Home Decor
Blain’s Farm & Fleet Promotes Hasting
Blain’s Farm & Fleet has promoted Mark Hasting to president and chief commerce & operating officer. This promotion supports the company’s desire to continue to grow as a family-owned organization where customers are treated as neighbors and associates are treated like family.
Jane Blain Gilbertson will remain CEO and sole owner of Blain’s Farm & Fleet and Blain Supply, Inc. Under Gilbertson’s leadership, Blain’s has driven huge growth in their national Ecommerce business and opened 10 new stores, including 5 in Michigan, for a total of 45 stores.
The company’s distribution capacity and investment in technology enhancements has increased significantly as well.
“We are at the point where it just makes sense for me to share more of the leadership responsibilities so that we can increase our capacity for continued growth,” Gilbertson said. “I am extremely proud of the strong leadership team we have here at Blain’s, including Mark, and I have full confidence in their abilities to continue to guide this organization as a team, always focused on our neighbors, our associates, our strong vendor partnerships and our communities. Mark quickly earned our whole company’s confidence with his authentic care and vision and has shown he is a leader of real substance.”
Hasting has been with Blain’s Farm & Fleet for more than three years and previously held the role of chief commerce & operating officer. In this role, he has had responsibility for all Stores and Service Centers, Ecommerce Operations, Real Estate, Construction and Facilities and the Customer Service Center of Excellence. As president, he will increase his responsibility to include Demand Planning and Supply Chain in addition to acting as a strategic partner to Gilbertson in leadership of the company.
Since coming to Blain’s, Hasting has made an impact on enhancing store experience by supporting store associates with training and tools and improving processes and standards within the stores.
“Mark always has the customer experience in mind,” said Sarah Gilbertson, daughter of Jane Blain Gilbertson and the customer relationship marketing specialist at Blain’s. “He has proven that he really understands the Blain’s Farm & Fleet culture. I am so happy to have him take on a greater role within our organization.”
Blain’s Farm & Fleet has been family owned for all of its 68 years, and this will be the first time a non-family member has taken on the role of president, but this does not mean that the company is backing away from its strong commitment to remain family owned.
“My sister and I have made a commitment to keep Blain’s Farm & Fleet family owned. That is important to us and to the company culture,” said Nicole Gilbertson, daughter of Jane Blain Gilbertson. “I remain invested in the future of this special company my grandfather and great uncle founded in 1955.
“The way we treat our associates like family and our customers like neighbors is at the core of our family culture at Blain’s. I’m confident Mark will continue to do a wonderful job of stewarding that culture as he moves into his new role as president.”
Hasting brings impressive experience to this new role with a strong background in retail leadership. He spent over 20 years at Target, where he had many roles. Hasting has also served as regional vice president at Starbucks and COO Kum & Go. He has a BS in marketing from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from Oklahoma City University.
“I am humbled and excited to take on this new role. It is my desire to continue to support the growth of Blain’s Farm & Fleet and the amazing associate family that works together here,” Hasting said. “This is a special place, and I have learned so much about leadership from Jane since joining the company. It is my honor to be a strategic partner to her and her family in continuing to help this amazing organization to thrive.”
“It is not enough to survive as a family company,” Jane Blain Gilbertson said. “We must continue to grow and thrive. Our future is so bright, and this promotion is one step toward achieving it.”
Founded in 1955, Blain’s Farm & Fleet is a retailer with nationwide ecommerce business and 45 store locations throughout Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan. This Modern General Store offers a wide variety of categories and services and unique experiences such as Toyland.
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Glidden Color of the Year ‘Anything But Yellow’
PPG announced Glidden paint by PPG’s 2024 Color of the Year: Limitless (PPG1091-3), a fresh warm hue that holds both the power of a primary color and the essence of a neutral. This “anything but yellow” honey beige tone offers limitless applications – consumers can use Limitless anywhere they’d like a neutral to create an updated, on-trend look, complementary to any design style.
“We are entering a new era of explosive creativity and change. Consumers are using color in even more unconventional ways than ever before and they need a palette that offers versatility to work with both new and existing decor,” said Ashley McCollum, PPG color expert, Glidden brand. “Limitless understands the assignment and embodies this perfectly.”
“This modern neutral is as adaptable as its name implies and is taking the place of cool neutral tones that are so last year,” McCollum said. “With the selection of Limitless, gray is officially cancelled. What can we say – warm neutrals just hit different.”
As a nod to the hue’s adaptability and consumers’ readiness to enter their creative eras, Glidden color stylists see this “boujee beige” showing up across exterior and interior commercial and residential spaces, styles and textures.
Because Limitless pairs equally well with warm and cool tones, Glidden color experts recommend using it anywhere and everywhere to give your space the glow up it deserves. As an interior color, it works on all four walls, accent walls, trim, and cabinets. For extra style, Glidden color experts recommend painting unconventional places too. Limitless can be used to paint ceilings or all four walls and ceiling, abstract or geometric shapes and interior doors to achieve a look that’s both unique and on-trend.
“Think of Limitless as a fresh and energizing take on a neutral. Limitless can be your main room color or act as an invigorating pop against warm or cool tones,” McCollum said. “Apply Limitless to exterior doors and even all-over exterior and trim to add curb appeal, and get ready for TFW (that feeling when) your house is the main character of your block.”
DIYers looking to spend less and save time can benefit from choosing Limitless in any Glidden brand product. Available at The Home Depot® and WALMART® locations across the U.S., independent retailer locations nationwide, Glidden.com and AMAZON®, the Glidden brand provides authentic and simplified solutions for everyday paint projects around the home. Limitless is also available in Pittsburgh Paints & Stains products, available exclusively at MENARDS® stores in the Midwest.
A trusted partner to the professional painter, PPG produces hospitality industry insights for architects and builders to create spaces for luxury, comfort and impact. The company’s color experts have aligned on Limitless as the Color of the Year for both the Glidden and PPG Paints brands in 2024.
“Warm neutrals are here to stay, replacing cool tones like gray for both DIY and pro segments in 2024 and beyond,” said McCollum.
PPG brand paints are available at PPG PAINTS™ stores, independent retailers, The Home Depot locations across the U.S., and HD Supply, as well as Menards stores. To find Limitless and the rest of the 2024 trend colors at the store nearest you, visit www.ppgpaints.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE: For images and more information on 2024 color trends, visit www.glidden.com/2024-color-trends.
PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD®
At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $17.7 billion in 2022. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.
PPG Paints is a trademark, and We protect and beautify the world and the PPG Logo are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
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Bhargava Promoted to Head Pottery Barn
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has promoted Monica Bhargava to president of the Pottery Barn brand. In her 23 years since joining the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. family of brands, Bhargava has taken on an increasingly broader leadership scope culminating in her recent position as Williams-Sonoma, Inc.’s chief design officer, where she led the Pottery Barn visual merchandising and photography teams while developing product in partnership with the brand’s in-house design teams.
“Monica’s design leadership and product development expertise have been instrumental to the growth of our brands,” said Laura Alber, president and CEO of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. “Her ability to pair her exceptional taste and creative vision with a commercially minded approach to product development has resulted in countless contributions to our company and endless inspiration for our customers.”
“Monica has been a strategic partner leading the evolution of Pottery Barn’s product assortments and broadening the aesthetics our brand addresses,” said Pottery Barn CEO Marta Benson. “Her designs have contributed materially to brand growth initiatives, particularly in furniture, outdoor and within the PB Apartment/small spaces collections. Her passion for design and ability to create products that enhance our customers’ lives at home is unmatched.”
“I am honored to take on this leadership role and propel the next phase of growth for Pottery Barn,” Bhargava said. “I look forward to collaborating with our teams while we honor the rich heritage of this iconic brand and pave the way towards an exciting future.”
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is the world’s largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer. The company’s products, representing distinct merchandise strategies — Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, West Elm, Williams Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, Mark and Graham, and GreenRow — are marketed through e-commerce websites, direct-mail catalogs and retail stores. These brands are also part of The Key Rewards, our loyalty and credit card program that offers members exclusive benefits across the Williams-Sonoma family of brands.
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Total Home & Gift Market Dates Set Through 2026 at Dallas Market Center
Dallas Market Center, the leading wholesale marketplace for gift, home, and related products, has announced Total Home & Gift Market dates through 2026.
For buyers and exhibitors, the updated calendar will mean the ability to plan ahead for future shows in Dallas, which will remain first on the show cycle among trade events in the United States.
“As our marketplace continues to grow, our mission is to help retailers succeed with dates that are advantageous,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “Maintaining a strong calendar with market dates set well in advance and the first shows in the U.S. in winter and summer provides the most convenient and inspiring experience possible.”
A full schedule of dates for all trade events is available on the Dallas Market Center website. September Total Home & Gift Market dates for 2025 and 2026 will be announced at a later point.
January 10 – 16: Total Home & Gift Market
January 10 – 13: Temps at Total Home & Gift Market
January 16 – 19: Apparel & Accessories Market
March 19 – 22: Total Home & Gift Market + Apparel & Accessories Market
June 11 – 14: Apparel & Accessories Market
June 19 – 25: Total Home & Gift Market
June 19 – 22: Temps at Total Home & Gift Market
September 17-19: Total Home & Gift Market
2025
January 8 – 14: Total Home & Gift Market
January 8 – 11: Temps at Total Home & Gift Market
January 21 – 24: Apparel & Accessories Market
March 18 – 21: Total Home & Gift Market + Apparel & Accessories Market
June 10 – 13: Apparel & Accessories Market
June 18-24: Total Home & Gift Market
June 18-21: Temps at Total Home & Gift Market
2026
January 7 – 13: Total Home & Gift Market
January 7 – 10: Temps at Total Home & Gift Market
January 20 – 23: Apparel & Accessories Market
March 17 – 20: Total Home & Gift Market + Apparel & Accessories Market
June 16 – 19: Apparel & Accessories Market
June 24-30: Total Home & Gift Market
June 24-27: Temps at Total Home & Gift Market
Recent Total Home & Gift Markets in Dallas have featured hundreds of new exhibitors and more retailers arriving from coast to coast. Over the coming months, a series of additions and expansions by gift and home décor exhibitors and top brands will create an even more extraordinary Dallas marketplace with the addition of flagship showrooms from One Coast and Anne McGilvray plus many more industry leaders.
The Dallas marketplace hosts four major Total Home & Gift Markets per year. Retailers from across North America and Latin America visit Dallas Market Center to discover new products and trends, build relationships, and place orders for the upcoming selling season. The marketplace serves many of the largest and most successful independent retailers as well as department stores, buying groups, and e-commerce.
In addition to gift and home, only Dallas Market Center presents the most complete collection of new and best-selling products across multiple lifestyle categories including apparel and accessories, holiday, floral, housewares, gourmet, and artisan products. The marketplace includes the largest residential lighting trade events in North America and the largest and most successful open-daily design center.
To make plans for upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the DMC App. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the DMC Blog.
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Just Got 2 Have It!’s Lavish Anniversary Event Highlights Las Vegas Market’s Giftware Offerings
In one of the most visible displays of Las Vegas Market’s gift leasing momentum, sales agency Just Got 2 Have It! marked its 10th year of Las Vegas tenancy during the summer market. The sales agency, one of the earliest to commit to ANDMORE’s plan to relaunch the gift category in Las Vegas in 2013, has anchored exponential growth in Las Vegas over the last 10 years. The JG2HI! reception visibly punctuated the market’s ongoing – and growing – gift category momentum, with recent significant expansions and long-term lease extensions by key showroom tenants including Creative Co-Op, Fine Lines, Gifts of Nature, NEST, Road Runners, Stephen Young and others.
“Las Vegas Market’s gift resources continue to grow at an exponential pace,” said Dorothy Belshaw, ANDMORE EVP, chief growth officer. “Over the last 10 years, our strategy to redevelop the gift category has brought leading gift brands and sales agencies to market, giving buyers access to more products and more opportunities here in Las Vegas.”
Las Vegas Market is the leading home furnishings and gift market in the western U.S., presenting thousands of furniture, home décor and gift resources in an unrivaled market destination. Las Vegas Market’s diverse product offerings allow for cross-category commerce among these industries. The summer Las Vegas Market runs July 30 – Aug. 3 at World Market Center Las Vegas.
ANDMORE, formerly International Market Centers, is an omnichannel wholesale marketmaker that fuels opportunities for wholesale buyers and sellers to connect, grow and prosper through physical markets, design centers and digital channels. The company owns and operates more than 20 million square feet of premium event and showroom space, hosting live events in Atlanta, High Point, N.C., Las Vegas and New York City. By pairing face-to-face events with always-on digital tools, ANDMORE provides omnichannel business platforms for its global wholesale customer base.
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