01302015 LR Resources Unveils New In-Stock Accents; New Showroom Strategy in Atlanta and High Point

ATLANTA - Armed with a new in-stock home accents program specifically designed for brick and mortar stores, LR Resources supplemented its AmericasMart fourth floor rug showroom at Atlanta International Rug Market with a second space in the HOME Temporaries collection on Floor 7 for the first time at the January show.

"We wanted to showcase our expansion into a stocking program for woven baskets, accent rugs and decorative pillows to create excitement with the new market segment we are targeting," said Mike Thompson, vice president of sales and general manager for LR Resources.  Made in India, the new LR Resources inventoried accessories are offered in cotton yarn or poly-chenille interwoven with jute.  Pillows retail from $25 to $50; baskets retail from $25 to $60; and accent rugs retail from $25 to $75.

"The temporary space gave us the opportunity to present the new line, which we will inventory and service to brick and mortar and smaller retailers. The interaction with customers in both locations, especially with walk-by traffic in the temporaries, worked wonders back and forth," Thompson said.

"We saw increased traffic in our Atlanta rug showroom from buyers and designers who first found us first on Floor 7 and then came to the fourth floor to shop for additional rugs qualities," Thompson said.  

The one-two punch was so successful it will be repeated at High Point Market in April, 2015, where LR Resources will expanding the stocking home accents program to include its Naturals rug line in full size rugs.  In High Point, the stocking accessories and coordinating Naturals rugs will be shown in a new temporary space on the mezzanine at Market Square. The company's complete rug line and special order container accessories program will be presented at its permanent Showplace showroom.

The new stocking program will be marketed separately from LR Resources' long-standing special order accessories program for national retailers. "We've already been selling tons of pillows and accents to container buyers, and that program will continue to grow as well," Thompson said. 

Among area rug introductions at the Atlanta International Rug Market, a buyer favorite was the Nisha collection featuring new faux sari silk designs hand knotted in India of rayon art silk, and retailing for $899 in 5'6"x8'6". Thompson said new Oushak rugs were also a hit.  They are hand knotted in India of hand spun wool with a retail of $1,199 in 5'6"x8'6".

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