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How Are Your Favorite Home Retailers Doing? Must-Read Articles

Leslie Olson Interiors Logo, Stager Marin County

As much as I'd rather be the bearer of good news in these difficult financial times, I've read two articles in the past 24 hours that are must-read for all of us who work in home and design-related industries.

Many retailers that we can hardly imagine not being there are currently on the ropes, and may not make it much longer. And shelter publications that we've come to rely on for inspiration are also walking the plank.

Here's the New York Times' article, "The Meltdown in Home Furnishings"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/garden/29industry.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Similarly Time ran an article yesterday featuring some of the same companies, "Retailers on the Ropes: Can These Companies Survive?"

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1874532,00.html?xid=rss-topstories-cnnpartner

This says nothing about local furnishings companies who are also feeling the effects of the economy. I feel for all who are touched by these industries and their troubles, as well as their families.

Leslie Olson - Leslie Olson Interiors - Marin Stager

Leslie Olson, ASID

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Posted by Leslie Olson - Home Staging and Interior Design - Marin County CA on 01/30/2009 05:56 PM

Comments (12)

Home Staging in the Home Selling Channel

home furnishings, retail, shelter magazines, home retailers, new york times, ny times, staging, furniture, economy

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12 Comments on How Are Your Favorite Home Retailers Doing? Must-Read Articles

JAN

Hi Leslie,

The current economic climate is wreacking havok on the shelter segment of the magazine industry. House and Garden, Home, Blueprint and O at Home already folded. And yesterday I got the news that Domino is folding as well... I am hoping and praying that my favorite mags won't be next. Sad times indeed...

~Claudia

Leslie,

Paper is amost history.

I received an email around Thanksgiving w/many of these companies on the ropes. I've been saying the same about Pier One for around three years now. Too bad we didn't give retail a bail out....

Leslie ~ It's a real eye-opener on the true state of the retail industry to see so many well-known brands going out of business. I've also read this week that Sears and KMart won't be here at the end of 2009 - who'd have thought that?

JAN

One of our huge resources for flooring is going out of business. I'm shocked!

Most of these don't surprise me..... Pier 1 makes me really nervous! If our Pier 1s close then I think we are all but out of local resources for our staging business.

Claudia and Julea -- You're right, paper publications are really on thin ice right now, and not likely to recover. I'm a newsaholic, and have to admit that I get about 85% of my news content online (aside from the wonderful NPR news on the radio). But shelter magazines hold a special place for in the design business, as they're inspiration for us and for our clients. They help crystalize our dreams and aspirations for our homes. Looking at pictures online is all fine and good, but they're not the same as clipping a glossy magazine with examples of what we love, and resources for finding them. Losing print publishing (in all its forms) really is a loss of true journalistic standards. As much as I enjoy blogs, I realize that they're a different animal from news publications.

So, folks, which magazines would you miss the most if they dissolved?

Maureen, Cindy and Melissa -- Yes, we really depend on these retailers for our staging and design businesses, and it can be pretty sobering to see them falling like dominoes (or Domino magazine!). I wonder where the future lies as Baby Boomers start downsizing from their expansive homes, and as the Great American Pastime is no longer filling up McMansions with lots of furniture and upgrades. I see a lot of good things from that, don't get me wrong. But we're already seeing the impact on the industries that cater to home furnishings.

FEB

Leslie, Thanks for sharing these unforunate stories - a realy eye opener. It's going to be much more challenging if the stores we rely on are no longer with us. More concerning is all the people who are losing their jobs.

FEB

I love Veranda, great magazine. Hope they don't go. Pier One is my major shopping place

David -- Yes, it will be much more difficult for us long-term if our favorite staging resources aren't available close at hand. Of course we feel for the employees we've worked so closely with over the years too. Let's hope an economic recovery will be on the horizon soon before too many more people suffer.

Gail: Oooooh yeah... Veranda's a good one! Yes, Pier One has been a staple for years, although I understand that they've been teetering on the brink of financial trouble for quite awhile. Maybe they'll continue to be like a cat with nine lives -- I know there are lots of stagers on AR who would miss them! Thanks for commenting, Gail!

FEB

Unfortunately, Leslie, we are seeing a lot of those right now... in every trade, every corner.... The one constant I can count on is the BEST will eventually pull out of this, and find another venue for their talent, creativity, and I am hoping this is the case throughout the turmoil...

I'm with you, Sylvia. While I'd much rather focus on the positive, I'm also a pragmatist, and the truth is that it's a very challenging time for so many professions right now. The world will always need the gifts of creativity and original thought, and I hope that those who are currently in transition will find new and fulfilling contributions to make.

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