Retailers queried about Las Vegas Market date change
Opinions vary on whether furniture buying plans will be affected
Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, October 27, 2008
HIGH POINT — At last week's High Point Market, we asked a number of retailers whether the Las Vegas Market's recently announced date change would affect their market buying plans.
World Market Center officials in Las Vegas have announced that the second show in 2009 will take place Sept. 14-17, a shift from previous years when the event has been in late July. The event will take place about a month before the fall High Point Market in 2009, which is set for Oct. 17-22.
Here are the answers we got:
![]() Patty House |
"To be honest, I haven't been to Las Vegas, but I would love to go. In September, it would be good to start seeing what's new there. I will probably do one (of each), so if I go to Las Vegas (in September) I will probably come here in April."
Patty House
Casablanca USA, Davie, Fla.
![]() Tim Bryant |
"No. I'd probably prefer to go to Las Vegas on the later date, because we go to the Atlanta market. High Point is still High Point. It's still the furniture capital of the world, so probably if we have the need, we will go to both."
Tim Bryant
Tim Bryant Interiors, Chattanooga, Tenn.
![]() Ingrida Bublys |
"The dates have been moved very close, so for me, as a buyer for the Baltic area, I have to come to two markets back-to-back. It's going to be hard. ... We'll just have to dance around it."
Ingrida Bublys
IB International
Vilnius, Lithuania
![]() Gerald Nicholls |
"It might. You wouldn't go to Las Vegas and High Point, being that close, I would think. I know I wouldn't. I have two sons in the business who are younger, and I would imagine they're pushing for Las Vegas. The only thing holding them back is (their stores feature in-store) La-Z-Boy galleries. I'm still partial to High Point because I've been coming here for years, and I can make it in seven hours."
Gerald Nicholls
Nicholls Furniture Showcase, Galion, Ohio
![]() Gary Hughes |
"I won't go to Vegas. I'm from Alabama. This is (closer). I can drive here. Everything I need is here. No (I haven't been to the Las Vegas Market)."
Gary Hughes
Greenbrier Furniture, Birmingham, Ala.
![]() Herbert Marsh |
"No. We don't go to Las Vegas now. We come to High Point two markets a year. It's hot (in Las Vegas) in September, and everyone we deal with is in High Point. Not everyone is in Vegas."
Herbert Marsh
Butterworth's Furniture, Petersburg, Va.
![]() Kathleen Cushmore |
"No, because I won't be going to the Las Vegas Market. I'm an East Coast girl. I'll be coming here, and I will be going to New York (for the gift show). There are a number of trade shows that are good. This, of course, is the highlight of the year, the biggest and best. And since they've made all the improvements and made it more designer friendly (it's even better). They keep you on campus, give you dinner here and there, some entertainment. They're e-mailing all of us with updates. They're doing a good job."
Kathleen Cushmore
KSC Interiors, Malvern, Pa.
![]() Gary Badcock |
"So far, I haven't gone to Las Vegas. I still come to this show. It probably won't affect (our market plans). There's just not enough there (in Las Vegas) for me yet. We deal with upholstery vendors that don't show there. Also, four shows a year is frankly too much. I do the European shows, too."
Gary Babcock
Arhaus Furniture, Walton Hills, Ohio
![]() Brooks Griffin |
"We were talking about that yesterday. We'll probably alternate, one time here, one time Vegas. We're West Coast-based, so from a logistical standpoint, it's easier to get to the Las Vegas show. But we still have a lot of important vendors here we want to see. This will force people to make a decision, though. In tough economic times, shows are one of the big things people will reconsider."
Brooks Griffin
Napastyle, Napa, Calif.
![]() Paul Massood |
"No. I'm a High Point kind of guy, as far as that's concerned. To me this is the best market going. You get enthusiasm here. Everyone is all psyched up, and everything I've heard is that people are having a good market here."
Paul Massood
Bassett Home Furnishings, Brick, N.J.
![]() Albert Malka |
"No. I prefer to be in Vegas. I can gamble, and (there are) nice looking women. I will still come here, too."
Albert Malka
Decore Bayarat, Montreal
![]() Nancy Doss |
"No. We'll always come to High Point. As long as it's here, we'll always be here. We go (to Las Vegas) occasionally, but we come twice a year to High Point. We skipped Vegas this year. This has more of a hometown feel to it. If we need to bring clients, we can meet reps, who let us in the showrooms."
Nancy Doss
Designit, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
![]() David Mount |
"It won't affect what we do at all. To be honest, we try to avoid markets altogether. We prefer dealing direct with the manufacturers (by calling them and visiting, eliminating rep commissions)."
David Mount,
Habitat, Louisville, Ky.
![]() Diane Daniels |
"I never go to Vegas, so the answer is no. (The date change) is more important for the retailers and manufacturers who do premarket here. Good luck."
Diane Daniels
Daniels Home Furnishings, Cleveland
![]() Natalie Brunson |
"Well, I've never been to the Las Vegas Market. We mostly deal with companies around High Point - Stanley, Kincaid, Pulaski - so we probably will mostly focus on this market. I would love to go to Vegas, but because most (of our vendors are from this area) we will show support mainly for this market."
Natalie Brunson
Furniture Market Place, Charlotte, N.C.
![]() Leslie Dixon |
"If it was in September rather than July, I may be more apt to go, because I always go to the Atlanta market in July. Also, September is generally a little slower. But I'd probably be most likely to go to Las Vegas in January or February when the weather is (better). My personal opinion is I have no desire to go to Las Vegas. I'd come to High Point before I'd go to Las Vegas."
Leslie Dixon
From Inside Out, Dayton, Ohio
![]() Bob Neal |
"No, because I won't do Vegas. They have more to offer here, and we're only eight hours away. Plus, I don't gamble, not that I have anything against it. I just don't gamble. Seems like by changing the dates, they're forcing regional markets - East Coast, West Coast. But people really shopping for furniture are going to come here."
Bob Neal
Trends & Traditions, Oneonta, Ala.
![]() Joe OBrien |
Joe O'Brien
Cabana Joe's, Maui, Hawaii
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As the reporter who interviewed these retailers, let me agree that these comments are indeed biased simply by the fact that they came from interviews conducted in High Point during a furniture market that these buyers considered important enough to attend. We don’t suggest that this is a valid survey of a cross section of buyers. Still, I largely avoided interviewing buyers with NC badges, figuring that was way too much of a freebie for High Point. Only one subject was from North Carolina. In addition to buyers from the Southeast, others interviewed came from California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Hawaii, Canada and Lithuania.
The item first appeared in Furniture/Today’s Saturday market edition. All five of our dailies are loaded with stories that reflect the product and opinions offered here, and some of these stories are later posted online.
The Q&A is biased but a reflection of the market. We’ve done similar man-on-the-street interviews in Las Vegas that show a different bias, and run in our dailies there, but I believe this is the first to run online. The reason: the Vegas date change is a very hot topic. Just look at the responses to the retailer responses.
Thanks for all the comments.
Clint Engel
Clint Engel - 2008-28-10 09:26:36 EDT -
Big surprise that Southerns and East Coast people support High Point! Not bias that's who's here. The Vegas market like Vegas itself is hurting. Switching dates is not a sign of strength. Not going to Vegas and don't know any other retailer that is. All my vendors are in HP. Some that went to Vegas are pulling out ASAP because of high costs.
Benny Salami - 2008-28-10 08:30:36 EDT -
Brutal, unprofessional submission from what is supposed to be the voice of our industry(not just highpoint)
We show in Vegas as well as in the IHFC in Highpoint-Vegas has forced HP to improve it show-and it has. We had surprisingly a good show.
Once this September show starts(which I think is not a good move for us exhibitors)things may fall into place a bit more.
amanda - 2008-28-10 06:14:40 EDT -
WoW !!! What a bad survey.off point,on message. This is what we've come to expect from to many of your articles. NOT FAIR AND OUT OF TOUCH
John Pinion - 2008-28-10 05:36:21 EDT -
Furniture today is losing total credibility by posting a bogus, totally "southern" biased piece of junk survey like this.(Just like all of their market coverage is for the big southern boys)
We show at both Vegas and HP, Vegas is a very well run show albeit expensive for square ft cost-I have NEVER seen a buyer unhappy with the show-it does need more medium to better end though.
Highpoint is getting smaller,and focsued which is good-thanks to Vegas.
I am not thrilled with the date change-July was good for fall shipments.
Do we need both shows? No-its all due to greed and real estate.
richard - 2008-28-10 05:10:16 EDT
Congratulations to Las Vegas Market (Part 2)
08/17/2009Las Vegas Market dates pose a challenge
11/17/2008Lexington to show in Vegas in January
07/30/2007









































