Retailers seek case goods closeouts, deals
Heath E. Combs -- Furniture Today, September 3, 2011
Kith Furniture made its debut at the Tupelo market with this and 13 other bedroom suites with retails ranging from $399 to $999. President Craig Smith said the company intends to distinguish itself from competitors with a strategy that blends upscale looks and sharp pricing.
TUPELO, Miss. — Wooden furniture sales continued the trends of the last several Tupelo markets with retailers seeking closeouts and deals.
Standard Furniture said it did well with its One World pieces, which feature assembly and components that are sourced and fitted together domestically and globally, according to Vicki Garrett, showroom operations manager.
The company also has done well with pieces that fill once-popular voids in its line, like the Sonoma Mission style group, Garrett said. Standard has also had success in recent markets with upholstered headboards.
The company has also been doing well with a popular Ocala occasional table look that has been converted to casual dining, she said. The round table features pie-shaped stool seating that fits under tabletops. A five-piece group retails for $399.
At Coast-to-Coast Imports, President Mat Marsh said the company has done well recently with India-made goods that have a reclaimed look, which are popular with high-end retailers and designers. The India pieces, including consoles and credenzas, retail between $499 and $1,299.
Marsh said there are pockets of good business and lots of value hunters in the retail market.
"There's lot of caution," he said. "But they're still willing to pay for great looks."
At M&W Curios, co-owner Brenda Miller said the company has been doing well with hard-to-find items like jelly cabinets starting at $90 and storage cabinets and pie safes retailing for about $140. The company also continues to do well with oak hall-tree benches retailing at about $150 and small leaded glass-top quilt chests that range from $120 to $140.
Ray Steele, co-owner of Gail's Accents, said market traffic was heavier early in the week and prior to the opening of market.
"Traffic was down but order writing for the number of people who were there was pretty good," Steele said.
Steele said Gail's offered step-up product at the market that is unique and can give retailers something different than big box and other vendors. He said one customer even called Gail's the "Tiffany of Tupelo."
At Sunrise Home Furnishings, a two-for-one special on the company's lift-top entertainment consoles, ranging in price from about $599 to $1,299, was among the best received items at market, said Bob Lephart, vice president of sales and marketing.
At Ultimate Accents, the company was having success with a four-bench program offering three colors and with slat stretchers on legs. Benches retail for about $199.
The company also did well with narrow depth pieces, silver woven framed mirrors, all-wood storage trunk-inspired chests, scalloped edges, raised crackle finishes and two-tone paints on cocktail tables, according to Sandy Ford, president. She added that while business is tough, accents remain an easy and affordable way to update homes.
"There is no hiding what's happening at retail right now," Ford said. "At least with what we do they can easily add it in."
Free freight promotions and deals were big drivers of traffic at Harden Mfg.'s showroom here, said President Harley Ostlund. One best seller was the Milton group with upgraded construction and 36-inch high cases, brushed nickel hardware, black color and transitional hardware. A five-piece bedroom sells for $799.
New looks, like headboards featuring linen textured paper that give contour to its design, also sold well, Ostlund said.
At John Thomas, the company's major growth story continues to be in its six-year-old Select custom program, said Bryan Sprinkles, sales and marketing manager for parent company Whitewood Inds. Pieces in the program are finished in the United States.
Sprinkles said the company is continuing to develop the program by adding fabric choices for seating and rub-through finishes that add perceived value.
"We were trying something novel and new," he said. "It's paid off."
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