New Bedding Center will spotlight dynamic category
David Perry, Executive Editor -- Furniture Today, March 19, 2007
Tom Mitchell, senior vice president of Merchandise Mart Properties Inc., had a big idea: Invite bedding producers to show at a new Bedding Center in High Point. The idea took flight last week with the announcement that several bedding and sleep accessory producers will be showing in the new center.
The 20,000-square-foot center will be on the first floor (the top floor) of the Suites at Market Square, part of MMPI's holdings in High Point. It represents a bold move to boost bedding's presence at the market.
Mitchell and his MMPI team are doing a smart thing: They are inviting bedding producers to take their place in High Point, and to assemble under a common banner. I am reminded of that famous saying: Business goes where it is invited and stays where it is appreciated.
Last week, Mitchell announced 10 tenants for The Bedding Center, including two Top 15 bedding producers, Therapedic and Corsicana. Others who have signed on include Carolina Mattress Guild, Springwall, Comfor-Pedic, DreamFit, Natural as Sleep, Glideaway, Protect-A-Bed and Tyler Retail Systems. Some other significant players are expected to join that group.
I think The Bedding Center is a smart idea, and I told Mitchell that when he shared his vision with me a while back.
As careful readers of this column can attest, I've consistently noted that there is more bedding in High Point than you might think. True, many of the majors have left the market, but there are dozens of importers, new players, specialty sleep producers — and a handful of majors (Top 15 producers Sealy, Therapedic and Englander) — that are open for business during market. They are spread out across the length and breadth of this sprawling market.
The Bedding Center will give the category a clear focus, an epicenter if you will. It will give bedding buyers an important destination, one stop where they can find everything from promotional bedding to high-end visco-elastic models, and from sheets to bed supports and related products.
It will give me an important new stop on my bedding must-see list, and it will generate plenty of bedding news during the High Point Market. That will be good for the companies that took the initiative and committed to The Bedding Center. And it will be good for the bedding category as a whole. A rising tide of coverage lifts all bedding boats.
My bottom line: Putting a focus on bedding is a wise move for High Point. It's a dynamic, highly profitable category. It offers nice margins and strong, steady business to all types of retailers. See the exhibitors in The Bedding Center for more details.
Contact David Perry at dperry@reedbusiness.com
