Casual Living - June 1, 2009

Summer Classics has a winning style that should translate into sales. That was the almost unanimous decision of designers and retail editors who judged Casual Living's ninth annual Merchandising Awards. For a second consecutive year, Summer Classics won top honors as Most Fashionable Retailer, based on photos submitted by Summer Classics stores in Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, N.

• Departments
• Business Outlook
• FYI
• Casually Speaking
• Blending fresh new styles
• Editorial Sources
• Editorial Sources
• Grill Column
• Grill protection for decks offers add-on for retailers
• Are you getting your share of early season grill sales
• Introductions
• Design debuts
• Marketing Column
• Connecting with today's consumer
• News
• Outdoor entertaining trend stays strong, NPD Group market research shows
• Telescope Casual launches national shopper survey
• Fewer attending spring markets
• Buying, selling, inventory patterns changing due to economic challenges
• People on the Move
• Homecrest Outdoor Living names Coremin as VP
• Easy Way names sales manager
• Real Flame names new director of sales and marketing
• Reps on the Road
• Making sense of show dates
• Weather Trends
• Cool, wet weather may dampen store traffic outside Western regions

• Features
• China dominates U.S. imports of outdoor home furnishings
• Lighting Up
• Economy-conscious colors for 2010: Earthy escapes
• Summer Classics adapts to handle challenging economy