Cover Photo: Ragged Rose - See us at
Harrogate and Top Drawer page 12
Summer 2011
As this goes to press, the news that Habitat has entered all but three of its stores into administration has just hit the headlines. Home Retail Group, which owns Argos and Homebase, is to buy the brand
and three central London stores in a deal worth almost £25m in cash. The other 30 outlets are to continue trading for now, but have had administrators appointed. This news could signify the start of a sad end to a brand which had been synonymous with contemporary housewares, but which found the strain of difficult trading conditions and poor locations too difficult to combat.
Arguably Habitat and Focus DIY, which also
recently entered administration, both fell into the same trap.Where budgeting consumers began to seek out great value formoney, often from large conveniently-located retailers offering compelling offers and competitive prices, or special purchases that added a touch of luxurious individuality, both retailers fell into themiddle gap. It’s a trend that has also hit BHS, which is in talks to sellmany of its stores to Primark. Fortunately many of you are on the right
side of this gap, offering products that cannot be found everywhere across the high street, and which add that touch of indulgence to gift purchases and personal treats. This is certainly the case for the focus of this issue’s
EDITORIAL: Editor: Naomi Davis
naomi.davis@onecoms.co.uk ONLINE: Online Editor: Helen Linford
helen.linford@
onecoms.co.uk PRODUCTION: Graphic Designer: Emma Coppin
emma.coppin@
onecoms.co.uk SALES: Group SalesManager: Donna Jenkins
donna@onecoms.co.uk Deputy SalesManager: Vicky Bullivant
vicky.bullivant@onecoms.co.uk Account Executive: Sophie Penny
sophie.penny@
onecoms.co.uk Yearbook Sales: Nuria MacDonald
nuria.macdonald@
onecoms.co.uk ADMINISTRATION: Accounts: Carole Todd
carole.todd@
onecoms.co.uk Reception: Joanne Cluer
jo@onecoms.co.uk Data Controller: Rachel Macdonald
rachel.macdonald@
onecoms.co.uk
FROMTHE EDITOR 4
The latest news and dates for your diary. INDUSTRYNEWS 6
Happenings within the gifts & housewares industry.
Reader Profile feature. Daisy Chain has successfully created an offer of constantly changing gifts and giftable housewares. It is proof that central location is not always the best option, and that the personal touch often wins out when it comes to independent retailing. See pages 9 and 10 for more. Our attentions will very soon be turning
towards Christmas and I would love to hear your ideas for driving footfall this year. Email me at
naomi.davis@onecoms.co.uk
Editor Naomi Davis,
11 PRODUCT INNOVATIONS The essential collection.
READER PROFILE 9 Make it work for you.
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Copyright 2011©, all rights reserved. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced in anywaywithoutwritten permission fromthe publisher. All views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.
16TRENDS:ERGONOMIC HOUSEWARES
18WEBSITE SPOTLIGHT 19 CLASSIFIEDS
Gifts & Housewares 3
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