Home Improvement

Fortune Brands Home & Security has acquired Sentry Safe, a leading manufacturer of personal safes with estimated annual sales of $150 million. The transaction closed early this week for $117.5 million and was funded from the company's existing credit facilities.

Sentry Safe will become part of Master Lock, a leading padlock brand in North America. Sentry Safe is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and has approximately 500 employees, with manufacturing facilities in Rochester, New York, and Cannelton, Indiana.

New York — RKF has arranged a 1,900-sq.-ft. lease with high-end bedding retailer Duxiana at 9 West 20th Street in the Flatiron District. Located on the north block between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, this will become Sweden-based Duxiana’s third Manhattan location, and marks the brand’s return to the Flatiron District after a previous relocation.

Expanded farm, ranch, automotive and pet products enabled True Value to grow second quarter same store sales 2.2% and report broad-based strength at its nationwide network of 4,500 stores.
 
Revenue was $429.5 million, an increase of 4.5% from $411.2 million for the same period a year ago. The cooperative posted a quarterly net margin of $23.2 million, down 2.5% compared to $23.8 million from a year ago.

Grand Rapids, Mich. - Flatgoods recently launched a new website that allows customers to order any of their furniture pieces and customize them for their needs. Twenty-seven items are available for purchase, including items for home, storage and tradeshow use.

The website also features assembly instructions and a blog, detailing the latest events, clients, and news related to Flatgoods. New items will be added to the site periodically.

Chicago – True Value Company posted a quarterly net margin of $23.2 million, down 2.5% compared to $23.8 million the prior year period in the second quarter of fiscal 2014. Revenue was $429.5 million, an increase of 4.5% from $411.2 million for the same period a year ago.

Same-store sales rose 4.2%. True Value Company’s expanded farm, ranch, automotive and pet product assortments, plus seasonal and plumbing categories, drove the majority of sales increases.

Minneapolis – Tile Shop Holdings Inc. reported a 38% dip in net income during the second quarter of fiscal 2014 compared to the same period a year earlier. Net income fell to $3.96 billion from $6.48 billion, with Tile Shop citing adverse macroeconomic conditions, including home sales, as having a generally negative impact on the business.

The Home Depot has donated $81,000 to a rural retreat for wounded veterans and their families. The money will go toward building a barn and run-in for horses, as well as some garden project at the Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and Veteran Wellness.

Toilet paper company Scott is offering two customers the opportunity to win $25,000 bathroom makeovers. The company’s “Pic to Win” sweepstakes is also the brand’s first time partnering with AJ Allmendinger, who drives Scott’s number 47 car for NASCAR.
 
Contestants enter the sweepstakes by taking a photo of their bathroom that needs a makeover and uploading it to Scott’s contest picture gallery. Eight contestants who don’t win the grand prizes will win pit-level tickets to see a NASCAR race