Entertainment resources still riding flat-panel wave
By Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, February 11, 2008
Las Vegas — Entertainment furniture resources experienced brisk business at market as retailers sought ways to profit from still-booming sales of flat-panel televisions.
While acknowledging that few have escaped the industry's sales slump, showroom executives said the category is one of its bright spots, and they believe it presents significant growth opportunities in the coming months.
Retailers apparently agreed, as most showrooms featuring entertainment furniture were crowded.
"We were real busy Monday and Tuesday, and I was surprised by that," said Linda Owen, vice president of marketing and national accounts at Riverside. "I was afraid a lot of people wouldn't show up."
Owens and other executives said buyers were receptive to new ideas, new products new and sources.
"Anyone can sell furniture. We want to sell ideas and concepts," said Albert Lin, vice president of Signature Home Furnishings, a home entertainment and home office specialist.
Executives said television consoles and hutches were especially popular with buyers at market, as were taller consoles suitable for bedrooms.
Broyhill, for example, included a piece described as a "media chest" in its new Enchantment collection, and Aspenhome unveiled a bedroom valet.
Broyhill's new chest, which will retail for about $1,099 without a hutch, combines features of a chest of drawers and an entertainment console. Aspenhome, on the other hand, added a fold-out clothes hamper and ironing board to its valet, which also has a drop-down drawer front that hides electronics components.
Riverside's new Splash of Color collection, meanwhile, included a media dresser that has space for a small flat-panel television behind the mirror, while Sunny Designs introduced four consoles that are 42 inches tall and included and iPod docking station.
"We had a good crowd in the showroom, and we had good response to the product," said Sunny Designs President Sunny Hwang.
Consoles designed for bedrooms usually are 38 inches to 42 inches tall, about 10 inches higher than standard consoles.
Eagle Inds. and Kathy Ireland Home by Martin had favorable response to new consoles with motorized lifts, while Primo Designs had good reviews on a new media storage cabinet.
"This was our biggest and best Vegas market," said Holli Hanson, marketing analyst at Eagle.
Also getting favorable reviews was a new entertainment console program at Peters-Revington. It features consoles in three distinct styles — traditional, cottage and mission — with nine configurations per style.
"We had excellent feedback," said Rob Hansen, vice president of product development. "Just about every dealer who came in the showroom said it was the best thing they had seen at market."
Tim Donk, director of marketing at Legends Furniture, said his company's new Kensington Abbey entertainment wall did well. Many dealers will sell it as stand-alone console, but there also was considerable interest in the full, four-piece wall system, despite its $2,999 retail price point.
"I was a little nervous because we don't normally play at those price points," Donk said. "But the response has been phenomenal."
