Miami was the most popular migration destination of any major U.S. metro for the fourth month in a row, according to a Redfin survey from October and November 2021. Phoenix, Las Vegas, Sacramento and Tampa filled out the top 5. โ€œThe popularity of migration destinations is determined by net inflow, a...

Jerry Baer, president and CEO of Baerโ€™s Furniture, grew up in Indiana, and his move to South Florida symbolizes everything about the evolution of his company. The company was founded by Baerโ€™s grandparents in South Bend in 1945; in 1968, Baerโ€™s launched its first store in Florida. Soon enough, the entire family began migrating to the Sunshine State. One by one, as the Indiana stores closed, the Florida showrooms debuted. The moveโ€”and the endeavorโ€”has proven wildly successful. Baer says that โ€œ70 of our competitors are goneโ€โ€”but Baerโ€™s is still here and thriving. Today, the company has 17 Florida locations, with its largest showrooms in the tricounty area in Boca Raton and Pembroke Pines. It remains a family business, with a fourth generation of Baers getting into the act. Unexpectedly, the condition of the home furnishings industry has become newsworthy since the emergence of COVID-19. But the stresses of the shelter sectorโ€”which has been plagued by delayed shipmentsโ€”has proven to be more hiccup than crisis for Baerโ€™s. โ€œWeโ€™re in better shape than most, with the largest inventory in our history,โ€ Baer says. โ€œFrom what weโ€™ve been told by our clients, weโ€™ve been better able to get delivery when we want it.โ€ He says that itโ€™s challenging when production is shut down in countries the company depends upon, but โ€œbecause we forecast so far out, because our vendor partners are strongโ€”many of them are very strongโ€”they are able to help us, given our reputation for paying our bills and taking care of our customers.โ€ He says that early on in the pandemic, clients tended to be less patient than they are today, but theyโ€™ve adjusted to industrywide slowdowns. โ€œAnd though weโ€™re being hit with so many price increases,โ€ Baer says, โ€œweโ€™re still honoring every deal weโ€™ve made with every client. Thatโ€™s the only way we do business.โ€ Baerโ€™s marquee partners include the tropical-inspired Tommy Bahama, as well as Natuzzi Editions, Huntington House, Bernhardt, Lexington and Beautyrest. Baer notes that his company is the largest Natuzzi Editions dealer in the Americas (the brand, known for the quality of its leather upholstery, is based in Italy), and itโ€™s the largest Tommy Bahama and Lexington dealer in the world. (Baerโ€™s has been Tommy Bahamaโ€™s partner โ€œsince it started in the furniture business,โ€ Baer says.) โ€œBecause of our buying power and our history with these companiesโ€”we believe in long-term partnershipsโ€”we tend to be in better position. We donโ€™t tend to bounce around from company to company.โ€

Smoked cocktails have long been conversation pieces at chic lounges, but with people doing so much home entertaining, cocktail smoking equipment is all but de rigueur. To dazzle your guests with smoked espresso martinis, Crafthouse by Fortessa cocktail smoking boxes are available at Williams-Sonoma in...

A joint venture between Related Group, one of the nationโ€™s most prolific developers, and Merrimac Ventures, a leading South Florida-based real estate investment and development firm, today announce the sales launch of the Crosby Miami Worldcenter. The 31-story tower set within Downtown Miamiโ€™s $4 billion 27-acre Miami Worldcenter mixed-use development...

Launched near Astor Place in New Yorkโ€™s Greenwich Village more than three decades ago, Crunch Gym immediately drew downtown buzz for its No Judgements ethos and its regular sightings of actor Christopher Meloni. These days, Crunch is taking over Florida, with seven fitness clubs in...

In every issue of SFBW, we aim to present a range of leaders, industries and perspectives, but Iโ€™m especially proud of this issue because it offers such candid analysis and intrepid thought leadershipโ€”ideas about such subjects as responsible tourism and development, that we havenโ€™t covered...