By Sarah Zimmerman
Atlanta—Nearly 200 of the world’s premier rug companies will unroll their latest offerings during next month’s
Atlanta International Area Rug Market at AmericasMart here. The market, Jan. 17 to 20, is expected to be larger than ever including several new and expanded showrooms featuring handmade and machine-made rugs in classic and contemporary styling at varying price points.
Chas Sydney, senior vice president of new business development, expects another good market regardless of the tough business conditions. “There are tremendous offerings at this show. Exhibitors are really trying to make a lot happen.”
Hotel reservations alone (already up from last year) are enough to prove the show’s draw, he noted. Aside from that, the winter market hosts five new permanent exhibitors, seven extensive expansions and 65 new temporary booths to its five floors of showrooms. And, Sydney noted 55% of the exhibitors show exclusively at AmericasMart, “so if you’re not here,you won’t see them.”
New showrooms to look for:
• Rizzy Rugs (3-F-3, 5) produces rugs using a variety of techniques, including hand-knotted, hand-tufted, hand-loomed, Indo-Tibet, Gabbeh, Shaggy and Kilim.
• Halvai Rugs (3-D-11) imports products aimed at the luxury market featuring its first collection, Presidio—an array of hand-knotted designs available in limited edition.
• Mehraban Oriental Rugs (5-E-3, 4) offers custom-made rugs, antiques, masterpieces, collector’s pieces and tapestry.
• The Creative Touch (5-G-5) presents exclusive collections of old techniques and designs.
• Monti Rugs (6-E-6, 8) promotes its collection as “colorful, hot, sexy products that retailers need to see.”
Places to go, people to see
Along with fresh products, showrooms and trends, the rug market has a variety of events scheduled, giving attendees an array of learning and networking opportunities. These include:
•
Shaw Industries’ regional flooring market tour, Innovations, is being staged at AmericasMart in conjunction with the January Rug Market for the first time.
• Sandra Lee for
Feizy Accent & Area Rugs global debut featuring Sandra Lee. The Food Network star will make a guest appearance Jan. 17 to introduce her first area rug program and celebrate Feizy’s 35th anniversary in the Feizy showroom (5-B-1).
• MOI: The Museum of Introductions, which showcases the industry’s latest product introductions in a museum setting.
• Paula Dean, Food Network superstar and recently named one of America’s 10 Most Influential Women, will be in Kaleen’s showroom (3-C-9) Jan. 17 at 5 p.m. to celebrate the launching of three collections inspired by her sense of color and design.
• Magnificent Obsession: Night Made Bright, the 2008 America’s Magnificent Carpets Awards, long recognized as the area rug industry’s most coveted honor, will be held Jan. 19 at the Georgia World Congress Center at 6 p.m.
• Walk the Market with Phil: Phil Menendian, education chairman of Oriental Rug Retailers of America, takes retailers on an informative tour Jan. 18 at 3 p.m.
For more information on attending the January Rug Market, call 800.285.6278.
