Karel Exposition Management Draws Large Companies to its Regional Edison, N.J. Markets; August Show Already Sold Out

Furniture World Magazine

With more than $100 million in sales, a burgeoning catalog business and a permanent 10,000-square-foot showroom in High Point, you might wonder why Howard Miller Fine Clocks would want to participate in regional furniture markets. But Shelly Swartz, the Howard Miller sales representative for New York and New Jersey, says the company wouldn’t miss exhibiting at Karel Exposition Management’s (KEM) Edison, N.J. Furniture and Accessory Markets in August and February. “We get exposure with dealers who would never go to High Point,” Swartz said. “The Karel Exposition shows allow me to exhibit my products to dealers who don’t want to travel to North Carolina or who can’t go there for economic reasons. We’ve been doing both Edison markets with Larry Karel since 1995. They have a positive effect on our business. “In some cases, we also have dealers who do go to High Point, but we never see them there, it is so big. We see them in New Jersey at Larry’s shows, however, and they place orders with us.” Larry Karel, president of the 52-year-old management company, said Swartz’ view is echoed by many of his other exhibitors. Karel noted that this summer’s 1,0000 booth Edison market, scheduled for Aug. 1-3 at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, has already sold out -- more than four months before the event. “Last year, we managed almost 6,000 exhibit booths in shows from California to Florida to Massachusetts, and of course, New Jersey,” he said. “Our exhibitors come because they sell at these shows. It’s that simple, but the shows are also a lot of fun.” They must be. He’s been doing them for 44 years. Another believer in regional furniture markets is Kerry Cochran, regional sales manager for Coaster Co. of America, one of the largest distributors of imported furniture in the United States. His company, which is based in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., with seven branch offices throughout the country, will have 21 booths at the summer Edison show. Coaster also exhibits at Karel’s Orlando and Long Beach shows. “We have permanent showrooms in both High Point and Tupelo, but the Edison shows are local. That’s why we show there,” Cochran said. “Small dealers go there, and they don’t go to the big markets. We see a lot of the same dealers, but we always get new accounts, too, so we keep going back. These are small dealers, the mom-and-pop furniture stores. They may not have the volume of the big furniture stores, but they don’t have the overhead, either.” “It’s important to reach smaller dealers in an exhibit show context where they can touch and feel the merchandise, not just order out of a catalog,” Cochran continued. “And the regional shows give them a chance to see different merchandise from us each year. For these dealers, the time it takes to go to High Point -- and the money -- isn’t worth it. They can’t be away from their stores for that long, but they can come to Edison for a day. We pull from New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and eastern Pennsylvania.” Generoso Russo, president of Union City Mirror and Table Co., echoes Cochran’s sentiments. In business for 82 years, Russo’s company is the oldest manufacturer of French provincial furniture in the United States. He’s been exhibiting at KEM markets for more than 10 years. “When we participate in Larry’s shows, we are trying to reach dealers within a 90-to 100-mile radius,” Russo said. “I can tell you we do a substantial amount of business at Edison because we keep coming back. We wouldn’t do that if the sales weren’t there.” Union City also has permanent shows rooms in High Point and Tupelo, and Russo agrees that smaller dealers can’t leave their stores long enough to visit the huge North Carolina market. “A lot of small dealers don’t feel comfortable leaving their stores for more than a day,” he said. “That’s where Karel Exposition shows are important. They fill an important niche in this industry. “ Based in Aventura, Fla., Karel Exposition Management produces furniture and accessory markets in Edison, N.J.; Orlando, Fla.; Fitchburg, Mass.; and Long Beach, Calif. For more information, call (305) 792-9990 or visit www.kemexpo.com.