Karel adds Texas show for May 2011
Will take place in new Irving Convention Center
Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, April 28, 2010
IRVING, Texas — Karel Exposition Management will expand into the Dallas market a year from now with a new regional furniture and accessories market here.
The show will take place May 1-2, 2011. The exposition company, known for drawing hundreds of area retailers to its low-cost regional shows, has secured 60,000 square feet in what will be the new Irving Convention Center at 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd., about eight miles from Dallas.
While marketing efforts are just beginning, the company is hoping to draw some 300 to 400 dealers from within a two-hour drive of the facility, said KEM President Larry Karel. He estimated 60 to 70 suppliers will take about 300 spaces for the show and if it sells out, Karel has additional space set aside to expand.
Karel said he is excited about the Texas, show, noting that it's a strong area, prime "for those who cannot afford to pay for a permanent showroom." He plans to make it an annual event - and semi-annual if the demand is there.
While Karel typically hasn't drawn major factories to its exhibits, he said that has been changing more recently. For the new Syracuse, N.Y., market scheduled of June 8-9, for instance, the KEM show will feature, Ashley, Berkline, Coaster and Leggett & Platt, among others, he said.
The Long Beach, Calif., show next week (May 5-6) will feature Lane, Broyhill, Simmons and Mobital. And this past February in Edison, N.J. - the home of Karel's biggest show - Ashley did well and Klaussner and Berkline are looking at coming in for the next one, he added.
Karel said the furniture business has been improving after a rough two years, and he's seeing it through better participation at his shows, both from retailers and suppliers.
"I am now seeing excitement," he said. "Exhibitors and buyers who call to pre-register say they need goods."
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