Upholstery producers set for strong market
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, February 12, 2007
Las Vegas — Stationary upholstery makers are coming to the market here with plenty of new product, and they believe the winter event could be one of their best markets.
This upbeat outlook might seem to fly in the face of months of bleak business at many stores, with housing starts falling and consumers very selective in their buying.
Nonetheless, upholstery vendors are looking for record attendance here and a jump-start on the year's orders.
"I've had retailers actually calling and telling me they're coming, instead of me calling them," said Eddie Schroder, director of design and marketing for contemporary supplier Hiatt Furniture.
"We're expecting the best market ever, and I'm serious," he added, noting the opening of the World Market Center's Building B is likely to boost attendance and in turn drive sales.
Hiatt now uses Las Vegas as its major market and, according to Schroder, will be bringing a number of new pieces and textures to its line, including additions to its Couture collection that includes "all the bells and whistles" such as 48-inch-and-deeper seating.
But its piece de resistance will be the company's partnership with performance fabric supplier Crypton to provide an initial offering of three groups, with sofas targeting $1,499 to $1,699 retail. Schroder said a portion of Hiatt's showroom has been renovated to showcase the line.
He believes Building B may prove to be the tipping point that will draw new faces to the show.
"I don't think there's been enough product for people to see before," Schroder said, "and with Building B there's twice as much product. I think that's what some people have been waiting for."
The new building and new exhibitors should ease criticism from upholstery buyers that there weren't enough contemporary exhibitors, especially at the higher price points, he said.
Upper-end contemporary upholstery maker Nathan Anthony is moving out of temporary space and into a permanent showroom in Building B, bringing a number of introductions, including sofas, sectionals, a dining chair collection available in over 350 fabrics, and a new pillow line featuring fun animal print velvets, faux furs and beaded trims.
"We expect a great response," said Tina Nicole, vice president of marketing. She said Nathan Anthony has "had a phenomenal year, record sales and exposure of our product and company.... We have a fresh look that the other big manufacturers just can't achieve."
Smith Furniture, an upholstery maker based in Waco, Texas, is debuting a line of imported upholstery here that includes some six groups of sofas, loveseats, chairs and ottomans, said Vice President Mark Smith.
The collection has fully upholstered sofas that can retail for $599, with higher prices for such options as eight-way hand-tied springs. Smith said the collection includes some four fabric combinations of upscale chenilles and is available in several frame styles.
Sofa sizes range from 93 to 100 inches. Pricing is based on whether product is ordered by the container or shipped from the company's warehouse.
In addition, Smith Furniture has partnered with designer Suzanne S. Felber on an upholstery line, and with fabric designer Glen Read for a contemporary/transitional line.
Both lines are in development, and prices are still being determined. A sectional by Read is being shown here.
"I'm expecting the best show since Dallas when I was a little kid," said Smith, a fourth-generation company executive.
"I think a lot of people have been holding back and waiting for Vegas," he said, noting that may explain low attendance at other recent markets.
He expects buyers to be in Vegas looking for new products to attract consumers. "We're at the point where consumers are certainly tired of seeing the same old thing," he said.
During the last two quarters, "it seems like (retailers) were really trying to cull inventory to (be able to) bring in new stuff with existing vendors," Smith said.
"They just want to bring in the winners — a product that's going to excite their customer to get out there and buy."
