Evening star., 1936-12-05
FURNITURE MART
EXPECTING 10000
Annual Event Will Be Held
in Chicago, Janu-
ary 4-16.
sr.ei., DISPATCH to The Star.


CHICAGO, December 5.-For the
twenty sixth time. the furniture in
dustry and its allies-all the other
home furnishings group-will present
a national market at the American
Furniture Mart, Chicago, in January.
'For the twenty sixth time. the goal
will be an attendance of 10000 buyers
and enough orders to keep fac
tories all over the United States busy
during the coming months.
Ever since the opening of the Furni-
ture Mart in 1925, when the tremen-
dous concentration of manufacturers
displays drove buyer attendance figures
to unprecedented heights, that 10000
mark has been just out of reach. When
the Mart first opened, more than 5000
retailers would visit the big building
during the market period-but never
10000. During the depression market
attendance dwindled, but recovery has
brought an upswing that last Summer
shattered all the old marks. In two
weeks, 9,237 buyers registered.
With both prices and sales volume
swinging upward, with inventories at
new lows, with stores facing a short
age of some types of merchandise, with
residential construction and a larger
public buying power guaranteeing good
business through the next season, the
coming market appears to have a
better chance than any of its IS pred
ecessors to top the 0,000-attendance
goal
The market will open January 4,
close January Is. Within those two
weeks decisions that will affect the
furnishings of homes from coast to
coast will be made. as buyers check the
imposing array of new samples and
select the winner. Furnishings in.
troduced at the Mart in January will
be on sale in retail stores everywhere
next Spring.
Great Market Seen.
The Winter market of 1887 seems
certain of ranking as one of the great
markets OF home furnishings history"
Lawrence H. Whiting, president Of the
Furniture Mart, commented. Not
only will more exhibitors participate,
showing every type of merchandise
going into the modern American home,
but their displays promise to set new
standard of excellence. Furnishings
for 1887 will make their debut in set
tings that will amaze those who
haven't attended markets in some time
Improvements in lighting, in arrange
ment, in effective merchandising. have
been little short of revolutionary"
Although the industry's national
markets have become far more than
mere uying-and-selling events, the
principal reason that thousands of re-
tailers will start for Chicago imme-
diately after the New Year holiday
will be, as always, the amazing variety
of merchandise for the home concen-
trated under one roof on the Furni-
ture Mart's 100000 square feet of
display space.
Here the installment store that sells
Mrs. O'Grady will find the type of
merchandise that will persuade the
O'Grady's to increase their modest
budget for refurnishing their home
Here the great stores on Broadway and
State street will find the price ranges
and the style ranges they must have
to keep volume headed in the right di-
rection. Here the stores on a thou
sand Main streets will buy the mer-
chandiSe that will make homes in
towns. villages and farms more pleas
ant places in which to live.
Furniture will head the big parade
Of 1887 models, but the supporting
cast will share the honors. Appli-
ances-looming larger than ever in
the average furniture stores picture
will occupy an entire section of their
own. using most of the Marts fifth
floor. Floor coverings, also. will pre-
sent whole independent show, con-
centrated on the second floor. but tied
In with furniture through numerous
ensemble settings. Lamps will glow
In dozens of displays. scattered
throughout the Mart, but all con-
tributing to the illumination of the
American home. House furnishings
will be included in no less than $50
different displays. Toys, seeking q
steadier year-round distribution to
back up the Christmas peak, will be
shown in numerous exhibits by the
larger manufacturers. Bedding, Chi
Navarro, mirrors, pictures, juvenile
furniture, play room furnishings and
equipment, and hundreds of items
included in the well-furnished home
will be on hand :. plus a dazzling
collection Of outdoor furnishings al
ways prominent at Winter market.
Floor Covering Plans.
Floor-covering mills have again
eimed their opening to coincide
with the Chicago furniture dates, so
that the new patterns and qualities
In both hard and soft floor coverings
will be available.
Second only to the merchandise it..
self in drawing the crowds to the
Mart will be the merchandising value
Of market attendance-a chance to
check the newest schemes evolved by
the factories to lure the bashful dol
lars from consumers pocketbooks. A
new crop of dealer-helps will oe
ready, sharing the spotlight with the
new creations they're intended to
help sell.
Equally as important are the get
togethers at market time of the re-
tailers themselves. Many buyers con-
slider an opportunity to compare notes
with representatives of other stores
the sureSt method to stay out of the
rut Of merely repeating last years
promotions and hoping for the best.
The big chains and syndicates, long
ago well sold on the value of CON-
plete coverage of the market. will be
on hand at the Furniture Mart as