Decor goes Geographic at Cost Plus

About 199 Cost Plus stores are getting treated to a new line of exotic home decor items with a National Geographic pedigree and authentic detail. Cost Plus is featuring an exclusive line of products from Novica, a National Geographic-associated company that sells products handmade by master artisans from around the globe.

Barry Feld, Cost Plus president and ceo, said the company’s customers “expect unique offerings from around the world in our stores.” To meet those expectations, Cost Plus forged the relationship with Novica, which hit the store level in November 2006. The initial product line was updated and expanded in May as the rollout reached the nearly 200 stores that now constitute the Novica program, said Cost Plus spokesman Derrick Meyer.

The plan calls for the regular replacement of various line elements as they sell through, Novica develops additions and Cost Plus accepts them, Meyer said. Through the program, Cost Plus hopes to support native crafts that might otherwise die out in the global economy, at the same time providing support for the market in exotic products on which the retailer builds its business.