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Homefires Extends Holiday Book through June
Wednesday, May 14 - Homefires has instituted a Holiday PreBook program which extends through June, 2008. The Holiday PreBook program offers retailers an early look at new Christmas designs, along with free merchandise incentives to order early.

Franz Collection Announces Grand Opening, Summer 2008 Introductions
Wednesday, May 14 - Franz Collection, Inc. celebrates an important company milestone with a Monday, July 28th ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the firm's new corporate showroom at the Las Vegas Market.
Items from the Franz Collection of exquisite porcelain tabletop, home décor and jewelry items, as well as trend forward home décor accessories from the Jean Boggio Collection, will be showcased.

KidsWorld Offers Buyers Thousands of Products During June Market
Wednesday, May 14 - Dallas Market Center announced KidsWorld, a comprehensive 200,000-square-foot marketplace for children's products on the 8th floor of the World Trade Center, will offer buyers thousands of products during the upcoming Dallas Total Home & Gift Market.

GIFT SHOP Magazine invites entries for 2008 'Ultimate Makeover Contest'
Thursday, May 15 - Hanover, Mass. – GIFT SHOP magazine invites entries for its 2008 'Ultimate Makeover Contest.' Gift shop owners and managers across the country are invited to participate for a chance to win a makeover for their store.

Re-gifting takes on new identity
Thursday, May 15 - Scrap fabrics from producing modular office panels that make up cubicle walls go to make gift bags.

The leftover leather from an office furniture maker is reused for small toy bears, tote bags and pouches.

And the blueprints a construction company once used on a job are cut up and reused to make notebooks.

Wal-Mart Raises Bar on Toy-Safety Standards
Wednesday, May 14 - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest toy seller, has ordered its suppliers to meet a new set of children's-product safety requirements by this fall that goes far beyond existing government regulations.

Habits change as gas soars
Tuesday, May 13 - State College — As gasoline prices shot up to $3.75.9 a gallon Monday, nearing a new threshold of $4, Centre County residents were driving less and turning more to public transit, fuel-efficient cars and bicycles.

Retail Sales Show Resiliency in April, According to NRF
Tuesday, May 13 - Washington – After several months of lackluster sales, retailers finally have a reason to cheer. According to the National Retail Federation, retail industry sales for April (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) rose 2.3 percent unadjusted over last year and 0.6 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month.

Spending Appears to be Down On Mother's Day
Monday, May 12 - It seems the number one gift for Mother's Day in Fresno, was flowers.

The National Retail Federation estimated $2.7 billion would be spent on major gifts but that wasn't the consensus on Sunday.

Strong family ties in Halcyon
Monday, May 12 - The historic Halcyon Store and Post Office—a South County spiritual and business hub — is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

And as it does, 25-year owner Susie Clark will hand over the reins to her daughter, Jennie Foremaster.

Stores vie to offer best bang for your rebate
Monday, May 12 - Stephanie Hinshaw wasted no time last week spending her $600 economic stimulus check.

The 28-year-old college admissions director bought perfume, three pairs of shoes and new clothes for work. Thanks to some retailer discounts, she had enough money left over to buy a plane ticket to visit a friend in Washington, D.C.

High-end shopping goes to the dogs at Newport Beach's Fashion Island mall
Sunday, May 11 - Welcome to Orange County's unofficial dog mall, otherwise known as Fashion Island -- an upscale collection of shops and restaurants in the even more upscale enclave of Newport Beach. Startling as it may be to out-of-town shoppers, dogs are everywhere, even inside Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus and Macy's.

WMC Las Vegas Announces plans for Year-Round Hospitality Marketplace
Tuesday, May 13 - World Market Center Las Vegas is announcing expansion plans for the Las Vegas Design Center in which an entire floor in Building C will be dedicated to hospitality manufacturers.
The introduction of Hospitality at Las Vegas Design Center, set to open in 2009, is part of World Market Center’s long term growth strategy to create the world’s largest integrated and international showcase for home and hospitality furnishings.

POS solutions from QuickStore software give mom-and-pop shops high-tech advantages
Monday, May 12 - In response to demand from smaller retailers, Wasp Barcode Technologies has updated its complete family of Wasp QuickStore point of sale (POS) solutions.
Upgraded Wasp QuickStore POS retail software now offers specialty retailers new opportunities for improved operations, customer service and profitability, while the new Wasp POS hardware system is now USB-based and has been made compliant with OPOS standards.

Hampton Paper Designs Makes Debut at 2008 NYC Stationery Show
Monday, May 12 - Hampton Paper Designs will be making its national debut at the National Stationery Show, May 18-21, 2008 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

Expansion of At Home yields NYIGF’s largest collection
Monday, May 12 - The Summer 2008 New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) will present more than 600 suppliers of hard lines and soft goods - from traditional to contemporary and indoor to outdoor, August 16-21, in New York City.

Burnes Doubles Showroom Size in Atlanta
Tuesday, May 13 - Burnes Home Accents will debut a new, permanent showroom at the Atlanta Gift Show, July 8-16.

Deb & Co. Helps Wish Newlyweds a Happily Ever After
Tuesday, May 13 - Assorted handmade ornaments feature Deb & Co.'s signature Belly Bears as an intricately designed bride and groom, bridesmaid, groomsman, ringbearer and flower girl to celebrate the special day year-round.

Record Number of International Buyers to Attend June Markets
Tuesday, May 13 - Dallas Market Center, the world's largest wholesale merchandise resource, announced a record number of international buyers will attend the upcoming June Markets. Buyers from more than 35 countries are expected to attend.

Mothers and daughters team up for business
Sunday, May 11 - Autumn Hill's business plan got a jumpstart the day her mother was downsized.

Not letting her mom, Yvonne Kehl, feel sorry for herself for even a minute, Hill explained her idea for starting an advertising, graphic design and marketing agency.