Leather suppliers happy despite attendance
By Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, February 5, 2007
Tupelo, Miss. — Leather upholstery suppliers showing here last week were happy with whatever business they could eke out of an otherwise slow market.
Exhibitors said the Tupelo Furniture Market's traffic probably was off because of a date change, which moved the market a month earlier. While the show was now two weeks before the Las Vegas Market, it did conflict with the concurrent Atlanta gift and accessories show.
"This show gives us a boost and helps us kick off the new year," said Scott Davis, president of Luke Leather. Although the importer of Italian seating participates in this market only, he said the show isn't critical to its business plan "since 95% of what we do is on the road."
Davis said he would have preferred to see more small independent stores — "the heartbeat of our business" — in Tupelo, rather than the many designers that visited his expanded booth.
"The traffic is less consistent than last market. The ratio of local dealers is off," he said, although he did open several new accounts in Southeastern states.
Luke Leather added two groups to its stationary entries including a new tri-tone sofa with contrast stitching to retail at $1,099.
Davis International, after closing its domestic production here in December, showed a product line fully made in China. "As a 37-year-old family-owned upholstery company, it was a difficult decision (to close the U.S. plant) but we will retain warehousing here," said Ted Jarnagin, who handles national accounts for Davis.
In addition to stocking inventory locally, the company serves customers on a container-direct basis, Jarnagin said.
Davis drew attention with its Laura Orsborn collection of mostly collage frames, which was rolled out in High Point but was new to its Mississippi buyers.
"We were pleasantly surprised by the traffic," Jarnagin said. "We were not slammed, but we had a decent order writing business."
Dry Creek's imported leather seating line from China included a three-over-three sofa dressed in a high quality bycast leather to retail at $999 and a semi-aniline frame with decorative front rail for $1,199.
All Dry Creek sofas now offer a new feature — cushioning with Velcro fasteners, said President Ron Caplinger.
