Cubic series was designed with contemporary Danish style in mind. The Cubic collection of five stove models includes three floor models and two wall units: Cubic 215 (7 feet tall); Cubic 166 (shown, at 5.5 feet tall); Cubic 109 (3.5 feet tall); Cubic wall; and Cubic W200 (6.5 feet wide, with a side wood holder). This stove is that perfect product for spaces looking for Minimalist design and high heating capacity. All models are EPA certified and UL/ULC approved. With Cubic, higher fuel efficiency, higher combustion temperatures, and lower atmospheric emissions make burning wood a green thing and an environmentally responsible addition to your home. Contact: (914) 764-5679 or www.wittus.com.

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Winston Furniture New for 2017, Winston Furniture’s Echo sling is one of 13 quick-ship collections shipping from Haleyville, Alabama, in three working days. Echo sling is a contemporary aluminum mixed-media collection, its frame contrasting with the warmth of resin-wood accents on arms, backs, and tabletops. Echo sling introduced a bench to be used with dining-table seating. This collection is complete with dining- and balcony-height tables and coordinating chairs.

Contact: (205) 486-9211 or www.winstonfurniture.com.

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product profiles Melbourne Firepit Chat Group If the words crisp, clean, and comfortable come to mind, you’re sure to be describing Agio’s Melbourne collection. The four deep seating matching chairs with rust-free aluminum frames feature gorgeous sky-blue Sunbrella® cushions for the ultimate in style and comfort. The focal point and center of attention, however, is a stylish matching square firepit with a generously sized porcelain top—for serving and entertaining long into the evening. For the very latest looks in outdoor products that are sure to be big sellers on your showroom floor, trust Agio to deliver what your customers are seeking.

Contact: (888) 997-7623 or www.agio-usa.com.

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Three-tier Plank Rack (CC6072)

Bull Himalayan Salt Block

Cook up to three planks full of food on the three-tier plank rack from Charcoal Companion—while saving space on the grill. With the rack’s ability to handle multiple dishes at once, making customized entrées for guests or grilling up sides is a breeze. The rack includes three cedar planks that add flavor and moisture to food. Contact: (800) 521-0505, sales@companion-group.com, or www.companion-group.com.

It’s time to get cooking in a new way.

Sourced from natural salt deposits found in the Himalayas, Bull’s thick salt block adds complex flavors to all types of food: seafood, meats, vegetables, and fruits.

The possibilities are endless with the new Bull Himalayan salt block. Contact: (800) 521-2855 or www.bullbbq.com.

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Roma Deep Seating With Fire and Ice Fire Feature

Pioneers of Professional Outdoor Kitchens

Gentle curves and strong supports create the ultimate in outdoor leisure and long backyard life with Castelle Roma deep seating. When paired with Roma deep seating, the Fire and Ice fire feature is the perfect outdoor accessory, allowing for warm conversation and a cool beverage at the same time. State-of-the-art engineering is found in the fire feature, while the deep seating boasts high-quality tailored cushioning. Contact: (855) 612-9800 or www.castelleluxurycom.

Turn up the heat, and go from zero to sear with DCS Grills’ new built-in temperature gauge. To maximize natural convection, this gauge allows you to monitor the temperatures and know exactly how hot the grill is—without raising the specially designed hood. Be the ultimate meal maker with the ability to control DCS Grills’ massive 121,500 Btu-per-hour total power, which lets you choose the precise heat you need—from a low-and-slow 300 degrees up to an intense 1,100 degrees—to create the ultimate cooking experience. Contact: (888) 936-7872 or www.dcsappliances.com.

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Shift Collection Designed to be mixed and matched, the Sunbrella® Shift collection features classic designs interpreted in a contemporary fashion. The collection comprises six patterns—Spotlight, Loft, Escapade, Connect, Integrated, and Radiant—that cleverly layer texture, color, and pattern, showcasing one of the strongest trends in the market today: opposing forces. Fabrics in this collection shift from old to new, light to dark, shiny to matte, and natural to man-made. Contact: (336) 221-2211 or www.sunbrella.com.

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Westlake Fire Table Bernard Dalsin Manufacturing (BDM) introduces the Exterior Escapes by BDM brand of gas fire tables. The Westlake model (pictured) is an affordable (yet luxurious) addition to any outdoor environment. It is sold with a 60,000-Btu stainless-steel burner, providing one of the best flames the industry has to offer.

Contact: (800) 829-9505 or www.firetablesplus.com.

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product profiles Louisiana Grills— Whiskey-barrel Pellets

Drake The Drake collection from Gensun is an elegant family of seating products, comprising deep seating; modular lounge seating; and dining, bar, and balcony chairs. Available in upholstered and woven models, Drake will satisfy a wide range of styles and personal tastes, from transitional to modern. It’s shown with Gensun’s new privacy screen. Contact: (866) 964-4468 or www.gensuncasual.com.

Louisiana Grills whiskey hardwood pellets create a strong, earthy taste that is great for beef, fish, or baked products. There are no artificial flavors, spray scents, glues, or chemicals: Louisiana Grills hardwood pellets are 100% natural.

Sourced across North America, the raw wood makes for a superior finished product. Applying high pressure to sawdust during production forces natural juice in the wood to bind the pellets together, with a flavor that is unique to each blend. Pellets are available in 20- and 40-pound bags. Contact: (877) 303-3134 or www.louisiana-grills.com.

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Style Chameleon: Optifire The zero-clearance wood-burning optifire is a trendsetter in its field. With sleek, clean lines and the option of a flat or curved door, this product is ideal for new construction or remodeling. Easy to heat up to 50,000 Btu, the optifire has a built-in thermostat that can be used for regulating heat output. The fan option allows for additional circulation of warm air throughout the room, and versatile venting options include up to four additional heating channels. The fireplace measures 34 inches wide by 28 inches tall by 19 inches deep, with a narrow frame in a rich charcoal gray and a large viewing window that allows for uninhibited enjoyment of the fire. Easy to clean and even easier to operate, the optifire is a great choice for all of your zero-clearance needs. Contact: (914) 764-5679 or www.wittus.com.

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Endless Possibilities

Pawleys Quilted

Create a room with the colors, textures, and shapes you love with Mendota Fullview Décor fireplaces. Elements such as the Swedish nickel Grace front, Norway spruce fire base, and concrete flat-panel interior lining amplify the nuances of the authentic fire.

The possibilities are virtually endless, but the end result is distinctly you. Contact: (319) 365-6282 or www.mendotahearth.com.

Pawleys Island quilted hammocks are two ample sheets of compellingly designed all-weather fabric quilted over a plush layer of pillowy polyester-fiberfill batting, promising lavish reclining in soft-to-skin comfort. Pawleys Island quilted hammocks are proudly handcrafted in the Carolinas.

Contact: (800) 334-1078 or www.thehammocksource.com.

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Revillusion

Dimplex introduces Revillusion™, a completely new way of looking at fireplaces—once again, elevating the standard for electric fireplaces.

The revolutionary Thruview™ design lets you look through the lifelike flames to the back of the firebox, capturing the charm and depth of a wood-burning fireplace.

It’s stunningly realistic, day or night, whether the fireplace is on or off. It’s time to take another look at electric fireplaces. As the company says, you’ll see that with Revillusion, the difference is clear. Contact: (800) 668-6663 or www.dimplex.com.

Contemporary elegance built for today’s outdoor spaces: The Castelle vertice cushion dining set creates the ultimate in alfresco entertaining.

Tailored cushioning and strong angled supports come together in the modern seating design of vertice, which delivers beauty and style for outdoor living. Contact: (855) 612-9800 or www.castelleluxurycom.

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HeatShift Technology valor’s unique HeatShift system means that material above your linear fireplace stays cooler, benefiting valued artwork or a television. How does it work? The HeatShift system transfers excess heat upward through hidden ducts and back into the room—completely bypassing the wall and surface areas above the fireplace—increasing comfort and decreasing wall temperatures directly above the fireplace. Contact: (800) 468-2567 or www.valorfireplaces.com/distinction/heatshift.php.

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Ambiance AEI proudly announces the introduction of the Ambiance stainless-steel fire feature (PC14SS), adding to the most complete offering of outdoor comfort heat available from any single source. Ambiance’s features include a 4-inch Ambi-Fire borosilicate-glass tube, the Ambi-Glo emitter-grid system, the Pyromid ceramic-burner system, and Ambi-Brite reflectors (at all three corners) to enhance the dancing flame. Ambiance is backed by AEI Corp., which is celebrating its 48th year in the premium–gas-grill and outdoor–comfort-heat industries. Contact: (949) 474-3070 or www.aeicorporation.com.

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Smartwerks With this complete point-of-sale system, you’ll have all the tools necessary to grow your business. Process sales faster and more accurately. Bring in new customers (while retaining the ones you have), and buy the right amount of the right products to maximize your return on inventory: all with Smartwerks. Contact: (888) 882-1530 Ext. 107 or www.smartwerksusa.com.

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Dependable

BDM has been manufacturing quality venting products for 70 years. Our built-to-order stainless steel liner kits offer your choice of cap, length of liner and fittings.

Order today to take advantage of:

Montigo Distinction

FREE Freight on orders over $500

Distinction comes in two configurations to suit your needs perfectly. The D6315 comes standard with a 50,000-Btu-per-hour burner, ceramic glass, circulating fans, multicolor LED uplighting, and a full 63 inches of viewing space. The more economical DL6315 features a 40,000-Btu-per-hour concealed burner inside the same 63x15-inch frame, with the freedom to upgrade to any of the features available for the D6315. Dealer inquiries are welcome. Contact: (800) 378-3115, sales@montigo.com, or www.montigo.com.

Fast Shipping

Discounts Available

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Sonoma The Sonoma collection from NorthCape Fire emanates warmth and charm, beginning with its ipê hardwood construction.

Imported from Brazil, ipê wood is heavy and dense, making it perfect for outdoor applications. A rich, weathered patina will form over time and imbue the wood with a handsome brown-gray character. Firespaces are available in three sizes: 17, 21, and 25.5 inches tall. You may also add height and drama to the largest Sonoma Firespace by adding an optional 13.5-inch base section. Contact: (708) 563-2890 or www.northcape.com/northcape-fire.

800-729-9505 www.dalsinmfg.com

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product profiles American Hearth Direct-vent System The all-new American Hearth 40-inch direct-vent system reimagines the gas fireplace—its aesthetics, its technology, and its environmental impact. The enormous ceramic-glass front frames the beautifully crafted 14-piece log set blazing atop a full-floor ember bed. Rich yellow flames roll over and around the logs and embers, mimicking the burn of a natural wood fire. Inside the fireplace, Empire’s TruFlame technology uses an integrated catalyst system to scrub the exhaust, removing potential pollutants from the flue output and making this the most eco-friendly vented gas fireplace on the market. An adjustable air shutter and dampers (accessible from the front) provide a means for the installer to fine-tune the flames to the length of the vent run during the initial installation, eliminating callbacks. Contact: (800) 851-3153 or www.americanhearth.com.

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Hatteras Double Swing Handmade in the Carolinas, this double swing uses two layers of Sunbrella® fabric to create a cushion that’s resistant to staining, fading, mold, and mildew—all while being as soft as cotton. A varnished white-oak frame with beautifully sculpted arms supports the cushion, with enough space for two adults to relax comfortably.

Zinc-plated steel hanging hardware provides a safe, secure way to hang your swing, allowing you to relax and be at ease, without a care. The swing is shown with the company’s classic-style wood swing stand.

Contact: (800) 334-1078 or www.thehammocksource.com.

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Mantels by The Fireplace Door Guy

Infratech Slimline Infratech Slimline electric outdoor heaters offer streamlined comfort with seamless style. They have modern styling, a narrow profile, and low clearance requirements—for energy-efficient warmth that disappears into your decor. Enjoy year-round comfort on your patio/deck or in your outdoor room without heaters that take up space or distract you from your view. Contact: (800) 421-9455 or www.infratech-usa.com.

update the appearance of a fireplace with the highest-quality custom mantels and fireplace doors, manufactured in the united States. Mantels and doors are handbuilt—customized, one at a time, to meet each customer’s design requests. The company creates beautifully designed doors that fit uniquely shaped fireplaces and complement customers’ design motifs. Contact: (951) 837-0097 or www.fireplacedoorguy.com.

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Provence Sectional Bull Bamboo Chopping Block

With a romantic flair and a decorative design, the Castelle Provence sectional makes a comfort-filled outdoor statement. Through handcrafted curves, castings, and decorative appointments, Provence offers a truly romantic experience. The high-back design of the sectional seating delivers plush relaxation and an elegant appeal. Contact: (855) 612-9800 or www.castelleluxurycom.

It’s time to start chopping. Bamboo is known for naturally replenishing itself, making the Bull chopping block an eco-friendly must-have item for the outdoor kitchen. The Bull bamboo chopping block is extremely durable, is less prone to bacterial buildup than wood, is composed of natural bamboo, and will last a lifetime. Contact: (800) 521-2855 or www.bullbbq.com.

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Big Green Egg Corn Holders Genuine Big Green Egg corn holders add convenience and a touch of fun every time you grill corn on the cob.

High-quality stainless-steel prongs and soft-grip handles hold corn securely and keep fingers cool and clean.

The corn holders are designed to nest together for safe storage. Contact: (770) 938-9394 or www.biggreenegg.com.

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Ambiance Antique Bronze AEI proudly announces the introduction of the Ambiance antique bronze fire feature (PC14AB), adding to the most complete offering of outdoor comfort heat available from any single source. Ambiance’s features include a 4-inch Ambi-Fire borosilicate-glass tube, the Ambi-Glo emitter-grid system, the Pyromid ceramic-burner system, and Ambi-Brite reflectors (at all three corners) to enhance the dancing flame. Ambiance is backed by AEI Corp., which is celebrating its 48th year in the premium–gas-grill and outdoor–comfort-heat industries. Contact: (949) 474-3070 or www.aeicorporation.com.

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Manhattan Collection Fresh thinking and carefully scaled design elements are the foundation of the Manhattan collection’s stylish and appealing nature. The thick cushions and generous seating make for the perfect place to enjoy time outdoors. visit Sunset West at the Winter 2017 Las vegas Market™ in space B-0166. Contact: (760) 599-1021 or www.sunsetwestusa.com.

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Vision The award-winning vision is the industry’s first and only see-through wood-burning stove. It’s noncatalytic and EPA approved, with very low emissions (averaging 3.6 grams per hour). The firebox is made of high-grade stainless steel, for a quicker heat transfer and more durability. It comes completely assembled, with two heat-activated blowers, a sealed ash pan, a built-in barbecue grill, and a patented automatic air control. The user can load this stove on either side. Its maximum log size is 24 inches. Contact: (877) 593-4722 or www.supremem.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 124

Porta-Chef AT220 The new all-terrain Broil King Porta-Chef™ AT220 is designed for the adventurous outdoor grill master. Compact and convenient, this grill is perfect for tailgating and camping. Just unfold it, stand it up, and you’re set. Featuring a 16,000-Btu stainless-steel tubular burner system, a cast-iron cooking grid, and 360 square inches of total cooking surface, the Porta-Chef AT220 offers an unprecedented amount of cooking capacity for a portable grill. Contact: (800) 245-5138 or www.broilkingbbq.com.

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product profiles New Hammered Finish

Infratech Flush Mount

valor continues to offer a variety of contemporary designs, including the new hammered look in vintage iron—shown here with the popular pebble driftwood fuel—as well as hammered oiled-bronze and copper finishes. As one has come to expect from valor, each piece is finely crafted, with 11-gauge corner gussets, solid-steel rivet heads, and a rich powder-coat paint or handfinished antique copper. Contact: (800) 468-2567 or www.valorfireplaces.com.

The Infratech flush-mounting option has long been a favorite outdoor-heating option among the architects, interior designers, and engineers working on today’s most sought-after properties. Stylish and versatile, these heaters can be installed with the edges exposed or can be partially covered by a drywall, plaster, stucco, or tongue-and-groove ceiling treatment. Enjoy year-round comfort on your patio/deck or in your outdoor room without heaters taking up space or distracting you from your view. Contact: (800) 421-9455 or www.infratech-usa.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 126

Circle Reader Service No. 127

Gold Coast Sling Dining With strong angled frames and performance sling fabric, the Castelle Gold Coast collection’s sling dining provides transitional seating perfect for any patio or poolside. The robust supports within Gold Coast sling dining’s seating are engineered for dramatic display of the fabric, as well as to offer comfort and durability to any outdoor room. Contact: (855) 612-9800 or www.castelleluxurycom.

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Swivel Stools Loft Collection Loft from Patio Renaissance is a contemporary design with a hint of old-world rustic style.

Loft is handcrafted of all-aluminum frames with a distressed wood-grain texture that is available in three complementary finish options: reclaimed barn wood, salvaged lumber, and railroad tie. Loft has generously proportioned seat buckets and offers the ultimate comfort, with extrathick reticulated seat cushions. The collection includes a modular sectional, a lounge chair, a swivel lounge, a firepit dining set, and high dining.

Contact: (866) 698-5673 or www.patiorenaissance.com.

Gensun Casual Living’s swivel stools were a big hit at the ICFA Preview Show™. These balcony-height stools are great for maximizing seating, adding more seating, and tucking under the table when not in use. Stools are available in 19 finish colors. Contact: (866) 964-4468 or www.gensuncasual.com.

Circle Reader Service No. 131

Circle Reader Service No. 129

Noncombustible Supercast Mantel Collection

The Cabana Collection by Sunbrella

Supercast mantels from the Gallery collection by the outdoor GreatRoom Company are great additions to your gas, wood, or electric fireplace.

Because these mantels are made from noncombustible materials, they can be used where wooden mantels cannot. They are available in four finishes: tavern brown, washed cedar, cove gray, and polished midnight mist. Contact: (866) 303-4028 or www.outdoorrooms.com.

The Sunbrella Cabana collection is a new grouping of Sunbrella upholstery fabrics, featuring classic stripe patterns Cabana and Shore in a variety of modern, bold, bright colors: classic, regatta, emerald, citron, and flame.

Emphasizing design simplicity with a contemporary take, these fabrics can be mixed and matched for playful looks. Fabrics in the Sunbrella Cabana collection are ideal for upholstery, drapery, and decorative pillows. Contact: (336) 221-2211 or www.sunbrella.com.

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Circle Reader Service No. 132

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BDM Vent Kits Bernard Dalsin Manufacturing (BDM) offers convenient vent kits for use with direct-vent gas fireplace inserts.

The patented termination cap offers unparalleled performance, as well as an aesthetically pleasing design.

Contact: (800) 829-9505 or www.firetablesplus.com.

Parkdale Deep Seating

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The hottest new looks allow you to claim your title in the next generation of trendsetting retailers. Agio’s Parkdale deep seating collection includes a matching sofa, love-seat glider, and lounge chair with an ottoman, along with an intricate scrolled-casting coffee and end table—all crafted with a natural dark wood-look finish. The collection is modern (yet natural), and it will give your customers a look that will be sure to be a big seller. Add the retail collections that are sure to move quickly off of your showroom floor. Contact: (888) 997-7623 or www.agio-usa.com.

Club Tempotest uSA introduces a new collection of Parà’s Tempotest fabrics for both indoor and outdoor furniture, cushions, and pillows. The collection, called Club, is a contemporary twist on classic design elements, highlighting ikats, geometrics, chevrons, and cabana stripes in seven colorways. The collection, ranging from neutrals to jewel tones to classic casual colors such as moss green and teal blue, can be both playful and subdued. Like all Tempotest fabrics, these are treated with the company’s exclusive Teflon® Extreme fabric protectant to resist staining and to ensure that spills and stains are easily cleanable. The fabrics are also bleach cleanable. These features, along with the use of yarns of 100% solution-dyed acrylic (for the ultimate in fade resistance), enable Tempotest fabric to be backed by an industry-leading six-year warranty.

Contact: (972) 512-3534 or www.tempotestusa.com.

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Smartwerks Take control of your inventory with this complete point-of-sale solution. Discover the products that your customers are buying and the ones that they aren’t—at all of your stores. Smartwerks even recommends the items to include on your next purchase order. Start making better buying and selling decisions today.

Contact: (888) 882-1530 Ext. 107 or www.smartwerksusa.com.

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Circle Reader Service No. 137

Delta Heat Outdoor-kitchen Products

Montigo CabanaFire Ventless Outdoor Fireplace

The grill is the cornerstone of any outdoor kitchen, but it is the complementary products that bring it to life. Delta Heat has thought through your customers’ cooking, storage, and entertaining needs. The company’s offering is complete, giving customers the products that they need to create a space that is unique to them: a space that suits their personal cooking and entertaining styles. The company invites you to explore the complete Delta Heat offering. Contact: (800) 422-0091 or www.deltaheat.com.

Montigo’s new outdoor unit, CabanaFire, has a patented windproof design with glass doors and a safety screen, requires no venting, and is rated for wood-framed construction.

Made with high-quality 304 stainless steel, this unit also features dual blowers, providing a curtain of warm air on a cool evening. Dealer inquiries are welcome. Contact: (800) 378-3115, sales@montigo.com, or www.montigo.com.

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Circle Reader Service No. 138

Key West Padded Sling Dining Winston’s Key West padded sling is available in dining- and bar-height tables, offered with stationary and swivel/tilt dining chairs. Seating pieces are also available. This collection uses an attractive acrylic fabric covering the face side, with a coordinating PvC sling fabric adding support to the back. Key West padded sling is one of 13 quick-ship collections shipping from Haleyville, Alabama, in three working days. Contact: (205) 486-9211 or www.winstonfurniture.com.

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product profiles Antigua Collection Patio Renaissance introduces the alluring Antigua collection. With its sophisticated lines and unique weave pattern, Antigua will appeal to the true lover of traditional designs. This overscaled collection offers ultimate comfort (which is the signature feature of Patio Renaissance), along with a new twisted-weave pattern and the cloves weave color. Antigua offers a wide variety of seating configurations, as well as several dining options that will be accommodated in almost any backyard space for your customer. Contact: (866) 698-5673 or www.patiorenaissance.com.

St. Bernardus St. Bernardus is MLW Stone’s latest and most cost-effective natural-stone fireplace facing. Available in three standard sizes, St. Bernardus is a sound and durable honed-limestone fireplace surround that is consistent in color from piece to piece and set to set. Its warm, clean, and neutral color lends itself well to any traditional or contemporary decor. For samples, email orders@mlwalker.com. Contact: (800) 477-7665 or www.mlwstone.com.

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Smoked Food Log Book (SR8136) Smoking is a science, and any expert in the field needs to keep careful notes. This food-smoking log is the perfect place to jot down details of culinary creations—to achieve the perfectly smoked meal of your dreams. Keep track of kinds of food, temperatures, seasonings, woods, and results. With each entry, you’ll be able to improve on your recipes and techniques, for the ultimate smoking experience. Contact: (800) 521-0505, sales@companion-group.com, or www.companion-group.com.

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Louisiana Grills—Estate 860C

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Louisiana Grills (LG) welcomes the much-awaited Estate series. Fueled by 100% natural hardwood pellets, the prestigious LG Estate series offers the most versatile cooking system, the company says, with astonishing features. The digital control center, in union with the famous LG burn system and the standard flame broiler, can create temperatures of up to 600 degrees while cooking your food evenly. The Estate series presents a 304 stainless-steel grid and double-walled construction for pristine grilling and superior heat retention.

Complemented by an elegant stainless-steel body, extensive storage space, and LG’s prominent power cycle, the Estate series is made for those who like to barbecue in style. Contact: (877) 303-3134 or www.louisiana-grills.com.

Intrigue Tabletop Fire Feature by The Outdoor GreatRoom Company This innovative tabletop firepit will be the star of your outdoor area. The Intrigue™ tabletop venturi fire feature is designed to fit on virtually any dining or pub table with an umbrella hole of 1.75 to 4 inches. It’s easy and quick to install. Contact: (866) 303-4028 or www.outdoorrooms.com.

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Circle Reader Service No. 141

The Fireplace Door Guy update the appearance of a fireplace with the highest-quality custom fireplace doors, manufactured in the united States.

Fireplace doors are all handbuilt—customized, one at a time, to each customer’s design requests. The company creates beautifully designed doors that fit uniquely shaped fireplaces and complement customers’ design motifs. Contact: (951) 837-0097 or www.fireplacedoorguy.com.

Indulge in the art of outdoor grilling with two new handcrafted DCS Grill models, with infrared-burner technology and a griddle plate, so you can cook with the same confidence outdoors as you do indoors. DCS lets you sear where you want to sear, putting you in control of the entire grilling surface, giving you the versatility to cook what you want. Contact: (888) 936-7872 or www.dcsappliances.com.

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IgniteXL by Dimplex

All-new Delsol Grills

IgniteXL™ stands apart as more lifelike and visually stunning than anything that came before it, Dimplex says. With new, patented flame and heat technology, IgniteXL transforms the look and feel of any room. Enjoy flawless panoramic views plus simple and flexible installation, making the possibilities almost endless. Contact: (800) 668-6663 or www.dimplex.com.

Delsol products are designed with passion and are engineered to perform. Perfected by a passionate group of experts in high-performance grills and outdoor-kitchen equipment, Delsol products are engineered with the lasting satisfaction of your customers in mind. Final assembly and a detailed quality inspection are conducted at the company’s factory in California. Every grill is fire tested and packaged in the united States. A wide range of built-in accessories will complement the 40-, 32-, and 25-inch built-in grill models. Built-in grills’ retail prices start at $1,199. Contact: www.delsolgrills.com or (800) 422-0091.

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Circle Reader Service No. 148

Provence Collection The Provence collection from Sunset West is the definition of class and elegance in outdoor furnishings. The reserved scale and design will remain timeless as current trends come and go. visit Sunset West at the Winter 2017 Las vegas Market™ in space B-0166. Contact: (760) 599-1021 or www.sunsetwestusa.com.

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Boulevard Linear Fireplaces Go to Great Lengths

Galaxy The awardwinning Galaxy is the industry’s largest noncatalytic, EPA–approved, zero-clearance fireplace. It has a heating capacity of 2,500 square feet, with maximum output of 100,000 Btu per hour. The fireplace is available with different surround options and comes standard with a heat-activated blower, a sealed ash pan, and a built-in barbecue grill. The Galaxy has a unique, patented air control that regulates combustion automatically. It also has a patented Easy-Light mechanism, which ensures a quick and easy start for the fire and helps keep the glass clean. Contact: (877) 593-4722, anastasia@supremem.com, or www.supremem.com.

Sometimes a fireplace goes beyond just the flame—and becomes art. With its outsized proportions, its contemporary burner, and its programmable lighting system (concealed beneath an ocean of crushed glass), a Boulevard large linear vent-free fireplace makes a bold statement that’s sure to turn heads in any setting. Choose the Boulevard 60 or Boulevard 72—with true 5- or 6-foot fireplace-opening widths. Both systems are available in LP (38,500 Btu) and natural-gas (40,000 Btu) versions. Accessorize your Boulevard vent-free fireplace with the unique ceramic-glass black reflective liner to create the illusion of unimaginable depth, or opt for the brushed-stainless liner for a bright, contemporary feel. Contact: (800) 851-3153 or www.empirecomfort.com.

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Tempotest Fabrics Parà’s Tempotest fabrics for indoor and outdoor furniture, cushions, and pillows are treated with the company’s exclusive Teflon® Extreme fabric protectant to ensure that spills and stains are easily cleanable, and the fabric resists staining. Most stains and dirt clean up with a quick rinse and brushing, but the fabrics are also bleach cleanable.

This feature, along with the use of 100% solution-dyed acrylic yarns (for the ultimate in fade resistance from the sun) enables Tempotest fabric to be backed by the best warranty for outdoor fabrics in the industry, the company says.

Contact Tempotest uSA for more information or to learn more about these stylish performance fabrics.

Contact: (972) 512-3534 or www.tempotestusa.com.

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AdvertiserIndex Advertiser

Phone

ProductProfiles Directory Website

Page

Company

Page

AEI ....................................................(949) 474-3070 ................www.aeicorporation.com ........................50

AEI ........................................................................................................63, 65

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

Agio, USA ..............................................................................................61, 67

Bernard Dalsin Manufacturing ..............(800) 829-9505 ................www.firetablesplus.com ..........................63

Bernard Dalsin Manufacturing....................................................................61, 67

Big Green Egg ....................................(770) 938-9394 ................www.biggreenegg.com ..........................32

Big Green Egg ........................................................................................60, 65

Bull Outdoor Products ........................(800) 521-2855 ................www.bullbbq.com ..................................33 Bull Outdoor Products ..............................................................................61, 64

Castelle..............................................(855) 612-9800 ................www.castelleluxury.com ........................2–3 Castelle ......................................................................................61, 62, 64, 66

The Companion Group ........................(800) 521-0505 ................www.companion-group.com ....................51 The Companion Group ............................................................................61, 68

Dansons ............................................(877) 303-3134 ................www.louisiana-grills.com..........................34 Dansons ................................................................................................62, 68

DCS by Fisher & Paykel ........................(888) 936-7872 ................www.dcsappliances.com ..........................31 Delta Heat/Twin Eagles/Delsol ............(800) 422-0091 ................www.deltaheat.com ................................23

DCS by Fisher & Paykel ............................................................................61, 68

Dimplex ............................................(800) 668-6663 ................www.dimplex.com ..................................39

Delta Heat/Twin Eagles/Delsol ..................................................................67, 69

Empire Comfort Systems ......................(800) 851-3153..................www.empirecomfort.com ........................27

Dimplex ................................................................................................62, 69

The Fireplace Door Guy ......................(951) 837-0097..................www.fireplacedoorguy.com......................47

Empire Comfort Systems ..........................................................................64, 69

Gensun Casual Living ..........................(866) 964-4468 ................www.gensuncasual.com ............................9

The Fireplace Door Guy............................................................................64, 68

The Hammock Source..........................(800) 334-1078 ................www.thehammocksource.com ..................14

Gensun Casual Living ..............................................................................62, 66

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association....(703) 522-0086 ................www.hpbexpo.com ................................55 The Hammock Source ..............................................................................62, 64

Infratech ............................................(800) 421-9455 ................www.infratech-usa.com............................57 Infratech ................................................................................................64, 66

Las Vegas Market/IMC ........................(702) 599-3046 ................www.lasvegasmarket.com ........................13 Mendota Hearth ......................................................................................60, 62

Mendota Hearth ................................(319) 365-6282 ................www.mendotahearth.com........................35 Miles Industries ......................................................................................63, 66

Miles Industries ..................................(800) 468-2567 ................www.valorfireplaces.com ........................29 MLW Stone ........................................(800) 477-7665 ................www.mlwstone.com ................................65

MLW Stone ..................................................................................................68

Montigo ............................................(800) 378-3115 ..................www.montigo.com..................................45

Montigo ................................................................................................63, 67

NorthCape ........................................(708) 563-2890 ................www.northcapeinternational.com ..............7

NorthCape ............................................................................................60, 63

Onward Manufacturing........................(800) 265-2150 ................www.broilkingbbq.com............................71

Onward Manufacturing ............................................................................60, 65

The Outdoor GreatRoom Company ......(866) 303-4028 ................www.outdoorrooms.com ........................43 Patio Renaissance................................(866) 698-5673 ................www.patiorenaissance.com ......................53

The Outdoor GreatRoom Company............................................................66, 68 Patio Renaissance ....................................................................................66, 68

Sunbrella............................................(336) 221-2211 ..................www.sunbrella.com ................................72 Sunbrella ................................................................................................61, 66

Sunbrella Rain ....................................(336) 221-2211 ..................www.sunbrella.com/rain..........................25 Sunset West ............................................................................................65, 69

Sunset West........................................(760) 599-1021 ..................www.sunsetwestusa.com..........................41 Supreme Fireplaces ................................................................................65, 69

Supreme Fireplace ..............................(877) 593-4722 ................www.supremem.com ..............................21 Tempotest USA ..................................(972) 512-3534 ................www.tempotestusa.com ..........................15 TylerNet ............................................(888) 882-1530 Ext. 107 ......www.smartwerksusa.com ........................46

Tempotest USA ........................................................................................67, 69 TylerNet..................................................................................................63, 67

Winston Furniture................................(205) 486-9211..................www.winstonfurniture.com ......................49

Winston Furniture ....................................................................................60, 67

Wittus ................................................(914) 764-5679 ................www.wittus.com......................................38

Wittus ....................................................................................................60, 62

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 2016, VOL. 11, NO. 6 © 2016 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 905035514, 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 THE CORRECTNESS OF THE INFORMATION AND/OR OPINIONS EXPRESSED.

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