Yes, I'm sacrificing my day off (Monday) to go delve into the madness that is the High Point Furniture Market tomorrow. I'll leave home about 4 a.m. get there at 9 a.m., run around like a lunatic for the next 8 hours going to the suppliers I want to see and taking photos, get out of there by 6 p.m., stop by Longwood University on the way home and take my son out to dinner, then back in the house by midnight. It's going to be a long day! I'll take photos, but it will take several days to post them all up here on the forum.
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.
Nice! Looking forward to the pictures, Duane.
I especially like H&M's new pieces, particularly the Sculpture Sofa and Gibson Wing Chair.
Long day yesterday! Left my house at 4:25 a.m. and made it to High Point in 4 hours flat (300 miles). Went all over the Market, and couldn't get into the Bradington Young showroom because they now have a ridiculous policy of requiring everyone to be accompanied by a sales representative now, and I won't cool my heels out in the waiting room for any supplier. If a supplier wants to block buyers from their showroom for this silly kind of formal accompaniment that's their prerogative I guess - but there are 10,000 other showrooms there that will welcome you in so after two attempts to get to their showroom (an hour apart) I left that area. Instead, I found a new leather furniture supplier I really liked, and gave them an opening order. If the pieces turn out as good as what was in their showroom once they get to my store, I will mostly likely phase down Bradington Young and ramp up on this line, because they have B-Y price points, are all USA made (no import program) solid hardwood frames with 8-way hand-tied construction and they have excellent seating comfort, a great leather selection and they appear to do it right. They are a family-owned business and will allow me to sell it nationwide as well, so my forum readers can buy it if they so choose. McKinley Leather out of Hickory NC (I do not have pricing books yet = will take a few weeks to get set up on the line). I also found a terrific premium outdoor furniture craftsperson - he's a 1 man operation making absolutely stunning mahogany pieces that look like they belong a yacht in Monte Carlo. I had to buy that line, I'm a sucker for well made, crafted pieces and small operations trying to get going. VERY reasonable pricing - I don't think he's making any money on it to get started. The Hancock and Moore showroom was terrific - even better than in years past. I bought a couple new models including what may be the most perfect and coolest sofa I have ever seen. More on that as I have time to post photos. Got home last night at midnight....
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.
Excited to see all the pics! Thanks for posting them so we all can drool!