About Us

1983

Jane Glazer creates a 16-page black and white brochure entitled Microwave Magic under the incorporated name of Qwik-Cook Inc. 15,000 brochures are mailed.
At the same time, an ad is placed in Bon Appetit Magazine for the newest invention, a Micro-Go-Round Microwave Popcorn Popper that flashes colored lights as it pops the popcorn. Sales are a disaster. Only 24 Poppers are sold and only a handful of orders for the brochure.
The company leases 1,000 sq ft on Central Avenue in Rochester, New York.

1984

Determined, Jane creates another 16-page black and white brochure and mails another 15,000 brochures. Sales improve, but Glazer uses savings from her teaching career to support the venture.

1985

Microwave Magic becomes Microwave & More as the brochure is expanded to 24 pages, and includes kitchen gadgets and cleaning supplies.
The company moves to 3500 sq ft at 961 Lyell Avenue with an office, a small back room for inventory, and a parking space.
Glazer holds Wednesday night microwave cooking classes for the neighborhood, and sells wares from the office as well as a local appliance store and the public market.

1987

Qwik-Cook Inc. acquires software for the mail order industry and requests that the software work on 2 computers simultaneously. This is an all new concept, and Qwik-Cook Inc becomes a beta tester for computer networking.

1990

Fuller Brush Co. and Qwik-Cook Inc. shake hands on a partnership. Fuller Brush agrees to distribute products in the catalog. This relationship is to last over 15 years, and continues today.
Microwave & More changes name to Home Trends, and product mix broadens to more cleaning and maintenance items throughout the house.

1992

Qwik-Cook Inc moves for the third time, to 779 Mt Read Blvd. This facility has 2 offices, a 25,000 sq foot warehouse, and a bathroom.
With 5 employees, Qwik-Cook Inc holds its first holiday staff party - and one pizza is shared.
Home Trends Catalog is now 48 pages, 40 in color, and includes a phone number for easy ordering.

1995

Home Trends Catalog offers a toll-free 800 number and a fax machine for customer convenience.
All 12 employees are offered health plans and vacation and personal days.
The front office is opened to the public for purchases.

1996

Qwik-Cook Inc, now referred to as Home Trends, moves for the fourth time, to 1450 Lyell Avenue. The 90,000 sq foot facility has offices, warehouse and shipping docks, a lunch room, and two bathrooms.
Telephone system is installed with 12 lines- which is expanded to 32 within the year.
New software is installed, as well as new computers.
Home Trends is mailing over 5 million catalogs a year.
Home Trends Outlet Store is created.

1999

Home Trends goes through enormous growth curve. Employees increase by 20% a year.
Picket Fence Catalog is added.
Space is added to increase facility to over 150,000 sq feet.
More than 500 orders are processed daily.
HomeTrendsCatalog.com web site is added, offering online ordering for the first time.

2001

Home Trends has 3 catalogs: Home Trends, Picket Fence, and Sleep Solutions.
Web sites are created for each catalog.
Qwik-Cook Inc serves over 500,000 customers, shipping over 3,000 orders every day.
Retail Outlet is enlarged.
100 employees enjoy all benefits including a 401K retirement program.
New order management software is installed.

2003

Home Trends holds a formal 20 year anniversary party at hotel in downtown Rochester, NY. Over 200 people attend and everyone celebrates the "20-year overnight success" of the company.
We hit our biggest week to date: $1,000,000.
Web sites expanded, offering real-time inventory and order status.

2005

Home Trends Catalogs moves to 100 Beaver Road for our fifth, and, we believe, our final move. Our facility is 243,000 sq feet and we are ready for growth.
State of the Art conveyor systems installed in the warehouse, call center for 75+, photo studio created, and new telephone software systems.

2007

Home Trends Retail Outlet Store moves into our 100 Beaver Rd facility and expands hours to 6 days a week.
QCIWholesale services the small business owner.
Catalog mailings reach peak at 27 mailings a year, reaching over 40,000,000 homes.
Home Trends Catalog hits Catalog Success' "Top 200 Catalogs".
Web sites constantly upgraded and changed to meet customer demand. Web orders surpass 20% of total orders.
Qwik-Cook Inc. changes its name to QCIDirect to include the 3 catalogs, 4 current web sites, and new web sites, all under the QCI Direct name.

2008

QCIDirect celebrates 25 years of serving our customers with all their home care needs.