by HIGH POINT — Each High Point Market is a celebration of not only the seemingly infinite amount of products for retailers to see in person, but also a place for people to gather and celebrate the many long-time relationships and bonds formed over the years.
In true market fashion, Home News Now had its team of editors visiting showrooms and social events to capture what makes market such a treasured time for the industry, not only to do business, but also to get together to celebrate special events, charitable causes and each other. Below is a glimpse of who we saw at the October market and captured in this slideshow for you to remember for weeks, months and years to come.
Home renovation experts Ben and Erin Napier are seen signing books and greeting guests at the Vaughan-Bassett Furniture showroom. They also celebrated the launch of their two latest licensed collections with Vaughan-Bassett, the Crafted Oak solid and veneered bedroom collection and the all solid wood Crafted Cherry bedroom and dining collection. Here they are seen with James and Debra Smith (with her back and backpack facing camera) of Smith Furniture, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. Hope Antonoff of Vaughan-Bassett is seen speaking with James Smith.
At market, Cozzia USA helped celebrate the 60th anniversary of Pontiac, Michigan-based ABC Warehouse, which operates 41 stores in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, employing some 700 workers. Pictured are Mike Neros, left, president of the Home Furnishings Representatives of Michigan; Martin Hartunian, and Mark Pfeiffer, ABC Warehouse; and Bob Bruns, Cozzia USA.
At the pinning ceremony at the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame are inductee Alex Peykar, left, Nourison Home; Kevin Sauder, Sauder Woodworking, accepting the honor for his grandfather, inductee Erie Sauder; and inductee Jeffrey Seaman, Rooms To Go, Seffner, Florida.
At the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame pinning ceremony: Steve Rusing, left, Tempur Sealy International; Hall of Fame inductee Alex Peykar, Nourison Home; Michael Amini, AICO; Kevin Sauder, Sauder Woodworking and grandson of inductee Erie Sauder; Art DeFehr, Palliser Furniture; inductee Jeffrey Seaman, Rooms To Go, Seffner, Florida; and Kevin O’Connor, Samson Marketing
Jeffrey Seaman, left, Rooms To Go, Seffner, Florida, with Kevin O’Connor, Samson Marketing, at the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame pinning ceremony, the first in the Hall of Fame’s new home on South Hamilton Street. Seaman, RTG co-founder and CEO, was inducted into the Hall of Fame this market and O’Connor was inducted in 2012.
Furniture First celebrated the grand opening of its new High Point headquarters on Friday, Oct. 13. Seen here are Marty Komisar, left, Biltrite Furniture, Greenfield, Wisconsin; John McCloskey, Profitability Consulting Group; Gail Komisar, Biltrite Furniture; and David Pierce, Pierce Furniture, Muscatine, Iowa.
Also at the Furniture First grand opening were Andrew Kauffman, left, Furniture First; Scott Bowen, Town & Country Furniture, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Tom Schwaab and Wade Witt, Howell Furniture, Beaumont, Texas.
Also seen at the Furniture First party were Jamie Winter, left, Furniture Mall of Kansas, Topeka, Kansas; Steve Bichunsky, Pilgrim Furniture City, Southington, Connecticut; and Brian Dodge, Tools2Win, Topeka, Kansas.
The International Home Furnishings Representatives Association held its Furniture Industry Awards Gala on Friday, Oct. 13. Seen at the event were Roy Hester, left, Planned Furniture Promotions (and IHFRA Icon Award honoree), Chelsea Hester, Peggy Hester and Jeff Brummett, Coast to Coast Accents and J Furniture.
Also seen at the IHFRA gala were Al Bolton, left, High Point Exhibitions; Michael Amini and Kian Amini (AICO and IHFRA Rising Star honoree); and Kevin Castellani, Mah Wah USA.
Ted Jarnagin, left, IHFRA Legacy Rep honoree; Ray Allegrezza, IHFRA and Home News Now; and Benjamin Jarnagin
Joyce Miskelly and Oscar Miskelly, Miskelly Furniture (and IHFRA Retailer of the Year), Jackson, Mississippi
Common Thread for the Cure held its event on Friday, Oct. 13, with a series of inspiring stories by breast cancer survivors Laura Holland, Lorelei Colbert, Christi Barbour and Connie Post. Attending the gathering, held in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, were Amy Van Dorp, left, WithIt; Christi Barbour, Barbour Spangle Design; Connie Post, Connie Post Affordable Design Solutions; Kathy Hunt, The Media Matters; Rick Harrison, Home News Now; and Karen McNeill, American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation.
Also in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Hooker Furnishings team came together at the October High Point Market to help raise awareness of breast cancer. This photo was taken in the Susan G. Komen area of the company’s showroom on the third floor of Showplace. The licensed collection was originally launched in the fall of 2022 with an initial donation of $10,000 to the Susan G. Komen organization. Going forward, Hooker Furniture and Susan G. Komen have extended their partnership for another year and 5% of the wholesale sales price from each piece sold within the collection will be donated to the organization.
At market, Planned Furniture Promotions held its party at its building at 212 E. Russell Ave. Attending the event were Hannah Dickerson, left, Flex2Communicate; Tom Liddell, Planned Furniture Promotions; Erin Berg, Flex2Communicate; and Robert Clinkscales, FormPiper.
Also attending the party were Roy Hester, left, and Steve Hutto, both of Planned Furniture Promotions.
More from PFP: Melissa Roberson, left, and Shirley Griffiths,Tango Multimedia; and Mickey Justice, Planned Furniture Promotions
Performing at the Legends Home party on Friday evening were Tim Donk, left, of Legends and Jake Jabs of American Furniture Warehouse, Englewood, Colorado. They sang the classic “Me and Bobby McGee” written by Kris Kristofferson.
Attending the Man Wah party on Thursday evening were Adam B. Goldberg, left, Raymour & Flanigan, Liverpool, New York; and Cheryl Natale and Gabriele Natale, Man Wah.
Also attending the Man Wah party were Heather Bolick, Man Wah; Rick Harrison, Home News Now; and Bo Morrison, Man Wah.
Man Wah set up a golf simulator at its new showroom on the 12th floor of the Commerce Wing of the International Home Furnishings Center. Here Jay Quimby, senior vice president of sales, is seen taking a few shots.
Austin Bailey of Climatic Home Products of Columbia, South Carolina, takes his turn at the golf simulator at Man Wah.
Jacqueline Spooner-Wilhoit, left, of House of Design in Hilton Head, South Carolina, with designer Libby Langdon, at the Fairfield Chair showroom
This market, Global Furniture USA debuted at the showroom it purchased earlier this year at 305 S. Hamilton St. From left to right are Jeff Wallner, Daniel Rubinshteyn and Alex Rubinshteyn, all of Global Furniture, and Aqueel Ahmed, Furniture Mecca, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Attending the Furnituredealer.net party on Friday were Andy Bernstein, left, and Kim Bernstein, Furnituredealer.net, and Larry Klaben, Morris Furniture, Fairborn, Ohio.
The Handicraft and Wood Association of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new showroom in Centers of High Point Hamilton. A total of 16 Vietnamese manufacturers of furniture, accents and handicrafts were at the space.
