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Beds show their mettle

By Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, October 28, 2001

HIGH POINT — Metal bed producers left High Point breathing a collective sign of relief as surprisingly strong showroom traffic kept them reasonably busy.

Producers said that, while overall market attendance clearly was down, they saw about the usual number of buyers.

That was due partly to extensive new product, but producers also said retailers often focus on promotable categories like metal beds when the economy turns sour.

"The headcount wasn't as bad as I had feared," said Dick Yargus, vice president of sales and marketing at Largo. "We came out of (the market) pretty much unscathed. In attendance, we were a little bit ahead of last market."

Yargus and several others noted, however, that showrooms didn't stay busy during the last days of market because of a dearth of buyers from small and medium-sized stores, who tend to shop later in the market cycle.

"The majors are coming earlier and leaving earlier than ever before," Yargus said.

Producers said dealers were especially interested in daybeds, in twin beds that can be used in a child's room, and in adult beds retailing for $299 to $499 in queen.

"We've had as much growth in twin beds this year than in any other area of the company," said Terry Steed, national sales manager at Wesley Allen, which rolled out a group of juvenile-themed twin beds late last year.

Elliott's Designs reported favorable reaction to its new kids' beds collection, named Fun Beds.

"We had a good market. The people who normally shop us were all here," said Darien Chung, Elliott's national sales manager.

At Fashion Bed Group, the category's largest producer, a lineup of eight new metal daybeds was a hit with dealers, as was a group of new wood futon frames retailing for $199 to $349.

"The daybed business is out there, but retailers have let it slip a little bit, and (manufacturers) have let it slip a bit," said Kevin Ehle, vice president of sales.

The company's new models, at $149 to $299 retail, cover a range of traditional and transitional styles. Ehle said the most popular were larger-scale models with clean transitional designs that can be used in adult bedrooms or guest rooms.

Fashion Bed Group also reported success with juvenile-themed products, with the winning number a lineup of wood bunk beds retailing for $299 to $499.

Powell, which has moved aggressively into the youth furniture category, also reported success with a wood bunk bed retailing for about $399. Its greatest success in beds centered on five new adult metal beds for $299 to $499 retail.

The new models featured more complex finishes, some requiring 11 steps to achieve the desired color and texture combinations.

"We had a great market," said Bob Ireland, executive vice president at Powell. "The quantity wasn't there, but the quality of buyers definitely was high."

For Hickory At Home, the market winners proved to be several upper-end metal futon frames.

Eddie Alala Jr., national product manager, said dealers especially liked several sleigh bed designs in both dark and light finishes.

"Metal futons don't have to be a promotional product," he said, noting that most of Hickory's futon frames retail for $299 to $349.

Wesley Allen decorated its showroom in a Brazilian theme. Appropriately, an iron bed named Brazil was a big hit. "Our attendance was pretty good," Steed said.

The brass-plated bed, once the staple of the metal bed category, was back at the Largo showroom this market, where officials said it was well-received by dealers.

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