Amazon's $25 free shipping minimum is being hiked up to $35.
In an attempt to better manage operational costs, Amazon has decided to raise its minimum order threshold by 33.33%. Non-Prime members will now need to spend more to qualify for the company's popular free shipping promotion. A likely goal of the company is to force more consumers to purchase the annual Prime membership costing consumers an additional $139 to bypass this higher threshold.
I was inspired to read that what we do today as a software company can be traced back 42,000 years to a bone in a South African cave. I realized this after reading The Wall St. Journal’s review of ‘Empire of the Sum,’ a book about pocket calculators.
Here’s the lineage: We’re in the software business, which is a relative of the computer business, which is a relative of the pocket calculator business (just ask Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, who ...
Read More
The VIDA Acrylic Ice Bucket is a clear winner for summer entertaining! Rendered in crystal clear acrylic, it is a stunning addition on a bar cart, and adds a striking, modern dimension to your home. The generous ice bucket is great for chilling wine out on the back patio and ideally suited for indoor and outdoor entertainment!
View Post
New Mariposa Sip Sip Glass Collection At Glassworks!
Introducing the beautiful Anna Von Lipa collection from Mariposa - Sip Sip, hand made in the Czech Republic. A combination of confetti-like splashes of color with fashionable forms. The stunning Drinking Glass and Stemless Glass are perfect accessories to any table setting.
Anna von Lipa was founded in the 1990s by a Danish couple dedicated to fine art in glass. Jytte and Christian Correl's choice for crafting that art was immediately the ...
Read More
Wondering how we made these Eye-clops Sugar Cookies? Simply tint any cookie dough with a few drops of green food coloring and bake them back to life! Once your cookies have cooled, add your candy googly eyes for a spooktacular final look! 👻
View Post
We place the year on the back of the shirt in the style of a sports jersey. The sports reference is a nod to us playing on the same team together to help indie stores.
(We didn’t do a 2020 t-shirt. Oops. Not many businesses wanted to commemorate the year of the pandemic.)
Thank you, Bridge team, for a successful 2023 ;)
View Post
The new Fall 2023 collecton again fuses tradition and innovation. Introducing Mosaic, another authentic original American design by Annie Morhauser created on the Monterey Bay with her team of skilled master crafts people.
The Annieglass Mosaic collection boldly features octagonal-shaped dinnerware and serveware. Each piece has a distinctive wide rim and a 24K gold design reminiscent of the tiny mosaic squares used in Italian medieval mosaics. The Mosaic collection offers a modern twist on ...
Read More
Ready to experiment with nature's earthy color? This useful centerpiece placemat's geometric fine weave gives it a refined and rustic character that goes well with coastal, traditional, and modern decor. We adore using them as a naturalistic backdrop for place settings or as a framework for centerpieces simply because they are handwoven from resistant vines. Set of four.
How technology hurts the entertainment industry just like Amazon hurts the retail industry.
August 1, 2023
Over the last three decades, Hollywood and many that rely on the entertainment industry have embraced ordering goods over Amazon.com. Recap: Amazon is a technology company that often cuts costs by replacing humans with code and robots and bypasses local red tape like, um, taxes and labor rules. Hollywood writers, producers, and ticket goers embraced a technology company that made their lives easier but often at the cost of others (aka retail workers).
Brighten up your home with a touch of Sicilian tradition by VIETRI. Sicily has a tradition dating back generations of displaying female and white sculptural heads, and they are often used as planters on doorsteps, porches, and balconies. No matter the placement, these handcrafted Sicilian Heads are sure to be a conversation starter. There are 7 different styles to choose from. Stop in to see our selection.
Join us for an irresistibly Italian experience with VIETRI's Susan Gravely! She will be...
Read More
Bath & Body Works reduced the time it takes to make a bottle of soap from 90 days to 21, shares The Wall Street Journal. It also reduced the number of miles the parts travel from 13,000 miles to a just a handful of miles. Part of the solution: the company trimmed out China and Canada.
BBW was able to move production to the US largely due to robots and computers. In China, 50 people may work on a bottle. In the US, labor is too expensive. The company replaced the 40 people with...
Read More
I chuckled when I was asked to author this column, as I have been known to have the last word from time to time. As I prepare to leave the industry that has given me so much (I eagerly accepted the opportunity to work in the gift and home area in 1986), I can vividly recall the excitement I felt when I first entered the creative space that we get to live and work in every day. I have been exposed to scores of creative people; I met and worked with artists and buyers who were inspired and ...
Read More
EMON MAASHO, CEO AND PRESIDENT OF ORREFORS, NORTH AMERICA, is representative of the exciting trajectory in this 125-year operation. The über-exec joined the New Wave Group in 2013, a time when Orrefors and Kosta Boda (OKB) were underperforming assets in the portfolio. "Our crystal brands are national treasures and a part of Swedish history," Maasho affirms. And he wanted a front row seat in their revitalization. Maasho was placed in charge of the new hotel and restaurant division ...
Read More
QUEEN ELIZABETH WOULD CERTAINLY APPROVE. Herend's Queen Elizabeth Collection, which includes a ten-piece tea set, bonbon, and corgi Fishnet figurine, is targeted not just to Anglophiles and fans of the Queen, but to anyone who wishes to own a beautiful, unique piece of Herend, says Kimberley Kimball, president, Martin's Herend Imports. "When the Queen passed last year, the Herend manufactory sought out our input about their idea of creating some commemorative pieces celebrating her 70-year ...
Read More
I have a stack of virtual news clippings that either struck my fancy, taught me something new, or just made me shake my head in bemusement. On their own, they may not be enough for me to make a point, but together they have a thought-provoking synergy (and I'm sure I'll figure out what that is by the end of this column).
Our industry has been negatively affected by the loss of American manufacturing after we entered a long stretch of automation and outsourcing in the late 1970s; every ...
Read More
What Threads can teach us about leveraging our existing network when launching a new service.
July 22, 2023
Threads, a new Twitter-like service from Meta, the owner of Instagram, launched this month and almost immediately attracted 40m active daily users. The service’s growth has since stalled and now has just over 10m daily users, but that is still commendable. The Wall Street Journal shared that this impressive launch was largely possible because Meta used its built-in network of one billion Instagram users. This user base helped it overcome the “cold start” problem of acquiring ...
Read More
It's time to enjoy a meal outdoors and with our tin picnic plates we make it easy for you. They come packed 4 to a reusable tin box, enjoy your meal, then put the used plates back in the tin box to take home and clean without making a mess of your picnic blanket and basket. Shown here is the Turkish Garden design, also available in Blue pagoda, Ming, American Ships, Lowestoft Rose, Blue Dragon, and Lotus Blossom.
View Post
American Goldfinches are likely attendees at any backyard buffet, but an experienced host knows that these guests will attend a summer soiree en masse if sunflowers are on the menu.
View Post
We’ve been tracking brands that try to bypass stores, from Nike to some tabletop brands that will go unnamed. While Nike has backtracked from cutting out stores, Levi’s continues on the path shares this weekend’s The Wall St. Journal.
The last fifteen years have been marked by brands investing in their websites, sucking up customers via Facebook and Google ads, and bypassing their stores.
View Post
Take your July 4th entertaining to new heights with pieces from Juliska's Provence Collection! Summer is the perfect time to add a natural and rustic yet refined touch with these stunning hand-woven rattan serving pieces and accessories. Don't sacrifice style for your picnic dinnerware & drinkware, your sun-drenched backyard parties pair perfectly with Juliska melamine and acrylic! Stop in at the Shadyside store, where we have these pieces in-stock.