News

January 27, 2009
Midwest Announces Winners of 2008 “Show Us Your Sparkle” Independent Retail Display Contest

Cannon Falls, MN – Midwest, leading designer of the Seasons of Cannon Falls brand of holiday and seasonal home accents and premium Colonial Candle brand of candles, announces the winners of the company's second annual... more »

January 27, 2009
Economic woes? Not in the world of fancy foods

Not deterred by the forecast of continued economic woes, more than 16,000 buyers jammed San Francisco's Moscone Center last week to try new food products and investigate trends promoted by optimistic producers from three dozen... more »

January 27, 2009
NRF: Retail sales to drop 0.5 percent in 2009

Washington--Retail industry sales, excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, are expected to decrease 0.5 percent compared with 2008, as consumers continue to shift their spending priorities, according to the National Retail Federation's (NRF) 2008 economic... more »

January 27, 2009
Mardi Gras store opens for season, sells gifts the rest of the year

Joe Elliott has no excuse not to be the best dressed at Southeast Texas' annual Mardi Gras events. Elliott is the co-owner of Elliott's Mardi Gras Outlet - which is known simply as Elliott's for... more »

January 27, 2009
The wealthy turn stealthy as economy weakens

Beverly Hills, CA — Throwing your money around is so pre-recession. As the economy weakens, the wealthy and the businesses that cater to them say it's more common — even chic — to scale back... more »

January 27, 2009
Bloggers ID “Sure Things” for 2009

NY, NY — Bloggers from noted design and trend-watching sites brought their savvy for spotting talent to the Accent on Design® division of the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®), calling out innovative products and... more »

January 26, 2009
Mary Ann’s Chocolates craves drop-ins

East Grand Rapids, MI -- Music teacher Mary Hillyard did a full-body double-take when she saw the newest Gaslight Village business was an old favorite: Mary Ann's Chocolates.She and three other East Grand Rapids teachers... more »

January 26, 2009
Accent on Design Awards Recognize Design Excellence

New York, NY — Five companies were recognized for superlative creativity and ingenuity in product design at the juried Accent on Design® division of the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®). Accent on Design runs through... more »

January 25, 2009
Independent gift retailers holding their own

Independent gift retailers in Scotland are defying the downturn and outperforming other high street traders, according to a survey.Figures published last week by the Scottish Retail Consortium showed that non-food sales in December in Scotland... more »

January 25, 2009
Seeing Red—Merchants happy to see the festive hue

Some local businesses are seeing red this time of year, but it has nothing to do with the state of the economy. They are just getting in the spirit for the Valentine's Day. Florists and... more »

January 25, 2009
How much is that skull in the window?

Once was, the best shows over the holiday season and into the new year weren't in the theatres but in store windows.Giddy throngs of shoppers were mesmerized by tin-plated mechanical elves capering in automated holiday... more »

January 25, 2009
Steady sales at stores keep tails wagging

The nation may be in an economic slump, but many of the pet product vendors attending the recent Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market said the pet market is holding its own."My December sales... more »