By Steven Feldman

Some things I just don’t get. Cow tipping; the movie “Napoleon Dynamite.” Disloyal people rank right up there. But retailers who don’t make the effort to attend Surfaces may take the cake.

Maybe it was my six-month hiatus. Maybe it’s the fact this may have been the best Surfaces ever (early indications say it was). But I came away from it wondering how anyone could take a pass. Any retailer who spent his Wednesday night at home watching “Lost,” was, er, lost himself. Las Vegas is the place to be when Surfaces comes to town.

Those who didn’t make it missed an opportunity to see it all. So what stood out? In a word, wood. So many suppliers continue to raise the bar on style—and presentation. Two companies in particular, Anderson and BR-111, pulled out all the stops. Anderson continues to roll out exquisite, unique floors. Combine that with a two-tiered booth that offered a glimpse of the products of tomorrow on the second level (Club Next) and Internet access for attendees on the ground floor, and the marketing department deserves an early Christmas bonus.

As for BR-111, give the team of Ricardo Moraes, Daniel Pagano, Jason Strong and Erica Biser props for the most aesthetically pleasing space on the floor—and we’re not talking just product. Aside from possibly the best exotic assortment at the show, BR-111 attracted attendees with models and fashion shows highlighting its intros. To say the booth overflowed is an understatement.

Then there’s the Mecca that is Mannington. On the show floor all roads lead to Mannington. Four product categories, each enhanced with sterling intros. The mill continues to do all it can for the specialty retailer. Hosting Surfaces’ largest party once again, the featured entertainment was “Everybody Loves Raymond’s” Brad Garrett. Funny guy.

The party circuit also included shin-digs hosted by Tarkett at Studio 54, where K.C. & The Sunshine Band performed, and Wilsonart at the House of Blues, which featured a band of its own. The point is that manufacturers are reaching out to their customers.

Random thoughts: I missed seeing Bob Weseman, the former Mohawk vice president of hard surfaces who passed away last spring…If there was ever any question that Beaulieu has made it all the way back, Surfaces buried those doubters… CCA Global’s latest cash-and-carry franchise, The Floor Trader, will be run by former Home Depot power broker Eric Demaree. CCA couldn’t have picked a better man for the job…

When the Hoboken boys throw a party, everyone comes. Their Thursday night customer appreciation event was packed to the rafters… While the big dogs like Mirage continue to churn out exceptional products, I’m also a big fan of Pinnacle and Buell…Roger Marcus looks younger every time I see him…Resilient supplier Centiva has always flown under the radar with some of the most innovative looks, but its new deal with CCA Global changes all that…Congrats to former Mannington, Formica and Florim exec David Hartman on his engagement to Domus president Betty Tuppany.

Final thought: There is a great bunch of people who work and/or write for this magazine with a wealth of knowledge on a variety of topics. Those who know many of these people know what I’m talking about. For those who don’t, I hope we all get the opportunity to at least speak with as many of you as possible. You’ll see what I mean.
Cheers.