RUG EXHIBITORS PARTICIPATE IN NEW
WORLD MARKET CENTER IN LAS VEGAS
By Lissa Wyman
LAS VEGAS - A handful of rug companies are opening a new frontier as pioneer rug exhibitors at this week's first Las Vegas World Market Center Show. However, industry executives will be here in large numbers to observe the event and perhaps jump on the Las Vegas bandwagon.
Meanwhile, the Las Vegas rug pioneers are confident that the first summer market will be a big success. Companies such as Abbyson, Capel, Safavieh and Surya will be showing new products and programs tailored to the West Coast market. Many say they expect to meet potential customers who have never attended a rug event.
With the addition of the new space at the World Market Center in Vegas, Capel expands to eight permanent showrooms throughout the United States and Canada. The Capel showrooms are in High Point, Atlanta, San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Toronto, Minneapolis and now, Las Vegas.
"We have strategically placed our showrooms so we can accommodate the greatest amount of dealers possible," said Leon Capel, executive director of Capel.
Safavieh was one of the first tenants to commit to the WMC and the company's vision has paid off with an 8,000 sq. ft. showroom in a plum high traffic location on the WMC's main floor. "We view Las Vegas as a forum to reach customers on the West Coast, so we are very excited about this market, €VbCrLf said Arash Yaraghi, a company principal.
Safavieh will also use the Las Vegas market as a launching grounds for its new home furnishings lines, as well as new rugs, said Yaraghi.
Several West Coast-based companies are among the first rug vendors at the WMC, including Abbyson,The Rug Market and Uma Enterprises.
"We are based in California, and that is one of our main reasons for deciding to open a showroom there. Having a showroom in Las Vegas will allow us to service our West Coast and national customers more efficiently,€VbCrLf said Yavar Rafieha, vice president of sales and marketing for Abbyson.
"The building is absolutely magnificent, and we are proud to be a part of a new beginning. Abbyson is a fresh, young, dynamic company and we could not pass up the chance to be involved in this phenomenon.€VbCrLf
Abbyson,is also using the WMC market as an opportunity to expand its product selection. "We will be introducing a line of furniture as well as showing many new rugs especially developed for this show," said Rafieha.
"Our product is all about high fashion and bright colors. It's a natural for the West Coast market,€VbCrLf said Andrew Shabtai of The Rug Market. "We are based in Los Angeles, so the Las Vegas Market provides a geographically desirable opportunity for us.€VbCrLf
Several rug exhibitors will be showing in temporary space at the Las Vegas event.
"I think we'll see a wider diversity of people from all over the west,€VbCrLf said Satya Tiwari, president of Surya Rugs. "I think this gives us a good opportunity to capture people who have never been in the rug business before and who do not attend the markets in the East.€VbCrLf
Surya will open its permanent 2,000 sq. ft. WMC showroom in January 2007. Until then, the company is showing in temporary space at the World Pavilion.
"We are introducing approximately 60 to 70 new rugs especially geared to West Coast trends,€VbCrLf said Tiwari. "Many of the products will be in contemporary styling, but we will also show some new traditional designs that are updated with accent colors of today's upholstery fabrics.€VbCrLf
Jaipur will be showing in temporary space at The World Pavilion."There has been a lot of buzz about the Las Vegas market and we wanted to be there at the beginning," said Bob Kirby, Jaipur's president. "While Las Vegas is not yet a major venue for rugs, it certainly has possibilities. We expect to see many new retail accounts from the West, and we also think we'll see people from the Northeast. Everyone likes to go to Vegas."
United Weavers is participating in the Las Vegas Market with a temporary space at the Convention Center. "I think this will be a good market. In our pre-market calls, a lot of our customers told me, 'we'll see ya in Las Vegas,' " said Diane Carleo, director of marketing for UW. "We plan to eventually have a permanent space at the Las Vegas Market Center."
Shaw Living, while not an official exhibitor in Las Vegas, will have a presence there, according to Kim Barta, director of marketing. "Our Kathy Ireland rugs will be seen in the Standard Furniture showroom," she said.
Nourison, which will open a showroom at the WMC in January, 2007, will not be showing this Summer. Alex Peykar, president of Nourison, noted that the WMC will provide an opportunity to strengthen the company's marketing position in the West. "We feel that our World Market Center location will give us a more extensive and viable opportunity for the presentation of our rug collections. We look forward to addressing the needs of a vigorously developing market," said Peykar.
Peykar was touring the Las Vegas WMC a day before the market opened. "This is an event that will be very important in the future," said Peykar.
The industry buzz is that the WMC could provide a western home for the rug business, but many are reluctant to make a commitment. First, they want to see what will happen this Summer.
Rug people are hesitant because they say they are already over-loaded with markets. Many already have showrooms in Atlanta, New York and High Point, as well as exhibit space at the annual Surfaces Floor Covering Expo in Las Vegas.
Capel, for one, is bowing out of the January Surfaces event, according to Leon Capel. "The permanent showroom is more cost effective," said Capel. (In January, the Surfaces show and the WMC show will run almost concurrently.)
Many rug executives are attending the Las Vegas market as observers. As Ron Couri, ceo of Couristan noted, "We have to check out Las Vegas. We think it will be particulary important for WEst Coast furniture people."
Joan Catello, vice president of sales for Kas, said she expects that Las Vegas Market will host a good portion of the rug industry. "Not very many companies will actually be exhibiting, but everyone will be there to see what happens," she said.
The Las VegaS World Market Center opens for its first wholesale market July 25 to 29, 2005.
The debut event will encompass nearly 2.5 million square feet of permanent and temporary exhibition space including 230 permanent tenants. Hundred of temporary exhibitors which will show in 400,000 sq. ft. of pavilions on the site of the WMC complex and at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The exhibits will include furniture, accessories, lighting, futons, bedding and rugs.
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Good to go: The World Market Center on Sunday, July 24,
the eve of the official opening.
Putting the last minute touches on the Capel showroom on the day before opening day: Leon Capel, ceo; Bud Young, vp of marketing, and Allen Robertson, vp of sales. Lissa Wyman, editor and publisher of Rugnews.com
stops by to say hello.
Arash Yaraghi, a principal of Safavieh at new showroom which introduces Safavieh furniture for the first time.
Separated at birth? We bumped into Ted Lesiak, buyer for the Bon-Ton Department stores in Pennsylvania on the day before the show opened. Here is is with his "twin" Bud Wyman of Rugnews.com.
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7.25.05