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Hot 'Lanta's hot products

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, January 23, 2012

Ray Chalk it up to the fact that I'm a huge fan of Southern rock, but the minute I walked into the packed Building 1 at AmericasMart Atlanta, I couldn't help but start humming the Allman Brothers classic, "Hot 'Lanta."
     Just as that song is defined by a driving beat and overflows with sheer energy, last week's Atlanta market pulsed with a rhythm and energy all its own.
     Much of that energy came compliments of the retailers and designers who had flocked to the show excited by surprisingly brisk holiday sales. I could almost feel their excitement as I shouldered my way through a wall of buyers who were anxiously waiting in line to register.
     After making the rounds with exhibitors, it was clear to me that if buyers had come to Hot 'Lanta looking for hot new products, they would not go home disappointed.
     Too often, especially in the midst of a protracted recession, I've attended shows populated by exhibitors who seemed content to simply repackage products they had previously displayed elsewhere.
     Not this time. Most of what I saw was fresh, new and best of all, targeted at specific price points, looks and customers.
     It was obvious that prior to this show, exhibitors invested time carefully listening to their customers and came to Atlanta with items designed to help their retail partners be successful.
     I'm also happy to report that many of the conversations I had with exhibitors were as much about the steps they had taken to enhance the levels of training and service they offer their dealers as they were about their new introductions.
     And just as the South Carolina primary tends to be a good predictor of the Republican presidential nominee, there is a similar link between the mood during the Atlanta market and the outcome of the subsequent home furnishing shows.
     If you were there, you know that just like that Allman Brothers song, the Atlanta market was hot.
     That kind of heat feels good, especially after a somewhat chilly selling season in 2011.
     It was good to start the 2012 show cycle on a high note. Just like a great guitar solo, the sounds of laughter and spirited conversations that earmarked the show were music to my ears.

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