During our coverage of the AmericasMart furniture market, we got a chance to meet with countless buyers, exhibitors, and special guests from each edge of the world of home furnishings. AmericasMart, in Atlanta, Georgia, is an inviting and unique convention that offers you the freshest in Furniture, Home Accessories, Rugs, Gifts, and Apparel.
Why the AmericasMart Furniture Market?
The wide array of products on display at the AmericasMart furniture market allows certain vendors, specifically ones that may fall into two or more classifications, an error-proof show to exhibit their merchandise. A lengthy interview with Steve Papevies of Southern Accents Today touched on some of the amazing transformations that have occurred at AmericasMart. Papevies has been at AmericasMart for over 32 years, back when it was called MerchandiseMart and lived in only one building. Many specialty gift stores have shifted to become home accessory stores, a trend that Papevies has noticed and encouraged through his work.
The Temporaries of the AmericasMart Furniture Market
The AmericasMart furniture market is buzzing with energy and excitement, but nothing compares to the buzz and bustle of the temporary exhibits. Unlike permanent showrooms, temporaries are set up specifically for the show. Up-and-coming manufacturers can be found in each aisle of temporaries, which makes each floor packed to the brim with buyers, sales reps, and merchandise groups looking for the newest stars. While the busy, crowded, bazaar-like quality of the temporaries may be off-putting to some, remember that virtually every big name with a permanent showroom once started off as a temporary exhibit. We met dozens of interesting people with original product and interesting stories, like the wonderful people behind Fishtales and Frokz.
Sales at the AmericasMart Furniture Market
The AmericasMart furniture market show is first and foremost, a buying event. Despite what you may have read elsewhere, the furniture show was extremely profitable for many vendors. Exhibitors all across the market admitted that traffic was down, but order writing was high. This might be attributed to the fact that more casual buyers could not afford the expense, but retailers in the "buy-mode" wouldn't miss the show no matter their budget. There is zero cell-phone signal in the building, so when dozens of patrons are crowded around the same window to call the office, you can't help but overhear buyers phoning in news of their latest purchases.
No area of the AmericasMart furniture market had a higher frenzy of buyers than the new Outdoor Living area of Building Two West Wing. Business was so thick that getting time away from buyers to participate in an interview was nearly impossible for some exhibitors, even on the opening days of the show. We thankfully managed to get in touch with Uwharrie Chair company, one of the exiting new permanent exhibitors in that area. This exiting new segment should be a popular stop for buyers in the growing outdoor furniture market.
Accommodations at the AmericasMart Furniture Market
The AmericasMart staff is all very courteous and helpful. This is crucial, as many attendees were prone to getting lost in the dizzying number of showrooms. Entering and exiting the convention area is relatively painless, as the city of Atlanta thoughtfully controls traffic with the help of the Atlanta Police Department during popular arrival and departure hours. Parking can be troublesome and expensive, but thankfully the AmericasMart staff can assist you with reserving a hotel within walking distance of the show. Instead of a giant cafeteria, food at AmericasMart is spread along multiple floors in a variety of flavors. You'll find that many of the friendly exhibitors lay out snacks, finger-food, and sometimes all-out meals for anyone browsing their products.
Products at the AmericasMart Furniture Market
For somewhat obvious reasons, our press team spent very little time in the apparel mart in building three. What I can tell you about the furniture, home accents, and accessories available, is that AmericasMart has a wholesome southern influence that captures a wide berth of design styles. Antiques, lifestyle furniture, and even ultra-modern all live happily under the same roof. John Megerian of Megerian Rugs summed up the feeling of camaraderie at Atlanta: "In the end, we're all out here to do business. If we promote the mart, which makes other exhibitors make money as well, then we all make money and build the show into something even greater". Megerian Rugs partnered with AmericasMart and Barry Dixon in an exclusive promotion, and was consistently busy throughout the market. Other exhibitors on Megerian's floor benefited greatly from the exposure.
Who should attend the AmericasMart Furniture Market?
Because of the wide range of friendly people and new product available at the AmericasMart furniture market, any retailer, buyer, or industry professional stands to gain a lot during this year. As budgets tighten, shows like AmericasMart become a crucial part of your business, as you can't afford to miss a key buying opportunity. Get to Atlanta early with your market handbook ready, and make connections with the big names and the new faces AmericasMart has to offer. You can't afford to miss it.
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