When High Point Market opens on April 22, a long list of home furnishings exhibitors will debut new addresses and refreshed spaces.
“We’re witnessing the largest expansion of showroom space in 10 years,” says Tom Conley, President & CEO of the High Point Market Authority. “Exhibitor companies are bullish to grow sales by enlarging their trade show footprint.”
Fresh off the brand’s 2016 World Tour, Christopher Guy will officially unveil a new 20,000-sq.-ft. building at 129 South Hamilton Street. The building, owned by International Market Centers (IMC), is the first to be constructed from the ground up specifically for Market since 2005, according IMC and the City of High Point Planning and Development Office.
“This is the perfect way to celebrate our 10th anniversary in April,” notes Christopher Guy Harrison, founder of Christopher Guy. “High Point is a central market in the world of furniture with widespread recognition as an international buyers’ destination. It is a huge honor to bring a unique building to High Point Market. Our brand has enjoyed long term success here and we are proud to be part of this vibrant and productive community.”
Operating as the flagship showroom for Los Angeles-based Cisco Brothers since 2008, the historic building formerly used as a textile mill at 1014 Mill Ave. opens at Spring Market as a new multi-tenant destination dubbed Mill Village Collective. The building has been renovated using LEED standards and will now house multiple, new-to-Market exhibitors in addition to the Cisco Brothers’ showroom.
New-York based Art Addiction, which specializes in in-house production of high-end artwork, invested more than $1 million in a new permanent High Point showroom located at 118 W. Russell Avenue. The 11,000-sq.-ft. building will reportedly be High Point’s largest-ever art showroom.
Other exhibitors have planned showroom moves, including Elements International, which is moving to 411 S. Main St., a historic building that once housed the High Point Public Library and more recently was home to the Swaim Design Center and Christopher Guy. Prints Charming Soho has purchased and moved into 325 N. Main St., formerly Adam’s Furniture. Bennett Galleries is moving to 315 W. Russell Avenue; New Growth Designs is moving to 422 N. Hamilton St.; Luke Leather is moving to 401 S. Wrenn Street; and Olliix/JFA Home is renovating and moving into the old Post Office building at 100 E. Green Dr.
Within the multi-tenant buildings, more exhibitors are moving to accommodate their growing needs. International Market Centers reports several major expansions, including Mercana, moving from a 5,800-sq.-ft. showroom in Showplace to a 21,000-sq.-ft. showroom in IHFC; Palacek increases their IHFC showroom space by more than 3,000 square feet; and Standard expands their Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines showroom in IHFC by more than 3,000 square feet.
In the 220 Elm building, three exhibitors are increasing their showroom space in time for Spring Market. Gorini celebrates its 30th anniversary by expanding into a 3,300-sq.-ft. showroom. Kinwai adds more than 3,500 square feet of new showroom space, and Design Evolution has also increased showroom space.
The recently renovated Atrium on Main will welcome two new exhibitors for Spring Market: Bernards Furniture Group will increase its High Point presence by 60 percent, moving to a nearly 28,000-sq.-ft. showroom. Likewise, Bauhaus Furniture Group will increase its space by 25 percent in its new 20,000-sq.-ft. showroom.New Showroom Buildings Set to Debut in High Point
Additional projects are already under way for future Markets. Construction is nearing completion for New Classic Furniture, with a five-story addition that will add 50,000 square feet to its existing 30,000-sq.-ft. building located at 135 S. Hamilton Street. The owners of 200 Steele have begun expanding their building by about 100,000 square feet to accommodate Highland House for the October 2017 Market, and Century Furniture, which plans to move in time for the April 2018 Market. Also planning an April 2018 debut, the parent company for brands Holland House, Davis International, Folio 21 and Step One is reportedly investing more than $10 million in a new showroom building located at 449 S. Wrenn Street
