The coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing shutdown of stores will have a direct impact on every furniture retailer’s bottom line this year. It will also affect how they manage their businesses moving into 2021. At a recent Home Furnishings Association COVID-19 live webinar, HFA members Peter Theran and Bobby Watson
Furniture retailers should strive to follow public health guidelines as they try to make their businesses safe for employees and customers. Those guidelines are extensive. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 in workplaces. Here is a summary. What should I
Furniture & Floors North in Houlton, Maine, secured a Paycheck Protection Program loan and has weathered the coronavirus crisis pretty well. But when Kelley Fitzpatrick received a call from her congressman’s office asking about a proposed new federal lending program, she didn’t think only about her own business. “It’s probably
Congress really wants small businesses to keep borrowing through the Paycheck Protection Program. By unanimous consent Tuesday, the Senate agreed to a measure introduced by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) extending the popular lending program to Aug. 8. Late this afternoon, the House of Representatives took similar action. The PPP hit
A bipartisan bill pending in the U.S. Senate would end “confusion” about tax liabilities related to Paycheck Protection Program loans, Home Furnishings Association members were told Wednesday. HFA’s Government Relations Action Team held a conference call with Andrew Siracuse, tax counsel for Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). Cornyn introduced the Small
Anecdotally, it seems that almost every member of the Home Furnishings Association tapped into the Paycheck Protection Program. For any qualifying furniture retailers that didn’t, it’s not quite too late. The deadline for applying to the small business lending program ends June 30. If you want to apply, you should
Jeff Smith doesn’t think his business, Walker Furniture in Gainesville, Fla., will be ordered to close again. “I’m not as worried,” he said last week. “I think it’s probably about a 20 to 25 percent chance.” But that’s a chance he’d rather not take. So Smith, a member of the
Walk into most bars and restaurants and the maskless patrons and workers make it appear our pandemic worries are over. Three furniture retailer delivery experts advised an HFA live Covid-19 Webinar audience last week not to believe that. Carl Nyberg, COO of Home Furnishings Association member HOM Furniture in Minnesota,
The Home Furnishings Association is pressing Congress for liability protection. Republicans agree, Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) told HFA’s Government Relations Action Team in recent Zoom meetings. [HFA asks for liability protection as stores reopen] But Senate leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has indicated he’s in no
When Katie White saw a few other businesses join Count On Me NC, “I wondered if that was something we could do.” Boone’s Furniture & Gifts in Burlington, N.C., could do it. In fact, it involved “a lot of what we were already doing” to reassure the public it’s safe
When I think of Facebook, there is one thing that comes to mind: the song “Changes” by David Bowie because
In the competitive landscape of home furnishings retail, every advantage counts. From staying on top of trends to managing inventory
After a stellar 2023 Holiday Season, most consumer analysts have been cheering the strong retail sales data spurred by manageable
Home furnishings retailers must create strategies for driving traffic to their physical stores as a critical component of their overall
The home furnishings industry is known for its diverse product range, intricate supply chains, and fluctuating consumer demands. Due to
Drive Traffic with Data Insights There is untapped potential for driving traffic to your store by using the data you collect. Industry experts will share
Evaluating the Cost of Delivery Join leading industry experts who will share insights on key cost drivers, efficiency measures, technology usage, and outsourcing options for
