The Dallas Morning news reported Michael J. Dupey, considered the founder of the arts and crafts superstore concept, died at his home in Dallas on Saturday, May 1st after a decades long battle with bi-polar disorder. He was 64. Here is a more complete account from the Dallas paper: Michael J. Dupey
For the first time since the economy started on its downturn in 2008, Sanford’s parent, Newell Rubbermaid has posted simultaneous quarterly sales growth, margin expansion and higher earnings per share. “We are pleased to report a return to net sales growth across all our geographic regions, a significant inflection point from the sales trends of the last four quarters,” said Mark Ketchum, Newell Rubbermaid’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
HobbyCraft, an English retail chain of 48 crafts stores was sold to Bridgepoint Capital, a UK private equity firm with holdings in the UK and Europe. The chain was originally valued at £70 million, but Retail Week reported the price was more than £100 million($151 Million).
Creative Leisure News reports that Michaels has hired Demandware to re-launch its website and provide e-commerce capabilities. Plans for the new site, scheduled for this summer, will add customer ratings, product reviews, a hosted social community, and user-generated content.
Canson was recently awarded “The Best Fine Art Inkjet Paper” for their Infinity Baryta Photographique by the prestigious TIPA organization. The best imaging products of 2010 were voted on at the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) General Assembly held from April 8’th to 10’th, 2010 in New York City, USA. The jury included editors of the 28 member photo magazines from 9 European countries plus Canada, South Africa and the United States.
Carl Alguire, formerly with Logan, is now the C.E.O. of the Sewing Supplies Division at BERNINA International AG.
The Dick Blick Company is celebrating its 100th year in business. According to the Galesburg, IL Register-Mail where the company’s distribution center is located, the mail order operation began in 1911 from the home of Dick E. Blick as an evening distribution business, which he ran after his day-time position as advertising manager of the O.T. Johnson Company. In 1948, Robert Metzenberg began training as a mail-order successor to Dick Blick and acquired the business at age 38, becoming known as the “second founder.” The Metzenberg family continues to own and manage Dick Blick, with grandson Robert Buchsbaum as the current CEO.
The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) has announced that it will partner with Michaels Stores to promote the Craft SuperShow consumer event to be held in Rosemont, Illinois from July 30 – 31, 2010.
GOLDEN Has Completed the Official Purchase of Williamsburg Handmade Oil Colors. The small color factory has made the move 30 miles north from one small upstate, New York town to another. On May 21st, Golden Artist Colors completed the purchase of the small manufacturer and is now producing the oil colors in the GOLDEN Custom Lab facilities within its factory in New Berlin, N.Y.