Hearthlist Digest #560 - Friday, February 2, 2001 Tired of hearing about HD Expo? by "Craig Issod" <[email protected]>
(back) Subject: Tired of hearing about HD Expo? From: "Craig Issod" <[email protected]> Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2001 15:16:13 -0500 Seems like every time I open H&H magazine I'm treated to an editorial and articles telling me how great HD Expo is and why specialty retailers should worry. It's my guess that the average stove and fireplace retailer has a lot of more pressing problems (like counting the money and delivering the stoves). HD Expo's list of Hearth products are mostly fluff - extras, as opposed to the real bread and butter of many hearth retailers. Even if they ever get to 200 stores, I don't think the successful hearth retailer will be shaking in his/her boots. There are so many other subjects worth writing about, so I'll offer H&H some suggestions. 1. Why do most stoves look similar to the ones from 15-25 years ago? I'm looking for a new fireplace stove and can't find the right look! 2. Clay Chimineas - the danger! - I had a great party last memorial day...but it was a little cold so we fired up the old chiminea pretty hot. A few hours later it was a hulk of embers and bits/pieces of pottery mixed together on my lawn! - Good thing it was not on a deck. 3. The reliability difference - There has been a lot of discussion lately on HearthNet about the lack of reliability of certain cast iron wood stoves when used hard. Now that an energy crisis is upon us again, let's talk about the ongoing costs of ownership that different models might have. 4. Energy Prices - Wow, natural gas is $1.99 a therm (100,000 BTU) in some areas, making it double the cost of oil. That's news! Maybe I'm the one that's out of touch, but I've been reading about how we are going to get eaten up my mass merchants for almost 20 years. Meanwhile, the hearth business has adapted and prospered like never before. What DO you worry about (if anything?) -- ------------------------------------------------------ Craig Issod HearthNet at http://www.hearth.com [email protected] Everything your Hearth Desires ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------