Rug producers unveil large, lavish showrooms
By Lissa Wyman -- Furniture Today, April 28, 2002
HIGH POINT — Rug vendors such as Shaw, Feizy and Momeni unveiled huge, lavishly accessorized showrooms here to lift the category from prosaic to palatial.
It's a far cry from the boring racks and sloppy stacks that used to be the hallmark of rug exhibitors. It has nothing to do with price structure but everything to do with merchandising.
Shaw Rugs moved into the design-oriented Market Square building was a major psychological shift as well as a physical one, said Jeff Meadows, vice president of the Shaw Inds. division.
"At 5,500 square feet, the new Market Square space is our largest permanent exhibit area," he said. "We want our showrooms to reflect the fashion orientation of our home furnishings licenses such as Tommy Bahama, Kathy Ireland and Martha Stewart."
The Shaw rugs flow through a series of furniture vignettes and are softly lit with chandeliers, spotlights and track lighting.
Meanwhile, Feizy Imports also moved to larger quarters in Market Square. With 20,000 square feet, it's an exhibition area that keeps moving, with one room opening into another like a series of Chinese boxes. It is the largest exhibit space outside of company headquarters in Dallas, said President Amir Loloi.
Feizy's new showroom is furnished in a series of vignettes that include full rooms of dining and seating groups. "It's a lesson we've learned from furniture retailers. It's much easier to sell a rug when it's shown with furniture," said Loloi.
Even in the traditional glass box showrooms of the International Home Furnishings Center, there was a move to upgrade and individualize. Momeni's expanded quarters relied on brilliant lighting, floral displays and comfortable seating to provide buyers with an "at home" sales environment.
"High Point is extremely important to us, and we will continue to increase our presence here. Even if a customer is not familiar with our company, our showroom sends a message that we are committed to fashion merchandise," said Reza Momeni, president.
| Rug Feizy's new 20,000-square-foot showroom in Market Square features full room settings. |
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