Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.trends From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: trends Tue, May 19 1992 Date: Tue, 19 May 92 05:21:11 EDT Message-ID: 05-19 0000 DECISIONLINE: Trends & Marketing USA TODAY Update May 19, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network RAIN FOREST EXHIBITS BLOSSOM: Slices of tropical greenery are now spreading like jungle weed through U.S. zoos. New rain forest exhibits opened in Omaha and Fort Worth last month, joining existing ones at zoos in Chicago, Pittsburgh and the Bronx. At least part of the reason for the sudden spurt, say experts, is to educate the public about the importance of fast-disappearing rain forests elsewhere. (For more, see special Rain package below.) BUSINESS OWNERS OPTIMISTIC: Small-business owners' feelings about the economy have returned to prerecession levels, with many seeing a slow but steady recovery, according to a National Federation of Independent Business survey. NFIB's optimism index rose 4 points to 102.2, highest since April 1989. NFIB surveyed 2,171 business owners for its quarterly index. FEWER BANKS LIKELY TO FAIL: Fewer banks are likely to fail this year than previously expected, says William Taylor, head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Taylor says conditions are improving, but still he is cautious. Bank failures this year will probably fall below the 200 the FDIC forecast six months ago, he says, but the average size of troubled banks remains large. GIRL-GRUNGE BAND RELEASES ALBUM: After 6 1:2 years as a band, the three members of Columbus, Ohio-based Scrawl have been called "the spiritual grandmothers" of the girl-grunge movement now taking off. The trio has released its third album, "Bloodsucker," on the independent Feel Good All Over label. The three members, now in their late 20s, met in college, where they were "stifled" playing in men's bands, they say. LEAVING THEIR MARK: Tattoos used to be reserved for the fringe element. But although they've been around for millenia, they're now beginning to be making their mark among upper-class types, reports the May issue of allure magazine. Names such as Carre Otis, Stephanie Seymour and Christy Turlington sport the decorations. Julia Roberts has a small tattoo on her back and Drew Barrymore has had her ankle decorated. OTHERS MOVE IN TO TOY MARKET: Child World's filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy-court protection this month is a victory for Toys R Us. But the No. 1 toy chain still faces stiff competition. Child World will close 54 of its 125 stores. Also aiming for those markets: Upscale chains such as Early Learning Centre and discount stores such as Wal-Mart, increasingly are moving into the toy arena. UPSCALE, DISCOUNT LOOK TO NICHE: Upscale toy store Early Learning Centre, which focuses on customer service and educational toys, has grown from 10 to 73 stores; Imaginarium from one to 50, with 20 more planned. Leading discounters Wal-Mart, Kmart and Dayton-Hudson's Target unit all have been moving aggressively into the toy market. Target has an exclusive deal with Hasbro for the full-size G.I. Joe. SPECIALTY RETAILERS SLIDE: Stocks of Gap, Limited and other specialty retailers have begun to plunge, just as they did before the 1987 Wall Street crash. Then, stocks started to slide in mid-August 1987. Ten days later, the Dow started to slide before its worst one-day crash ever in October. A similar crash now would cut the Dow from 3376 Monday to 2161. COOL DRESSES ARE HOT: One of the coolest getups of summer, according to the June issue of Glamour magazine, is the halter dress. Often worn short, and with enough coverup to keep them from being too revealing, prices can range from $84 for a rayon dress from Street Lite to $370 for a Michael Kors washed silk dress. A few are criss-cross or throat-high in front, but many show a V-neck. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON RAIN: FORESTS TO EDUCATE: New rain forest exhibits opened last month in Fort Worth and Omaha, joining existing ones at zoos in Chicago, Pittsburgh and the Bronx. Part of the reason, say experts: To educate the public about the importance of fast-disappearing rain forests. "It's a bit of a panic ... to begin to address (rain forest conservation)," says Lee Simmons of the Omaha zoo. Other cities are joining the trend. Seattle opens a rain forest at Woodland Park Zoo in September. LOOK FOR HISSING ROACHES: Visitors to Cleveland's The RainForest at Metroparks Zoo, scheduled to open Nov. 19, will be welcomed by a 25-foot waterfall and 7,000 plants. The animal exhibit includes hissing cockroaches. The Tropical Discovery pavilion at the Denver Zoo, opening in fall 1993, will cover 20,000 square feet under two glass pyramids and like many captive rain forests will include an education center. WORTH THE TROUBLE: Ken Seleske, curator of education at the Fort Worth zoo, admits that creating the fragile, diverse rain forest environment is more complicated than housing animals in traditional (and often bare) exhibits. But it's worth the trouble. Now, Seleske says, curators aim to show rain forest dwellers in their environment and let visitors know that the environment is threatened with extinction. (End of package.) Trends & Marketing Editor: Beth Mann. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. 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