By Sue Schultz ,Staff Writer
HIGH POINT — Breaking with industry tradition of opening showrooms before the start of the city’s twice-annual home
furnishings show, market officials and showroom owners said Tuesday that they plan to stick to an official opening day for the October market.
Unlike previous markets, the October International Home Furnishings Market will open on Monday, Oct. 16, and close on Sunday, Oct. 22.
During previous markets, the official opening day was Thursday with closing on the following Wednesday. Despite efforts to stick to an official start time, many showrooms began seeing buyers as early as Sunday.
The earlier start times affected services provided by the High Point International Home Furnishings Market Authority such as transportation and parking and also gave the appearance of fewer marketgoers later in the week.
“It’s been confusing as to when the market starts and closes,” said Paul Toms, chairman of the market authority board at a Tuesday meeting. “We have an opportunity to bring excitement and order back into the market.”
Toms, also chairman and chief executive officer of Hooker Furniture, a Virginia-based furniture maker, said Hooker won’t open until the official start of the market.
The market’s largest and oldest showroom, the International Home Furnishings Center, which also allowed exhibitors to open early during the markets, said it plans to stick to the official start. The showroom will offer incentives to buyers who attend on opening day, said Tom Lindh, president of the IHFC.
Other showrooms such as Showplace and those owned by Merchandise Mart Properties have sent letters to exhibitors about not opening until Monday and not issuing buyer passes until the first day of the show.
But others were more skeptical of the official start date.
“I’ve never seen a seven-day market,” said John Bray, chief executive officer of Vanguard Furniture and owner of a High Point showroom. “We need to hold to it. We have a history as an industry of not holding to it.”
In other business, the market authority board;
l Elected a new chairman. Bray was elected to the position, taking over for Toms, who vacated the seat.
l Discussed amending the market authority’s budget from $4 million to $3 million. The authority received funding from the state, the city of High Point and a new showroom tax, but didn’t receive any money from surrounding communities that was expected.
l Unveiled a new marketing campaign for the October market. The campaign’s catch phrase, “One Market, One Vision,” is designed to create a unified message.
Some in the industry have said the High Point show, unlike shows in Las Vegas and other markets, is more spread out with 188 showroom buildings.
Contact Sue Schultz at 883-4422 Ext. 232 or sschultz@news-record.com
