Tupelo deserves credit for all its contributions
By Jerry Epperson -- Furniture Today, March 3, 2002
My face hurts from smiling, my appetite has been satisfied with good fried chicken, barbecue, catfish and a grand dessert called butter bread, and my hand has nearly been shaken off by good friends.
You know the story: I just spent a few days at the Tupelo Market.
Please understand that I attempt to be market-neutral, attending as many as I can. To be honest, High Point is my home market because I have gone to about 62 of them. My wife even understood when we decided to have kids 25 years ago that they couldn't be planned for April or October.
This was my first Tupelo Market in four years and I was startled by the magnitude of the change. It now has 1,000 exhibitors in 1.5 million square feet on two campuses a short distance apart. Some local companies still operate their own showrooms nearby, like Lane/Action, but most show in the vast Tupelo Market complex.
Since my last trip, the mix of companies has grown both in geographical terms and breadth of price, but the market has maintained a small town aura. People were glad to see you and offered to help in any way. To avoid dining problems and long waits, both complexes hosted buyer appreciation functions with good food and great bands each night. The evening we ate at the market, they fed catfish to thousands of folks.
Like High Point, housing is a challenge, but the area is growing fast. Also like High Point, the official opening day is Thursday, but the halls were full of dealers on Wednesday. Awards were presented and we were fortunate to see an honor go to a favorite of ours, Shreveport, La.'s Ivan Smith Furniture & Appliance stores.
Mississippi, in my opinion, has never gotten the credit it deserves for its role and contributions to our industry. It has excellent furniture-related programs at both Mississippi State and Ole Miss (see how I hedged myself there?) and the entrepreneurial spirit is still very evident. Our industry doesn't have many leaders the stature of Hassell Franklin, Hugh McLarty, Mickey Holliman, Tom Foy and many others. Gerald Washington's story of success makes you proud to be in our industry, and I am glad to know him.
I was proud last year to nominate a great American, Bo Bland, to the American Furniture Hall of Fame, and he was voted in — the first from Mississippi to earn this honor. (Morris Futorian earned his Hall of Fame stripes by opening plants in Mississippi, but he was from Illinois.) There is no doubt many more Mississippians deserve this recognition as well.
Thank you Tupelo, the National Home Furnishings Assn., the Tupelo Market Center and all of the individuals, especially V.M. and Janice, for a great trip.
I suggest you don't miss the next one! I hope to be there.
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