World Market Center CEO Stands Firm On Schedule

October 21, 2008  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on October 2008 At the High Point Market Tuesday, World Market Center President and CEO Bob Maracich said he’s heard from a number of exhibitors this week who have urged him to reconsider a shift in the Las Vegas venue’s dates from late July to September in 2009—within four weeks of High Point’s event.

Those conversations have included Las Vegas exhibitors who also show in High Point and companies “we’d like to get,” he said. “I reiterate the reasons we made the change, which are all based on what our buyers want. ... The preponderance (of buyers) want a (Las Vegas) Market in February and September (in 2009). I’ve learned in my business career that you listen to your customers want.”

Earlier this month, the Las Vegas Market announced that its Fall 2009 event will be held Sept. 14 to 17. The Winter 2009 Market will be held Feb. 9-13, as previously scheduled. “February, where we are, is absolutely perfect in the furniture buying cycle, and (now) it’s balanced out by September,” Maracich said.

High Point officials, including Market Authority President and CEO Brian Casey, have been equally firm in recent weeks in stating that the Market here won’t shift its 2009 schedule from April 25-30 and October 17-22.

Privately, some High Point exhibitors with showrooms in Las Vegas have talked about the challenges of participating in two Fall events in a four-week span, but those executives have declined opportunities to discuss the matter publicly in on-the-record interviews with Home Furnishings Business.