March 1, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (2)

With record snow storms and related power outages across much of the nation last month, grilling became a necessity at some homes.

Almost half of American grill owners said winter weather conditions, including deep snow and below-freezing temperatures, don’t stop them from enjoying the taste of grilled meats or seasonal vegetables and fruits, the latest Weber GrillWatch Survey reported.

The best bets for cold weather grilling are foods that don’t require much attention. Those include some of consumers’ favorite grill fare: Steaks, burgers, large cuts of meat and/or fish that need only one quick flip.

Nearly nine out of 10 American consumers own a grill and use it to prepare foods twice a week or more, according to Casual Living and HGTV’s exclusive Outdoor Spaces survey. Because half of grill owners bought their grill five years ago...Read More

February 9, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

The temperature hovered in the 30s as I drove to work, but sunshine and a clear Carolina blue sky pulled my thoughts ahead toward spring.

That’s despite seeing snow still covering patches of ground and knowing this month’s Weather Trend forecast calls for more rain and snow, especially compared with last February which ranked as the nation’s third warmest in a decade.

If you stock and sell fire pits, patio heaters and/or other hearth products, you may be happy to know winter will hang around awhile longer. Long enough, you hope, to sell through your inventory.
 
As retailers clear out off-season products and prepare stores for this brand new decade’s first outdoor season, change is likely on your minds, too. Don’t forget to take a few photos of good-looking vignettes inside your st...Read More

January 28, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

An effort to reach out to those hurt by the recent Haiti earthquake grew from the seed of a hot dog and chili lunch at Reed Business Information’s Greensboro office to something much more fulfilling.

When Kathy Humble, our office assistant, was buying the hot dogs, buns and other food for Wednesday’s lunch, she struck up a conversation with a clerk who said he was from Haiti. She asked how his family had been affected and listened as he gave details of their injuries. The man later stopped Kathy at the register and offered to pay for our company’s lunch expenses. She respectfully declined and explained we were using this as a fund-raiser, but he insisted on making a donation toward his home country. He picked up half of the food costs for our lunch. Before 2 p.m., the simple lunch had raised more than $1,200 for Haiti Relief Kits.

...Read More

December 16, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (1)

Innovations and new products are the lifeblood of the leisure industry.

Both industry players and consumers expect fresh and innovative designs in every segment from home furnishings and fabrics to grills, spas, pools, holiday and any other product sold within our niche. But knowledge of where and how we started can only help us set our direction ahead.

While our industry keeps its focus forward, now may be a good time as we enter 2010 to look back at the beginnings of leading manufacturers. While some manufacturers have been in business 100 years or more, others are relatively new kids on the block.

Do you know how it all started? Here are a few recollections from spokesmen for companies included in our recent Outdoor Kitchens rebound article:

Weber-Stephen ...Read More

November 10, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (2)

Casual Living’s 2009 Universe Study mirrors the overall sales declines that have shown up across the nation since our last industry report in 2007.

It’s no surprise to see that U.S. retail sales of outdoor furniture, grills and shade products dropped from an overall $5.68 billion in 2007 to an estimated $5.52 billion last year. Sales for the outdoor industry are projected to dip another 5.3% to $5.23 billion in 2009, according to the exclusive research report appearing now in our November issue.

While these numbers reflect the somber reality of recession, consumers say they are still interested in furnishing their outdoor spaces.

A fifth of the consumers who responded to a September survey conducted by our sister publication Furniture/Today, in partnership with HGTV, said they plan to buy furniture and other home furnishing prod...Read More
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