Case goods sources stress the 'wow' factor
By Marc Barnes -- Furniture Today, January 29, 2006
Las Vegas — Manufacturers and importers of bedroom and dining room furniture say they hope what happens in Vegas won't stay in Vegas.
They're looking for increased orders at the second furniture market here, to take advantage of an improving economy, and they aim to entice buyers with pared-down offerings, many with cleaner lines, and with unusual new pieces and new treatments of old favorites.
"We're talking about the 'wow' factor," said Michele McPherson, marketing director for New Classic Home Furnishings. "We will have collections that will fit into that niche."
New Classic will debut Cameron, a counter-height dining room collection in a latte finish, and Jamie, a more conventional dining room in a light mocha finish. The company also will introduce two bedroom sets — a Louis Philippe style in cherry and a Mainstream America country oak look, both at midrange price points.
"Our strategy for building business is to diversify, to offer our current customers their own ideas, the ideas that they have given to us," McPherson said. "Our first priority is keeping our old friends happy and making new friends."
At Wynwood Furniture, Vice President of Sales Marc Abrams said his company will introduce Petrona, a bedroom and dining room collection with prima vera veneers, finished in medium tones with scalloped metal details. Bedroom groups will be priced at $1,999 retail and dining room sets at $1,199.
Additionally, Wynwood will be introducing Highland Manor, a bedroom suite with a medium pine finish that will sell $1,799 retail.
"We don't have the space (in Las Vegas) that we have in High Point to show new products and best sellers," said Abrams. "We are working the space we have the best we can. Customers who come to Vegas will have one or two choices (of new product) and both are good. In talking to retailers and competitors, that is a strategy that a lot of people are adopting."
Bo Harris, president of domestic producer Vermont Tubbs, will be featuring three collections in Las Vegas. Essex is a two-toned contemporary bedroom group in a dark chestnut and a honey-wheat color, which will retail for $7,600 for the set. The Camden youth collection, which comes in a total of 33 finishes, retails for $5,300.
Vermont Tubbs also will display Sabre, a chestnut brown contemporary bedroom set that retails for $5,400.
Harris said his strategy in Vegas is to aim for more sales in high-growth markets on the West Coast by stressing both quality and short turnaround times.
"We have a lead time of three-and-a-half weeks and a quality ratio of 99.6%," he said. "Complaints on four pieces per thousand that come out of our plant is staggeringly good in the furniture industry. A small retailer that can't afford China, that can't afford a full container, that can't afford six months of inventory costs — they don't have to do that with us because we build to order. And we'll have it on their doorstep in three-and-a-half weeks."
Business 101
At Universal Furniture, President and CEO Randy Chrisley said the company will have one new collection of bedroom, dining room, entertainment and occasional in a merlot finish. The bedroom will start at $2,499 retail.
Chrisley said he is looking forward to growth in 2006.
"The biggest issue with us to build business in the category in the coming year will be, just like a retailer, you build business by taking market share and by great service and great product — and the pricing has to do with it, too," he said. "It is Business 101 and the guy who executes it best, wins."
At Oakwood Interiors, Vice President of Sales Walter Huhn said his company will be adding to the Silhouette line, an Art Deco-inspired bedroom set in maple and walnut that was introduced last summer. Armoires, footboards and pedestals will be added.
Also, the Bristol Bay bedroom, a traditional Colonial style in a brown cherry finish, will debut in Vegas in the Alan Morgan import line. Bristol Bay will retail between $2,995 and $3,495 for a five-piece group.
Huhn said his strategy for the coming year will be to find ways to improve on what turned out to be a soft 2005 in retail sales. He said the company has hired more customer service agents and assigned them to smaller territories, aiming to build on Oakwood's reputation for quality.
At Fairmont Designs, Ken Fonville, vice president of marketing and merchandising, said his company is expanding on collections introduced earlier in High Point.
That includes Retrospect, a cherry transitional collection, and Garden Treasures, a country cottage collection in rustic pecan and stucco white. Retrospect sells at $3,000 retail for an eight-piece dining set, while Garden Treasures is $2,500 retail. Fonville said there are similar retail price points for five-piece bedrooms in each collection.
He said other major additions will be made to dining room and bedroom offerings in the Pacifica, Estates, Collage and Scandia collections, along with new casual dining pieces in American Themes.
Fonville said Fairmont will continue to use Las Vegas to preview items that will be introduced later in High Point.
Pushing east
"We have made some changes in the product line, and the sales force and distribution, to focus more strongly on the East Coast, which has been less developed for us," he said. "We've had greater market penetration west of the Mississippi because that is where our company is located. We have a major impetus to make changes to our product line to appeal to the East Coast retailer and consumer."
At Riverside, Mike Charlton, vice president of product development and merchandising, said his company will be introducing a line called Palais Royal, a modified Louis Philippe design. The collection features an espresso finish and includes two beds, a dresser, two mirrors, a chest and an armoire. A four-piece set — bed, dresser, landscape mirror and chest — will retail for $1,999.
Charlton said he watches such retailers as Pottery Barn and Room and Board to help get a handle on what younger consumers want.
"They do make pretty good money and they do spend money on furniture," he said. "There is a lot of information to be gotten just by observing people of that age and what they are spending money on, the color and the style of their clothing and the color of the cars they're buying."
Still, there is a place for traditional elements. "We want to do a twist on traditional and send it more toward casual. The younger customers like the traditional styles," Charlton said, "but they like the casual look."
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A-America promotes Dean Banks to senior VP
Jan 9, 2012 -
Bruce Huggins joins furniture source New Classic
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