Latest news with #homegoods
Geek Dad
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Dad
Click That Brick! Santoki LEGO Home Goods
I've been reviewing LEGO sets for awhile now, most recently with the Icons Sherlock Holmes: Book Nook. And if you're a LEGO lover like myself, you may enjoy having other LEGO-related items around the house. Back in the day when we still had house phones, I even owned a LEGO touch-tone phone. With the global growth of LEGO, a company named Santoki became the exclusive U.S. distributor of LEGO LED Light and LEGO Stationery products. They offer a LEGO licensed portfolio for fans of all ages with unique lifestyle products, home goods, and stationery. Santoki recently sent me a sampling of their products to take a look at. Everything Santoki sent over. Image by Paul Benson. LEGO Minifigures Hot Dog Man, Banana Guy, Darth Vader, and Stormtrooper. Image by Paul Benson. Yes, the LEGO Minifigures from Santoki look like the regular Minifigure keychains you can get directly from LEGO. But these have been given a glowup! Not only have they been supersized to 3″, but when you squeeze the chests of the minifigures, you have a suprisingly powerful flashlight in their feet. A look at the light. Image by Paul Benson. While I wouldn't personally want to carry a Minifigure this big in my pocket, it's definitely great for clipping onto a bag. The LEGO Minifigures come in way more styles than just the ones Santoki sent over, and each retail for $16.99. You can purchase them from the Santoki store on Amazon, or directly from Santoki. Lightsabers you can write with! Image by Paul Benson. These may look like oversized LEGO lightsabers, but they're really gel pens, with the lightsaber hilt acting as the cap to the pen. The ink of each of the pens matches the lightsaber color: red, green, blue, and purple. A set of 4 gel pens is priced at $15.99, and can be purchased on Amazon or directly from Santoki. LEGO Markers 10-Pack The 10-pack of LEGO markers. Image by Paul Benson. This 10 pack of markers includes one each of violet, red, orange, yellow, lime, green, light blue, blue, lavender & black. They also have LEGO plates at the ends of the markers, so that you can stick them to each other, or to other LEGO pieces. A look at the LEGO plates on the markers. Image by Paul Benson. There's a nice variety of colors in the set, and the tips are a great size for coloring books. The set is $32.50, and can be purchased on Amazon or from the Santoki store. A box of sticky notes. Image by Paul Benson. The final item that Santoki sent over was a box of sticky notes in the LEGO 'space' theme. The box contains 4 pads of 25 sticky notes each. The notes themselves are a decent size, measuring 3″ x 5.7″. The 4 pads of sticky notes. Image by Paul Benson. The paper on the pads is thick enough so that you can color them with the LEGO markers without ink bleeding through, and the notes stick comparably to Post-It Notes. A box of sticky notes retails for $14.99, and are available on Amazon or at the Santoki store. There are also other themes available, such as Star Wars or Batman. Santoki LEGO Home Goods – Final Thoughts Everything Santoki sent over to me was of the highest quality, and definitely up to usual LEGO standards. If your child is a LEGO fan, these are great products that are both useful and also celebrate everything LEGO. And of course, they're just as delightful for the adult fan, too! These products also just scratch the surface of everything that Santoki carries. So if you're looking to bring a little more LEGO into your life, check out some Santoki LEGO Home Goods. For more information, head over to the Santoki website. Santoki sent these products for evaluation but had no input into this review. As an Amazon affiliate, I may earn a small commission on qualified purchases. A LEGO sticky note at work. Image by Paul Benson. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
CBC
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
CBC On Design: How an idea evolves to become a product in the world
Social Sharing Industrial designers create the objects we surround ourselves with. Pairing craftsmanship and innovation, designers in Canada are creating the objects we find in our homes and around our world. Our new series CBC On Design, now streaming on CBC Gem and YouTube, explores the evolution of an idea and the path it takes to becoming a item in your everyday life — but that journey is rarely a straight line. Between the initial concept and finished object lie sketches, prototypes, material experiments, user testing, manufacturing puzzles, and countless hidden steps. Each product tells its own story, whether it's traditional craftsmanship meeting modern manufacturing or a secretive method for creating colourful concrete. In CBC On Design we get a look behind the scenes and meet some of the designers who are making our country brighter and more beautiful. All episodes of CBC On Design are now streaming on CBC Gem and will be roll out every two weeks this summer on the CBC Arts YouTube channel. Episode 1: Concrete Concrete is all around us, but we don't think about it much. In this episode of CBC On Design, industrial designers Matt and Shawna Heide redefine the possibilities of concrete, making it into beautiful home goods. While this material is commonly associated with roads, bridges, and towering structures, the duo transforms it into something unexpected—vibrant, tactile, and refined objects for everyday spaces. Episode 2: Lighting It's easy to design for people's bad shopping habits. But can you design a light that lasts forever? In this episode of CBC On Design, we explore the art and science of lighting with industrial designer Christian Lo and the team at Anony, a Toronto-based lighting studio. She aims to design lighting that feels invisible—subtly shaping the spaces we inhabit without drawing attention to itself. Episode 3: Seating This designer's products have ended up everywhere from the silver screen to your local cafe. In this episode of CBC On Design, we learn about hospitality seating with industrial designer Geof Lilge, whose chairs and stools are found in restaurants, cafes, and offices around the world. Geof's career is filled with examples of both small-scale craftsmanship and large-scale production, showing the phases and cycles of a design practice. Episode 4: Privacy Booths In a world of open offices and remote work, how do you design for silence and privacy? In this episode of CBC On Design, industrial designers Nick and Brendan find an old solution to a new problem—how to create private spaces for phone and video calls in open, noisy workplaces. While traditional phone booths have largely disappeared from city streets, the need for quiet, enclosed spaces in office environments has grown. Episode 5: Rugs Rugs don't have to be boring rectangles. In this episode of CBC On Design, we explore the bright, nostalgic rugs designed by Rashelle Campbell. A designer who blends a traditional craft with contemporary aesthetics, Rashelle creates rugs that are colorful, asymmetrical, and rooted in the playful energy of the early 2000s.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
At Home closing? Bankruptcy puts dozens of stores at risk of shutting down
At Home, the big-box home decor and furnishings brand, is the most recent in a series of home goods stores, including Big Lots and True Value, to file for bankruptcy in recent months. Today, the company announced that it is seeking Chapter 11 protection after tariff-related costs, inflation, and reduced foot traffic have taken a bite out of sales. Pentagon Pizza Index: The theory that surging pizza orders signal global crises 5 signals that make you instantly more trustworthy at work What's behind the rise in interim CEOs The company, which is owned by Hellman & Friedman and operates 260 stores across the U.S., has entered an agreement with its lenders that's intended to help eliminate the company's $2 billion in debt while providing $200 million in new funding to keep the brand afloat during the restructuring process. CEO Brad Weston said in a press release that At Home is operating against a 'rapidly evolving trade environment as we navigate the impact of tariffs' and that the changes are intended to help the company compete in a more volatile marketplace. At Home's financial woes come on the back of closures for several similar brands. In 2024, the discount retailer Big Lots also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and planned to close all of its 800 locations before it was ultimately purchased and kept afloat by a new owner (though at a much smaller scale). And this May, the beloved arts-and-crafts retailer Joann's closed its doors permanently after a drawn-out bankruptcy process. Now, At Home will be the latest home goods retailer to attempt to keep its doors open as it navigates the bankruptcy process. Currently, At Home employs over 7,000 workers across 40 states. According to a bankruptcy court filing, the brand has struggled over the past several years due to 'reduced foot traffic in stores, heightened competition from comparable and off-price retailers offering substantial discounts, and a disparity between inventory and customer demand.' Over the last year, At Home has already closed six stores, but it reports that several remaining stores are still operating at 'suboptimal performance levels.' To turn things around, At Home reported that it will begin by transitioning ownership of the company to its lenders, who are shouldering more than 95% of its debt. The restructuring is also expected to result in several store closures. Per the filing: 'Ultimately, the Debtors' management team and advisors determined that it is appropriate to commence closings of 26 underperforming brick-and-mortar stores, with the potential to close additional underperforming stores in the future.' The 26 stores are expected to be sold and vacated by September 30, 2025. Here are the stores that are expected to close: 750 Newhall Dr., San Jose, CA 2505 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 2200 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 3795 E Foothills Blvd., Pasadena, CA 1982 E 20th St., Chico, CA 26532 Towne Center Dr., Suites A-B, Foothill Ranch, CA 2900 N. Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 8320 Delta Shores Circle S., Sacramento, CA 14585 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami, FL 5203 W. War Memorial Dr., Peoria, IL 13180 S. Cicero Ave., Crestwood, IL 300 Providence Highway, Dedham, MA 571 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury, MA 2820 Hwy. 63, South Rochester, MN 905 S 24th St. W., Billings, MT 1361 NJ-35, Middletown Township, NJ 461 Route 10, East Ledgewood, NJ 301 Nassau Park Blvd., Princeton, NJ 6135 Junction Blvd., Rego Park, NY 300 Baychester Ave., Bronx, NY 720 Clairton Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 8300 Sudley Rd., Manassas, VA 19460 Compass Creek Pkwy., Leesburg, VA 1001 E Sunset Dr., Bellingham, WA 2530 Rudkin Rd., Yakima, WA 3201 North Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa, WI This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter: Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
2 At Home stores in Washington will close following bankruptcy filing
Two "underperforming" At Home stores will close in Washington by the fall, after the home goods retailer filed for bankruptcy on June 16. The Washington locations are among 26 stores identified for closure this year, court documents show. The stores span from coast to coast, USA TODAY reported. The paper cited court documents showing that "persistent inflation" and tariff concerns led to the bankruptcy filing. Here's what to know. Two Washington state At Home locations were identified in court documents for initial store closures: 1001 E. Sunset Drive in Bellingham, Washington 2530 Rudkin Road in Union Gap, Washington At Home will close its 26 initial stores by Sept. 30, 2025, according to court documents. The following 26 locations were identified for initial store closures, according to court documents: 13180 S. Cicero Ave. in Crestwood, Illinois 6135 Junction Boulevard in Rego Park, New York 300 Baychester Ave. in Bronx, New York 750 Newhall Drive in San Jose, California 2505 El Camino Real in Tustin, California 14585 Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami, Florida 2200 Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa, California 3795 E. Foothills Boulevard in Pasadena, California 1982 E. 20th St. in Chico, California 2820 Highway 63 South in Rochester, Minnesota 26532 Towne Center Drive Suites A-B in Foothill Ranch, California 1001 E. Sunset Drive in Bellingham, Washington 8320 Delta Shores Circle South in Sacramento, California 1361 NJ-35 in Middletown Township, New Jersey 2900 N. Bellflower Boulevard in Long Beach, California 720 Clairton Boulevard in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 2530 Rudkin Road in Union Gap, Washington 571 Boston Turnpike in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts 5203 W. War Memorial Drive in Peoria, Illinois 8300 Sudley Road in Manassas, Virginia 461 Route 10 East in Ledgewood, New Jersey 301 Nassau Park Boulevard in Princeton, New Jersey 300 Providence Highway in Dedham, Massachusetts 905 S 24th St. West in Billings, Montana 19460 Compass Creek Parkway in Leesburg, Virginia 3201 N. Mayfair Road in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin Contributing: Greta Cross, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: 2 At Home stores in Washington will close following bankruptcy filing
Fast Company
16-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
At Home closing? Bankruptcy puts dozens of stores at risk of shutting down
At Home, the big-box home décor and furnishings brand, is the most recent in a series of home goods stores, including Big Lots and True Value, to file for bankruptcy in recent months. Today, the company announced that it is seeking Chapter 11 protection after tariff-related costs, inflation, and reduced foot traffic have taken a bite out of sales. The company, which is owned by Hellman & Friedman and operates 260 stores across the U.S., has entered an agreement with its lenders that's intended to help eliminate the company's $2 billion in debt while providing $200 million in new funding to keep the brand afloat during the restructuring process. CEO Brad Weston said in a press release that At Home is operating against a 'rapidly evolving trade environment as we navigate the impact of tariffs' and that the changes are intended to help the company compete in a more volatile marketplace. At Home's financial woes come on the back of closures for several similar brands. In 2024, the discount retailer Big Lots also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and planned to close all of its 800 locations before it was ultimately purchased and kept afloat by a new owner (though at a much smaller scale). And this May, the beloved arts and crafts retailers Joann's closed its doors permanently after a drawn-out bankruptcy process. Now, At Home will be the latest home goods retailer to attempt to keep its doors open as it navigates the bankruptcy process. 26 stores expected to close Currently, At Home employs over 7,000 workers across 40 states. According to a bankruptcy court filing, the brand has struggled over the past several years due to 'reduced foot traffic in stores, heightened competition from comparable and off-price retailers offering substantial discounts, and a disparity between inventory and customer demand.' Over the last year, At Home has already closed six stores, but it reports that several remaining stores are still operating at 'sub-optimal performance levels.' To turn things around, At Home reported that it will begin by transitioning ownership of the company to its lenders, who are shouldering more than 95% of its debt. The restructuring is also expected to result in several store closures. Per the filing, 'Ultimately, the Debtors' management team and advisors determined that it is appropriate to commence closings of 26 underperforming brick-and-mortar stores, with the potential to close additional underperforming stores in the future.' The 26 stores are expected to be sold and vacated by September 30, 2025. Here are the stores that are expected to close: 6135 Junction Blvd Rego Park NY 300 Baychester Ave Bronx NY 750 Newhall Dr San Jose CA 2505 El Camino Real Tustin CA 14585 Biscayne Blvd North Miami FL 2200 Harbor Blvd Costa Mesa CA 3795 E Foothills Blvd Pasadena CA 1982 E 20Th St Chico CA 2820 Hwy 63 South Rochester MN 26532 Towne Center Drive Suites A-B Foothill Ranch CA 1001 E Sunset Drive Bellingham WA 8320 Delta Shores Circle S. Sacramento CA 1361 NJ-35 Middletown Township NJ 2900 N Bellflower Blvd Long Beach CA 720 Clairton Blvd Pittsburgh PA 2530 Rudkin Road Yakima WA 571 Boston Turnpike Shrewsbury MA 5203 W War Memorial Dr Peoria IL 8300 Sudley Rd. Manassas VA 461 Route 10 East Ledgewood NJ 301 Nassau Park Blvd. Princeton NJ 300 Providence Highway Dedham MA 905 S 24th Street W Billings MT 19460 Compass Creek Pkwy Leesburg VA 3201 North Mayfair Road Wauwatosa WI
