Upholstery takes spotlight at Rio show
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, February 20, 2006
Las Vegas — While much of the action was at the World Market Center and Pavilions and its sister show at Mandalay Bay Convention Center, upholstery makers showing at the competing Rio Convention Center saw a busy opening day — and steady business afterward.
"It's been good," said Scott Cohen, an executive at Intermountain Furniture in Salt Lake City. "We anticipated having a lot of people today (opening day), and we haven't been disappointed."
Upholstery exhibitors appeared to dominate the Rio, many from the western states whose business is mostly regional.
California-based Falco Designs, making its first showroom appearance anywhere, imports carved wood frames from the Philippines and Italy and custom manufactures upholstery domestically.
The company brought 40 to 50 SKUs to the Rio, with sofas at the $3,000 retail price point.
"My goal is to grow my company and get more accounts," said owner Amir Zargar. "We were going to get a space in High Point, but we've heard a lot of bad things about it."
Las Vegas is a replacement show for manufacturer Jonathan Louis, which used to bring about 50 key dealers to its Gardena, Calif., factory for twice-annual showings, according to the company's Javier Sanchez.
Jonathan Louis had a few new pieces and several of its best sellers, mostly in the $699 to $799 price points, in Vegas.
Gayle Prude-Schmidt, a designer for Nuance Fine Furniture, which had a space in the Rio, likes the Vegas show because it lets her try out fabrics she saw at Showtime in High Point several weeks ago.
"We have at least 20 or more new fabrics. Depending on the reception, we'll take them to (the April market in) High Point," she said.
Los Angeles-based Robert Michael had seven new styles, including three sectionals, and expected to see a number of its major independent accounts from the West Coast, said owner Fredy Barajas.
Emerald Home Furnishings showed additions to the imported upholstery program it launched in July. The Tacoma, Wash.-based company had seven new fabric groups to retail at $499 to $699, all of which President David Beckmann said are targeted to customers nationally.
"This is a big part of our growth," Beckmann said. "Last year we had a $10 million increase, and upholstery was 25% of it."
Bijan Hakakian, senior vice president of Ara Collection Corp., also in Gardena, Calif., said that about 80% of the company's product in Las Vegas was new. He said he was "quite excited to be back" in Las Vegas after a successful showing in July.
"We sell nationally with our main saturation on the East Coast," said Hakakian. "This gives us a chance to pick up West Coast and Midwest accounts."
