patio and hearth products report - jan/feb 2011

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4 Patio & Hearth Products Report January/February 2011

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J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 1 • V O L U M E 6 , N U M B E R 1

ON THE COVER LENNOX HEARTH PRODUCTS

8 GUEST EDITORIAL – CAUSE MARKETINGBY DAVID BIBER

The founder of Two Guys Grilling, L.L.C., explains howcause marketing can be a powerful promotional tool for specialty retailers in the outdoor-living industry.

16 CORPORATE PROFILE – ENERVEX IS UNVEILEDBY CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

Exhausto Inc., one of the leading suppliers of ventilation andexhaust systems, became ENERVEX on January 1, 2011.

18 SPOTLIGHT – CHIC CHOICESBY CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

A new generation of contemporary fireplaces incorporates a wide range of designs and tastes.

22 MARKETING MANEUVERS – WICKER AND MOREBY KIMBERLY RODGERS

Sunshine Wicker and Design offers ample options in deepseating, lounging, and dining for the outdoor room.

24 HIGH-QUALITY, FASHION-FORWARD DESIGNS ATTRACT CONSUMERSBY KIMBERLY RODGERS

Erwin & Sons’ premium-quality products and superior customer service keep customers coming back.

26 HEARTH RETAILER PROFILE – A HOT SPOTBY SHARON SANDERS

The Fireplace Center & Patio Shop is one of the largest andbest known fireplace and patio retailers in Canada.

28 HITZER’S HEATERS FEATURE AMISH CRAFTSMANSHIPBY SHARON SANDERS

Hitzer’s handtooled wood and coal stoves are known throughout the industry for being durable and attractive.

30 OUTDOOR GRILLING RETAILER PROFILE – TEAMING UPBY KIMBERLY RODGERS

By joining forces, two Tucson entrepreneurs created a successful business that has exceeded their expectations.

32 GIVING OUTDOOR FIREPLACES A CUSTOM LOOKBY KIMBERLY RODGERS

Stone Age Manufacturing provides outdoor masonry fireplaces, in easy-to-assemble kits, at a competitive price.

36 SHOWROOM SHOWCASE – FAMILY TIESBY SHARON SANDERS

Sales increased dramatically when this fourth-generationretailer added casual furniture to its product mix.

38 WHAT’S UNDERFOOT MATTERS TO COURISTAN BY SHARON SANDERS

Couristan offers high-quality, weather-resistant rugs that pull together all the elements of an outdoor room.

40 AS I SEE IT – PASSION EQUALS PROFITBY SHARON SANDERS

Bobby Brennan, cofounder and president of Kamado Joe,explains how his fledgling ceramic-grill company has grownso quickly.

42 MY TURN – LEADING THE WAYBY SHARON SANDERS

Miles Industries introduced the gas fireplace in Vancouver in the early 1980s, and its Valor brand remains popularthroughout North America today.

46 PRODUCT INNOVATION – SEVENTY-EIGHT YEARS YOUNGBY CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

Empire Comfort Systems might be an old company, but ituses new vehicles, such as social media, to reach customers.

48 LAST WORD – BRANCHING OUTBY CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

Napoleon, known for its fireplaces and grills, has added acasual-furniture line to its product offerings.

departments6 SEAHAWKS

Publisher’s Viewpoint and Editor’s Message

10 INDUSTRY NEWSEdited by Kris Kyes

50 PRODUCT PROFILES

82 PRODUCT PROFILES DIRECTORY

82 AD INDEX

features

contents

58

72 Follow us on Twitter: @patiohearth

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Iwake up every day expecting something goodto happen.” These are the words of Pete Carroll,first-year head coach of the NFL’s Seattle

Seahawks. The fact that Carroll has expectations—and that his expectations are positive, as opposedto negative—has served him well over the years.Take this year’s NFL season as an example.

Prior to the start of the NFL season, most footballanalysts predicted that the Seahawks would win fourgames, at best. They won eight. The analysts also pre-dicted that it might be years before Carroll would beable to guide his team to the playoffs. He did it in hisfirst year.

Those same analysts would have bet their last dol-lars that there was no way that the Seahawks wouldwin their division; had they bet, they would have beenleft penniless. The idea that the Seahawks would notonly win their division, but would win their openingplayoff game against the defending Super Bowl cham-pions, the New Orleans Saints, was about as likely asThat Place freezing over—so I guess they’re skiing andsnowboarding in That Place right about now.

This is not to mention that most football analystspredicted that Carroll’s rah-rah style was better suitedfor the collegiate level, and that his attaboy, enthusiasticpersonality would not play well with grown men inthe NFL. Based on fact that the Seahawks did, this year,just about everything that everyone said that theywouldn’t do, it appears that a head football coach withpassion, enthusiasm, zeal, and commitment for histeam, his players, his owners, and his job can get thejob done in the NFL.

Granted, some will point out that the Seahawks wontheir division and made the playoffs with an overall los-ing record of seven to nine during the regular season.

As the old question goes, though, what do you call thestudent who graduates from medical school with thelowest GPA in the class? Doctor, it seems.

While it certainly is true that Carroll is the sort ofindividual who is rare in most professions, and that hepossesses levels of commitment, competitiveness,drive, determination, will to succeed, pursuit of excel-lence, and work ethic that are uncommonly high, wecan all take a lesson from Carroll’s play book.

Faced with the uncertainty of what the outcomewould be of leaving a very successful college-footballcoaching gig at the University of Southern Californiafor the wildly unknown and precarious nature of theNFL, Carroll took the leap of faith. Keep in mind thathis past stints in the NFL as a head football coach wereanything but glorious. As the head coach of the NewYork Jets, in 1994, he was fired after just one season.His reign as head coach of the New England Patriots,from 1997 to 1999, ended when he was fired afterthree seasons.

Some football analysts snickered that Carroll mustenjoy being a punching bag for NFL owners after hereturned to the NFL to accept the position as headcoach of the Seahawks. After the success of the 2010season and the bright prospects of the Seahawks, goingforward, it appears that Carroll might finally get the lastlaugh in the NFL.

Regardless of what happens with the economy thisyear (and the prospects for a sustained recovery aregetting better by the day), we can all approach ourbusinesses and jobs with a Carroll-like attitude. Be will-ing to step outside the box and do something differ-ent. Be willing to try things that might not haveworked in the past, but might work today, with somefixes and adjustments.

Be willing to learn from the past, yet don’t dwell onthe past. Be willing to keep a positive and upbeat atti-tude, regardless of what others are saying. Approacheach obstacle and hurdle in business with an attitudethat collectively, as a team, you will find a workablesolution. Above all, wake up each day expecting some-thing good to happen.

TWEETAt this year’s HPBExpo, we will be sending out

tweets right after the show about some of the bestnew products displayed at the show. In order toreceive tweets from Patio & Hearth Products Reportand find out what the show in Salt Lake City, Utah, hadto offer, sign up at Twitter: @patiohearth. Reading theprinted version of P&HPR, visiting the digital editionat www.peninsula-media.com, and receiving tweetsfrom @patiohearth will keep you informed and on topof some of the best new products in the industry.

TONY RAMOSPUBLISHER

[email protected]

Now that theeconomyappears to be

on an upswing, it’s theperfect time to start plan-ning your trip to Salt LakeCity, Utah, to attend NorthAmerica’s largestindoor/outdoor-livingshowcase of hearth, patio,and barbecue products:HPBExpo, March 2–5,2011. More than 350 lead-ing hearth, patio, and barbecue manufacturers andsuppliers will be there to demonstrate their latesthome-heating solutions, grills, outdoor kitchens, casu-al patio furniture, water and landscape products, andall-weather entertainment systems.

This year’s show is expected to attract more than5,000 specialty and mass retailers, installing distribu-tors, builders/remodelers, HVAC service contractors,LP gas and hardware dealers, and professionals inter-ested in learning more about innovative products thatconsumers will be asking for in the months ahead.

Home-improvement spending is expected toincrease this year as the economy and the housingmarket strengthen. Experts predict that in the com-ing years, remodeling expenditures can be expectedto increase at an inflation-adjusted 3.5% averageannual rate—below the pace during the housing

boom, but sharply recovering from the recentdownturn. Specialty retailers need to be preparedfor this surge in spending by offering the latestproducts that consumers will seek to spruce uptheir indoor and outdoor spaces.

One of the show’s most popular attractions isits New Product Pavilion. Now in its fifth year,the pavilion displays innovative year-round prod-ucts that your consumers are sure to love. Inaddition to industry leaders Hearth & HomeTechnologies, Lennox Hearth Products,Napoleon Fireplaces and Grills, Travis Industries,

and Weber-Stephen Products, a large number of first-time exhibitors will be on hand to showcase freshnew products for the first time at HPBExpo. Some ofthese include Dynasty Fireplaces, MAK Grills, AZ PatioHeaters, Grill Pillow, and Shinwa Grill.

For the first time, this year’s show features a one-day, all-day seminar on biomass central heating.Sponsored by the Pellet Fuels Institute; the Hearth,Patio & Barbecue Association; and the Hearth, Patio& Barbecue Education Foundation, “Biomass CentralHeating: New Opportunities in Heating Homes &Businesses Symposium” will take place onWednesday, March 2, the day before HPBExpoofficially opens.

This comprehensive seminar will include infor-mation on retrofitting systems for biomass use, cur-rent regulatory issues, and applications for smallbusinesses. To register for this program, go to

www.hpbexpo.com. As in past years, attendees canalso earn continuing-education units for NationalFireplace Institute Certification renewal.

A wide range of other educational programs willbe offered at this year’s show. We at Patio & HearthProducts Report are proud to be sponsoring a retail-er-panel discussion, entitled “Grilling Your Way toSuccess,” on Friday, March 4. During this informativeprogram, top-notch retailers and barbecue aficiona-dos David Backs of All Seasons Gas Grill & FiresideShop (Bowling Green, Kentucky); Brian Brooks ofTop of the Ozarks Hearth & Grill (Marshfield,Missouri); David Biber of Two Guys Grilling (DanaPoint, California); Jim Cattey of Smoke N’ Fire(Kansas City, Missouri); Henrik Stepanyan ofBarbeques Galore (Carlsbad, California); and StuartMcDonald of Pristine Pools and Spas (Boise, Idaho)will share real-life experiences on how they conduct-ed barbecue/grilling events to increase business andexposure for their stores.

With all these educational offerings—and theopportunity to meet with other retailers and manu-facturers in such a dynamic environment—you can-not afford to stay home. You might even want to staya few extra days to hit the ski slopes, which are just45 minutes from downtown!

We look forward to seeing you at the show.

CAROL DAUSEDITOR

[email protected]

seahawks

from the editor

PUBLISHER’S VIEWPOINT

“


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.hpbexpo.com


1-800-461-5581 • napoleonfi replaces.com • napoleongrills.com

Simplicity and practicality are said to be the trend for 2011. Lifestyles are changing, technology is changing and the way consumers are buying is

changing faster than we can keep up with. One thing that is not changing is the way people come together and work as a team to accomplish incredible,

extraordinary feats.We at Napoleon® take pride in sharing team spirit, that over the years has contributed to the great success of our dealers and our company. It is the

team spirit that we share with our dealers and distributors that inspires us to create products that suit our ever-changing lifestyles and give consumers the

confi dence they are yearning for.We welcome you to come join the team spirit at our HPBA booth in Salt Lake City. Experience new products that will bring success to your business in 2011.We look forward to seeing you soon.Sincerely,

The Schroeter Family and the Napoleon® TeamHPBA Napoleon® Booth #1521 & 1536Team up for some excitement!

SCORE WITH NAPOLEON®


http://www.napoleonfireplaces.com


PUBLISHER

Tony Ramos

[email protected]

EDITOR

Carol Daus

[email protected]

ART DIRECTOR

Cass Estes

[email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kris Kyes

[email protected]

STAFF WRITERS

Kimberly Rodgers

Sharon Sanders

Cheryl Dangel Cullen

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Paul Piwowar

BUSINESS MANAGER

Susan Razetto

CEO & PRESIDENT

Tony Ramos

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ause marketing is the con-tribution of a portion of pro-

ceeds to a charitable cause. Ithas been embraced by the public,partner charities, and retailers. Rubs,blends, and the award-winning AllSpice Cafe sauces from Two GuysGrilling, L.L.C., will soon be on storeshelves coast to coast due to causemarketing. We will donate a portionof each sale to deserving charities.This is how and why Two GuysGrilling decided to make cause mar-keting our key promotional vehicle.

I retired from the computerindustry in 1999, at the age of46. I fished and watchedmovies for two years. A neigh-bor and I hosted a block party,and the telephone startedringing. We taught a series ofclasses at a now-defunct grillretailer, and we were off andrunning. After another success-ful series of barbecue classes, webecame Two Guys Grilling, dba.When asked to participate in a localtaste-of event, our response was yes.

This led to a request to partici-pate in a charitable golf tournament.Again, we said yes. After two years, Irealized that charitable events weredriving our retail business. Personnelchanged; I bought out the originalcofounder and brought in MikeSwan. His background in investing,radio, and community action wasthe perfect answer. The secret ofbusiness success is surroundingyourself with people who have theskills you lack. I stepped down aspresident and named him to thepost (if you run a business, checkyour ego at the door).

We modeled Two Guys Grilling(now L.L.C.) after the guilds ofEurope, making the company a meri-tocracy that rewards performance.New personnel start as intern candi-dates. Upon approval from the pitcrew, they can become interns. Atthe next level, they can becomeapprentice candidates, then appren-tices, pit masters, and so forth. Allpersonnel are asked to participate incharitable events (without compen-sation). This alone will cull the herd,and the dedicated will rise to thechallenge. They are there becausethey want to give back to the com-munity and succeed in their careers.

We recruit from culinaryschools, the International CulinarySchool at The Art Institute ofCalifornia, and community colleges.Recruiting from high schools withculinary departments has yieldedless helpful results.

All this leads to our cause-market-ing program. Due to our involve-ment with organizations like theWounded Warrior Project,

Community SeniorServ (the peoplewho prepare the food for Meals onWheels), the NFL AlumniAssociation, Playboy Golf, and TimBrown/Kathy Ireland events, ourcharitable efforts have rewardedTwo Guys Grilling with a robustretail business in a difficult economy.

The golden triangle of marketinginvolves the joint efforts of an equip-ment manufacturer or retailer, a non-profit television/radio station, and asuccessful caterer. The manufactureror retailer supplies and maintainsthe equipment needed for foodpreparation. The nonprofit televi-sion/radio station supplies promo-tion, in the form of public-serviceannouncements, for the equipmentand catering components. The cater-er provides food to support thefund-raising efforts of the nonprofittelevision/radio station. Completingthe cycle is the equipment manufac-turer or retailer, who supplies salespersonnel to serve food at the fund-raising events.

We are currently seeking a newgrill sponsor. KSBR FM (MissionViejo, California) is our nonprofitradio station. Two Guys Grilling com-pletes the triangle. Careful planningand cooperation will result in allthree interests gaining from thealliance. This formula has provenvery successful and advantageous forall parties involved.

Another component to consideradding would be the participation offood and drink suppliers—compa-nies like KAH Tequila, AquaHydrate,and Pocino Foods. Charitable-eventattendees who have dined well (andimbibed a little) tend to warm uptheir checkbooks for donations.

Shameless self-promotion—viasocial networking and guerilla mar-keting—is also a necessary element

in our business plan (Two GuysGrilling has spent a total of $100 onadvertising in the eight years that ithas been in business). Sites such asFacebook and LinkedIn can produceadvantageous corporate liaisons.

Facebook can be used in severalways. On your wall, postings can bemade by various categories of sub-scribers. Happy diners’ commentsare our favorite. Under information,post your website’s URL and yourcompany’s location, hours, and serv-ices. Describe your business entity.Practice shameless self-promotion.

Under photos, set up galleries ofevents, products, services, clients,and business partners. Under events,feature your charitable, premier, andelite events by posting details abouteach one individually. Under links,make available your local advertis-ing, along with YouTube posts,radio/television clips, and print-media articles about your business.

A carefully planned marketingagenda will garner great results. TwoGuys Grilling is currently in talkswith multiple television networks tobring our series to the U.S. consumer.Look for “ARRRR Ya Hungry?” withTwo Guys Grilling in late spring orearly summer 2011.

Remember these words from1900: In “The Strenuous Life:Essays and Addresses,” TheodoreRoosevelt (1858–1919) wrote, “Farbetter it is to dare mighty things, towin glorious triumphs, even thoughcheckered with failure, than to takerank with those poor spirits whoneither enjoy much nor suffermuch, because they live in the graytwilight that knows neither victorynor defeat.”

David Biber is the founder of Two GuysGrilling, L.L.C., Dana Point, California.

causemarketingby DAVID BIBER

guest EDITORIAL

David Biber(left) andMichael Swanc







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http://www.owlee.com

Galaxy Outdoor: The Next Generation in Outdoor Kitchens


by KRIS KYES

Barbecue Industry Mournsthe Loss of Donna MyersDonna Holcomb Myers, a well-known expert inthe barbecue and grilling industry, died onJanuary 7, 2011, of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease ather home in Holmdel, New Jersey, at the age of72. For the past 35 years, Myers has been one ofthe industry’s most loyal advocates, serving as aspokesperson for manufacturers, retailers, andentrepreneurs in the outdoor-cooking field.

Myers was a trailblazer for women in thefield of public relations and marketing for the

food industry, starting her career at Theodore L.Sills (later acquired by Burson–Marsteller, thenation’s largest public-relations company). Whileat Burson–Marsteller, she worked on theagency’s Burger King account, which gave herin-depth knowledge and skills in media relationsand the culinary-arts field.

In 1979, Myers opened her own public-relationsagency, Myers CommuniCounsel (later called DHMGroup), serving clients such as Quaker, Gerber,Tropicana, Procter & Gamble, Hershey, andChiquita Brands, as well as many trade associations,including the National Dairy Board, Pork Producers

Council, and Pickle Packers International.Over the years, Myers developed a long and

close relationship with the Barbecue IndustryAssociation, which later became part of the Hearth,Patio & Barbecue Association. During this time, sheprovided marketing-communications services fornumerous individual manufacturers of barbecuegrills and accessories.

In recent years, she had worked closely withBig Green Egg to help it develop strong namerecognition within the barbecue industry. One ofher final projects (and proudest accomplishments)was helping the company develop and publish its

Bruce Spangrud, the creator/inventor of theoriginal modular outdoor island, recentlylaunched Galaxy Outdoor (Las Vegas, Nevada),which manufactures a new and improved cus-tom outdoor-kitchen system. All products builtby Galaxy Outdoor are constructed in theUnited States out of galvanized number 120, 14gauge tubing (not studs), then welded together(not screwed together).

Not only are these units more durable thancompeting products, they’re also less costly andeasier to install, the company says. GalaxyOutdoor’s product line consists of an unlimitedrange of ready-to-finish custom islands, firepits,fire tables, and other accessory items that canbe individualized to match the architecture of ahome, its landscaping, its pool/spa design, andits entertaining areas. The company also offersfree consultations for customers or dealers whoneed design advice.

One of the major attributes of the GalaxyOutdoor kitchen is that all of its componentsare custom built to customers’ specifications,and cutout openings for grills, side burners, stor-age units, doors, and other components aremade at the time of manufacturing, at no cost tocustomers.

“Even if there’s a pillar in the middle ofwhere an island is to be installed, we’ll buildaround it in sections,” Spangrud says. “Regardlessof the degree of customization, we build theoutdoor kitchen exactly to the customers’ speci-fications—straight, angled, or round islands.”

As an example, if a customer wants a 21-footisland, it can be constructed in three 7-foot sec-tions, with all the cutouts made precisely fromthe homeowner’s specifications. “These sectionsare bolted together and will self-align, so cabi-nets do not have to be held together to makesure they’re level,” Spangrud says. “There’s noother outdoor island product on the marketthat’s completely boltable and self-aligning.”

Due to Galaxy Outdoor’s streamlined order-

ing process, these next-genera-tion outdoor islands are shippedwithin 14 days of the date of pur-chase. Another unique sellingpoint is Galaxy Outdoor’s 10-yearunconditional warranty, which ishonored in all the markets thatthe company serves—including

those that receive substantial rainfall and snow. The company’s product line was recently

expanded and now includes built-in stainless-steel components, storage drawers, and units,all of which are constructed from 304 stain-less steel and feature self-closing drawerglides and high-quality, designer-style stain-less handles.

Since Galaxy Outdoor is the largest producerof custom islands in the world, it has developedmanufacturing processes that are extremelycost effective, which allows the company topass on the savings. Margins for dealers canrange from 45% to 75% when you add in the

finishing—and don’t forget that custom islandssell more stainless-steel built-in products.

Along with not charging extra for addition-al cutouts, the company does not increase thecosts when your customers choose specificbrands of appliances. “We’re not obligatinganyone to buy certain manufacturers’ prod-ucts,” Spangrud says. “These are truly 100%custom-made islands.”

Given the affordability of the GalaxyOutdoor system, demand has been verystrong, as homeowners look for less-expensiveoptions in outdoor-kitchen construction. “Ourislands are at least one-third less costly thanconventional, custom-built, stud-and-trackislands—and they cost 25% less than brick-and-mortar islands, if you figure in time, labor,and permits (and don’t forget the mess itmakes). Galaxy Outdoor kitchens don’t needpermits,” Spangrud says.

Dealers interested in representing GalaxyOutdoor Products should call (702) 448-5600or visit www.Galaxyoutdoor.com and click onthe dealer icon.

The first-ever electric-grill island by Galaxy Outdoorfeatures a Dimplex grill.

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Bruce Spangrud, founder of Galaxy Outdoor, enjoysdining in his well-appointed outdoor kitchen.

http://www.Galaxyoutdoor.com

January/February 2011 Patio & Hearth Products Report 11

“Big Green Egg Cookbook.” Myers was always pleased to share her knowl-edge and passion for outdoor cooking by contributing countless articles toindustry publications.

She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Charles L. Myers; her son and daugh-ter-in-law, Chip and Kim; and her grandson, Dylan Myers (all of Holmdel). Donationsfor the advancement of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease research may be made, in memoryof Donna Holcomb Myers, to the National Prion Disease Pathology SurveillanceCenter, 2085 Adelbert Rd., Room 419, Cleveland, OH 44106-4907.

Leisure Design Expands Its Sales TeamLeisure Design, supplier of high-quality outdoor woven furniture, recentlyappointed Michael Birg to its sales force. Birg professionally provides service toMichigan, Ohio, and Kentucky.

Mike Friedrichsen, director of U.S. sales and marketing, says, “Michael bringsmore than 22 years of industry experience to the table, and is well respected bythe dealers he serves. He called on me when I was on the retail side and is defi-nitely up to the challenge of helping us to pioneer our product line in his area.”

Birg adds, “My goal is to match my retailers not just with products, but withmanufacturers who understand the industry and the needs of both retailersand consumers. I believe that Leisure Design embodies exactly what today’smarketplace needs.”

Leisure Design also hired Corky Brown and Jeff Lynner, of KCB Associates, torepresent its lines in New Jersey, New York, and the New England states.According to Friedrichsen, “Jeff and Corky have great relationships with thedealers in their area, and they have been diligently presenting the line of stylishoutdoor woven furniture to their dealers,” beginning at the Chicago

International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™. Brown adds, “We are very excited to make this profitable, proven business

opportunity available to our network of dealers and welcome the opportunity todiscuss how it fills a unique gap in the market.”

In addition, Leisure Design hired Scott Reitz to provide service to dealersthroughout Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Friedrichsen says, “Scott brings morethan 20 years of industry experience to the table, and has covered both retail andcontract sales for companies like Brown Jordan and Tropitone.”

Leisure Design supplies a full line of outdoor woven products, including sec-tional pieces, seating, dining, and accessories. It offers domestic warehousingand quick-ship programs, and it will be introducing a custom special-order pro-gram in the spring.

Colorado Helps Fund Earth’s FlameEducational EffortsThe Colorado Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) awarded Earth’sFlame, Inc., $25,000 in funding to increase awareness andexpand the use of a new, innovative product called Earth’sFlame. Additional investment is needed to promote and expandthe use of Earth’s Flame throughout Colorado, the United States, and Canada.

Funding is from the U.S. Department of Energy, through the GEO’sInnovation Funding forEnergy Efficiency (IFEE) pro-gram. The funds will be usedto help offset the cost ofadvertising in national publi-cations, demonstrating theproduct and taking salesorders at three nationaltrade shows, and developingand producing marketingand educational collateralmaterials.

The trade shows target co-ops (such as Ace Hardware and Do it Best), fire-place dealers and distributors, chimney sweeps, supply warehouses for residen-tial construction, and builders. Direct Internet sales to U.S. and Canadian resi-


Michael Birg Corky Brown Jeff Lynner Scott Reitz

http://www.hargrovegaslogs.com

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dents are included in the marketing and sales plan. Earth’s Flame is an alternative wood-burning fireplace retrofit device that

uses a log lighter in combination with a combustion-friendly and emissions-reducing fire grate. The product is designed to be used by homeowners in theirexisting fireplaces and by builders constructing new houses.

The only way to mitigate emissions and improve the efficiency of an exist-ing wood-burning fireplace is to use a retrofit device. Earth’s Flame is thatdevice, the company says. There is no other technology on the market todaythat addresses emissions and energy efficiency at the source of the flame. Allother technologies (such as filters) require maintenance and lose effectivenessover time.

The product is commercially available, patent pending, and is currently run-ning its first production line of 250 units for Ace Hardware. As demand forEarth’s Flame grows, so, too, will real, green jobs for Colorado families. 2011 isa critical year for increasing awareness and penetrating the market, and there-fore, the IFEE investment will be a significant boost.

Earth’s Flame is owned by Lisa Leighton. Her father invented the original gaslog lighter for wood-burning fireplaces more than 55 years ago. Today, Leightonruns the family business, and she has chosen to relocate Earth’s Flame fromCalifornia to Colorado.

Hart & Cooley Appoints NewMembers to Management TeamHart & Cooley, Inc., recently appointed three individu-als to its management team. Sean Steimle has beenpromoted to the position of senior vice president ofsales. Steimle will report directly to Bernard Roy, pres-ident of Hart & Cooley. In his new role, Steimle willbe responsible for all Hart & Cooley sales and cus-tomer service, including wholesale, retail, Canada,and commercial sectors. Steimle joined Hart &Cooley in September 2001 and has held various posi-tions in sales, marketing, and operations. His mostrecent position was as vice president of the commer-cial-products group.

Mark Walraven has been promoted to the positionof vice president of the company’s commercial-prod-ucts group division. Walraven will report directly toSteimle. In his new role, Walraven will be responsiblefor all Hart & Cooley brands sold through the commer-cial sales channel. Walraven joined Hart & Cooley in1997 and has held various positions in humanresources, sales, and marketing, most recently as theleader of the company’s Oracle implementation team.

Curt Monhart has been appointed to the position ofvice president of marketing. Monhart will reportdirectly to Roy. In his new role, Monhart will beresponsible for directing the marketing activities for allof Hart & Cooley. Monhart joined Hart & Cooley in2008. He has extensive HVAC marketing and salesexperience.

Hart & Cooley is a leading manufacturer of air-distri-bution and vent products for forced-air heating and air-conditioning systems. In addition, Hart & Cooley man-ufactures products for the commercial HVAC, refrigera-tion, and roofing industries.

Major products include grills, registers and diffusers, flexible ducts, gasvents, chimney systems, and commercial products (duct-system components,venting and grease ducts, equipment curbs, roof flashings, roof drains, roofhatches, and interior access doors). Founded in 1901, Hart & Cooley is head-quartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and has operations throughout theUnited States, Mexico, and Canada.

Big Green Egg Promotes Jerry StoneBig Green Egg Company has promoted Jerry Stone to the department ofcorporate sales and distributor relations, in the position of assistant salesmanager. In this newly created position, Stone will support the efforts ofBig Green Egg through a variety of initiatives and distributor-supportfunctions, along with the development of platforms to grow volume atthe distributor and dealer level. Stone will report to Lou West, sales man-ager for Big Green Egg.

Rutherford Equipment HiresTate Greely as SalesRepresentativeRutherford Equipment, celebrating its 50th yearas a wholesale distributor of hearth and barbe-cue products in the Southeast, announces thehiring of Tate Greely as sales representative inFlorida. Greely brings to the Rutherford salesteam eight years of experience in the hearthand barbecue industry.

Twin-Star International Gives Award for Top Retail-sales Performance Matt Kramer of iKeating (Minot, North Dakota) was the winner of Twin-Star International’s national sales-performance incentive program duringthe fall 2010 High Point Market.Kramer, who sold nearly 40 fire-places last year, received a$1,000 bonus prize for thisaccomplishment.

While last year’s winnershave already been announced,the sales-performance contest isstill heating up for the2010/2011 winter season. Goodluck to everyone involved. Theremight be another $1,000 bonusprize waiting for the winner nextfall, the company says.

ICFA Names NewLifetime AchievementAward Committee

The International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) has appointed a newcommittee for selecting recipients of the prestigious Lifetime AchievementAward. The Lifetime Achievement Award was created by the casual-furnitureindustry in 2002 to recognize and honor individuals who have made exempla-

Independent studies estimate that the 38 million households in the UnitedStates with fireplaces emit a total of 70,000 tons of harmful pollutants everyyear. The source of these pollutants has not gone unnoticed, as fireplaces arebeing banned (or their use is being limited) across the United States. Earth’sFlame™ has introduced a hybrid grate for wood-burning fireplaces that isthe cleanest-burning retrofit in the open-hearth industry, eliminating up to7.2 tons of fireplace particulate emissions for every 1,000 fireplaces.

Earth’s Flame’s green attributes andinnovative qualities won the coveted2010 Vesta Green Award at HPBExpo.The award praised the product’s inno-vation in design and technology forsignificantly reducing emissions inwood-burning fireplaces.

This new, hybrid retrofit features agas-enhanced combustion system com-bined with an emissions-reducinggrate. Earth’s Flame (patent pending)can be retrofitted into almost any fire-place. The unique design addresses thethree Ts of good combustion: time,

temperature, and turbulence. Earth’s Flame starts with a Blue Flame log lighter underneath the fire

grate; it creates a rapid and sustained ignition of the wood, diminishingthe initial smoke when a fire is lit. The refractory plate above the firekeeps combustion gases in the fireplace longer, for more complete com-bustion. The refractory plate also prevents gases and particles from goingstraight up the chimney, creates turbulence, and doubles radiant heat.

Earth’s Flame Fireplace GrateReduces Pollutants by 78%

Earth’s Flame’s hybrid grate for wood-burning fireplaces received the 2010Vesta Green Award at HPBExpo.

Matt Kramer (left) receives a $1,000 bonus fromBill Caples (center), vice president of sales, Twin-Star International, and Steve Mitchell, independ-ent representative, Harrington Group.

Sean Steimle

Curt Monhart

Bernard Roy

Tate Greely


ry contributions to the industry, as wellas to their individual communities.

Rory Rehmert of Pride FamilyBrands, ICFA chair, says, “The newselection committee reflects the broadmembership within ICFA and includesindustry leaders whose longtimeinvolvement in the casual segmentlends an expertise to their participa-tion on this committee.”

The new committee includes retail-ers Petey Fleischut of CasualMarketplace and Catherine Galbreath ofABSCO Fireplace & Patio. Galbreathreceived the Lifetime AchievementAward in 2007. The committee alsoincludes manufacturers Gary McCray,president of Lane Venture, and LouRosebrock, senior vice president ofsales and marketing for Lloyd/FlandersIndustries, as well as sales representa-tive Dean Smith, owner of Dean H.Smith Associates Inc.

Sattler AG AnnouncesPlans to Acquire OutduraFrom Shuford MillsGlobal performance-textile companySattler AG, based in Graz, Austria, hasannounced plans to acquire Outdurafrom Shuford Mills. The acquisition willinclude the purchase of Shuford Mills’production operation and distributioncenter in Hudson, North Carolina.

All Shuford Mills employees will be

joining the new company. Natalie Scott,vice president of sales and marketing,casual furniture, and Jeff Jimison, vicepresident of marine and awning, willcontinue to lead Outdura brand growthin their respective segments.

C.P. Davis, CEO of Outdura, states,“We are moving from one great family(the Shufords) to another (Sattler). Ourcore values align, and we share stronglyan unmatched passion for serving ourcustomers with high-quality fabrics.Like Shuford Mills, Sattler is a multigen-eration, family company with a commit-ment to its employees and to the com-munities in which it operates. Our cus-tomers can expect Outdura to be evenmore capable of supporting their per-formance-fabric needs in the future.”

Cal Spas FurtherExpands Regional Sales-managementTeamCal Spas has announced the addition ofa seasoned regional sales manager to itsfield sales team. Kansas-based Rick Pettitjoins the Cal Spas team with 20 years ofretail and regional sales experience inthe spa industry. Pettit will be coveringthe central United States and parts ofCanada for the hot-tub giant, and hisbroad and extensive experience in thespa industry will help retailers achievesuccess in 2011 and the years to come.

Summer Classics Masters Merchandising


Understanding theimportance ofvisual merchandis-ing is key to anysuccessful busi-ness. It is in mer-chandising that amajor retailer isable to connectwith the customer.Summer Classics,manufacturer offine outdoor andgarden furnish-ings, definitelyknows how tospeak the languageof its customers. Summer Classics won the award for merchandising inthe permanent showroom at the Chicago International Casual Furniture &Accessories Market™ in September 2010.

While a 10,000–square-foot rectangular space would seem overwhelmingto any retailer, Summer Classics has a unique approach to merchandisingthat seems to work well in any space. As Harold Hudson, vice president ofsales and marketing, explains it, “We take this large space and divide it intoseveral small areas, or vignettes, in order to showcase our furniture best. Ourdesigners do an outstanding job of taking each one of the furniture lines andcoordinating the fabrics and accessories to create a look or feeling that helpsthe customer visualize the furniture in his or her own space.”

Hudson also points out what a great incentive this is for SummerClassics dealers—because they are able to imagine how the products willlook in their own locations, and which lines might appeal most to theirparticular customers. In addition to winning the 2010 award for mer-chandising on a wholesale level, Summer Classics won the Casual LivingMerchandising Award for its retail stores for the fourth year in a row.

Summer Classics’ Equestrian line

http://www.rhpeterson.com


2010 International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo Makes a SplashIndustry professionals recently packed the Bayside Halls at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas,Nevada, for the 2010 International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo, one of the industry’s most trusted sources for leading-edge products, education, and networking.

Gold medalist Michael Phelps conducted the official ribbon-cutting duties to open the show (November 3–5);the educational conference was held from October 31 through November 5. Phelps spent two hours signingautographs, visiting with attendees, and promoting his new signature line of swim spas by Master Spas.

Total attendance was 9,255, a 1.5% increase over the 2009 show. Attendees included pool/spa builders andinstallers, retailers, service companies, landscape architects, design agencies, and manufacturers. Lindsay Roberts,director of the show, says, “We are very pleased with the number of attendees and with the enthusiasm theybrought to the buying and selling activity on the show floor.”

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In light of sustained double-digitgrowth over the past five years,Tervis Tumbler Company hasestablished an executive officeof the president and added BarryWolfson as president and CEO.Laura Spencer, the current presi-dent and CEO, was named CFO.Wayne Varnadore was promotedto COO (from vice president ofoperations), and Rich Kaplanwas promoted to chief sales andmarketing officer (from vicepresident of sales and market-ing). The announcement camefrom Norbert Donelly, chair.

Tervis Reorganizes to Manage Double-digit Growth


Barry Wolfson Laura Spencer Wayne Varnadore Rich Kaplan

http://www.bradfordlifestyles.com



Cast Classics ExpandsIts Sales TeamThe Cast Classics family proudly wel-comes Bob Hansaard to its valuedsales team. Hansaard has worked inthe Central and South Texas territoryfor the past 23 years, helping hisclients grow their businesses success-fully with midrange to high-end homefurnishings. Bob has a business degreefrom University of Houston and haslived in Texas his entire life, settling inAustin for the past 25 years. He isaccompanied in the business by hisson, Jay Hansard.

Groovystuff Teams UpWith The Art Instituteof Las VegasGroovystuff (Dallas, Texas), a manu-facturer of unique home furnishingsand accents produced fromreclaimed teak, has partnered withThe Art Institute of Las Vegas,Nevada, in a design challenge thatgives students real-world experience,a chance to earn royalties on a suc-cessful design, and a reason tochoose the home-furnishings indus-try after graduation.

Chris Bruning, cofounder ofGroovystuff, says, “We need toembrace these talented young stu-

dents from across the country andencourage them to seek a career inthe home-furnishings industry. If weare going to appeal to generation Xand generation Y consumers, weneed designers with a fresh, youngperspective.”

Thirteen students from the InteriorDesign, Graphic Design, and DraftingTechnology & Design programs par-ticipated in the Groovystuff designchallenge in fall 2010 and debutedtheir final class projects at the LasVegas Market™ in January 2011.

Patio & HearthProducts Report toConduct Retailer Panelat HPBExpoAs part of this year’s educational pro-gram at HPBExpo, Patio & HearthProducts Report will be holding aretailer-panel discussion, entitled“Grilling Your Way to Success,” onFriday, March 4. This informative pro-gram will feature a question-and-answer session with David Backs ofAll Seasons Gas Grill & Fireside Shop(Bowling Green, Kentucky); BrianBrooks of Top of the Ozarks Hearth &Grill (Marshfield, Missouri); DavidBiber of Two Guys Grilling (DanaPoint, California); Jim Cattey of Smoke

N’ Fire (Kansas City, Missouri); HenrikStepanyan of Barbeques Galore(Carlsbad, California); and StuartMcDonald of Pristine Pools and Spas(Boise, Idaho). These top-notch retail-

ers and barbecue aficionados willshare real-life experiences on howthey organize barbecue/grilling eventsto increase business and exposure fortheir stores.

Hearth & Home Technologies Inc., the world’s leading provider of fireplaces,inserts, and stoves, will be exhibiting at the 2011 HPBExpo, which will takeplace at the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City,Utah, on March 2–5.

Jeni Forman, vice president of dealer marketing for Hearth & HomeTechnologies, says that HPBExpo “is the one and only time each year when ourentire industry comes together under one roof. It provides a wonderful venuefor making connections with many of our customers, face to face. For the 2011show, we have a fun, interactive booth planned that will showcase our industry-leading programs and products in an exciting new way. We will also be provid-ing on-site product and sales training, and cosponsoring the all-industry party onFriday night.”

Hearth & Home Technologiesto Exhibit at HPBExpo

Follow us on Twitter: @patiohearthStay on top of the latest news and new-product

introductions/collections in the

patio, hearth, barbecue/

grill, outdoor-kitchen, and

outdoor-living industry.

http://www.twodogsdesigns.com


n industry mainstay for thepast 20 years, Exhausto Inc.,

one of the leading suppliersof economical and environmentallysustainable ventilation and exhaust sys-tems, is getting a new name and look.Exhausto—a name that has becomesynonymous with exhaust fans—became ENERVEX on January 1, 2011.

Gitte P. Hagensen, executive vicepresident of the company (based inRoswell, Georgia), says, “We used to doonly exhaust fans, and now, we’vespread out to do many more things;the name isn’t who we are any more.ENERVEX represents the variety ofproducts we offer today much better.”

Exhausto, 20 years ago, was allabout exhaust fans. Today, it offers avariety of products, from heat-recoverysystems to venting for fireplaces, boil-ers, and water heaters, in addition tobathroom and kitchen ventilation.“We’re also the largest U.S. supplier ofpizza-oven fans,” Hagensen adds. Withso many products under the compa-ny’s roof, the Exhausto name provedtoo limiting—and what better time toreassess a name than on the compa-ny’s anniversary, which was commem-orated on November 8, 2010.

A U.S. SUCCESS STORYThe story of its founding is a U.S.

success story. Hagensen and her hus-band, Steen, had moved to the UnitedStates from Denmark after he accept-ed a U.S. job. Steen used to work for acompany that listed Exhausto, a manu-facturer of exhaust fans in Denmark,among its clients.

Exhausto approached Gitte andasked her if she would be interestedin selling the company’s chimney fans

in the United States. She agreed, andshe started importing and selling resi-dential chimney fans to chimneysweeps and fireplace stores through-out the United States from a sparebedroom in her house.

A year later, the business was sosuccessful that Steen came on board,and the company added commercialproducts to the mix. Today, Steen is thecompany’s president and CEO; thecompany employs 20 people in itsheadquarters and has its own officesin Boston,Massachusetts;Chicago, Illinois;Dallas, Texas; andSan Francisco andLos Angeles, California. In the UnitedStates, 54 companies represent theproducts, and they are sold through 15wholesalers.

It’s not surprising that the namechange was a natural evolutionspurred by the company’s incrediblegrowth. ENERVEX is an acronym thatstands for just about everything thatthe company does. ENER representsenergy, V stands for ventilation, E is forexhaust, and X stands for heatexchange.

“When we had our 20th anniver-sary, it was natural to think of wherewe started, where we’re going, andhow fast the time went,” Hagensensays. “We believe the new name betterreflects who we are now and what weare doing, going forward.”

It has been a long, interesting jour-ney—from a bedroom startup to acompany with annual sales of about$10 million, at last count. Its successis something of which Hagensen canbe extremely proud. She says, “I just

learned as I went, and then we diver-sified. I stayed with the residentialbusiness, and my husband took onthe commercial side.”

Hagensen recalls that when theystarted out, selling chimney fanswas an uphill battle. She says,“There was no such thing as achimney fan in the United States.We introduced the concept, and wehad to explain its benefits. Therewas a lot of resistance becausethere had been no need for

mechanicalventing.Convincingsomeone toput a fan

on the chimney was a big step.” The company’s new name will be

promoted at HPBExpo in Salt LakeCity, Utah, in March 2011 using anadvertising campaign that culmi-nates in a Smart-car giveaway. Thecar will be the grand prize awardedto the lucky person whose entry isdrawn from those correctly givingthe company’s new name. Entrieswill be accepted at the company’sbooth and online atwww.enervex.com.

At the website, visitors can see forthemselves the new name and every-thing that the company does. There isalso a link to the residential side ofthe business, which is at www.chim-neyfans.com.

Other than giving the company afresh outward look, the name changewill not change how business isdone. “We will continue with thesame ownership, same products,same people, and same service,”Hagensen notes.

NEW PRODUCTSThe name change won’t be the

only news at HPBExpo. ENERVEX alsoplans to introduce the FDDS, its fire-place fan damper system. Hagensenalso hints that the company will beintroducing other products, in thefuture, that offer cleaner emissions orthat are more energy efficient. Anynew green products will only rein-force the company’s tagline: Greenbefore green was in, it states.

Hagensen explains the company’senvironmental message this way:“Europe is far ahead of us, in theUnited States, in being concernedabout the environment—so our prod-ucts have been green for many, manyyears. We’ve been green from the get-go. The way the product is manufac-tured in Denmark is green; 70% of ourproducts are made of recycled alu-minum, and our motors are energyefficient,” she says.

With the name change in effect,ENERVEX is making some otherchanges to prepare for a changingof the guard in the future. TheHagensens’ son, Christian, has head-ed the company’s Chicago officefor the past four years. He has nowrelocated to the company’s head-quarters and is on track to follow a15-year plan that will prepare himto take over as CEO, leaving his par-ents free to retire.

“Other than that, our plan is tostay on the path that we are on,”Hagensen says. “We’re not going tochange a lot. We’ll keep on doingwhat we do best: giving great serviceand improving our products (andhow they are used) while introduc-ing new products.”

corporate PROFILE

ENERVEX

From left, back row: Young Han, Andreas Hansen, John Altiere,Brian Colucci, Karl Coleman, Joey Bunnelle, and HowardThomas; middle row: Jason Lawya, Carianne Louw, Lisa Acuff,Jackie Keniley, Dianne Rollins, Heidi Hansen, and PhillipCannon; seated: Gitte Hagensen, Steen Hagensen, PeterHansen, and Cassie, the company’s mascot.

Exhausto has changed its name to ENERVEX to reflect a greater depth of product offerings. by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

is unveileda

ENERVEX isintroducing theFDDS fireplacefan damper system.

http://www.enervex.com

http://www.chim-neyfans.com




http://www.galaxyoutdoor.com


t one time, a brick fireplace and mantelwere considered contemporary; as timeschange, so does the definition of contem-

porary style. What was a contemporary fireplacedesign five years ago might well be passé now.What defines the contemporary fireplace in 2011?

Jeni Forman says, “No limits, I guess, is how Iwould describe it.” Forman is vice president ofdealer marketing for Hearth & Home Technologies(Lakeville, Minnesota). “Sure, there are the morecommon landscape-style fireplaces with ribbonburners, but now, we are seeing more and morevariations in shapes, media, and flame patterns,”she says.

Mike Pennington, director of research anddevelopment for Lennox Hearth Products(Nashville, Tennessee), agrees. Because contempo-rary design incorporates so many possibilities,Pennington offers a checklist of characteristics,

noting that today’s modern fireplaces:• incorporate a broad scope of designs and

tastes, encompassing everything from traditionalinfluences to those that might be consideredavant-garde;

• make creative use of various media types andof nontraditional fuels;

• feature exaggerated shapes, sizes, and aspectratios, such as elongated rectangular openings; and

• emphasize a more minimalist design.Despite the sea of available contemporary

styles, Pennington notes, there is no clear, lastingdominant feature, in terms of a fire interpretation.With all of these variables to consider, the home-owner who wants to stay ahead of the curvewould be hard-pressed to decide what type ofcontemporary fireplace design offers the mostlongevity.

This is where kits come in, Dave Ivey suggests.Ivey, who is national sales manager for Canada forMonessen Hearth Systems Company (MHSC),Paris, Kentucky, says that contemporary fireplacesformerly got their look from their shapes anddesign faces.

“Now, the biggest trend I see is the standard

look with contemporary options. We have oneplatform that is traditional—but add a rock kit orlight kit, and it can look contemporary. Five or sixyears ago, there were architectural differences.Now, the fireplace is traditional, but it can be cus-tomized with contemporary options,” he says.

Chris Green, general manager of KingsmanFireplaces (Winnipeg, Manitoba), concurs. He says,“We’re seeing a shift to modifying traditionalwood-burning products with a gas unit—andinstead of logs, using contemporary elements likerocks. I see this particularly among people whoare renovating homes with traditional fireplaces.”

THE LATEST TAKETo keep up with the evolving sense of what

constitutes a contemporary fireplace, manufactur-ers have been staying busy. MHSC added a 42-inchsee-through fireplace and a new 60-inch wide-view linear Echelon to its Majestic line. The newadditions round out the line, which now includes42-, 50-, and 60-inch fireplaces.

In addition, the company has made contempo-rary kits available for its Solitaire 300. These givethe consumer options for personalizing the

A

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chic choicesToday’s contemporary

fireplace designs lend an

artistic flair to any room.

by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

design, includinga halogen lightingkit with a brightwhite light thatshines up fromthe bottom and,as Ivey says, “cre-ates a greateffect, reflecting

off the glass.”Also new is the

Pearl designer fireplace line, which nowincludes a peninsula unit, as well as see-through and corner fireplaces (in rightand left versions). Each fireplace comeswith contemporary options, includinglight and rock kits.

Implementation of the SignatureCommand system through the wholescope of fireplaces is another innovationat MHSC. “We’ve built in a remote systemso you can turn lights off and on, andcontrol the intensity of lights, all fromthe remote. It is something we’re leadingthe industry in right now,” Ivey says.

Rob Sidoroff, sales manager for

Town & Country/Pacific EnergyFireplace Products (Duncan, BritishColumbia), reports that Town &Country has been working at “provid-ing the basis for designers and archi-tects to create their own contempo-rary designs using our many choices ofburners, liners, and shapes of product.Going forward, we will be introducingeven more design options, based ontrends we see emerging.”

Lennox Hearth Products’ Radium,Scandium and X-Fires catalytic vent-freegas fireplaces continue to be on thecutting edge in this category. “Theyhang on the wall, just like a plasma tele-vision, and aren’t just modern looking:The clean-burning catalytic-combustionprocess actually cleans the room air asthe units burn at nearly100% efficiency,”Pennington says. “Withso many design optionsin this category, we areconsidering some inter-esting new ideas for

the future.”At Hearth & Home Technologies,

both Heat & Glo and Heatilator have avariety of contemporary fireplaceoptions. One recent addition to the Heat& Glo lineup is the Solaris. “The Solarisis truly revolutionary,” Forman says,adding that it can be built into a wallthat was framed using 2x6-inch lumber.

Available in two models, “The Solaris36-ST features a single flame thatspreads across the center of the fire-place, creating the appearance of beingsuspended in midair. The other model,the Solaris 36-MR, is outfitted with LEDlighting and mirrored glass, creating adramatic illusion of many flames movinginto infinity,” she says.

Also new to Heat & Glo are the

RED40 and RED60. REDstands for rectangularEuropean design, and 40and 60 represent the linearlengths (in inches) of eachmodel. “These modern, lin-ear fireplaces give con-sumers a custom feel byproviding a dramatic state-ment, with nearly endlessrefractory and mediaoptions,” Forman explains.

In addition, Heat & Glo’s6000 and 8000 fireplacelines have been relaunchedusing the same core firebox,

but with major upgrades to the interiorthat “create the perfect combination offlame, glow, and lighting,” Forman says.

Napoleon Fireplaces has just signedoff on its Plazmafire, a new linear fire-place that is “essentially wall hung,”according to David Coulson, nationalmanager of advertising at Wolf SteelLtd./Napoleon Appliance Corp. (Barrie,Ontario). Plazmafire comes in answer tothe trend of putting fireplaces into non-traditional rooms. “Of all fireplaces, 80%to 90% are in the living or dining room,but sometimes, you want one in the bed-room or bathroom,” Coulson says.

The Plazmafire can go almost any-where. “It is a direct-vent fireplace; yourun the gas up between the studs, andyou mount the fireplace right to the

wall.” It is similar, Coulsonsays, to an electric fireplacethat is hung right on top ofthe wall. “The installation pos-sibilities are endless. These areeasier installations for condosand for rooms that have a lotof venting issues,” he says.

Also new is NapoleonFireplaces’ linear line ofTorch fireplaces, which rangeup to 50 inches in size. Thenewest entry is only 12 inch-es wide, but it is three feettall and is “the only oneapproved for the bathroom,”Coulson says. “Five to sevenyears ago, fireplaces were all36- or 42-inch boxes with logsets and different brick pat-

terns. It was a box.”He adds, “They looked good, but they

were all a square design. Now, with dif-ferent installation possibilities, designs,and sizes—long and horizontal, tall andvertical, plus arch designs that are smallenough to fit in a smaller area—anythinggoes. With Plazmafire, you can hang afireplace just about anywhere.”

Kingsman Fireplaces is planning twointroductions for the first quarter of2011. One is a new 36-inch linear fire-place being added to its Infinite series,which already includes 42- and 60-inchunits. All three sizes are available in sin-gle- or double-sided versions. “There’snothing but fire when you look at it. It is


Page 18, top: Monessen Hearth SystemsCompany’s Serenade see-through fireplace canbe installed between two interior rooms orbetween the interior and exterior of the house.

Page 18, bottom left: Town & Country’s WS54widescreen fireplace provides a generous viewof the flames.

Page 18, bottom center: Heat & Glo’s RED60;its name stands for rectangular Europeandesign in a 60-inch size.

Left: Napoleon’s Torch GT8 is an ultramodern,direct-vent fireplace with a slim, single-flamedesign.

Bottom: As Lennox Hearth Products’ Radiumand X-Fires catalytic, vent-free gas fireplacesburn (at an efficiency of nearly 100%), theyclean the room’s air.

Bottom inset: New to Kingsman Fireplaces’Infinite series is a 36-inch linear model.


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just a ribbon of fire in a very simple,elongated viewing area,” Green says.

Also new is the Capella, a clean, mod-ern burner system that allows home-owners to use rocks (instead of logs) tomake a traditional fireplace more con-temporary. Other introductions includethe Cove gas fireplace—which is tall,and perfect for vertical spaces—and theSolara and Solace direct-vent gas fire-places, which can be placed almost any-where in a room.

IMPACT OF THE ECONOMYIf sales are any indication, these inno-

vations are on the right track.Contemporary fireplace designs haveheld their own (and, in some cases, pros-pered), despite the sagging economy.

“I think the contemporary productshave survived the economic challengesbetter than expected,” Forman says.“There are enough contemporary optionsavailable on the market for them to spana wider variety of price points. While thehigher-end products have been affected,the demand for the midrange-priceditems is still holding strong.”

Sidoroff says, “I’m sure the economyhas had an impact, but not nearly asmuch as it has had on mainstream prod-ucts. Design-forward people who areattracted to contemporary products areused to spending what it takes to achievethe look they want. They understand that

it costs more to achieve good design.”Pennington adds, “Contemporary

style has probably not fallen prey to eco-nomic challenges as much as more tradi-tional designs have, simply due to moreinterest/curiosity in the general cus-tomer base. Even though it has beenemerging for several years, contempo-rary design is still very new and fresh toa large segment of buyers.”

Green suggests that contemporaryfireplace designs might well have helpedmany manufacturers and dealersthrough tough economic times. “If youdidn’t have some of the more modernand contemporary product lines, youmight be hurting worse,” he says.

Ivey agrees, and he feels that dealershave also benefited from the contempo-rary kits that MHSC introduced duringthe downturn. “You can start with oneunit and go to different looks. Dealerscan reduce inventory and just stock thedifferent options,” he says. The dealer canstock a single box, as a platform; if it’s tra-ditional, buyers can use it as is, “or theycan have different colored glass, rocks,and so on, to get the maximum numberof looks out of one box,” Ivey adds.

GOING THE EXTRA MILEEven sizzling contemporary designs

that are ahead of the curve will only geta company so far. It must still lead withsolid products and innovation.

“Since its inception, Heat & Glo hasled the industry in product innovation,”Forman says. “In the 1980s, when Heat& Glo introduced direct-vent gas tech-nology, the industry was changed forev-er. Ever since then, Heat & Glo has con-stantly been pushing the envelope, interms of designing products that meetconsumer demand—as well as stretch-ing the imagination in what’s possible ina hearth product.”

Lennox Hearth Products is also com-mitted to product development. “We aretaking a new look at this market andleveraging a wealth of general designand application experience from ourparent company, Lennox International,which is well versed in the art and sci-ence of providing comfort to all mannerof consumers,” Pennington says.

He continues, “Further, our pool ofglobal research/development personneland facilities offers an unparalleled abili-ty to design, analyze, and innovate.Beyond the fundamental capabilities inmechanical, combustion, and thermaldesign, the Lennox team has outstandingdepth in controls, indoor air quality, relia-bility, and industrial design.”

Combining these Lennox globalresources with a new research/develop-ment team in Nashville, “Lennox HearthProducts is poised to deliver uniqueand differentiated products, with mini-mum time to market and maximum

value,” Pennington adds. “Our newteam has great insight into this marketand embraces the exciting prospects ofproviding must-have fireside productsof all types.”

Green says that Kingsman Fireplaces’advantage is exclusivity. “We brought outour modern collection for the specialtyhearth dealers, and we’re protecting themnow by not overpopulating other dealers.That’s the strength of our Marquis collec-tion. We’re only selling it to specialtyhearth dealers, and at the end of the day,they are the ones selling the product intorenovations,” he reports.

FUTURE DESIGNSOverall, the future seems bright for

contemporary designs. “I think the con-temporary portion of the hearth indus-try is growing,” Ivey says. Adding to itsgrowth is the combination strategy ofblending contemporary with traditionalstyles. “You don’t need to have a futuris-tic white house for a contemporary fire-place to fit in,” he adds.

In short, contemporary design is foreveryone. “It has become accessible tothe masses,” Sidoroff concludes. “Thebasic elements of contemporary designhave not changed since Frank LloydWright put his uniquely U.S. influenceon it. The people who are drawn to itrealize there is a fine line between whatis acceptable and what is great.”



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wickerandmore

rom Sunshine Wicker and Design’s beautiful, award-winningshowroom in Pompano Beach, Florida, Mary LaManto not onlyassists clients in furnishing their South Florida homes, but alsoroutinely decorates the Caribbean vacation homes of customers

located throughout the country. While working with island clients is alarge part of LaManto’s job, it is just a portion of a broad range of prod-ucts and services that Sunshine Wicker and Design offers its clients.

Started by Ray LeFebvre, who began the business in 1981 by sellingwicker baskets at local flea markets, Sunshine Wicker and Design hasgrown to offer a wide selection of wicker and rattan furniture piecesand accessories, with an emphasis on tropical and coastal design. In2005, LaManto and her husband, Carl, purchased the business.

They added 2,000 square feet to the existing 5,000–square-footshowroom to accommodate an increase in outdoor-furniture offerings.In 2008, the couple moved the store to another 8,000–square-footshowroom about two miles away; it has an attached warehouse, whichhas helped to streamline operations.

SHOWROOM AND SERVICE SHINESunshine Wicker and Design was a 2010 award winner (for best use

of accessories in the single-store category) in the 10th annual CasualLiving Merchandising Awards. The store was noted for having a varietyof themes, patterns, and color combinations and for creating an attrac-tive mixture of accessories (without looking overdone). “The store isdecorated to the nines, yet is very clean and laid out in such a way thatit is a pleasure to walk through,” Mary LaManto says.

Sunshine Wicker and Design specializes in offering an array of finefurniture and accessories for every room of the house. For the interior,customers find sectionals, sofas, and all types of seating, as well as home-office furniture, dining tables, buffets, entertainment centers, and bed-room groups. Ample options in deep seating, lounging, and dining areavailable for the outdoor room.

LaManto has high standards regarding what products she places onthe showroom floor. She focuses on midrange to high-end price points,making some slight adjustments to that business model when the econ-omy warrants. “The last couple of years have been a bit more challeng-ing, so we did introduce some introductory price points, but we stillmaintained that level of quality that we demand. If I won’t put a prod-uct in my own home, I won’t put it in the showroom,” LaManto says.

The store carries some of the best brands in the casual industry,including Lane Venture, Ebel, Ratana, NorthCape International,Whitecraft, Windward, and Braxton Culler. LaManto comments that apopular trend that she sees in the outdoor casual market is movement.“We have so many vendors that are offering gliders, swivel gliders, orrecliners; people love anything that moves,” she says.

In addition, she is noticing that more customers are replacing theiroutdoor dining sets with deep seating pieces. All-weather wicker is alsogaining ground each year, especially in Florida. “People here are con-cerned with how a piece is going to hold up in the climate, and out-door-wicker furniture does very well,” LaManto says.

The LaMantos believe in taking a service- and solution-orientedapproach to doing business. One of the owners (or Carl’s brother, Joe,

f

Left: Sunshine Wicker and Design’saward-winning showroom features avast selection of high-quality wickerand rattan furniture and accessoriesfor every room of the house, bothindoors and outside.

Below: Originally established in1981, Sunshine Wicker and Designwas purchased by Carl and MaryLaManto in 2005.

Sunshine Wicker and Design offers a wide mix of tropical, casual, and comfortable designs. by KIMBERLY RODGERS photography by MIKE ZIMMERMAN

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who also works in the business) is always on the floorto extend a verbal warm welcome personally to every-one who comes into the showroom.

“We immediately establish that this is a relationshipand that we are here to help. We want customers to beso overwhelmed with how well they are treated thatthey will tell all their friends and neighbors aboutus—and come back,” LaManto says. She also believesthat it is very important to educate customers so thatthey are then able to make informed decisions abouttheir purchases.

LaManto, who has a background in art and computer-aided design, provides design services for her clients,whether or not they are local. Many of her long-distancecustomers who live around the country requestLaManto’s assistance in furnishing their second homesin Florida or the Caribbean; she is able to provide themwith the same services as her local clients.

“They are all busy people, and since they live in otherstates, they can’t come to the showroom. I start by hav-ing a conversation with them on the phone to get asmuch information as I can—particularly if they have anylikes or dislikes,” LaManto says.

Customers start their furniture-selection process bybrowsing through Sunshine Wicker and Design’s web-site, which clearly displays pictures and descriptions ofcollections and accessories for every area of the house.

“I have a lot of pieces on our website, so they can tellme what types of furniture they prefer,” LaManto says.She will then narrow down the choices and begin anemail correspondence to finalize product selection.

Working from floor plans (or, sometimes, only meas-urements) she is able to take these clients through theinterior-design process, from furniture selection toplacement, without ever having to leave her computer.“Once the frames and finishes are chosen, then weshow them the accent tables, accessories, lamps, andrugs,” she says. “I take them through the process step bystep, so it’s not overwhelming.”

STAYING STRONGLaManto comments that the timing of the company’s

move to a different location in 2008 wasn’t optimal (inlight of the state of the economy), but in retrospect, thenew site brought in fresh business. “There was a lot ofcuriosity from people who thought we were a brandnew store and didn’t realize we had just moved fromdown the road. Now, we are on a busier street, so we aregetting a lot more walk-in traffic,” she says.

The company saw a slight drop in normal activity dur-ing the recession, but did not experience a serious hit tobusiness, LaManto says. No major adjustments weremade, and the company was able to maintain its entirestaff. She comments that the down economy made the

company take a good look at every aspect of the businessand eliminate the elements that were not working.“Coming out of it, I think it made us a lot better,” she says.

“When we took over the business, there was atremendous amount of telephone-directory advertising,”LaManto says. “We knew we had to make some adjust-ments, but decided to take a watchful approach beforemaking any changes.” Over the past five years, LaMantohas gradually decreased telephone-directory commit-ments, redirecting those advertising dollars to newspa-per display advertising.

The company does not use radio or television adver-tising, but it does pay special attention to the broad reachof the Internet. Increasingly, the company has focused onits website, making sure that it is well designed and easyfor potential customers to find on search engines. “It’s anongoing effort and something that you can never stoppaying attention to,” LaManto says.

Since Sunshine Wicker and Design offers furnish-ings for both indoors and outdoors, there is a lot ofcrossover between the two segments. Indoor lines arestill the majority of the company’s business, but theoutdoor market is growing at a healthy rate. “Whilethere was always outdoor furniture in the store, wereally started to focus on it in 2006, and each year, thenumbers are starting to get closer. Outdoors is not toofar behind anymore,” LaManto says.

The past two years have been very goodones, in many ways, for Erwin & Sons

Direct Imports, Inc. Erik Dych, vice president,says, “The downturn in the economy causedus to focus on our business and our produc-tivity, as well as the direction we were head-ing. We’ve been able to review and stream-line a lot of day-to-day operations, makingourselves a much stronger company in thelong run.”

The 27–year-old, family-owned company,based in Woodstock, Georgia, began in theindoor-furniture industry, importing handcraft-ed-rattan seating and bedroom furnishings,handpainted cabinetry, and metalwork. It hassince continued to widen its high-qualityindoor offerings to include marble and granitesink vanities.

In the late 1990s, however, Jim Erwin,founder and president, saw tremendouspotential for all-weather resin wicker, and hepioneered its introduction to the market. “Westarted out offering midrange to high-enditems at a competitive price. This establishedour identity in the marketplace,” Dych says.

Today, at every price point, Erwin & Sonscontinues to lead the industry by providing itscustomers with premium-quality products infashion-forward designs and finishes—withsuperior customer service before, during, andafter the sale. As a direct-container importer,the company offers its vast network of dealersand distributors a wide array of value-drivenproducts.

“We have all types of dealers—frompool/patio to landscape, high-end hardware,boutique casual, and full-line retailers—eachwith unique needs. Our assortment of styles

and price points helps to fill those needs,”Dych explains.

For that reason, Erwin & Sons has continuedto diversify, with over 25 outdoor collections ofseating, dining, and lounging furniture in wickerand cast aluminum, in addition to Lightweights™

mosaic-stone tabletops and the company’snewest addition, Wonderwood™ faux-woodseating groups and Adirondack chairs.

“Another critical benefit to our dealers isthe option to mix a number of different all-weather collections within a single container,”Dych says. “Tailoring their order in this wayallows them amazing control over inventory.”

Strong sellers include the timeless styles ofthe company’s Homecoming, Rejuvenate,Daydream, and Refresh collections. “We havea number of go-to items that are priced verywell and are solid, proven sellers for our distrib-utors. Our goal is to keep adding to those,”Dych says.

Several new groups are becoming best sell-ers as well; these include the Relax, FourSeasons, and Rendezvous collections. All comewith Leisureluxe™cushions and pillows, customordered in over 200 fabrics from Sunbrella®,Outdura®, SolarCone®, Richloom Solarium®,Waverly®, and other manufacturers.

Erwin & Sons recently rolled out some of itshighest-end wicker lines ever. “We are goingfor the top of the customer base out there,rivaling high-end manufacturers at very com-petitive prices,” Dych says. These new collec-tions are deeper and larger in size, and theyfeature special weave patterns and finishesthat are exclusive to each set.

For example, the sophisticated designs ofthe Relax and Four Seasons groups feature a

braided weave with a multitude of blended col-ors, creating a fresh, new look. Both groupshave been very well received.

Rendezvous, along with the also-newRiviera group, features transitional and con-temporary design; both are good examples ofthe company’s recent expansion into othercategories. “We have worked hard to comeup with extraordinary styles at good pricepoints. They have both gotten a lot of atten-tion,” Dych says.

With Erwin & Sons, quality is never compro-mised. “Every collection we sell is contract wor-thy. Whether you compare the quality of resinextrusion, the thickness of aluminum fames, orthe 360-degree welding, our products canstand up to any of the others,” Dych says.

The future of the company is exciting, headds. “We are working on quite a few newproduct offerings for next year. We are notfocused on how to be the largest—just thebest. Our research/development is set on inno-vation and on keeping our niche as a solid,well-rounded manufacturer that is responsiveto our customer base,” Dych says.

Erwin & Sons has a solid footing with itsdiverse group of dealers and distributors locat-ed throughout the United States (includingPuerto Rico) and Canada; much of its contin-ued success can be directly tied to listening tothe needs of its customers and to providingthem with excellent service.

“We have a loyal and long-term customerbase and a lot of people who trust us, believein us, and know us very well; 90% of our cus-tomers—from day one are—still with us. Idon’t think many manufacturers can claimthat,” Dych says.

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One of Erwin & Sons’ newestcollections, Rendezvous, hasbecome a popular seller.

The new Relax collection fromErwin & Sons features a braidedweave with a multitude ofblended colors.

The Retreat group comeswith plush Leisureluxe™

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hearth RETAILER

he Fireplace Center & Patio Shop isone of the largest and best known fire-

place and patio retailers in Canada. Fromits impressive 11,000–square-foot showroomfloor (merchandised using the latest outdoorproducts) to its professional staff, the 59–year-old family business has become a landmark inits hometown of Ottawa, Ontario.

Andy Cotnam, president and general manag-er, is the son of the company’s founder, CliftonCotnam. The younger Cotnam is proud of howfar the business has come, and he continues tomove it forward into 2011 with forethought,enthusiasm, and a focus on customers.

In 1952, Clifton Cotnam began the busi-ness by selling aluminum awnings in Ottawa.A few years later, he diversified by adding pre-fabricated homes and cottages (all of whichhad fireplaces) and started doing business asColonial Homes. In the mid-1960s, hebranched out even further when he broughtin prefabricated, insulated metal chimneys by

Majestic Thulman, as well as Ashley woodstoves and a number of fireplaces.

Over time, the fireplace segment grew, andit became a very profitable part of his busi-ness—so much so, in fact, that in 1975,Clifton’s brother, Stephen, opened a secondlocation nearby as a fireplace center. Theyeventually brought in patio furniture and grillsto supplement the fireplace business, and thatwas the beginning of The Fireplace Center &Patio Shop.

Today, the Cotnams have phased outColonial Homes to focus on the specialtyhearth and patio business. They run two suc-cessful retail locations (in West and EastOttawa) and a distribution department forwholesale products (Advanced Prefabs, Ltd.),in addition to supplying and installing fire-places for custom residential new-home con-struction in Ottawa. “We feel that we have theperfect mix with our three departments,”Andy Cotnam says.

t

Top: The Fireplace Center & PatioShop has created a strong brandthat resonates with customers whoexpect product selection, quality,and service.

Bottom: There is nothing ordinaryabout the displays and productsfound on The Fireplace Center &Patio Shop's showroom floor.

For more than half a century, The Fireplace Center & Patio Shopin Ottawa has been the go-to store for fireplaces and outdoorproducts. by SHARON SANDERS photography by CYNTHIA MÜNSTER

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GROWING THE BRANDOver the past five years, the Cotnam family has

made some strategic decisions that have broughtThe Fireplace Center & Patio Shop to the next levelin terms of visibility and branding. They expandedtheir West Ottawa retail store (making it one of thelargest of its kind in Canada); put up high-profile

signs; and created alarge outdoor-liv-ing display area, infront of the store,that has significant-ly raised its visibili-ty from the street.

“We are locatedon the second mosttraveled east/westthoroughfare in thecity (with an averageof 40,000 cars per

day), and one can’t drive by the store without noticing it.I thought the store was busy before, but now, our park-ing lot is never empty,” Cotnam says. The company hastaken full advantage of the space in the large front court-yard area by building a gorgeous deck, shade structures,a pergola, and an outdoor kitchen.

The Cotnams also park their signature 1950 brightyellow Chevrolet Suburban on the front driveway. Thevintage truck is a staple in local parades and at golftournaments and other community events. “We havebecome known for our vehicles, whether those areour branded delivery trucks or our classic Suburban,”Cotnam adds.

The Cotnams have also expanded The FireplaceCenter & Patio Shop’s online presence. In 2010, theyhired an Internet marketing consultant to redo the

company’s website, changing it from a mediocre sitethat was designed and run by a family member into aslick, professional sales/marketing tool.

“In today’s Internet age, a company’s website is theface of its business because people will check out thesite before they even visit the store. It has to reflect theimage one wants to portray to the public,” Cotnamexplains. He is also preparing to go live on Facebook andTwitter. He adds, “I’m a dinosaur when it comes to socialmedia, but since I have help, I think we have been ableto put some really good tools in place.”

A BETTER EXPERIENCEFrom day one, the driving force behind everything

that The Fireplace Center & Patio Shop does has beenits customer base. The entire team is constantly think-ing of new ways to improve the retail experience.When it comes to the showrooms, Cotnam says, “Wewant people to see beautiful things that excite themwhen they walk through our front doors.”

The West Ottawa store not only is expertly merchan-dised, but is one of only three showrooms in NorthAmerica that displays the Napoleon Swarovski specialedition modern linear fireplace. This $10,000 fireplace,a joint venture between Napoleon and SwarovskiCrystal, features flames that come through a bed ofcrystals. “Everyone comments on how unique it is, andI think it gets people thinking differently about fire-places,” Cotnam says.

On the second floor, the showroom has a large elec-tric-fireplace display area with more than 40 fireplaces.The striking centerpiece is a 95-inch linear, wall-mounted electric fireplace by Modern Flames. “Thereare hearth dealers who won’t touch electric fireplacesbecause they think that everybody is buying themfrom the big-box stores,” Cotnam says. “We have such a

great selection that customers who buy them from abig-box store in the morning come back and get some-thing of better quality from us in the afternoon.”

He explains that electric fireplaces constitute amuch bigger market than retailers realize, and that hesells at least a couple of electric units a week to peoplewho live in condos, high-rise buildings, and retirementhomes. “They can be installed anywhere, and peoplebuy them no matter what time of year it is,” he adds.

The store also has a wide selection of grills, whichhave become quite popular in recent years. During thepast summer, sales were up almost 50%. Cotnam hasfound that the best way to get people excited aboutgrills is to fire one up and cook on it. “Customers loveto smell and sample food hot off the grill. I was sur-prised at how something so simple could be so muchfun for customers,” he says.

The Fireplace Center & Patio Shop experience isnot just about its showroom and products. It is alsoabout its knowledgeable, experienced staff membersand the environment that they create for customers.“We want customers to feel comfortable in our stores,knowing that we will listen to them and give themgood advice. We never want to pressure them intomaking a purchase,” Cotnam says; he is quick to jumponto the sales floor and personally greet shoppers,when needed.

He adds, “We have to remember that we are work-ing in people’s homes, which are their castles. Theyare putting a lot of trust and faith in us, and we wantto uphold that. It’s the culture of our business—andthey know that our entire team cares.”

In describing what has made The Fireplace Center& Patio Shop what it is today, Cotnam (without hesi-tation) says, “great employees, high-quality products,and uncompromised client satisfaction.”

hearth RETAILER

Andy Cotnam

by SHARON SANDERS

H itzer Inc. is known for the detailed Amish craftsman-ship of its wood and coal stoves—and that’s not just a

marketing claim. Every weekday morning, the companysends a 15-passenger van to a nearby Amish community inAdams County, Indiana, to pick up seasoned craftspeoplewho are part of families that have been making Hitzerstoves for 35 years.

They spend the day working at the company’s factory inBerne, Indiana, assembling stoves by hand, and then the vantakes them back home at night. Dean Lehman, general man-ager and son of the company’s founder, Claren Lehman, says,“We are a big family that takes pride in every stove we make.”

Hitzer began in the early 1970s as a small blacksmith shop,making wood and coal stoves for local Amish homes. Its sim-ple (yet powerful) stoves were designed to heat entire homesand large workshops.

Hitzer made a name for itself as a local stove shop with out-standing heating products and family-friendly service. In 1975,Claren Lehman and a few of his brothers saw an opportunityto take the business to the next level, and they formed a part-nership with the Amish that became Hitzer Inc. The originalshop remained, and the Lehmans set up a new factory a shortdistance away.

Lehman remembers that the first Hitzer Inc. stoves werebasic black boxes, with no frills and no blowers (because theAmish use no electrical power), but the stoves were workhors-es that could easily heat entire homes. “I used to tell peoplethat they’d have to look long and hard to find something toout-heat a Hitzer stove, but they wouldn’t have to look far tofind something that could out-look one,” Lehman says.

Over the years, the Lehmans added glass doors, brasstrim, and blowers to many of the stoves, but they have beendiligent in maintaining the original heating and burning princi-ples. “Our stoves are still workhorses, but we’ve fancied themup a little bit,” Lehman explains.

In the 1990s, Hitzer introduced its first gravity-fed coal hop-per, which became an overnight favorite with its customers.The hopper takes advantage of gravity to feed coal into astove, instead of using mechanical/moving parts, so it canoperate even during a power outage.

Best of all, it provides hours of continuous, even heating,and it requires little or no maintenance. Today, Hitzer has 13stoves in its lineup (including several versions of the gravity-fed coal hopper); they are sold across the United States. Thecompany’s biggest market is from Indiana eastward and upinto New England.

Two years ago, in an effort to give its products more precisecontrol, Hitzer decided to enter the coal-stove stoker marketwith its 608 Energy Master I stoker. “In one giant leap, wewent from being handfired to using one of the top-of-the-linestokers on the market,” Lehman says. Hitzer’s stoker, with itsintegrated Coal-Trol thermostatic control, speeds up or slowsdown the firing rate to maintain an even temperature. “We liketo call it cruise control for your coal stove,” Lehman says.

This year, the company is taking the next big step byadding a stoker furnace to its product line: the stoker hot airfurnace. The furnace can be installed in the basement of ahouse, and the homeowner will be able to control the heat,feed rate, and blower from a thermostat inside the house.

The furnace will have a higher Btu output than the free-standing stoker. Lehman says that he’s already had a numberof dealers ask about the furnace, and it hasn’t even been intro-

duced to the marketyet. “I know it’s goingto become a fastfavorite,” he says.

While Hitzer isproud of its heritage ofmaking handtooledproducts, it is equallyproud of its personalservice. Lehman andhis father make it a pri-ority to visit their dealers regularly to find out how to improvetheir products and service.

“My dad, who is 78, still takes a road trip every spring tospend time with our dealers,” Lehman says. He adds thatwhenever possible, the family will even deliver stoves person-ally. “It’s generally with my dad, my son (Jason), or me,because it gives us a chance to talk to dealers, rather than justhiring a truck driver to haul the products,” he explains.

The company also owns two display trailers (with eightmounted stoves) that the Lehmans use in late summerthrough early fall. “Dealers love it when we show up at one oftheir open houses, a county fair, or a local town festival todemonstrate our stoves. The best part is that we do it free ofcharge because it shows our dealers that we’re here to sup-port them,” Lehman says.

The Lehman family has enjoyed much success in its busi-ness over the years, and is careful not to grow too quickly.“The bottom line is not necessarily our number-one goal. Ourstoves make warm friends, and that will always be ourbiggest reward. The bottom line will take care of itself,”Lehman says.

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outdoor GRILL ING

upBy combining their talents, two Tucson entrepreneurs have developed a successfulbusiness model. by KIMBERLY RODGERS photography by HOLLY ROMERO

Top: The beautiful mountainranges of Tucson often serve as abackdrop for many of ArizonaGrill & Hearth’s outdoor kitchens.From design to installation, thecompany provides all the essentialelements needed to create aninviting and livable outdoor space.

Bottom: James Molis (left) andVal Romero, owners of ArizonaGrill & Hearth

teamingucson, Arizona, residents don’t need to travel

3,000 miles to experience the true Hawaiianspirit of aloha. Thanks to Val Romero and James

Molis, the friendly, welcoming attitude associatedwith island life can now be found at Arizona Grill &Hearth. “Life is more about relationships, versus thesale or money. We have a whole different type ofphilosophy,” Romero says.

Romero, who has been in the hearth and grill

industry since 1993, started Arizona Grill & Hearthin September 2005 because, he says, “I knew I coulddo things differently and a lot better, and I also want-ed to be my own boss.”

Molis, who has also been in the industry since1993, worked for a company that installed fireplacesfor national homebuilders (he also owned his ownhearth business). Since both were in the same indus-try, they had bumped into each other frequently

over the years, and they began talking about com-bining their efforts. They did so in June 2010, whenMolis joined Romero as a partner. “We knew, if wecombined our strengths, we could be awesome atwhat we do,” Molis says.

Since Romero and Molis joined forces, sales haveexploded for Arizona Grill & Hearth. “We each hadour own customers, but now that we are together,business has quadrupled,” Molis says. Romero adds,“James and I have a nice balance, and we both havea tremendous passion for what we do. I love fire-places, barbecue grills, and the retail end, and heloves fireplaces and the service aspect of the busi-ness. We complement each other very well.”

GRILLS, HEARTHS, AND MOREBarbecue season lasts all year in the Southwest,

and with its huge selection of products and services,Arizona Grill & Hearth can meet any outdoor-cookingneed. The company carries a range of high-qualitygrills and accessories from manufacturers that includeFire Magic, Broilmaster, American Outdoor Grill,Vermont Castings, Solaire, Jackson Grills, and OCI.

Hearth products represent an even larger share ofthe business. From wood-burning and high-efficien-cy gas fireplaces to vented and vent-free models—along with firepits, gas logs, stoves, and inserts—Arizona Grill & Hearth carries a range of traditionalto contemporary styles. They come from some ofthe best names in the industry, including MonessenHearth Systems, Lennox Hearth Products, Avalon,Mendota, and Osburn.

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t


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When homeowners decide to add a fireplaceto an outdoor space, they often lean towardthe installation of a prefabricated unit forconvenience, quick assembly, and what theypresume will be a lower cost (compared withthat of a custom-built fireplace). For dealersand retailers who want to offer their cus-tomers the beauty, quality, and durability ofa true masonry unit, however, Stone AgeManufacturing offers the perfect solution.Since 2005, the Collinsville, Oklahoma, com-pany has offered outdoor masonry fire-places, in easy-to-assemble kits, at a com-petitive price.

Owners Bob and Joe Rider, third-genera-tion masons, bring the company 30 years ofexperience and hands-on knowledge of theconstruction of fireplaces built from scratch.They first engineered, produced, sold, andinstalled both indoor and outdoor masonryfireplace kits in 2001, through their business,Rider Stone Company.

After obtaining UL 127 certification (forfactory-built fireplaces), they formed Stone

Age Manufacturing, in 2005, to manufactureand sell a complete line of masonry kits—forindoor and outdoor areas—through dealersnationwide.

Stone Age Manufacturing fireplaces canbe used in any outdoor-living space; theygive homeowners the many advantages ofowning a masonry fireplace without lengthyconstruction times, at a cost that is competi-

tive with that of prefabricatedmodels. Every fireplacecomes delivered and pack-aged on one pallet—in aneasy-to-assemble kit—withall the parts and materialsneeded to build a complete fireplace (includ-ing lightweight modular masonry pieces, aset of legs, firebrick to line the firebox, anddetailed instructions).

The fireplace’s exterior is designed to be

finished with thecustomer’s ownchoice of products,which can includenatural thin-veneerstone, full-veneerstone, fabricatedstone, brick, stucco,or any other con-crete surface. Forthe professional,installation takesapproximately four

to six hours; beginners can build a unit in abouta weekend.

All Stone Age Manufacturing fireplacescome with a 25-year industry-leading warran-ty and have been designed and constructedusing exacting engineering standards andmaterials. Joe Rider, the company’s president,says, “When building masonry fireplacesfrom scratch, there are precise measurements

and formulas you must abide by in order forthe fireplace to perform properly.”

Stone Age Manufacturing fireplaces fea-ture premier-quality reinforced refractoryconcrete that is durable in all climates, an

extra-deep fireboxfor superior draftperformance, andan open-air throatdesign that resultsin enhanced fire-box draw. Ridersays that a mason-ry fireplace has thegreatest longevitybecause it willendure harsh cli-mates, and it won’trust, rot, or deteri-orate like themetal fireboxesfound in many pre-

fabricated units.Rider also notes that prefabricated fire-

places have often been designed for interioruse, and they don’t perform as well in anoutdoor environment. “The boxes are smalland have a lot of smoke spillage when burn-ing wood, and many are gas only and notable to burn wood at all,” Rider notes. “Anyunit that is wood burning endures extremeheat and has to be able to take more abuseover the lifetime of the product. Stone AgeManufacturing has fireplaces that arespecifically designed for indoor use and aspecific design for outdoors.”

Fireplaces are available in three sizes (with24-, 36-, and 48-inch firebox openings) and in avariety of models. Buyers are able to customizea fireplace in a number of ways—by varying thechimney height, the size and shape of the fire-box opening, and the exterior stone. In addi-tion, the company offers kits for firepits, pizzaovens, outdoor kitchens, and arbors.

All of Stone Age Manufacturing’s prod-ucts complement one another and can beintegrated for a complete and professionallydesigned outdoor-living area. “When build-ing an entire outdoor room, the advantage isthat the finished product seamlessly flowstogether to give the appearance that it is anatural extension of the home,” Rider says.

Since 2005, Stone Age Manufacturing hassteadily increased its distribution network ofindependent hearth/patio retailers, land-scape and hardscape companies, and con-tractors to more than 200 dealers, offeringthem strong support. The company’s twowebsites (in general and dealer-only versions)include various easy-to-follow constructionvideos, product information, an expandedphoto gallery, and sales tools.

In 2011, the company will release new soft-ware for dealers that will enable them toshow each product in a 3D, animated version.This will give dealers the opportunity to cus-tom design each outdoor-living space bymoving and arranging all the products in anyorder they desire. “The software will alsoshow animated assembly construction ofeach individual item so that a new installerwill see and understand where each piece inthe kit is located and how it all fits together,”Rider says.

The company received huge nationalexposure when a Stone Age Manufacturingfirepit was featured on the “Today” show inMarch 2009. Stone Age Manufacturing’sproducts are also prominently featured in sev-eral programs on the DIY Network.

“The exposure Stone Age Manufacturingreceived from the “Today” show seems tohave given our products a certain amount ofcredibility that has helped generate leadsand make sales,” Rider says. “We saw a bigincrease—not only in direct phone calls, butas an overwhelming amount of traffic on ourwebsite. Our dealers around the UnitedStates received a lot of exposure from beinglinked to our website.”


Left: Fireplaces from Stone Age Manufacturing areavailable in a variety of models and firebox sizes.

Far left: All Stone Age Manufacturing fireplacesare UL 127 certified and are designed and man-ufactured using strict engineering standards toprovide years of service.

Bottom center: Stone Age Manufacturing’s fire-places are available in a three sizes and a vari-ety of models, including this unit with a 36-inch firebox opening.

Bottom left: Purchasers can customize all StoneAge Manufacturing products (like this outdoorfireplace and kitchen island, in stucco with stoneaccents) with their choice of finish selections.

Giving Outdoor Fireplaces aCustom Look by KIMBERLY RODGERS

outdoor GRILL ING


http://www.bullbbq.com


outdoor GRILL ING

Arizona Grill & Hearth can design and install full-scaleoutdoor rooms that include all the essential ele-ments—from prefabricated and custom-built kitchensto fireplaces, fire features, and stonework. “We canprovide everything to complete an outdoor area forthe home, from start to finish,” Romero says. He notesthat this segment of the business is growing. “Peopleare not spending money on elaborate vacations, butinstead, are making an oasis right outside the backdoor,” he explains.

No matter what the size or scope of an outdoorroom might be, Arizona Grill & Hearth takes the sameapproach. “We go to customers’ homes with a portfo-lio of our work, determine what products and acces-sories they want to incorporate, and walk through thedesign process with them according to each individ-ual’s unique needs,” Romero says.

Remodeling indoor fireplaces is also an expandingpart of the business. “People are taking out the old,inexpensive builder’s-box fireplace that came with thehome and replacing it with one that stands out, tochange the look of the house,” Romero says.Customers are also installing fireplaces in blank walls,niches, or recesses of their houses.

For all its construction work, Arizona Grill & Hearthserves as the general contractor and hires individuallicensed contractors for framing, electrical, gas, andplumbing work. “We only use specialists who areexperts in what they do to help us complete a proj-ect,” Romero says. The company also sells and servicesgarage doors and central vacuum systems, and it pro-vides service and repairs for grills, fireplaces, stoves,gas logs, and firepits—no matter where the productswere purchased.

WELCOME, FRIENDSCustomers, potential customers, friends, family

members, and acquaintances have the opportunity toexperience Arizona Grill & Hearth’s welcoming busi-ness philosophy firsthand at the company’s monthlybackyard barbecue parties, which are held atRomero’s house.

Over the years he has been in the industry, Romerohas collected a variety of grills and dazzling fire fea-tures, and he has opened his backyard to serve as anoutdoor showroom for the company. “We give poten-tial customers the opportunity to test drive a grill,”Romero says. Attendees bring their own main course,and Arizona Grill & Hearth supplies all the side dishes;spices, seasonings, sauces, and rubs; and soft drinksand water.

Customers cook their own meat or poultry,Romero says, so that they can try one of seven grillsand experience the different features and benefits ofthe various products. “We direct them toward a grilland give them guidance on food preparation, but wedon’t cook for them. We want them to try out thegrills,” he says.

Partygoers are even encouraged to cut a steak inhalf so that they can experience the unique differ-ences that each type of grill brings to a cut of meat. Inaddition to the conventional gas and charcoal modelsthat most customers are familiar with, Romero’s back-yard showroom also has equipment that many guestshave never seen (giving them a chance to test theirbarbecue skills at the next level): a pellet grill, a smok-er, and an infrared grill.

Romero and Molis invite friendly customers whocome into their showroom, area real-estate agents,

and other people they meet who seem likely to enjoythe parties. “It’s a great way for all of us to networkand also show off all of our products,” Molis says.Romero adds, “People don’t buy anything at the par-ties. They are social events and are more about havinga relaxed time.”

He continues, “Our company has grown on thespirit of aloha. It’s something that is very important tome. It’s about a way of living and treating each otherwith love and respect.” In addition to the barbecueparties (which have become a great form of market-ing), the company also uses in telephone-directoryadvertising and attends home shows.

The partners’ approach to doing business is a bigreason that sales are booming. “It’s a go-go society, andthe personal touch seems to have left a lot of places—so for every customer encounter, even if it is just anestimate, we send out a thank-you card for the oppor-tunity. If we sell the job, we send another thank-youcard,” Romero says. Molis adds, “We are starting to runout of thank-you cards.”

Since the partnership created a surge in business,space is getting tight at the company’s main show-room. The floor has grills, fireplaces, and an outdoorarea that has some items stacked to the ceiling. “Weare outgrowing our showroom and looking at some-thing bigger. Business is phenomenal; we are very for-tunate and very blessed,” Romero says.

Besides welcoming everyone they meet with thespirit of aloha, the two partners also attribute much oftheir success to their company’s strong customer-serv-ice ethic and timely turnaround on projects, as well astheir emphasis on one basic concept: Keep the cus-tomer happy. “That is everything,” Molis says.


http://www.goldenblountinc.com


http://www.selectoutdoorkitchens.com

hen James Emigh opened hishardware store in 1908 in down-

town Sacramento, California, he wascontent to sell tools and provide his cus-

tomers with attentive service. Today, 103 years later,the business has grown to be more than one of themost high-profile hardware stores in the Sacramentoarea: Its sister store, Emigh’s Casual Living, has devel-oped a loyal following of its own. What the four gen-erations of the Emigh family have learned, over theyears, is that offering the right products (and caringservice) can make or break a business.

After 75 successful years (and after moving thestore to the Sacramento suburbs), the Emighs decid-ed that it was time to take the family hardwarestore to the next level. They joined forces withAce® Hardware Corp. in 1973, changing the store’sname from Emigh Hardware to Emigh AceHardware.

It has since become one of the largest AceHardware stores in Northern California, with a nurs-ery and garden center, a housewares department, akey-cutting room, and a 6,000–square-foot storewithin a store for Benjamin Moore® Paints. Thenext big evolution of the business was its ventureinto casual furniture.

Brian Lawrence, vice president and fourth-gener-ation owner, says, “While hardware was our primarybusiness, we had always dabbled in patio products

to a degree, with basic dining sets and seating.” Heexplains that Emigh Hardware was one of the firstdealers in the area to carry the Weber® kettle grillin the 1970s. “We always wanted to expand thatpart of our business, but didn’t have the showroomspace,” he says.

In 2000, the family made its official transitioninto the casual-furniture business when it tookover the lease of a furniture store adjacent to itshardware operation, expanding the patio show-room from 3,000 square feet to an expansive12,000 square feet. This was the birth of Emigh’sCasual Living, and the family was excited finally tohave the space to do whatever it wanted, in termsof products and merchandising.

Lawrence remembers that when Emigh’s CasualLiving first opened its doors, the showroom wasfilled with low-end, imported merchandise to keepprice points low (like those of the products sold atthe hardware store). “We discovered our mistakepretty quickly when products were breaking andcoming back for service left and right,” heexplains. As business has steadily grown over thepast 10 years, the store has evolved into a sourceof fine patio furniture, with products from manu-facturers that include Brown Jordan, Tropitone, OWLee, and Gloster.

“Once we started carrying high-end merchandise,we found that it was what our customers really

wanted anyway,” Lawrence says. The showroom isexpertly merchandised with every outdoor-livingproduct one could ever need, from furniture tofirepits.

Whenever possible, Emigh’s Casual Living tries tosupport domestic vendors because consumers arestarting to demand it, hoping that this will bringjobs back to the United States. “We had one shopperwho examined every shovel in our hardware store,looking for one that was made domestically,”Lawrence recalls.

He admits that business has been challenging,over the past few years, because people are morehesitant to make large purchases. “We continue totrain our salespeople in how to explain to shoppersthe value of buying high-quality products that arebacked up with service. Once customers under-stand the facts, they are much more likely to makethe decision to buy from us than from a big-boxstore,” Lawrence adds.

SERVICE COMMITMENTFrom day one, the entire Emigh team has made

no mistakes when it comes to providing upstanding,caring customer service. Lawrence’s great-grandfa-ther, James Emigh; his grandfather, Colby Emigh; andhis parents (Colby’s daughter, Mary, and her hus-band, Richard Lawrence) have all made service theirnumber-one priority, in each generation. “That’s how


showroom SHOWCASE

tiesBusiness boomed after this fourth-generation retaileradded casual furniture to its product mix.

by SHARON SANDERS photography by SCOTT ZOELLER

Family

W

we made it in the hardware business and,now, in the patio business,” Lawrence says.The company’s motto—Where service hasbeen a tradition since 1908—appears onsigns above all store exits.

Service is something that the Emigh teamlives by—and that its customers have cometo expect. “We are constantly talking aboutservice with our team because we have toget better at it every day,” Lawrence says. Atweekly staff meetings, Emigh’s Casual Living’sgeneral manager, Craig Franklin, reads everycustomer compliment and complaint todepartment managers who, in turn, sharethat feedback with their staff.

“Retailers all can sell the same products,but if you can impress upon customers thatthey are important, they will shop with you—and staywith you. In these times, this is ultra important,”Lawrence says, adding that standout service truly startswith hiring the right people. “We spend a lot of time inthe hiring process making sure we find a good fit,which usually involves at least three interviews. Sure, itcan be exhausting, but in the end, it’s worth it,” heexplains.

The company hires people based on their attitudes(but not necessarily their experience). “They will berepresenting your business, and if you are preachingcustomer service, you have to hire people who share

your philosophy,” Lawrence adds.

THE NEXT NICHEEmigh’s Casual Living continues to look for new

ways to grow its business by seeking out niches in thelocal market. One venture that has been successful isits annual Christmas store. Every December, the show-room floor is transformed into a holiday spectacle withover 30 decorated trees, and prelit trees by the truck-load are shipped to the store to sell. People come fromall over the Sacramento area to shop and enjoy the fes-tive displays.

Emigh’s Casual Living is planning to expand theChristmas store even more this year. “Many of the smallChristmas shops have closed down in our neighbor-hood. We feel that there’s opportunity to bring in moreholiday collectibles, which will attract shoppers whoare looking for unique holiday gifts,” Lawrenceexplains.

Most recently, Emigh’s Casual Living expanded itshearth and grill presence. “We are looking for nichesthat make sense for us, and we feel that the hearth areais one that is underserved in our market,” Lawrencesays. The store has begun to sell fireplace inserts (pri-

Left: Emigh’s Casual Living is alwaysworking to fill niches in the localmarket. Its popular Christmas storegets new and current customers tovisit during the holidays.

Below: Emigh’s Casual Living’s teammembers are the heart and soul ofthe business: from left, Mary Jacobi,Carolyn Sweeney, Melissa Nicholson,Diana Uyeda, and Brian Lawrence.



marily gas models), as well as somepellet stoves.

Lawrence says, “We invested themoney to do it right, with customdisplays, and I think it’s going to payoff; we are already starting to sellmore gas logs to customers whocome in and see them glowing onthe showroom floor.” The grillingbusiness also shows promise.

Emigh’s Casual Living now car-ries a number of niche barbecuelines, including grills from Big GreenEgg®, Traeger®, Fire Magic, andWeber, in addition to rubs, sauces,and specialty items that customershave requested. Lawrence explainsthat the ability to bring in and trynew items that customers specifical-ly request is one of the positiveaspects of being a small business.

The company has even instituteda formal program, called yes slips, togather requests. If a customer asksfor a certain product, the request iswritten on a yes slip and then dis-cussed in the weekly managerialmeetings. “When we are in touchwith our customers, we’re able tooffer products they really want,”Lawrence says.

THE FUTUREAs Emigh’s Casual Living contin-

ues to look for ways to grow itsbusiness, it sees vendor-partner rela-tionships to be more importantthan ever. “We need our representa-tives and vendors to support us bystopping in regularly, both to edu-cate employees on new productsand to help showcase their brands

to our customers. It’s a win–win forboth of us, in the end,” Lawrenceexplains.

Emigh’s Casual Living is also hop-ing to attract younger clients viasocial media like Twitter andFacebook, and there are plans toredesign the store’s website. Lastyear, Emigh’s Casual Living hired acompany to drive business to itswebsite using Google search. Thishas produced such good resultsthat the arrangement will be con-tinued throughout 2011.

The entire Emigh’s Casual Livingteam is excited about what thefuture holds. Lawrence says, “I’mlooking forward to a good 2011. Ithink it will be better this year—for us and for the entire casual-fur-niture industry.”

What’s UnderfootMatters to Couristan

showroom SHOWCASE

by SHARON SANDERS

There is a certain sense of luxury that a fully decoratedoutdoor room exudes. Today’s sophisticated fabrics andmaterials have made it possible for anyone with a little

imagination to create a relaxing backyard retreat—filled withfurniture, appliances, lighting, and accessories—that mimicsthe ambience of any indoor room.

If one were to build an outdoor space, from the ground up,with comfort and style in mind, the foundation would undoubt-edly be a luxurious area rug. Couristan, Inc., based in Fort Lee,New Jersey, offers weather-resistant rugs that pull together allthe elements of an outdoor room and set the tone for the over-all design theme.

The rugs not only are beautiful, but also are practical in thatthey protect wooden decks from the wear and tear of heavyfoot traffic and shield bare feet from sun-scorched tile.Consumers everywhere are seeing the value that area rugs canbring to an outdoor space.

A LASTING STATEMENTCouristan has been passionate about floor coverings (area

rugs, wall-to-wall carpeting, and custom floor-covering fash-ions) for over 80 years, and the company is revered in theindustry as an icon of style and quality. With the advent of theoutdoor room, the company has become a major name in theindoor/outdoor rug category. While outdoor area rugs can befound everywhere from home-improvement centers to special-ty retailers, not all rugs are created equal.

“Buyers need to know what they are spending their moneyon,” according to Larry Mahurter, director of advertising andmarketing for Couristan. The company’s standards for all of itsproducts are the highest in the industry. It uses only 100%Courtron™ polypropylene for the surface and backing of all itsproducts, and it uses ultraviolet-stabilization methods forcolor retention.

“We construct our outdoor floor coverings entirely ofpolypropylene because it is the only way we can ensure thatthey are water, mold, and mildew resistant—and they are100% recyclable,” Mahurter explains.

Durability is only one part of the equation when it comes to theattributes of a high-end outdoor rug: Design is also important. Asoutdoor furnishings have become more sophisticated, Couristan’sproduct-development team has followed suit with its rug offer-ings. The primary design drivers for Couristan’s outdoor/indoorarea rugs are outdoor furniture, fabrics, and accessories.

“Every element has to work hand in hand to complete aroom,” Mahurter says. He explains that because many home-owners and designers are bringing the upscale look of theirinteriors to outdoor-entertaining areas, Couristan has reallybeen pushed to develop outdoor floor fashions with a moresophisticated aesthetic, replicating that of rugs typicallyfound indoors.

“Accessibility is also a key factor in developing new prod-ucts for the outdoor-rug category,” Mahurter adds. “Ourassortment not only represents the latest trends and fashionclassics, but we are mindful of offering our products at a varietyof attainable price points as well.”

NEW FOR 2011Couristan now offers seven diverse outdoor/indoor area-

rug collections (Covington, Bayview, Five Seasons®, OutdoorEscape, Recife, Tides, and Urbane), and it recently introducedthree new residential broadloom products designed for out-door/indoor use.

Couristan’s newest outdoor area-rug assortment is theOutdoor Escape collection, which has unique novelty appeal. Itpays homage to nature’s purest pleasures with picturesquerenditions of various outdoor scenes—including beach land-scapes, lighthouses, and seashells—that are reminiscent of

treasured vacation spots or outdoor hobbies. The rugs feature precise handhooked construction, and

each design in the collection showcases a textured loop pilethat adds dimension to the motifs. These rugs are the perfectbackdrop to complement themed decor.

The company has also added three new outdoor/indoorresidential carpet products to its Creations™ brand: Antigua,Martinique, and Bonaire. These weather-resistant carpets arewoven of Couristan’s 100% Courtron polypropylene for theultimate in durability and comfort.

Featuring a structured, flat-woven construction, each ofthese simple broadloom rugs offers a slightly different aesthet-ic, with varying high/low textured patterns. Reflecting thesandy shorelines of exclusive beaches, Antigua, Martinique,and Bonaire are available in a selection of four neutral hues,including dune, bronze, pewter, and cobblestone.

For home decorators who like to personalize their spaces,all three of these outdoor carpets can be ordered in customsizes. Custom rugs use Couristan’s selection of 100% Courtronpolypropylene binding tapes (which are offered in nine comple-mentary tones).

As Couristan expands its outdoor-product lines, its brand-ing efforts are becoming even more sophisticated, communi-cating lifestyle imagery that showcases its products in upscaleoutdoor settings. The company is working on new merchan-dising units that not only display its outdoor products, but alsoprovide consumer education on the benefits of usingpolypropylene rugs in outdoor spaces, on care and mainte-nance, and on recycling.

Couristan is optimistic about the future of the outdoor-rugcategory and is pleased to be a part of its evolution. “We planto continue to investigate and create new construction tech-niques that add luxury, comfort, and durability to outdoor fash-ions,” Mahurter says.

Covington

Emigh’s Casual Livinghas successfullyexpanded into grillsand grill accessories.

Urbane


http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com


Top: Kamado Joe is carving out its ownniche in the ceramic-grill category.

Middle: Bobby Brennan, cofounder andpresident, Kamado Joe

Bottom: Kerry Coker, cofounder and vicepresident, Kamado Joe

amado Joe is a companythat was founded on a pas-

sion for grilling. After just twoyears in business, the fledgling ceram-ic-grill company, based in FloweryBranch, Georgia, has turned that pas-sion into profit. The company now has14 distribution partners, and its prod-ucts are sold by over 600 retailersacross the United States and Canada.

At the end of 2010, the company’ssales were up over 300%. KamadoJoe’s cool products and fresh, edgyapproach to marketing have retailersgiving it space on their showroomfloors alongside the biggest names inceramic grills. Patio & HearthProducts Report sat down withBobby Brennan, cofounder and presi-dent, to find out what makes this lit-tle company tick.

How was Kamado Joeborn?

Brennan: I wish I could say therewas some grand strategy, but KamadoJoe basically came about because mybusiness partner (Kerry Coker) and Ihad an itch to start our own busi-ness, after working together in thecorporate world for many years. Inthe course of meeting with our busi-ness broker, he gave us one piece ofadvice that we took to heart: “Makesure you start something that you arepassionate about,” he advised us.

We are both passionate aboutgolfing and grilling, so after tossingaround seven or eight ideas, wedecided to start a ceramic-grill busi-ness. We began developing ourkamado-style ceramic grill in thesummer of 2008, and we unveiled itto the public for the first time atHPBExpo in Reno, Nevada, inMarch 2009.

At the show, we introduced onegrill, in one size and one color(red), and four accessories. Today,we’ve expanded our product offer-ings to include a black grill, severaldifferent trim options (black orstainless steel), and number of dif-ferent accessories. It’s been a crazy,fun ride, so far.

Why do you think there is aplace for a small companylike Kamado Joe in theceramic-grill market?

Brennan: I think that the moreentrants there are in the ceramic-cooking category, the better off we allwill be. The biggest problem the cate-gory is facing, in my opinion, is thatceramic grills are not well known bythe majority of consumers. Theyaccount for a mere 1% to 2% of over-all dollars spent on barbecues.

I think part of the visibility prob-lem is the fact that the category has

been dominated by a few large play-ers for many years. To me, competi-tion is what keeps a categoryvibrant. I foresee a category with sixor seven companies that can allcarve out their own little niches.More competition is good because itwill force all of us to innovate anddifferentiate.

As the size of the category grows,consumer awareness will grow. Weactually encourage our retailers tocarry every brand of kamado-stylegrill on their showroom floors so con-sumers can choose the one that bestmeets their needs.

What do you think putKamado Joe on the map?

Brennan: I think people areattracted to us because we are a fun,innovative company that is trying tocarve a niche for itself. I like to saythat we are trying to be the Apple ofour category, and at this point, Ithink our marketing and servicereflect that.

Our goal, at Kamado Joe, is to beremarkable. I know that’s a strangeword, but we think that the fastestway to grow a small business is tohave a remarkable product and offerremarkable service. In today’sInternet-based world, if you give acustomer a product that is worth talk-ing about—or do something for a cus-

SEE ITas i

Kamado Joe’s sizzling

success is the result of

two business partners’

love for outdoor grilling.

by SHARON SANDERS

k

passionequalsprofit


tomer that causes him or her to talkabout you—the word is going to spread.

What has your prioritybeen over the past twoyears?

Brennan: Since we launched ourgrill, our emphasis has been on develop-ing a distribution network and a dealernetwork in North America. We knew wewanted to go for two-step distribution,and our priority has been partneringwith the best distributors and the bestretailers in both the United States andCanada.

In order for our distributors to besuccessful, we’ve provided them withthe marketing tools and programs theyneed to get people excited about ourbrand. We’ve developed some greatprint marketing materials and point-of-sale displays, a dynamic website, and astrong Facebook presence.

To support our dealers, we developedan online marketing library for them sothey can access our brand elements(such as logos, product and lifestyle pho-tography, and print-ad templates). Wealso offer free design and marketing, ifthey have a specific need.

Why are your website andFacebook page so importantto who you are as a company?

Brennan: Our website is focusedjust as much on educating people and

getting them excited about grilling as itis about our products. It also allows usto see who our customers and poten-tial customers are. The first thing I do,when I wake up every morning, is goonline and see how many people visit-ed our website the previous day, wherethey are located, and what they arelooking at on our site.

The Internet levels the playing fieldfor a small company like ours, and itallows us to offer content (and con-nect with our market) in exceptionalways. We listen to our market and lookfor ways to offer valuable content.

For example, we received a numberof requests for instructional videosand a source for recipes this year. Thatinspired us to create a Getting Startedvideo series that we placed on ourwebsite and on YouTube. We also cre-ated a DVD loop of the videos for ourdealers to play in their stores.

We launched our recipe library inlate 2010. It allows viewers to submita recipe with up to six photos, avideo, ingredients, and instructions.Each viewer can also add his or hername and location, along with thetype of grill he or she uses. We list thetop 28 grill manufacturers, includingmakers of other ceramic grills. To us,it’s all about the passion for outdoorcooking, not whether you use ourgrill. Viewers can also search forrecipes by category or keyword, so it’squickly becoming a community ofpeople who share our passion.

Another feature that’s unique to ourwebsite is an online grilling guide. We

discovered that there is not a lot ofdetailed information for consumers,when it comes to comparing grills sothey can find the one that’s right forthem. We compare briquette-charcoal,gas, and ceramic grills across 12 differ-ent criteria.

We wrote the guide ourselves, butwe were careful to give the pros andcons of each method and let the viewerdecide. We must have filled a need; ithas the fourth-highest page views onour website. The videos are not ground-breaking, but I’m confident no othergrill company is offering similar con-tent, with respect to our recipes andgrilling guide.

Our Facebook page is an open forumfor people who love to grill (many ofwhom are not even Kamado Joe cus-tomers). It gives them a place to go toshare ideas, opinions, and advice. Wemonitor our page hourly, and we arequick to respond to questions, requests,and comments.

We have noticed that some grill com-panies ignore or delete critical com-ments on their pages. We do not. We alsorespond to posts on nights, weekends,and holidays. Our fans don’t keep busi-ness hours, so we feel it’s important toconnect when it’s convenient for them.Any business that is not taking advantageof this amazing tool is missing the boat.

What advice would you giveoutdoor-living retailers whowant to get customers excited

about grills?Brennan:The easiest way to sell

any grill is to cook on it. People arenaturally intrigued by—and drawn to—the aroma of cooking food. They maycome into a store looking for patio fur-niture, but if someone is grilling out-side, people will want to check it out;most manufacturers will offer deep dis-counts to their retail partners whowant to use their grills for demos.Retailers may be surprised at howmany people have never tasted foodcooked on a ceramic charcoal grill.

What Kamado Joe productare you most excited aboutfor 2011?

Brennan: We are going to be intro-ducing the next generation of theKamado Joe grill this year. It is 35%taller and wider than our classic grill,with a 2.5–inch-thick ceramic core (toretain heat) and a sophisticated hingethat will make it easy to open and shutthe dome lid. It is going to be our high-end grill, which will match up, in looksand quality, to a grill from any of thelarge manufacturers.

To touch every price point, we willbe developing a lower-end option thisyear as well. I also believe that there isopportunity for innovation within theceramic category beyond small, medi-um, and large, so we are excited aboutdoing some different things in thefuture as well.

Apply online to become a dealer at: KAMADOJOE.COM

Evolutionary and Revolutionary.The Next Revolution in Grilling is Here. Other than size and color, Kamado grills have

essentially remained unchanged for over 40 years.

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Introducing the new Revolution Series by Kamado Joe. The first in our line of innovative

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area, higher thermal retention and more

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See the new Pro Joe by Kamado Joe at the HPBExpo at booth 4405.


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f it weren’t for the Miles family ofVancouver, British Columbia, gasfireplaces in North America mightnot be what they are today. In the

early 1980s (after the family had beenin the wood-burning fireplace businessfor a number of years) Garry Miles, thefamily patriarch, traveled to England.

There, he saw—for the first time—agas fireplace that wasn’t just a decora-tive element in a room: It was actuallyused for warmth. Gas fireplaces inEngland produced heat with radiantplaque burners and provided zoneheating for boxy English row houses.Excited about their practicality, Garrybegan importing Valor brand fireplacesfrom England to Vancouver in 1981.

Paul Miles, who (along with hisbrother, Martin) manages MilesIndustries, says, “As it turned out,Vancouver was the first market toembrace gas fireplaces on the conti-nent. Today, one will notice that dueto the early success of Valor, thereare quite a number of BritishColumbia-based companies in thegas-fireplace business.”

Gas fireplaces became a big hit, in ashort time, because they provided com-fort—through radiant heat and zoneheating—that no one in North Americahad ever experienced before. MilesIndustries sold Valor gas fireplacesexclusively to specialty retailers (as itstill does, to this day). “We have relation-

ships with dealers that go back 30years,” Miles says.

After importing fireplaces for 15years, Miles Industries eventuallymoved production to Vancouver,where it now manufactures its ownproducts. The company owns theValor brand for North America.

CONTINUING THE EVOLUTIONGas fireplaces have evolved in a way

that the Miles family could never havepredicted. They have become a staplein the hearth industry and a favorite ofconsumers. Over the past few years, the

aesthetics of fireplaces have becomemuch more important to consumers.

Miles attributes the shift to the factthat home/garden-oriented televisionprogramming has caused homeownersto start looking at home decorating dif-ferently, even when it comes to theirfireplaces. “People know they don’thave to settle for a standard builder fire-place anymore,” Miles says, adding that

this trend hasinspired fireplacemanufacturers suchas Miles Industries tooffer many moreoptions, styles, andcolors than everbefore.

“We aren’t likethe furnace guys,who are selling apiece of heatingequipment that willgo in the basementand never be seen.We’re selling techni-cal heating productsthat sit right in themiddle of a roomand that are oftenthe centerpiece ofdesign. Sure, people

have technical expectations, but a fire-place also has to fit with the overalldesign theme,” Miles says.

The company recently introduced

Valor has set new standards in gas-fireplace efficiency,comfort control, and fashionable design. by SHARON SANDERS

my TURN

leading

ithe way

Top: Integrating contemporary design withefficient Valor heat, the H4 is one of MilesIndustries’ most versatile fireplaces.

Above: Paul Miles, Miles Industries

Right: The Valor Legend G4 gas insert features a large glass viewing window.


http://www.valorfireplaces.com


my TURN

its new Valor Legend G4 gas insert, which is the bigbrother of its highly successful Legend G3 insert. TheG4 features a large glass viewing window and a sleeksilhouette that doesn’t include grills and louvers. “Ourdesign challenge is to get the heat out of the fireplacewithout it looking cluttered,” Miles says. The companyhas several more models coming out in the second halfof 2011 as well.

Gas fireplace manufacturers are feeling more pres-sure not only to stay current with design trends, but to

advance their fireplaces technically. The U.S.Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing manufacturersto create products that are greener and more efficient.“The DOE wants to see higher efficiency numbers,”Miles explains.

Miles Industries has developed a new energy-savingpilot system for its gas appliances that it will introduceon its G4 gas insert this year. The system automaticallyshuts off the pilot light if a fireplace isn’t used for aspecified period of time.

“Many homeowners don’t realize that they shouldturn the pilot light off on their fireplaces, especially inthe spring and summer. If they don’t, they are wastingabout $10 worth of gas each month because the pilotlight is not doing anything other than emitting a smallamount of unnecessary heat,” Miles says. The companyplans to incorporate the system in its entire line of gasappliances over the next few years.

The company has also developed a new technology,called a dynamic restrictor, that automatically controls

the amount of air going through a fire-place’s firebox; this, in turn, maximizesits efficiency. The restrictor is built intothe new Valor G4. Homeowners won’teven know it’s there, but they will reapthe benefits that more efficiency brings.

THE FUTURE “I’m encouraged that the U.S. market

is showing signs of a rebound,” Milessays. “The Canadian market was actuallyvery good last year. It recovered fromthe recession much more quickly thanthe U.S. market did. We are seeing a lotmore optimism from all of our dealers

in the United States—and because that’sthe biggest market in the world, it’sexciting to see.”

Miles is also optimistic about theavailability of natural gas. Five yearsago, people were saying that the natu-ral-gas supply was low, and they wereworried about what was going to hap-pen when it was gone. Thanks to newdrilling technologies, in just two years,the United States alone went from hav-ing a very small reserve to having 100years’ supply.

There is an abundant supply of natu-ral gas everywhere, and it’s a clean fuelthat is going to be important to a greenfuture for our environment. Miles says,“We like to call it the champagne offuels because short of burning purehydrogen, you can’t get a commerciallyavailable fuel that’s any cleaner than nat-ural gas.”

Miles Industries plans to continue tomake attractive, efficient products thatpeople will be proud to use to heat theirhomes. “I believe that specialty retailershave the future of gas fireplaces in theirhands. They are the ones who can showconsumers what’s possible, not theemployee who works at a big-box retail-er,” Miles says. “It’s our job, as a fireplacemanufacturer, to develop innovativeproducts that are worth selling.” Circle Reader Service No. 44

“I believe that specialty

retailers have the future of

gas fireplaces in their

hands. They are the ones

who can show consumers

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aking a cue from Betty White, Empire ComfortSystems (which is nearly 80 years old) is tweet-

ing its way to a resurgence of popularity, and NickBauer, one of several fourth-generation family mem-bers to work there, is proud of how far the companyhas come.

Bauer, vice president of product development,has worked at Empire Comfort Systems (Belleville,Illinois) since he graduated from college. His grand-father, who founded the company in 1932, workedthere for more than 50 years, and his father hasworked there since the 1980s. Now, there are evenmore family members involved, and that is exactlywhat Bauer says sets Empire Comfort Systems apartfrom its competitors.

“There are not a lot of family-owned companiesin my industry anymore. I am extremely proud ofus,” he explains. “From a competitive standpoint,Empire Comfort Systems’ customers know theowners. They see me, my sister, my mother, and myfather. They know they can call; they don’t have togo the upper-management route or through a mazeof voice mail. They talk to a person.”

Bauer points out that three of Empire ComfortSystems’ sales representatives are even second-gen-eration staff. He says, “We’re loyal to our employ-ees, and we’re in this for the long term. We’re nottrying to make a quick buck. My goal is to makeEmpire Comfort Systems successful enough thatmy grandson can run the company, eventually.”

To that end, Empire Comfort Systems manufac-

tures both hearth products and grills; 12 independ-ent sales representatives sells everything fromheaters and hearth products to Broilmaster grills(and anything else that comes under the EmpireComfort Systems name). It’s a nice balance.

Bauer notes, “Historically, our slowest monthsare June and July. In fact, up until 10 or 15 yearsago, business was so slow that we would takeoff an entire month in the summer. Now, sales ofBroilmaster—and a more efficiently run organi-zation—keep the company’s sales sizzling allsummer long.”

MR. BROILMASTERDespite having such a long history, Empire

Comfort Systems is among the most up-to-the-minute companies in the industry, actively making

the most of today’s social media (such as Twitterand Facebook). So important is social marketing toEmpire Comfort Systems that the company hasenlisted the help of one of its marketing gurus (wholoves grilling) to be its spokesperson: Mr.Broilmaster.

Mr. Broilmaster is a newly married expectantfather who regularly posts recipes online, in addi-tion to promoting grilling. He cooks three to fivenights a week and shares his experiences (both suc-cesses and failures) with more than 350 fans onFacebook. “It was a conscious effort, on our end, toget people talking about the brand,” Bauer says.“There are a lot of loyal Broilmaster people outthere who hold onto their grills for 15 to 30 years.”

According to Bauer, Broilmaster owners areloyal fans and ardent grillers who want to share

their stories. Of the fan mail thatthe company receives, he says,“95% is about Broilmaster. Mostly,we receive expressions of thanksand positive stories. Having avenue on Facebook and Twittergives these fans a forum for shar-ing their stories.”

Recently, for example, Mr.Broilmaster asked Facebook fol-lowers to post stories and photosof their old Broilmasters. One fansaid that his father had given himhis Broilmaster as a wedding gift;now, he was passing it down tohis son. The grill is about 37 yearsold and is quickly becoming a fam-ily heirloom.

“It is really cool. I recommendall our Broilmaster dealers get onFacebook and post their own pic-tures, as well as food they arecooking—and see the stuff Mr.

t

Right: Empire Comfort Systems’30-inch Loft burner, with clearfrost decorative glass, in the 42-inch Breckenridge Deluxe flush-face firebox

Bottom left: Mr. Broilmaster’sFacebook page

Bottom right: Empire ComfortSystems’ Loft vent-free fireplacewith decorative glass front


years youngFamily-owned Empire Comfort Systems uses social media to reachcustomers in novel ways. by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

product INNOVATION

SEVENTY-EIGHT


Broilmaster cooks,” Bauer notes, addingthat Empire Comfort Systems will occa-sionally reward Facebook fans withgoodies like free T-shirts to drum upexcitement.

This online activity isn’t necessarilyabout boosting sales. “An uptick in salesis not the goal,” Bauer explains. “Wewant it to translate into more sales, yes,but if it doesn’t, that’s okay, too. We’re inthis business because we like creating ahigh-quality product the consumerenjoys, and as long as you do that, thesales will come.”

VALUE EQUALS SALESEven the sluggish economy hasn’t

dampened sales. “We’ve been fortunatethat our hearth products are priced atthe value end, so our hearth productshave done quite well the past twoyears. The Broilmaster brand is a higher-priced brand that is seeing a lot of stiffoverseas competition, so it hasn’t heldup as well, but it hasn’t fared poorly,either. The hearth stuff is just outper-forming our wildest expectations,”Bauer says.

“We’ve been extremely fortunate, thepast few years, to be in the position weare in currently. Our business model isto produce a high-quality, U.S.-madeproduct at a value price,” Bauerexplains. “We really feel that we are hit-ting the consumer who cannot affordthe $3,000 to $8,000 fireplace and islooking for the $500 log set and $1,200fireplace. Our consumer is looking forheat and a reduction in heating bills.”

Bauer continues, “We don’t produce40% efficient heating products that cost$5,000 and only offer a big flame andno heat. Our model is to produce high-quality, efficient products. We foundthat we are positioned well for the con-sumer who is trending down; it workedreally well last year. This year, we’re see-ing more consumer confidence butbuyers still want value for their money.Credit isn’t as easy to get as it was a fewyears ago.”

One avenue that Empire ComfortSystems is pursuing is the promotion ofenvironmentally friendly products, andthe company is investing money inMantis, its family of green products. Withan efficiency rating of more than 90%,“Mantis is the only direct-vent fireplaceon the market that vents with PVCpipe,” Bauer says. “It really is the mostefficient fireplace that you can currentlybuy. It takes the same basic idea of ahigh-efficiency central furnace and addsdecorative flame and logs to it.”

Empire Comfort Systems’ goal is toadd one to two new products to theMantis line every year, using the samegreen thinking that made the line takeoff at its launch. A new, contemporaryunit will be introduced in March 2011.

LOFTY ASPIRATIONS The company’s first foray into con-

temporary fireplace design was theintroduction of the vent-free Loft, a con-temporary fireplace (with a single lin-ear burner) that was launched in March2009. Priced economically at $550 to

$800 for the burners and $1,300 for thefireplace system, the Loft is wooinghomeowners who love the $5,000 linearproducts that they see in hotels, but can-not afford to install in their own homes.

At present, Empire Comfort Systemsoffers three vent-free Loft products. In2011, it will add nine new products tothe Loft line, including two outdoorunits. Among the new products (to beintroduced in March) will be direct-ventLoft products. Compared with otherdirect-vent products, “They may nothave all the bells and whistles, but theywon’t have the huge price point either,”Bauer says.

Other introductions for 2011 willinclude a new outdoor fireplace andadditional clean-face products. With allthese product introductions in theworks, staff members of Empire ComfortSystems’ research/development depart-ment could probably use a breather.

“They’ve been doing quite a lot ofwork. There are never enough hours forhow many products we want, but theydo an amazing job,” Bauer says, addingthat in 2011, Empire Comfort Systemswill introduce more products in a singleyear than ever before. “We’ll actuallydouble the number of products we’veintroduced in any one year,” he says.

In the next few years, Bauer hints,big things are in store for EmpireComfort Systems. He says, “We’re goingto some very exciting places in the nextfew years. The brand will always beEmpire Comfort Systems, but we’re pur-suing aggressively filling in the holeswith new products. Some of our com-petitors have laid low for the past fewyears; we haven’t.”

Bauer continues, “We’ve invested a lotin our future for the long term. Theeconomy is going to get better, and wefeel we should invest during the down-turn so that we’re ready for theuptick.”


http://www.chimneyfans.com


apoleon, long known for its grillsand fireplaces, is shaking up theindustry with its entrance intothe casual-furniture segment.Why did the company do it?

Diversification is the reason, according toDavid Coulson, national manager of advertis-ing for Wolf Steel Ltd./Napoleon ApplianceCorp. (Barrie, Ontario). “It is helping ourdealers, particularly in the outdoor division.We can offer our customers one-stop shop-ping,” he says.

Coulson, who has been with the companyfor 10 years, says that the move was a natu-ral. The company already offered outdoorpatio heaters, patio torches, gas firepits, fire-places, stand-alone grills, and modularislands, so furniture was simply the nextstep. “Now, we can outfit a customer’s entirebackyard,” he adds.

It’s all part of a much larger marketing strat-egy that helps to even out what would other-wise be an uneven business. Case in point:Despite the economic downturn, sales at

Napoleon are holding their own, Coulson says. “The hearth industry, as a whole, is down;

we’re just coming out with new, innovativeproducts and new product lines—like the newcasual-furniture line and new grill products—which is how we’ve adjusted. We’re diversify-ing. If grills are down, we have another prod-uct mix to come up with,” he notes.

This strategy is paying off, it seems. Othermanufacturers have been tightening theirbelts, but Napoleon just added 75,000 squarefeet to its manufacturing facility inCrittenden, Kentucky.

Adding a casual-furniture line to the mixwasn’t something done on the fly. Napoleonhad been looking into the possibility for sometime. “We’d been asking a lot of questions ofour dealers and customers and doing ourresearch,” Coulson explains. “Ultimately, wecame up with the line that we have, whichreally helps out our customers. They don’thave to go with three or four suppliers to geteverything they want. We can do the wholeoutdoor room.”

The new line includes loungers, dining sets,and recliners with aluminum frames and wick-er; they incorporate fiber materials that areweather resistant. There are nine sets availablenow, representing a mix of contemporary andtraditional styles. Some pieces feature a high-back look, while others—such as the Monacocollection—are more contemporary, with alow profile.

Also catching attention is the design ofthe furniture itself (and the fact that it is notlinear). The Roma set includes two sofas thatcurve in yin-yang style, with a cushioned seatthat fits like a puzzle piece between the two.

Top: Napoleon’s Napoli™ furniture provides seating anda coffee table.

Center, left: The Roma™ collection includes acurved, yin-yang–style set that is anything but linear.

Center, right: David Coulson, national manager of advertising, Wolf Steel Ltd./Napoleon Appliance Corp.

last WORD

branchingout

By adding a casual-furniture line, Napoleon can now offer one-stop shopping.

by CHERYL DANGEL CULLEN

N

TESTING THE WATERSLast year, Napoleon dipped its toe

in the water and introduced a fewpieces to get an initial reaction; then, itjumped in wholeheartedly, this sum-mer, with its official launch. “Reactionhas been positive,” Coulson says.“Orders have been coming in; we’vegot the line available, and people havebeen happy with it.”

The target customer for the newline is, in Coulson’s words, “someonelooking for better quality. Our con-sumer is not the person shopping at abig-box store or department store. Itis the individual who wants to spenda bit more money for better-qualityfurniture that will last longer. Youwon’t get a four-piece set with a nicetable for $1,200. We’re priced for theperson willing to spend $3,500 to$3,900 or so, depending on the set.”

An advantage of that higher price isthe added benefit of being able to usethe furniture indoors or outside. “Itisn’t restricted to outdoor use,”Coulson says, while noting that theweather-protection system used onthe fabric holds up really well. Thatfeature alone is a big selling pointwith families outfitting their familyrooms with furniture that will lookgood, yet stand up to use by children.

It didn’t take long for Napoleon’sdealers to adapt to the new line. Mostalready sell casual furniture, the differ-ence being that some of Napoleon’sdealers have been accustomed to sell-ing a higher-end product. To educatethem about the new line, Napoleonsupports them with brochures, aninformation-packed PowerPoint®

presentation, and plenty of details onthe company’s website.

“Our sales representatives havetalked to them about the qualitymore than anything else, and theystress that the product is for some-one who will invest and buy a betterproduct,” Coulson notes, adding thatthe furniture is priced not at thehighest part of the high-end sector,but in the middle-to-high range. Hesays, “We’re not at the $10,000 to$12,000 range. More than anythingelse, quality—at that level—is thesame. It has more to do with a differ-ent style, and the fact that we offerone-stop shopping.”

OPTIMIZING FLOOR SPACEOften, the most difficult part of

selling casual furniture is choosingwhat to display, which can be a fac-tor of available floor space. “Mostoften, an existing casual-furnitureretailer will have the floor space.Someone new to the category mightnot, but should show at least threesets,” Coulson suggests. He recom-mends displaying the Roma collec-tion because, he says, “It is the onethat everyone gravitates to because itis kind of funky looking.”

Next, he suggests, add a more tra-ditional style (like the Napoli collec-


Sunbrella®

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tion) and a dining collection, such asLisbon. “That mix gives a retailer avariety of different styles. Pool/patioor hot-tub dealers who also sell grillswon’t have a ton of floor space, sowe recommend they show thesethree,” Coulson says.

Napoleon gives advice like this toits dealers when they want it; thecompany also listens to the advicethat its dealers give to it. That,Coulson says, is the key to its success.

“Our dealers let us know what theyare looking for and what their cus-tomers are looking for; it all comesback to our dealers and their cus-tomers. Our dealers are on the frontlines and talking with consumers, sowe listen to our dealers and distribu-tors very closely,” he reports.

Outside its new casual-furnitureline, at this year’s HPBExpo in Marchin Salt Lake City, Utah, Napoleonexpects to introduce some new fire-

places, in addition to a new HVACline of whole-house ductless air-con-ditioning and furnace systems.

“If something else just sparks, we’lllook into it,” Coulson says. “We canbe talking with a dealer or distributorwho points out something that islacking in a category and suggeststhere is a need, and we’ll start think-ing, ‘We should be in this category.’We’ll do some research and engineer-ing and go from there.”

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H SeriesThe H series hybrid unit features heavy-duty, combined stainless-steel and

cast-aluminum end-cap head construction. The burners and cooking grid are ofcommercial-quality cast-iron construction. The Fire Maxx ignition system istruly amazing. The units are fully assembled; just attach the side shelves,hook up the natural gas or propane, and you are ready to rock. The units arein stock and ready to ship for spring. They are sold to and through

independent dealers only. Contact: George Speicher or Pete Arnold at (949) 474-3070. Circle Reader Service No. 101

The Ledge From Valor

Balancing seamless design withcrisp profiles, the Ledge features abeautiful collection of threecomplementary finishes. Available inblack, brushed nickel, and artisanpatina, the Ledge is Valor’s latestaddition to the highly successfulPortrait series gas-fireplace family.Contact: www.valorfireplaces.com. Circle Reader Service No. 102

SunBriteTV: Model 5510HDIn an effort to expand its market reach, SunBriteTV recently introduced two new televisions to its all-weather outdoor-product line. SunBriteTV’s high-end introduction is model 5510HD, which sports a 55-inch, 1,080-pixel full HD LCD screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. This television is ideal for homeown-ers who are looking for home-theater–quality viewing in their outdoor spaces (see page 79 forSunBriteTV’s other new product). Contact: (866) 357-8688 or www.sunbritetv.com.Circle Reader Service No. 103

Florence Wicker Sling Gensun has added wicker sling styles to the

already-popular Florence collection. Combining castaluminum and woven wicker, these additions bringtogether beauty and comfort second to none. Thehigh-back design of the dining chair, swivel rocker, andlove-seat glider makes relaxation on your patio thechoice of family and friends. The collection also offersswivel barstools and balcony stools, a chaise, and awide variety of tables. Contact: www.gensuncasual.com.Circle Reader Service No. 104

PR

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http://www.valorfireplaces.com

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303 ProductsAEI

AgioAlfresco Home

American FireglassBelgard

Big Green EggBig Woods/Stellar Hearth Products

BreckwellBull Outdoor ProductsBungalow by E-Z UP

California Outdoor ConceptsCaluco

Casual CreationsThe Companion Group

CouristanCrest Foam

D&J Architectural PrecastDiversiTech

Domus VenturesDuraVent

Earth’s FlameEbel

Elmira Stove WorksEmpire Comfort Systems

Enviro

ExhaustoFiberBuilt Umbrellas

firegearFMI Products

Galtech InternationalGensun Casual LivingGlen Raven/Sunbrella

Gloster FurnitureGolden Blount

The Hammock SourceHargrove Manufacturing

Hart & CooleyHearth & Home Technologies

Hearth, Patio & BarbecueAssociation

Hearth Products ControlsHighwood

HitzerThe Holland Grill Company

HomecrestHudson River Stove Works

InfratechInternational Casual Furnishings

AssociationInternational Pool/Spa/Patio Expo

Ironhaus

Kalamazoo Outdoor GourmetKamado Joe

Kenyon InternationalKingsley-Bate

Lennox Hearth ProductsMallin Casual Furniture

MarthThe Merchandise Mart

Miles IndustriesMinden GrillMLW Stone

Modern Home ProductsMonessen Hearth Systems

MorsøNapoleon Products

NorthCape InternationalOmega Mantels

Onward ManufacturingOutdoor Lifestyle

OutduraOW Lee

Oxford GardenPacific Energy/Town & Country

Palm Springs Rattan and GardenClassics

Peak Season

Protégé CasualQuickDryFoamRagasco USARH Peterson

RinnaiSCHOTT ROBAX

Security ChimneysSelect Outdoor Kitchens

Selkirk Corp.Shademaker

Simpson Dura-VentSouth Sea Rattan

Summerset Outdoor LivingSunBriteTVTeam Grill

Telescope CasualTreasure Garden

TUUCITwo Dogs Designs for Outdoor

LivingTyler Retail Systems

WittusWoodMaster

WoodPellets.ComZipJack Custom Umbrellas

In some respects, these words are nothing more than an adverb and an exclamation. When used together in a sentence, however,they convey a powerful message of heartfelt thanks and appreciation. With that thought in mind . . .

Please allow us this opportunity to say thank you to the companies (listed below) that advertised with Patio & Hearth Products Reportin 2010. We greatly appreciate your business. It’s your advertising support that allows us to deliver P&HPR to the patio, hearth,barbecue/grill, outdoor-kitchen, and outdoor-living industry.

Here’s wishing all of our loyal advertisers continued success in 2011.

All the best,The staff of Patio & Hearth Products Report

Please and Thank YouG

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Follow us on Twitter: @patiohearth






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IndoorForced-airFurnace

The APEX-CBT indoor furnacehas an average efficiency of87.2% and a low heat valueefficiency of 90.7%. It’s perfectas a stand-alone unit or as anadd-on to an existing furnacesystem. The ultraclean-burningunit produces only 3.3 gramsper hour and is from thecatalytic experts. Contact: (509)522-2730 orwww.blazeking.com.Circle Reader Service No. 108

Firepit byBradfordLifestyles

Bradford Lifestylesoffers a selection ofUL-approved firepits toextend yourbackyard-living season.With solid granite ormarble tops and aselection of finishes,Bradford’s firepits are abeautiful addition to anybackyard or patio. Theseelegant firepits areavailable with glass orlava rock, and they feature two different covers. Just add the propane tankand enjoy. Bradford also offers a selection of accessories, from lazy susans tolarger 54-inch tops. Expand your outdoor lifestyle. Contact:[email protected] Reader Service No. 109

IGL-26GlassLog Set

Stellar HearthProducts™ (a brandof Big Woods HearthProducts™, Inc.)introduces a stunningnew, modern gas logset, the IGL-26 glass

log set. Using reflective ceramic-glass logs—along with accent lighting on theburner and front grate—greatly enhances the flames and lights by reflectingthe images throughout the firebox, giving you countless iterations of theflame. The IGL-26 features 44,000 Btu of flame and fits into most masonryand prefabricated wood-burning fireplaces. With lighting from below, theedges of the glass logs are illuminated, enhancing the look whether they areburning or not. Optional reflective firebox panels are also available. Contact:(952) 224-4072 or www.stellarhearth.com.Circle Reader Service No. 110

Arrington Deep SeatingElegance and presence come together with the Arrington deep seating collection,

one of the bold new looks from the Agio® collections. With comfortable deep seatingcushions, frames with oversized scrolled arms, and beautifully functionaltempered-glass–top tables, Arrington gives your customers the looks that create theperfect setting for outdoor entertainment. Contact: www.agio-usa.com.Circle Reader Service No. 105

Half-inch Glass ColorsAmerican Fireglass is excited to introduce its line

of all-new half-inch glass colors. Through testing,American Fireglass has discovered thathalf-inch glass burns cleaner and moreefficiently. Customers can choose from afull line of half-inch reflective and standardglass. Contact: (888) 264-1017 orwww.americanfireglass.com.Circle Reader Service No. 106

The First-everElectric-grillIsland

Galaxy Outdoor is pleasedto announce one of its newestproducts: the first-everelectric-grill island, featuringthe Dimplex grill. The island isonly 21 inches wide by 48inches long, and it includes agranite top, a stucco base,wheels, a large storage areaunder the grill, and a16x20-inch stainless door.This unit is great for

apartment or condo living and is approved for use by most homeowners’ associations.Dealers’ introductory cost is only $995. Contact: (702) 448-5600 orwww.galaxyoutdoor.com.Circle Reader Service No. 107

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Cedar Entertaining Buffet TablePerfect for hosting parties

and backyard bashes, thisentertaining buffet table ishandcrafted from westernred cedar and features twowell-spaced shelves forsetting up snacks, drinks,and dishes. Use it after theparty for functional andversatile storage. The curvesin the legs make it a stylishstatement. Contact: (888)293-2339 orwww.CedarStore.com.Circle Reader Service No. 112

CalaisAgio® combines boldness and artistry so that you can offer your customers

exciting new outdoor rooms. The Calais deep seating collection features pieces thatprove bold, savvy, and multifunctional for those customers who insist on the very latestlooks. The L-shaped sectional is complemented by an oversized, cushioned coffeetable that takes on double duty as extra seating and lounging space. Its clean, modernlines are further enhanced by the unique look of Agio’s latest accent-table design. Fortrendsetting looks that are sure to be on the top of your customers’ lists for new ideasand innovation, trust Agio. Contact: www.agio-usa.com.Circle Reader Service No. 113

New Firepit RingsAmerican Fireglass’ firepit rings are now

available in 6-, 12-, 18-, 24-, 30-, 36-, and 48-inchsizes. These firepit rings feature an all-newcrossbow design for better gasdistribution and are constructed ofhigh-quality stainless steel.Contact: (888) 264-1017 orwww.americanfireglass.com.Circle Reader Service No. 111


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Glo-Fire CastWood Stove

The Glo-Fire Mustang cast-ironwood stove represents one of thehighest consumer-value stoves on themarket. The noncatalytic burn system,clean-glass air wash, and double-wallcast-iron construction—all with afive-year warranty—provide consumerconfidence. The Mustang takes 24-inchwood and has a 70,000 Btu rating.Contact: (360) 425-4200 orwww.hearthdistribution.com.Circle Reader Service No. 116

Designs ByGarry

DBG’s newest exteriorfireplace model, the Mariposa,invites guests to gather withoutblocking views, combininglow-profile functionality with anartful appearance. Usinglightweight, durable exteriorconcrete, these prefabricatedunits simply stack and bolttogether. They are made in theUnited States. Contact: (949)581-1919 orwww.exteriorfireplaces.com.Circle Reader Service No. 114

Firepit by Galaxy OutdoorGalaxy Outdoor introduces the first custom, self-contained firepit for LP gas on wheels. This unique

firepit can roll around anywhere in a backyard and can be built to any size or shape. The unit includesa 16-gauge, heavy-duty, 304 stainless-steel firepan; a stainless-steel fire burner; a high-flow regulator;whistle-free, 5/8-inch hoses; a key valve; an igniter system with a stainless-steel cover; and a14x20-inch stainless-steel access door. All Galaxy Outdoor products carry a warranty for 10 years on allworkmanship. Contact: (702) 448-5600 or www.galaxyoutdoor.com.Circle Reader Service No. 115


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These built-in components by Galaxy Outdoor are made in theUnited States and feature 16-gauge, heavy-duty, 304 stainlesssteel; stainless-steel handles; full extension; and self-closingdrawer glides. There are 15 different doors to choose from, whichgives you more choices than other, competing brands do. AllGalaxy Outdoor products carry a warranty for 10 years on allworkmanship. Contact: (702) 448-5600 orwww.galaxyoutdoor.com.Circle Reader Service No. 117

Grand FirepitGolden Blount’s Grand firepit makes a bold statement in any outdoor

setting and is the perfect alternative to smaller, inexpensive-lookingfirepits. It includes 12 massive, highly textured ceramic logs and astainless-steel burner with a 14-gauge pan. It uses natural or LP gas.Contact: (800) 833-1139 or www.goldenblountinc.com.Circle Reader Service No. 118

Direct-vent Fireplace Insert

Blaze King’s very successful Torino 1605Idirect-vent gas stove is now available as an insert.Contemporary looks, combined with the best-backedwarranty for gas-fired appliances in the industry,make for a winning combination. Features include anoutput of 33,000 Btu, electronic ignition, aremote-control thermostat, an illuminated firebox,and Pyro-Glo ceramic logs and burner. Contact: (509)522-2730 or www.blazeking.com.Circle Reader Service No. 119

Planet Barbecue SpiceRubs and Pastes

This hot new product line from Steven Raichlenfeatures four explosively flavorful spice pastes (fromColombia, Morocco, Malaysia, and Jamaica) and fivebold spice-rub blends (from North Africa, Spain,Morocco, Argentina, and Germany). Raichlen spentyears on the world’s barbecue trail, documenting thelive-fire culinary traditions of cultures around theplanet. The spice rubs and marinade pastes are anextension of Raichlen’s bestselling cookbook, “PlanetBarbecue,” published in 2010 by Workman Publishing.Suggested retail prices for the spice rubs and pastesare $6.99 and $9.99, respectively. Contact: (800)521-0505 or [email protected] Reader Service No. 120






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Griddle by Bradford LifestylesBradford Lifestyles is now offering Simogas griddles from Spain, which can be

used for both domestic and professional cooking. Bradford offers a range ofSimogas accessories—such as trolleys, covers, and utensils—providing you witheverything you need to enjoy real griddle cooking. Discover its advantages overthe traditional barbecue. The griddle is designed to eliminate cold spots on theplate and is powerful enough to maintain a temperature of more than 570degrees (300 degrees Celsius) over the entire surface. Contact:[email protected] Reader Service No. 121

Bottle Opener Built from 304 stainless steel, the bottle

opener from Bull Outdoor Products comescomplete with an opener and catch. The catchis removable to allow for easy cleanup. BullOutdoor Products worked with its designersand production groups to make sure thatinstallation is simple. This is a great addition toany outdoor-cooking or entertaining area.Contact: (800) 521-2855 or www.bullbbq.com.Circle Reader Service No. 123


OutdoorRooms.com • 866-303-4028

Beautiful, affordable, and efficient – just a few reasons consumers are paying attention to the Venturi Flame™ line of products. Working like magic, our proprietary Venturi Flame Technology creates a mesmerizing, dancing flame. Taking a non-descript gel fire and instantly turning it into an active piece of art.

The wall-mounted Inspiration Fireplace is the first ever UL listed gel-fueled fireplace. It hangs in minutes and you can take it with you to any location. The Inspiration and Venturi–Table-top Fire Pits are economical, easy to install, and lightweight. They run on clean-burning gel fuel, creating warmth and ambience, for use virtually any-where – indoors and out. Crystal Spin–Fire Pit Tables use all of the same technology running on LP or NG for use outdoors – creating even more warmth, and a long-lasting fire.

Visit us at HPBexpo booth #4281 or go to OutdoorRooms.com to see our entire line of Outdoor Room products.

Inspiration Fireplace Venturi–Table-top Fire Pit

Crystal Spin–Fire Pit Table

All Venturi Flame products are UL listed to meet safety performance standards.

PATENT PENDING

FP-36 FirepitA unique, all-cast fireplace, measuring 36 inches square

with a 24-inch ring burner system, ships knocked down—andcan be assembled in 10 minutes or less. Designed with a rigidspace frame, stacked-stone–look sides, and a slate-look top,the FP-36 fits in any backyard setting. Burner media availableare lava rock, logs, or any color of fireplace glass. Contact:(360) 425-4200 or www.hearthdistribution.com.Circle Reader Service No. 122



http://www.hearthdistribution.com

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Cedar Entertainment and Storage Unit

This red-cedar entertainment center and storage unit is versatileand beautiful. It features two roomy shelves and space for agarbage can or clothes hamper. Use it poolside, for towels andtoys; indoors, as a media center with space for movies and games;or in the kitchen, for storage. Contact: (888) 293-2339 orwww.CedarStore.com.Circle Reader Service No. 125

Designs By GarryDBG’s newest exterior fire product, the chat-height octagon fire

table, is cozy (yet functional) as a low dining table, featuring a54-inch–diameter top. The base can house a propane tank. Thetabletop is available in concrete or a granite-inset model and is alsoavailable in a standard 48-inch size. The fire table is made in theUnited States of lightweight, durable exterior concrete. Contact:(949) 581-1919 or www.exteriorfireplaces.com.Circle Reader Service No. 124

Stone Age Manufacturingoffers everything your customers want in an outdoor room,all created in lightweight concrete fora lifetime of trouble-free enjoyment.

See the Stone Age difference

Look For Exciting New Items in Our 2011 Product Catalog

• Fireplaces

• Fire Pits

• Pizza Ovens

• Brick Ovens

• Kitchen Islands

• Pergolas

• Storage Cabinets


EvenGLOEvenGLO is the latest addition to the

company’s one-stop–shopping approach tooutdoor kitchens, living areas, andentertainment centers. The EvenGLOcommercial outdoor heater evenlydistributes heat throughout the living areausing its patented precision heat-controlsystem. The EvenGLO by Danver employs apatented double-reflector design to directeven temperatures over a greater distance(up to 58% greater than that ofconventional umbrella-style heaters).Contact: (888) 441-0537 orwww.danver.com.Circle Reader Service No. 126

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We’re Big in Barbecue

Visit us at HPBExpo March 2-5, 2011. Booth 3829To request a catalog please call 800-521-0505 or email to, [email protected]


http://www.companiongroup.com


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gadget this holiday season. Steak Stationmonitors four steaks at the same time, allowingthose commanding the grill to cook multiplesteaks confidently, each to the desired degree ofdoneness. An easy-to-read monitor allows forquick and easy evaluation of how much a steakhas been cooked. The colorful probes measurefrom 115 to 170 degrees, indicating a completespectrum of doneness. Contact: (800) 521-0505or [email protected]. Circle Reader Service No. 127

Custom Flex and Custom KitsThere is always a flexible solution with DuraVent’s DuraFlex custom lengths and custom kits. Choose exactly the

length of flex needed from four different stainless-steel flex products: DuraFlex Pro, DuraFlex SW, DuraFlex 316, andDuraFlex 304 (minimum order of10 feet). Custom ovalization isavailable, too. Then, add exactlythe components needed tocomplete a kit. Contact: (800)835-4429 or www.duravent.com.Circle Reader Service No. 128


Earth’s FlameEarth’s Flame™ is a new hearth product that

improves the performance of wood-burning fireplacesand, ultimately, helps generate more heat. It is asystem that fits into an existing wood-burningfireplace, replacing the manufacturer’s cast-irongrate. It increases radiant heat (at minimal cost) andreduces emissions from a fireplace. Two importantdesign features—the Blue Flame log lighter and aninsulating refractory plate that sits above thefire—make the fire start faster and increasecombustion temperatures in the fireplace. Contact:(888) 201-8805 or www.earthsflame.com.Circle Reader Service No. 129

Vent HoodBull Outdoor

Products’ new vent hoodis designed to work with most of the company’sbuilt-in grills. Built from solid 304 stainless steel, thisunit (36 inches wide and 32 inches deep) is loadedwith features. Twin internal sealed motors drive 1,250cfm of ventilation power. The vent hood comes withtwin halogen lights and commercial-gradestainless-steel baffle filters. An interchangeabledischarge makes installation simple and allows for awide variety of applications. Contact: (800) 521-2855or www.bullbbq.com.Circle Reader Service No. 130



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Grand Terrace Wicker Sling Gensun’s Grand Terrace wicker sling collection combines

beautifully detailed cast arms and legs with a custom-woven wickerseat, creating a striking and comfortable chair. The high-backdesign adds to the comfort, for a product that completes anyoutdoor room. The collection offers a dining chair, a swivel rocker, alove-seat glider, swivel barstools and balcony stools, and a chaise.Contact: www.gensuncasual.com.Circle Reader Service No. 133

Crystal FireSquare andRectangularBurner Units

New for 2011 are square and rectangularburners for Crystal Fire firepits. Elegant indesign, these new burner units create aglowing, warm fire that burns above glassLiqui-Crystals (choose from five differentcolor options). Both units fit into thecompany’s existing surrounds (Sierra orSan Juan models), or they can be fitted tocustom surrounds. Contact: (866) 303-4028or www.outdoorrooms.com.Circle Reader Service No. 131

HamptonsCollection bySunbrella Fabrics

The new Sunbrella® Hamptonscollection plays on the traditionalblue-and-white combination, but withmodern designs and bold hues that makethe color contrast fresh again. Fabrics inthe collection include Lantern Shadow, HoltClassic, Neo Indigo, Zelli Indigo, MeridianWren, and Bari Indigo. All fabrics areavailable through Glen Raven CustomFabrics. Contact: www.sunbrella.com.Circle Reader Service No. 132


Profit from the brand NEW patio protector. Patio Fabric Protector repels water, dirt and stains while maintaining the appearance and breathability of outdoor fabrics. • Camp Dry products are up 19.4% in sales*

• Cash in on the patio protection trend

See your Sales Representative for additional off-shelf merchandising opportunities.

kiwicampdry.com© 2010 Sara Lee Household & Body Care USA. Kiwi and Camp Dry are trademarks.

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BioethanolFireplaces

Offer your customers an easy way ofconverting an existing nonworkingfireplace into an eco-friendly bioethanolfireplace with EcoSmart Fire. It’sdesigned to be put into an existingmasonry hearth, so the conversionprocess is really quick and easy—ittakes about 15 minutes. Add EcoSmartFire to your product offerings today.Contact: (888) 590-3335 orwww.ecosmartfire.com. Circle Reader Service No. 134

DuraPro Fresh Air KitThe patent-pending

DuraPro combustion airsystem, by M&G DuraVent,features a wall thimble and aceiling support box that supplyoutdoor air for combustion forwood and pellet stoves,including below-gradeapplications. The kit eliminatesusing conditioned inside air ascombustion air and minimizesdowndrafts in below-gradeinstallations. Simplifyinstallations with only one wallor ceiling penetration. It has adecor black finish and is madein the United States. Contact:(800) 835-4429 orwww.duravent.com.Circle Reader Service No. 135

Spring BayStripe DeluxeCushionedDouble Swing

Classic and modern meet here, inone of the widest double swingsavailable. The curvy, polishedwhite-oak frame supports a pillowyseat of cottony-soft, all-weatherDuraCord® fabric sandwiching anample layer of polyester fiberfillbatting. The pleasing Spring BayStripe pattern, with its cool aquastripes interspersed with bands ofbrown, natural chambray, and citron

green, evokes a peaceful spring morning beside placid water. Vinyl-coated steel cables bolster strength andadd a distinctly modern, artful flourish. Contact: (800) 334-1078 or www.thehammocksource.com.Circle Reader Service No. 136

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ElmiraStoveWorks.com1 800 295 8498

Choose the warm charm of our Antique wood-burning or gas and electric appliances,

or the retro cool Northstar line.

Looking for originality?

Adorned with nickel, brass, copper or chrome, each custom-built appliance is true to its era.

Models available in gas, electric, wood-burning or dual fuel.

For true originals.Let us build one for you.

RANGES • COOKSTOVESRANGE HOODS • MICROWAVES

REFRIGERATORS • DISHWASHERS


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Rustic Timbers byHargrove

Rustic Timbers™ is the latest offering inHargrove’s Vesta Award-winning Radiant Heat ventedlog series. Rustic Timbers further refines thecompany’s Radiant Riser™ technology, givingradiant-heating efficiency comparable to that of avent-free log set while retaining the beauty andrealism found only in Hargrove vented gaslogs. Hargrove’s innovative new molding processreproduces the intricate textures of nature in ceramic

fiber, creating a warm and inviting glow in the heart of the log set, with all the detail of Hargrove’straditional refractory log sets. Rustic Timbers works with standard Hargrove vented burner systems,and is available in 21-inch through 36-inch sizes and in see-through configurations. Contact: (800)725-4166 or www.hargrovegaslogs.com.Circle Reader Service No. 137

Linear Fireplace by Golden Blount

Golden Blount’s 42x18-inch linear fireplace (LFP4218) provides theperfect focal point for today’s modern home. Its open-front,contemporary B-vent design; high-gloss black interior panels; andoptional LED lights add a sleek look to any room. The linear fireplacecomes with a choice of decorative glass and is capable of generating30,000 Btu. Glass doors and custom colors are options, as aredesigner geometric interior panels. Contact: (800) 833-1139 orwww.goldenblountinc.com.Circle Reader Service No. 138

Loft Contemporary Burners Empire Comfort Systems continues to expand its Loft series

contemporary fireplace-burner line with new outdoor models. Ratedat 36,000 Btu for the 24-inch model and 40,000 Btu for the 30-inchmodel, these distinctive, contemporary burners deliver reliableoutdoor heat and light to help extend your outdoor season.Intermittent-pilot models operate without a pilot and can be lit usingthe included remote control. Millivolt models employ a standing pilotand can operate manually or with an optional remote control. Theburners are available in LP- and natural-gas models. Contact:www.empirecomfort.com. Circle Reader Service No. 139

ENERVEXENERVEX is introducing a loaner

program for local home shows tohelp introduce the chimney fan toyour customers. It is absolutely freeto use, and the company even takescare of the shipping charges.Included in this unique loanerprogram are a chimney fan, a modelchimney, a press release for localmedia, and a poster. Contact: (800)255-2923, [email protected], orwww.chimneyfans.com.Circle Reader Service No. 140



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Fireplace DraftDamper System(FDDS)

The environmentally friendly ENERVEXFDDS is the first completely automateddraft-and-damper system for use with gasfireplaces. The FDDS quietly manages aperfect draft and prevents excess heat fromescaping through the chimney when thefireplace is not in use. It eliminates the needfor glass doors, opening up many newdesign options while allowing for a largerview area of the fire and a more natural look.The system consists of the RS chimney fan,

the mechanical fireplace damper (MFD), and the ADC 100 control. Contact: (800)255-2923, www.chimneyfans.com, or [email protected]. Circle Reader Service No. 141

A Great Line Extension for Your Sales Team

Selling the dream of having a fireplace without all the fuss is great for yourteam—and even better for your customers. EcoSmart Fires are leaders in theglobal market of eco-friendly, bioethanol-fueled open fireplaces and offersolutions for both indoors and outdoors. They offer quick and easy setup, with noflue or chimney (and no gas or electricity connection) required. Contact: (888)590-3335 or www.ecosmartfire.com. Circle Reader Service No. 142

RaptureIt isn’t often that a product offers

looks, features, performance, andquality at a level to lead an entireindustry in virtually every category.Design Dynamics™ introduces thenew Rapture B-vent gas fireplace, arare hybrid of modern innovationwith an elegant and traditionalmasonry design. Concealedelectronic ignition reveals only themagnificence of the fire. A premiumlog stack is unitized with the fiberburner as a single system. Thefireplace produces considerableheat due to the technology of thefiber burner, and it even includes adamper. The 30-inch–tall viewing

area provides a dramatic flame picture to enhance the industry’s finest MosaicMasonry™ firebrick lining, which is indistinguishable from site-built masonry.Contact: (866) 328 4537 or www.fmiproducts.com.Circle Reader Service No. 143

Royal Red Stripe PillowtopHammock

Firm, appealingly wide, interwoven poly-filled pillows provide uncommon lumbaruplift even as they enhance cushiony hammock comfort. The simple, elegant fabricpattern, part of the new Hatteras Hammocks® Equestrian collection, is based in richroyal red, recalling an old-time jockey’s vest on race day. The solution-dyedDuraCord® fabric is as weather tough as it is cottony soft, while South Americancumaru-wood spreader bars further boost both looks and durability. The HatterasHammocks Roman Arc® cypress hammock stand is sold separately. Contact: (800)334-1078 or www.thehammocksource.com.Circle Reader Service No. 144

Heat & Glo’s New Line of Gas Inserts

Recently, Heat & Glo® updated its entire line of direct-vent gas inserts with theindustry’s most advanced technology for realistic flames, glow, and lighting. Sixmodel variations are available to suit any design style. The four metal inserts arethe Grand-I35 and the Supreme-I30 (traditional style) and the Cosmo-I35 and I30(contemporary style). The two FireBrick™ models are the Escape-I35FB and theEscape-I30FB. All of these new Heat & Glo inserts are designed for easy and quickinstallation, and they come standard with IntelliFire™ intermittent-pilot ignition.They meet the most discriminating homeowner’s desire for comfort, beauty, andelegance. Contact: www.heatnglo.com. Circle Reader Service No. 145

RefractoryPanels

Hargrove Premium Products hasintroduced a new series ofreplacement refractory panels.Multiple sizes are available, andpanels can be cut to fit sizingrequirements. Each panel is steel andfiber reinforced. Some models areavailable for UPS shipment. Contact:(800) 725-4166 [email protected] Reader Service No. 146

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Sedona Collection by SunbrellaFabrics

The Sunbrella® Sedona collectioncombines Sunbrella’s newest color, hotpink, with various earth tones for a modern,organic effect that makes the fabrics livableand approachable. Fabrics in the collectioninclude Prado Mesa, Wabi Fiesta, VelvetNutmeg, Meridian Maize, and El GrecoBerry. All fabrics are available through GlenRaven Custom Fabrics. Contact:www.sunbrella.com.Circle Reader Service No. 147

Kamado Joe TeakAccessory Center

Kamado Joe’s accessory center allowsdealers to display Kamado Joe accessorieseasily, in an attractive display with a smallfootprint. The staggered shelving allowsdealers to arrange their most profitableaccessories for greater visibility. It’sconstructed of solid teak. Assembly isquick and easy, in 15 minutes. Contact:(678) 866-0642 or www.kamadojoe.com.Circle Reader Service No. 148 Circle Reader Service No. 67

New Fire and Water ProductsThe perfect combination for your outdoor home landscape: You’ve asked HPC

for it, and the company delivered—because what’s under the flame makes thedifference. Hammered-copper products, with or without the water channel, areavailable in various models. Create that unique element by the pool or as afountain. Drop in one of these Canadian Standards Association–certified,hot-wire–ignition firepits and relax in the peaceful ambience. Contact:www.hearthproductscontrols.com.Circle Reader Service No. 149


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FMI EthanolSystem

FMI Products, L.L.C.,introduces yet anotheraddition to its brands offireplaces. Ethanol, a greenfuel alternative, is gainingpopularity due to itsclean-burningcharacteristics; however,limitations exist that affectconsumer friendliness andperformance. With theall-new FMI system and itspatented technology, theseissues have now been

resolved to make ethanol a viable heating alternative. The FMI ethanol systemaccomplishes this through the addition of several new features. The patentedspark-ignition system and innovative shutoff system eliminate all consumerapprehensions about safety and performance. The FMI system also debuts apatent-pending fuel-disbursement system that simplifies the function of this newproduct category. Now, ethanol has beauty, ease of use, and simple operation.Contact: (866) 328-4537 or www.fmiproducts.com.Circle Reader Service No. 150

Hitzer 30-95EZ-Flo HopperStove

The Hitzer 30-95 EZ-Flo hopperstove is an outstandingly efficient andconvenient heating source. With a30-pound hopper, this stove hasextended long burns and producesover 60,000 Btu of evenly warmtemperatures. The advancedtechnology of a removable hopper isan added convenience of thistop-choice stove. Like all Hitzerstoves, the 30-95 is thermostaticallycontrolled, and it provides heating

without electricity. With heating capabilities of up to 2,000 square feet, the EZ-Flomeets your heating needs, as well as providing beauty and charm for one’s home.The full-view firebox window allows easy viewing that creates cozy, warmrelaxation. With a stove color to match your home, the Hitzer 30-95 will decorateyour home, produce cost-efficient heat, and create a warm and soothingenvironment. Contact: (260) 589-8536 or www.hitzer.com.Circle Reader Service No. 151

Remote TKTorch

With the flip of a switch, give yourlandscape the feeling of a resort.Around the pool or deck, you cancreate that relaxing paradise. Theserobust, reliable, electronic-ignitiontorches have an adjustable flame,remote starting, and automaticrestarting in high winds. Kano topsare available in three colors. Thesetorches use 24-volt AC power andnatural or LP gas. A manual-light TKtorch is coming soon. Contact:www.hearthproductscontrols.com.Circle Reader Service No. 152

BroilmasterH3X Packages Broilmaster offers its all-new H3X

series grill in packages to make iteasier to order this competitively

priced grill. Available as anLP or natural-gas

model on a blackcart and as a

natural-gas model ona black patio post or in-ground

post, the H3X packages include the mounting,grill head, and one shelf. The H3X series, thelatest addition to the Broilmaster line, featuresa two-piece, stainless-steel cooking-grid setand a stainless-steel H-style burner with dual

controls, packed into the company’slegendary 1/4-inch cast-aluminum grill

head. Contact: www.broilmaster.com.Circle Reader Service No. 153

The Voyageur by Quadra-Fire

The Voyageur is a flush-hearth cast wood insert, so no additional space orhearth extension is needed. Featuring elegant lines, it lets the fire be enjoyedthrough the large and unobstructed viewing area. With the famous quad burn, theVoyageur provides powerful performance, efficiently, throughout the home.Homeowners will enjoy load, light, and live convenience with Quadra-Fire’sexclusive automatic combustion control technology. The new Voyageur will bringwarmth and beauty to any room. Contact: www.quadrafire.com. Circle Reader Service No. 154

Sunpak Patio HeatersSunpak® models S25 and S34 are outdoor-rated

heaters available for use with natural or propanegas. These state-of-the art heaters offer a slimprofile that works well in a wide variety of patiosettings. These heaters can be either wall mountedor ceiling mounted. The optional mounting kitallows the heater to be mounted from above,keeping the patio deck free and clear. Sunpakcomes with a 24-volt AC spark-ignition system thatincludes flame monitoring through flamerectification. All Sunpak heaters require an external

24-volt AC source. Sunpak heaters are available in a black powder coat or a 304stainless-steel finish. Contact: (888) 317-5255 or www.infradyne.com.Circle Reader Service No. 155

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Earth’s FlameImproves HeatFrom Wood-burn-ing Fireplaces

Earth’s Flame is an award-winning,hybrid, clean-burn hearth product thatincreases radiant heat at minimal cost andreduces emissions from a fireplace by 78%.This is a critical benefit during the winterseason. Its design features a CanadianStandards Association–certified Blue Flamelog lighter and an insulating refractoryplate that sits above the fire, which makethe fire start faster and increasecombustion temperatures in the fireplace.This innovative product improves indoor airquality, decreases the chance of smokespillage, increases fireplace draft by 76%,and is made in the United States. Contact:(888) 201-8805 or www.earthsflame.com.Circle Reader Service No. 156

Ceramic Cooktop

Bring the cooking outside. Lite-Touch™

Q Outdoors blends design and function intoa style that enhances your outdoor kitchen.Waterproof design allows use in anyweather conditions. It has an intuitivetouch control with auto shutoff, along witha subtly textured black glass that has abeveled edge for seamless countertopinstallation. Equipped with a GFCI powercord and a three-prong, 120-volt plug foruser safety, it has a three-yearproduct-replacement warranty, and is madein the United States. It is outdooor UL/cULapproved. Contact: (860) 664-4906 orwww.kenyonappliances.com.Circle Reader Service No. 157

The Inspiration Gel-fueled Fireplace

The Inspiration fireplace is like no other, featuring a mesmerizing spiralflame powered by Venturi Flame Technology™ and a versatile wall-mountdesign for easy installation— indoors or outdoors. It’s the first-ever gel-fueledfireplace to be UL listed for safety, and it’s also one of the most economicalfireplaces on the market today. It runs on clean-burning gel fuel, weighs lessthan 35 pounds, and comes in three unique finish options; it retails at an MSRPof only $699 to $799. There has never been an easier, more affordable fireplaceto hang in any room. Get inspired today with the Inspiration fireplace. Contact:(866) 303-4028 or www.outdoorrooms.com. Circle Reader Service No. 158



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Hitzer Stoker CoalStove Model 608

The Hitzer Stokercoal stove model608 is asuperior-qualityproduct that yourcustomers will love.Its features includea Btu range of7,000 to 90,000, anintegrated Coal-Trolthermostatic-controlcombustion airsystem, the abilityto hold up to 90pounds of coal,cast-iron doors,pewter or gold accents,double-wall construction,a 2-inch rear clearanceand 4-inch sideclearances, a 320-cfmcirculation fan, and agalvanized-steel hopper(optional). Every Hitzer heating system is carefullyhandbuilt by Amish craftsmen. Only the finest materialsare used, and no shortcuts are taken. Each systemprovides efficient burning with effective consumption ofsecondary gases. The result: more heat with less fuelconsumed. Contact: (260) 589-8536 or www.hitzer.com.Circle Reader Service No. 160

Beerenberg SaucesHot Smoke Trading Company has introduced a wide

range of sauces to spice up grilled foods. The greentomato pickle condiment is one of Beerenberg’soriginal product offerings and still retains itspopularity. It’s gluten free and has no added artificialflavors or preservatives. The Taka Tala sauce andmarinade originated from a recipe from a farmer inZimbabwe. It contains an abundance of fruit,vegetables, herbs, and spices. Caramelisedonion—with its rich, sweet, and savory flavor—willenhance grilled or barbecued meats. It has no addedartificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Contact:www.hotsmoke.co.nz.Circle Reader Service No. 161


InfratechComfortHeaters

Whether for work orrecreation, Infratech Comfortheaters turn cold indoor andoutdoor areas into comfortable,inviting spaces. The W-seriesheater incorporates a speciallydesigned electric quartz heatingelement that produces safe,infrared radiant energy. Radiantenergy is only absorbed by solidobjects and is not wastedheating the air. The heater issuitable for ceiling-, wall-, orflush-mount installations, withminimal clearance required.Solid-state and analog controlsare also available for intensityadjustment. Contact:www.infratech-usa.com.Circle Reader Service No. 159

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http://www.hotsmoke.co.nz

http://www.infratech-usa.com

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Kalamazoo Outdoor GourmetOutdoor kitchens continue to grow in sophistication and size. Equipment that serves very specific purposes is an important trend.

Keg tappers and wine chillers have become critical features of high-end designs. Pizza ovens are exploding in popularity. KalamazooOutdoor Gourmet offers the broadest, most innovative assortment of handcrafted outdoor-kitchen equipment to meet homeownerand designer needs, including Hybrid Fire grills, countertop pizza ovens, weathertight cabinetry, and forced-air refrigeration andfreezers. Contact: Don Sivesind at (312) 423-8553, [email protected], or www.kalamazoogourmet.com.Circle Reader Service No. 162

Kamado Joe Gasket-replacement Kit

Kamado Joe gasket-replacement kits are made of premiumfelt gasket material with a self-adhesive backing. Enoughgasket material is included with each kit for it to be used onany standard-sized, kamado-style grill. Full installationinstructions are printed on the back of the package insert.Contact: (678) 866-0642 or www.kamadojoe.com.Circle Reader Service No. 163

Linear ViewBrentwood LV

With either a clean-face style or traditionallouver option, the new Brentwood™ LVwood-burning fireplace from Lennox HearthProducts (LHP) offers a large, rectangular doorto fit any contemporary or traditional interior.

The latest entry in LHP’s EPA family featuresunique, all-in-one, double air-combustioncontrol to help manage wood consumption andallow faster ignition. Learn more about thisWashington State–approved, 86.6%efficiency-rated fireplace at the company’swebsite. Contact: www.lennox.com.Circle Reader Service No. 164



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KIWI Unveils NewProduct for Spring

KIWI® Camp Dry® patio fabric protector is a newproduct for spring designed to help consumers maintain theappearance and extend the lifetime of outdoor-furniturefabrics. The product repels water, dirt, and stains withoutdarkening or discoloring fabric. It’s the ideal solution forprotecting umbrellas, cushions, pillows, chairs, and otheroutdoor-furniture fabrics from the elements, all season long.Contact: www.kiwicampdry.com.Circle Reader Service No. 166

Beerenberg SaucesHot Smoke Trading Company has introduced a

wide range of sauces to spice up grilled foods. TheAustralian mango chutney has the right balance ofmango and spice to complement yourfavorite curry or cold collation. It’sgluten free and has no added artificialpreservatives. The smoky bourbonsauce and marinade is a classic, stickyrib, wing, and steak marinade. Thenatural, smoked-hickory bourbonflavor makes this condiment quite

special.Bavarianmustard ismildly spiced and is popular with sausages and meat.It has no added artificial flavors, colors, orpreservatives. Contact: www.hotsmoke.co.nz.Circle Reader Service No. 167

Artisan Fire Pizza Ovenby Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet has introduced theArtisan Fire pizza oven, the first countertop outdoorpizza oven with two independently controlled burners,offering unparalleled cooking power and control.Kalamazoo has taken all of the best features andcooking characteristics found in traditional brick-lined,large, wood-fired pizza ovens and wrapped them in anelegant, gas-fired, stainless-steel package. With a toptemperature in excess of 800 degrees, its twocustom-made and independently controlled burnersgive outdoor cooks the ability to customize the oven’sheat and bake pizzas, calzones, and artisanal breadsof any style. The oven comes up to baking temperaturein as few as 20 minutes, making pizza night a morespontaneous occasion. The Artisan Fire pizza oven’scompact size leaves a small footprint on a countertop,making it an ideal element for a new outdoor kitchenor any existing backyard patio. Contact: (800)868-1699 or www.kalamazoogourmet.com.Circle Reader Service No. 168


Aesthetically PleasingMany people choose Infratech electric infrared heaters because of great looks.

The low-profile heaters and low clearance requirements allow the fixtures to blendinto any environment seamlessly. Infratech heaters represent a good balance amongefficiency, heating performance, and low visual impact. Infratech heaters produce noharsh visible light or glare to spoil the mood or strain your eyes. They are ULapproved for indoor and outdoor installations. Contact: www.infratech-usa.com.Circle Reader Service No. 165

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Finest selection of contemporary European stoves, and fireplaces Cosmo Wood Stove

Wittus Inc. 914.764.5679

www.wittus.com


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MonessenCovington Clear ViewFireplace

Available in three expansiveviewing sizes, the clean front andelegant styling of this fireplace fitsseamlessly into any room. Thenonreflective ceramic glass providesthe clearest view available,eliminating glare from any angle.With the exclusive Total SignatureCommand™ system and included

remote, your customers will have ultimate fireplace control at their fingertips. The fireplaceis also available in a see-through model, so the fire can be viewed from two rooms andeven installed on an exterior wall for indoor/outdoor enjoyment—providing a warmgathering place, inside and outdoors. Contact: www.monessenhearth.com.Circle Reader Service No. 169

MLW Stone, L.L.C.,Introduces StacKIT Natural Stacked-stone Fireplace Kits

This new product has the look and workmanship of authentic, natural stacked stone.Integrated with today’s innovative technology, it reduces significantly the cost ofinstallation. Most natural stacked-stone fireplaces are cut and installed in individual

pieces—but StacKIT surrounds areprefabricated into panels that are cut to

standard fireplace-kit sizes and can be

installed in minutes, just as you would install a marbleor granite surround. These kits are stocked in MLW’sthree standard sizes and include a header, two legs, ariser, and a three-piece hearth; 6x24-inch interlockingpanels, complete with corner pieces, are also availableto accommodate raised hearths and wall applications.The product is available in two colors: Carden gold andmulticolor. Contact: (800) 477-7665 Ext. 127.Circle Reader Service No. 170

Legend G4 Introducing the latest addition

to the Valor insert family, theLegend G4: Considered the bigbrother of Valor’s highlysuccessful Legend G3 insert, theG4 is a synthesis of distinctdesign and efficient, radiantheating performance. Contact:www.valorfireplaces.com. Circle Reader Service No. 171

PrestigePro 600Series

The new Napoleon®

Prestige Pro™ 600 seriescomes loaded with allthe toys needed forcomplete outdoorentertaining. Among itsfeatures are up to 1,062square inches of totalcooking space, up to95,000 Btu, 3/8-inch stainless-steel WAVE™ rod cooking grids, a deluxe high top, aspace-saving roll-top lid with chrome trim accents and handle, an attractive pedestal basewith concealed casters, electronic ignition for easy starting, a ceramic infrared SIZZLEZONE™ integrated side burner, an enclosed ice bucket and cutting board, an infrared rearrotisserie burner, and more. Contact: (877) 588-2220 or www.nacdealers.com.Circle Reader Service No. 172


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FireviewElmira Stove Works’ Fireview wood-burning

cookstove features antique styling, a viewing windowfor monitoring and enjoyment, high-efficiencysecondary-burn technology, and a spacious3–cubic-foot oven. Optional autoignition propaneburners can run off the barbecue tank. Nationaladvertising support and protected dealer territoriesare available. The model shown has an MSRP of$4,995. Contact: (800) 295-8498 orwww.ElmiraStoveWorks.com.Circle Reader Service No. 174


Texan All Seasons GrillEver-expansive, ever-changing possibilities make the Texan All Seasons™ grill lend itself to use at

large parties or informal gatherings. It has unique styling and the ultimate grilling power. Two grillingsurfaces, with independent heat controls, allow for searing steaks on one side while gently grillingvegetables on the other. When the need arises to use a flat surface, simply change out one of the grates

with the optional griddle. The grill uses 240-voltpower, has a three-year product-replacementwarranty, and is made in the United States.Contact: (860) 664-4906 orwww.kenyonappliances.com. Circle Reader Service No. 173

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Grill MatModern Home Products Corp. is now offering a grill

mat made of 100% recycled materials. Made in the

United States, this sturdy mat protects patios anddecks, is vented to help prevent mold and mildew, andis UL 94 HB burn-test approved. The mat is relativelymaintenance free and can be easily cleaned with soapand water. Available in two sizes, 42x30 inches and60x30 inches, the mat also comes with a limitedlifetime warranty. Contact:www.modernhomeproducts.com.Circle Reader Service No. 175

Majestic SavannahSteel Series Wood-burning Stoves

Designed with the latest wood-burning technologyand constructed of 5/16-inch plate steel, this stoveproves to be a reliable, durable heat source, providing

warmth andambience for yearsto come. Classicdesign and attentionto even the smallestdetail, such as theroller-glide doorlatch, ensure that itwill add style andvalue to any home. Ahigh-techcombustion systemprovides a lively,

vibrant burn, while the air-wash manifold ensures thecleanest glass in the industry. Contact:www.majesticproducts.com.Circle Reader Service No. 176

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WHD31 Wall-hangingGas Fireplace

The WHD31 Plazmafire™ is a modern gasfireplace that simply hangs on your wall. Ideal formodern and contemporary rooms, Napoleon’sWHD31 Plazmafire features easy installation, plusall of the conveniences of a gas fireplace. It offersvirtually endless installation possibilities;installing it is almost as easy as hanging a pictureon the wall. With an impressive 30x15-inch viewingarea and an output of 20,000 Btu, Napoleon’sPlazmafire is a great addition to the company’smodern fireplace collection. Contact: (800)461-5581 or www.napoleonfireplaces.com.Circle Reader Service No. 177

Malibu GrandeMalibu Grande is a new addition to the

already-successful Malibu collection. Malibu Grande’screscent-shaped sofa and wedge-shaped end table can bearranged by themselves or with pieces from the Malibucollection, in a variety of different configurations. Choosebetween the high coffee table (which features an umbrellahole) and the oversized circular ottoman as the MalibuGrande centerpiece. Malibu Grande has a lightweightaluminum frame; durable, UV-protected polyethylenewoven resin; and plush deep seating for added comfort.Influenced by rich chocolate texture, the java flat-weavestyle and unparalleled durability are perfect for the Malibu

Grande collection. Pictured in white and plum hues from the newly expanded fabric library of over 150 textures and colors,Malibu Grande is sure to make a huge statement in your backyard retreat. Bring a fresh new approach to your outdoor roomwith NorthCape’s new Malibu Grande collection.Contact: www.northcapeinternational.com. Circle Reader Service No. 178

Ziggurat Chat Pitby OW Lee

The Ziggurat Chat Pit uses the same distinct linesas the Mesopotamian ziggurat, a simple (yetingenious) piece of architecture. The bold, simplelines of the Ziggurat Chat Pit reflect the style of20th-century design trends—from Art Deco toMidcentury Modern—and even claim ties to Futurism.Shown with the Galaxy black granite hearth top, thisbold design creates a unique, contemporary style.Contact: (800) 776-9533 or www.owlee.com.Circle Reader Service No. 179


Introducing the NewFire Magic Smoker

Everyone loves the taste of slow-cooked, smokedfood. At last, a true smoker from Fire Magic impartsnatural smoke flavor while keeping foods tender. Thiscommercial-quality, stainless-steel, high-capacitysmoker perfectly smokes meats and vegetables usingcharcoal or wood chunks. A digital thermometermonitors the smoker’s temperature, while an attachedmeat probe tracks food temperature—providingmaximum temperature control. Multiple air and smokevents allow precise temperature levels to be maintainedfrom start to finish. Contact: (800) 332-3973 orwww.rhpeterson.com.Circle Reader Service No. 180


The Finley IslandThe Finley Island offers all you can

desire in an outdoor-cooking cabinet in acompact, sleek design. The single drawer isthe perfect place to collect your spices,sauces, or grilling utensils. Underneath thedrawer is a larger storage area perfect forall those necessary bags of charcoal.Additional storage underneath the grillensures that all your cooking accessoriescan find a clean, dry home within easyreach. The Finley also sports an umbrellainsert for those hot summer days. Thiscabinet has two swiveling casters and tworigid casters, ensuring that your cabinetgoes wherever you need it to go. Contact:(800) 624-6512 orwww.selectoutdoorkitchens.com. Circle Reader Service No. 184


Phoenix Charcoal GrillProFire Grills, a division of Modern Home Products

Corp., has released the new Phoenix charcoal grill.This innovative new design combines high-qualityconstruction with unique temperature controls,including independently adjustable dual charcoaltrays and upper and lower vents that can be fullyopened for searing or partially closed for slowcooking. The vents can also be completely closed toextinguish the fire–saving the charcoal. The grill’sheavy-duty construction is backed by a lifetimewarranty. Contact: www.profiregrills.com.Circle Reader Service No. 181

WeatherReady FountainCovers

New WeatherReady fountain covers are double stitched andmade of heavyweight polyester with a PVC lining. They featureVelcro® tab closures on four sides, with a Velcro midtie fastenerand an elasticized bottom (for a secure fit and protection against theelements). They are available, in three sizes, in black or khaki.Contact: (866) 896-3644, [email protected], orwww.twodogsdesigns.com.Circle Reader Service No. 182

Broil KingImperial XL

With over 1,000 squareinches of total cooking space,stainless-steel dual-tubeburners, and solidstainless-steel cooking grids,the Broil King® Imperial™ XLprovides superior heat controland tremendous cookingversatility in two independentovens, along with full extensiondrawers and cabinet doors foroptimal storage space. Contact: (800) 245-5138 orwww.broilkingbbq.com.Circle Reader Service No. 183

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Double-wall StovepipeSelkirk announces a double-wall stovepipe with professional features, offered exclusively

to the hearth market. Model DCC double-wall stovepipe is UL/cUL listed as a connector pipebetween a wood stove and chimney. The smooth lines of the black outer wall allow for slipconnectors and easy installation.Selkirk received favorablefeedback on this product line atHPBExpo in Reno, Nevada. Sincethat time, Selkirk has gone back and listed DCC for 6-inch clearance on all diameters and inall installation configurations—giving DCC the closest clearance of all stovepipes on themarket. Selkirk has also gained the cUL S-641 listing for sales of DCC in Canada. DCCdouble-wall stovepipe is now in stock at the company’s Turners Falls, Massachusetts, andPrescott, Ontario, distribution centers, so place orders now for combined shipment with yourexisting orders for chimney and venting products. Contact: (800) 443-6341 (United States) or(888) SELKIRK/735-5475 (Canada).Circle Reader Service No. 185



New DoubleSearingStation/SideBurner by FireMagic

Fire Magic’s new double searing stationsears meats to a flavorful finish, so meatsstay moist and tender inside, with a niceexterior char. Two 16,000 Btu infraredburners with independent controls providethe flexibility needed to flash cook steaksat 1,200 degrees to lock in juices. This unitfeatures a total of 342 square inches ofsearing space and is a welcome companionto any Fire Magic outdoor kitchen. Contact:(800) 332-3973 or www.rhpeterson.com.Circle Reader Service No. 186

Southern Living’s Boca GrandeCreate a timeless look for any backyard with the new Southern Living Boca Grande

dining collection, exclusively by NorthCape. Boca Grande features a handwoven, thick, richcappuccino weave with elegantly shaped arms that will add texture to your porch, deck, orpatio. The sophisticated Boca Grande dining chair features closed woven sides, skirt, andback, creating style and comfort for lasting enjoyment throughout the summer. For theultimate in comfort, complement the Boca Grande dining collection with pieces from thecompany’s deep seating collection (including the swivel glider) for classic Southern style.Contact: www.northcapeinternational.com.Circle Reader Service No. 187

EquinoxTwin-Star’s ClassicFlame

Equinox is a multifunctionmedia cabinet with integratedwire management. The cabinetfeatures black metal shelvingand a rustic birch finish on thesides. The high-quality shelvesare adjustable, and the shelfopening is 42.5 inches wide by16.25 inches deep by 6.25inches high. Contact:www.twinstarhome.com.Circle Reader Service No. 188

PalazzoCollection byOW Lee

The Palazzo collectionbrings a sense of classicelegance to the mostfashionable outdoor spaces.Using Grecian style as itsinspiration, the Palazzocollection offers a transitionallook while maintaining thestrength and durability ofhandcrafted wrought iron.Palazzo’s details, including itsunderstated finials, create asense of casual elegance.Contact: (800) 776-9533 orwww.owlee.com.Circle Reader Service No. 189

SCHOTTROBAX

SCHOTT ROBAX®

glass-ceramic 3D panels nowallow a great view of the firefrom all sides, turning the hearthinto a real meeting point.

Everyone in the room can take pleasure in a full view of the flames while still enjoying thesafety that only SCHOTT ROBAX glass-ceramic material can provide. This innovation inglass ceramics allows for a design with a single piece of glass, rather than one withobtrusive metal frames. Contact: (914) 831-2200 or www.schottrobax.com.Circle Reader Service No. 190


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Porta-Chef Pro The Porta-Chef® Pro is the

little grill with big features. It’sperfect for tailgating; just snap inthe legs, stand it up, and you’reset. Featuring a 14,000-Btustainless-steel tubular burnersystem, a cast-iron cooking grid,and 360 square inches of totalcooking surface, the Porta-ChefPro offers an unprecedentedamount of cooking capacity for aportable grill. Contact: (800)245-5138 orwww.broilkingbbq.com.Circle Reader Service No. 191

Select Cutting Board

Select Outdoor Kitchens ispleased to offer its newestproduct, Select cutting boards,exclusively to dealers. Every cookneeds a great cutting board, andthe company has developed onethat will become your trustedsidekick in the kitchen or at thegrill. The cutting boards are12x18 inches, oval shaped, andavailable in 10 colors. The material, approved by the Food and DrugAdministration and the National Science Foundation, is the same material thatyou will find in the best restaurant kitchens in the United States. Each cuttingboard has an attractive depression to catch any cooking juices. Cutting boardscan be sold as is or customized with store logos. Contact: Mike Miller [email protected] Reader Service No. 192

SMART ERV Energy-recoveryVentilator

SMART air & energysolutions™ is acollection of HVACproducts designed toenhance comfort,improve indoor airquality, and save energyfor homeowners. Today,everyone understandsthat we need to exploreoptions for savingenergy—whileremaining comfortablein our homes. SMART air& energy solutionsoffers products designed to provide economical options while maximizingcomfort. The newest addition to the SMART product lineup is the SMART ERVenergy-recovery ventilator. This unit provides a fresh-air supply andhumidity-control unit for residential housing. The unique poly wheel yields upto an industry-leading 80% heat-recovery efficiency, and the twinvariable-speed fans allow the installer to adjust airflow from 50 to 240cfm—so the single unit can be adjusted for a residence of almost any size.Contact: www.smartairandenergy.com.Circle Reader Service No. 193

Mezzo PizzaOven

Stone Age Manufacturingintroduces the Mezzo™

wood-fired pizza oven, theperfect complement to itscabinet component systemkitchen islands. It offers 810square inches of cooking area,an arched-roof design echoingthe traditional ovens of the OldWorld, and plenty of thermalmass for optimum cookingperformance. Constructed ofreinforced refractory concrete,the Mezzo offers simple assembly and will provide years of trouble-free cookingenjoyment. Contact: www.stoneagemanufacturing.com.Circle Reader Service No. 194

WeatherReadyFirepit Covers

Two Dogs Designs for OutdoorLiving now offers WeatherReady™

outdoor covers that fit any shapeof firepit. The covers areattractively priced and offer goodquality; they are made ofheavy-duty polyester with PVClinings. They feature elasticbottoms with adjustable Velcro®

fasteners on four sides for aperfect, secure fit. WeatherReadycovers come in black or khaki.Contact: (866) 896-3644,[email protected], orwww.twodogsdesigns.com.Circle Reader Service No. 195

CorinthTwin-Star’s

ClassicFlame Corinth isa multifunction mediacabinet with integratedwire management. Withan opening sized at 30inches wide by 12inches deep by 7.5inches high, this unitcan be configured as awall or corner mantel.The Corinth isappropriate for bothtraditional andcontemporary decorsand featurescarved-leaf corbels withan acanthus crown, afluted side with projecting pilasters, and a beveled base with decorative swagmolding. The unit is available in three finishes: premium oak, vintage cherry, andburnished walnut. Contact: www.twinstarhome.com.Circle Reader Service No. 196

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Team Grill in 2011Make 2011 your championship season

with Team Grill. These high-end barbecuegrills, featuring the colors and logos of yourfavorite sports teams, are now in their thirdseason. This unique product is now sold by500 retailers—but not at big-box stores.For more information on becoming a TeamGrill dealer, visit the company’s website.Contact: www.teamgrill.com/SELL.Circle Reader Service No. 197

SunBriteTV: Model 3230HD

In an effort to expand its market reach,SunBriteTV recently introduced two newtelevisions to its all-weatheroutdoor-product line. Pictured here ismodel 3230HD, the company’s 32-inch HDLCD television. This television is valueengineered with SunBriteTV’s signatureall-weather feature set and itsoutdoor-rated ASA plastic resin exterior.The result is a sleek, lighter-weight,lower-priced television that does notcompromise the durability and quality thatSunBriteTV customers have learned to trust(see page 50 for SunBriteTV’s other newproduct). Contact: (866) 357-8688 orwww.sunbritetv.com.Circle Reader Service No. 198

Doing Business the Smart WayGoing to HPBExpo fi ts right in with your leaner, meaner business model. In three days and under one roof, you get—

• One-stop shopping. Get a quick overview of the year’s product launches in the New Product Pavilion.

• Answers to your top business questions. Seminar tracks like the new Biomass Symposium deliver.

• The chance to connect with industry colleagues. Don’t miss events like the free Friday Night Fever All-Industry Party.

WORK SMART. THINK EFFICIENT. MOVE FORWARD.smartwork

Register today and book your hotel room in the HPBA hotel block by January 28th. Go to hpbexpo.com.

HPBExpo 2011Salt Palace Convention Center Salt Lake City, Utah

Exposition: March 3 – 5 Education: March 2 – 5Innovations & Ideas for Indoor-Outdoor Living

www.hpbexpo.com

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A Green Heating SourceAn insert by Wittus provides a highly efficient, natural heating source

that also serves as a focal gathering place for family and friends. Theseinserts offer both radiant and natural convection heat—something youcannot get with an open hearth. Each insert has a large, full-sizedfirebox, so there is plenty of room for standard-length logs. A fireplaceinsert is easily installed in the open hearth and can be adapted to fitany existing space in the wall. There are also optional matching steelsurrounds available in a variety of sizes. Higher fuel efficiency, highercombustion temperatures, and lower atmospheric emissions makeburning wood in a Wittus insert an environmentally responsibleaddition to your home. No electricity is required. Pictured is the H530insert. Contact: (914) 764-5679, [email protected], or www.wittus.com.Circle Reader Service No. 199



Team GrillTailgateSeries

Perfect for grilling at thegame or on camping trips, theTeam Grill Tailgate series is aportable version of the TeamGrill Patio series grill. TheTailgate series can be collapsedand transported like a travelsuitcase. For complete program information (and to jointhe company’s team of over 500 retailers), visit its website. Contact: www.teamgrill.com/SELL.Circle Reader Service No. 200

AlexanderTwin-Star’s

ClassicFlameAlexander is amultifunction mediacabinet withintegrated wiremanagement. Thecabinet’s clean,contemporarydesign featurespolished-nickel doorpulls and an opencenter shelf (30inches wide by 18inches deep by 4inches high) formedia components.The Alexanderincludes two adjustable shelves for storage that are wide enough for mediacomponents and game consoles. The unit is available in a midnight cherry finish.Contact: www.twinstarhome.com.Circle Reader Service No. 201

Flatfire Make room for the

award-winning Flatfire direct-ventgas fireplace, designed by theWittus team and Paul Henning.This eloquent, easy-to-install,well-designed unit can be used toadd a dramatic finishing touch toany room. A window to the worldof fire, the rectangular glassfacade provides the perfectviewing arena for the captivatingflames. The Flatfire fireplace is 42inches wide, 30 inches tall, and 7.5inches deep, and the size of thisunit offers countless designpossibilities. In keeping with itsEuropean style, the Flatfire comesin black or silver gray, with variouscustom frame options. Along with its heater-approved status (with heating of up to20,000 Btu), this unit uses the latest Maxitrol e-flame valve-control feature—which isradiofrequency operated and battery powered, so no additional power is needed. It’seasy to operate, with electronic ignition, remote-control temperature-sensor capability,and temperature-timer functions. Contact: (914) 764-5679 or www.wittus.com.Circle Reader Service No. 202

Big Pig and LittlePig CabinetSmokers

Stone Age Manufacturing introducesthe Big Pig™ and Little Pig™, a pair ofrefractory-concrete and steel masonrycabinet smokers. The Big Pig, at 7 feet tall,offers plenty of cooking area, while theLittle Pig offers similar features in ascaled-down, five-foot–tall package. Bothfeature a unique venting system forcomplete temperature control and thick,insulating walls for maximum thermalefficiency, and they will accept anymasonry-compatible finish, allowingseamless blending into any outdoordesign. Contact:www.stoneagemanufacturing.com.Circle Reader Service No. 203

Merit Series Louverless B-vent Gas Fireplace

The new Merit™ series louverless B-vent (MLBV) gas fireplace from LennoxHearth Products produces tall, dramatic flames and a warm ember glow at verylow Btu levels, reducing fuel consumption and costs without sacrificing quality.

The louverless design delivers a clean, traditional-masonry look that is quickand easy to install. Available in both 35- and 40-inch sizes, the MLBV featureshighly detailed logs that replicate the natural appearance of real wood.Contact: www.lennox.com.Circle Reader Service No. 204

NorthstarNorthstar retro-styled appliances

from Elmira Stove Works are great forkitchens, recreation rooms, andcottages. The Northstar line includesrefrigerators, ranges, microwaves, rangehoods, and dishwashers. They areavailable in nine colors, plus infinitecustom colors. For the model shown,with an optional keg system, the MSRPis $3,995. National advertising supportand protected dealer territories areavailable. Contact: (800) 295-8498 orwww.ElmiraStoveWorks.com.Circle Reader Service No. 205

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Firepits by Faulkner

Faulkner Furniture introduces new firepits with distinct design and elegance. They aregreat for enjoying safe, warm fires outdoors—in the campground, in the backyard, or onthe patio. These firepits are constructed of 100% steel with a black finish that is attractive,but durable enough to withstand high temperatures. The bowl is 7 inches deep and 29inches in diameter, surrounded by a 5-inch–wide mesh-screen table contour, for a totaldiameter of 40 inches. The height from the floor to the mesh rim is 14 inches. The firepitsare available in standard or diamond mesh designs and are sold in boxes of two. Contact:(888) 346-2184 or www.faulknerfurniture.com.Circle Reader Service No. 206

CuisinartPetit TabletopGas Grill

Get great grilled flavor everyday from this compact,high-performance grill. Its smallformat means that it can be putalmost anywhere for ultimateconvenience. Although the grillis compact, its 145–square-inchcooking grate is large enough tocook most family meals, such aseight steaks or hamburgers,6–10 chicken breasts, or over 4 pounds of fish. This 5,500 Btu grill heats up very quicklyand uses far less gas than a full-sized grill. Best of all, with its great portability features,this grill can cook your meals wherever you go: the beach, the game, thecampsite—anywhere. Folding legs, a grill-lid latch, a generous carrying handle, and thespill-resistant drip tray all enhance portability. Contact: (617) 467-6390 [email protected] Reader Service No. 207

OutlookCollection

Microfibres Inc. has introduced theOutlook collection, an eye-catchingarray of durable, 100% acrylicoutdoor/indoor fabrics. Pictured (fromleft) are Martina, Harbortown, Octavia,and Tiki. The complete collectionconsists of seven patterns and a totalof 38 SKUs. The six major patterns areavailable in four to six colors, while Tikiis available in 10 colors. Contact:www.microfibres.com.Circle Reader Service No. 208

SolmayaWorship the sun in style in your own personal hemisphere. This whimsical daybed

invites luxurious relaxation. Enveloping cushions and a flirty sun sail complement theasymmetrical frame. The Solmaya set by Sokul Outdoor Living consists of a daybed, anarmchair, and an ottoman. Solmaya’s poly-fiber weave is available in six different colors,and the set includes an extensive range of fabric choices. Contact: www.sokul.com.Circle Reader Service No. 209

SalonaThe Salona

collection by JoeRuggiero forWoodard offers aclean andcontemporary look.The square aluminumextrusion enhancesthe sleekness of thiscutting-edge design.The simple eleganceof Salona exemplifiesthe notion ofextending yourindoor-living space tothe outdoors and issure to enhance any outdoor setting. Contact: www.woodard-furniture.com.Circle Reader Service No. 210

Mercury Bed and Sun LoungeTUUCI’s Mercury bed and sun lounge is constructed with TUUCI’s polished-titanium

Armor-Wall™ aluminum frame and modular marine-grade components. High-performancefabric cushions, bed coverings, and sheer privacy curtains, all topped with shade, createthe ultimate in open-air relaxation. Contact: (305) 634-5116 or www.tuuci.com.Circle Reader Service No. 211


Advertiser Phone Website Page

AEI .............................................. (949) 474-3070.......... www.aeigrillsandheaters.com............ 67Agio ............................................ (888) 997-7623.......... www.agio-usa.com .......................... 5American Fireglass .......................... (888) 264-1017.......... www.americanfireglass.com ............ 55BDS Enterprises .............................. (702) 448-5600.......... www.galaxyoutdoor.com ................ 17Blaze King .................................... (509) 522-2730.......... www.blazeking.com ...................... 65Bradford Lifestyles............................ (604) 241-1030.......... www.bradfordlifestyles.com .............. 14Bull Outdoor Products ...................... (800) 521-2855.......... www.bullbbq.com .......................... 33California Outdoor Concepts ............ (877) 274-6773.......... www.californiaoutdoorconcepts.com.. 57Cedarstore.com.............................. (888) 293-2339.......... www.CedarStore.com .................... 62Companion Group.......................... (800) 521-0505.......... www.companion-group.com ............ 61Danver .......................................... (888) 441-0537.......... www.danver.com............................ 74Designs By Garry............................ (949) 581-1919.......... www.exteriorfireplaces.com.............. 69DuraVent........................................ (800) 835-4429.......... www.duravent.com ........................ 44Earth’s Flame .................................. (888) 201-8805.......... www.earthsflame.com .................... 75EcoSmart Fire ................................ (888) 590-4335.......... www.ecosmartfire.com .................... 20Elmira Stove Works ........................ (800) 295-8498.......... www.elmirastoveworks.com.............. 64Empire Comfort Systems .................. (800) 851-3153.......... www.empirecomfort.com ................ 29ENERVEX ...................................... (800) 255-2923.......... www.chimneyfans.com .................... 47FMI Products .................................. (866) 328-4537 ........ www.fmiproducts.com .................... 56Gensun Casual Living ...................... (866) 964-4468.......... www.gensuncasual.com .................. 21Glen Raven/Sunbrella .................... (336) 221-2211.......... www.sunbrella.com ........................ 49Golden Blount ................................ (800) 833-1139.......... www.goldenblountinc.com .............. 34The HammockSource ...................... (800) 334-1078.......... www.thehammocksource.com .......... 58Hargrove Manufacturing .................. (800) 725-4166.......... www.hargrovegaslogs.com .............. 11Hearth & Home Technologies............ (800) 669-4328.......... www.hearthnhome.com .................. 84Hearth Products Controls .................. (877) 433-7001.......... www.hearthproductscontrols.com ...... 45

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association .................... (703) 522-0086.......... www.hpbexpo.com ................ 79, 83

Hitzer............................................ (260) 589-8536.......... www.hitzer.com ............................ 76Infratech ........................................ (800) 421-9455.......... www.infratech-usa.com .................. 71Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet .......... (800) 868-1699.......... www.kalamazoogourmet.com.......... 39Kamado Joe .................................. (678) 866-0642.......... www.kamadojoe.com .................... 41Kenyon International ........................ (860) 664-4906.......... www.kenyonappliances.com .......... 70KIWI Camp Dry ............................ (800) 830-4152.......... www.kiwicampdry.com.................... 63Lennox Hearth Products .................... (800) 9-LENNOX ........ www.lennox.com.............................. 3Miles Industries .............................. (800) 468-2567.......... www.valorfireplaces.com ................ 43MLW Stone .................................. (800) 477-7665.......... www.mlwstone.com ........................ 77Modern Home Products .................. (888) 647-4745.......... www.mhpgrills.com ........................ 54Monessen Hearth Systems ................ (800) 867-0454.......... www.monessenhearth.com .............. 27Napoleon Products ........................ (800) 461-5581.......... www.napoleonproducts.com .............. 7Onward Manufacturing.................... (800) 245-5138.......... www.omcbbq.com ........................ 31Outdoor Greatroom ........................ (866) 303-4028.......... www.outdoorrooms.com .................. 59OW Lee........................................ (800) 776-9533.......... www.owlee.com .............................. 9RH Peterson Company .................... (800) 332-0240.......... www.rhpeterson.com ...................... 13SCHOTT ROBAX ............................ (914) 831-2200.......... www.schottrobax.com ...................... 2Select Outdoor Kitchens .................. (800) 624-6512.......... www.selectoutdoorkitchens.com ........ 35Selkirk Corp. .................................. (800) 992-8368.......... www.selkirkcorp.com ...................... 25Stone Age Manufacturing ................ (877) 371-8861.......... www.stoneagemanufacturing.com .... 60SunBriteTV...................................... (866) 357-8688.......... www.sunbritetv.com ........................ 53Team Grill ...................................... (978) 635-1800.......... www.teamgrill.com ........................ 73Twin-Star/Classic Flame .................. (866) 661-1218.......... www.twinstarhome.com .................. 23Two Dogs Designs for Outdoor Living (866) 896-3644.......... www.twodogsdesigns.com .............. 15Wittus .......................................... (914) 764-5679.......... www.wittus.com ............................ 72

ad INDEX product profiles DIRECTORY

Company Page

AEI .......................................................................................................... 50Agio.................................................................................................. 52, 54American Fireglass .............................................................................. 52, 54Big Woods Hearth Products ........................................................................ 52Blaze King.......................................................................................... 52, 58Bradford Lifestyles ................................................................................ 52, 59Bull Outdoor Products .......................................................................... 59, 62California Outdoor Concepts ................................................................ 56, 59Cedarstore.com .................................................................................. 54, 60Companion Group .............................................................................. 58, 62Cuisinart .................................................................................................. 81Danver .................................................................................................... 60Designs By Garry ................................................................................ 56, 60DuraVent ............................................................................................ 62, 64Earth’s Flame ...................................................................................... 62, 69EcoSmart Fire ...................................................................................... 64, 66Elmira Stove Works .............................................................................. 74, 80Empire Comfort Systems ........................................................................ 65, 68ENERVEX............................................................................................ 65, 66Faulkner Furniture ...................................................................................... 81FMI Products ...................................................................................... 66, 68Galaxy Outdoor ............................................................................ 52, 56, 58Gensun Casual Living .......................................................................... 50, 63Glen Raven/Sunbrella .......................................................................... 63, 67Golden Blount .................................................................................... 58, 65The HammockSource............................................................................ 64, 66Hargrove Manufacturing ...................................................................... 65, 66Hearth & Home Technologies ................................................................ 66, 68Hearth Products Controls ...................................................................... 67, 68Hitzer ................................................................................................ 68, 70Hot Smoke Trading Company ................................................................ 70, 72Infrared Dynamics ...................................................................................... 68Infratech ............................................................................................ 70, 72Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet ................................................................ 71, 72Kamado Joe........................................................................................ 67, 71Kenyon International ............................................................................ 69, 74KIWI Camp Dry ........................................................................................ 72Lennox Hearth Products ........................................................................ 71, 80Microfibres .............................................................................................. 81Miles Industries .................................................................................... 50, 73MLW Stone .............................................................................................. 73Modern Home Products ........................................................................ 74, 76Monessen Hearth Systems .................................................................... 73, 74Napoleon Products .............................................................................. 73, 75NorthCape International........................................................................ 75, 77Onward Manufacturing ........................................................................ 76, 78Outdoor Greatroom ............................................................................ 63, 69OW Lee ............................................................................................ 75, 77RH Peterson Company .......................................................................... 75, 77SCHOTT ROBAX ...................................................................................... 77Select Outdoor Kitchens ........................................................................ 76, 78Selkirk Corp. ...................................................................................... 76, 78Sokul Outdoor Living .................................................................................. 81Stone Age Manufacturing...................................................................... 78, 80SunBriteTV .......................................................................................... 50, 79Team Grill .......................................................................................... 79, 80TUUCI ......................................................................................................81Twin-Star/Classic Flame.................................................................. 77, 78, 80Two Dogs Designs for Outdoor Living ...................................................... 76, 78Wittus................................................................................................ 79, 80Woodard ................................................................................................ 81

Patio & Hearth Products Report (ISSN 1939-6929) is published bimonthly by Peninsula Media, 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700, Torrance, CA 90503. US Postage Paid at Lebanon Junction, KY 40150.January/February 2011, Vol 6, No 1 © 2011 Peninsula Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Sendaddress changes to Peninsula Media, 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 700, Torrance, CA 90503-5514, [email protected], phone: (847) 763-9261. While the publishers have made every effort to ensurethe accuracy of the materials presented in Patio & Hearth Products Report, they are not responsible for the correctness of the information and/or opinions expressed.


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