Atlanta

On April 4, The Gardens hosted Market Wednesday for enterprising retailers lookin' to learn and to take advantage of some between market buying opportunities. The day highlighted casual furniture lines and featured a complimentary lunch and seminar in the 15th floor seminar room of AmericasMart 1 (AM1). It was a good time to take a gander at the ever-expanding Gardens and see the number of new exhibitors since January. They include: Care & Wonder, 14-A-104; Gaines Manufacturing Inc., 14-A-134B; Bella Fiore, 14-B-256; Casa Bella, 14-B-274; Chubby's Chair Company, 14-B-212; Ibis & Orchid, 14-B244A; Iron Craft, 14-B-280; Karton International Inc., 14-B-275; Omni/Sings & Things, 14-B-273; PetraStone, 14-B-218; Ultimate Industries Inc., 14-B-204B; Victoria Albert Co., 14-B-213, 214; Import Resource Group, 14-C-309; Silcast Canada Inc., 14-C-343; DecoBarn, 15-B-223; Global Pottery, 15-B-226; Grady Burns & Co., 15-B-265; Housewarming Co., 15-C-345. Garden product continues to be one of the hottest categories out there; if you haven't already incorporated it into your offerings, The Gardens is definitely a place to look to for inspiration and just the right mix of items to choose for your store.

Kurt S. Adler Inc. relocated its Atlanta showroom to a new space twice the size of the company's previous suite. The new showroom is located in the Holiday and Floral Center, room 16-A-4 AM1. Kurt S. Adler's lines include Steinbach nutcrackers from Germany, the Polonaise Collection of mouth-blown glass ornaments from Poland, the Harry Potter Seasonal collection, and Louis Nichole holiday decor.

Colonial Candle of Cape Cod, a division of Candle Corporation of America, is represented in a new showroom, Bill Curlee & Associates, AmericasMart 2 (AM2) 1713. The move enabled Colonial Candle to debut its Christmas 2001 product line earlier than ever before. Several other new product lines from Colonial At Home also debuted in Atlanta, including Simmer Snaps, The Wine Collection, Frosted Collection, and Celebrations.

Also in AM2 is the Raintree Collection, space 1033-B. Featuring bamboo accessories, this line is worth considering if you're looking for Asian-influenced home, office, and garden accessories. The handcrafted mats are notable and have a sense of history to them. Inspired by the roll-up mats used in Southeast Asia's infamous opium dens, they are crafted of ½" bamboo strips that are hand-cut, numbered, polished, and rewoven to retain the exact wood grain when reassembled. The collection includes 14" x 17" placemats, coasters at $32/set of four, an inlaid 12" x 20" serving tray for $85, an 11" x 14" display tray for $70, table runners, and vases with glass inserts. The 55" x 72" floor mats retail for $500. In addition, the company is showcasing new lighting accents, and a series of metal-and-canvas collapsible lanterns that feature a rust-patinaed metal top and bottom lid with fire-retardant canvas sides. Available in the rich colors — burnt orange, goldenrod, and kiwi green — the lanterns are ideal for individual use or in groupings, and are impressive for an outdoor festivity. A votive candle in a glass cup lights up the night; suggested retail, $30. Yet another lantern makes its debut; the Floating Space Lantern, a contemporary, gunmetal-toned candleholder, is available in two sizes: votive-sized and 3" candle styles, for $23 and $27 respectively.

If you are looking for a piece of the American pie, look no further. Americana all the way is just what you'll get at Joseph Warren Miller Company in AM1 16-E-2. Check out the JWM Collection, and in particular, the Roadside Christmas plug-in light. Words can hardly describe it, but it'll certainly bring a smile to your face. Think Christmas Vacation. This silver-bullet style trailer is complete with Christmas tacky at its best: light-up snowman by the door, Santa on the roof, and a Christmas tree that would make Charlie Brown proud. It's approximately 9" long and 7" tall and is priced to retail around $50. Word has it that this item has been so popular that it'll probably be the first in a series. The line also features Misty Mountain Bear decorative pieces, coasters, plaques, votives, and frames, as well as a number of ornaments. The Holiday Kisses collection offers up different dog breed ornaments (English Bulldogs, Yellow Labs, Golden Retrievers and then some), By The Sea Shore ornaments, Nostalgic Signs, and even Halloween-themed candy holders, tea lights, and assorted gifts.

Open between markets Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Paul Robinson Inc., which specializes in traditional oil paintings and mirrors, is located in AM1 13-F-8. The showroom offers buyers and designers one-of-a-kind artwork right for most any wall. Its newest artist, Howath, presents pieces with a decidedly Asian feel. The 5"x7" piece in stock at the time of this article ran $175 wholesale ($350 retail). Perhaps the most popular artists are a father-son duo, B. Nesvadba and C. Nesvadba. Dad creates epic landscapes; son paints masterful floral arrangements, and is well known for his poppy portrayals. Their in-stock paintings ran $3,020 to $4,580.

Look out above! Chandeliers abound at Jaguar Design Inc., AM1 13-C-6. The "Monkey Business" hanging light fixture in chocolate mousse #45 (which resembles a rich, textured rust color) was new in October and features six lights with two whimsical monkeys worked into the design. Jaguar Designs has been serving retailers for 12 years; it's family-owned and makes each fixture to order in Dallas. This chandelier is $1,418 retail and measures 36" wide and 37" high.

In AM2 1100, Napp Deady Inc. transcends a few generation gaps with its new furniture line, Generations by Four Seasons Casual Custom Designs. The slipcovered look is hot, but so much of what's on the market today is oversized and only appropriate for spacious rooms in newer homes with an open design. Generations fills a need for smaller-scale pieces that are just right for apartment living — or for lots of other living as well. Like sitting rooms, or soon, kids' rooms. Just a few of the lines' features include the fact that its modular, easy-to-assemble; it ships UPS (perfect for catalogs or small stores with limited inventory space) in a four to six week period. The slipcovers are handy for easy cleaning, or better yet, for a change in taste or color schemes. The pieces are crafted of hardwood frames, drop-in sinuous wire seat suspension, and use 1.8 high-density foam for seats with 100 percent polyester fill back cushions. The line offers several sofa styles, a chaise lounge, various ottomans (skirted and un-skirted and one with storage), floor pillows (make great pet beds), benches, foot stools, a parsons chair, throw pillows and a modular sofa with different pieces that enables customers to choose their own configuration for a truly custom design. More than 35 fabrics complete the package, varying from soft pastel and natural colors, to trendy animal prints, denim and a "looks-like" suede fabric.

Tecno Display opened a new showroom in room 243-45 on the 14th floor of AmericasMart 3. The showroom will feature the company's latest styles in counter and tower displays, as well as jewelry showcases.