Vegas market generates ‘heavy order-writing’
Colin Wong, left, West Coast sales director for MLily USA, gives sales presentation in the showroom to Isabelle and Steve Sayler (in white shirt), owners of Modern Home Furniture in Everett, Wash. Also pictured is Charlie Wong of MLily.
By Larry Thomas
Special to Home Accents Today
LAS VEGAS — Amid business conditions described with superlatives such as “robust,” “off the charts” and “gangbusters,” a subdued and lightly attended Las Vegas Market generated heavy order-writing from the buyers who did show up, and it gave exhibitors and market organizers hope that furniture markets were not becoming an anachronism.
The event, which was the home furnishing industry’s first major market since the onset of the pandemic, took place without the usual fanfare of parties, celebrity appearances, ribbon cuttings and high-profile product launches. Alcohol was banned from the World Market Center campus, and the few showrooms that did serve food had to use pre-packaged snacks and box lunches.
And of course, everyone had to wear a mask covering their nose and mouth, with reminders on signage throughout the property and “mask monitors” who roamed the campus.
Officials with International Market Centers, which owns the WMC, AmericasMart in Atlanta and about 60{6e11cad7ac0545e2324fbf6d445e3b83c9482a898fa074d95dae34b306dc1610} of
