This is where I get the opportunity to use my four favorite words. To all the people who looked at me like I had two heads when, in the months leading up to Surfaces, I said the exhibitors at flooring’s No. 1 market would be pleasantly surprised, please see below.

Now, less than a week removed from getting off the plane, I stand before you to report that the prevailing sentiment on the part of exhibitors when asked to sum up the show was…. “I am pleasantly surprised.”

Surprised they saw more people than expected. Surprised at the quality of attendee. (The tire kickers stayed home or have already posted the “Gone Fishing” sign on their front door.) And most importantly, surprised at the number of orders they had written. Predictably, those who offered show specials and values were more likely to have the need to refill their pen cartridges.

And before you look at attendance numbers, recall your 6th grade math. Let’s say one year 10,000 retail owners bring two associates to Vegas. The next year the same owner brings one associate. Attendance within this subset is off 33%. Truth be told, who cares? The success of this—or any— show lies in exhibitor sentiment, and no matter what numbers the Surfaces folks release, they cannot be disappointed.

In many ways, this year’s version of Surfaces hearkened back to days gone by. “Re-Surfacing” on the show floor after a five-year hiatus was Armstrong with a presence befitting a hard surface leader. Mannington also returned to center square after ballroom dancing in 2009. There was Randy Merritt and Vance Bell in all their glory, albeit not in a Shaw space but in their ultra-impressive Anderson expanse. And Mohawk executives also found their way to the desert, in either the Wear-Dated, Helios, Quick-Step or Dal-Tile areas.

While traffic in the aisles may not have been classified as robust, that could be attributed in part to the attendees spending time in the booths they targeted. It was hard to negotiate through the spaces belonging to Mannington, Armstrong, Beaulieu, Dixie/Masland, Stanton and IVC, just to name a few.

Off the show floor we found long-lost-friend Congoleum after seven years on the sidelines. And right next door, non-competing distributors All-Tile and Diamond W were offering show specials. Speaking of which, All-Tile proved big-time promotions are not a thing of the past, giving away a 2010 Chrysler Sebring convertible to a random retailer who qualified for the drawing simply by making a purchase.

And while this part never pleases Hanley Wood, the proprietors of Surfaces, many companies chose to piggy-back on the show by showing their wares in hotel suites around town. Opposing schools of thought here: One is the Hanley Wood belief of pay for play; the other chooses to make decisions they believe are best for the company. There is validity to both sides. Startups may simply be looking to meet with prospective distributors and can’t justify the cost of a booth. At the same time, they are potential future exhibitors.

So what were some of my take homes? In no particular order, I was able to preview a new, patented floating LVT that will be marketed exclusively in the U.S. through Ken Peden’s new company, Peden Global, that is truly glueless, meaning no adhesives between planks. Downstairs, B&M showcased two budding hardwood brands: Royalton and Du Chateau. The former showcased the brand spanking new licensed Ernest Hemmingway collection, while the latter differentiates with an old-world oil finish. Talk about different— wait til you see the unique coffee wood species, branded Monarca from upstart Columbian company Coffee Wood International. You’re also going to be blown away by some of the new Lauzon products and colors.

Home Legend could become a real player in the not too distant future. Anderson’s booth remained as impressive as ever—in terms of product and presentation. Gentry Floors and new president Dennis Mohn have a unique hardwood product that we’ll talk about in the next issue of FCNews. And that’s just the beginning.

By the way, I told you so.