Page 8 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - May 2016

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Editor’s Note

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HB2 Repercussions
ACE H. ROSENSTEIN
Group Publisher

Wace@bravobusinessmedia.com
hile having dinner with a good friend and Greensboro 800.774.9861 ext. 601

resident during last month’s High Point Market naturally the
conversation turned to HB2 and its e ect on a endance.
LINDA LONGO
Editorial Director
Manufacturers whose showrooms are always bustling (Global Views,
linda@bravobusinessmedia.com
Visual Comfort, Currey & Co., Wildwood, Regina-Andrew, Four Hands, 800.774.9861 ext. 616
to name a few) were still full of activity from interior designers; however,
MARK OKUN
other areas were decidedly less populated. There were also a few last-
Business Contributor
minute cancellations in the temporary spaces due to the passing of HB2.
mark@bravobusinessmedia.com
My dinner companion was worried, and provided good reason. I told her about several
Contributing Writers
manufacturers who are considering terminating, or not renewing, their showroom leases. Mike Brannon, Cindy Foster-Warthen,
She, also, had heard the talk among those who came to High Point as to whether there Stefanie Schwalb

would be a mass migration to the Las Vegas Market. We wondered whether the remaining
North Carolina-based factories still making upholstery and furniture in the state would soon
SIMONE TIEBER
be punished by a withdrawal of business. “I don’t want to see High Point become the next
Creative Director
simone@bravobusinessmedia.com
Detroit,” she stated. It’s a fair point.
Interior designers were easily the majority of the a endees that I saw at Market, followed
JASON LOWSY

by independent boutique owners and style bloggers. The halls and streets seemed to be Production Manager
lacking in corporate buyers from national and regional chains.
jason@bravobusinessmedia.com

“If a good portion of the major buyers didn’t come, how will the end consumer be able to LILLIAN ANDERSON
Publication Coordinator
purchase the new products that were introduced,” my friend asked, adding, “Let’s say they
see some really cool items from Market in a consumer magazine or on a blogger’s site. If the lillian@bravobusinessmedia.com
800.774.9861 ext 608
buyers for stores in their area did not come to High Point and purchase/see those items, what
good is a consumer seeing – and wanting – something they cannot easily buy? And can the

exhibiting manufacturers still be pro table if they have a big drop in sizable Market orders?”
JEFF DOCTOROW
Business Development
I was aware of representatives from Amazon and Wayfair a ending High Point, so does je @bravobusinessmedia.com
that give more opportunity to online shopping sources versus the brick-and-mortar stores?
800-774-9861 ext. 618
When I asked manufacturers and reps how likely it would be that the HB2 storm would
subside to a dull roar by October Market, no one hesitated to say the situation would be far DEBBIE SCHWARTZ
Sales Associate
worse. Many pointed to companies that are strongly opposed to the law’s passing, but didn’t debbie@bravobusinessmedia.com

have time to o cially react in April (due to HB2 passing nearly two weeks before Market). MARY VALLE
Now, in the months leading up to the Fall Market, there will be time to form a corporate
Sales Associate
response and decision.
mary@bravobusinessmedia.com
If there is no policy change on the state level – the High Point Market Authority had 800-774-9861 ext. 682

stated almost immediately upon the bill’s passing that it would not enforce the HB2 law –

a endance among exhibitors and a endees is expected to drop even further come October. EDWARD FREBOWITZ
The passing of HB2 is a new obstacle that the industry must now combat.
Social Media Director

ed@bravobusinessmedia.com

BRIAN MICHALOVIC
Technical Development
brian@bravobusinessmedia.com

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