Market memories

By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, April 25, 2009

HIGH POINT — HIGH POINT — To help celebrate this spring's 100th anniversary of the High Point Market, Furniture/Today asked industry members to share their favorite memories of the market. Here are some highlights:

A 'Match made in High Point'

I was at the 1981 October Market. I had been informed at the last minute by a company that it was mandatory that I attend a national sales meeting.

Little did I know that I would meet the woman of my dreams at this show.

The company I worked for was showing in the National Building on the fourth floor. I was standing in the hallway outside the showroom when this very attractive lady came walking down the hall to say hello to another sales rep. He was busy with a customer so we struck up a conversation. She informed me that she was moving from Minnesota to California, where I am from. I gave her my card and asked her to call me when she arrived in California.

Several weeks later, she called and we got together for a drink. Well, one thing led to another and we started dating. Neither one of us wanted a serious relationship, but as time went on we both realized that this was an attraction that was meant to be.

In May of 1982, we were married in Las Vegas. This year, we will celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary.

This was a match made in High Point that fate played a big part in. Thank you, High Point!

Earle and Mary Herbert

Manufacturers sales representatives

Writing orders as 'fast as we could'

I attended the High Point Market several times in the late 1930s with my father. The market building was leased to the government during the war and was not returned to the industry until 1947. I attended my first working market in January 1948. However, this was not a typical market as we know it, because we were still on allotment. There was so much pent-up demand that for three years (1946 to 1948), the manufacturers just doled out the furniture as fast as they could make it.

There was a substantial economic readjustment in 1948 and 1949. It was like someone turned the lights off and we went from being oversold to being unable to dispose of our production. This was a severe recession for us at that time. It didn't last very long, and by the end of 1949 business was getting back to normal.

The High Point furniture building at that time was the single unit that still can be seen plainly on Main Street. They constructed a four-floor addition to the height of the building in the early '40s. Broyhill had taken the majority of the top floor. The traffic pattern for many dealers was to start on top and work their way down; therefore, we were hard hit on the opening days of the market. On Monday morning, our salesmen would be in the Broyhill space between 6:30 and 7 a.m. because the crowds literally poured in. There was no way we could keep up with the crowds, and most of our good customers would walk through the space, speak their hellos, and make a date to come back later.

In later years, the market seemed to enter into a time of making placements rather than really writing orders. In those early days, we wrote notes frantically during the day and then we would write the orders up at night.

The furniture was lined up back to back; there was no decoration, carpets, lamps nor soft lighting. There was no air conditioning, and everyone smoked. When you walked into our space, it was like walking into a cloud, yet back in those days we all seemed to be used to it.

At that time, the double dresser and triple dresser had not yet been invented and the pattern of buying was very different, particularly from North to South. In the South, we sold a vanity, either a chest or a 'robe, and a poster bed. In the North, we sold a single dresser, chest and panel bed. In dining room in the South, we sold a buffet, either a straight china or a breakfront china, a table, and six chairs. In the North, we sold a breakfront china, a table and four chairs.

During my career, we had a great period of time when we were constantly expanding our line, our organization and our facilities. However, it wasn't straight up. Every three or four years, we had a substantial downturn and had to be able to withstand these ups and downs.

The vast complex of buildings making up the High Point Market today, the method of display and sales, as well as the products are a far cry from those of days gone by.

I have very happy memories of those early days with the crowds pouring into our space and of writing orders as fast as we could. It was fun in those days.

Paul Broyhill

Retired CEO and president

Broyhill Furniture

Working without a plan

I remember my first market was in the fall of 1977. I went down with my Dad. We really did not plan much as I do now. We took the elevator to the top of the IHFC's Main wing and just walked down each floor and looked at the guides by the elevator to see if we wanted to visit anyone on the floor. That's impossible to do now with so much more to see, but it worked well for us then.

Jed Ackerman

President

Stage Door Furniture

Pawling, N.Y.

Springtime in the South

Spring 1973 was my first High Point Market. I had been hired by Ethan Allen as advertising manager and had moved my family from Ohio to Connecticut. I was so excited about this new industry and the beauty of the North Carolina landscape with the spring flowers all in bloom. I remember meeting Otto Zenke and seeing his showroom and thinking how one day I would like to be a designer like Otto.

The rest is history. I am still enchanted by spring in High Point. How lucky we all are to experience this beautiful part of the United States.

Joe Ruggiero

Designer

Buffaloes and rickshaws

Some favorite memories:

• Wayne Burris and the Playboy Playmates.

• Ben Jarnagin and his promotional antics, including the Oscar Mayer wiener, buffaloes and rickshaws.

• Sid Lenger's Doll House collection.

• Lane's Indian-themed product, including sand painters from New Mexico.

• The press parties and the coveted ticket to get in, along with many sponsored manufacturer and supplier parties.

• The outlandish clothes many of the media arrived with.

• The “wordsmithing” that accompanied introductions.

• Ron Wanek's truck caravan through downtown.

Doug Brackett

Retired executive vice president

American Furniture Manufacturers Assn. (now known as AHFA)

A 'red letter' day

My best memory of the High Point Market happened on July 9, 1956, during my very first market in the Globe Parlor Furniture Showroom on the fourth floor of the Southern Furniture Exposition Building now known as the IHFC. This was a red-letter day for me as I met my wife to be Wanna Mcanally, who was working with her friend Ellen Foscue, the daughter of my boss, Henry A. Foscue, president of Globe and the SFEB.

Wanna and Ellen were friends attending Duke University and had landed a job with SFEB for the July market as telephone girls. They answered the only telephone on the fourth floor and relayed information to the showrooms. They also delivered attendance reports to all the showrooms listing the dealers that had registered for market.

After graduation from NCSU and 2 years of military service, I was lucky to get an interview with Mr. Foscue at Globe for a sales training opportunity and I got the job. So I started to work at Globe on Feb. 15, 1956; met Wanna Mcanally on July 9, 1956; and married Wanna on Feb. 15, 1958. Thanks be to the High Point Market, as I would not have moved to High Point where I was given my first job in the furniture industry and met my wonderful bride.

Bill Blanton

Consultant

Blanco Consultants

Directions, please?

The event that I remember most from High Point occurred in 1991, and always makes me laugh. After showing in a 10 by 20-foot space for two or three markets, and begging the IHFC to give me space in the main building as a permanent exhibitor, I was finally given a 1,200-square-foot permanent showroom on the third floor of the Green wing. The space was next to the bathroom, and tucked away in a corner, where no one walked by.

After setting up on the first day, I left the space to go make a few photocopies. On my way back, it took me 20 minutes to find my own space, and I was asking every buyer I could find where AICO was. People kept telling me that I needed to look at the directory. Finally, after finding my space, every time I wanted to leave the showroom, I thought twice about leaving. At the end of that show, I had five orders, and three got cancelled.

Michael Amini

Founder and CEO

AICO

Phones can be a challenge!

“My first trip to High Point, I parked against the closed-down Tomlinson Furniture Factory. I checked into the Sheraton on Main Street and then waited in line to get a phone to call my wife and business partner Judith to tell her I made it! Once I got a phone, I had to wait for a while to get a dial tone …Of course, I still can't get a dial tone on my cell in the IHFC building today, but I have been coming back for almost 30 years.”

A. John Rose,

President

Textillery Weavers

The Market Square 'God'

I remember when Market Square opened and the talk was that God was in town and his name was Jake Froelich, the man who was the owner and visionary for the Market Square building. That was because everyone knew that it seemed to be an impossible feat to accomplish.”

Habersham was one of the first tenants in the Market Square Building and is still there today — in space MS 142.

Matt Eddy

President

Habersham

Market Sizzle was a time to relax

Just as High Point celebrates its 100th Anniversary this year, I will celebrate my 40th year of attending THE furniture market. My father, Al Maynard, started our business, and one of his favorite activities was attending the High Point Market. He always emphasized the importance of attending every High Point Market, and during this time I have never missed one.

My fondest memory is an event that was held during each market for years, the Market Sizzle. The Sizzle was sponsored by IHFC, the reps association and the Southern Home Furnishings Assn., and was always held toward the end of market (usually on Monday night). It was a great opportunity to get together with fellow reps, industry executives and fellow retailers and celebrate another successful week in High Point. Thanks to the support of the market building, each year we had great entertainment and danced until the lights went out!

The event also allowed the reps to recognize members of their group for outstanding service, as well as a furniture retailer from the Southeast with the Furniture World Award of Merit. Many of those recognized were my good friends, and it was a wonderful opportunity to share in their accomplishments as well as their contributions to the furniture industry.

Times change, and eventually the Market Sizzle went away, but the memories of that evening and the friendships I've enjoyed and renewed at the High Point Market each year will last forever. Thanks to IHFC, SHFA and the reps association for putting on a first-class event that I'll never forget!

Rex Maynard

President

Maynard's Home Furnishings Belton, S. C.

Strike poses a challenge

For my first High Point Market, I arrived but none of my product arrived due to a UPS strike. I was unpacking boxes and watching customers walk by my space…”

Daniel Edelist

CEO

Nova Lamps

An exciting new world

The first market I went to in High Point was in the 1970s and I was lost. I was simply overwhelmed by the size of the market. Magnussen Home was not selling in the United States until the mid-80s.

The many showrooms were larger then anything I had experienced in my life. The streets of High Point were confusing with different names but the same street. I spent many hours on the road learning the streets and finding showrooms. Maps and guidebooks were my best friend.

At this point, Magnussen had started importing furniture from Asia to distribute in Canada but we knew we needed to be in the U.S. market to grow our business. High Point was truly the international city of furniture.

The greatest memory I had was that “when you were in the furniture business and in High Point you were a somebody.” The whole town was focused on selling furniture. It truly was and is a great experience.

Richard Magnussen

CEO

Magnussen Home

'An exciting vibe'

My best memory is the first time I attended the market. I would say it was the late 1980s or early '90s. I went with my Dad. We spent our entire time in one building — the IHFC. Years earlier, it was “his” market to work, on this day it was “mine.” Still, my Dad had the contacts in place from his earlier days as a department store buyer. He knew and remembered the “ropes.” I was more like a babe in the woods during that visit.

I had no idea what that market would be like, or even look like.

I remember my impression of the endless maze of corridors with names like Green, Wrenn and Hamilton that seemed to make no sense to be, although I am sure there was some historical significance to it all.

The IHFC seemed to me a creaky, old building. But, I do remember an exciting vibe that seemed to permeate everything and everyone in it.

Gerry Borreggine

CEO and president

Therapedic

Mackie provides laugh

I remember meeting Bob Mackie in the Murray Feiss Showroom a few markets ago. We were to have our picture taken with his show girls. These girls were gorgeous, tall and wearing skimpy out fits. While we waited for them he chatted with me. He also told me a silly joke: Have you ever heard of furniture disease? I said no. It is when your chest falls into your drawers! Ha Ha. Then we had our picture taken.

Amy Brothers

Designer

Amy Brothers Interior Designs

A place for creativity

As I walked out of a five-star New York City restaurant with the tablecloth and six napkins I had just bought from the manager I asked myself, “What price creativity?” That evening in the summer of 1976 it was $50. But I had in my hands the sketches and merchandising plans Leo Jiranek and Burt Klein had just drawn up for Lane's new Legendry collection.

Thirty-three years ago, I had the privilege of being the “go-fer” for the creative team of Leo and Burt on this major collection for the Lane Co. The collection was inspired by the Southwestern architecture of New Mexico and Hopi Indian art and culture.

Those were the days of passion; where spirit and inspiration drove the design process. Where an abundance of research supported the story behind the furniture and the passion of that story lead us to bring Hopi Indians to Lane's lobby (then the largest in the IHFC) to make jewelry, create sand paintings and display the cultural gifts they had shared with us. And also led Burt to commission a Hopi artist to sculpt a wild stallion out of solid alabaster as the centerpiece for the showroom. At the time, this was one of those “rather ask for forgiveness than for permission” moments. But, later, with much fanfare, the piece was donated to a museum by the company.

This passion lead to commitment; the kind that had me driving a Pinto full of dining seat cushions from the upholsterer in the Virginia mountains to the High Point Photo studio in the middle of the night in order to get photos taken and the product in the showroom in time for the next morning's sales meeting. When I say “full” I mean so full I could only make left turns since my right shoulder was holding up the cushions stacked to the ceiling.

This is one of the many fond memories I have from High Point Markets past. Memories of an industry, at its best, energized by talented people who taught this new kid a thing or two about passion, spirit and showmanship in bringing Legendry to the October 1976 market.

John Conrad

Conrad Cos.

An expanding 'club'

Shortly after becoming one of the first women to be admitted to the almost all-male String and Splinter Club, the private domain of the High Point furniture and textile power brokers, I decided to invite a group of my female business friends for dinner so they could all meet one another with the idea of networking. The memory of that evening reminds me now of a stereotypical TV sitcom.

It seemed like a good idea to me to invite my newly discovered female business acquaintances, a small growing group from all over, to meet each other and share information. This was long before the founding of WithIt, so there was no other real opportunity to get together other than a dinner venue somewhere and my new club seemed logical.

As the women started to arrive, we gathered for cocktails in the lobby of the club before dinner. As each arrived, they were met with stares as well as some not-so-subtle comments from a few “old guard members,” who were shocked to see so many women in the club unescorted by male members, being seated together in the privacy of the President's room.

Finally, a well known furniture manufacturer knocked on the door of our private dining room, stuck his head in and whispered, “Bravo, thank the Lord, they finally let some brains and beauty in this old place. Now can I come in and join you gals for a little industry insight?” His name was Paul Broyhill.

Jena Hall

Vice president of merchandising and design

Aspenhome

Music sets stage for romance

At a party he threw for his retail customers, I met my husband, Marty Tucker. I was attending with my friend, Liz Seymour, industry writer and wife of the bass player of the blues band Marty hired to play. Six-foot tall Seymour says she never felt so invisible in all her life. She introduced me to Marty and from that moment on he and I never took our eyes off of each other. In fact, within two months, I had sold my house in Greensboro and moved my six-year-old son, Max, my cat, Mishu, and my begonia collection to Vermont.

We still count our relationship by markets, and next market, our fortieth, we're planning a big bash.

Nancy Tucker

Interior Designer

Rockville, Md.

Wine, cheese and … furniture

My first official High Point Market was in October 1968. I had just been added to the buying committee for I.J. Filler Ent./Henderson Furniture Co. — a local Atlanta chain of 15 stores. We had been shopping hard all day, skipping lunch and were rushing to a RMG cocktail party and meeting at the Top of The Mart. Not knowing where we were going and running late, we ducked into the first room we saw that had a bunch of people walking around drinking wine, eating cheese and conversing.

I immediately went over to the various cheeses and began eating away. Then, someone threw a wine glass in my hand, which I filled up at the first bottle I saw. The next thing I know, a man approached me with a clipboard and asked what I thought. I told him that I thought the big yellow cheese in the corner was the best but the white one in the middle of the room was also pretty good. He blinked at me in disbelief and said, “I guess you are not here for the wine-tasting convention?” I replied, “Do you mean that this is not the RMG cocktail party?” He said, “No son, but you can stay if you like. You seem to be the only one enjoying the cheese.”

Just then, one of the other guys on our team called out something that had to do with rating the wine and the man with the clipboard ran over to him. We finally did make it to the RMG meeting but missed their cocktail hour.

That was my welcome to the High Point Market.

Steve Schrotter

Schrotter Associates

A friendly, welcoming place

I will always remember my early days as a buyer in High Point, long before it became the bustling city it is today. Back then, even more so than it is now, the town of High Point was a good, kind, southern town that was brimming with hospitality, and warm, friendly people. Since there were limited hotel rooms, the people were more than willing to give up their homes to accommodate us, and I remember many evenings sitting around the dinner table in one of these homes with my colleagues, making notes about what we had seen during the day.

There was a comfortable feeling in the town, so much so that we would walk down the street to the basement of a local church for lunch because there were few restaurants.

Still today, I always come away with great and creative ideas and impressions from conversations with old friends, but those early days of market are forever in my mind, as High Point was always an event to look forward to.

Larry Rinaldi

President

AICO

Camaraderie and competition

I've been an unofficial member of the High Point Market “family” for 40 years. It has shaped my entire life, so to choose ONE memory from a life full of them isn't possible. What I can do is distill my memories into a picture of what this unique place and event has meant to me.

The High Point Furniture Market has been a place of camaraderie and competition, connections and creativity. This is where we made friends, had fun, and sometimes met with results that exceeded or fell short of our expectations.

In the early 1980s, at The Top of the Mart, I can see my father, B.C., having dinner with Pulaski heavy hitters like Al Eisenberg and Marty Landes as they cordially greeted respected industry competitors like Clyde Hooker, Stuart Moore and Gene Gunther.

I remember heightened expectations for a new introduction like Separates, and the moment of truth at the High Point Market becoming the thrill of a great success, with orders pouring in. I also remember a few crushing defeats, but never one that could make me stop wanting to be a part of this great show.

And most of all, I remember what a legacy we have here. Carlisle W. “Buck” Higgins, former chairman of Vaughan-Bassett, once told me how he'd given my father his first job in a furniture factory while my father was still in high school. My father remembers Buck as a first-rate leader. Buck knew how to choose them; from those humble furniture industry beginnings, my father, B.C. “Bunny” Wampler, became a leader in the industry himself, running Pulaski Furniture for many years, and I was fortunate enough to follow him.

Being a part of the High Point Market has been a thrilling, and at times harrowing, ride — one I'll never regret.

John Wampler

President

Amelia Home by Coe

More Memories will appear in the April 26 market daily and online at furnituretoday.com