High Point readies soft goods pavilion

-- Home Textiles Today, 8/31/2009 10:01:00 AM

High Point, N.C. – Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. (MMPI) s opening the top floor of Suites at Market Square to a new group of approximately 40 home furnishings suppliers, including eight home textiles suppliers for the High Point furniture market.

The Suites already occupies two floors featuring temporary or seasonal suppliers across all segments of the home furnishings business. The new Softgoods and Textiles Pavilion is part of the plan to offer more product during the major furniture/home furnishings market held here in April and October each year, said Brian Bunch, vp, leasing for MMPI here.

“We are interested in suppliers who service the interior design trade with cut order yardage, sample books and custom orders in decorative fabrics, trimmings, decorative pillows and top of the bed.” MMPI has a roster of more than 10,000 interior designers who visit the semi-annual market here, he said.

At this point, he added, 20 companies are in some stages of contract negotiations for the new pavilion on the top floor of the three-level Suites that connect to Market Square Tower, which houses rug and decorative textiles firms. The new pavilion spaces range from 200 to 600 square feet, and exhibitors that also show at Showtime in June and December will be able to keep their spaces intact year-round, he explained.

Those already signed in the new pavilion are BrentwoodTextiles/Palette Fabrics, Brimer, Catania Silks, Europatex, Rose Lace & Braid, Texture and Unique Quality Fabrics, all exhibitors at Showtime in the Suites, and United Supply Co. There are a number of exhibitors in the home textiles segment that have been exhibiting at the furniture market in the Suites for several years.