news-record.com

HIGH POINT (MCT) -- Major furniture events in High Point and Las Vegas overlapped for the first time when the sun rose on Monday morning as premarket and the Las Vegas Furniture Market opened.

Premarket, an invitation-only event for buyers and manufacturers, began slowly, but an expanded list of secured retailers may have given the event an extra boost as the day wore on, some exhibitors said.

''So far, so good," said Page Wilson, president of Pulaski. "We were reasonably busy (Monday) morning, and we had some appointments on Sunday (with retailers)."

More retailers than ever before were secured for the event, according to figures released by the High Point Market Authority. This gives exhibitors more opportunities to display new products and gain commitments from buyers before the High Point Market opens next month, said Kevin O'Connor, chairman of the board for the authority and president of Samson Marketing.

''My guess is we'll have close to 100 retailers that come through," he said about the event, which ends today.

Mike France, vice president of sales for Progressive Furniture, said he had seen twice as many customers before lunch on Monday than he saw during an entire day at the spring premarket.

''You don't write any business here, but we're hoping for commitments from people we're expecting to see," he said. "It's always worthwhile to be open at premarket. We're open at the Las Vegas Furniture Market, too."

France and several exhibitors said they were participating in both events, but the scheduling conflict made it difficult.

"The Las Vegas Market is important for us, but the High Point Market is important for us as well," France said. "It's kind of unusual with premarket and the Las Vegas Market going head to head."

O'Connor said he didn't want people to think of it as a "High Point versus Las Vegas" scenario.

''The competition in Las Vegas has made us stronger," he said. "It's made manufacturers work harder to get their customers here."