Verdict on Las Vegas: Better than I expected
David Perry, Executive editor -- Furniture Today, February 23, 2009
And the answers are: Better than I expected. The new Stearns & Foster line. And no, I did not cross the line.
Now let's get to some of the questions you've been posing to me in the last several days. The first, not surprisingly, relates to the recent Las Vegas Market. Many of you asked me that most basic of questions: What did I think of the market?
Well, it was better than I expected, to be honest with you. Going into market, I heard that a number of retailers were planning to skip the event. Given that Las Vegas is the national bedding market, that bedding is a key profit-driver in stores of all types, and that the next Vegas bedding market won't be until September, I couldn't understand how any serious bedding retailer could afford to take a pass on the February show.
As it turned out, the major bedding retailers were on the scene in Las Vegas earlier this month. And while traffic may have been down in some showrooms, the bedding majors seemed pleased with their markets. Doom and gloom were not in the room.
Furthermore, I heard a number of reports that retail has picked up in recent weeks, a highly welcome development.
The next question follows closely on the heels of the first: What impressed me in Las Vegas? I shared my positive reactions to two companies' Vegas efforts (Kingsdown and Tempur-Pedic) in this space last week, and now add a couple of additional bouquets. One introduction that stood tall in Vegas, according to many reports, was the new Stearns & Foster line. Its aesthetics, pricing and feels won kudos.
I also heard some nice comments about the new Simmons BeautySleep line, designed for heavy promotional duties. And I was impressed with the traffic-building items offered at Serta and Five Star, as well as the new high-end Vera Wang specialty beds at Serta.
Finally, I fielded several questions and comments about my Feb. 2 column, in which I talked about the change of White House occupants. Suffice it to say that my readers were sharply split on my views, with some praising me and some expressing disappointment. I welcome all comments, even those taking me to task. But I do need to point out that this is my column, and, as such, it is a place where I am free to express my opinions. Thus, to the reader who said that I crossed the line by criticizing a certain former president, I would respond that opinions like that are part and parcel of columns.
I would also add (since I do get the final word — another advantage I have as a columnist) that I rarely delve into the murky world of partisan politics and don't plan to do so again anytime soon. There's enough going on in mattress land to keep me plenty busy.
Contact David Perry at dperry@reedbusiness.com
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