Plow and Hearth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Plow and Hearth | |
|---|---|
| Type | Subsidiary |
| Founded | 1980 Madison, Virginia |
| Headquarters | Madison, Virginia |
| Industry | Retail |
| Products | Furniture, home furnishings, apparel, food. |
| Website | http://www.plowhearth.com/ |
Plow and Hearth is a major United States retailer based in Madison, Virginia specializing in hearth and fireplace accessories; furniture and home furnishings; and lawn and garden accessories . The company was established in 1980, and today is considered a leader in catalog mail order retailing in the United States, with sales exceeding $100 million and annually mailing over 63 million catalogs.
Plow and Hearth primarily conducts business through its mail order catalog. It also sells items through its Web site, as well as multiple retail operations in the states of Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. It maintains its headquarters on a 38-acre site in Madison, Virginia.
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[edit] History
The company was established by Peter Rice, Peggy Rice, and Michael Burns in 1980. It launched its first catalog in 1982; it was mailed to 100,000 names. From 1986 to 1989, Plow & Hearth was recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of America's fastest growing private companies for four consecutive years. In the 1990s, the company experienced tremendous expansion, growing from a $228,000 company in its first year, to a $60 million company in 1998, to a $100 million company today.
In 1998, Plow and Hearth shareholders sold a majority interest in the company to 1-800-FLOWERS, and the company became a wholly-owned subsidiary. The company continues to operate independently out of Virginia.
In 2001, two top children's catalog companies, HearthSong and Magic Cabin, began to be managed out of Plow & Hearth's headquarters.
In 2002, the "Problem Solvers" catalog was established, offering useful products for the home.
In 2005 the "Wind & Weather" catalog, originally based in Fort Bragg, CA, moved their management to Plow & Hearth's headquarters in Madison, VA.
In 2006, a new catalog and Web site called "Madison Place" was launched, offering high-end furniture and home furnishings. This brand has since been discontinued.
[edit] Awards
The company is especially noted for its Quality Improvement Process (QIP). In 1994 and 1995, the company was selected as a Finalist and Medalist Winner for the United States Senate Productivity and Quality award (USSPQA), the highest award for quality organizations. In 1999, it received the prestigious Award for Continuing Excellence (ACE).
The company has also received numerous commendations from the Virginia General Assembly, Virginia Governor George Allen, the United States Postal Service, the Direct Marketing Association, Madison County, and the Virginia Retail Merchants Association for its quality initiatives, as well as its philanthropic work.
