Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
HW Home to Skip High Point Market over HB2
April 8,
2016 by in Industry, Legal 
Denver-based home furnishings retailer HW Home will not bring its buying team to the upcoming High Point Market in protest of North Carolina’s passage of HB2.
Jim Hering and Ron Werner are the owners of HW Home, and the duo typically brings up to a dozen team members to the Market.
“As business owners, leaders and advocates for equality we are dismayed and extremely disappointed by the actions taken by North Carolina’s state government,” Hering said. “Since its formation in 1998, HW Home has created an environment of openness and inclusion. Diversity, not discrimination, has been tantamount to our success. The innate beauty of acceptance has nurtured a culture of understanding and creativity which allows for a dynamic and thriving work place. Any student of business knows this to be true.”
Werner echoed Hering and pointed out the company’s support of agencies fighting for equality.
“Equality is part of HW Home’s DNA. Our company is a major supporter of HRC (The Human Rights Campaign), The Mathew Shepard Foundation, where I served as an active board member for six years, and countless other groups pursuing fair treatment and respect,” he said. “North Carolina’s HB2 is an ugly law that sends the wrong message. As a result of the bill’s passage, HW Home is setting our principles ahead of business with a decision not to attend the spring High Point Market. We want North Carolina’s leaders to know their actions are not just wrong, they come with consequences. We cannot in good conscience travel to the state at this time. We realize that our absence, however trivial, will result in a loss of revenue for our friends and the High Point community that has graciously hosted us for the last 18 years. This truly saddens us.”
Werner and Hering said they have seen the support of the furniture industry over the last week as companies step forward in opposition to the law and in support of the LGBT community.
“For the last several days we have read letter after letter from furniture industry leaders pointing out the inherent bigotry of HB2 and why it is a bad law for North Carolina and America as a whole,” Hering said. “We know where the industry stands and we encourage everyone to continue the battle by communicating with their state legislators and governor.”
Werner and Hering said they look forward to returning to a more open North Carolina in October.