Tupelo Market traffic beats expectations
Buyers placing orders to bolster lean inventories
Jay McIntosh -- Furniture Today, August 22, 2008
TUPELO, Miss. - Traffic has been light in some showrooms but steady in others at this week's Tupelo Furniture Market, for the most part beating low expectations.Parking lots have been less than full, but exhibitors said the buyers that are here need product, and are placing orders for goods to bolster their lean inventories. As usual, market specials and closeouts are popular.
 Bill Cleveland, left, president of the Tupelo Furniture Market, presents the National Buyer Appreciation Award to Colfax Furniture & Mattress, represented by Gary Woodham and Tommy Whittington. |
At upholstery source United Furniture Inds., Vice President of Sales Jay S. Quimby said he was "pleasantly surprised" after seeing major, quality accounts from around the country.
"The feeling is that retail has turned up and people are focusing on the third and fourth quarters. We've been very pleased with the market," he said.
Coaster was one of several exhibitors to move to the market's Tupelo complex this market from the Mississippi complex, which was damaged by a tornado this spring. Market officials chose to move most of the tenants because the damage couldn't be repaired before market.
"We had good traffic and good quality people. It's easier on the buyers not to have to go from one building to the other," said Terry Meece, Midwest sales manager for Coaster. "Traffic is dictating we stay" in Tupelo, Meece said.
Traffic was good at the Powell showroom as the week progressed, but a desire to reduce market costs led to a decision to stop showing here after this week, said Tom Liddell, senior vice president of national accounts.
"We've enjoyed a long successful run here in Tupelo but we've made the decision as a company to focus on Las Vegas and High Point," Liddell said.
Lynn Davis, president of Davis International, described the market as "flat" because of the slow economy, and the fact that retailers have several other markets they can attend. He said stores are looking for product warehoused and available for 48-hour delivery, a service Davis provides.
"Inventories are very lean and dealers want availability," he said.
Caye Home Furnishings, parent of Stratford, Stratolounger and Brookwood, was the only company that chose to keep its showroom in the tornado-damaged Mississippi Complex.
"We are very pleased with our decision to stay here," said Herb Hester, CEO. He said traffic had been steady since Tuesday at the 12,000-square-foot showroom.
Ashley Chairman Ron Wanek said the company saw "quite a few majors" on Tuesday and Wednesday, before the market's official Thursday opening.
"People are coming in with good attitudes. Their business isn't terrible," said Wanek, who added that he heard that August "has been better for a lot of dealers."
Michael Campbell, president of leather upholstery source Leather Italia, said Thursday that his traffic had been up 50% from the last Tupelo market. That's partly because the company took over the 10,000-square-foot former AICO space, giving it a total of 16,000 square feet.
Another upholstery source, Soflex, almost didn't show in Tupelo. Tom Schmidt, president, said the company decided to take a space only after its reps learned that many of their dealers were coming.
"At this point I'm pleasantly surprised at the number of dealers and the quality of the dealers," said Schmidt. He said the company was only showing its quick-ship warehouse program - not its container program - and had "already written orders on Tuesday that are delivering (Friday)."
Senior Editor Gary Evans and Staff Writer Heath E. Combs contributed to this story.
