Patio & Hearth Products Report September/October 2015

PRIDE FAMILY BRANDS

DANSONS

HEARTH & HOME TECHNOLOGIES

SUNVILLA HOME

w w w. p a t i o a n d h e a r t h p r o d u c t s r e p o r t . c o m

Circle Reader Service No. 3

contents SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Vo l u m e 1 0 , N u m b e r 5

Features 8

The chair of the board of the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association highlights how retailers benefit from the HPBA’s programs and services.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT – A MATURE MARKET

By Cheryl Dangel Bartolini

A grilling aficionado turns a hobby into a profitable and unique business venture.

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MARKETING MANEUVERS – OUTDOOR OASIS

This California retailer succeeds by constantly reevaluating the shopping behavior of its customer base.

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AS I SEE IT – THE NEW KID

By Sharon Sanders

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By Greg Thompson

PRODUCT INNOVATION – VERSATILE DESIGN Twin-Star International treats form and function equally as it creates warming products for the home.

An entrepreneurial family builds a thriving retail operation that has evolved substantially since the 1970s.

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CORPORATE PROFILE – THE DESIGN LEADER

By Kimberly Rodgers

By pushing conventional boundaries, Pride Family Brands has become a design powerhouse in the casual-furniture industry.

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INSIGHT – STYLISH ITALIAN STOVES

By Cherise Forno

The sleek designs and efficient heat output of Ravelli’s pellet stoves have made them popular throughout the world.

68 ON THE COVER | PRIDE FAMILY BRANDS; WWW.PRIDEFAMILYBRANDS.COM

Follow us on Twitter: @patiohearth www.Facebook.com/PatioHearthProductsReport

Lane Venture’s seven new collections feature everything from African safari influences to Italian Florentine– inspired designs.

MY TURN – POWER OF THE PELLET

By Cheryl Dangel Bartolini

By Sharon Sanders

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LAST WORD – AN INNOVATIVE FORCE

By Greg Thompson

Dansons takes pride in developing grills that have more than just bells and whistles.

This Oregon retailer prospers by appealing to outdoor enthusiasts.

HEARTH RETAILER PROFILE – WIRED FOR SUCCESS

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With less than two years under its belt, SunVilla is gaining strength because of its superior products and customer service.

By Kimberly Rodgers

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SHOWROOM SHOWCASE – FUTURE FOCUSED

By Sharon Sanders

As the outdoor-kitchen niche ages, new products flood the marketplace to meet consumer demand.

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OUTDOOR GRILLING – A PLACE OF PASSION

By Cheryl Dangel Bartolini

GUEST EDITORIAL – A VALUABLE INDUSTRY HOME

By Jess Baldwin

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INSIGHT – HOT-SELLING STOVES

By Cherise Forno

Blaze King’s wood-burning stoves and inserts are top sellers because their designs are based on consumer input.

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

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InEveryIssue 6

COACH PUBLISHER’S VIEWPOINT

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INDUSTRY NEWS

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CASUAL MARKET CHICAGO ROUNDUP

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WHAT’S NEW: 6 HOT PRODUCTS TO SELL NOW

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PRODUCT PROFILES

Edited by Kris Kyes

PRODUCT PROFILES DIRECTORY AD INDEX

AGIO LEADS. OTHERS FOLLOW. ®

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To discover the benefits, and the profits, of becoming an Agio retailer, visit agio-usa.com/retailer today.

Agio is the registered trademark of Agio International Company, Ltd.

Circle Reader Service No. 5

Life Begins Outdoors.™

Publisher’s Viewpoint

Coach Richard Warren (Rich) Olson, our offensive coordinator, yelled. “Yeah,” I replied, and I shared with the coaches how I had been stopped on the 1-inch line. In a matter-of-fact way, Olson said, “Ramos, if you had really wanted it, you would have scored.” If looks could kill, Olson would immediately have turned into a pile of dust.

I spent the rest of that season, the next (senior) season, and many years thereafter secretly hating the words that had been spoken by Olson. At the same time, I also discovered that whether in the classroom, at the gym, on the running trail, or in the workplace, I started to put forth greater effort. I spent more time studying, pushed through extra repetitions at the gym, ran through (not to) the invisible finish line of a run, and worked harder and longer at my job than I previously had.

I also developed a more competitive spirit in all aspects of my life. Whether I would admit it to myself or not, in the back of my mind, ever present, were the words spoken

by Olson.

Once I got to the point in life when I could handle the truth, I suddenly realized that Olson did not speak those words to belittle me, to put me down, or to demean me.

Instead, Olson took the time for a teaching moment with a third-string player, planting the seed that would help propel a backup quarterback always to put forth his best effort, SUN DEVIL ATHLETICS

THOSE WHO HAVE PLAYED HIGH-SCHOOL SPORTS WILL TELL YOU that there was at least one moment when a coach said or did something that had a positive impact that has stayed with them for their entire lives. My moment came during my junior year of high school.

As the third-string varsity quarterback, I spent more time on the bench than did the large jug of water (Gatorade™ was not around when I was in high school). To give you some idea of how bad I was, the only reason that I wasn’t the fourth-string quarterback is that only three of us had tried out for the position.

One Friday night, our team was defeating its opponent easily. By halftime, the game was essentially over.

Our second-string quarterback, a sophomore, played the game’s entire second half. In California, high-school football’s rules state that a participant who plays at least two quarters of a varsity game is ineligible to play in the juniorvarsity ( JV) game the next day. Therefore, I was assured of starting the JV game on Saturday.

During the fourth quarter of the JV game, with our team on the 20-yard line, I dropped back to pass—and Rich Olson suddenly saw an opening in front of me through which you could have driven a Mack® truck. Tucking the ball into my left side, I took off for the end zone. As I crossed the 5-yard line, ready to score and put my team ahead, I was tackled on the 1-inch line (neither the 1-yard line nor the 1-foot line, but the 1-inch line) by the right cornerback.

On the next play, our running back took the ball into the end zone, and we eventually won the game.

Walking through the locker room after the game, I passed the coaching office, where all of the varsity coaches were assembled. One of the coaches called me into the office. “Hey, Ramos: I hear you almost scored,” Coach

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

to leave nothing on the field, and to strive for excellence—win or lose.

As business owners, it’s important to be open and honest with your employees and always to seek their suggestions on what you and the company can do to improve, according to Joanne Sujansky, Ph.D., a management consultant (writing in Specialty Retail Report) who helps business growth and profitability by creating and sustaining what she calls a productive and profitable workplace.

The Retail Advocacy Group teaches retailers “to tell the truth—both good and bad.”

Even if you need to deliver bad news or enforce standards, you will always get better results if you are candid, respectful, and truthful. John Morrish, writing for Management Today, reports that being honest is the starting point for running an honest organization. He quotes motivational speaker Larry Johnson: “The worst truth always beats the best lie.”

Olson (a former quarterback at Washington State University), after spending five years coaching high-school football, went on to coach at the college and professional levels. His college coaching career included California State University–Fresno, the University of Southern California, the University of Arkansas, Southern Methodist University, the University of Miami, and Arizona State University. In the NFL, Olson coached for the Seattle Seahawks, the Washington Redskins, the Arizona Cardinals, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Minnesota Vikings.

As for me, I decided that I was probably better suited for a career in journalism and publishing than for one as a quarterback. Not only was I better at journalism than at playing football, but there are a lot fewer injuries in journalism and publishing than there are in football. Along the way, any small amount of success that I have achieved in my personal and business life has been due, in part, to Olson and to his speaking the truth to me.

Thanks, Coach!

Tony Ramos tramos@peninsula-media.com

Circle Reader Service No. 7

Guest Editorial

PUBLISHER Tony Ramos tramos@peninsula-media.com

EDITOR

A Valuable Industry Home

F

Jess Baldwin

Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) is a trusted, valued partner with the industry.

As its chair of the board, I’m proud of the wide variety of ways that the association serves our industry and helps its members grow as professionals. We are stronger, as a

Cassandra Estes cassestes1968@gmail.com

The HPBA has been working on the New Source Performance Standards for several years. The EPA issued final particulate limits for wood-burning appliances this spring, after comprehensive input from the hearth industry through the HPBA. The association has sued the EPA in the U.S. Court of Appeals and is waiting for the court’s next steps.

The association has also been working on energy-efficiency standards from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE issued regulations on vented gas appliances several years ago; the HPBA sued— and won. Now, the DOE is proposing even more sweeping regulations.

The HPBA filed voluminous comments and organized industry testimony at a public hearing, and we continue to fight the proposal.

State-level developments are important because they can close off local markets and can even be used as precedents elsewhere. In January, the HPBA’s solid-fuel hearth-appliance section paired with the Rocky Mountain HPBA to mobilize a suc-

An indicator of the industry’s progress is the innovation on display at HPBExpo. As North America’s largest indoor/outdoor-living showcase, this essential event attracts more than 8,000 hearth, patio, and barbecue professionals and more than 350 exhibitors. collective voice, because the HPBA keeps us informed and provides a conduit to mobilization when challenges arise.

Advocating the industry’s interests to governments (which regulate what the industry can sell) is a key function of the HPBA’s government-affairs staff. In the past few years, there have been critical developments that could have serious effects on the industry.

cdauswrite@socal.rr.com

ART DIRECTOR

BY JESS BALDWIN or companies that provide consumers with high-quality indoor/outdoor-living products, a professional home—where government affairs, research, product innovation, education, and industry news can be shared—is essential. The Hearth,

Carol Daus

cessful campaign to defeat a proposed wood-burning ban in Utah.

Working with members who encouraged local residents to show up at seven public hearings to protest the ban, the HPBA scored a victory. Utah’s governor withdrew the proposal and signed HPBA-initiated legislation prohibiting future season-long bans on wood burning (and requiring industry consultation and studies before any further regu-

September/October 2015

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latory action).

The HPBA provides the industry with studies that help gauge how the market is changing. For more than 30 years, it has compiled important barbecue sales/marketing statistics.

In alternating years, the association releases hearth- and barbecue-industry reports. To capture consumer trends, the association released the 2015 Barbecue Lifestyle, Usage, and Attitude Study. In addition, the HPBA provides U.S. and Canadian hearth-shipment statistics.

An indicator of the industry’s progress is the innovation on display at HPBExpo. As North America’s largest indoor/outdoor-living showcase, this essential event attracts more than 8,000 hearth, patio, and barbecue professionals and more than 350 exhibitors. HPBExpo is the only trade show that has both indoor and outdoor burn areas allowing visitors to experience hearth and barbecue products.

HPBExpo also acts as a barometer for industry demand and supply.

There will be more to see in New Orleans, Louisiana; exhibitor-space sales are already up 7%. Attendees will enjoy the kickoff (a St. Patrick’s Day tailgating party) on March 17, 2016. Registration and housing are already open.

In addition to a vast product showcase, HPBExpo also provides a convenient opportunity for professionals to get industry certification and take continuing-education classes. HPBExpo attendees are offered more than 40 classes in technical and business tracks.

Run by trainers from the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Educational Foundation (HPBEF), these classes offer high-quality education in one location. The foundation supports the industry by providing solid business strategies, technical training, and educational products and programs that capture best practices and continued on page 89

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kris Kyes

STAFF WRITERS Cheryl Dangel Bartolini Cherise Forno Kimberly Rodgers Sharon Sanders Greg Thompson SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Greg Thompson CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Jeffrey Kehl BUSINESS MANAGER Susan Razetto CEO & PRESIDENT Tony Ramos

Corporate Office Peninsula Media 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700 Torrance, CA 90503 (310) 792-7448 Fax (310) 792-7449 www.patioandhearthproductsreport.com

Tony Ramos Peninsula Media 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700 Torrance, CA 90503 (310) 792-7448 (310) 792-7449/Fax (310) 968-3962/Cell tramos@peninsula-media.com

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES: Patio & Hearth Products Report PO Box 2190 Skokie, IL 60076-7890 Subscribe online: www.peninsula-media.com/subscribe.html Email: patioandhearth@halldata.com Phone: (847) 763-9261

SOL NEW WROUGHT IRON FROM OW LEE

速

CHICAGO MERCHANDISE MART #1598 LAS VEGAS WORLD MARKET CENTER #C-1301 Featuring Plush Comfort cushioning

by OW Lee, bringing the level of comfort you expect from interior seating to outdoor deep seating.

Circle Reader Service No. 9

NEWS

Industry

BY KRIS KYES

OW Lee Introduces New Hammered-copper Firepits OW LEE RECENTLY added eight new hammered-cop-

per firepits and 14 new occasional-height firepits to the Casual Fireside® collection. With the success of OW Lee’s hammered-copper tabletops, it was an easy choice to introduce the hammered-copper firepit collection. The new series includes 36x58-inch rectangular and 42-inch round firepits in both chat and occasional heights, along with 54-inch round firepits in chat, occasional, dining, and counter heights.

The addition of occasional-height firepits provides even more selection in OW Lee’s Casual Fireside collection. The new lower height meets demand for a lower-profile firepit to fit with lower deep seating groups. OW Lee will offer two LP tanks for the occasional firepits: a horizontal 20pound tank that is specially made to lay flat on its

side and a smaller 11-pound tank. These lower firepits are also great for natural-gas applications.

OW Lee’s most popular collection, Santorini, has added occasional-height firepits in both 30x50inch and 36x58-inch rectangular models, as well as 42- and 54-inch round sizes. For the Richmond and Hacienda cast firepits OW Lee has added occasional heights in three sizes: a 36x58-inch rectangle and 42- and 54-inch round models.

“The demand for new Casual Fireside products continues to grow, and our new introductions this year are in direct response to what our dealers and consumers have been asking for,” Terri Lee Rogers, president, says. As with other pieces in the Casual Fireside collection, only the highest-quality materials are used.

OW Lee’s hammeredcopper firepit

The new hammered-copper, Richmond, and Hacienda firepits are available in 12 superpolyester powder-coated frame finishes. The new Santorini and Vulsini firepits are available in 14 tile options and 12 superpolyester powder-coated frame finishes.

Empire Acquires Signature Series Grills From Vermont Castings

Phifertex Fabrics Infused With Microban Provide Ultimate Protection

EMPIRE COMFORT SYSTEMS HAS OUTDOOR FURNITURE plays

host to myriad activities: backyard barbecues, family Microban gatherings, pool parties, and simple afternoons of leisure.

Unfortunately, uninvited guests—bacteria, mold, and mildew—might be lurking in the crevices of furniture fabric, just waiting to spoil the festivities.

These hidden dangers can be kept at bay with Phifertex® outdoor fabrics infused with ® Microban antimicrobial product protection. Microban protection helps prevent the growth of stain- and odor-causing bacteria, mold, and mildew that can damage the fabric. Microban provides lasting protection that won’t wash off or wear away for the lifetime of the fabric, and it works continuously, keeping fabrics fresher and cleaner for longer periods.

Phifertex fabrics are tough and brawny; they have the stability and strength needed for outdoor performance and are perfect for use in outdoor sling furniture, awnings, umbrellas, and unusual exterior applications. Quick-drying, moisture-wicking Phifertex is woven to endure extreme weather conditions and is fade resistant. These fabrics are also naturally stain resistant and easy to clean, even with bleach. As elegant as they are durable, Phifertex fabrics are available in an array of intricate weaves, colors, and designs.

Phifertex

fabric with

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acquired the manufacturing rights to the Signature series of grills currently produced by Vermont Castings.

Nick Bauer, Empire president, says that the acquisition will help his company in several ways. “These are high-end, U.S.–made stainless-steel grills with a great reputation for quality and durability,” Bauer says.

“They will give our sales force new inroads into markets where luxury stainless-steel grills dominate.”

Empire already builds Broilmaster premium grills, and Bauer is especially excited about adding these grills. “Empire is family owned, with a passion for U.S. manufacturing, and the Signature series grills represent more products we can sell to the family-owned businesses that make up the bulk of our customers,” Bauer says. “These grills are not new and will not be sold to the big boxes—ever.”

Empire plans to roll out these rebranded grills in late 2016 for the 2017 grill season—just in time for the company’s 85th anniversary.

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Hearth & Home Technologies Hosts Second Annual Summer Summit HEARTH & HOME TECHNOLOGIES

hosted its second annual Summer Summit in June at the historic Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. More than 400 attendees participated in two days of customized breakout sessions focusing on best practices in online marketing, human resources, sales expertise, risk management, and profit maximization, as well as in brand immersions and hands-on product demonstrations from Heatilator, Heat & Glo, Quadra-Fire, and Harman.

The nearly 20 breakout sessions featured functional experts from Hearth & Home Technologies, Houzz, Rocket 55, Alexander Group, Best Buy, Adler Group, Resultants for Business, and the University of Minnesota. In addition to world-class business content, attendees enjoyed an awards dinner (with entertainers) honoring top customers for sales volume and sales growth by brand.

V.P. Berger, president of Hearth & Home Technologies, says, “Customer

events like the Summer Summit are key in keeping us grounded and connected with our customers. It’s our dealers and distributors who provide the passion, sales, and service in the field every day, so it’s important we take the time to get together to collaborate and say thank you to our customers. They are the lifeblood of the industry, and we sincerely appreciate their efforts and commitment.”

The Companion Group Celebrates Pizza With Pizzafest

Treasure Garden Adds New Gold Collection to Rug Offerings

at-home pizza-making tools and accessories (including the awardwinning Pizzeria Pronto outdoor pizza oven), will be holding its second annual all-you-can-eat pizza festival on October 17 in Berkeley, California. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., guests can sample pizza slices cooked in more than 20 roaring pizza ovens and can vote for the People’s Choice Award, as well as watching demonstrations of pizza-making tools and techniques, shopping in the Pizzacraft store, relaxing in one of the beer gardens, and letting children play in the kids’ fun zone.

The proceeds from this event all go toward Pizzacraft’s favorite charity, Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), which serves the homeless, poor, and disabled in the Bay Area. Online tickets are $10 for adults, while at-thedoor tickets are $20 (cash only).

The ticket buys unlimited slices from the competing teams, as well as $5 off your next pizzacraft.com purchase. Tickets for children under 12 years old (accompanied by an adult) are free.

Cooking teams from last year have been invited back to defend their titles against a new crop of pizzaioli who want to show their stuff. Winners of the People’s Choice Award receive gift certificates for the pizzacraft.com online store, as well as a golden pizza peel.

THE LOOK AND FEEL OF NATURAL sisal will be introduced in Treasure Garden

Outdoor Rugs’ new Gold collection for 2016. In addition to the Gold collection, Treasure Garden will add designs to its exclusive Silver collection. All rugs are crafted of 100% polypropylene yarns in an all-weather construction that is stain and soil resistant.

Jeff B. Dorough, vice president of sales and marketing, says, “Natural-sisal looks have been a trend in indoor and outdoor floor coverings for some time.

With our new Gold collection, Treasure Garden Outdoor Rugs will introduce natural-sisal outdoor rugs that are richly textured and high performance.”

The Gold collection will debut with Treasure Garden’s Florence three new styles. Maui uses multi-ply rug in chestnut cabled heat-set yarns to create a bold, two-tone palm-leaf design in gold and silver. In Birmingham, the almond, earth-tone yarns are woven into a distinctive bordered solid. Treasure Garden’s Silver collection includes 13 styles, with two new additions for 2016: Charleston in henna and Florence in chestnut.

All Treasure Garden outdoor rugs are water repellent and easy to clean, and they include a UV stabilizer for colorfast quality. Available in two sizes, the rugs are made in Belgium and include a one-year warranty. The full collections will be on display at Treasure Garden showrooms at World Market Center (C1215) in Las Vegas, Nevada; at the Merchandise Mart (1655) in Chicago, Illinois; and at Showplace (2600) in High Point, North Carolina.

Treasure Garden Introduces New Color Trends for 2016 TREASURE GARDEN has introduced 12

new colors for 2016. Treasure Garden’s designers specifically select each year’s fabric additions based on trends in home and outdoor living, as well as to complement their use in shade. The 100% soluThe Docril Tango collection in glacier tion-dyed acrylic fabrics include selections from leading U.S. outdoor manufacturers Sunbrella® and Outdura®— along with Docril®, manufactured in Barcelona, Spain.

Jeff B. Dorough, vice president of sales and marketing for Treasure Garden, says, “As high-performance outdoor fabrics play a vital role in the construction, durability, and enjoyment of our products, our design team takes the selection of new additions Outdura’s Courtyard beach stripe seriously. Our goal is continuously to explore fabric options and provide our customers with the latest in color trends and texture, with high style and design.”

Color stories being added for 2016 include bold solids to cool-green and taupe combinations. From Sunbrella, Treasure Garden will add five new bold textured designs from the Volt collection in berry, emerald, galaxy, glow, and sequoia. The new Tango collection from Docril has three gorgeous colors: glacier, truffle, and pearl. Two sophisticated stripes and two coordinating solids will debut from Outdura: Courtyard beach stripe and Terrace taupe stripe; clover, an exciting, cool green; and stucco, a neutral tone.

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THE COMPANION GROUP AND PIZZACRAFT®, its premier line of

Pizzafest is expanding its beer selection, with both Lagunitas Brewing Company and Fieldwork Brewing Company pouring brews for $5 (with all proceeds going to BOSS). BOSS will also be there to raise awareness of its fight against the root causes of poverty and homelessness—and to raffle a pizza-oven gift set for $1 per ticket.

Guests inspired by taste testing can learn to make pizza themselves and can shop for pizza-making tools and accessories. There will be demonstrations of the Pizzeria Pronto outdoor pizza oven, a revolutionary propane-powered pizza oven that’s lightweight and portable, but reaches temperatures of 700 degrees or more and can cook a pizza in five minutes (all cooking teams will be using these ovens).

For those who like a little smoke flavor, the PizzaQue pizza kit for kettle grills—which converts a charcoal kettle-style grill into a pizza oven—will be demonstrated.

For more information about Pizzafest and Pizzacraft, email pizzafest@companion-group.com or call (510) 597-3549.

Sunbrella Documentary Offers Insider View of the Olympic Games WHAT MAKES ELITE athletes tick? What is it like to live your dream, every day, in the

hope of a star performance at the Olympics? These are two of the themes that “Uncharted Waters,” a documentary following athletes on the U.S. Sailing Team Sperry, will explore in the final year of their journey toward a spot on the Olympic and Paralympic teams that will compete in the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Made possible by Sunbrella® Fabrics, the leading supplier of performance fabric to the marine industry, “Uncharted Waters” shows what it takes to be a top-ranked Olympic– and Paralympic–class sailor, from grueling travel around the world for competitions to balancing college and family life with the demands of an unrelenting training schedule.

The documentary includes the story of Sarah Everhart-Skeels and Cindy Walker, for whom sailing offered freedom from lower-body paralysis. They are the only all-woman adaptive sailing team in their class, and making the U.S. Paralympic Sailing Team in 2016 is likely to be their last chance to compete in the Paralympics (sailing has been removed from the 2020 games).

Viewers can also follow the story of Paris Henken and Helena Scutt, who aim to race a new boat class for women in the 2016 Olympics: the fast, dynamic 49er

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

IndustryNEWS FX. Henken suffered serious injuries in 2013, and the duo’s story will follow their comeback.

At www.Sunbrella.com/uncharted, viewers can watch athlete-profile videos and use an interactive map of competitions, training, and travel leading up to the races where Olympic and Paralympic athletes are

selected. The site includes insider details about Olympic and Paralympic sailing, adaptive-sailing insights, and athletes’ video diaries. It will culminate in a full-length documentary, launching in spring 2016.

Gina Wicker, creative director for Sunbrella, says, “Who hasn’t felt goosebumps, watching his or

her compatriots compete with the world’s best, every four years?

“Uncharted Waters” takes the viewer inside the athletes’ journeys, and we hope to create a connection that educates and inspires visitors while bolstering excitement for both the athletes and the sport of sailing.”

Anacara Company and Greenington Form Partnership ANACARA COMPANY (Stamford, Connecticut) and

Greenington (Kent, Washington) recently signed an agreement to form Greenington Bamboo Outdoor Furniture. The agreement merged the high-quality bamboo-furniture manufacturing of Greenington with the focus on specialty and retail distribution of Anacara.

For the past 12 years. Greenington has manufactured high-quality bamboo furniture, selling to all channels of indoor retailing. The transition to outdoor products was jump-started earlier this year through the partnership with Anacara.

Seven years ago, Anacara transitioned away from its teakwood business as high-quality product availability (and market saturation) expanded. Earlier this year, Salvatore Carrara, Anacara’s president, reached out to Greenington.

“After the first meeting, I recognized that the level of Greenington manufacturing was exceptional,” Carrara says. Anacara, having been in the outdoor-wood business from 1994 to 2007, found the transition back seamless. A soft introduction at the ICFA Preview Show™ in July helped many customers realize that in selling wooden products to today’s informed consumer, the sustainability factor is an important tool.

The Greenington Greenbank collection

Yang Lin, Greenington’s president and founder, manufactured high-quality bamboo products for over more than 20 years before creating his own line of solid-bamboo furniture in 2004. “This is the first bamboo outdoorfurniture line to be introduced by Greenington, after many years of development,” he says. “We are pleased to work with Anacara to promote this sustainable bamboo outdoor furniture.” Because of its expertise in working with the planet’s most eco-friendly, rapidly renewable resource, Greenington’s fine bamboo furniture has quickly risen to the top of the industry—known for its enduring beauty, style, and quality.

Pride Family Brands Unveils Contemporary Firepits and Fire Tables PRIDE FAMILY BRANDS has added contemporary style to its 2016

lineup of firepit and fire-table designs. To coordinate with its new contemporary seating collections, Pride will be including a firepit and fire table in the Icon design, as well as the new Live Edge table- The Icon firepit top design (to accent the classic firepit and fire-table styles).

Sylvia Henderson, director of marketing, says, “The homeowner looking for luxury in outdoor living has come to expect from Pride new and unique designs each season—in not only seating, but our fire features as well. With most larger dining tables now including fire, this category is one that our designers place major focus on each season. For 2016, the addition of the contemporary collections ultimately led our design team to create coordinating styles for our firepit and table designs.”

The Live Edge tabletop, with the Villa Bianca sling collection A dining height and a coffee table height will be available in the new Icon fire-table design. Featuring endless double-support leg styling and unique tabletop antiquing, Icon firepits are the perfect accent to the new Eclipse and Park Avenue contemporary seating collections. The Live Edge tabletop, available for rectangular and round classic firepit designs as well as the 108-inch dining table, includes custom two-tone antiquing in combinations of driftwood and dark rum or mahogany and dark rum.

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Summer Las Vegas Market Exceeds Expectations THE LARGEST-EVER LAS VEGAS MARKET™—highlighted by increases

in new registrations and overall attendance, as well as by expansion of leading showroom resources—exceeded buyers’ and suppliers’ expectations in August. The summer market celebrated its 10th year with five launches: casual/outdoor on C12 and C13; gourmet housewares on C11; better home decor on C5; and the Pavilions at Las Vegas Market, featuring Discoveries, a new temporary-exhibit venue with 90,000 net square feet of exhibit space.

Robert Maricich, CEO of IMC, says, “We set the bar high for our 10th anniversary this August, and we exceeded our customers’ expectations, as well as our own. We launched five new destinations simultaneously; introduced newto-market showroom resources; and debuted major showroom expansions by leading vendors like Christopher Guy, Global Views, Phillips Collection, Michael Aram, Ivystone/CMA, and many more.

We have made exponential progress toward our goal of becoming the only whole-home and gift market in North America, and we anticipate continued and remarkable growth as we continue to build upon our strong foundation.”

Overall attendance was up 5%, and the gift sector continued its double-digit growth with a 17% increase. Since Las Vegas Market’s gift/home-decor strategic plan was launched in 2012, gift and homedecor attendance has grown 180%.

Buyers indicating an interest in housewares/gourmet goods, in support of the C11 launch, were up 61%. Casual buyers were up 50%, supporting the new outdoor floors on C12 and 13.

The largest growth states for buyer attendance included California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and Texas. Even more important than attendance numbers is feedback from tenants and exhibitors experiencing good traffic, exposure to new customers, and strong order writing.

Steve Baut, stocking dealership manager with POLYWOOD®

All Weather Furnishings, says, “This has been the biggest win for us; we have had an unbelievably successful market. Since this was our first Las Vegas Market, we didn’t know what to expect, and this market has surpassed any expectations we could have imagined. We’ve been able to touch base with dealers we’ve wanted to see, and we’re extremely excited to see what happens in January. This has been the best market for reaching new dealers. About 80% of the dealers we’ve seen are new to our brand.”

Las Vegas Market is the leading furniture, home-decor, and gift marketplace in the Western United States, presenting 2,700 resources and thousands of gift, furniture, and home-decor lines in an unrivaled market destination and allowing cross-category commerce. Winter Las Vegas Market runs January 24 through 28, 2016.

For more information, visit www.lasvegasmarket.com.

Solair Shade Solutions Introduces a New Digital App SOLAIR® SHADE SOLUTIONS HAS

incorporated its newest technology, myLink™, into its retractable awnings.

Available for iOS and Solair’s myLink Android, Somfy app allows users myLink is a to control their mobile app that retractable turns a user’s awnings remotely smartphone or tablet into a sophisticated remote control for Somfy–powered solutions.

The Somfy myLink puts users in control, enabling them to operate their Solair retractable awnings effortlessly and instantly with an easy-to-use, free, and intuitive app. It consists of a simple plug-in device and uses Wi-Fi to operate the motorized product. Feature rich, the app includes customizable schedules and sharable control options for the entire family. Through this addition, Solair retractable awnings can be controlled from locations away from home to maximize UV protection and privacy.

The Outdoor GreatRoom Company Hosts Summer Sales Event THE OUTDOOR GREATROOM COMPANY (OGC) hosted

its second annual summer sales meeting on August 12 and 13 at its corporate offices in Eagan, Minnesota.

The event included staff, sales representatives, and customers from across the United States and Canada.

This educational event, themed Why OGC?, featured showroom, factory, and engineering tours; hands-on product training; and round-table discussions.

Evening festivities included a Minnesota Twins baseball game and a dinner cruise on the St. Croix River. Tim Mee, California territory sales representative, says, “The mixture of business and pleasure really showed why OGC is a great company to work for and with,” adding that the event brought the company closer to its customers and provided feedback on how OGC can help its customers and sales representatives succeed. OGC plans to grow this event in the future.

David Heiman, Solair’s commercial sales manager, says, “We are thrilled to incorporate Somfy’s newest technology into our shade solutions. The myLink app changes the ways homeowners experience motorized products. They are still able to control their outdoor shade by pushing a button; this button just happens to be easily accessible from their phone or tablet.”

Solair’s made-to-order retractable awnings are controlled

by Somfy’s motorized systems, allowing homeowners to adjust the amount of shade from up to 65 feet away. The motors are designed to maximize energy savings and to ensure system safety and reliability.

ICFA Names Manufacturer Leadership Award’s Recipients THE INTERNATIONAL CASUAL FURNISHINGS ASSOCIATION (ICFA)

announced its 2015 Manufacturer Leadership Awards following an online vote of ICFA’s retail, designer, and supplier members. The winners received crystal trophies on September 16, the opening day of Casual Market Chicago.

One manufacturer was honored in each of 10 categories for the overall design and quality of its products, along with its merchandising, customer service, ethics, communications, and trade relations. From the 10 category winners, a single Manufacturer of the Year, OW Lee, was selected in online voting and announced at the ICFA Awards Gala on September 18 at the Field Museum.

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According to Steve Shimek, vice president of sales, “It was an excellent opportunity to meet with our customers and sales representatives and give them company history and future goals, as well as information on our existing and future new products. The meeting was a great success, and one of the best comments after the meeting was shared by many attendees: It is great to be able to do business, share product and marketing ideas, and still have fun.”

The 10 category winners were Elaine Smith for complementary casual products, Gensun Casual Living for cast metal, Jensen Leisure Furniture for wood, OW Lee for wrought iron/aluminum, Patio Renaissance for rattan/wicker/ woven materials, Seaside Casual Furniture for resin/fiberglass, Summer Classics for outdoor lighting, Surya for outdoor carpeting/ rugs/flooring, Treasure Garden for shade products, and Tropitone Furniture for tubular materials.

The gala drew together all segments of the outdoor-furnishings industry to recognize and celebrate top retail stores, manufacturers, and sales representatives. Products receiving the industry’s Design Excellence Awards also were spotlighted. Gloster was the recipient of the two new Lilly Awards—for outdoor furniture (the Bay lounge chair) and outdoor accents (the Voyager rechargeable lantern)—and the Lillian B. Winchester Best of Show award (for the lantern).

Sunbrella and Architectural Digest Team Up in Design Project THE IDEA THAT INTERIOR DESIGN

can provide both aesthetic beauty and everyday versatility is at the heart of Perspective Los Angeles, part of a series of designer showcases addressing varying perspectives on high-end design. Cosponsored by Sunbrella® and Architectural Digest, the event featured five full-scale vignettes carefully crafted by interior designers from across the country.

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

From a modern Turkish pavilion to a stylishly relaxed lounge to a tribute to the classic elegance of the open-air Round Hill in Jamaica, the diverse vignettes were showcased at The Washbow (Culver City, California). Gina Wicker, creative director for Sunbrella, says, “Culver City is part nostalgic and part trendy: elements that are often blended together in high-end design. We’re excited to take our Perspective series to the West Coast, a hub for some of the country’s best interior designers and home to many showrooms that carry our high-end upholstery collections.”

A dozen interior designers and design teams submitted renderings of rooms that exclusively feature Sunbrella fabrics available to the design trade. Five of the vignettes were built and unveiled at The Washbow during the Perspective Los Angeles event on October 6 and 7. All other submitted designs were displayed in the surrounding design gallery, highlighting each designer’s unique perspective on the role of Sunbrella fabrics in high-end interior design.

Giulio Capua, the magazine’s publisher and chief revenue officer, says, “Architectural Digest is thrilled to partner with Sunbrella to showcase the company’s luxurious, versatile fabrics and how they can be used in such creative ways. The 12 designers invited to participate in Perspective Los Angeles are a diverse mix of talents, and we were happy to help foster these designer connections.”

A MATURE MARKET As the profitable outdoor-kitchen segment ages, manufacturers focus on innovation, flexible price levels, and customer service. BY CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI

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Spotlight

he date on its birth certificate is somewhat sketchy, but by many accounts, the outdoor-kitchen category is in its 20s. Many manufacturers remember it emerging as a new niche market in the late 1990s. It has had its growth spurts, and it went through that awkward age when no one knew what to make of it. Today, it has evolved into a mature industry— making it virtually unrecognizable, in comparison with its fledgling self.

Gina Marie Lathrum, DCS brand marketing manager, North America, for Fisher & Paykel Appliances (Costa Mesa, California), says, “No longer is a

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premium outdoor kitchen defined as a highperformance grill on a cart. Homeowners have placed a high value on bringing the outdoor kitchen to life.”

Dan Nichols, executive vice president and partner at Caliber Range Corp. (Huntington Beach, California), concurs. He says, “We’ve experienced firsthand how the outdoor kitchen—which once consisted of a grill, a side burner, and a freestanding heater—has evolved into an outdoor-living segment, with all the details and furnishings of an interior living area.”

According to Nichols, many of these outdoorliving areas are being designed (fully equipped with televisions, plush seating, and sound systems) to create socially inviting environments.

Jim Ginocchi, president of Coyote Outdoor Living (Carrollton, Texas), says, “Outdoor kitchens started by being exclusive to high-end custom homes. They have now evolved into an

affordable luxury for all homes.”

As Brian Eskew, marketing director for Twin Eagles Inc. (Cerritos, California), explains, “This is the result of continued growth in the outdoor-living category and of recent developments in the value category of outdoor-kitchen equipment. Value pricing, attractive features, and extensive offerings have attracted a broader base of consumers who aspire to have great outdoor-living spaces.”

Many experts report that the industry had its real growth spurt in and around 2008.

“During the recession, consumers began to dine at home more to save money, while also looking for ways to add value to their homes,” Ginocchi says. “Outdoor kitchens presented a practical and affordable solution to meet the needs of consumers, and they quickly became a natural extension of pool-and-patio living. I believe outdoor kitchens have evolved from

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being a trend into something that is now a permanent staple of both landscape remodeling and new construction.”

GROWING AND EVOLVING As the category has aged, its products have taken on a different look. Jerry Scott, senior vice president of RH Peterson Company (City of Industry, California), says, “Outdoor kitchens began as simple backyard brick enclosures for grills, but have expanded in scope and design to rival high-end indoor kitchens. Beginning as a grill for hot dogs and hamburgers, today’s outdoor kitchen allows the preparation of gourmet meals, from soup to nuts.”

Bruce Spangrud, owner of Galaxy Outdoor (Las Vegas, Nevada), remembers when outdoor kitchens used to be all rectangles (no curves), and the largest islands were 5 to 6 feet long. “Now, we’re building beautiful islands of 20, 30, and 40

1. Amarant wood-grain cabinets from Danver 2. Cal Flame’s kamado grill 3. The Coyote Outdoor Living hybrid grill 4. Bull’s fire table 5. The Delta Heat island from Twin Eagles 6. RH Peterson’s Aurora built-in charcoal grill 7. A Galaxy Outdoor custom kitchen

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8. The Napoleon Oasis™ 200 package, with a built-in Prestige® 500 grill (with rear infrared rotisserie burner) 9. A finished 8-foot Exterus island by Forshaw of St. Louis, with a Fire Magic grill and Big Green EGG

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Having been proven to be more than a fleeting fad, outdoor kitchens have also broadened their boundaries. “In general, the Midwest and Canada are finally opening up, and the Eastern coastal areas are on fire for higher-end outdoor kitchens,” Straubel says.

Rick Forshaw, president of Forshaw of St. Louis Inc. (St. Louis, Missouri), notes that outdoor kitchens have become more customizable at the dealer level. “Pick your grill; pick your doors, drawers, and storage. Don’t forget refrigeration and ice. Then, pick a countertop color and pick a stone color. Boom: You have a totally custom job that goes together one, two, three,” he says.

No one expects the sector’s growth to stop now, according to Frank Mello, vice president of sales and marketing for Bull Outdoor Products (Rialto, California).

“Changes are constant and include higherquality building materials, certifications, designs, finishes, and hardware. We are always moving with trends and are focused on improving product durability and design functionality,” he says.

or more square feet, with some of the most advanced cooking systems in the world,” he says.

As Mitchell Slater, president of Danver and Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens (Wallingford, Connecticut), recalls, “We were one of the first manufacturers to make cabinets for outdoors.

They consisted of an expanded-PVC box with stainless doors and drawers. We moved to an HDPE box in 2004—and then, in 2006, to an all-stainless cabinet box, doors, and drawers, which are what we manufacture and ship today.”

Slater continues, “We have seen the market move from an outdoor kitchen focused on cooking to an outdoor-living and entertaining space that includes a kitchen. The focus of these spaces is entertainment, which may or may not include cooking.”

Despite the changes, “There is still a demand for simple stucco islands, at good prices, in some states,” according to Jeff Straubel, president of Summerset Professional Grills (Irvine, California).

“I think these still sell in volume in states such as Texas and Florida. I’ve also seen a big change in the number of custom islands requiring very expensive and special treatments, such as onyx countertops and poured-in-place tops.”

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GROWING PAINS The industry has grown rapidly—and although it is still youthful, kitchens installed in the industry’s infancy are looking a little simple and dated today. This is good news for retailers and manufacturers ready to help with outdoor-kitchen renovation. Many homeowners see recent advances and are envious of those who own specialty items such as pizza ovens, wine refrigerators, refreshment centers, outdoor televisions, and seating areas. By comparison, their original outdoor kitchens look inadequate.

“We end up retrofitting the island, updating the tile to granite, and updating the grill, along with all the stainless-steel components,” Spangrud explains; Galaxy Outdoor will also make the island larger or add seating and fire spaces to it. “When we go to the home, it allows us to upsell other products, including firepits, fire tables, bars, furniture, and so on,” he says.

Shiva Noble, executive vice president of Cal Spas/Cal Flame Inc. (Pomona, California), has loyal Cal Flame customers and dealers from the early 2000s. She says, “Early versions of our barbecue islands can be updated with new tile and additional accessories, but as long as people want to barbecue, outdoor kitchens will never become dated.”

Ginocchi says, “A customer’s outdoor area is always evolving. Some customers want to add

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1 Flame portable islands is that they can always be extended and can always be updated with add-on accessories. Our outdoor kitchens come in different shapes and designs: perfect additions to any existing outdoor component.”

1. Caliber’s Crossflame Pro™ grill 2. A DCS freestanding kitchen, with outdoor refrigerator drawers, a 48-inch traditional grill, two grill carts with storage drawers, a griddle/side burner, and a keg tapper 3. A built-in model from Summerset Professional

WHAT’S TRENDING “The big items, this year, have been the kamado smoker and hibachi grill,” Noble says.

“Customers are enjoying the convenience of a hibachi grill on their barbecues, and kamado smokers add a traditional and flavorful experience to outdoor barbecuing.”

Coyote Outdoor Living is finding that alternative cooking styles are popular this year.

“Our drop-in griddle and our power burner, with our wok and teppanyaki attachments, really allow foodies to expand their outdoorcooking repertoires,” Ginocchi says.

Mello also finds that griddles are popular—but so is pizza. Buyers are flocking to griddles that replace the grates on a grill, he says, as well as to those that are completely separate, commercial-style components. At the same time, “pizza grilling stones and accessories, as well as wood-fired pizza ovens, are superpopular this season,” he adds.

Customers are looking for multiuse products, Nichols says, such as a grill that can also excel at cooking pizza. “Other manufacturers’ reactions to this customers’ desire have been the introduction of many new pizza ovens, some of which retail at well over $4,000. For half the cost of a pizza-only appliance, the Caliber Pro kamado grill and smoker is the most-used tool in my personal outdoor kitchen because I can prepare dishes (such as an amazing wood-fired pizza or rotisserie chicken) that could have taken several pieces of equipment—or, at the least, several more expensive pieces—in the past,” he explains.

Kimberly Stuteville, national sales director for Napoleon (Barrie, Ontario), notes that the trend is toward options. She says, “As consumers continue to expand the styles of cooking outside, popular new/revisited components are wok burners, teppanyaki griddles, and deep fryers.”

Spotlight

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lighting or heating elements. Some customers want to add refrigeration elements. What we see many outdoor enthusiasts want to add is more counter space for food prep and entertaining, as well as more storage solutions. We have been able to retrofit many islands by expanding their footprints to include such amenities.”

Scott says, “Remodeling your outdoor kitchen is much like remodeling your indoor kitchen, requiring planning, design, and often, new construction.” This is true even though many older models of Fire Magic grills are still in full operation.

While some early kitchens are ready for renovation, many homeowners are now poised to install their first real kitchens. After parking their grills in stone islands, they now want more. “We would first convince homeowners to update their outdated stone/block islands to our modular sectional systems, which meet the standards and needs of the 21st century,” Spangrud says. He would tear out an old island and start a new one.

Straubel agrees. “Anything can be changed.

On retrofits and redesigns, there is usually a contractor involved. Sometimes, it may make sense to start over,” he says.

Increasingly, homeowners (whether they are buying new outdoor kitchens or remodeling older ones) like the flexibility that modular systems provide, Slater suggests. “Since our cabinets are modular, in over 450 sizes and configurations, they can stand alone—so a bar island can be an easy starting point of addition. Our cabinets can feature side and back panels, so you don’t need to add any surrounds or masonry,” he says.

Noble says, “The great thing about Cal

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Grills’ American Muscle Grill brand

The trending product, Scott says, is a power burner. “We have found that the Fire Magic power burner, a powerful and versatile side cooker, is also included in the majority of Fire Magic outdoor kitchens. The power burner allows great flexibility in preparing side dishes and sauces. Whether your menu calls for wok cooking, deep frying, boiling, or griddle cooking, the power burner can accommodate your needs,” he says.

Straubel likes the power burner, too. He says, “We cannot build them fast enough.

They are great for almost any kind of cooking, from normal side-burner duties to wok cooking and clambakes.”

Forshaw’s must-have product is a combination gas/charcoal built-in grill. “Ice chests for keeping beverages supercold, too: Everybody loves reaching into an ice chest to get a cold drink,” he adds.

The hot item for 2015, Spangrud says, is anything that has fire (including fire features in the island and sitting areas). He also observes that mixed grill/smoker/flat-plate combinations are popular, along with selfclosing access doors and drawers—and RGB LED lighting systems under bars and backsplashes.

“The one item is dry-pantry storage,” Lathrum says. “Outdoor kitchens need to have an insect-, rodent-, and weather-free environment for storing dry goods and perishables. This truly keeps hosts outdoors with their guests, and having additional storage, for any homeowner, can never be a bad idea.”

Slater adds that the hot products are disability-accommodating kitchens for common areas in townhouses, condos, and apartment complexes. People want “ADA–compliant grills, along with televisions made specifically for outdoor use,” he says.

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NEW TECHNOLOGY Although outdoor grilling is a pastime filled with tradition, new technologies are on the horizon. Scott says, “Wi-Fi control and communication, thermostatic heat control, and multifunctional information screens are just a few ideas that are making their way to the outdoor kitchen.”

Stuteville’s opinion is the same. She says, “Technology continues to integrate its way into every aspect of our lives, including temperature management on outdoor appliances.”

Noble says, “We introduced the Master Chef kitchen island last year; it includes a grill with LED knobs; lighting; and rotisserie, searing, and convection capabilities.” She points out that the technology-packed island also has a stereo sound system, two waterfalls, a firepit, and a kamado grill built in, along with a refrigerator with an ice maker.

Spangrud likes the new multifunctional cooking components. He says, “The Evo

America flattop grill and Kamado Rocket are product leaders in innovation. It’s all about convenience, and customers are looking for products that do it all.”

Lathrum says, “Infrared grilling, despite being an existing technology, is still one of the technologies with the most consumer interest.

Much of this interest really boils down to what the consumer truly knows about infrared technology and how it relates to grilling.

Consumers we polled want an infrared section of their grills to sear proteins. The DCS grill has full-surface searing, and instead of grilling on a section of the grill, our grilling temperatures—which reach well over 1,000 degrees— allow consumers to sear where they need to on the surface.”

Bull has introduced several new items for 2015, including a commercial griddle, a slide-in griddle, and new Pizza Q islands, but those are not all. With help from California Polytechnic State University, a top engineering school, Bull

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has developed its new ReliaBULL cooking technology to improve heat distribution on its grills.

In other news, the company will introduce new marketing support for the brand and its dealers early in 2016, as well as integrated design-and-quote software that will help dealers build kitchens and price them for customers in real time. “This program will eventually be integrated into our ordering system, so dealers can design and order our quality kitchens in one step,” Mello says.

Cal Flame introduced a kamado smoker grill early this year. Noble says, “Customers demanded it, and we listened. We’re always working on innovating products that will exceed the consumer’s expectations. Stay tuned to see what’s next.” The company is working on introducing 10 to 15 new units in 2016, she adds.

This year, Caliber released the built-in Social Grill™ series, based on its David Rockwell by Caliber line. They can be built into custom enclosures and grilling islands “as a walk-around concept, meaning that you can grill from any of the grill’s four sides,” Nichols explains, “and unlike other professional performance grills, the built-in Rockwell by Caliber grills look great from the front or back. The lid, a patent-pending design, disappears (when desired) to create a social atmosphere.”

Coyote Outdoor Living launched its most recent product, the CCX4 grill, in March. The grill starts at $1,599 and is an affordable choice for grillers looking for a durable barbecue with ample cooking space.

Danver/Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens has introduced additional finishes—including realistic powder-coat representations of woods from several species— for its stainless products and outdoor televisions. “We have also developed a mobile outdoor kitchen, primarily for the hospitality industry (but available to homeowners as well),” Slater says. Coming in the near term will be additional door styles and finishes, as demanded by the design community, in addition to cabinetry driven by innovation and technological advances.

DCS introduced an entire outdoor line with a fresh, clean, and professional aesthetic in 2015. “The more we speak with landscape and outdoor-kitchen designers, the more we understand that they want a brand that is cohesive, professional, and complete,” Lathrum says.

She continues, “One of the most talked about products for the brand is our new infrared hybrid burner, which aids in the arrival of searing temperatures 50% faster and allows a variable turndown for continuing to grill. This is a plug-and-play solution for consumers, so if they want to incorporate infrared technology into their grilling surfaces, they now have the option—while maintaining the full-surface searing across the entire grill.”

As for new products, “DCS plans to continue to listen to our channel partners and what their consumers are asking. We are a brand that

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does not just show up at a trade show to launch new products; we show up and continue the process of listening, asking, and learning,” Lathrum explains.

Forshaw of St. Louis is offering True® refrigeration. These durable outdoor refrigerators are constructed with stainless-steel interiors, LED lights, and a choice of locking stainless-steel or glass doors.

“Another unique offering that’s new for us is building Big Green Egg–style grills into our outdoor kitchens. Our modular system allows a consumer to have a gas grill and a charcoal grill built in together,” Forshaw says. “We have also adapted a stainless trash container, made by RH Peterson, to be used as a charcoal-storage unit, which is really clever—and superconvenient for the user.”

Galaxy Outdoor is enjoying swift sales of its flagship Kamado Rocket, Evo America grills, and sear stations, as well as steam smokers. A new and improved Voyager series is available now for shipping within the United States and Canada. “They can come finished or unfinished (for builders and dealers) at out-of-this-world savings,” Spangrud says.

Napoleon is always working to develop something new. “We are continually scan-

ning the market for new consumer trends and creating products to meet the needs of the emerging markets,” Stuteville says. “We believe in innovation, so we will work on creating highly desirable products, which will then fulfill needs consumers did not know they had.”

RH Peterson’s Fire Magic and American Outdoor Grill (AOG) lines continue to improve on product performance, reliability, and durability, according to Scott. Among the highlights are improved ignition systems (hotsurface and rapid-light systems), interior lighting in more models, and more detailing—all of which, Scott says, will add to the enjoyment of cooking. New accessory items, such as an outdoor-rated beverage dispenser and refrigerator, improved covers, and more storage-drawer and door options, allow for the expansion and enhanced versatility of the outdoor kitchen.

“RH Peterson embraces the philosophy of continuous improvement and product development. In keeping with this, the company has been exploring technological improvements to the Fire Magic and AOG lines,” Scott says, referring to Wi-Fi, adaptability, and thermostatic controls, among other features.

“As we explore these advances and

improvements, we are mindful of our ongoing goal to exceed our customers’ expectations by improving their outdoor-cooking experience through outstanding cooking performance; functional reliability; long-term durability; and safe, trouble-free operation,” he adds.

Summerset Professional Grills introduced the American Muscle Grill (AMG) in August.

Straubel says, “This grill is a monster, and we’ve applied for application and utility patents. It addresses some simple needs in the market for multiple-fuel sources in one hardcore, aggressively designed grill head.” The company has also launched a new power burner, so it will be promoting that, along with the new AMG. Beyond products, Summerset Professional Grills will be focusing on customer service. “We love innovating, but our growth and the demand for newer cool items compromise our supply objectives. We need to do things better, and our biggest challenge is our supply chain, currently. That will be a huge focus for us, over the next couple of seasons,” Straubel says.

Twin Eagles plans to launch new Del Sol outdoor-kitchen products (at introductory prices) later this year. In 2016, the company will introduce a new Twin Eagles grill and accessories with several updates and improvements.

TWEAKING THE PRODUCT MIX To keep up as the industry has matured, retailers have adjusted their sales approaches.

“Retailers seem reticent to get on the bandwagon that outdoor kitchens are here to stay,” Ginocchi notes. “The thought of the appliances, the tops, and the island itself can be a bit daunting.”

Scott says, “If you think your business is just selling grills, you’ve missed the boat.”

He suggests that retailers maintain inventory for a variety of outdoor-kitchen products—side cookers, refrigeration equipment, storage options, beverage/ice chests, and other items—not just the grills. “Remember, outdoor kitchens are, more and more, becoming outdoor rooms. Furniture, firepits, fireplaces, fire urns and bowls, lights, and heaters all help to create an outdoor room and increase sales,” he says.

Slater says, “The homeowner is looking for an entertainment area, where cooking is secondary. We are finding the successful retailers and designers are those who concentrate on entertainment first.”

Eskew advises retailers to increase the number of products on display—to help consumers understand what is possible. Retailers, he says, “should be able to deliver consumers a complete outdoor kitchen solution that includes space planning and construction. If retailers cannot provide these services internally, they should align themselves with local partners who can.”

Scott prefers it when retailers create scenarios

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Circle Reader Service No. 21

Marketing Maneuvers

Outdoor Oasis Patio World’s shrewd retail strategy takes advantage of Oregon’s seasonal offerings.

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS

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estled in the foothills of the Cascade Range in Central Oregon, the city of Bend is home to many outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy a multitude of year-round activities, from camping, hiking, and biking to skiing, fishing, and whitewater rafting. Known as the sunny side of Oregon, the area has a high-desert climate that offers plenty of bright days, with an average total annual rainfall of slightly less than 12 inches.

When it’s time for Bend residents to make the most of those sunny days at home, they visit Patio World, Central Oregon’s largest outdoor-furniture showroom. The company began in Minnesota in 1984, when owner Scott Holmer founded The Lift Ski & Patio. After he moved to Bend in 1988, Holmer continued his business under the same name, eventually renaming the operation Patio World in 1997.

Today, Patio World’s 12,000–square-foot showroom and warehouse space offers only the best of outdoor furniture and accessories, with merchandising that centers heavily on vignettes (to showcase groupings better) that are adorned with lots of

Top: Unique furniture made from reclaimed Balinese fishing boats (with the original paint) Bottom left: In season, the Patio World showroom is filled with high-performance ski products for Race Place Bottom right: Paula Dutton

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Marketing Maneuvers

Top: Cushioned groupings are popular with Patio World’s customers Bottom: Propane and natural-gas firepits and fire tables are huge sellers in the Bend market

color. There are also plenty of accessories and a display of umbrellas—opened and closed, in every size and hue. “We make our showroom playful and fun; it is a nice place to be,” Paula Dutton, buyer and sales manager, says. “The exterior of our store is a bit deceiving, so when people walk in, they are often taken aback by how big and beautiful our interior is.”

The sales staff encourages customers to browse and take their time. “We let people shop, and we don’t hover,” Dutton says. “We take a more easygoing sales approach and try to find out what customers want or need for their particular spaces. We then make recommendations based on their responses.”

Patio World is run as a lean operation, with six employees—each of whom wears many hats to get the job done. In addition to her buying and sales roles, Dutton also handles all the merchandising for the store. “We are all very much a team, and we work to create a team-spirited environment,” she explains.

HIGHEST-QUALITY BRANDS Patio World sells the products of a host of top-flight manufacturers to support its goal of offering only furniture of the highest grade. Dutton says, “We specialize in high-quality furnishings that will last a virtual lifetime. Product failure outside a factory warranty will normally be taken care of by Patio World. We will replace the item, either at no charge or at a cost shared with the customer. Integrity is probably the best word to describe Patio World.”

The company’s top sellers are from OW Lee, Tropitone, Jensen Leisure Furniture, and Kettler USA. “Treasure Garden is our grand slam for umbrellas, covers, and outdoor rugs,” Dutton says.

Other brands sold include Lloyd Flanders, Summer Classics, Ebel, Pride Family Brands, NorthCape, Galtech, and Hatteras Hammocks. She adds, “We also show Elaine Smith decorative pillows, to add some designer specialty fabrics to our presentation.”

Propane and natural-gas firepits and fire tables

much of a factor. Our digital presence is definitely growing, however, and we are actively moving into Facebook and other avenues of social media.”

She continues, “To stay relevant, we need to start looking further at different forms of social media. We are also seeing more affluent younger customers who are shopping and spending money, and those are the people who are more tuned in to social media.”

are huge sellers in the Bend market. Most of Patio World’s suppliers offer fire products, with the company sourcing them mainly from OW Lee, Castelle (Pride Family Brands), and Real Flame. Grills come from Weber and from Bull Outdoor Products, and there is a modular outdoor kitchen from Gensun Casual Living prominently displayed in the showroom. “We don’t sell a large number of them, but it looks fantastic in our showroom and creates a lot of conversation,” Dutton says.

A recent addition to the store’s lineup is a unique line from Warehouse 2120. “The furniture pieces are made from reclaimed Balinese fishing boats—complete with the original paint,” Dutton says. “They are colorful, whimsical, and rustic, and they add a lot of fun—along with an eclectic quality—to our showroom.” Dutton and Holmer are both pleasantly surprised by the positive reaction that the furniture has received. “We knew the line was a departure from our usual lineup, but our customers love the unique and colorful pieces, as well as the reclaimed and upcycled story,” Dutton says.

Advertising is done primarily through television spots and in Bend’s daily newspaper, The Bulletin. Patio World’s digital advertising uses an email newsletter and Facebook, which the company recently joined. Dutton says, “Our customer base is affluent, with an average age of over 50, so using social media has not been

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

SKI AND CASUAL During the patio off season, many retailers search for other revenue streams or seek creative ways to drive traffic into their stores.

Holmer gears up to run Race Place, a predominantly online store that sells high-performance products for ski racers. With three racers in his family, Holmer has a special interest in the sport, and he started Race Place in 1995 (originally, to assist skiers in the Pacific Northwest). Through the Internet, Race Place has grown to become one of the largest ski-racing retailers in the world.

Dutton says, “Race Place is a niche market that is presenting very specific products to ski racers. Most ski shops in the world cater to the general public.” About 90% of Race Place’s sales are online, with the other 10% happening in the showroom shared with Patio World. Dutton becomes the Race Place shipping manager during the winter months. “We literally ship all over the world,” she says.

From early October through mid-March, about two-thirds of the showroom is filled with ski products, with the outdoor/casual category taking the remaining third. “The seasonal schedules of the two businesses actually dovetail quite nicely,” Dutton explains.

For Patio World’s casual segment, Dutton comments, the trend in Bend’s market is undoubtedly moving toward cushioned groupings. She says, “It was 80% dining and 20% seating, 15 years ago.

Now, those percentages are basically reversed.”

She adds, “Bend is definitely moving to a more contemporary style. Cushioned sectionals are becoming more popular, as customers are focusing on custom design for their individual spaces.

Firepits continue to be big sellers, especially when shown with cushioned lounge groups.” Padded slings are also becoming more popular. Dutton says, “People want the cushion without the fuss.”

Circle Reader Service No. 25

Hearth Retailer

WIRED FOR SUCCESS This family’s entrepreneurial spirit turned a passion into a profitable business.

BY SHARON SANDERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN ONGLEY

B

usiness sense is something that comes naturally to some people. It is part of the DNA of the Lisacs. This entrepreneurial family has managed to take its penchant for business and turn it into a thriving hearth operation: Lisac’s Fireplaces & Stoves (Milwaukie, Oregon) has been warming homes in Oregon and Washington for more than 50 years.

In 1947, the Lisac family opened the first fullservice supermarket in Milwaukie. After the death of its patriarch (Nicholas Lisac), his son, Rudy, and Rudy’s wife, Sue, took the helm. They kept the business going strong for many years. In the early 1970s, a few large chain supermarkets moved into town and took away most of its trade, but the family didn’t miss a beat.

In true Lisac style, to keep the doors open, they shifted the focus of the operation. They were able to do this just long enough for their big opportunity to come around, by way of the oil crisis of the 1970s. In 1975, with sky-high oil prices—and with nearly every homeowner wanting to put in a stove—the Lisacs brought in eight Timberline wood stoves and sold them in days.

At that point, they knew that they had found

their new business. Wood-stove sales grew tremendously during the next year and eventually took over most of the 6,000–square-foot building.

Unlike many of the opportunistic hearth shops that popped up during that time, Lisac’s Fireplaces &

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Top: It's all about the flame in the Portland showroom of Lisac's Fireplaces & Stoves Bottom: From left, Scott and Cecelia Ongley; Sue, Rudy, and Paul Lisac

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Hearth Retailer

Lisac's Fireplaces & Stoves is known for its comprehensive selection of stoves

Stoves was professional, intuitive, and in it for the long haul.

BUILDING A BUSINESS The Lisacs have learned that if an operation is going to be great, it needs to have a focus. The business has stayed true to its roots and has gained a reputation for its expertise, along with its selection of wood stoves, pellet stoves, and inserts from Heat & Glo, Innovative Hearth Products, Valor (Miles Industries), Jøtul, Town & Country (Pacific Energy Fireplace Products), and Travis Industries. It has held the distinction of being a Travis Industries President’s Club member (with $1 million in purchases per year) for many years.

The original store in Milwaukie is run by Rudy, Sue, and their son, Paul.

Its strength is its stove business, which caters primarily to customers looking for wood, gas, and pellet stoves and inserts to heat their homes.

The family also opened a second store in Portland, Oregon, and it has attracted a different clientele. The Portland location is run by Rudy’s son-in-law, Scott Ongley, and his wife, Cecelia. When Ongley came on board, in 1993, he was concerned about the store’s sluggish summer business, so he reached out to a new customer segment. “The high-end builder market was relatively untapped by hearth specialty dealers, at that point,” he remembers.

After doing some research, the Lisacs decided that it would make sense to reach out to this potential market. Ongley says, “We hadn’t given zero-clearance fireplaces much thought, up to that point, but it was obvious that the demand was there.”

The decision ended up being a

good one, as it has become a source of extensive growth for the business.

The transition was relatively easy: Because Lisac’s Fireplaces & Stoves was already so respected in the area for its wood and pellet products, it had instant trust from builders.

Over the past few years, Lisac’s Fireplaces & Stoves has increased its emphasis on outdoor living, and this has strengthened its summer business even more. DIY firepits are one area, in particular, that has surged.

“Portlanders are into DIY Network television and building things themselves,” Ongley explains. “Initially, we tried to sell premade firepits, but our customers just weren’t into paying full price ($1,500 to $2,000) for units they felt that they could build themselves.”

The Lisacs discovered that there were a number of manufacturers (including Hearth Products Controls and Firegear Outdoors) selling components individually, to cater to individuals who want DIY firepits. Ongley asks, “Why try to force a bone down a dog’s throat when he wants a different kind of bone?” With that in mind, the store started building an inventory of firepit components—and customers responded immediately.

“The number of DIY gas-firepit kits that we sell today is crazy. People come in daily to buy fire rings, valves, lava rock, and fireglass. We have diagrams that walk them through the process of building a firepit, step by step,” Ongley says. Last year, the store also started selling premade unfinished units so customers could do their own finishing work.

Ongley adds that the obsession over DIY projects doesn’t stop at firepits. “There is a lot of homeown-

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er general contracting going on up here, even to the extent of people building their own homes,” Ongley says, reporting that people often buy fireplaces from Lisac’s Fireplaces & Stoves and install them themselves.

“A person doesn’t need to be certified to install a fireplace in this part of the country. The gas line has to be done by a plumber, and any electrical work has to be done by an electrician, but people can set and vent their own units,” he says.

DRIVING DEMAND Lisac’s Fireplaces & Stoves has participated in Portland’s NW Natural Street of Dreams® every August for the past 21 years. The Street of Dreams luxury-home tour is held annually in more than two dozen major cities across the United States.

In each city, the Street of Dreams organization chooses a local neighborhood and builds six to 12 luxury homes that showcase the latest trends in modern interior design, architecture, and home technologies. It typically attracts 60,000 to 100,000 visitors in four-week period. Lisac’s Fireplaces & Stoves has provided more than half of the fireplaces in Portland’s Street of Dreams.

“It’s one of our best marketing tools for custom new construction and custom remodeling because the price levels of our fireplaces in the tour are not something builders typically seek out,” Ongley explains.

“The custom market (remodeling included) has always been customer driven, so this is our chance to expose homeowners to high-end hearth products—so they will request them from homebuilders.”

During the month of the tour,

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Lisac’s Fireplaces & Stoves sets up shop in one of the tour’s garages, so attendees can stop in and ask questions about the units that are staged in the homes. Everyone who attends the tour gets a 100-page magazine/program that lists every contractor and vendor who contributed to each house. “It is basically a shopping list for people during the tour,” Ongley says. “It is also an ongoing marketing tool for us because people save it so they can inquire about products when they are ready to buy, even if that’s four or five years down the road.”

Apart from the home tours, most of the advertising that Lisac’s Fireplaces & Stoves does is image advertising placed in local magazines and on television. It uses footage of its products from the Street of Dreams in its television commercials because the model homes are perfectly staged. Lisac’s Fireplaces & Stoves has had recent success with interview segments on a local television station’s morning show.

The show’s hostess films interviews lasting three to four minutes, either at the store or at a home.

Topics have included everything from hearth-design ideas to hearth efficiency. “When Travis Industries came out with its electric-start wood stoves, we did a whole segment on efficiency and clean-burning appliances,” Ongley says. The television commercials and interviews are also posted on the store’s website (www.lisacsfireplaces.com).

To stay connected in the industry and raise the store’s profile, the family has always made a point of being active in local professional associations—from the Home Builders Association of Metro Portland to the Oregon Remodelers Association and the Northwest Society of Interior Designers. “By being involved, we are giving our time and money to the trades that support us.

It also shows them that we are a part of their industry and that we understand their business,” Ongley says.

Over the years, Lisac’s Fireplaces & Stoves has demonstrated that it is a family business that means business. Its evolution is a result of the family’s work ethic and its desire to succeed. Ongley adds, “We all work hard together, achieve together, and get rewarded together. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Circle Reader Service No. 29

Outdoor Grilling

A PLACE OF PASSION GrillBillies’ pit master loves what he does and does what he loves.

BY CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY STEELMAN

J

oe Pino is a hard-working entrepreneur with an expensive hobby. When he wasn’t running his New Jersey business, Diamondhead Construction, he was traveling to wherever there was a barbecue competition.

Pino’s passion is competitive grilling—a hobby that can cost $800 to $900 per competition (or more). With his interest showing no signs of slowing, he offset the expense by selling Meadow Creek barbecue equipment part-time. It wasn’t work; it was fun. After all, Pino was doing what he loved.

He loved it so much that in 2012, after running Diamondhead Construction for 35 years, he decided to move to North Carolina to be near his family (and the heart of barbecue territory). He had no desire to retire. On the contrary: He went back into business and founded GrillBillies Barbecue in Raleigh—a store

Top: GrillBillies is housed in a restored train depot built more than 100 years ago Bottom: Joe and Sherry Pino

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Outdoor Grilling dedicated to the art of grilling—and he took the title of pit master permanently.

“It seemed like a natural to get into barbecue on a full-time basis. I’ve had my own company since I was 27 years old, so I was not fearful of investing in another startup,” Pino says.

Pino’s interest in grilling was sparked 35 years ago, when he encountered a $29 Brinkmann vertical smoker at a family reunion. “The barbecue that came from that smoker was absolutely delicious, so I immediately went out and bought one,” he says.

Soon, he moved on to bigger

things—such as wanting to cook a pig while on a family vacation. He didn’t want to invest in a roaster if it was going to be a one-time thing, so he and a friend made one from sheet metal, purchased from The Home Depot, for about $60. The pig was a big hit, which only spurred his interest in barbecuing, and he has cooked one every year since then.

In 2006, he entered his first competition, when he cooked with the Buzzard Brothers BBQ team at a Paducah, Kentucky, event. He did it for three more years—until he formed his own team, GrillBillies Barbecue, in 2008. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today, the GrillBillies store caters to the competitive pit master, as well as to the backyard enthusiast. Pino reports that 90% of the seasonings and sauces he sells are sought after by pit masters.

Pino’s wife, Sherry, works alongside him in the business. Pit masters, she says, “won’t hesitate to travel one

to three hours to get to our store.

We sell products from all around the country. You can’t find them just anywhere.” The store also sells smoking woods in all configurations, high-quality charcoal, pellets, barbecue accessories, smokers, roasters, charcoal/wood grills, gas grills, pellet grills, and custom barbecue-competition and catering trailers.

At 2,000 square feet (including its outdoor displays), the store is as unique as Pino’s story. It is housed in the restored Neuse train depot—a structure that is more than 100 years old—in Vintage Village, a retail complex with six independently owned antique and repurposed-furniture shops. Pino aims to increase the store’s size by about 25%, but that won’t be easy, given the limitations of the building. Meanwhile, he brings in new lines, stays on top of inventory, and recently added a covered deck that increases his display area.

“More space would be great, but not at the expense of losing the

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homey, country-store feel that all our customers love,” Pino says. To ease overcrowding, he has a warehouse in Youngsville, North Carolina, for his grill, smoker, and ceramic-grill inventory and a warehouse in Raleigh that handles the store’s Internet inventory.

The business has six full-time and part-time employees, all of whom are well versed in the product lines. They cook on every piece of barbecue equipment that they sell, including the full Meadow Creek line of roasters, smokers, and grills (at prices ranging from $700 to $48,000).

Pino also sells lines from 270 Smokers, Primo kamado-style grills, Broil King gas grills, Green Mountain Grills, and Delta Heat/Twin Eagle drop-in products.

Pino chooses products that his customers want and that are made in the United States. He offers only products he would personally be proud to cook on and own.

“Our staff is trained so that when a customer walks in our door, he or she is the most important thing at that moment,” Pino says. First-time buyers are guided through the store to educate them about the ways that GrillBillies can serve them. “On average, we spend 30 minutes or more with that customer,” he adds.

“Our staff will go through extensive

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Top: The owners carry grills that are personal favorites Bottom: GrillBillies’ seasonings and rubs appeal to competitive pit masters

discussions with all customers when there is an interest in purchasing a grill,” Pino says. “Do they want gas, charcoal/wood, or both? Do they want to tend a fire or set it and forget it? With our line of equipment, we are usually able to move customers toward products that will fit their needs.”

TRYING BEFORE BUYING The store has a tasting center for seasonings and sauces, and all customers are encouraged to try them before buying them. “If they leave with something they like, there’s a good chance they will be back to buy refills,” he says.

Customers love that Pino shares secret, insider tips usually reserved for barbecue competitors, including a competition technique called layering. “Competition cooks use layering as a way to expand the flavor profile. The layering process consists of layering two or more seasonings that complement one another. They are not mixed together, but layered—one at a time—on top of each other. It is one the easiest and least expensive way to improve your barbecue results,” Pino explains.

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Outdoor Grilling He continues, “Our staff is always developing layering recipes for various meats. Customers will taste the results, and in most cases, instead of leaving the store with just one seasoning, they will leave with two or more.” Pino uses the same sales technique with his sauces.

For a real taste test, Pino offers customers the opportunity to cook on any equipment that they are considering buying. “Since we are pit masters and are experienced in just about any barbecue technique, our customers realize the tremendous barbecue resource they have when dealing with us.

We freely give all the advice needed to make customers successful barbecuers, whether they buy from us or not,” he says.

“We give them a full orientation on their equipment purchases, and if needed, they cook alongside us. They also get my cell number, so they can call— at any time—with any questions,” he adds.

COOKING UP SALES Pino reaches those customers through his website (www.grillbilliesbarbecue.com) and social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google. He also does mailings, business networking, fundraising, and sponsorship, and he hosts creative in-store events.

Every Saturday, the store is cooking something; the only things that vary are the meat and the grill that is used. “The food is free, and we show off the seasonings we are using during the cooking. Often, customers will Broil King’s Imperial series is a top seller purchase those seasonings and sauces—and in some cases, a grill sale will result,” he says.

Classes with 15 to 20 attendees are also a bit hit; gas grill or a kamado-style grill and baking in the participants not only learn something, but get to kamado; classes last about three hours. eat the meal that they prepare. Various topics are There’s even a pit-master course designed to turn covered, including grilling a three-course meal on a attendees into competition cooks, in accordance with the Kansas City Barbeque Society’s rules. It includes cooking the four required competition meats— brisket, ribs, pork, and chicken—and is taught in two days. GrillBillies even offers corporate and specialevent classes tailored to the specific request of the customer. These usually last four hours and include gas grilling, smoking, or both, with hands-on or lecture-style instruction.

Two to three other big events are spread through the year’s calendar. Earlier this year, GrillBillies hosted a chicken-wing contest in which six teams cooked 1,000 wings for an audience of 250. This fall, it will roast a hog on a spit over an open fire and cook 10 pork butts. Pino estimates that about 250 people will attend. All the events are free, but Pino encourages donations to the Wounded Warrior Project® at each.

GIVING BACK Sponsorships are another part of the marketing mix. The store sponsors six North Carolina professional competition barbecue teams, as well as local backyard-barbecue contests (supplying trophies) and a local girls’ softball team (supplying barbecue equipment for its events). The store also contributes to selected local fundraising events by cooking or by giving cooking demonstrations.

The business started in October 2013—and today, Pino couldn’t be happier, reporting that sales are up 250% over the same period last year. “Our market is stronger than ever. Barbecue is growing at a tremendous pace. It may be somewhat attributed to one’s exposure to the number of barbecue cable shows. We sell to the backyard pro, competition pit masters, caterers, restaurants, corporations, fire departments, and others. Almost anyone is a prospect for us,” he says.

Retirement will never be an option for Pino.

He says, “I truly enjoy working and will do so as long as I’m able. It gives me a great reason to get going each day, and I’m doing something I truly enjoy. The daily interaction with those who are truly passionate about barbecue makes this a wonderful experience.”

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Circle Reader Service No. 35

Showroom Showcase

FUTURE FOCUSED Persistent long-range planning fuels this retailer’s success.

by SHARON SANDERS

S

ierra Timberline (Grass Valley, California) is a specialty retailer that is comfortable with the fact that it’s never comfortable.

The dynamic, forward-thinking operation is never short of ideas on how to develop closer relationships with its customers, keep its store interesting, or stay tied to its community.

Emily Potter, general manager, says, “It’s smart business always to be looking to the future. If there’s something in place, and you get comfortable with it, then it’s time to kick yourself.”

Potter works side by side with founders and owners Skip and Lyn Stahmer to keep the 36–year-old business in touch with its close-knit (yet expanding) community. In 1978, Sierra

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LISA WILLIAMS

Timberline started out as a seller of Vermont Castings stoves; it has morphed into a business that offers its customers everything that they need to furnish their homes, inside and outdoors.

Today, the store carries everything from hearth products to outdoor-living merchandise (including furniture, accessories, hot tubs, umbrellas, awnings, and solar screens). Three years ago, the store added interior furnishings to its product mix after two local furniture stores called it quits.

“We are not in a metropolitan area, so the store draws from a limited population. This means that we always need to be listening to what products people can’t find locally,” Potter explains. The interior-furnishing business (which has a

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dedicated three-person sales team) has proven to be a good fit, in many ways, and has grown every year. It brings a tremendous number of new people into the store.

“We naturally have a lot of crossover sales because we carry complementary products for the home, not just one product category.

Our intention is that people will come back and visit regularly—not just every 15 or so years to purchase a new set of patio furniture or a stove,” Potter says.

SETTING THE SCENE While Sierra Timberline is strategic about its product mix, its strength also lies in its ability to woo customers.

Entertainment and education, Potter says, are the heart of retail, and she runs the business with them in mind.

“As a retailer, we need to recognize who our clients are and create a scene that entertains them and makes them feel relaxed,” she explains.

From the moment that shoppers get out of their cars, the scene is set— starting at the store’s front door. “Our front door is always open. It makes for a softer entry and an easier flow if someone can walk into the store without physically having to pull a door open,” Potter says. She adds that the only time that the door is closed is when temperatures hit more than 100 degrees or less than 30 degrees:

Page 36, top: Sierra Timberline has a strategic product mix Page 36, bottom: From left, Dan Netherby, Jamie Kaufmann, Emily Potter, and Jared Kopp Top: Sierra Timberline creates a scene to relax its customers—so they are in the mood to buy Bottom: Various styles and colors entice shoppers with different design preferences

usually, only about four days a year.

The entryway is decorated with flowerpots planted with inviting, season-specific flowers that add a welcoming vibe to the storefront.

When people walk into the store, they are greeted by soft music.

Potter says, “To me, music is key. If you walk into a place and you feel comfortable with the music playing, it’s magic.” She adds that the music is carefully selected so that the store’s clients can relate to it.

Scent is also an important part of the overall scene. As customers stroll through the showroom, soft

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scents (which are changed with the seasons) waft through the air.

Potter says, “People comment all the time that that our store smells good. It’s a subliminal element that keeps things fresh.”

She adds that it’s the best feeling in the world is when she sees someone meandering through the store and humming. “It means the shopper is relaxed, and that you have created the right atmosphere. When people are relaxed, they are approachable, and they are open to your interaction: That’s when education comes in,” she says.

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING Customer relationships are at the core of Sierra Timberline. “We do more than sell products. I like to think that we have created a hometown atmosphere that encourages people to stop in to see what’s new, to chat about the latest community news, or just to say hello,” Potter says.

A popular in-store event that attracts a sizable number of people is the annual winter market. It was started a few years ago as part of an effort to create a special place for residents (who are primarily retirees) to visit during the holiday season. The

Showroom Showcase theme is reminiscent of a farmers’ market, with vintage decor, wooden crates, and home-decor items.

For many customers, it has become a tradition to bring their grandchildren in to pick out an ornament every Christmas. “We wanted to bring some extra joy to our local friends,” Potter says. The store also partners with four local charities in December. Each week, it donates a portion of its proceeds from the winter market to one of the designated charities. “We have a responsibility, as a local business, to support the local people,” Potter explains.

The store also holds an annual mini trade show, called the Inside Track, for local contractors (home builders and remodelers), architects, real-estate agents, and designers.

“Let’s face it: When retailers go to patio/hearth trade shows, they come back inspired and feeling that they know what’s coming for the future.

There is no real trade show like that for people in the trades, so we created one,” Potter says.

The Inside Track is held one evening each year, from 3 to 8 p.m.

The store brings in speakers from different product sectors to hold mini sessions about the latest technology and design trends in each category. “It helps our trade clients become more in-the-know about the industry, which helps their businesses; that, in turn, creates referrals, which help our business as well,” Potter says. It has been so well received that there are plans to expand the trade show—possibly, to a full day (and eventually, to a weekend).

A few years ago, Sierra Timberline began partnering with local home tours and garden shows.

Potter says, “I got frustrated, seeing beautiful homes at these events with plastic patio furniture. The outsidespace design was totally neglected.”

Potter finally got tired of whining to herself, she says, and decided to do something. She approached the show organizers and offered to stage the outdoor areas with products from Sierra Timberline. She says, “That’s what we do today. In exchange, we

are able to put up a little sign saying that all the products are available at our store. Typically, people who go to those types of events are looking for ideas, so it has brought a lot of new business to our store.”

THE NEXT GENERATION “We never want to be a business that is satisfied with the status quo,” Potter says. She emphasizes how crucial it is to be reevaluating who the store’s customers are constantly—so it can market and sell to them in an appealing way. The store’s primary customers, right now, are people 55 and older, but it has become apparent that this is changing. A younger generation of customers is on horizon: the millenials.

“Our challenge is to figure out a way to stay relevant to our current customers, while—at the same time—being stimulating, interesting, and desirable to this next group, which has a completely different way of shopping,” Potter says.

“It comes down to figuring out

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what group we will need to pour our energy into for the next five years, while still keeping the business moving forward. We’ve made the choice to continue to woo the baby boomers, but we have already started to put things in place that will eventually move us into the lower age group.”

She believes that much of the change will be centered on the way that the store markets itself (and its products) to a generation that does its own research before setting foot in a store to make a purchase. It will also require a sales team that has the vibrancy, energy, and newness to entice younger shoppers.

“It’s like building a new basketball team by blending the two,” Potter says, adding that this is going to be one of the store’s greatest growth opportunities. “We are fortunate to have store owners who support this vision for the future.

There is a whole lot of room for change, and we intend to take full advantage of that.”

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Circle Reader Service No. 39

As I See It

The New Kid SunVilla is an emerging force in the casual-furniture specialty market.

BY SHARON SANDERS

SunVilla (City of Industry, California) is just starting its second full year of business, but in many ways, it is an old soul. The brand was launched by industry veterans Matt Weiss and Mike Farrell, who have 50 years of combined sales, marketing, and manufacturing experience.

From day one, SunVilla has known what it wanted and needed to be, so it has quickly settled into a niche that resonates with specialty retailers.

This year, the company opened a new showroom in the Merchandise Mart (Chicago, Illinois), which brings SunVilla new opportunities. Patio & Hearth Products Report sat down with Weiss, vice president, to find out more about this young company.

What sparked the idea that became SunVilla?

Weiss: SunVilla is owned by the largest import patio-furniture factory in the world. The company set out, two years ago, to create an import brand that catered to the specialty market.

It approached Mike Farrell and me to head the venture. We see this as an opportunity to build a modern company (from scratch), drawing on our years of experience in both the manufacturing and the retail sectors.

What does a young company like yours need to do (or be) to thrive in the specialty-retail arena?

Weiss: We understand that specialty retailers have high expectations for their vendors. That being said, we have chosen to focus on a couple things: great customer service and standing by our products. This

is something that is lacking from many importers, but we consider it to be our strength.

In a recent example of our commitment to customer service, one of our dealers received a set of our furniture with lumpy cushions. Immediately upon receiving the call about the issue, we secured replacement cushions, and one of our team members personally drove to the store to change them.

We received an email from the dealer stating that in the 30 years he has been in the business, he’s never had a company respond so quickly or thoroughly to a problem.

This is where we want to stand. If we can create a loyal customer base, the profits will come. Many importers don’t have the ability to respond quickly, but we do.

We have two warehouses in the United States, and we are working on opening a third. Because SunVilla is part of a larger company, we also have a large pool of staff to pull from and the financial backing that allows us to do what it takes to make our customers happy.

As consumers’ tastes in outdoor furniture become more sophisticated, how does the company plan to meet their expectations?

Weiss: When it comes to design, we really do our homework. The company holds a comprehensive

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trend meeting every year to determine its design direction. We visit retailers to get feedback, look at industry trends and indoor-furniture trends, and have a design team that knows the business.

That being said, we don’t consider ourselves to be a trendy company. We are about the meat and potatoes, and we design our products with the mainstream customer in mind. We are on trend, but you won’t see us coming out with anything edgy.

Our motto is Simply Refined, and that’s what we try to accomplish in everything we do—from our designs to our marketing and customer service. That’s what we believe today’s sophisticated customer wants.

About which new SunVilla pieces/ collections are you most excited?

Weiss: I really love everything, but if I had to narrow it down, I would say Pennant and Belize (our two newest collections), along with a top seller from last year called Biscay. All three of the collections are transitional designs with clean lines that focus on comfort and lounging. They feature a combination of woven and aluminum media.

Left: Matt Weiss Right: The Biscay collection

Simply refined

ill

New Showroom Permanent Showroom: Chicago 16-108

h

New Collections

New Additions

+ Additions to Current Line

or call 888.690.9800

Six New Collections Circle Reader Service No. 41

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As I See It We do a lot of mixed-media furniture because specialty retailers have had success with it. With many importers, what you see is what you get, but not with SunVilla. All of our cushion collections feature Sunbrella® fabrics in neutral colors (three fabrics per collection).

We also offer one or two finishes for each collection. This year, we’re offering a collection called SunVilla Euro to appeal to a younger demographic and to contract customers. The style is more contemporary than that of our other collections.

How is SunVilla partnering with retailers to help them grow their businesses?

Weiss: One of our major strengths is that we are still small enough to work with retailers on a case-by-case basis. We intentionally don’t have a standard program because every one of our customers has different needs.

This is something that really helps set us apart.

From marketing to product support, we are committed and motivated to provide a personal touch.

What opportunities does your new Merchandise Mart showroom bring the company?

Weiss: We are excited to be in a permanent showroom on the 16th floor of the Chicago Merchandise Mart. This is our latest step, which adds even more credibility to our brand and shows retailers that we are in the casual-furniture industry to stay. The showroom will also give us the ability to grow our designer business, which is something that we are planning to move forward with, full force, this year.

We have a full-time showroom manager (who relocated from our Los Angeles, California, office) who will be overseeing the new space. The response has been even more positive than I ever expected, which tells me that people like and want our products. It is so nice to have everything that we have worked so hard to create under one roof, in a beautiful showroom.

While everything is running smoothly, what do you see as the company’s biggest challenge?

Weiss: We have built our company on the fact that we offer our customers individual attention. As our business grows, our biggest challenge will be maintaining that focus. That means making sure we have the right people and processes in place at all times and that we are constantly evaluating our service levels.

What would you predict for the outdoor-living industry?

Weiss: I think there is a lot of growth potential for the industry—more than one might think. One emerging market that I see, in particular, is furniture for smaller spaces, as the demographic gets younger for specialty furniture. Many younger people live in townhouses and apartments that have small yards and balconies, which means small-scale furniture, with fewer seats, more modern designs, and lower price ranges.

What does the future hold for SunVilla?

Weiss: I am thrilled by SunVilla’s acceptance in the marketplace. It has been rewarding to see the brand go from completely nothing to a growing business with a solid base of customers.

When it comes to the future, I refer back to our motto: Simply Refined. We plan to keep refining our brand to make it simple, from our products to our marketing, service, and pricing. I’ve seen, too many times, that when a company grows, it makes it too complicated to do business with it—and we don’t want to go there.

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Circle Reader Service No. 43

MyTurn

Power of the Pellet Pellet grills from Dansons are popular with barbecue aficionados who prefer smoke flavor, versatility, and something new.

BY GREG THOMPSON

From left: Jeff, Dan, and Jordan Thiessen

In 2015, cooking outside is not enough. Serious grill buyers want to impress friends, feed their families, and— above all—cook food that tastes great.

Call it a byproduct of grilling competitions and the Food Network, but merely owning a grill represents a starting point.

As Jeff Thiessen, president of Dansons Inc. (Edmonton, Alberta), explains, “The average backyard-barbecue guy is looking for the next thing. He’s grilling three or four times a week. He wants to have the best flavor and product on his patio. Years ago, just having a grill was enough; not anymore.”

As the manufacturer of the Louisiana Grills (LG), Pit Boss, and LG Kamado lines, Dansons is focusing on the pellet and lump-charcoal sectors in the hope of wooing customers who want something truly different. “Gas is fairly flat, but pellets and lump charcoal are just now taking off,” Thiessen says.

Gas and standard charcoal are still the “big dogs,” he adds, but he believes that the natural maturity of the market will lead more customers to look for something outside the norm. Keeping those alternative items on the showroom floor can allow dealers to develop a profitable niche, with the right marketing and word-of-mouth promotion.

An aggressive forecast for 2015 set the sales bar high for Dansons, and the company is exceeding expectations—a fact that Thiessen partially attributes to a difficult decision, in 2008, to sell its pellet-stove business.

The economic downturn during that year forced a reorganization of priorities; the company’s emphasis landed squarely on the barbecue business, where it remains today.

ADDING THROUGH SUBTRACTION The LG brand, under the Dansons umbrella, has performed particularly well as a feature-rich value alternative aimed at specialty retailers. Competing head-on with another well-known brand in the pellet niche has motivated

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The Pit Boss grill

Dansons designers to improve products rapidly.

“The heart of the LG price range is right around $799, but our pellet grills are bigger, heavier, and hotter than our main competitor’s grills,” Thiessen says. “LG has programmable meat probes, indirectand direct-flame plates, and more features and benefits.”

The Pit Boss line has an even lower price level, also aimed at the value market, whereas variations on the LG brand can successfully claim the premium segment. “Pit Boss is $299 to $899, and LG goes from $699 all the way up to $4,500,” Thiessen explains. “We have the broadest product line in the marketplace. No matter who our customers are, we have what they need, within their value sets and price ranges. We

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

can sit down with any retailer and find the right price level.”

Core models sold in the LG line include the LG 700 ($799), the LG 900 ($899), and the LG 1100 ($999); a similar Country Smokers line is available for those who value a product built in North America.

Other products made under the Dansons name are manufactured in China, in a move born of necessity when demand began to outstrip production capacity.

Moving additional manufacturing abroad allowed Dansons to grow by leaps and bounds without sacrificing quality. With enhanced production, designers were free to innovate in creating new features.

Thiessen says, “We developed an innovation called a flame broiler, which is a plate that can slide over

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MyTurn

The LG Kamado

the top of the burn pot. Most pellet barbecues use indirect flame, so there’s a plate that covers the burn pots, and then air blows through the body,” as it would in a convection cooker. He continues, “We have a plate that can slide back and open up access to burn pots for a direct-flame char. That feature was very well received and is something that most of our competitors do not have.”

Maintaining quality in manufacturing abroad is only possible because Dansons has its own team of people overseeing operations at four different factories, with two more to come into use next year. These oversight trips are made many times each year by Thiessen, along with his brother, Jordan, and their

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father, Dan (founder of the company). Dan and his sons (source of the Dansons name) head the product-development side, while also keeping a hand in the marketing and production ends of the business.

As the oldest family-owned pellet-barbecue company, Dansons takes pride in introducing features that transcend mere bells and whistles.

For example, the digital control on the LG grill sets it at 170 to 600 degrees in 5-degree increments. “A probe senses the temperature inside the body of the grill and then adjusts the feed rate of the auger to match the setpoint of the control board,” Thiessen says. “It gives you precise temperature control in wood-fired cooking.”

The digital control addresses a common complaint from people who love the taste generated by wood or lump charcoal, but report that they can’t adequately control the temperature. With the digital control, anyone who “keeps that hopper full can run our grills for days on end. You don’t have to stop and recharge. You just set your temperature and let it go. We have customers who will smoke meat for a couple of days at a time,” Thiessen reports.

Chipping away at misconceptions is a key component of effective selling because many prospective customers want the rich flavor that comes from wood pellets, lump charcoal, and wood chips—but they think that using them is inconvenient. Dansons grills light in about four minutes, at the touch of a button—not instantaneously, but not an interminable wait.

“It takes about another 10 minutes to bring the grill up to cooking temperature,” Thiessen says. “People might say that they don’t know how to operate it, but if you can run an oven control, you can run a wood-pellet barbecue.

Then, you close the deal with the many different flavors of pellets, such as hickory, mesquite, alder, apple, cherry, and oak. They make the average griller look like a champion.”

Fortunately, customers increasingly want something different, and Dansons is capitalizing on that trend by accentuating the niche aspects of pellet cooking—and as of 2014, kamado cooking. In a move that Thiessen describes as extremely successful, the company introduced a ceramic kamado last year.

Aimed at the value market, the lump-charcoal kamado unit comes with a stand and side shelves, plus a second-tier cooking system. The Dansons version of the traditional Japanese cooker is in one package, which users can take home and work with right away, without “endless accessories,” Thiessen says. “We are not at the same price level as the other guys. If you look at kamados and pellets now, at the major shows, you’ll find lots of offerings for both. They are the bright spots in the barbecue world, and they represent real opportunity for specialty retailers.”

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Circle Reader Service No. 47

ProductInnovation

Versatile Design Twin-Star International builds products that do more than meets the eye.

BY CHERYL DANGEL BARTOLINI

The functionalists and the modernists can argue over the nuances of form following function.

Meanwhile, Twin-Star International (Delray Beach, Florida), a creator of specialty home furnishings, combines both form and function in multifunctional products that are taking the country by storm.

“We marry technology and design,” Andy Bandremer says. He is executive vice president of sales at Twin-Star, where products do more than meets the eye. “We pride ourselves on providing our customers with the best values in the marketplace,” he adds.

Peter Harper, copresident and CFO, refers to Twin-Star’s products as technology-enabled, multifunctional home furniture. They are “luxurious products at accessible mass price points,” he says. In short, Twin-Star’s products are furniture’s answer to the pocketknife; they look like one thing, yet do so much more.

Twin-Star’s products are united under a family of brands that includes ClassicFlame, ChimneyFree, Bell’O,

Bell’O Digital, Duraflame, and Powerheat. Despite its relative-newcomer status (the company started in 1996), it has made steady inroads, gaining popularity and sales among ever-more-discriminating consumers who want as much value as they can get for their money.

To that end, Twin-Star delivers— as evidenced by the success that the company has experienced in each market segment. According to Harper, the company’s ClassicFlame and ChimneyFree brands have made the company the undisputed leader in the electric-fireplace market. Its Bell’O brand is ranked number one in market share for multifunctional audio/video furniture for the consumer-electronics channel, while its Duraflame and Powerheat brands occupy the number-one position in market share in electric stoves. How do they do it?

“We offer innovative leadership in integrating sound with furniture and in design,” Harper says.

The product design, across the board, is especially notable. Not only are the products more than they seem, but (as Harper points out) they embody the practical aspect of a

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creative design: It saves time and money while increasing profits. For instance, Twin-Star’s unique product design makes for easy assembly, and products are aptly named Assembles in Minutes (AIM) because they “increase productivity for our channel partners and provide a better out-of-box assembly for our end consumers,” Harper explains.

Bandremer says that the AIM line has been a real game changer in the industry. In fact, ads state, “Take AIM at increased profits, operational savings, faster installation time, reduced damages, and Internet sales with the beautifully functional AIM furniture line.”

THE EARLY YEARS Twin-Star began as a manufacturer of audio/video cabinetry, other smallscale specialty-furniture products, and desk accessories. “In 2003, we started manufacturing electric fireplaces, emphasizing the product as fine-furniture design with the ability to provide heat,” Bandremer says.

While the fireplace acted like a piece of furniture with a great design, it also allowed the consumer to save money through the use of zone heat-

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Left: The Bell’O Sound speaker shelf Middle: The Assembles in Minutes (or AIM) furniture line Right: The Solo heater and speaker tower

ing. Bandremer says, “We were able to provide a vastly superior product at an incredible cost—as we were manufacturing in China, as opposed to the competition. From that point forward, we experienced stellar growth in a relatively short period of time.”

In 2009, Twin-Star acquired the license for the Duraflame brand, which established the company as a recognizable consumer brand in the stove/heater category. At that point, Twin-Star focused its energy on bringing other multifunctional furniture products (such as wine-cooler furniture cabinets, speaker shelves, and similar products) to the same channels, As a result, in 2014, Twin-Star purchased Bell’O, the leader in audio/video furniture in the consumer-electronics channel. It also manufactures a line of speakers, headphones, surge protectors, and other

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ProductInnovation audio/video digital products.

“From the beginning, our focus has been partnering with our customers, and we are proud of the fact we have very strong relationships with our largest customers—exceeding 10 years and still going strong,” Harper says. “Our depth and breadth of customer relationships are unparalleled in our industry.”

DUAL PURPOSE AND VALUE ADDED Twin-Star differs from its competition in the fact that it integrates technology with furniture. A media console is not just a media console; it is a fireplace.

A shelf is not just a shelf; it is a speaker.

“Twin-Star is known for exceptional product design and innovation, integrating technology with furniture,” Harper reiterates, but product development can’t succeed alone. Products are channeled through a complex supply chain by a team of actively involved managers.

“We ensure we are viewed as the category leaders in the eyes of our channel partners,” Harper adds. “We know our channel partners better than the competition. We know the

end consumer’s buying decisions better than our competitor. We use these data and insights to make win–win solutions possible for our channel partners.”

Bandremer suggests Twin-Star has the edge on the competition due to its innovation and its speed to market with products that are so different that consumers are easily won over: Twin-Star offers “unique combinations of electronics and furniture for the home environment at astounding values,” he says. “We also have the ability to support multichannel sellers—furniture, club, DIY, mass, and specialty—with a line of differentiated product-design options.”

For example, Twin-Star moved Duraflame from being a needed product that heats the home (something that is both essential and practical) to fulfilling a want—because it improves the quality of life when a sound bar, wine cooler/refrigeration, or fireplace is added to the audio/video furniture. “We bring new technology to the electric-fireplace category and incorporate multiple functions

into our fireplaces and furniture,” Bandremer explains. “Design, styling, materials, features, and a large range of finishes set us apart. We were the first to manufacture media-cabinet fireplaces, the first to manufacture the all-LED fireplace insert, the first to incorporate infrared quartz heating into the electric fireplace, and the first to incorporate a speaker bar into our furniture, just to name a few innovations.”

NEW PRODUCTS This summer, Twin-Star launched its new Bell’O digital Bluetooth-enabled speaker shelf, available in 40-, 50-, and 60-inch lengths. It features four speakers and a two-way design with tuned bass support.

“The integration of a quality, Bluetooth-enabled sound bar with a functional shelf will enable consumers to enjoy rich sound from their televisions, smartphones, or tablets while being able to use the space above the sound bar to add personal artifacts to make the room more attractive to them,” Harper says.

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Then, there’s the new Solo verticalflame heater and speaker-tower combination. The Solo is an infrared heater that can warm rooms of up to 1,000 square feet while it streams music wirelessly from a phone, tablet, or music player through its Bluetoothenabled speakers. “The Solo is easy to use and features an LED electric fireplace with adjustable flame settings and a digital thermostat, which can be operated using the remote control,” Bandremer says.

He reports that Twin-Star’s Safer suite of products designed to reduce the risk of electrical fires in homes is growing as well. “The original Safer plug, which is built into the plugs of our heaters, has now evolved into the Safer socket, which can be used on any appliance and any outlet. We are also currently working on Safer surge, which is the same technology as Safer plug and Safer socket in a surge protector. These product launches will help support our existing and future electrical-product– line introductions,” he says. continued on page 89

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Hearth Products Controls Circle Reader Service No. 51

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Corporate Profile

The Design Leader Pride Family Brands’ design mavericks push conventional boundaries to create some of the most striking collections in the marketplace. by KIMBERLY RODGERS

Steve Lowsky

Retailers look to Pride Family Brands (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) each year to set the course for the outdoor/casual industry through the company’s latest product offerings.

Steve Lowsky, CEO, says, “We are always reinventing and coming up with new ideas and products that no one else has thought of or made.

We try to be what I consider a leader in design. I often overhear, in the halls of the Merchandise Mart, that retailers want to stop by Pride’s showroom first to get a sense of the direction of the industry. We are proud and blessed to have this unique reputation as a design leader.”

Pride’s retail partners have come to expect the award-winning manufacturer’s showroom to hold the introduction of at least four to six new collections during the annual July ICFA Preview Show™ in Chicago, Illinois, and this year’s market attendees were not disappointed. For 2016, Pride is intro-

ducing six new collections: two contemporary groups, three classic styles, and one line for the contract market. “This wide range of styles allows Pride retailers to provide something for every customer,” Lowsky says.

Pride was founded in 1981 by Bernie Lowsky, along with his sons, Jamie and Steve. Pride began as a retailer and manufacturer, but soon changed its entire focus to production. Today, the company designs, manufactures, and distributes three premium lines for specialty outdoor retailers under the Castelle, Prestige, and Expressions brands, as well as promotional products for mass retailers.

In 1984, Pride moved its manufacturing operations to Costa Rica, enabling the company to implement and maintain stringent quality-control measures and processes to produce its custom, heirloom-quality furniture. These high standards begin with the use of only 100% U.S.–made raw materials. Vertical manufacturing allows the company to control every aspect of production, further ensuring quality control.

All furniture is constructed

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using only 356-grade aluminum.

Invisible seams are achieved through precise welding and polishing. Lowsky says, “We stand out for our new paint colors; unique ways of sewing; and extremely innovative methods of welding, fastening, and forming aluminum.”

Pride is one of the few outdoorfurniture manufacturers with its own foundry, giving the company a great degree of flexibility in casting designs and in making improvements to them. Lowsky adds, “Having our own foundry allows us to simulate any kind of look we want to achieve.”

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Top: The Inspired Visions collection Bottom: The Park Place collection

Distinctive furniture starts with good design, and Pride products are renowned for their characteristic handforged artisanal designs, handtooled by skilled craftspeople. Teams in Costa Rica and Florida get their design ideas from all walks of life.

Lowsky says, “We look at what is going on in the world—and often, our designs can come from the most unusual places.” This broad approach to the design process

www.valorfireplaces.com Circle Reader Service No. 53

Corporate Profile allows hundreds of individual introductions each season.

2016 INTRODUCTIONS Contemporary: Two contemporary lines are part of this year’s lineup. Park Place features sleek lines, modern seating, aluminum durability, and performance fabrics, delivering a fresh, upscale appeal. Various options are available in sling dining and in multiconfigured deep seating and sectional pieces. Eclipse is the second contemporary debut.

“With an attractive, angular frame design and floating seat, this is a definite showstopper in our 2016 collections,” Lowsky says. The line is expertly engineered, with multiple banding layers and sleigh legs. Sling dining, traditional seating, and sectional deep seating options are available in the Eclipse lineup.

Classic: Pride’s classic options for 2016 are Villa Bianca, Belle Époque, and La Reserve. Villa Bianca is certainly classic by design, but its flowing lines and overall openness create a relaxed, comfortable seating option. Cast elements intersect with flair in the seating’s side and back detailing. Empire-style leg details are featured on both cushioned and sling seating.

In the Belle Époque collection, an intricate and endless cast design curves from arm to arm, embracing the entire back of the all-cushioned seating pieces. A Mediterraneaninspired openwork design adds interest and flair across the entire collection. The La Reserve line brings a flowing aesthetic to a solid design.

Added details include a platform base, along with arm caps and curves.

Contract: The Orion collection is Pride’s 2016 entry in the contract category, delivering luxury outdoor furnishings for commercial and hospitality venues. The Orion lineup includes sling dining, an end table, and a chaise, all designed in a contemporary motif and handcrafted of high-quality aluminum. All pieces can easily stack for convenience and will coordinate with contemporary table designs in the Castelle line.

In addition, Pride will once again provide unique marketing materials, easy-to-access online videos, and sales tools to define the large array of intro-

The Villa Bianca collection

ductions (and differentiate among them). Plans are also in the works to implement a unique computer application for Pride’s retail partners; it will piggyback on other Pride initiatives to drive consumer traffic.

Pride’s goal for its retail partnerships is to make retailers’ experiences unique and beneficial throughout every step of sales and delivery, from the initial review with the consumer on product selection to final delivery of a custom order within 30 days. Lowsky says, “This is the metric we strive for, every day, at Pride.”

STRONG OUTDOOR ROOMS According to the 2014 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects, consumer demand remains strong for attractively designed residential landscapes that are conducive to entertaining and relaxing. Survey participants (landscape architects who specialize in landscape design) across the country were asked to rate the expected popularity of a variety of outdoor-design elements in 2014.

Outdoor-living space (defined as kitchens and entertainment spaces) was the second most popular category. With a rating of 92%, it ranked just behind the category of gardens and landscaped spaces, which received a popularity rating of 94.2%.

Lowsky’s observations, in keeping with these statistics, relate an

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increasing shift in consumer attitudes toward using the outdoor space for as long as possible, throughout the year. He says, “The season, for most of the country, is growing. With the addition of fire products, retailers are now starting their season in February—and extending it until October or November—to meet the demands of their customers.”

Lowsky also notes the increasing popularity of customization in outdoor rooms. He says, ”Many consumers are now focused on making the outdoor room one of the most custom rooms in their homes. Whether inside or outdoors, luxury consumers demand one-of-a-kind decor and customization—and fast turnaround on special orders, with great quality, will always be the norm at Pride. Every one of our pieces is handcrafted, to custom specifications, in a timely manner.”

Another significant outdoor trend is consumers’ shift toward contemporary designs and finishes.

Lowsky comments, “The clean, open living style that has been popular indoors, for the past few years, has now moved outdoors.” He also sees a shift in dining. He says, “Accommodating large gatherings is fundamental, so the most popular tables must seat six or more.”

A trend that retailers across North America report is the surge in sales of fire products. Especially

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

popular are fire features paired with dining or chat groups.

Lowsky says, “Fire remains a huge growth segment for our company, and each season, we have placed an emphasis on product development in expanding this area.”

For 2016, Pride has added the contemporary Icon firepit design, which coordinates with all the company’s new collections. Although Pride’s standard-sized firepits are its biggest sellers in the category, fire dining has exploded, with 70% of the company’s large dining tables (108 inches or longer) now including fire.

Lowsky is exuberant about the future health of the outdoor room, and he sees it growing as manufacturers outside the furniture category create innovative products for the segment. “As major corporations focus on creating new advances for the outdoor room—such as waterproof wireless technology, electronics, and outdoor kitchens—the time the consumer spends outside can also increase. This creates a synergy between industries and is great news for furniture people,” he says.

For Lowsky, the opportunities across the outdoor segment are full of potential. He says, “The outdoor room is now three rooms in one— kitchen, dining, and living—and it has become the largest room in the house. At Pride, there is a tremendous amount of energy and excitement for the category. It is a great time to be in this business.”

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Circle Reader Service No. 55

Insight

Stylish Italian Stoves Pellet-stove sales for Ravelli are heating up in North America.

The Air RV 100 stove

Ravelli has become one of the top manufacturers of pellet stoves (in a short time) because of its unparalleled commitments to innovation, quality, and stylish design.

Founded in Italy by Stefano and Diego Ravelli, the company has seen rapid growth—from one stove model, introduced 16 years ago, to a lineup of more than 60 stoves in Italy today.

Andrew Laganà, general manager of Ravelli USA Inc. (San Francisco, California), explains that high gas and oil prices in Italy made pellet stoves popular. To meet this high demand, he says, there are more than 100 pellet-stove manufacturers in Italy (and many more throughout Europe). This high level of competition continues to drive Ravelli to release innovative products each year, with improvements to help Ravelli not only to stay in business, but to be at the top of the marketplace.

A commitment to grow led to the development of Ravelli USA in 2013. Once the company began direct dealer sales, Laganà says, the new company grew, and it has been highly successful throughout North America. Even though there are fewer pellet-stove manufacturers in North America than in Europe, the company still focuses on producing stoves with new, cutting-edge technology and designs each year. “It’s something that you must do,” Laganà says.

Ravelli stands apart from the competition because of its advanced technology, beautiful design, and high-quality materials. The company uses only stove parts made in North America or

Italy, to ensure quality control. Laganà says, “It’s a matter of technology, it’s a matter of design, and it’s a matter of quality.”

All of Ravelli’s products have combustion chambers made from Firex 600, a vermiculite-based material developed by the company. Firex 600 captures the heat generated by the stove and stores it, in order to release it gradually. This process improves the combustion quality and heat control of the stove, while also keeping the firebox clean.

Laganà reports that the main feature that makes Ravelli stoves unique is their ability to maintain the same level of efficiency over time, whereas many stoves on the market might be 87% efficient when they are new, but lose efficiency as the stove ages or gets dirty. Ravelli’s stoves maintain the same level of efficiency whether they are clean or dirty, and they maintain the same quality over time. “That’s a great advantage,” Laganà says.

Ravelli stoves range from 82% to 87% in efficiency; they exhibit clean burning, reduced costs, and high durability. They also are convenient to use with programmable systems, timer thermostats, and remote controls.

Two of the company’s best performers in North America are the RV 80 C and RV 100 Classic stoves. “These, so far, are the most successful that we have,” Laganà says. The RV 100 Classic is more than 87% efficient, with a burn time of up to 41 hours. The stove features the company’s signature Firex 600, as well as a glass-ceramic door that is heat resistant up to 1,380 degrees (750 degrees Celsius).

This stove has a programmable timer thermostat with a remote control. It is also available in five colors (including parchment, black, and Bordeaux).

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PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

BY CHERISE FORNO

The Air RV 80 stove

The RV 80 C has an efficiency rating of 82%, with a burn time of up to 22 hours. It features majolica tiling and a cast-iron grate and burn pot.

This beautiful stove is available in three colors.

The styling of these two stove models has proved appealing in North America. While still featuring Italian design, these two stoves also have a Victorian flair, which Laganà says is especially popular in New England and the Midwest. Many customers on the West Coast, however, prefer the modern look and more classic Italian design of some of the other Ravelli stove models.

While Ravelli in Italy features many inserts as part of its product lineup, Ravelli USA is developing inserts that are set to make their debut at HPBExpo in New Orleans, Louisiana, in March 2016. The design is still being finalized, Laganà says, but much progress and research have been completed to make inserts that customers want (and that are certified for U.S. use). Laganà adds that this development is the result of requests for inserts that have come from customers during the past year.

Laganà notes that the ability to work directly with dealers in North America has led to the company’s success and growth, and it is the factor driving the new products that the company releases. By maintaining close communication that allows for direct feedback about what customers want and need, Ravelli is able to adapt to the market and give consumers exactly what they seek. For the future, Laganà says, Ravelli USA is focusing on maintaining these good relationships with dealers and on being responsive to customer requests through new-product development, as well as through improvements to the existing Ravelli product line.

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Insight

HOT-SELLING STOVES Blaze King’s sales soar as stove shoppers seek sleek designs, efficient heat output, and value. BY CHERISE FORNO

The Chinook stove

With almost 40 years of experience in the hearth industry, Blaze King Industries (Walla Walla, Washington) continues to grow its selection of stylish and efficient wood stoves and inserts.

From its beginning, Blaze King has maintained a keen sense of what consumers look for when purchasing stoves. Alan Murphy, who became president of Blaze King this year, says, “The ability to provide controlled heat, reduced heating costs, and high heating efficiency are the three things that seem to be on everyone’s wish list.”

The company, Murphy says, is now focusing on introducing modern designs, and a key component in this is the debut of a new series of wood-burning fireplace inserts that will be available in three models: Sirocco, Ashford, and Chinook. With castiron, steel, and ultramodern versions, these inserts will appeal to a broad audience.

The new fireplace inserts are the 25 series, with the Sirocco 25 insert set to launch first. This insert is a traditional North American steel version that will hit the market in late fall 2015. Blaze King will follow this release with the introduction of the Ashford and Chinook versions in 2016.

The Sirocco 25 will have an extensive burn time of more than 25 hours on a low setting, and it will be ultraefficient and clean burning. This will be a flush insert, measuring 29x21x17 inches behind the surround and featuring a large piece of glass (at 24x11 inches). “We have a firebox that will fit into most fireplaces,” Murphy says.

This insert features one of the largest pieces of glass on the market, which makes it versatile—as well as visually stunning, Murphy says. The insert will boast the efficiencies that Blaze King

The Sirocco 25 insert

The Ashford stove

products are famous for, along with easy installation, beautiful styling, and a thermostat for controlled heat output.

Blaze King has recently released other woodburning products that have been well received in the industry. “Over the past two years, we have released a series of cast-iron wood products, and they are becoming more and more successful,” Murphy says. He adds that an expanding East Coast marketplace (where wood-burning products are in high demand) has helped build momentum for this series.

One characteristic of Blaze King that has contributed to its success is its ability to stay in tune with the changing needs of customers while expanding its product line. When selecting a wood stove, Murphy says, customers generally want to know that the product is well made, gives long burn times, and is efficient (for example, that it saves money on heating). Blaze King meets these requests and has a strong reputation as a producer of high-efficiency, clean-burning wood stoves that stay on trend.

The ability to provide savings to customers while also helping the environment is another strength of Blaze King stoves. According to Murphy, Blaze King products can burn onethird less wood than competitors’ products burn.

They have the highest efficiency levels, as listed by the EPA, placing Blaze King stoves at the top of the market for performance. In fact, Blaze King manufactures five of the eight most efficient stoves, according to the EPA, with the King and Princess models coming in at 82% and 81% actual measured efficiency for higher heating value, respectively.

Blaze King only makes high-quality firebox-

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es, Murphy says, so the stoves that people choose come down to their individual needs and styling preferences. “We only make highperformance, low-burning, easy-to-control products,” he explains.

Although the company originally specialized in gas products, its focus shifted to wood-burning products, and it continues to excel in that area. “Concentrating on wood products is our forte today,” Murphy says.

For the future, Blaze King has plans for a gasproduct line, but as Murphy points out, the company wants to take the appropriate time needed to develop a line of products with features that will impress customers. “We want to come up with some unique offerings,” he says.

Blaze King is also focused on continuing to improve on its wood-burning products. “We will diversify more,” Murphy says. “We are going to round out our wood offerings.” This will include developing zero-clearance wood products and producing a larger insert.

While continuing to provide customers with a wide array of products, Blaze King maintains its company values and commitment to its customers, salespeople, and employees. Blaze King, Murphy says, makes it a priority to have an inclusive atmosphere that involves everyone, including retailers, sales representatives, and customer-service associates. “We like to be a family,” he says.

Murphy stresses that a major factor in Blaze King’s success is its implementation of customers’ suggestions, in addition to its employees’ responses to the feedback received. “We get input from every level,” he says. “The ability to react to customer input is one key piece that separates us from everyone else.”

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LastWord ...

An Innovative Force Lane Venture’s new offerings are shaking up the casual-furniture industry. BY GREG THOMPSON After rolling out seven new collections in 2015, Zachary H. Bryant, vice president, creative and design, at Lane Venture (Thomasville, North Carolina), has yet to slow down; the flurry of activity began in April 2014, as a calculated move to retrench and to refresh the 43–year-old company’s product line. So far, the strategy has worked, with solid sales in 2015 and renewed optimism throughout the company.

Bryant, a 21-year veteran at Lane Venture, says, “We have really put the pedal to the metal. Our new Hemingway line, for example, went out under the Thomasville brand, and it is marketed and sold through Lane Venture. It debuted in April at High Point Market and was well received by retailers.”

Centered on the Ernest Hemingway persona, the collection has everything from African safari influences to Italian Florentine–inspired designs. The eclectic mix sits at a value-driven price level. Among the remaining collections launched in 2015 are broad style offerings, with a heavy focus on transitional-to-contemporary styling and expanded price ranges—all designed to create stronger values.

Additional collections for 2015 include: • Requisite, a transitional style offered in two colors: bone and macchiato; • Malta, a transitional/contemporary collection featuring exposed aluminum tables with inset stone; • Lisbon, a raw, natural-wicker look created in synthetic wicker that looks almost like straw and that features a new weaving technique, with clean lines; • Edgewood, a combination of synthetic wicker and exposed teak that features clean lines and is not ornate; • Saranac, a full teak collection with box joints, for a California Arts and Crafts feel; and • Aura, a contemporary, all-teak collection with a back design reminiscent of architectural details seen in California’s American Craftsman buildings

by Greene and Greene.

“The number of collections this year is more than twice what we would do in most other years,” Bryant says. “It’s a challenge to launch that much product, but we were given the green light to reinvest much-needed time and resources to freshen the line and continue to move forward. Knowing that the amount of new product for 2016 is more than a usual launch, we have promotions in place to back these up and get as much of this product placed as possible.”

Anticipating the style preferences of customers in all demographic categories is no simple chore, and Bryant relies on Patti Frye, outdoor-cover and fashion director, to choose the colors and fabrics for all the furniture. This year, one of the best-selling fabrics is Vesper, the result of an exclusive contract with Glen Raven’s Sunbrella®. The solutiondyed acrylic fabric is designed to coordinate with existing fabrics and (over time) to expand, with a range of colors fitting nicely together.

Frye notes that these aesthetic decisions are not always easy, but keeping a finger on the pulse of the design world certainly helps. She explains, “Choosing colors and fabrics can sometimes be agonizing, but I

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Top: Moraya Bay chaises Bottom left: The Hemingway sofa Bottom right: Marcello dining

keep up with trends in residential design and women’s apparel. Is the scale of patterns getting really large? What are the trends that are influencing color combinations or pattern motifs? We look at these trends as a whole and determine how they can translate into our industry.”

Going against the grain can occasionally yield rewards, and Frye tested the boundaries a few years ago—in what ended up being an unqualified suc-

cess. Taking a chance on a color combination of purples, oranges, and pinks raised anxiety a notch, but ultimately, fortune favored the bold.

“Everyone was blown away by the combinations,” Frye remembers; she has been with the company for more than 25 years. “A lot of our dealers created whole vignettes, and it was an attention grabber. From that, I learned to not be shy and not to stay away from color.

The beauty of our furniture is that you can special order it, so go ahead and catch the consumer’s eye. With unexpected combinations, the consumer can choose to follow it or select something else—and dealers may take that inspiration and tame it down for their showroom floors,” she says.

Customers can add high-fashion touches such as contrast welts, cords, trims, and fringes. “We also offer monogramming for pillows, so you can take that personalization one step further,” Frye says.

THE REBOUND When the recession hit in 2007 and 2008, Lane Venture had to hone its focus to what it did best. “That’s really when we became fully outdoor,” Bryant says. “We started with natural wicker.

As we got into other outdoor materials, we started using handwoven PVC from Honduras. Polyethylene materials have since made inroads, with wicker, synthetics, aluminum, and teak rounding out the offerings.”

Lane Venture would have been even more prolific in its output this year, but three additional furniture groups were held for fine-tuning, creating a backlog that will be ready to roll in 2016. For industry watchers, Bryant believes, the renewed innovation will continue to inspire confidence.

The well-established outdoor line offers a strong legacy that dealers can relay to customers, and the parent company (Heritage Home Group) gives Lane Venture the resources needed to maintain its commitment to innovation. Staying on the cutting edge must continue to be a big part of the company’s focus, and it’s something that Frye believes can be buoyed by dealers who educate consumers properly.

For example, when customers come into the store, “They don’t believe the performance aspects of these fabrics.

They find it hard to believe that they are very easy to clean, won’t fade, and are almost indestructible,” Frye says.

Pushing through these misconcep-

tions is key to making the sale, and once consumers understand the products, it’s time to start talking about how to pull together indoor and outdoor spaces.

Frye explains, “People want cohesive design and color flow. With the wide selection of colors and patterns now available in outdoor fabrics, it’s possible to have beautiful designs that make it

easy to achieve this continuity.”

Focusing on the quality of the product has helped Frye and Bryant exercise control in a time of change.

Longtime best sellers such as the South Hampton collection are still doing well, and management has worked with Frye and Bryant to build on the company’s successes and prune

Discover what an Infratech electric heating system can add to your landscape.

away inefficiencies.

“We all have the passion, the skills, and the tools needed to ensure this company’s continued success, going forward,” Bryant says. “Dealers should know that we are continuing to invest in development and manufacturing.

We are delivering a healthier, stronger, and even more successful company.”

we accentuate natural space.

Infratech can enhance your next project with versatile, eco-friendly comfort that’s perfectly suited for spaces like pergolas, terraces, pool decks, and outdoor kitchens or living rooms. Available in a range of finishes, mounting and control options, our heaters are ideal for private residences, upscale commercial properties, campuses and parks.

To learn more about our capabilities or view our gallery, please visit infratech-usa.com

WWW.INFRATECH-USA.COM | 800-421-9455 2-YEAR WARRANTY | PROUDLY MADE IN USA

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CasualMarketChicagoRoundup

Their Kind of Town

BY CAROL DAUS PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB BAKER

On September 16 through 19, crowds descended on the Windy City for the newly rechristened Casual Market Chicago at the Merchandise Mart.

The show, formerly known as the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™, exceeded expectations this year as retail buyers and designers bought products and observed trend directions. Manufacturers reported a steady stream of sales, and upbeat retailers predicted stronger sales in the coming year.

This year’s show included 40 new manufacturers, which exhibited a wide variety of outdoor furniture, hammocks, textiles, heaters, and grills. For more than 35 years, Casual Market Chicago has been the most complete collection of outdoor-living furniture and accessories in North America. It is also the only show exclusively endorsed by the International Casual Furnishings Association.

The show revealed a growing interest in kitchens and grills as consumers continue to purchase products for outdoor cooking and entertaining. Color was a noticeable change, with furniture, fabrics, and accessory items featuring vibrant, cheerful hues (along with fresh neutrals). Softer cushions and highend decorative embellishments were also well received by retailers whose customers seek outdoor furniture that resembles interior pieces.

The exhibitors pictured here are some of the industry’s strongest advocates. Patio & Hearth Products Report salutes them for making this year’s Casual Market Chicago a success and for offering some of the best products in the marketplace.

Louisiana Grills Steven Matz

FiberBuilt Umbrellas From left: Sonia and Paul Knapp, Debbie Maytidu, and Amy Forseth

Poly-Wood Megan and Kevin Pierson

Mallin Casual Furniture From left: Amber and Kenneth Chen; Brenda Pereyda International Casual Furnishings Association Jackie Hirschhaut

Patio & Hearth Products Report Tony Ramos

Big Green Egg Jerry Stone (left) and Lou West

Couristan From left: John Motil, Sandy Pauly, Lynn Dunn, Ron Couri, Amy Chato, and Steve Codella

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The Hammock Source From left: Kyle Williams, Walter Perkins III, Jay Branch, and Reid Roney

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

Lloyd Flanders From left: Warren Juliano, Lou Rosebrock, and Jessie and Dudley Flanders

Homecrest Tim Dejong (left) and Todd Wingrove

Tropitone Brian Mehler and Tanya Stevens

Veranda Classics by Foremost Neil Streitfeld

Sunset West Wes Stewart

Windward Design Group From left: standing, Darla Dozier, Andrew Neal, and David Peace; seated, Amber Schinas, Brianne Greene, Carrie Morales, and Melanie Goodwin

Jensen Leisure Furniture Janet Wansor and Hlodver Olafsson

OW Lee Terri Rogers (left) and Leisa Rogers McCollister

Ratana Godfrey (left) and David Leung

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NorthCape Kim Golson

CasualMarketChicagoRoundup

The Outdoor GreatRoom Company Steve Shimek and Hilary Mays

Patio Renaissance From left: Albert Lord, Mark Gorr, and Andrea Dibello

RH Peterson Company Jerry Scott

Sunbrella by Glen Raven Al Johnson (left) and Bret Kelley with Trivantage

Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens Mitch Slater (left) and Phil Zaleon

Treasure Garden Jeff Dorough

Alfresco Home Joseph Cilio

Agio Andy Sokol (left) and Mike Gaylord

Peak Season Todd Langenhorst (left) and John DiOrio

Telescope Casual Bill Vanderminden

California Outdoor Concepts Clint Blevins

Pride Family Brands Steve Lowsky

Gensun Casual Living From left: Sherry Cai, Jan Trinkley, and Lisa Zhou

SunVilla Home Matt Weiss

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Kingsley-Bate Clay Kingsley

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Barlow Tyrie Charles Hessler

waterproof,

Sunbrella Rain. 速

Soft. Durable. Bleach cleanable. Worry-free.

For more information, visit sunbrella.com/rain

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What’sNew

6 Hot Products to Sell Now Pride Family Brands | www.pridefamilybrands.com |

(855) 612-9800

The popular and vintage-inspired Monterey collection expands with style as a multipiece sectional design is added for 2016. Crafted to offer luxury living with its signature forged arm and leg castings, the Monterey sectional delivers proven style handcrafted with quality.

SunVilla Home | www.sunvillahome.com |

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(888) 690-9800

Sink into the Belize collection, and let the set work its magic: Relax. The cushions are deep and soft to the touch. The colors are muted and natural. The feel is pure bliss, and the memories will be endless.

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Hearth & Home Technologies | www.hearthnhome.com |

(800) 669-4328

Available in square, vertical, and horizontal models, the Heatilator Ion has a slim design that allows homeowners to incorporate modern design and add ambience to nearly any room. Just 7 inches deep, the Ion (which produces up to 24,000 Btu of heat) can be recessed into a wall or installed flush, making it easy to add a fireplace to spaces such as bathrooms, entryways, and kitchens.

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Dansons | www.louisiana-grills.com |

(877) 303-3134

Built and designed to last, the LG Cold Smoke cabinet can easily be installed on any LG series or Country Smokers grill. Five removable racks provide an impressive 1,396 square inches of cooking surface (which can be increased to 2,790 square inches with optional extra racks). Smoke and convective heat from the natural wood pellets of the main grill easily control the cabinet temperature with a simple adjustment of the damper.

Palm Springs Rattan | www.palmspringsrattan.com |

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(727) 524-1476

The twisted synthetic weave of the 4300 series is often mistaken for natural materials because of its color and richness. Made of 100% outdoor materials, this collection offers a huge range of high-back seating, sectional, and dining options that will have your friends and family begging for afternoon relaxation in your backyard. Available in latte weave/sequoia finish and your choice of fabric, through special order.

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Miles Industries/Valor Fireplaces | www.valorfireplaces.com |

(800) 468-2567

Valor’s radiant-heat advantage makes its way outdoors with the L1 Outdoor series. The sleek, linear design is optimal for outdoor living—and what better outdoor fireplace than a Valor radiant gas fireplace? Open-fronted fireplaces can’t match the radiant performance of a well-engineered direct-vent fireplace with a glass window. Excess air through an open-fronted unit washes out heating performance, causing radiant output to plunge.

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ProductPROFILES Empire’s Boulevard 60-inch Linear Direct-vent Fireplace At a full 5 feet wide, Empire’s newest Boulevard linear fireplace provides the perfect scale for today’s large spaces—from a spacious family room to a hotel lobby to an upscale restaurant. The Boulevard’s fully recessed burner—covered in acres of crushed glass and accented with under-floor lighting—fills the fireplace with up to 46,000 Btu of lively flames. Tailor the Boulevard 60 to any decor, starting with an elegant porcelain black liner that goes well with anything, or opt for an industrial-chic look with a Ridgeback liner—a one-piece corrugated-metal liner finished in distressed bronze. The available Rustic log set includes an assortment of ceramic-fiber logs and stones, plus coiled slivers of stainless steel that react to the light and flames to bring your fireplace to life. Contact: (800) 851-3153 or www.empirecomfort.com.

The DVLL60, with crushed glass and wood-grain tile surround

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Caliber Rockwell Grill Caliber’s Rockwell™ grill is the world’s first estate-scaled, 360-degree walk-around Social Grill™. This grill offers an industry-exclusive, 25,000-Btu patent-pending Crossflame™ burner for ultra-even grilling and a fully retractable disappearing lid.

The grill’s construction features aviation-grade aluminum and a custom Brazilian cherry stand. The new Rockwell by Caliber Social Grill is now available as a two-burner 42-inch model and a three-burner 48-inch model for custom/built-in applications. It’s made in the United States. Contact: (714) 848-1349 or www.caliberappliances.com.

Sea Glass Insert Collection The Sea Glass insert collection from Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens and Danver Stainless Outdoor Kitchens is perfect for coastal-style outdoor-kitchen installations. Three colors are available: sky blue, cloud white, and seafoam green. The inserts can be paired with both brands’ Key West door style, which is a five-piece Shaker style. In addition, the Palm Beach door style (a Shaker–style door constructed identically to the Key West, but featuring wider stiles and rails) is available in the Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens brand.

Contact: (855) 839-5063 or www.brownjordanoutdoorkitchens.com.

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Chateau Deep Seating Alfresco Home offers the versatile Chateau collection, now in a new vintage white finish. Chateau is available in dining, bar, and deep seating options that will fit handsomely poolside, as well as in the traditional backyard. The Chateau collection truly offers comfort, color, and compatibility to the outdoor-living space. Contact: (610) 705-8808 or www.alfrescohome.com.

Hatteras Hammocks Classic Red Stripe Quilted Hammock The Hatteras Hammocks® Classic red stripe quilted hammock is two layers of the company’s own proprietary, ® industry-leading synthetic DuraCord fabric, lockstitched over a 1-inch–thick center of plush, resilient, nonabsorbent polyester fiberfill batting—to create 18 individual pillowy cushions that run the entire length of the hammock bed. The top fabric layer is the Classic red stripe pattern, while the bottom and side binding are a solid neutral color. The hammock is shown with the SAR-2 stand, sold separately. Contact: (800) 334-1078 or www.thehammocksource.com.

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Newport Deep Seating by Agio Homeowners continue to demand and expand on the latest looks in all-weather wicker. Agio’s Newport deep seating collection fits the bill with a modular sectional group, with ultrasleek modern lines and more-than-roomy seating. Deep-brown, handwoven, all-weather wicker on rust-free frames serves as the backdrop for weather-resistant cushions in a trendsetting green.

Contemporary accent tables with durable porcelain tabletops complete the look. For new collections that are sure to move from your showroom floors, discover the profits and benefits of becoming an Agio retailer. While at this year’s High Point Market, visit the company’s showroom at Showplace 1425. Contact: (888) 997-7623 or www.agio-usa.com.

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ProductPROFILES Cottages Collection Distinctively designed for open-air spaces, the Cottages collection has been styled to complement the finest outdoor furnishings in today’s market. Crafted of 100% polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, each area rug is reversible and is handwoven of recycled plastic materials. This UV-stabilized area-rug collection features durable construction, which allows it to be the perfect foundation piece for today’s most stylish outdoor-living environments. Carefully colored in a fresh, natural color palette, Cottages is represented in three relaxed and easy patterns, with each design developed for its ability to complement the latest fashions. These durable rugs are mold and mildew resistant—and over time, will show no signs of fading or deterioration.

Contact: (800) 223-6186 or www.couristan.com.

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Coyote Refreshment Center

Entertaining Buffet Table

Equipped with a built-in sink/faucet and a sturdy, self-insulated drop-in cooler, this 30-inch refreshment center makes total food preparation and chilling beverages a breeze. It also features a bottle holder, a bottle opener, a towel rack, and a four-bin condiment removable insert. Its MSRP is $1,199. Contact: (855) 520-1559 or www.coyoteoutdoor.com.

The Entertaining buffet table from Creekvine Designs is handcrafted from Western red cedar and features two well-spaced shelves for storage. It’s absolutely functional, but the curves in the legs make it quite the stylish statement as well. Shown with an optional white stain, it is also available in a natural finish and with a cedar stain. Contact: (800) 913-1741 or www.creekvinedesigns.com.

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Phoenix Collection The Phoenix collection from Gensun Casual Living features clean, smooth, flowing lines in a beautiful marriage of elegance and comfort. Phoenix is available in sling, padded-sling, and cushion seating, along with a new line of matching tables. This year’s new stretch-strap addition is extremely comfortable, with an upscale look. The collection is shown in the medallion finish, with straps in antique beige.

Contact: (866) 964-4468 or www.gensuncasual.com.

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Cast by Sunbrella Art Deco: This eclectic architectural style of bold geometric shapes and lavish ornamentation translates well to today’s interior spaces for a cool, vintage style.

An Art Deco color palette has a look that is perfect for layering and is one that top designers relish. This Art Deco–inspired palette is showcased in one of the newest Sunbrella® upholstery fabric offerings: Cast. The fabric features heathered yarns for a sense of texture and has a slight sheen, evoking drama and grandeur. An understated solid, Cast makes an excellent base for larger upholstered pieces with accents of bold, geometric patterns in decorative pillows and drapery. Shown (from left) are silver, ash, shale, slate, mist, oasis, tinsel, and petal. Contact: (336) 221-2211 or www.sunbrella.com.

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Big Green Egg Dual-probe Remote Wireless Thermometer Introducing the new Big Green Egg dual-probe remote wireless thermometer with a unique EGG–shaped design: Precisely and conveniently monitor anything you are cooking and the internal EGG temperature—at the same time—from a distance of up to 300 feet (91 meters). The thermometer comes with preset temperatures for beef, veal, lamb, pork, poultry, and nine popular game meats, and all preset temperatures are customizable to suit your personal taste. Contact: (770) 938-9394 or www.biggreenegg.com.

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• TWO NEW, THOUGHTFULLY MERCHANDISED, FULLY DEDICATED CASUAL/OUTDOOR FLOORS ON C12 & C13 • MORE THAN 180 CASUAL/OUTDOOR BRANDS ACROSS MARKET • LEADING BRANDS THAT COMPLEMENT LAS VEGAS MARKET’S HOME FURNISHINGS OFFERING • PERFECTLY TIMED FOR THE CASUAL SALES SEASON • ACCESS TO DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS ACROSS FURNITURE, HOME DÉCOR AND GIFT RETAILERS, AND INTERIOR DESIGNERS • AFFORDABLE TRAVEL AND TOP-RATE AMENITIES IN ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST EXCITING CITIES

JANUARY 24-28, 2016

JANUARY 24-27, 2016

LAS VEGAS MARKET

THE PAVILIONS AT LAS VEGAS MARKET

LEASING INQUIRIES:

LasVegasMarket.com

702.599.3046 OR LEASING@IMCENTERS.COM

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#LVMkt

ProductPROFILES Precious Metal

Tivoli Named after an ancient Italian town, Tivoli reflects that beauty in a traditional style only achieved by Alfresco Home.

This cast-aluminum collection is offered in dining, gathering, and bar-height chairs, paired with weave tables in an antique fern finish. It’s a traditional style perfected only by Alfresco Home; add a touch of Tivoli to your outdoor-living space.

Contact: (610) 705-8808 or www.alfrescohome.com.

Bromic Heating’s Platinum Smart-Heat™ gas range represents the absolute pinnacle of outdoor-heating products, combining elegant aesthetics with industry-leading performance to offer value and reliability in high-end homes. Able to project directionally a comfortably diffused radiant heat deeply into open outdoor spaces (through a tinted glass-ceramic screen with an attractively durable SAE 304 stainless-steel frame), the Platinum Smart-Heat gas range achieves industry-leading wind resistance while providing unparalleled heating performance. Contact: (800) 301-1293 or www.bromicheating.com.

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®

The FIREVIEW

Wood Cookstove The Fireview is a high-efficiency, airtight, wood-burning cookstove that is perfect for home, cottage or camp. It serves as a high-output room heater, a cooking appliance and, with an optional water jacket, a source of hot water. For even more cooking versatility add the optional gas side burners. Models also available in all-gas, all-electric or dual fuel.

Let us build one for you.

ElmiraStoveWorks.com 1-800-295-8498 2 ! . ' % 3 ȩ s ȩ 7 ! , , ȩ / 6 % . 3 ȩ s ȩ 2 % & 2 ) ' % 2 !4 / 2 3 ȩ s ȩ - ) # 2 / 7 ! 6 % 3 ȩ s ȩ $ ) 3 ( 7 ! 3 ( % 2 3 Circle Reader Service No. 72

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Kamado Rocket All-in-one Grill 2.0 The flagship Kamado Rocket by Galaxy Outdoor has undergone major innovation and improvements in the past few months—from how the system both looks and functions to the overall shock system that controls the hood of the grill.

Galaxy Outdoor has a whole new line of aesthetic tile designs for the Kamado Rocket’s outer shell. The company is constantly improving on the products that it produces. Galaxy Outdoor, it says, is not a company that produces products; it’s a company that strives to produce the best products in the industry that it has helped to build.

Contact: (702) 448-5600 or www.galaxyoutdoor.com.

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Register today to attend the 2015 International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo where you will find a wealth of products, education and networking designed especially to boost your bottom line, increase your productivity and grow your business.

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ProductPROFILES Rounded Smoker Box

Barbados Firepit Set With Nesting Benches As outdoor fire continues to be a top seller for retailers, Agio’s Barbados firepit meets the demand for new looks that maximize ambience and efficient use of space. The Barbados firepit set’s modern, functional design features an aluminum firepit with two benches that integrate and nestle snugly when not in use. The benches, whether used for seating or as ottomans, make the look perfect for intimate settings, small venues, patios, or apartment living. The aluminum, rust-free modern base adds edge and beauty that are sure to make it the next hot seller on your showroom floor. Contact: (888) 997-7623 or www.agio-usa.com.

The rounded smoker box allows you to use even more wood chips—and add even more flavor—with even more ease. Simply fill the box with presoaked wood chips, place it on your grill grate, and get cooking. The smoke and moisture vapor will emerge from the top’s perforations and make your food flavorful and tender. The box’s rounded top allows for even more chips, while the handled sliding drawer makes refills easy.

Contact: (800) 521-0505, sales@companion-group.com, or www.companion-group.com.

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Big Green Egg Sauces The new Big Green Egg authentic smokehouse-style barbecue sauces will enhance the flavor of any barbecue recipe. Kick up the flavor of baked beans and potatoes, mix them in your favorite meatloaf, or spice up your Bloody Mary mix. There are four delicious flavors: Vidalia® Onion Sriracha, Zesty Mustard Honey, Kansas City Style Sweet, and Smoky or Carolina Style Bold and Tangy. They are so good that your customers will want to try them all. Contact: (770) 938-9394 or www.biggreenegg.com.

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Northstar Retro Cool Bigger is better: The new model 1958 French-door fridges from Elmira Stove Works have a 24.8–cubic-foot capacity.

They’re retro outside, with 21st-century features inside. They have ice makers and filtered-water dispensers and are Energy Star compliant. They are also available in cabinet depth. Contact: (800) 295-8498 or www.ElmiraStoveWorks.com.

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Belle Epoque The Belle Epoque collection from Pride Family Brands features a cast design of intricate and endless curves from arm to arm, embracing the entire back of all cushioned seating. The Mediterranean–inspired openwork adds interest and flair across the collection.

Contact: (855) 612-9800 or www.pridefamilybrands.com.

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Cape Collection Offering a simple decorating solution for open-air spaces, the Cape collection features a subtle (yet sophisticated) range of colors selected to enhance the appearance of its three refined, linear horizontal patterns.

Crafted of the finest 100% fiber-enhanced Courtron™ polypropylene, this weather-resistant, outdoor/indoor performance area-rug collection features a high–low structured flat-weave construction for added dimension and durability. Perfect for stylish sunrooms, lively patios, and those outdoor-living spaces that are designed for entertaining, Cape’s three transitional design choices—Barnstable, Harwich, and Hyannis—have the ability to complement the latest fashions in outdoor and casual-indoor furniture. Contact: (800) 223-6186 or www.couristan.com.

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Mendocino Mendocino is the next-generation firepit table from California Outdoor Concepts. This new woven, square chat-height firepit table captures all that California has to offer in outdoor entertaining. When you’re kicked back in your chair, with your feet up on your own personal Mendocino masterpiece and a glass of wine in your hand, peace and tranquility will find you. Authentic woven detailing, an integrated glass top, reinforced concrete, and aluminum frame support all contribute to lasting beauty. Enjoy fire at your feet and friends by your side, or just waking up to solitude and a cup of coffee. Choose the Mendocino, and join the new California Outdoor Concepts—still redefining design for you. Contact: (877) 274-6773 or www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com.

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New Prism Series From Dimplex Building on the success of the Prism series 50-inch linear fireplace, Dimplex has added the new 34- and 74-inch models to its lineup.

Dazzling color, shining through crystal ice media, reveals the biggest addition to the Prism series. This new ember bed upgrades what was a warm glow (in the BLF series) to an eye-catching sparkle, enhanced by seven standard settings and a Prism mode that cycles through the full color spectrum. Whether it’s finding the right color or choosing the perfect comfort temperature, the multifunction remote provides complete control, while the new floating display shows the settings at a glance.

With three models, ranging in size from 34 to 74 inches, there is an ideal size for everything from urban condos to commercial lobbies. Contact: (800) 668-6663 or www.dimplex.com.

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ProductPROFILES DCS by Fisher & Paykel

Voyager Series WaterWall

Entertain guests with a professionally designed and culinary-created beverage chiller by DCS. The 25-inch beverage chiller is a fully insulated compartment that can hold up to 17 gallons of ice to chill refreshments. Its deep depth can comfortably hold sitting longneck-bottled beverages and wine bottles. It’s a perfect beverage solution for the well-appointed outdoor kitchen.

Contact: (888) 936-7872 or www.dcsappliances.com.

Galaxy Outdoor continually strives to manufacture new and innovative products. The latest product development comes in the form of an addition to the already existing (as well as popular) Voyager series BBQ island set. Now, customers have the choice of including a water and fire feature that matches the complete Voyager collection. Visit the company’s website for all the latest product releases. Contact: (702) 448-5600 or www.galaxyoutdoor.com.

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PizzaQue Pizza Kit for Kettle Grills Transform your charcoal grill into a pizza oven with PizzaQue®. You’ll capture the smoky flavor and high heat of a wood-burning pizza oven right in your own backyard. Pizza cooks in minutes and comes out with a crisp crust and bubbly toppings. The kit includes a charcoal fence, cordierite pizza stone, and frame. It fits many grill models, including 18- and 22.5-inch kettle grills. Contact: (800) 521-0505, sales@companion-group.com, or www.companion-group.com.

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Mist Collection by Sunbrella Fabrics in the Mist collection by Sunbrella® are textural, natural-inspired neutrals that show just how beautiful going back to basics can be. Among the textured solids are Hybrid smoke, a light-gray bouclé design. This is contrasted with heathered-yarn fabrics Echo ash, Cast mist, and Cast slate. Stripes Gateway mist and Cove pebble showcase gray’s adaptability in pairing well with other colors, including blue, beige, and white. Fretwork pewter’s sophisticated, interlaced design is a pattern pop that makes gray just as playful as any other color. Whether you mix and match within the Mist collection for an all-over gray look or select a few grounding styles to pair with bolder, brighter colors, these fabrics are sure to be your new decorating staple.

Contact: (336) 221-2211 or www.sunbrella.com.

Suppliers of affordable natural stone fireplace facings to the industry for over 25 years.

granite

marble

limestone

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slate

Coyote Power Burner

Est. 1969

Ideal for a turkey fryer or lobster pot, the Coyote power burner features an inner and outer ring burner and burns at up to 60,000 Btu. Its accessories include a wok and teppanyaki attachments. Its MSRP is $1,099. Contact: (855) 520-1559 or www.coyoteoutdoor.com.

3045 KINGSTON COURT NORCROSS, GA 30071 1.800.477.7665 F)770.409.0431 www.mlwstone.com

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Manhattan

Boulevard 60-inch Linear Direct-vent Fireplace

Inspired by rich Neoclassical New York interiors, the Manhattan collection is a delicate combination of classic and contemporary forms. Featuring a gracious interlocking-loop pattern, gently arching curves, and a fluently detailed extrusion, the collection sits well in traditional to modern settings. Crafted from cast and extruded aluminum, the Manhattan collection is an artful balance of tradition and progress. It’s shown here in onyx. Contact: (866) 964-4468 or www.gensuncasual.com.

The DVLL60, with logs and coils

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Cedar Twin Ponds Collection The Cedar Twin Ponds collection is both an economical and a stylish choice. This collection from Creekvine Designs includes a 6-foot bench, a patio chair, a patio table, and a coffee table. The high-back collection’s contoured back provides heavenly lumbar support. This collection and all of the company’s cedar products are available with a natural finish, a cedar stain, and a white stain. Contact: (800) 913-1741 or www.creekvinedesigns.com.

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At a full 5 feet wide, Empire’s newest Boulevard linear fireplace provides the perfect scale for today’s large spaces—from a spacious family room to a hotel lobby to an upscale restaurant. The Boulevard’s fully recessed burner—covered in acres of crushed glass and accented with under-floor lighting—fills the fireplace with up to 46,000 Btu of lively flames. Tailor the Boulevard 60 to any decor, starting with an elegant porcelain black liner that goes well with anything, or opt for an industrial-chic look with a Ridgeback liner—a one-piece corrugated-metal liner finished in distressed bronze. The available Rustic log set includes an assortment of ceramic-fiber logs and stones, plus coiled slivers of stainless steel that react to the light and flames to bring your fireplace to life.

Contact: (800) 851-3153 or www.empirecomfort.com.

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ProductPROFILES Fireview Cookstove

DP42: 42-inch Dry Pantry The DCS dry pantry offers a consistent, professional design with ultrapremium indoor features that help create a truly cohesive and functional kitchen. It’s an ideal place to store all of your outdoor essentials, dry goods, cookware, counter finishes, and anything kept in your indoor pantry. Contact: www.dcsappliances.com.

Cook dinner. Heat the house.

Enjoy the fire. The high-efficiency Fireview wood-burning cookstove from Elmira Stove Works has a 60,000-Btu output; a large, 3–cubic-foot oven; and optional side gas burners. It’s the latest advance in the way things used to be. Contact: (800) 295-8498 or www.ElmiraStoveWorks.com.

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Reflections Fireplace Glass Collection Whether you are elevating the look of your fireplace from old fashioned to contemporary or just want to change the media in your firepit, The Reflections Fireplace Glass collection was developed with you in mind.

Beautiful, easy-to-assemble point-of-sale displays are free and available in both reflective and nonreflective colors. Attractive cash-and-carry containers with built-in handles make buying glass easier and faster when combined with UPC labels for ease of scanning. Each container includes four-color labels, displays net weight, and includes descriptions for alternative uses. Do you want to live in color right now? Reflections Fireplace Glass collection displays are the best way to add color to your life.

Contact: (877) 274-6773 or www.reflectionsfireplaceglass.com.

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Pit Boss PB440 Deluxe Wood-pellet Smoker New from Dansons is the Pit Boss 440 Deluxe wood-pellet grill. This grill offers the best value per square inch in the pellet grill industry, the company says.

With a suggested retail price of only $449, this 440–square-inch pellet grill (including the upper cooking rack) offers exceptional value. A temperature range of 180 to 500 degrees gives this little unit the versatility needed to sear steak or smoke jerky. Use of the digital control board results in precise cooking control. Additional features include a removable, easy-lift stainless serving tray; an embossed-copper-finish; hanging hooks for barbecue tools; and a bottle opener. Contact: (877) 303-3134 or www.pitboss-grills.com.

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360 by Element4 With a 360-degree viewing area, the fire is seen from all sides. This unique design provides architects with a custom-looking fireplace, but without the cost of a custom design. This fireplace is priced at $10,700 and is sold through European Home hearth dealers. Although you will find a wide range of different gas fires in the Element4 collection, they all have one thing in common: their well–thought-out simplicity—because the company believes that simplicity is the key to beautiful design. Contact: (781) 324-8383 or www.europeanhome.com.

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Element Series Vent Free Hargrove introduces the contemporary Element series to its vent-free lineup. The Element series is available in 18-, 24-, and 30-inch sizes for natural gas or LP and is offered with a millivolt on/off option. The burner system comes standard with a stainless-steel reflective back panel that enhances the view of the flame. Multiple media options—including fireglass and firebeads, or a combination of these, along with an Aspen or Driftwood log kit or river stones—will complete the desired look.

Contact: (800) 725-4166 or www.hargrovegaslogs.com.

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Hatteras Hammocks Double Swing

Wine Barrel

The extrawide swing cushions, positively plump with recycled-polyester hollowfill fiber, are stitched from two layers of solution-dyed all-weather Sunbrella® material, resistant to staining, rot, and mildew. Zinc-plated hanging chains and hardware handsomely complement the steam-curved swing frame of Southern white oak, its parts repeatedly hand-dipped in marine-grade varnish—amplifying the hardy hardwood’s natural hue of gorgeous honey gold. Contact: (800) 334-1078 or www.thehammocksource.com.

The authentic Wine Barrel firepit is the centerpiece for family enjoyment. The design is reminiscent of the wine country and includes a stainless-steel burner, a gas valve, and all connections needed to hook up a 20-pound tank or to connect directly to any other gas source. Choose any of the company’s fireglass media to complement your beautiful firepit. Optionally, the smooth, 42-inch granite-tabletop and dining-tabletop transition-ring accessories are also available. Bring home a piece of the Napa Valley with the elegant Wine Barrel firepit. Contact (855) 278-8077 or www.hearthdistribution.com.

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Harman Absolute

2400 Series

by Palm Springs Rattan Create the ultimate tropical getaway in your own backyard with this unique collection. The 2400 series’ all-aluminum frames are extruded using a revolutionary process that makes them look like real bamboo. The hand-applied finish (on both the frames and the all-weather weave) gives this collection a rich and luxurious feel, with ultimate comfort. It’s available in adobe finish with dark honey weave and your choice of fabric, through special order. Contact: (727) 524-1476 or www.palmspringsrattan.com.

The Harman Absolute is true luxury, with performance and engineering excellence infused into every detail. Compact and powerful, with whisper-quiet operation, the Absolute is the smartest pellet stove ever made. Featuring the most advanced control system ever, the EASY Touch control, the Absolute allows homeowners to operate their stoves quickly and easily, with intuitive touchscreen controls. It incorporates a scheduling feature to maintain desired heat levels and save fuel, and it also monitors performance and provides automatic notifications when maintenance is required. Contact: (800) 669-4328 or www.hearthnhome.com.

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PREMIUM OUTDOOR GRILLS

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ProductPROFILES St. Bernardus

Homecrest DreamCore Cushions

Introducing DreamCore™ cushions, exclusively from Homecrest Outdoor Living: The new DreamCore cushions begin with high-resilience furniture-grade foam for the interior of the cushion, which provides exceptional durability and longevity while offering an outstanding level of comfort. Unlike viscoelastic (memory) foam, the cell structure of high-resilience foam is less uniform and more random than that of conventional foams. This creates a stronger structure, excellent elasticity, and increased supporting force—providing support, resilience, and (ultimately) unparalleled comfort. Shown are the new Liberty swivel chat chair and the Valero fire table, with a hammered-metal top. They are made in the United States.

Contact: (877) 599-4803 or www.homecrest.com.

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Charleston Glow Vent Free Charleston Glow from Hargrove is the newest addition to the company’s growing line of vent-free gas logs. This log set combines a beautiful glow on the front logs, embers, and a large body of flame to achieve an attractive look. Charleston Glow is available in 22- and 26-inch sizes for natural gas or LP and is offered with manual, millivolt, or variable-flame options. Contact: (800) 725-4166 or www.hargrovegaslogs.com.

St. Bernardus is MLW Stone’s latest and most cost-effective natural-stone fireplace facing. Available in three standard sizes, St. Bernardus is a sound and durable honed-limestone fireplace surround that is consistent in color from piece to piece and set to set. Its warm, clean, and neutral color lends itself well to any traditional or contemporary decor. For samples, email orders@mlwalker.com. Contact: (800) 477-7665 or www.mlwstone.com.

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Portability With a Punch Bromic Heating revolutionized radiant heating by powerfully projecting comfort further than anything else on the market. Tailoring complete heating solutions is its bread and butter, but Bromic has synthesized this expertise to create a potent, portable performer with a sense of permanence that’s lacking in cheaper alternatives. The Tungsten Smart-Heat™ portable’s ergonomic frame has received international acclaim—including the coveted Red Dot Award—for this reason, and it is a must for any outdoor area. Contact: (800) 301-1293 or www.bromicheating.com.

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Delta Heat Outdoor Refrigerator The Delta Heat 20-inch refrigerator is UL approved for outdoor use and offers exceptional performance and reliability.

It features a stainless-steel exterior, a locking door, and front venting (for undercounter installation). A spacious 4.1–cubic-foot interior, three adjustable wire shelves, and a drink-can holder in the door provide convenient storage.

The door is reversible for left- or right-hinged applications. The unit’s retail price is $999. Contact: (800) 422-0091 or www.DeltaHeat.com.

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Outdoor Logs by HPC

Wicker Linear Firepit

Do you want to enhance your flame? HPC offers four styles of outdoor logs to serve your outdoor-fire needs. From its Woodland, Campfire, and new Western Pine logs—designed to enhance flames and add an extra level of detail to your fire effects—to its new Linear Birch style logs (designed specifically for HPC linear burners), HPC has outdoor logs to fit all of your needs. Contact: (877) 433-7001 or www.hpcfire.com.

The woven all-weather firepit is sure to be the center of attention in your entertainment area. Woven around an aluminum frame of dark brown, the subtle hues of the wicker windings project an aura of excellence. The firepit has a stylish base made from a powder-coated aluminum frame, with the inlaid-tile top providing plenty of entertainment space. Add any of the company’s glass media to complement the firepit. Contact: (855) 278-8077 or www.hearthdistribution.com.

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Patio Renaissance The Westchester collection offers customers a timeless, modern look, incorporated in the seating comfort for which Patio Renaissance is known. A new rolled woven pattern has been introduced with this collection and is available in two color options: cinnamon and oyster.

Westchester offers a full assortment of seating, as well as dining—for the customer who wants to create a complete outdoor-room environment. Contact: (866) 698-5673 or www.patiorenaissance.com.

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Soft-close Door Hinges Soft-close hinges are standard on all Danver Stainless Outdoor Kitchens and Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens cabinet installations. The addition of stainless-steel soft-close hinges meets customers’ desires for high-end luxury while maintaining the highest levels of quality and durability of the brands’ cabinetry. The soft-close hinges join an extensive list of high-end product features, including exclusive door styles and powder-coat finishes; standard, full-extension, soft-close/self-close under-mount drawer glides; and optional fixed and sliding shelves. Contact: (888) 441-0537 or www.danver.com.

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ProductPROFILES Delta Heat Outdoorkitchen Products

Infinity Canopy Infinity Canopy is a modular slide-on-wire canopy that is highly versatile, adaptable, and sustainable. It is composed of individual shade panels that are connected by a marine-grade stainless-steel and aluminum frame. It can be installed on pergolas or (as shown) between any two opposing structures.

The shade panels are available in a variety of colors and are made of the highest-quality awning fabrics, including Sunbrella® and Phifertex.

The panels can be ordered in one or multiple colors—and with two or more colors, the panels can be placed in different patterns to create unique designs not possible using any other shade system.

Vertical panels can also be added to one or both ends of the canopy for additional shade and privacy. Unlike other shade products, Infinity Canopy can be modified within minutes, making on-site repairs and changes to the color and design of the canopy possible and easy. Contact: (844) 422-6679 or www.infinitycanopy.com.

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The grill is the cornerstone of any outdoor kitchen, but it is the complementary products that bring it to life. Delta Heat has thought through your customers’ cooking, storage, and entertaining needs. The company’s offering is complete, giving customers the products that they need to create a space that is unique to them: a space that suits their personal cooking and entertaining styles. The company invites you to explore the complete Delta Heat offering. Contact: (800) 422-0091 or www.DeltaHeat.com.

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Renaissance Linear 50 The colossal Renaissance Linear 50 wood-burning fireplace is the newest addition to the Renaissance fireplace family. The guillotine door and firescreen combination are unique for a linear fireplace, and the glass viewing space is the largest of any wood-burning linear unit currently available, the company says. The Renaissance Linear 50 is the ultimate choice in luxury and design. Contact: (450) 565-6336 or www.icc-rsf.com.

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Mossy Oak Vent-free Gas Outdoor Logs

Mossy Oak logs, with optional embers

Mossy Oak logs by Superior are crafted to reflect the character and detail found in nature. High-definition logs with subtle moss accents are the essence of beauty and warmth. They are available in 24-, 30-, and 36-inch models; indoor vented and vent-free models also are available. Contact: (800) 655-2008 or www.superiorfireplaces.us.com.

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Aesthetically Pleasing The low-profile heaters and low clearance requirements allow the fixtures to blend into any environment seamlessly. Infratech heaters represent a good balance among efficiency, heating performance, and low visual impact. Infratech heaters produce no harsh visible light or glare to spoil the mood or strain your eyes. Contact: (800) 421-9455 or www.infratech-usa.com.

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H Series Vent Free From European Home This 6-foot linear vent-free natural-gas fireplace offers sleek style and clean lines. With clean edges and a louverless design, this open-fronted fireplace adds a stunning focal point to any room and fits the bill when venting is not an option. It’s also available in 42- and 60-inch, three-sided (bay-style), corner, and see-through models. The European Home H series vent free supports natural gas only. Contact: (781) 324-8383 or www.europeanhome.com.

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Kaffe Bistro Set Designed by Dick Bjork, the new Kaffe bistro group seats one or two comfortably at the folding 33-inch–diameter table. For contract or domestic use, this set beautifully combines the warmth of ipê wood with the contemporary, clean, and cool lines of stainless steel.

Contact: (804) 612-4416 or www.jensenleisurefurniture.com.

Caliber Pro Kamado Grill and Smoker The Caliber™ Pro kamado grill is a multifunction unit for grilling, smoking, baking, and rotisserie cooking. The efficient and unique design of the dual-layered insulated oven keeps heat and moisture in while using 40% less lump charcoal than ceramic grills. Its innovative features allow for low-and-slow smoking, natural convection and airflow for browning and baking, and an integrated rotisserie that cooks a perfectly crusted and juicy chicken in just over an hour. The kamado is made in the United States. Contact: (714) 848-1349 or www.caliberappliances.com.

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Paso Robles Firepit Warm up your backyard with Mallin’s new Paso Robles firepit collection. Shown is the ADA–approved, powder-coated dining-height firepit, with a 66-inch octagonal top (LF153-F071F). Paso Robles firepits are available in two heights, two top styles, and multiple size options. Gather around the fire, dine with your companions, and relax with Mallin.

Contact: (800) 251-6537 or www.mallinfurniture.com.

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ProductPROFILES Portrait Clearview

Infratech Comfort Heaters

Ideal for insert applications, the Portrait Clearview front from Valor Fireplaces follows the same design cues as the ever-popular Valor Legend G3 and Horizon models, using clean, modern lines and high-quality material finishes.

The Portrait series has a wide range of fronts and a co-linear adapter system, making it the perfect fireplace for older-home renovations. Contact: (800) 468-2567 or www.valorfireplaces.com/products/portrait-clearview.php.

Whether for work or recreation, Infratech comfort heaters turn cold indoor and outdoor areas into comfortable, inviting spaces. The W-series heater incorporates a specially designed electric quartz heating element that produces safe infrared radiant energy.

Radiant energy is only absorbed by solid objects and is not wasted heating the air. These heaters are suitable for ceiling-, wall-, or flush-mount installations, with minimal clearance required. Solid-state and analog controls are also available for intensity adjustment. Contact: (800) 421-9455 or www.infratech-usa.com.

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Educational Kiosk for Customers

NorthCape’s new Pelican Cove collection features soft, variegated coconut HDPE resin over a sturdy aluminum frame in a contemporary style, with sleek, tempered-glass coffee and end tables. Pelican Cove is available in the company’s warehouse for quick shipment, with quick-ship cushion options available in your choice of 12 Sunbrella® fabrics. As the company says, when you’re looking for style, comfort, and value—take a fresh look at NorthCape.

Contact: (708) 563-2890 or www.northcapeoutdoor.com.

Everyone wants to keep customers informed. HPC offers an appealing and educational kiosk for your store. HPC kiosks are useful for anyone who needs help selecting the style, shape, and technology of his or her firepit (with the help of a dealer).

HPC kiosk kits include the kiosk stand, burners with placards, a laminated flip book, and several take-home brochures (replenished at no cost). Contact: (877) 433-7001 or www.hpcfire.com.

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Pelican Cove

Marquee Entertainment Fire Island The Marquee island comes with a center linear stainless-steel burner pan with textured-glass accent pieces on each side, set in a marbleized mocha SuperCast top. The pub-height base is accented with faux stone and Douglas fir wooden panels (with oil-based stain). The Marquee has optional LED under-counter lighting for an added wow factor. Contact: (866) 303-4028 or www.outdoorrooms.com.

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La Reserve With handcrafted quality and curving details from chair backs to seating legs, La Reserve collection from Pride Family Brands brings a flowing aesthetic to a solid design. Added details include a platform base and arm caps and curves. Contact: (855) 612-9800 or www.pridefamilybrands.com.

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Sol by OW Lee The bold lines of the Sol collection were inspired by the rising sun, emerging above the rugged, soaring mountains of the Southwestern United States. This collection’s use of bold tubing with hammered detail gives it a truly rustic quality while still maintaining distinctly modern lines. Sol deep seating features new Plush Comfort® cushioning, for the ultimate in comfort. Contact: (800) 776-9533 or www.owlee.com.

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VRE4543 Custom Series Ventfree Gas Outdoor Fireplace The VRE4543 Custom series by Superior is fabricated of stainless steel and is built for the outdoors. It offers a sleek, modern design and the added versatility of a vent-free fireplace, without compromising on looks or performance. It’s available in a 43-inch model.

Contact: (800) 655-2008 or www.superiorfireplaces.us.com.

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Real Fyre G52 Radiant Fyre Gas Logs You can see enticing, dancing flames, and you can also feel the warmth of the new RH Peterson Real Fyre G52 Radiant Fyre gas log systems. Molded with an exclusive fiber-enhanced refractory-ceramics mixture, these logs showcase crisp Charred Evergreen Oak bark detail, and they glow and radiate like real burning logs of wood. An exclusive stainless-steel booster grid acts as a catalyst to increase the intensity of the fire. Contact: (800) 332-3973 or www.realfyre.com.

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Antigua Collection Patio Renaissance introduces the alluring Antigua collection.

With its sophisticated lines and unique weave pattern, Antigua will appeal to the true lover of traditional designs. This overscaled collection offers ultimate comfort (which is the signature feature of Patio Renaissance), along with a new twisted-weave pattern and the cloves weave color. Antigua offers a wide variety of seating configurations, as well as several dining options that will be accommodated in almost any backyard space for your customer. Contact: (866) 698-5673 or www.patiorenaissance.com.

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Broil King Smoke Cabinet Smoker Broil King Smoke™ cabinet smokers are engineered to create mouthwatering, authentic smoky flavor. With 4 cubic feet of cooking capacity, including four stainless-steel cooking grids, there is plenty of room to smoke a variety of foods, all at the same time. The Roto-Draft™ damper system provides precise temperature control, and the adjustable latch system ensures a tight seal. The double-door design minimizes heat loss when adding wood chips or water, and the stainless-steel fold-down drip tray protects the exterior from drippings in loading and unloading food. Available in propane and charcoal models, the Broil King Smoke cabinet smoker is the perfect addition to the Broil King family and yours.

Contact: (800) 265-2150 or www.broilkingbbq.com.

www.coyoteoutdoor.com

OUTDOOR KITCHEN EXPERIENCE

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ProductPROFILES Broil King Smoke Offset Charcoal Smoker

Kingston by Windward Kingston is an all-new bar and balcony set in solid marine-grade polymer. This durable collection features a solid stool and table in your choice of bar or balcony height. It’s available in river white, greco II, or flagstone gray and is proudly made in the United States. Contact: (941) 359-0890 or www.windwarddesigngroup.com.

The design and features of the new Broil King Smoke™ offset charcoal grill allow even novice grillers to create professional results at home.

Featuring a Roto-Draft™ damper system that efficiently pulls heat and smoke through the main cooking chamber, the Smoke offset grill slowly cooks meat and infuses it with smoky flavor. What’s more, the main chamber features heavy-duty cast-iron cooking grids, ideal for searing and direct grilling. With the quality and craftsmanship synonymous with Broil King grills, the new Smoke series is the perfect addition to the Broil King family and yours.

Contact: (800) 265-2150 or www.broilkingbbq.com.

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Capri Collection Heritage

Charming and classy, the Capri collection creates a welcoming mood instantly.

Comfortable dining pieces feature a durable, rustproof aluminum frame (with a UV-resistant powder-coated finish) and deluxe weather-resistant sling material that drains well and is easy to clean. A new slat-top 72-inch dining table freshens the collection for the new season.

When you’re looking for style, comfort, and value—take a fresh look at NorthCape (as the company says). Contact: (708) 563-2890 or www.northcapeoutdoor.com.

With vintage flair and handcrafted beauty, the Heritage collection from Pride Family Brands captures lasting outdoor elegance, created to adorn the finest outdoor spaces. Each piece features elegant details, including the open scrolling design on chair backs and multiple curves on chair arms and bases. Contact: (855) 612-9800 or www.pridefamilybrands.com.

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Summerset Power Burner

Allegro Collection

The new Summerset power burner is the perfect addition to your outdoor kitchen.

Commonly used for finishing cooking, making sauces, or heating foods that require a more controlled temperature than your grill, a side burner offers the convenience of range-top cooking and grilling simultaneously. The power burner features 304 stainless-steel construction, 60,000 Btu of power, heavy stainless-steel grates, a stainless-steel lid, and a sleek design, all backed by an industry-topping warranty. Contact: (800) 966-8126 or www.summersetgrills.com.

The Allegro collection connects you spiritually with classic good looks and 21st-century comfort. Deep cushions and sleek slings offer relaxation and good looks. With robust tables with cast-metal tops, Allegro is synonymous with forever elegance.

Contact: (888) 690-9800 or www.sunvillahome.com.

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Direct-Temp Direct-vent System Direct-Temp sets the standard in gas-appliance venting, with laser precision components that deliver reliable performance. The silicone fiberglass seal ensures joint integrity. Direct-Temp is accepted with most major brands of appliances. For a complete listing, visit the company’s website.

Contact: (800) 992-8368 or www.selkirkcorp.com.

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Classico Sectional

by OW Lee This new sectional from OW Lee combines comfort with the flexibility of modular seating.

Classico’s sectional, with its signature lattice-and-rivet design, includes a left arm, a right arm, and center and corner sections that clasp together to form a continuous piece, allowing you to add or subtract pieces and customize it to fit your needs. Contact: (800) 776-9533 or www.owlee.com.

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New Haven Woven Collection Mallin introduces the New Haven collection. As the best of both worlds, it features a mix-and-match aluminum frame with a PVC woven back and bucket. The sleek, clean-lined frame—painted in glimmer gray—gives off a classic (yet urban) flair. The collection will be a perfect fit for your outdoor-dining and bar area. Contact: (800) 251-6537 or www.mallinfurniture.com.

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An Elegant Update to the Defiant Wood Stove Vermont Castings’ Defiant was designed to be the first wood-burning stove to emphasize both beauty and utility; 40 years later, the iconic stove is now offered in different styles and colors to suit any space. The new twilight blue enamel color (as shown) suggests a hint of blue underneath a vintage black, while the new transition-style door model offers cleaner lines and a wider view—to add a contemporary feel to a classic design.

Vermont Castings is now celebrating 40 years of tradition and experience.

Contact: (800) 867-0454 or www.vermontcastings.com.

Tropitone Corsica Woven Collection Tropitone’s growing Corsica collection now features woven dining chairs, swivel rockers, a swivel action lounger, barstools, and an ottoman. Corsica woven seating showcases the new woven bucket, with the back and seat pieces meeting in a mitered joint—which draws one into the chair and offers comfortable lower-back support. The Corsica woven collection is available in the desirable TropiKane® bison weave in a chestnut finish. Contact: (949) 951-2010 or www.tropitone.com.

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Pine Ridge Gas Firepit Table The Pine Ridge gas firepit table by The Outdoor GreatRoom Company comes with a unique barn-wood top made of durable SuperCast concrete and a stainless-steel, UL-listed gas burner. The outdoor-rated arched stucco base is accented with real cedarwood stained corners and rivet detailing.

It’s available in both linear and square table shapes. Contact: (866) 303-4028 or www.outdoorrooms.com.

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Homestyle Cooking The Domino 8 Maxi from de Manincor brings the romance of Italy into your kitchen. This stove is especially designed with the element of cooking and heating in mind. The oven, 21 inches wide by 19 inches deep by 10 inches high, is a standard size for cooking and baking great meals.

Other features include a heavy-duty radiant cast-iron hot plate for maximum heat conduction, a firebox and flue lined with refractory tiles for maximum heat output, and an air-wash system that keeps the glass clean. This collection also includes the Atmosfera, Eco 90 and 80, Domino 6 Maxi, and Domina wood-burning cookstoves. Contact: (914) 764-5679 or www.wittus.com.

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American Fyre Designs Fire Bowl Collection The American Fyre Designs fire bowl collection is handcrafted from durable, lightweight GFRC. The fire bowls are available in both deep and low-profile options and in a variety of sizes (from 32 to 48 inches). Also included in the collection are pedestals, available in both 44- and 54-inch sizes, to add height and elegance. Contact: (800) 332-3973 or www.americanfyredesigns.com.

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ProductPROFILES American Muscle Grill

Kenzo Collection by Tropitone The Kenzo collection, a new product line from Tropitone®, features graceful lines and a wide, streamlined frame. Designed by Peter Homestead, the collection consists of cushion, woven, sling, and padded-sling pieces. The Kenzo collection will complement any home’s exterior or create an eclectic outdoor patio when mixed with other Tropitone items. Contact: (949) 951-2010 or www.tropitone.com.

The all-new American Muscle grill (AMG) is a heavy-duty, no-nonsense grill that features true dual-fuel capability—which will allow you to smoke, sear, and cook directly or indirectly with charcoal, gas, or both simultaneously. Designed, built, and factory tested in the United States, the AMG is available in 100,000-Btu 36-inch and 160,000-Btu 54-inch models, giving it plenty of power to go around: Combining innovative design with high-quality construction, the AMG has all the features and flexibility required to be the last grill you will ever need.

Contact: (800) 966-8126 or www.summersetgrills.com.

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Contemporary Utensil Sets

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Coral Dining Chair The Coral dining chair is a part of the new Coral dining, deep seating, and sectional collections, designed by Povl Eskildsen for Jensen Leisure Furniture. It’s made of environmentally friendly, nontoxic, 100% recyclable outdoor fiber by Virofiber.

The frame is commercial-grade, 100% circumference-welded, powder-coated aluminum. The arms and platform leg base are crafted of ipê wood. Contact: (804) 612-4416 or www.jensenleisurefurniture.com.

Ferrari hearth accessories from Italy, designed by Studio Barazzuol, are an assortment of utensils and holders that use stainless steel and leather in a vogue mix of colors to produce some of the finest products available. The leather handle naturally keeps the utensil cool to the touch, and the holder adds colorful designer flair to the room. Each utensil set is convenient to use and makes tending a fire a pleasurable experience.

Handpicked to accent contemporary stoves and fireplaces, the Wittus collection of tools and fireplace accessories allows you to choose from an array of products from around the world. Contact: (914) 764-5679 or www.wittus.com.

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Monessen AVFL Artisan Vent-free Fireplace

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Create beautiful ambience with the convenience and sleek, modern styling of the Artisan fireplace. Whether it’s turned on or off, it’s a work of art. This fireplace is loaded with numerous standard features and accessories, both inside and out. With exterior options from rope lighting to black or stainless-steel faces and interior accessories from shimmering glass kits to a driftwood log set or a stone kit, anyone can craft an Artisan perfect for his or her space. It will also be available soon in a see-through version. Contact: (800) 867-0454 or www.monessenhearth.com.

New Ultimate Pellet Pipe Ultimate Pellet Pipe is a premier venting system designed with the installer in mind. Fast, sealed, and secure assembly—coupled with laser-welded seams and smooth joint connections—creates a pipe system that is sleek and beautiful.

Contact: (800) 992-VENT (8368) or www.UltimatePelletPipe.com.

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Guest Editorial continued from page 8

Sanibel Sectional by Windward This all-new deep seating collection in marine-grade polymer offers multiple design configurations, with the choice of 90-degree or 45-degree corner tables (available with an optional umbrella hole). Available in river white, flagstone gray, and greco II, the collection is proudly made in the United States. Contact: (941) 359-0890 or www.windwarddesigngroup.com.

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encourage professional achievement, certification, and continuing education.

The HPBEF also manages the National Fireplace Institute® (NFI) certification program. Created to increase public safety by establishing meaningful credentials for professionals involved in planning and installing residential hearth appliances and venting systems, the NFI certifies individuals in three hearthproduct categories, based on fuel type (gas, wood, and pellets). Individuals who have gained all three certifications are recognized by the NFI as master hearth professionals.

The HPBA newsletter shares developments between HPBA affiliates (U.S. and Canadian retailers and distributors) and our manufacturer members. Raising the visibility of the industry is being accomplished successfully through communication campaigns using social media. More than 45,000 visitors have indicated that they

like the HPBA Barbecue Facebook page, for example, and that number is growing.

Planning is an important personal goal. This year, after an eight-year hiatus (caused, in part, by the recession), the HPBA will hold a longrange–planning meeting to map the objectives that we need to focus on—as an association and as an industry—for the next five years. I’m confident that we will create an effective, comprehensive plan to promote, protect, and strengthen the hearth, patio, and barbecue industry for 2016 and beyond.

With over 35 years of experience in the hearthproducts industry, Jess Baldwin is chair of the board of the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association and is vice president of sales and customer service at Vermont Castings Group (Paris, Kentucky).

ProductInnovation

Spotlight continued from page 20

continued from page 50

in their showrooms that expand customers’ visions of possibilities. “Allow them to walk around, imagine, touch, and feel,” he adds.

Nichols suggests going one step further. He says, “The most successful retailers we’ve worked with have gone to great lengths to create spaces that help customers envision their dream kitchens and outdoor-living spaces. Many of our retailers who provide spaces for livedemonstration kitchens (where culinary-minded customers can try products before purchasing them) have seen an uptick in sales because of this investment.”

Noble says, “Retailers should display more products, in different styles and variations, to help customers choose the perfect kitchens for them. Customers love to be presented with options: The more options there are available on display in retailers’ showrooms, the more likely they are to close sales.”

Stuteville reports that 80% of what sells “is what is shown on the floor. Retailers who

commit the retail floor space to outdoor-living displays will generate more interest in the category.” Scott also suggests having design expertise available to help customers to create outdoor rooms, as well as partnering with outdoor architects and builders to make the store a one-stop shop.

“It really is about outdoorkitchen design,” Lathrum adds. “I would spend time understanding outdoorkitchen and room designs.

This is the difference between a retailer who sells grills and a retailer who sells kitchens. In the indoor segment, I have never seen a retailer want to sell only a single cooking product; indoor retailers sell complete kitchens. Outdoor retailers need to embrace this exact concept, especially in the premium segment.”

Scott tells retailers to promote themselves as outdoorroom experts, starting with their websites. Offering cooking demonstrations and cooking classes is a good tactic. He says, “These are still valuable

promotional activities, and they help establish the retailer as the outdoor-cooking expert.”

Forshaw recommends adding a new display. “Many displays are tired and not current. Build it on the front sidewalk, so everyone coming to the store will see it,” he says.

Accessories are also a big selling point that more retailers should take advantage of, Noble says. “Stack them high, and watch them fly. Stack them low, and they won’t go,” she adds, quoting a maxim from big-box retailing.

Above all, Straubel tells retailers not to let weather limit their endeavors. “They took some time to get going in colder regions, but outdoor kitchens are really taking off in areas such as Chicago, Illinois; New Jersey; and New York,” he says. “It doesn’t get much colder than it does in these areas.”

Straubel says, “Continue to sell the lifestyle and the sizzle.” Mello adds, “Don’t delay. The business is still growing, and retailers should get their shares.”

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Another new product is a concealed electric fireplace that allows the customer to cover the fireplace insert when not using it as a fireplace. This transforms it into what appears to be a standard piece of furniture.

HOT TECHNOLOGY All this activity is making for an exciting sales season. “TwinStar’s market opportunity is vibrant, vast, and growing,” Harper notes. He attributes the growth in sales (and bright future) to two emerging trends.

“Technology continues to penetrate every room and furnishing category in the house of tomorrow. Bluetooth and smartphone apps that link the consumer with the home and home furnishings will continue to expand and develop. Our focus on creating multifunctional, technologyenabled furniture has us well positioned to capitalize on this long-term trend,” he says.

The second trend has to do with space. “As living spaces are becoming more crowded due to smaller homes and multifamily units being built and increased

PATIO & HEARTH PRODUCTS REPORT

multigenerational living under one roof, the need for smaller, multipurpose furniture (such as what Twin-Star is developing) will only expand,” Harper adds.

“I look to Twin-Star to continue its innovative leadership—both in technology integration and in space efficiency—to provide luxury products, at attractive price points, to meet the needs of the consumers of tomorrow.”

Bandremer says, “The brand is constantly upgrading and adding new features to our products to improve the home environment. We are always striving to add best-in-class products (at affordable pricing) that enhance our customers’ lives by bringing both high design and sought-after functions to the marketplace. In addition, we are very excited to be working on mobile apps to control Twin-Star appliances with smartphones.” Look for more exciting innovations in the future as Twin-Star navigates into new product categories, building out its heat and sound products, as well as outdoorentertainment collections.

AdvertiserIndex Advertiser

ProductProfilesDirectory Phone

Website

Page

Company

Page

Agio ..........................................................(888) 997-7623 ..............www.agio-usa.com..........................................5

Agio................................................................................................................68, 74

Alfresco Home ..........................................(610) 705-8808 ..............www.alfresco.com ........................................50

Alfresco Home................................................................................................68, 72

Big Green Egg ..........................................(770) 938-9394 ..............www.biggreenegg.com ................................34

Big Green Egg................................................................................................70, 74

Bromic Heating ........................................(800) 301-1293 ..............www.bromicheating.com ..............................69

Bromic Heating ..............................................................................................72, 80

Caliber Appliances ....................................(714) 848-1349 ..............www.caliberappliances.com ..........................18

Caliber Appliances..........................................................................................68, 83

California Outdoor Concepts ....................(877) 274-6773 ..............www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com ............35

California Outdoor Concepts ..........................................................................75, 78

The Companion Group ............................(800) 521-0505 ..............www.companion-group.com ........................21

The Companion Group ..................................................................................74, 76

Couristan ..................................................(800) 223-6186 ..............www.couristan.com ......................................43

Couristan........................................................................................................70, 75

Coyote Outdoor Living ..............................(855) 520-1559 ..............www.coyoteoutdoor.com ..............................85

Coyote Outdoor Living ..................................................................................70, 76

Creekvine Designs ....................................(800) 913-1741 ..............www.creekvinedesigns.com ..........................83

Creekvine Designs..........................................................................................70, 77

Dansons....................................................(877) 303-3134 ..............www.louisiana-grills.com ..............................45

Dansons ........................................................................................................66, 78

Danver/Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens ..(888) 441-0537 ..............www.danver.com ..........................................20

Danver/Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens ........................................................68, 81

DCS by Fisher & Paykel ............................(888) 936-7872 ..............www.dcsappliances.com ..............................31

DCS by Fisher & Paykel..................................................................................76, 78

Elmira Stove Works ..................................(800) 295-8498 ..............www.elmirastoveworks.com..........................72 Empire Comfort Systems ..........................(800) 851-3153 ..............www.empirecomfort.com ..............................29 European Home........................................(781) 324-8383 ..............www.europeanhome.com ............................46 Galaxy Outdoor ........................................(702) 448-5600 ..............www.galaxyoutdoor.com ..............................17 Gensun Casual Living ..............................(866) 964-4468 ..............www.gensuncasual.com ................................7 Glen Raven/Sunbrella................................(336) 221-2211 ..............www.sunbrella.com ......................................39 Glen Raven/Sunbrella/Rain........................(336) 221-2211 ..............www.trade.sunbrella.com/rain ......................65 The Hammock Source ..............................(800) 334-1078 ..............www.thehammocksource.com......................74 Hargrove Manufacturing............................(800) 725-4166 ..............www.hargrovegaslogs.com ..........................75 Hearth & Home Technologies....................(800) 669-4328 ..............www.myhht.com ..........................................92 Hearth Distribution ....................................(360) 314-2012 ..............www.hearthdistribution.com ..........................55

Delta Heat/Twin Eagles ..................................................................................80, 82 Dimplex ................................................................................................................75 Elmira Stove Works ........................................................................................74, 78 Empire Comfort Systems................................................................................68, 77 European Home ............................................................................................78, 83 Galaxy Outdoor ..............................................................................................72, 76 Gensun Casual Living ....................................................................................70, 77 Glen Raven/Sunbrella ....................................................................................70, 76 The Hammock Source ..................................................................................68, 79 Hargrove Manufacturing ................................................................................78, 80 Hearth & Home Technologies ........................................................................66, 79 Hearth Distribution..........................................................................................79, 81

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association ......(703) 522-0086 ..............www.hpbexpo.com ......................................77 Hearth Products Controls ..............................................................................81, 84 Hearth Products Controls..........................(877) 433-7001 ..............www.hpcfire.com ..........................................51 Informa Exhibitions US ..............................(888) 869-6522 ..............www.poolspapatio.com ................................73 Infratech ....................................................(800) 421-9455 ..............www.infratech-usa.com ................................61 Jensen Leisure Furniture ..........................(800) 403-0403 ..............www.jensenleisurefurniture.com ....................38 Las Vegas Market/IMC..............................(702) 599-3046 ..............www.lasvegasmarket.com ............................71 Mallin Casual ............................................(800) 251-6537 ..............www.mallinfurniture.com ..............................23 Miles Industries/Valor Fireplaces................(800) 468-2567 ..............www.valorfireplaces.com ..............................53 MLW Stone ..............................................(800) 477-7665 ..............www.mlwstone.com......................................76 NorthCape ................................................(708) 563-2890 ..............www.northcapeoutdoor.com ........................25 Onward Manufacturing..............................(800) 265-2150 ..............www.broilkingbbq.com..................................59 The Outdoor GreatRoom Company..........(866) 303-4028 ..............www.outdoorrooms.com ..............................42

Homecrest............................................................................................................80 Industrial Chimney ................................................................................................82 Infinity Canopy......................................................................................................82 Infratech ........................................................................................................82, 84 Innovative Hearth Products ............................................................................82, 85 Jensen Leisure Furniture ................................................................................83, 88 Mallin Casual ..................................................................................................83, 87 Miles Industries/Valor Fireplaces ....................................................................66, 84 MLW Stone ..........................................................................................................80 NorthCape......................................................................................................84, 86 Onward Manufacturing ..................................................................................85, 86

OW Lee ....................................................(800) 776-9533 ..............www.owlee.com..............................................9

The Outdoor GreatRoom Company................................................................84, 87

Palm Springs Rattan ................................(727) 524-1476 ..............www.palmspringsrattan.com ........................57

OW Lee..........................................................................................................85, 87

Patio Renaissance ....................................(866) 698-5673 ..............www.patiorenaissance.com ..........................67

Palm Springs Rattan ......................................................................................66, 79

Pride Family Brands ..................................(855) 612-9800 ..............www.pridefamilybrands.com ......................2–3

Patio Renaissance..........................................................................................81, 85

RH Peterson Company ............................(800) 332-3973 ..............www.realfyre.com ..........................................79

Pride Family Brands ..........................................................................66, 74, 84, 86

Selkirk Corp. ............................................(800) 992-8368 ..............www.selkirkcorp.com ....................................91

RH Peterson Company ..................................................................................85, 87

Summerset Professional Grills ..................(800) 966-8126 ..............www.summersetgrills.com ............................19

Selkirk Corp. ..................................................................................................86, 88

SunVilla Home ..........................................(888) 690-9800 ..............www.sunvillahome.com ................................41

Summerset Professional Grills ........................................................................86, 88

Tropitone ..................................................(949) 951-2010 ..............www.tropitone.com ......................................47

SunVilla Home ................................................................................................66, 86

Twin Eagles/Delta Heat ............................(800) 789-2206 ..............www.twineaglesbbq.com ..............................33

Tropitone ........................................................................................................87, 88

Vermont Castings Group ..........................(800) 867-0454 ..............www.vermontcastings.com ..........................27

Vermont Castings Group ................................................................................87, 88

Windward Design Group ..........................(941) 359-0890 ..............www.windwarddesigngroup.com ..................49

Windward Design Group ................................................................................86, 89

Wittus........................................................(914) 764-5679 ..............www.wittus.com............................................81

Wittus ............................................................................................................87, 88

Patio & Hearth Products Report (ISSN 1939-6929) is published bimonthly by Peninsula Media, 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700, Torrance, CA 90503. US Postage Paid at Lebanon Junction, KY 40150.

September/October 2015, Vol. 10, No. 5 Š 2015 Peninsula Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Peninsula Media, 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700, Torrance, CA 90503-5514, patioandhearth@halldata.com, phone: (847) 763-9261. While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the materials presented in Patio & Hearth Products Report, they are not responsible for the correctness of the information and/or opinions expressed.

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