Lifestyle Enterprise draws hundreds to first Las Vegas show
Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, January 30, 2012
Irwin Novack, left, of Kane’s Furniture with James Riddle of Lifestyle USA at Lifestyle Enterprises first Forbidden City Furniture Show in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS - Lifestyle Enterprise wowed dealers with its first Forbidden City Furniture Show in this city, unveiling extreme value-priced case goods and upholstery and rewarding many of its customers with its latest lavish giveaway - iPad 2s.
James Riddle, CEO of Lifestyle Enterprise USA, said more than 500 people shopped the show space at the Riviera Hotel, held Friday through Sunday before the official Las Vegas Market opening.
Lifestyle flew in hundreds of dealers, and Riddle estimated about one-third of its visitors hadn't planned on coming to the Las Vegas Market prior to Lifestyle's invitation.
In the 13,000-square-foot showroom, it introduced 20 bedroom groups, 14 dinettes and 18 upholstery groups from its Shanghai division, on top of showing a few in-line best sellers from all categories.
"Everyone who has been here has been here for hours, writing and working," Riddle said, adding that customers spent much more time here than they usually do with Lifestyle during a High Point Market.
Irwin Novack, CEO of Pinellas Park, Fla.-based Kane's Furniture, said Saturday he had been working the Lifestyle show for more than two hours.
"Most importantly, they have a lot of introductions, which is helpful as a buyer," he said. "They have some great values, and they did a great job."
Another showstopper was a traditional cherry-finish bedroom group that Riddle said was the bestseller here. Lifestyle was offering a special price that would enable dealers to retailer a bed, dresser, mirror, nightstand and chest for $899.
Riddle said it's highly likely Lifestyle will continue to show in Las Vegas, but added that his team needs to go home and evaluate the results before making any final decisions. Nevertheless, he said the show was an "absolute success."
In addition to the special furniture deals, all visitors received a copy of the book "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson, and in roughly 500 also received an iPad 2 as a gift.
"They were so appreciative," Riddle said. "I don't think we could have come up with a better gift."
(For more coverage, see the Tuesday daily print issue distributed at the Las Vegas Market. Also, click here to see our dedicated Las Vegas Market page.)
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