Did Home Interiors Declare Bankruptcy and Get Bought Out?

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Discussion Overview

The thread discusses the recent bankruptcy declaration of Home Interiors and its acquisition by another company. Participants share various perspectives on the situation, including personal experiences with Home Interiors and related companies, as well as observations about other direct selling companies.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Opinion-based, Anecdotal, Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, shares an email stating that Home Interiors declared bankruptcy and is being bought by Better Homes and Gardens, although another participant corrects this by stating it was actually purchased by Home & Garden Party.
  • Another participant mentions a past experience with a similar acquisition in the direct selling industry, suggesting that Home Interiors consultants may become H&G consultants.
  • One participant discusses their friend's experience with Home Interiors, attributing the bankruptcy to poor leadership and financial mismanagement, including costly partnerships and unsustainable incentives for consultants.
  • Several participants express curiosity about the leadership changes and future direction of Home Interiors following the acquisition.
  • Some participants share their experiences with Taste of Home Entertaining, noting a decline in visibility and quality, and discussing uncomfortable interactions with consultants from that company.
  • There is mention of a former executive level consultant from Pampered Chef who transitioned to Taste of Home, raising questions about recruitment practices in the industry.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ regarding the implications of Home Interiors' bankruptcy and acquisition, with no clear consensus on the future of the consultants involved or the impact on the direct selling landscape.

Contextual Notes

Participants share personal experiences and observations related to the direct selling industry, particularly focusing on Home Interiors and Taste of Home Entertaining, without making definitive claims about the companies' practices or policies.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants within the direct selling community may find the shared experiences and insights relevant to their understanding of industry dynamics and company changes.

ragschef
ragschef
Messages
698
Got this in my email from my director and thought I would share. I have NOT verified this!


Hey, just an fyi, Home Interiors declared bankruptcy yesterday. They are being bought by Better Homes and Gardens and being rolled up into their business. If you know anyone with Home Interiors, they are now unemployed, so now would be a great time to check with them and see if they want a different job!


Actually, I found a news article that they were purchased by Home & Garden Party, another Direct Selling Company, not Better Homes & Gardens. I'm not sure if it means those Home Interiors consultants are out of luck or if they are just now Home & Garden party designers.
 
ragschef said:
Got this in my email from my director and thought I would share. I have NOT verified this!


Hey, just an fyi, Home Interiors declared bankruptcy yesterday. They are being bought by Better Homes and Gardens and being rolled up into their business. If you know anyone with Home Interiors, they are now unemployed, so now would be a great time to check with them and see if they want a different job!


Actually, I found a news article that they were purchased by Home & Garden Party, another Direct Selling Company, not Better Homes & Gardens. I'm not sure if it means those Home Interiors consultants are out of luck or if they are just now Home & Garden party designers.
Click to expand...


I bet they'll just be H&G consultants now - that's what happened when Discovery Toys bought that kids music company. (I forget the name - but it's the reason DT now has musical toys too)
 
Do Re Me and You.
 
From the Home Interiors website:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 18, 2008
CONTACT:
Jenice Daily
903-935-4197 Ext. 1144
[email protected]
Marshall, TX (12/19/08) –
A FRESH START FOR HOME INTERIORS & GIFTS
Home & Garden Party was today’s successful bidder for Home Interiors & Gifts. The
coming together of the two companies promises to be a bright new beginning for the
Dallas based company.
Founded in Marshall, Texas in 1996, Home & Garden Party has successfully offered
women a dynamic sales opportunity, allowing them to achieve their personal financial
goals while enriching and transforming their lives. “Over the past 12 years, we’ve
worked to achieve a reputation of sound core beliefs and values with a commitment to the
highest possible standards of integrity,” said Heather Chastain, President of Home &
Garden Party. "With the coming together of these two companies, the proud heritage of
Home Interiors will live on through the strong financial foundation that Home & Garden
Party provides.”
Home Interiors & Gifts was founded over 50 years ago by Mary Crowley. The company
has a rich history of offering women an opportunity to be fulfilled professionally while
still caring for their family through a home based business. “ I am so proud of the Home
Interiors field and the dedication they have to the heritage of Mary Crowley,” said Robin
Crossman, Home Interiors’ CEO.
Over the past decade, Home & Garden Party has become an emerging leader in the Direct
Sales industry. Penny and Steve Carlile, Founders of Home & Garden Party said, “We
currently have thousands of active Designers across the country and a history of sound
financial business practices. With all the necessary funds in reserve to complete the
transaction, we can quickly and effectively assure the Consultants of Home Interiors that
we’re committed to protecting the legacy of Mary Crowley and Home Interiors by
building on the solid foundation that Home & Garden Party has enjoyed.”
For more information on Home & Garden Party please visit
Home & Garden Party - Home.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #6
Thanks, Debbie! :)
 
and in other news, Taste of Home Entertaining has changed their name to Entertaining at Home.
 
DebbieJ said:
and in other news, Taste of Home Entertaining has changed their name to Entertaining at Home.
Click to expand...

I never hear or see anything of them around here anymore. They started out with a bang - but seem to have fizzled to nothing.
 
my sister in law is a consultant for TOHE. She was very part time with them. I had a show about 2 years ago and thought the stuff was very overpriced and the quality was shoddy.
 
ChefBeckyD said:
I never hear or see anything of them around here anymore. They started out with a bang - but seem to have fizzled to nothing.
Click to expand...


I don't even know if they have any consultants in my area at all, I've never heard or seen them around, not at craft booths or anything...
The only reason I know of them is from here!
 
DebbieJ said:
and in other news, Taste of Home Entertaining has changed their name to Entertaining at Home.
Click to expand...

One of my cluster mates had a Taste of Home Entertaining party a few months ago and I went. The consultant told us that she was a SD with PC for over 10 years and she knew that me and the host were with PC and she kept comparing the two and it almost seemed like she was trying to convince us to switch over. It was very uncomfortable and weird!!
 
Are her initials JG
 
I have a friend who sells Home Interiors.

From what I last heard from her. Home Interiors did file bankrupcy, but it was because they had very poor leadership. They filed for bankrupcy, but it was chapter ?? (whatever it is called where they could still keep the business running as long as they downsized their catalogs and got new leadership and slowly paid things back)

The previous people in charge decided to link arms with Better homes and Gardens, Roma Downey, etc. to start collections within the Home Interiors catalogs. Home Interiors was making all of the products, but paying over the top amounts just to put these peoples names on their items. Plus the CEO decided that Home Interiors consultants should be able to earn mustangs just like Mary Kay consultants. Only problem was Mary Kay had leased vehicles, and the Home Interiors CEO decided they would BUY the mustangs instead of leasing. Then to top it off he had the mustangs decked out with all the trimmings. Then consultants would earn these mustangs and then quit. So all of that lead to putting the company in a HUGE hole they couldn't get out of.

So she said they had majorly downsized their catalog, had a new lady running the company, and she was awaiting instructions on where this was going to go from here.
 
Interesting....it went around awhile back that they went bankrupt...I have a friend that sells..
 
Teresa Lynn said:
Are her initials JG
Click to expand...

I have another guess at initials: DH??? (not dear husband, but someone's actual intials)
 
I just said JG because my cons. here in Texas used to be an exec with PC and is the same way
 
Oh give us the dirt girls!!!
 
now I'm curious....I want names though - not initials :)
 
Diane Hastings was an executive level PC consultant that went to Taste of Home. She probably took some other folks with her.
 
I think she was the one that came to Elko and was talking to me about TOH while I was doing a booth.
 
Last edited:
Diane is in Texas
 
Teresa, she and several others travel around the country trying to recruit for TOHE. My money is on DH or JG or even KB.
 
And I've already had my hand slapped over this issue. You will not get names from ME!!
 
yes, I know she travels I just meant that is where she lives TWICE I have not had a good TOHE experience with her.I finally contacted corporate and said DO NOT assign her to me as a consultant again and they gave me the other person who said she was one of the founders of TOHE and she "coincidentally" also used to be an exec with PC
 
Chef Kearns said:
And I've already had my hand slapped over this issue. You will not get names from ME!!
Click to expand...

CHICKEN!!!!

chikin.gif


(I've been waiting to use this one here!)
 
isn't TOHE the company jan gilmore helped start??? for some reason that is stuck in my mind and that is not the name I meant in my other posting
 
pamperedlinda said:
CHICKEN!!!!

chikin.gif


(I've been waiting to use this one here!)
Click to expand...

I'm happy to oblige!

isn't TOHE the company jan gilmore helped start??? for some reason that is stuck in my mind and that is not the name I meant in my other posting
Click to expand...

I don't know about Jan Gilmore, but I do know the other JG originated in Houston and was so much fun!! She's move up closer to you Teresa just south of Dallas.
 
Jan Gilbert is a Sales Manager with PC. She had nothing to do with TOHE.
 
Last edited:
I think the one at HO is Gilbert not Gilmore. :)
 
Jan Gilmore has been gone for many many years
 
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