Fortunoff to expand outdoors

-- Casual Living, 4/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

Charles Chinni was named chairman and CEO of Fortunoff after it was recently acquired by equity fund NRDC, which also owns department store chain Lord & Taylor.

Bringing experience from his career at Macy’s and JCPenney, Chinni said the Fortunoff franchise is solid but was slow to change as consumers switched from formal lifestyles to casual ones. The chain’s 14 outdoor stores, which convert to indoor furniture from September to January, have been successful and more outdoor furniture stores are in the budget for 2009, he said.