American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation Announces Plans for a New Permanent Home
Furniture World News Desk on
3/29/2019
The American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation has announced plans to acquire property at 311 S. Hamilton in High Point for its permanent home. The 17,500 sq. ft. building, located between Green and Russell streets, formerly was the showroom for Flair Enterprises. It is located just one block from the International Home Furnishings Center in the heart of the High Point Market.
“We have been discussing the move towards a permanent home for some time, but this is a tangible step which brings us closer to reality. It is an incredibly poignant moment for the Hall of Fame and one to be celebrated by the entire industry,” says David Gebhart, president of the Foundation board of directors, and founder and CEO of Global Views. “We are thrilled to take this landmark move to secure a showplace that is worthy of this industry and our Hall of Fame.”
“Our new home will enable us to honor our inductees and celebrate their achievements as well as to feature world-class displays, to expand our library, and to tell our story to the industry and to consumers,” says Larry Rogers, building committee chair and retired president and CEO of Sealy Inc. “We have been diligent in our search for a worthy home within walking distance of the center of the Showroom District in order to make it easily accessible during Market. At the same time, we will establish a place for visitors to experience the inspiring world of home furnishings in the Home Furnishings Capital of the World™.”
Built in 1996, the beautiful two-story structure features 14 ft. ceilings, an impressive two-story atrium with natural stone and a grand double staircase in the entryway. It will house the Foundation’s memorabilia, library and the Hall of Fame Foundation offices. In addition, other industry organizations have expressed an interest in locating their offices in the building, with shared meeting space to support synergy among the various industry associations. It also will be available to rent for outside events, both for the industry as well as the community.
Last year, the Foundation hired its first curator and historian as an important step in fulfilling the part of its mission to preserve the history of the home furnishings industry and to tell our story. The Hall of Fame has been instrumental in preserving the organization’s current memorabilia and extensively researching and visiting other museums to lay the groundwork for our new home furnishings exhibits. The new space will allow the Foundation to expand its collections and to preserve materials for future generations.
“We are an organization that embraces the entire industry and we look forward to sharing our new home with all segments of home furnishings in the heart of market,” says Gebhart. “You will soon hear more from us about upcoming support and plans for our new home.”
About The American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation: The American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc., is an industry-wide organization founded to preserve its history, to celebrate exceptional individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the U.S. home furnishings industry, and to inspire a new class of innovation and leadership. Membership includes eligibility to nominate candidates for consideration by the Selection Committee, and the opportunity to help preserve the history and heritage of the industry. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, 92 percent of all funds support our history and leadership programming. The organization currently is based in High Point, North Carolina, at 202 Neal Place, and can be reached at 336.882.5900.