Las Vegas exhibitors pleased with traffic, orders

Economic concerns still loom

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, August 8, 2011

LAS VEGAS — Despite fewer bodies moving through the halls of World Market Center, exhibitors said they were pleased with traffic orders and commitments at the summer furniture market here.

Some suppliers, commenting following the vital first two days of the Las Vegas Market, were expecting worse given the continuing economic turmoil, the poor sales many retailers have been reporting, and the U.S. debt ceiling and deficit concerns that took another turn for the worse Friday when Standard & Poor's downgraded the government's former triple-A credit rating. But the results here spoke for themselves.

Calling market a "positive surprise," David Beckmann, president of Emerald Home Furnishings, said, "I didn't know what to expect. I thought it might be morose. But I haven't heard anybody complain about anything."

Beckmann said the company "got a lot of placement. We did terrific with the upholstery and landed strongly with a couple of wood groups."

He said the company will finish ahead of last year, which followed an increase over the previous year. "We're breathing a little easier, but we're still concerned about the economy.

Len Burke, vice president of marketing for Klaussner Home Furnishings, said traffic over the key first two days of the market was up about 15% from a year ago. While he wouldn't provide order figures, Burke said Klaussner was pleased with order writing here.

"We typically don't write a lot of orders (at market), but we saw people trying to pick up some inventory expecting a good Labor Day," he said.

Klaussner's home theater seating introduction was a huge success, he said.

Brandunn Rush, vice president of sales, added that the shutdown of Berkline has left a void in the market for home theater. "Our customers, especially with Bruce Sinning coming on board (as vice president merchandising, upholstery) - they know we're going to be a source for that," Rush said.

Phil Haney, president and CEO of Lexington Home Brands, was equally upbeat about this market, noting that dealer attendance at his showroom was up 15% over last summer's event.

"Our order writing was also up as we had lots of dealers in to see our new collection, Mirage," he said. Even so, Haney still expressed concern for the economy, describing it as "still very tough."

The ongoing sluggishness of the economy had Haney concerned about his retail customers. "I attribute the fact that we are up more to the success of our introduction of Mirage than to some signal that the economy is better. Clearly, there is not lot of positive economic news," he said.

For more exhibitor comments, see the Aug. 15 Furniture/Today print issue.