Retail experts say that Americans at all income levels feel poorer right now and that consumers' ideas about what they can afford have been adjusted downward. [FULL STORY]
NEW VISUAL DIRECTOR IS NAMED AT MUD PIE Mud Pie has announced the appointment of Tim Roberts as visual director, a newly created position on the company's product development team.
GIFT FOR LIFE ADDS BOARD MEMBERS Gift for Life - the gift, stationery and home-decor industries' charitable organization fighting AIDS - has added Cinda Baxter and Leslie Nathan-Street to its Board. [FULL STORY]
LENOX FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION Lenox Group, Inc., which includes such brands as Department 56, Possible Dreams, Gorham and Dansk, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. [FULL STORY]
CBK INTRODUCES DROP SHIP PROGRAM CBK has launched CBKwik Ship, a drop-ship program to help CBK retailers expand their product offering without additional investment in inventory. [FULL STORY]
PHILLIP MCKAY JOINS WORLD MARKET CENTER LAS VEGAS Trade-show industry veteran Phillip McKay has joined World Market Center Las Vegas as senior vice president. [FULL STORY]
SFIGF TO FEATURE BAY-AREA THEME AND EVENTS
In tribute to its host city, the upcoming Winter 2009 edition of the San Francisco International Gift Fair (SFIGF) will feature "neighborhoods" of exhibitors that are representative of the diverse districts of San Francisco. [FULL STORY]
TREND SPOTTERS TO LEAD TOURS AT CHRISTMASWORLD Style gurus from bora.herke, a German design company, will lead tours for buyers at ChristmasWorld 2009, which is slated for January 30 to February 3 at the Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. [FULL STORY]
NYIGF PARTNERS WITH AMERICAN DESIGN CLUB
A new partnership between the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) and the American Design Club (AmDC) will result in expansion of "A+: The Young Designer's Platform" within the Accent on Design section of NYIGF at its upcoming show, which will be held from January 25-29, 2009. [FULL STORY]
C & F ENTERPRISES/GALLERIE II LEASES SPACE IN LAS VEGAS
C & F Enterprises, Inc./Gallerie II has leased a 10,540-square-foot showroom in Building C at World Market Center Las Vegas. [FULL STORY]
Affordable Pleasures 
