Home Depot Inc. said Monday it will start selling Martha Stewart-branded home improvement products starting in 2010, when Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.'s deal with Kmart ends.
Items in the Outdoor Living category, such as patio furniture, will be in U.S. stores in January and in Canadian outlets in February. The home improvement chain also plans to sell Martha-branded new closet organization systems, with plans to develop other products for release next year.
Kmart has been selling the Martha Stewart Everyday home line since 1997, but that contract ends in January 2010.
The new line will allow home depot to "refresh a lot of merchandise we have in the home decor and storage areas," said Gordon Erickson, senior vice president of merchandise and decor for Home Depot.
Martha Stewart partners with several retailers, including Macy's Inc. on a line of textiles, kitchenware and houseware. The Home Depot line of outdoor living products will complement the Macy's line, said Robin Marino, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's president and CEO of merchandising.
It will also expand Martha Stewart's presence in the U.S. in a "significant" way, she added. Home Depot operates 2,241 retail stores in the U.S., Canada and other locations.
Martha Stewart's other retail partners include 1-800-Flowers.com, which offers Martha-branded flowers and gifts. An agreement with Lowes Cos. ended Sept. 1.