High Point Market Inaugurates “The Point” with Robust April Line-up
Furniture World News Desk on
3/18/2018
The High Point Market Authority (HPMA)reports that it is inaugurating its new venue, The Point, located on Commerce Ave, between S. Main and Wrenn streets, with a robust lineup of personalities and programming for the spring High Point Market, Apr. 14 -18.
A ribbon cutting event is scheduled for Friday, Apr. 13, at 12 pm, with a special welcome by comedian and TV show host Jeff Foxworthy, who is launching a licensed line of furnishings at Market.
The Point is the first freestanding, High Point Market-branded venue conceived to enhance the buyer experience.
“Survey results indicate that networking and access to actionable information for building their businesses are top factors in the buyer’s decision to attend Market, in addition to sourcing new products,” commented Tom Conley, president and CEO of the High Point Market Authority. “We invite attendees to maximize their travel investment by visiting The Point to learn and to make valuable connections.”
The Point is open daily to all Market attendees with a valid Spring Market pass. Hours are 8 am to 6 pm, Sat. through Tue., closing early on Wed., April 18. During the hours of operation, a team of Market Advisors will be on hand to offer one-on-one consultations to attendees in need of information or support. Market-goers are encouraged to drop in throughout Market dates for specific events, or to utilize the lounge area.
Each morning, a gourmet coffee and organic juice bar opens from 8 to 10:30 am. The schedule of events and programming changes daily, beginning at 10 am with roundtable discussions focused on industry-relevant topics by well-known experts.
The Point will host 9 roundtables, led by The Antiques Diva, Toma Clark Haines, and designer Chad James; Julia Noran Johnston and the Editor at Large team; interior design business expert Kimberley Seldon; trend consultant Jaye Anna Mize of Fashion Snoops; a panel of Dynamic Women in Design, including design stars Stacy Kunstel, Michelle Nussbaumer and Mary McDonald; Consort co-founders Mat Sanders and Brandon Quattrone; a panel of Style Spotters alumni, including Michelle Wiebe, Kati Curtis and Erika Ward; the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) speaking with retailer Peggy Burns and designer Aviva Stanoff; and Todd Nifong, chair of the International Textile Alliance (ITA) Educational Foundation speaking with Caroline Hipple and other textile experts.
The full listing of programs and events for The Point is located in the Tips and Insights section of the High Point Market website:
http://www.highpointmarket.org/tips-and-insights/the-point.
From 11:30 am to 2 pm each day, the Parson’s Table will offer a pop-up version of their homemade lunch service, coinciding with the Fashion Snoops Innovation Square schedule.
Fashion Snoops Innovation Square celebrates innovation in design with unique activations and demonstrations daily, Sat. through Tue., from 11 am to 2 pm. Technology experts, artists and makers featured include augmented reality specialists Obsess AR, artist and designer Aviva Stanoff, the makers of Norwalk Furniture, and The Trim Queen, Jana Platina Phipps.
The afternoons will feature a mix of programming including celebrity meet and greet events and industry mixers. Visitors may enjoy friendly therapy dogs via Crypton’s Pooch Pop-Up on Saturday and Sunday.
On the networking front, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) welcomes all to their member meet-up on Friday, and the Black Interior Designers Network (BIDN) will host a mixer in The Point on Saturday. Celebrity licensees Drew and Jonathan Scott of Scott Living, Mark Badgley and James Mischka of Badgley Mischka Home, and Donny Osmond of Donny Osmond Home will all make appearances in The Point to meet and greet with Market attendees. The Point will additionally host a book signing event for authors Amy Flurry, Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke on Monday afternoon.
The interior space for The Point was developed in collaboration with celebrated design firm Barbour Spangle Design Group. Lighting, furnishings and decorative products to be used in The Point were donated by A.R.T. Furniture, Buzzi Space, Raffel Systems, Southern Furniture, and Zuo Modern.
More about the High Point Market Authority: The High Point Market Authority, www.highpointmarket.org, is the official sponsor and organizer of the High Point Market in High Point, N.C. Featuring an extensive selection of exhibitors spanning every category, style, and price point, and attracting tens of thousands of visitors from more than 100 countries twice each year, the High Point Market is the driving force of the home furnishings industry.