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You need to explore rich Vegas bedding offerings

David Perry, Executive Editor -- Furniture Today, July 24, 2006

The recent demise of my gym in High Point has forced me to change my training routine. (I don't want to hear any snide comments to the effect of: Gee, I didn't realize that you had a training regime.) Now I'm making a new start at a big, modern gym a little farther from my home.

As I think about the fact that I've been forced to adopt a new schedule in the gym, I wonder how many retailers are going to stretch their "comfort zones" this week. My prediction: Not enough of them.

The mattress offerings in Las Vegas this week are numerous — too numerous for me to sample them all, unfortunately. I've lamented that sad fact in past columns. But at least I give it a good try, cramming in as many bedding showrooms as I can.

Then I hear about a major bedding retailer who has set this plan for his Vegas market this summer: Fly in and have dinner with a key vendor that night. Fly home the next day.

Wow! That must be some dinner the guy has in store. Seriously, you have to wonder why the guy is even coming to Las Vegas. He obviously has an important stop on his agenda, but think about all the bedding lines that he won't see. And I hear of other bedding retailers who only give Vegas a bit more time than that.

While the Las Vegas market is still a work in progress, with each market taking on a slightly different tone based on where the temporary exhibits are set up and which companies are occupying them, the basic outlines have been established. The early backers of Vegas are in permanent bedding showrooms in the World Market Center. That includes Tempur-Pedic, Comfortaire, Natura, Simmons, Serta, Comfort Solutions and Gold Bond.

Most everyone else is in temporary space. Last market, the satellite temporary spaces were at Mandalay Bay. This market, the Las Vegas Convention Center is housing many temporary exhibitors. The Pavilions also continue to offer temporary space on the WMC grounds.

Bedding producers and suppliers are located throughout the various exhibition venues. Therapedic, showing with Kathy Ireland brand partner Standard, is in the Standard space in the WMC. The Pavilions host Sealy, Dormia, Englander, Kaymed, Lady Americana, Park Place, Restonic, Stylution, Protect-A-Bed, Boyd and Comfor-Pedic. Spring Air and RejuveNite, the new branded pillow program offered by Latex International, are in the Convention Center, as is Protect-All. And those are just some of the highlights. Alas, space does not permit me to list more bedding companies.

My point is that retailers who are spending one or two nights in Vegas are going to miss many of these companies. A "minimalist" strategy isn't going to get the job done. Sometimes less really is less. This is one of those times.

There are lots of interesting bedding lines to be seen in Las Vegas. Retailers should spend as much time as possible visiting them.

Contact David Perry at dperry@reedbusiness.com

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