by Move to space in Centers of High Point Hamilton seeks to bolster its presence among brick-and-mortar accounts
HIGH POINT — Upholstery and wood furniture specialist Lilola Home is making its High Point Market debut this week, which also happens to be in conjunction with its seven-year anniversary Oct. 26.
The company is showing in a small space on the second floor of Centers of High Point Hamilton, next to Albany Industries.
The presentation will include a mix of bestsellers and new SKUs in its sofa-sleeper and dining segments along with newer categories such as fireplace consoles and youth recliners.
Company officials told Home News Now that the decision to show was fairly recent. However, it also ties in with the planned after-market opening of its new headquarters, showroom and distribution center in Ontario, California, not to mention its expansion into brick-and-mortar accounts.
The company started in the fall of 2018 (Oct. 26), focusing on e-commerce accounts. However, two years ago, it expanded its business into physical retail stores and today said it is doing business with a number of well-known majors.
The company already has shown at the Las Vegas Market. In High Point, it expects to expand its reach with existing and new brick-and-mortar accounts, while also seeing some of its existing e-commerce accounts that also come to High Point.
The move also comes as the company recently has expanded its sales force, John Chen, chief executive officer, told Home News Now.
“Any show is a big investment,” he said. “But our team is growing in terms of hiring along with reps in the East Coast especially. We want to encourage our team and help them succeed — and they need a place to showcase our products. So that is how we came to the conclusion we needed to be in High Point. … We are very excited because we are in a very high traffic area. … High Point is a chance for our company to really get our name out there. Let’s face it, High Point is a bigger show than Vegas. It’s the biggest furniture show in the world when you consider all the companies and retailers that go there.”
Andy Bush, vice president of business development, said that when considering showing in High Point, the company put priority on being in a high traffic area versus a large showroom with a receptionist that visitors have to check in with to gain entry into the space.
“Going to High Point is a big deal for us,” Bush added. “We are really excited to be there and really just want to have conversations. We will be talking to new customers about everything we have going on at Lilola these days. We just took a small booth but we feel we can get the job done and accomplish what we want to accomplish.”
Of course, customers will get to see firsthand some of the product and categories that have gained notice among retailers in the marketplace.
“We are always innovating, always trying to develop and always trying to expand our catalog,” Chen said, adding that its in-stock position also is a strength he believes will be bolstered by its new Ontario, California, warehouse.
“We also have a growing sales team and we already have a lot of confirmed appointments, especially with some important accounts and accounts that really matter,” he said of the October market. “Those are the companies that we really want to work with and we think we are in a good position being where we are.”
