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Letter to the editor

By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 23, 2008

Early High Point start is troublesome

In letters sent to exhibitors and buyers in early February, Tom Lindh, president and CEO of the IHFC, addresses several positive issues focused on the upcoming April Market. However, in those same letters he discusses that the IHFC is involved in "preparation" that offers buyers an early opportunity to shop the IHFC facility commencing April 4!

I am sure that the majority of exhibitors (including AICO) have geared their plans to ready their showrooms and new product introductions to be ready on the originally agreed upon opening date of Monday, April 7.

Coming from the leader of the largest exhibitor complex in High Point, this apparent random decision of an early "start" is troublesome to us, because we want our business partners to be exposed to our BEST presentation of furniture and home furnishings accessories. An earlier-than-planned opening jeopardizes this commitment.

Timetables of merchandise arrival, set-up crews, executive and sales staff commitments, educational sales meetings and the like are adversely impacted by this "late" decision for an "early" opening. It is my opinion that when challenging times affect our great industry, we all must try to be unified in every way possible. I believe our retail partners (and even our competitors) find strength and support in unification. Mr. Lindh's actions to establish an earlier market opening can have a negative impact on what should be an uplifting shopping experience in High Point.

It is difficult to predict and to measure what the response will be from our domestic and international dealers, but it is likely that the interpretation of what the High Point Market represents as one of the top events in our industry will be further tarnished, because now there is a sense of disorganization and disarray.

We plan to open our showroom on April 7!

Larry Rinaldi, President, AICO

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