November 2014

By now everyone in the hearth industry is well aware that Vermont Castings has just been sold – again.

Compared to only a few years ago, showrooms in the Chicago Merchandise Mart have become better designed, more colorful and much more appealing.

Hearth & Home recently interviewed a few of the industry’s leading manufacturers to get their perspective on gas hearth appliances, where the market is now and where the products and that market are headed.

In early October, Hearth & Home faxed a survey to 2,400 specialty retailers of hearth, barbecue and patio products, asking them to compare September 2014 sales to September 2013. The accompanying charts and selected comments are from the 193 useable returns.

We all have too much “stuff” as George Carlin used to say, and he was right. Let your mind wander through a few rooms in your home and you should quickly see what we mean.