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Retail Education

Home furnishings and lighting retailers face many challenges in this ever-changing economy. From new consumer expectations to online competition, today's retailers work hard to ensure their customers have access to on-trend products and great customer service. In this section, you'll find all things retailing — news, features, analysis and tools — needed to make your retail business a success.

Ferguson Named One of America's Best Employers by Forbes Magazine

Ferguson has been named to the 2018 America’s Best Employers by Forbes magazine. “We are very proud and honored to receive this award,” said Ferguson CEO Kevin Murphy. “This recognition is a…
Person's hand holding a phone, person is shopping online
Photo by PhotoMIX Ltd. from Pexels

One Simple Way to Curb Showrooming

In the last year, showrooming has been a hot-button topic of conversation among retailers all over the country. In market halls, we've heard retailers swap stories about consumers with their noses in…

Living Smart

Designer Dann Foley never shies away from a challenge. When asked to design his ideal “smart” living room, Foley combined rich colors and sumptuous materials and finishes to create a room that feels…
Main Street with shops and an American flag on a sunny day with some clouds
Small Town Main Street By Michael Shake via Adobe Stock

2018: State Of Business

The National Small Business Association (NSBA), a nonpartisan lobbying group, found in its 2017 year-end survey that more than one-third of small business owners feel very confident about their…

Home Smarts

Back in March, I attended the bi-annual Light + Building fair in Frankfurt, Germany. The show’s tagline, “digital future meets hotspot for design,” accurately depicts the emphasis on both…

5 Farmhouse Fandeliers Worth Falling For

Old habits die hard, especially when they’re a little bit rustic, a little bit industrial and totally bursting with casual charm. Maybe that’s why — even when experts put their money on the…

5 Good Reasons to Leave the Outdoors Out

Designers and their clients continue to pre-occupy themselves with bringing the outdoors in, and it’s not really hard to see why. Fiddle-leaf fig trees and split-leaf Philodendrons, floral motifs and…
Nathan Anthony Furniture factory
Nathan Anthony Furniture focuses on manufacturing low-waste, custom products.

Made in Post-Globalized America

In 2016, Kerri Hall drove an hour from North Carolina to Virginia to pick up items she’d bought at an auction. Vaughan Furniture filed for bankruptcy and had auctioned off equipment in its factories…
Harden Furniture upholstered canopy bed
This upholstered canopy bed by Harden Furniture showcases the domestic manufacturer’s capabilities.

Domestic Casegoods Today

When news hit that high-end casegoods and upholstery producer Harden Furniture was closing the doors of its factory in McConnellsville, NY, industry observers shook their collective heads in…

2018 Showroom of the Year Award Finalists Announced

Finalists for the 2018 Showroom of the Year Awards, honoring exceptional lighting retailers, have been announced. The 9th annual awards program is co-sponsored by Lighting & Decor magazine and…
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