Retailers: Long lines but loving it
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, February 5, 2006
Las Vegas — Retailers attending the market here in droves overwhelmed the registration counters on opening day, but the frustration of long lines didn't stop them from loving their market experience here.
Repeatedly, dealers praised the World Market Center for ease of shopping, including the segmentation of product categories.
The glitches of the first market in July — including inadequate transportation and poor food options — appeared to be gone, but the mood was the same. Buyers as well as exhibitors remarked on an energetic atmosphere, particularly in the main building and Mandalay Bay temporary spaces, that isn't matched at other markets.
Some top East Coast retailers were missing this time around. And a number of other large retailers here said they don't see Las Vegas replacing the High Point market. But some buyers said that with the market growing, their High Point days are over or could be drawing to a close.
Ann Navarra, vice president and home accents buyer for Top 100 company Jerome's of San Diego, said she doubts she will return to High Point, although she wasn't speaking for Jerome's furniture buyer.
"I don't see the need — with all that's here and all the other buildings planned," she said. Among the conveniences: Navarra can fly here in 45 minutes, while it takes a full day to travel to High Point.
"It's a good, fun market to work, very exciting," said Irv Blumkin, CEO of Omaha, Neb.-based Nebraska Furniture Mart, who was at the Mandalay Bay venue Wednesday. Blumkin said he was finding about the same mix of new product this time as he did in July, and that he has no plans to stop coming to High Point.
Irwin Novack, CEO of Pinellas Park, Fla.-based Kane's Furniture, said he believes there was more new product at this Las Vegas market than in July, but said "the jury is still out" on how significant the event will be. "The true test will come when they open the new building," which is scheduled for January 2007.
John Burns, owner of Christian Street Furniture in Baton Rouge, La., also found more new product and new lines this time. In July, he added three new suppliers and this time found five. He said he'll keep going to High Point because some of his key suppliers only show there, but he's not relishing the idea.
"Convenience here just kills High Point," he said. "Here I don't need a car." (Burns was staying at Mandalay Bay.) He said High Point's market building sprawl is a big negative for him, as is the poor organization by category.
While Las Vegas will be "kind of marginal" until more of the industry's largest sources show here, Frank Brame, co-owner of Carroll Furniture in Alexandria, La., prefers Las Vegas to High Point. He added the resources that are in Las Vegas are gaining floor space as a result.
Michael Allen, general manager of home furnishings for AVB Brand Source, estimated that 40% of the buying group's furniture retailer members attended the market here, compared with a typical 20% or so in High Point. At a dinner for members here, he was expecting 40 people but nearly 90 showed up.
While exhibit spaces are smaller here, and retailers aren't seeing the full breadth of lines, the close proximity of one showroom to the next, and of one venue to the next, makes the market much easier to cover than High Point, Allen said.
"I think Mandalay Bay is incredible. There's a lot of product, and I love the open presentation," said Sam Fishbein, CEO of Kacey Fine Furniture in Denver. "It allows you to see, decide and go on shopping rather than spend half a day in a 60,000-square-foot showroom trying to find your way around."
Fishbein said he doesn't need to see full vignettes because, if he's going to buy, he already has an idea of how he will merchandise and accessorize it in his stores.
Not everything was perfect for everyone. Jake Jabs of Englewood, Colo.-based American Furniture Warehouse said he thinks he'll keep coming back here, although he was disappointed this time because there seemed to be less new product than in July.
Pam Sisk of Portside Imports in Cocoa, Fla., had another kind of problem. She waited in three different registration lines on opening day for about an hour.
"It was a fiasco," she said, adding that she had pre-registered and still had trouble. But once that was resolved, everything went smoothly for Sisk, who has never been to High Point.
WMC General Manager Dave Palmer acknowledged that opening day registration was a problem despite the fact WMC doubled the size of the registration area. At one point that morning, the building had to let "several thousand" people through with business cards serving as identification.
"You can't really penalize the buyers" for the delays, he said.
Dana Pretner, WMC director of marketing and public relations, said the building will be re-evaluating both its pre-registration and onsite registration for future markets "to make sure it's very convenient and easy for the buyers when they get here."
| Acknowledgements | ||
| Editor-in-Chief Ray Allegrezza contributed to this story. | ||
-
Guide to 2010 U.S. furniture markets
Jan 4, 2010 -
Buyers looking for goods at Las Vegas Market
Jan 24, 2011 -
Buyers want quick hits
Feb 9, 2009
Specialty retailer LoveSac introduces new store design
Belfort Furniture, Lawrance Furniture are NHFA Retailers of Year
Kincaid Furniture honors Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter for Habitat work
Omnia Furniture ends relationship with Kathy Ireland Worldwide
Singapore furniture show expecting increased turnout
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
