Mastercraft Moving to IHFC

March 27, 2012  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on March 28, 2012

Solid-wood case goods and occasional vendor Mastercraft Collections is moving to a new 16,346-square-foot showroom in the International Home Furnishings Center.

The new showroom, Design wing, space 1002, will be ready for the April 21-26 High Point Furniture Market, and replaces a 7,500-square-foot space in Furniture Plaza.

The move will consolidate all three of Mastercraft's lines into one showroom. At previous markets, its Douglas Casual Living and Arts & Crafts divisions shared a separate 6,000-square-foot showroom in Plaza Suites.
 
"Going forward, more of our product will be marketed under the Mastercraft Collections umbrella rather than Douglas or Arts & Crafts," said Mike Facchini, vice president of sales and marketing. "We will still use those names for specific collections but they will no longer be stand-alone lines."
 
Mastercraft Collections' new, larger location on the IHFC's 10th floor positions it near a number of major industry players, Facchini said, including Hooker, Vaughan-Bassett and Norwalk.

"We sell a mix of Top 100 stores and smaller independents, and our new location will be a very convenient place for them to shop," he said.
 
"This is a great example of how we are able to meet the needs of our customers here in High Point due to the broad portfolio of properties we own," said Julie Messner, vice president of leasing for International Market Centers in High Point. "Mastercraft had spaces in two of our properties and was interested in consolidating all three of their lines into one large showroom, and we were able to find the perfect location for them in the IHFC."
 
At the April market, Facchini said, Mastercraft plans to introduce an ambitious slate of new products. They include major changes to the Douglas Casual Living line, which is being re-merchandised with 10 new collections being brought out under the Mastercraft Collections label.
 
As part of the remerchandising, the company is switching Douglas' sourcing to new factories in Vietnam and China "to step up the quality and update the styling," said Facchini, and it's introducing a new solid-wood casual dining program. In addition, Mastercraft is adding stationary dining options and pub heights to Douglas' castered dining offerings, "filling a long-time void in the line."
 
"We're aiming to strengthen our position as a key source for a complete range of casual dining products in the middle of the market--the $799 to $1,699 retail range," said Facchini.
 
This market, Mastercraft also is adding its first-ever upholstery to the Mastercraft line and the Arts & Crafts collection of solid-wood, Mission-style furniture. Sourced from Michael Nicholas in Buena Park, Calif., the upholstery offering will feature sofas, sectionals, love seats and chairs, with a wide range of leg, arm, fabric and finish options. Sofas will retail for $899 to $1,099.
 
"All of this upholstery will be made-in-America, so we'll be able to turn orders around quickly," said Facchini. "For the Arts & Crafts collection, everything will coordinate with existing wood products, expanding the range of decorating options for this popular line."
 
For Mastercraft, introductions will include upholstery that coordinates with best-selling case goods models in that line. In addition, Mastercraft is adding two youth bedroom groups, in Mission and country styling with multiple loft options, and several new adult bedrooms, including a reclaimed-style group called Harmony. It also is adding bedroom and occasional to its Arabesque collection in Old English styling, designed by Tracy Johnson.
 
"This represents a big introduction for us," said Facchini. "We're being extra-aggressive as we look for new ways to help our retailers generate business."
 
In addition to a direct-container program with its sources in Vietnam and China, Mastercraft Collections has four U.S. warehouses, in Plymouth, Mass.; High Point, N.C.; Ontario, Calif.; and Lakewood, Wash., to serve smaller retailers.