Home furnishings expo’s vendors expect lighter turnout

Vendors manning their Americasmart showrooms on Tuesday knew not to expect heavy traffic through the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market. After all, the first day is always slow.

The real concern, many wholesalers admitted, is that, because of the worsening economy, the entire nine-day market could be like the first day, with barren corridors and a few trepidatious buyers seeking scaled-back wares for their boutiques.

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Katie Leslie/kleslie@ajc.com

On the opening day of the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, vendor Margaret Proctor of Fortunata Inc. said she expects traffic to be slower than previous markets.

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Though market attendance figures are not available, vendors such as Cathy Martin of Vici International said she and others expect foot traffic to be down from previous years.

“This showroom in particular is expecting the worst,” Martin said. “Anything above that will be a pleasant surprise.”

Economic woes have caused many of her suppliers of high-end baby bedding to slow production, meaning Vici doesn’t have many new products to entice buyers.

Vendors like Tom Kedzierski of McCann Brothers, a Connecticut-based home and garden accessories dealer, are slightly more optimistic about sales success when the temporary exhibitions open Friday, typically drawing the largest crowds.

“I figure the people who show up will spend money, but the question is, who is going to show up?” Kedzierski said. “We expect the big guys, not the little ones … those guys have a limited budget anyway — they’re done.”

Americasmart spokeswoman Tara Tuschinski said because the market has expanded product categories as well as increased showroom space, booth registration numbers have held steady with 3,000 permanent showrooms and 5,000 temporary booths. The market is open to people in the design trade only.

Reed & Barton director of national sales Joe Visotski is banking on flatware and glassware sales with retailers who pulled back before the holiday season.

“So they can’t have much left in the stores. They have to buy,” he said. “I’m hoping we have an increase [from last year’s sales], but if we stay the same, I’ll be thrilled.”

Martin Whitfield, vice president of sales for luxury linens dealer Archipelago, is taking the long view.

“We have to think very positively ahead. Our administration is in place, the stock market is looking good. And if our retailers don’t buy, they’re out of the business,” he said. “We’re all looking at this market to set the tone for the year.”