Formal dining sources find 2nd time's the charm
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, April 20, 2008
High Point — When it comes to formal dining, the second time was the charm when it came to writing orders here.
The spring market was the time and place to introduce new product, but that didn't necessarily mean that those items were what garnered commitments. In some showrooms, the biggest hits were fall introductions just now gaining steam.
At Fairmont Designs, the Caprice collection was well received in October, but the praise didn't always translate into purchase orders. At this month's market, the new Dominique did well but Caprice was the bigger hit.
Alan Molton, vice president of Ello Furniture, said he didn't bring out any new dining collections this season because he wanted to give the fall groups a chance to catch on first — and now they are producing.
One executive said retailers told him in the fall that they liked his tables, but had too much inventory and floor samples to add anything else. Over the winter, the stores worked to clear out space for fresh goods.
Another factor driving orders at market was the abundance of new quick-ship programs. Many importers now mix containers overseas and say they can ship goods to either American coast in 50 days or less.
One importer said that another reason for the new popularity of fall intros is that in these tough times, retailers don't want to take risks. They want to give a product a trial run before making a big commitment, or let another retailer be the guinea pig.
Still, dealers need fresh looks, said Jamie Collins, HomElegance vice president of sales and marketing.
"We try — even at our price points — so that we have some original designs for our customers that they're not going to see at any other showroom," said Collins.
At Bernhardt, Rountree Collett, executive vice president, said a few retailers admitted that they were worried about one or more of their furniture sources. Retailers feel they have enough on their plate without having to worry about which manufacturers might not survive the year. To avoid that potential problem, he said, they're buying more from companies they trust.
Changes overseas, meanwhile, have many retailers worried about imports, too. This has led to a slight increase in domestic sales for blended companies like Ello. The Illinois-based company's domestic product now accounts for three-fourths of its sales.
Ello's domestic side offers customization, said Molton. That appeals to the design trade, a segment has been less affected by the economy than traditional retailers.
Broyhill said it saw an uptick of interest in formal dining this market. Casual is still doing well, according to Michael Foster, vice president of case goods merchandising, including the new Summertime counter-height table. However, some buyers told Foster that they now need more traditional pieces.
"Counter-height continues to be very strong for us in casual and contemporary looks," said HomElegance's Collins.
However, he agreed with Foster that there is a good market for traditional tables, too, because counter-height tables aren't a good fit with some styles.
Fine Furniture Design & Marketing broadened its product line this market by going both up and down in price points. As the company has grown, FFDM has tried to become more of a one-stop importer.
The company has always prided itself on putting quality construction first, said Ted Philpott, president and chief operating officer. With Viniterra, it goes further with stepped up details like quilted leather chair backs, intricate table stretchers, layered bases and double-edge tabletops and case tops.
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