New initiative groups bedding companies at High Point Market
MMPI launches The Bedding Center
David Perry -- Furniture Today, March 14, 2007
HIGH POINT — The spring High Point Market will host The Bedding Center, a group of mattress and sleep accessory producers that will show together in the Suites at Market Square.
Showroom operator Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. is launching the new venue, on the top floor of the Suites. MMPI officials say bedding is an important category that deserves a focused presentation, and hope to provide one-stop shopping for bedding buyers.
Top 10 producer Therapedic, a strong supporter of the High Point Market, headlines the list of exhibitors already signed for the center. Other companies that have committed are Corsicana, Carolina Mattress Guild, Springwall, Comfor-Pedic, DreamFit, Glideaway, Protect-A-Bed, Natural as Sleep, and Tyler Retail Systems.
“Ninety percent of the Top 100 furniture stores attend the High Point Market and that segment accounts for 30% of sales for bedding manufacturers,” said Tom Mitchell, MMPI’s senior vice president. “It became very clear to us that we needed to help buyers shop for this category while in High Point, and the Bedding Center is the perfect solution.”
Additional exhibitors will be announced in the near future, Mitchell said.
The Bedding Center occupies about 20,000 square feet of display space. Mitchell said it could double in size in the next year.
Producers committed to the center praised High Point officials for focusing on their category.
“We believe in the strength of markets and we think High Point still has the power to draw dealers to it, and to us,” said Gerry Borreggine, president of Therapedic.
“This is positive action,” said Neal Grigg, president of Carolina Mattress Guild, which has a showroom in its factory on Business 85 in Thomasville. The company will keep its factory showroom open and will use The Bedding Center to generate new business leads, Grigg said.
He likes the idea of having the bedding companies grouped together. “Putting the Bedding Center in one central place is pretty smart,” Grigg said.
MMPI officials say The Bedding Center is in response to a longstanding demand from retailers who attend the High Point Market to see and purchase bedding products in one location. Bedding is under-represented in the High Point Market, they say, and those exhibitors who do show are not in a central location, reducing the category’s impact.
MMPI will promote the center with signs, banners and a marketing program that will include calls to top bedding and furniture retailers.
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High Point sets Bedding Center
Mar 18, 2007
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