Tupelo traffic down
Pays the price of too many markets?
By Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, January 29, 2007
Tupelo, Miss. — Last week's Tupelo Market appeared to pay the price of too many markets and too little business to go around, with the quiet hallways prompting many participants to ponder the future of this 18-year-old event.
Whether it was the date change from February to January, the concurrent Atlanta gift and home furnishings show, this week's Lifestyle Enterprise-led mini-market in High Point, the upcoming Las Vegas Market or other industry events this month, one thing was evident: Attendance was sig0nificantly off here.
"It's obvious the traffic was off, but it's tough to determine how much impact our new dates and the other shows had on this market," said Bill Cleveland, president of the Tupelo Market.
Even so, Cleveland said a number of exhibitors — including Standard, Harden, Liberty, Fraenkel and others — told hime they had strong order-writing.
There always will be a Tupelo market, especially for dealers within driving distance, he said.
Ashley Chairman Ron Wanek agreed. "Traffic was off, but we are optimistic this show will continue to have a loyal following," he said. "It's an inexpensive show for retailers to attend, easy to shop and offers good amenities."
Most regional dealers interviewed here said they would remain loyal to Tupelo because of its tradition of hospitality and its convenience and workability.
"I like this market because it's a very accessible town and it's very easy to shop," said Tom Bryon of Furniture Consultants, with several stores in the Columbus, Ga., area. "I like the new dates because it gives me a heads-up on some new product for tax refund season, before the rush starts."
Joseph Ngo, vice president of resource Crown Mark, said he believed the January dates worked better than February because most dealers want to restock their stores now for tax refund season.
Kerry Cochran, regional sales manager for Coaster, was among those who noted that dealers seemed to cut their stay here this market from a typical three days to just one.
Scott Davis, president of Luke Leather, was among the suppliers disappointed in dealer turnout. Davis, who shows only in Tupelo, said, "The ratio of local dealers was off."
Dwight Hardison, vice president of merchandising for 18-month-old upholstery startup J. Miles, said almost all his business here stemmed from independents in the Southeast.
"The container business is good, but the little guys are suffering," said Collezione Europa's Tim Connors, "They're feeling all the hardships: high gas prices, the war, political changes, adjustable mortgage rates. People are crabby in general. It's been a tough economic year."
Powell, Catnapper and other exhibitors said that retailers, in addition to shopping for new product, were aggressively seeking closeouts and show specials, long a practice at Tupelo.
"Like many exhibitors, we didn't show anything brand new here, especially two weeks away from Vegas," said Tom Liddell of Powell.
Michael Amini, CEO of AICO, said, "Last year, we could come from the Vegas show and bring our Vegas intros and show them at Tupelo. Now that Tupelo is a few weeks before Vegas, we can only show Tupelo customers what we've showcased at the fall High Point Market. The new Tupelo dates make it harder for us to create excitement here."
However, other exhibitors said they did well here with new product.
On of those was Therapedic President Gerry Borreggine. "We advertised that we would be here with a new air mattress and, based on that pre-show promotion and the new product, we were busy and wrote orders," he said.
At Rose Hill, President Hamp Hughes said, "Business is not booming, but it's not the end of the world.... What do we have now, six markets? Everybody's on a tight budget and they've got to pick and choose which ones they're going to."
Tim Mueller, vice president of Genesis/Artisan, said, "Attendance obviously was way off. Based on those major accounts I talked to, they're not coming back. Over the years, we've done good business here, so it's sad. But sometimes, you've got to face it. Realities are realities."
Veteran Tupelo exhibitor Edwin Coleman, vice president of sales for Okolona, Miss.-based upholstery source Life Style Furniture, said, "Tupelo was created as a promotional upholstery market, and the major dealers who buy promotional furniture were here.... Let Las Vegas and High Point fight it out."
| Acknowledgements | ||
| Editor-in-Chief Ray Allegrezza, Senior Editor Gary Evans and Staff Writer Heath E. Combs contributed to this story. | ||
