The Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market will be held on September 20–23, 2012, at the Merchandise Mart, which is the casual industry’s leader in product exhibition and permanent show- room displays. The four-day market event will feature the trade’s top manufacturers, its most innovative product introductions, and a complete range of new furniture and accessories for outdoor living.

Casual Market is the only market 100% dedicated to the outdoor-furnishings industry; it encompasses 350,000 square feet of exhibit space, with more than 45 permanent show-rooms and hundreds of temporary exhibitors in the Market Suites. It is the only market…

Twin-Star International has named Brian Brigham as its director of marketing and public relations, reporting to Bill Caples, Twin-Star vice president of sales and marketing. Brigham, who brings the company over 16 years of experience in the fields of creative project management, advertising, marketing, and public relations, will be responsible for directing and managing Twin- Star International’s marketing and public-relations efforts in both the consumer and trade markets.

Brigham began his career with Gannett Company, Inc., and worked for such newspapers as the Press & Sun-Bulletin and Florida Today. In 1999, Brigham was promoted to Gannett Retail Advertising Group, a…

Solair Shade Solutions retractable awnings help enrich the outdoor-living space by providing a fresh, modern, and beautiful way to add comfortable shade to the outdoor room. Now, Solair awnings (sold in patio stores) are available in the Mayfield® collection of Sunbrella® fabrics, helping homeowners create an outdoor space that looks and feels like the home’s interior.

Fabrics in the Mayfield collection are designed specifically to coordinate with Sunbrella’s stylish furniture fabrics. Featuring more than 30 colors and patterns, the Mayfield collection adds to the standard Sunbrella collection of nearly 200 solids, textures, and stripes to complement existing indoor and outdoor…

The International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) has announced finalists for the 2012 Apollo Awards. The program recognizes retail excellence in the sales and marketing of outdoor furnishings. Finalists must demonstrate outstanding accomplishments and commitment to customer service.

ICFA members will vote, via online ballot, for a winner in each category, later this summer. Finalists will be honored and the winners will be announced at a gala awards banquet on September 22, 2012, during the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market.

In the single-store category, the 2012 finalists are AuthenTEAK (Atlanta, Georgia); Daylight Home, Lighting & Patio (San Luis Obispo,…

Hearth dealers aware of Twin-Star International’s quartz infrared heaters and electric fireplaces undoubtedly have heard the claims that these devices are capable of heating 1,000–square-foot rooms, but some might wonder if these statements are true. On a mission to stand behind its claim, Twin-Star paired with Intertek, an independent testing lab, to test how its Black & Decker® and Duraflame® PowerHeat® quartz infrared heaters and electric fireplaces performed in this situation.

Before testing could begin, a 1,000–square-foot room had to be built using typical residential construction standards. Once the test room was complete, thermocouples were placed around the room to…

Homecrest Outdoor Living has announced that Access Sales Associates will represent Homecrest Outdoor Living in Northern California and Nevada. This dynamic team consists of three partners—Matt Maher, Chris Kjome, and Nate Grimstvedt—based in Fairfield, California.

Since 1990, this organization has been blanketing all facets of the geo- graphic and dealer networks (with such lines as Weber-Stephen Grills, Jensen Leisure, and Old World Spices) with a comprehensive plan that revolves around doing whatever it takes to satisfy its customer base. Todd Wingrove, director of sales, says, “We are so excited to have Matt, Chris, and Nate join us to grow the…

Twin-Star International’s Las Vegas, Nevada, showroom has now more than tripled in size. Still in building A, the new showroom is located in suite A-1036 at World Market Center Las Vegas. The grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony were held on July 30, when the new showroom opened its doors for the first time to furniture retailers, designers, and other furniture-industry professionals. The current Twin-Star family of brands showcased at this venue includes ClassicFlame electric fireplaces,

Tresanti media units and thermo- electric wine coolers, and Duraflame quartz infrared heaters. At a time when expansion is not feasible for many companies, Twin-…

Online registration is now open for the 2012 International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo (IPSP Expo), taking place November 6–8 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, with the educational conference taking place November 3–8. Online registration is available at www.PoolSpaPatio.com/attendee, where information is accessible 24/7. Registering in advance will save attendees not only money, but also time (because they will not have to wait in long on-site registration lines).

The super pass (the best value) includes conference seminars on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, as well as admission to the IPSP Expo, the welcome party at Mardi Gras World,…