Futon, specialty sleep makers step up visibility
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, January 29, 2006
Las Vegas — Futon and specialty sleep producers are stepping up their visibility with twice-a-year showings at the new market here.
Members of the Futon Assn. International and the Specialty Sleep Assn. said they enjoyed strong markets in July, when each group held a show-within-a-show at the first Las Vegas event. Now they are back for an encore showing, exhibiting once again in Pavilion 1 on the World Market Center campus.
This time, the groups have adjacent spaces in Pavilion 1. Last market, they were on either end of the tent.
In the past, the groups hosted a combined show on an annual basis. Now, with the twice-a-year frequency of the Las Vegas Market, the associations have boosted the visibility of their growing product categories, officials with the two associations said.
"It is quite a change from the past," said Brian Donohoo, president of Strata Furniture and president of the FAI, "but it is something that needed to be done in order to keep the futon and specialty sleep categories expanding.
"Futons and specialty sleep are a big factor in the furniture industry and we need to be where the buyers are, and part of the markets where we can display and sell our products. Our plans are to continue to be a part of WMC."
Added Tambra Jones, executive director of the SSA, "January will be our second market in a row in our sleep products exhibit. Without a doubt, we will be defined as THE destination area for bedroom buyers. With each market we will build a sense of confidence in retail buyers that there is one location where they can fill all their specialty sleep requirements."
Jones said the proximity of the futon and specialty sleep lines makes specialty bedroom buying easier and more accessible than ever.
"We are what's hot and our presentation will be even stronger located next to the Futon Assn. International's display. Pavilion 1 had more traffic than any other temporary building last market and we will remain right in the middle of it in January," she said.
In July, the SSA benefited from its location right inside the Pavilion 1 entrance that many retailers used to enter the tent, giving SSA members prime visibility.
Jones noted that "Lady Luck smiled on us" with that location, but said of the new SSA space further inside the tent: "Now we make our own luck."
Donohoo said it will help both groups to be located together.
"It will be a major plus," he said. "Many of our exhibitors sell both types of products. Also, many of the buyers of futons are also buying specialty sleep products, so it makes sense to be in one place and make the buyers' job easier. Being side by side allows FAI and SSA to display 40,000 square feet of product in one easy-to-shop area."
The July show was "very strong" for FAI members, he said.
"Normally, we would not have a show at that time of year as most retailers are busy and are not able to attend or are not looking to add new product lines during their busy time," he said.
"However, we saw a lot of buyers and our exhibitors were very pleased with the orders they wrote. We also saw quite a few buyers that were adding futons to their furniture stores and had not attended a Futon Expo in the past. It was great to have the added exposure of a larger market."
Previously, the FAI held its Futon Expos in March. Most years, the SSA exhibited alongside the futon show.
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