First/Second Impressions

People are more upbeat this market than they were in October. I think that’s a given. I’ve been telling folks that I’ve not been to a market where more companies are on their A game than they’ve been this market.

And you have to be. Everyone has a story to tell this time or something great to offer and the product assortment is the best I’ve seen it. Whatever image problem our industry has, sometimes I wonder if a big part of it is us looking at ourselves. If you’re a retailer, certainly you can find something here, from recycled teak to $199 cocktail tables to entertainment centers with the speakers built in.

There’s so many pieces that have adapted to trends over the last few years. I’ve been very impressed. I don’t think we’re behind, but I’m sure there are many who would say I’m wrong.

The biggest retailers were here early in the weekend. A lot of folks say the smaller dealers are coming in as the week progresses.  There’re people happy with the Saturday start and people not happy.

The ones not happy with the Saturday start say it’s a bad time because small dealers can’t leave their stores on the weekend, especially in this economy. The ones happy with it like that it allows some of the bigger folks and designers to get in before top people and staff in companies are gone.

Of course, it’s hard to judge a market while it’s happening. I’m sure many are waiting to see how commitments will pan out.

One highlight was my meeting with Paula Deen.

So far in my life I’ve met a couple celebrities. The first was Arianna Huffington when I was in college - if you don’t count Mickey Mouse when I was six. I’ve also interviewed short-haired dieting guru Susan Powter and met Al Sharpton (who is much shorter in real life than you’d ever imagine) and a host of others I’m sure I’m just not remembering clearly in my late-marketed induced brain funk.

Well, I met Paula Deen this week. I wanted to thank the good folks over at McNeil Communications in High Point, among them Karen McNeil, Lauren Estep, Kate Payne and Cheryl Nocera for helping me get a little time with her for a short interview and some photos.

A lot of the celebrities I’ve met seem slightly full of themselves, which I can understand if you’re always being told how crazy everyone is about you.

Even though I only had a short amount of time with her, she seems pretty down to earth and to genuinely care about how the furniture pieces look.

There’s better pictures of our meeting, but I thought this one was kind of funny.