Furniture News Briefs

Furniture World Magazine

The Arizona Daily Star reported that Sam Levitz, founder of Sam Levitz Furniture Company, Tuscon Arizona's "oldest and largest home-furnishing empire," died at the age of 91. See full article by Carol Ann Alaimo at: http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/allheadlines/107601.php _____________________________ The St. Petersburg Times Online Business site reported that IKEA plans to open stores in Florida that will be serviced by its new "1.7-million-square-foot distribution center in Savannah, Ga." The opening of this distribution was previously reported on the furninfo.com website. See the full article By Helen Huntley, Times Personal Finance Editor at: http://www.sptimes.com/2005/12/19/Business/Swedish_furniture_ret.shtml _____________________________ WHOtv.com ran a story announcing that Flexteel Industries will cut 12 jobs due to, "a sluggish business conditions and consolidation." It was reported that over the past four years, more than 300 jobs have been eliminated at Flexsteel's Dubuque, IA plant. See the full article at http://www.whotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4259799&nav=LotJ _____________________________ Market Watch (www.marketwatch.com) reported that recent survey from the consulting firm Deloitte & Touche found that consumers think of buying furniture as "adding to the value of their homes." The article said that concerning spending, "this holiday, the biggest portion will go to the home, with 27% going to home improvement, while 26% will go to gifts, 17% to socializing, 12% to charity, 9% to entertaining at home, 7% to nongift clothing, and 2% to holiday-specific furnishings. _____________________________