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Furniture Retail Tip #42 From Grandpa Mike-e-e! at 90 - Don't Rush Home So Quickly!

Furniture World News Desk on 5/21/2012




Michael Greene (Grandpa Mike-e-e at 90)


Hello again. It is just me Grandpa Mike-e-e! aggravating myself with lonesome thinking about market showrooms at the upcoming Las Vegas market and also, the recent High Point show.

In April, High Point reverberated with crowds of serious, curious, questioning visitors that started coming in on Saturday mornings and started leaving on Tuesday afternoon. A-n-d for Vegas – it’s usually Monday and Wednesday. Five days of market are really a few days of packing retailers in at the beginning, followed by tapering off traffic.

It is my opinion, that the traffic flow is out of whack considering the wealth of product sources and information available at these shows. They are the result of hard work-hours and expectations that fill six months (or more) of talented preparation and hopes. Retailers should be sticking around just a bit longer!

"Oh!" you answer. “We need to get back to our stores, or families and our lives. A few days of Market are more than enough. Are you nuts Grandpa Mike-e-e!?"

Nope! I don’t think so.

It seems to me, this li'l ol' business busybody, that if you are just going to furniture shows to see the same old regular suppliers and do not devote an extra day or two to ferreting out new lines and new ideas, then you are missing the boat.

I’ve also noticed that the daily continuing education seminars at the Retail Resource Centers and also designer seminars that happen on the 16th floor of the “B” building in Vegas and the 11th Floor Green wing in High Point are visited by a very small fraction of retailers that attend.

So, here is my advice. At the summer Las Vegas show, stay an extra day. But don't just visit the casinos or take in the latest Cirque de Soleil extravaganza. Instead, see a bunch of new lines you haven’t seen before and take in a couple of seminars to expand your design and business horizons.

Thanks, again, for listening.
Grandpa Mike-e-e! at 90

Got a question? Got a comment? Great!! E-mail: grandpamike-e-e!@furninfo.com

PS. See the new YouTube music video staring me, Grandpa Mike-e-e! with my granddaughter Becca in a supporting role at http://bitly.com/qALkrX

About Michael Greene (Grandpa Mike-e-e!)

Retailer, author, columnist, lecturer, composer and lyricist.

Came to US with immigrant parents in 1924 at the age of three.

Graduated high school at 16.

Managed a small bedding retail and manufacturing company at 18 in 1939.

Hired as Assistant to the VP of Purchasing (Sweets Corp. of America... approximately 500 employees) in 1940 at 19.

Drafted into US Army Signal Corp - Communications Personnel Div., Fort Monmouth.Tested and selected for Army Specialized Training Program, Rutgers University. Qualified for O.C.S. - Officer Candidate School and graduated as Second Lieutenant, Inventory/ Personnel Division in 1944 at 23.

Married his sweetheart, Anita, and he gives thanks to the Almighty that they are still sweethearts... after 73 years.

Rejoined Sweets Corp as Director of Personnel in 1945 at 24.

Joined his suddenly widowed sister as President of a small retail/ manufacturing company in 1946. Stayed on for 46 years managing the custom designing of over 20,000 childrens rooms and master bedroom beds.

Attended Hofstra University (evening program), and graduated in 1968 at age 47. Two of his kids followed right along at two other college campuses.

Applied for 30 day temporary columnist opening offered by the Reed Business Newspapers in NC and stayed on for 27 years. His retail columns were distributed everywhere from Brooklyn to Bangladesh, to Belgium to Beijing.

Traveled the US and visited with 3rd/ 4th generation retail owners.

He was admitted to the Writers Hall of Fame for, "Conspicuous Excellence In reports and appraisals of the furniture industry."

Retired from retail management at age 70.

BOOKS: (1) At age 72: published first book "Where's The Green Pea?" vegetable character stories including his original music and CD.

Designed programs for primary and pre-K schools and presented them with his Anita. (2) At age 76: Gee! I Wish I Had A Bedroom All My Own," lectured in middle schools (teenage), with tech info for parents, teachers and students in Home

Science. (3) At age 80: Tzedakah - Caring And Sharing classic book with original music CD and illustrations for high school chorales and drama groups.

At 89 -- published Retail Life: How To Get In, Stay Alive a-n-d Love It! in online and printed version for business schools, industry, and entrepreneurs. Includes how-to educational section for "Wise Women Who Love A Challenge" and "Oldtimer Retailers Who've Missed Some Basic Goodies In Business Promotion. Also provides business professors and career students seeking everyday practical trade experiences and business thinking.

Invited to address Levitz Furniture retail salespersons, Furniture Designer Associate members,

IHFRA sales associations, High Point University students and F.I.T. retailer evening sessions. Also accepted as an ASID associate member.

At 90 plus... is a musical playwright, composer and lyricist with original music and thinking for very young and very old America.

Grandpa Mike-e-e

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