Case goods source Folio 21 expands High Point showroom

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, August 27, 2012

HIGH POINT — Folio 21, a case goods importer that specializes in upper promotional to middle priced bedrooms from Vietnam, has expanded its showroom here by 30%, bringing the total space to 15,100 square feet.

The company, which remains in space W-647 of the International Home Furnishings Center, said it will use the added room to showcase new style offerings as well as new pieces within existing collections.

"With some of our groups, the larger-scaled pieces are generating the best results," Sean Slack, executive vice president of merchandising, said in a statement. "Having the added space in our showroom will enable us to show a great range within these collections, including the well-received contemporary bed wall program that we introduced in April, along with a variety of exciting new introductions."

Like the original space, the expanded showroom has been designed by Connie Post of Affordable Design Solutions. Slack said the showroom has an open and distinct contemporary feel, which he said makes it the perfect setting for some bestselling transitional and contemporary bedrooms.

The company will preview its October introductions at the Sept. 13-14 High Point Premarket.

The Folio 21 selection is warehoused in a 3.5-million-square-foot facility in Vietnam. Retailers can mix orders from any of its collections, which are shipped container-direct from the Vietnam facility.

The company was formed a year ago by industry veterans Slack, Bill Benton and James Martin Jr. in cooperation with the owner of an OEM producer in Vietnam, which officials declined to name.

A key goal of the new company has been to address a void officials have seen in the market for quality, feature-driven groups at affordable price points.

Benton, Folio 21's president and CEO, said the industry has been "chasing cheap goods for far too long, and we all know it has had a negative impact on gross margin dollar contribution. Costs are continuing to rise, while most average-unit dollar sales are dropping. Our mission is to give consumers a compelling reason to step up with superior quality and visible features that the retail sales associate can easily demonstrate."