February 2014

February 2014 Articles

Perspective:
Oh, What a Year!

We’ve made the point before: Specialty hearth retailers were hit hardest, and for the longest time, by a downturn that began almost six years ago.

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The Feminine Touch

By Tom Lassiter

Nancy Reader and her daughters bring a much-needed sense of color and style to the hearth industry.

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Patio Reps: A Report Card Part 1

By Richard Wright

It began with a phone call. On the line was a retailer, clearly upset with the lack of service and care he had been receiving from manufacturers’ reps.

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First Ladies of Barbecue

By Lisa Readie Mayer

These tough, talented women have carved out a place in the top echelon of the male-dominated barbecue world.

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Signs of Strength

By Bill Sendelback

Sales of gas fireplaces, the most important category in the hearth industry, rebounded a bit in 2012, and even more in 2013.

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Still A Winner

By Tom Lassiter

Sales of woven products are still on a roll; innovation in design could keep them there.

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Kamado Fever

By Lisa Readie Mayer

Interest in kamados remains high, as accessories proliferate and Big Box stores enter the field.

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Inside the VC Foundry

By Richard Wright

Built by Murray Howell and Duncan Syme in 1979, the Vermont Castings foundry has been managed and cared for all of those 35 years by Bob Wright.

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The Greatest Pest

By Lisa Readie Mayer

Are mosquitoes taking a bite out of outdoor living sales?

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2013 December Business Climate

In early January, Hearth & Home faxed a survey to 2,133 specialty retailers of hearth, barbecue and patio products, asking them to compare December 2013 sales to December 2012. The accompanying charts and selected comments are from the 192 useable returns.

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