Working trade shows — exhausting but rewarding
Heath E. Combs, Staff Writer -- Furniture Today, April 20, 2008
It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't work in this industry what exactly goes on during market. I'd guess the routine is different but similarly exhausting for everyone working the market hard.
Be it High Point, Las Vegas, Tupelo or Toronto, my calves ache the same at the end of each day. By week's end we've all the got the same look on our faces and the same slow drag to our walks.
I always feel a sense of accomplishment. At least until it's time to go back to work on Monday. This year I cut back on the salty snacks and drank more water. It worked great. Taking two shots of espresso when you need it helps too.
You can eat and drink a lifetime's worth of cheese, coffee, doughnuts, snack packs, pretzel sticks (a Furniture/Today office favorite), cookies, soda, bottled water, subs, pasta, olives and ribs.
I had osso buco for the first time during this market, after the lobster bisque and with a wonderful glass of red wine. I was eating with a retailer and we couldn't stop talking about custom casual dining programs. Talking business at a beautiful dinner like this — we were gluttons for punishment.
Then we got back down to earth and started talking about his kids, college and the NCAA tournament. It was a delicious meal. I skipped dessert.
I drank eight bottles of water on Thursday of the market. That wasn't too green, even though I'm reusing many of the bottles. I'll bet I end up drinking another eight bottles in a day in Las Vegas this summer.
For me, this spring's market was a time to catch my breath and look at where we are. This industry has taken just about everything you could throw at it over the last eight years.
I started as a reporter for the High Point Enterprise during what was the last major round of case goods factory closings. By then it was a not so uncommon reality and we reporters barely flinched when the news hit.
We also saw how devastating it was to local communities as workers scrambled to learn new skill sets. Who would have guessed that the surviving companies, as I'm sure many of them feel they are now, would be instrumental in carving the green niche?
This market we dealt on a meaningful scale with price inflation from Asia and elsewhere, our drooping dollar, rising container and fuel prices, credit and housing woes, and the election.
They're all hitting at the same time — the wrong time. Price deflation drove this industry for many years. It is not an infinite concept.
More recently, we lost a few friends. We lost people we thought we'd see wander these markets forever.
It was a good market and more than busy enough. I'm sure many of you are thawing out after a long winter. Spring is in full bloom here. Get out and enjoy it.
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