Wood broadens appeal
Promotional, better looks flourish in Tupelo
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, March 3, 2002
TUPELO , Miss. — The Tupelo Furniture Market has long been known for its strong offering of promotionally priced case goods, but better price points were flourishing this time.
"Maybe manufacturers are underestimating the price ceiling (at the Tupelo market)," said Larry Rinaldi, vice president of sales and marketing for Amini Innovation Corp.
He said AICO's better looks sold well here. Rinaldi said higher price points not only provide more revenue for manufacturers, but benefit retailers by giving sales associates better products and more options to show. "The sales guys will say to a customer, 'Hey, you gotta see this.'"
AICO's new home entertainment line had a strong debut, especially the Paradisio with its curved and beveled glass in curio piers, bunching bookcases, and a floating bridge over the television space.
Crown Mark offered several occasional table groups in mixed media at various price points. While promotional prices did well, the hottest sellers were in the $399 range, said Sandy Wang, sales official. Metal and glass was a popular look.
Rather than raise price points, Harden Mfg. offered more value at the same costs. Bedroom furniture came with extra touches such as solid panel sides and side roller glides on drawers. A mahogany print bedroom suite has a mirrored headboard with wood accents at a familiar $599 price.
Harden bought a plant last year, gutted it and refurbished it with new technology, said Sales Manager Lee Scott. Coming from that facility are three new bedroom groups in contemporary style and one oak group.
While some manufacturers have laid off workers in the past year, Harden added 120 new employees, Scott said.
Hart Furniture also says it is giving more look for the dollar with new items such as the Hartford Manor four-piece bedroom group at $599. Hart put shape into the mirror and drawer fronts with a Historic Cherry finish. Roller-guide drawers are a new touch for the company.
Hart's Arbor Creek collection includes adult and youth bedroom and home entertainment. Pieces have rustic hardware and a Kennedy Pine paper finish with realistic knots and distressing, said Chris Hart, president and chief executive officer. Entertainment products retail in the $200 to $300 range.
Orleans found success with entertainment armoires that it first introduced at the April 2001 High Point market, with the best seller a starter retailing at around $549. Based on the great response in Tupelo, the company plans more entertainment pieces for this April's High Point show, said Tom Klinkert, vice president of sales and marketing.
Magnolia Classics, Orleans' solids and veneer division, is growing with a combination of imported and domestic goods. A new import bedroom group has a Louis Philippe style with the sleigh bed, chest, dresser and mirror retailing for $1,299. A similar silhouette in pine solids and veneers with a light finish sells at $1,199. In the Fieldstone collection — with Chilean components assembled in Mississippi — a four-piece group retails at $1,999.
Cooperation between two facilities also proves beneficial at manufacturer Higdon, where one plant works with solids and veneers while the other handles fiberboard and paper veneers. The company has introduced case goods that have solid-wood drawers and top edges with fiberboard in the sides and top center.
Global Furniture, meanwhile, has seen orders rise 20% since it began offering dealer-direct shipments with mixed containers, according to Eddie Proctor, vice president of national accounts and major accounts. A popular introduction in Tupelo was a French Bourdeaux bedroom group with highly carved moldings and serpentine drawer fronts of solid wood, plus a full-length armoire, all retailing at $1,499.
| Vaughan-Bassett's latest Barnburner bedroom group is this arched-top suite in Espresso finish. The headboard comes in an arched spindle or panel design, while the footboard is either a platform or arched spindle style. |
| A suite from Harden Mfg. features a mirror and corner shelves above the dresser and in the headboard. The cases come with touches including roller glides on drawers and solid panel sides. |
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