Youth producers pleased
By Tanya K. Merritte -- Furniture Today, February 4, 2007
Las Vegas — Manufacturers in the youth category, including several making their Las Vegas Market debut, reported brisk business.
Legacy Classic Kids was a first-time exhibitor and Jeff Stone, vice president of merchandising, youth and casual dining, said he was pleased with his Building B space. Hardwood floors allowed the company to use rugs and other accessories to play up its kids collections.
SLF also showed for the first time, and President Joe Keveryn said he was thrilled with the turnout.
"Attendance was way, way more than I expected," Keveryn said. "We had buyers from across the U.S., including Florida."
Case goods source Pulaski exhibited its licensed Build-A-Bear collection, which made a splashy debut at the October High Point Market. Dallas George, vice president of marketing, said the line drew a favorable reaction from Vegas buyers.
Since High Point, Pulaski has decided to drop a line of coordinating cribs it had previewed. George said the stringent safety review process required for cribs was a bit of a hindrance, and many of Pulaski's youth buyers said they had no plans to start carrying baby furniture.
Los Angeles-based John Boyd Designs, meanwhile, jumped into cribs for the first time and got back into bunk beds as part of a big push into youth, said Tom Carscaden, national sales manager. The manufacturer, known for its casual cottage looks, showed a convertible crib that retails for $599 and can be transformed to a full bed.
Cribs were also on the floor of Simmons Juvenile Furniture's space. Keith Bluestein, director of sales, said he was pleased with the response. "Adult furniture stores said pregnant moms are coming in looking for infant furniture," he said.
Powell showed its colorful Tommy case goods collection, which pays tribute to old-fashioned Tinker Toys. The corners and feet feature wood discs in a natural finish, mixed with bold red, blue, yellow and green painted surfaces with the wood grain showing through.
Tween and teen looks also were in full force, with manufacturers looking to create more sophisticated styling for the fickle crowd. "We are targeting the teen consumer because it's a growing market," said Scott Sandberg, sales manager of Sandberg Furniture, which launched three tween/teen groups.
Storage remained a big story here. All-in-one lofts were in many showrooms, including William's Imports, Emerald Home Furnishings and Trendwood.
Trendwood debuted a storage unit, and Berg previewed a unit tentatively called Smart Closet.
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