Smith & Wesson Sets Sights on Clothes, Home Decor

hntngirl · 10-14-2003, 10:30 AM

Smith & Wesson Sets Sights on Clothes, Home Decor

Tue October 14, 2003 10:53 AM ET

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Looking for just the right duvet cover to match your .38 Super?

Smith & Wesson Holding Corp., parent of the legendary 151-year-old handgun maker, is branching out into home decor, clothing and jewelry with a new catalog, just in time for Christmas.

The Scottsdale, Arizona-based company hopes the catalog, called Crossings by Smith & Wesson, will expand the gun maker' s consumer base and product offerings. The company already sells hunting gear such as binoculars and scopes, and has licensing deals for products ranging from bicycles to golf clubs.

The move comes after handgun manufacturers, hit by dozens of lawsuits brought by U.S. cities seeking to hold gun makers responsible for gun violence, have cut back on production. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said there were 623,070 pistols manufactured in 2001, down sharply from the 962,901 made in 2000.

The Crossings catalog features cowgirl pillows inset with beaded studs and faux pearls by New York textile artist Judi Boisson, silk blouses with handmade turquoise and sterling silver buttons, and bedding in a " rustic yet romantic print."

hntngirl · 10-14-2003, 10:32 AM

Quote:

The Crossings catalog features cowgirl pillows inset with beaded studs and faux pearls by New York textile artist Judi Boisson, silk blouses with handmade turquoise and sterling silver buttons, and bedding in a " rustic yet romantic print."

Forget that! If they are going to expand to home decor, I want a Lazy-Boy with a beanbag gun mounted on the arm and aimed at the TV!

Zelazny · 10-14-2003, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Scottsdale, Arizona-based company

I thought a British group owned S&W ?? I have a very rare S&W for sale because of the way they turned their backs on gun owners .... yep, I hold a grudge.

rtread · 10-14-2003, 11:18 AM

Not good news for pro-gun if you ask me. This looks like the same kind of move Philip Morris and other tobacco companies made after lawsuits took their toll and PC became a way of life (for some).
I see it as a move by a pro-active company to expand out into other areas. A look at S&Ws 2 year stock chart http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=SWB&t=2y shows that it has been rather lethargic for a year or two. Sounds like the boardroom has been busy.

Vapodog · 10-14-2003, 11:38 AM

Quote:

I thought a British group owned S&W ?? I have a very rare S&W for sale because of the way they turned their backs on gun owners .... yep, I hold a grudge.

The boycot on S&W worked and the Brits sold the company to an Arizona company. Forget the grudge....the company has changed hands and we need to forget the buttwipes from Britain.

Zelazny · 10-14-2003, 11:45 AM

Vapodog - hard to forget the very companies that was suppose to support Gun Ownership signing anti-gun legislations, you know ? I had a couple of S&W guns, the model 29 with an 8 3/8" berrel being the sweetest. How' s this for a beautiful weapon ?

hntngirl · 10-14-2003, 11:54 AM

That' s beautiful, Zel! I only have one Smith & Wesson, a 12ga that kicks like a mule. Out of all my shotguns, it' s my favorite!

mike bell · 10-14-2003, 07:10 PM

Hey yall,

Yes S&W is back from the grave! Ive been watching the S&W company & its good news for gun owners. The company has restructured and removed those responsible for the Klinton deal. S&W IS AMERICAN OWNED AND OPERATED NOW!

I was one of the ones working hard on the boycott. To say the least, it worked. And they are working hard to regain their presence with American gun owners.

In fact I might even invest in their stocks. Only a couple, not a lot!