— Furniture Today
TUPELO, Miss. — Will hot deals and warm Southern hospitality be enough to lift the summer market cycle out of the doldrums?


This week will determine if Tupelo can match business with the steamy temperatures that  likely will greet visitors at the last of the summer’s major markets — and the final August market before Tupelo switches its next midyear event to a June 13 opening.

Most exhibitors think it will be a market of light traffic, with buyers from many of the smaller regional stores staying home. A key will be the number of Top 100 retailers who show up looking for market promotions and specials for which Tupelo is well known.

“In regard to attendance, we did visit Dallas, Atlanta and Las Vegas and, through no fault of any of those markets, all traffic was noticeably down,” said Bill Cleveland, president of the Tupelo Furniture Market.

“You can credit that to soft retail conditions, the economy and the $3 a gallon-and-rising cost of gas,” he added. “We don’t see any miracle on the horizon that will change this trend for our market.”

Cleveland said that he expects “serious buyers to be here,” based on an increase in Top 100 stores that have pre-registered. “We do feel like the right people will be here buying product because they need it to stimulate retail sales back in their own markets.”

Tupelo exhibitors have a reputation of offering deals at market to lure retailers. And market organizers will continue the “Tupelo-Only Special” program they launched a year ago to add credence to that policy.

Cleveland described the program as “an exclusive club” limited to exhibitors willing to provide values beyond the norm, and which are unavailable at other markets. 

“We want to keep it pure and real so it means something to the retailers,” he said. “We think the program will grow.”

Tupelo is shifting to Jan. 10-13 and June 13-16 dates next year at the request of both dealers and buyers, according to Cleveland. The January show will allow time for merchandise to reach showroom floors in time for the tax rebate season, which he said is now earlier because of electronic filing. The June show will speed merchandise to stores in time for Labor Day and other holiday sales, he said. And it will give buyers of imported merchandise more time to plan advertising and marketing budgets.

“V.M. (Cleveland, market owner and chairman), coming from a retail business, believes in giving customers what they want,” said Bill Cleveland, who is V.M.’s brother.

He said that the show will welcome about 70 new exhibitors, including Highland Designs, Picture Galleries Inc., Canus, Bailey Street Holding Co., Bulova and Smith Furniture. He could not say whether the new exhibitors would be equal to the number of exhibitors that have pulled out, such as Hughes Furniture Inds. and Michels & Co.

Herb Hester, president of Caye Home Furnishings, which includes Simmons Upholstery, Stratford and Homewood International and has a large showroom in Mississippi Building A, expects the market to be light in traffic but heavy in big hitters.

“Frankly, I don’t see much of a departure from past Tupelo market shopping,” Hester said.  “I think they’re going to be looking for values and I think they’re going to be looking for programs and ideas that might give a spike for the fall of the year.”

North Carolina warehouse operation Luke Leather will be here for the second time, having found its niche in Tupelo, its sole market location.

“We went out (to Tupelo) with mixed expectations last February but successfully opened new dealers in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and surrounding states,” said President Scott Davis. “We have built a customer base of more than 300 in less than a year.”

He tried showing in High Point last year, but won’t be back.

“We do not see the value. For us, as a small business, there is no return,” he said.

To generate business in Tupelo this week, Davis said, Luke Leather will offer special programs for large dealers and also for small design firms.