Appliances

CORTE MADERA, Calif. — Restoration Hardware Holdings has appointed former Williams-Sonoma brand president Richard Harvey as the company's CMO for RH Kitchen and Tableware.

Harvey spent 30 years at Williams-Sonoma, Inc., most recently as president of the Williams-Sonoma brand. In his new role, Harvey will develop a curated collection of kitchen furniture, appliances, lighting, cookware, tools and food.

New York -- Fixtures Living, which specializes in high-end kitchen, bath, outdoor and lifestyle appliances, will open its first East Coast location at Lenox Marketplace in Atlanta. Additional stores are scheduled to open in Glendale, Calif., Chicago and Dallas

The emerging retailer, whose stores average 27,000 sq. ft., currently has three locations in California, in Costa Mesa, Rancho Mirage and San Diego.  

HOFFMAN ESTATELES, Ill. — An unseasonably cool spring and rising costs affected first-quarter earnings for the period ended May 4 at Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, which reported a 27% drop in profit for the quarter. However, the company is focusing on improving signs in late spring.

Sears Hometown earned $15 million in the quarter that ended May 4, compared with $20.6 million in the year ago period.

Revenue dropped 3% to $601.1 million. Same-store sales fell 5%.

The Woodlands, Texas -- Conn's Inc.’s net income nearly doubled in its first-quarter, with strong sales of furniture and mattresses and some higher prices. The company lifted its fiscal 2014 adjusted earnings forecast.

Conn's earned a better-than-expected $22.2 million for the quarter ended April 30, up from $11.6 million a year ago.

Revenue jumped 25% to $251.1 million. Same-store sales rose 16.5%.

Floor care, water filtration devices and air purifiers generate higher average prices online than in brick-and-mortar stores, according to research from NPD Group.

The research company’s Consumer Tracking Service, looking back at the 12 months ended March 2013, found that consumers are spending significantly more for these home environment cleaning appliances purchased online. 

New York -- Sears Canada reported a net loss in its first quarter of C$31.2 million ($30.3 million) compared with a net profit of C$93.1 million, a year earlier amid weakened demand for major appliances and home products.

Revenue fell more than 6% to C$867.1 million. Same-store sales fell 2.6%.

The company also named E.J. Bird as CFO. Bird was appointed interim CFO in March, two months after Sharon Driscoll resigned from the post.

INDIANAPOLIS — Speaking to the collected body of Do it Best Dealers during the co-op's Merchandising Market Preview here, Steve Markley described light bulbs as a high-interest, high-reward category. 

He encouraged dealers to visit the GE booth, as well as that of new vendor TCP. Vendors and Do it Best executives say that as more options -- and more questions -- hit the light bulb category, the more the hardware store format will benefit. If they have the right products and the right product knowledge, light bulbs can result in big gains. 

Chicago -- General Growth Properties said that its Oakbrook Center property in Chicago has welcomed Fixtures Living, an experiential showroom concept based in San Diego.

The Oakbrook Center store is the company’s first outside of California. It is slated to open in spring 2014 and will be Fixtures Living's fifth overall and the second one situated within a luxury retail center – the other being Glendale (Calif.) Galleria.

CHICAGO — Indianapolis-based appliance and electronics retailer HH Gregg is looking to Leo Burnett USA and Spark SMG, a full-service media agency of Starcom MediaVest Group, to help it expand brand awareness for its products.

"From the beginning, Leo Burnett and Spark demonstrated a deep understanding of our business and our vision for the future," said Jeff Pearson, SVP of marketing. "After a diligent process we chose Leo Burnett and Spark as the best agencies to help us build a winning national brand."

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kenmore, one of Sears Holding Company’s key proprietary brands, has turned 100. The brand made its debut on sewing machines in 1913. Since then it has expanded to refrigerators, washing machines, dryers and dish washers.