Atlanta—The summer 2004 Atlanta International Area Rug Market—co-sponsored by the Oriental Rug Retailers of America (ORRA)—gave retailers an exciting and unmatched selection of merchandise that only the nation’s largest collection of area rug product could deliver, noted Chas Sydney, senior vice president of floor coverings and external new business development for AmerciasMart• Atlanta’s parent company, AMC. From July 11 to 14, area rug and home furnishings retailers shopped the area rug showrooms and discovered thousands of handmade and power-loomed area rugs in every style, at every price point in classic and contemporary styling well suited to any retail environment, said Sydney.

Crowning the market was the 11th annual AmericasMart•Atlanta Rug Retailer of the Year (ROY) Awards. Each summer, the ROY Awards salutes outstanding achievement among the nation’s premier area rug dealers. All ROY nominees are nominated by AmerciasMart area rug exhibitors and are then voted on by an independent panel of industry experts. A capacity crowd was on hand at the Capital City Club here to recognize and celebrate the winners in the following categories—Creative Selling: Worldwide Wholesale Floor Coverings; Outstanding Merchandising: Shaver-Ramsey; Oriental Rug Specialist: Rug Decor; Floor Covering Specialty Store: Riemer Rugs; Furniture Retailer: Haverty’s Fine Furniture, and Department/Chain or Mass Merchant: Ross Dress For Less. —Louis Iannaco