Fine China Companies Losing at a Bad Time

With more young couples dining out with friends instead of entertaining at home, it’s not a surprise that place setting icons like
Lenox and
Waterford Wedgewood have recently filed for Chapter 11, or that
Oneida today announced it would close its outlet stores.

But even with the cocooning trend back, and more consumers potentially throwing dinner parties, I just don’t see fine china as a priority purchase for most people in the near future.

Let’s think about this for a second, and think about it from your own personal marriage process experience. It used to be your place settings, flatware, stemware, etc. were no-brainers when you registered. Now couples are thinking more practical, asking for the everyday stuff instead of elegance for the dinner parties they know they will never throw.

Heck, my wife and I have been married for 11 and a half years. We don’t have dinner parties. We have a few family gatherings a year, and that amount of company calls for Chinet instead of china.

What the chapter 11 filings will mean to people who are looking to replace pieces within their place settings has yet to be figured out. My guess is that Lenox and Waterford Wedgewood for example will cater a little more towards everyday dining, and that the more expensive pieces will be discontinued.