HIGHLAND HOUSE BOLSTERS ITS IMAGE WITH A BIG MOVE AT HIGH POINT
Renowned resource for high-quality, traditional upholstery, Highland House makes its move
to the Historic Market Square building with a grand opening set for the October 2004 market
HIGH POINT, N.C. (Sept. 10, 2004) — Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) announces a long-term agreement to lease a 20,000-square-foot showroom in its High Point, N.C., Market Square building to industry leader Highland House. Well-known for its prominence in the European casual upholstery and coordinated occasional accents niches, Highland House was located in the old post office building in downtown High Point, and had been for the past 15 years. With its recent acquisition by Century Furniture Industries, the time was right to align the two companies’ images with this move.
“We are pleased to relocate our High Point showroom to Market Square, a building that maintains one of the highest quality/high-fashion profiles in the home furnishings industry,” said Tom Staats, president of Highland House. “Our new showroom reflects our image as an industry fashion leader, while the architectural rusticity of this fine, historic High Point landmark building provides the ideal backdrop for our unique upholstery and occasional accent products.”
Highland House is now a division of Century but will operate separately from its parent company. Taking possession of the 4th-floor Market Square space in June 2004, Highland House is currently preparing its new space and will unveil it via a grand opening celebration at the International Home Furnishings Market® in High Point, N.C., Oct. 14-20, 2004. The showroom will feature European-inspired upholstery, along with major introductions and line expansions, and the addition of Passementerie: high-Victorian living room upholstery and occasional accents.
For more than 40 years, Highland House has earned a reputation as a prime resource, attracting upper-end retailers and the design trade, as well as consumers. The Historic Market Square building is known in the industry for housing high-end lines like Century Furniture Company. MMPI’s Market Square building is part of a total 2.2 million square feet of space it manages at High Point within six different buildings including: Market Square, the Suites at Market Square, Hamilton Market, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza and National Furniture Mart. More than 1,100 permanent showrooms and temporary exhibitors display in these six buildings. Collectively, the MMPI buildings offer the most comprehensive selection of home furnishings and home décor at every price point.
Market Square is North Carolina’s largest adaptive-use building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It contains five floors of fine furnishings, premium fabric, upholstery and high-end decorative accessories. Of the total 575,000 square feet, 425,000 square feet are devoted to the 100 permanent showrooms in the building. Under construction from 1901-1924 and standing as a tribute to the industry and craftsmanship of its history, Market Square features hardwood floors, exposed brick and massive wood columns.
PRESS MEMBERS: For more information regarding Highland House, visit www.highlandhousefurniture.com, or contact Virginia Gray Kennedy at 336-299-3444 or vgrayk@aol.com. For more information about MMPI and its High Point properties, please visit www.merchandisemart.com or call 312-527-7074.
The International Home Furnishings Market is a registered trademark of the International Home Furnishings Marketing Association.
Highland House is a wholly owned subsidiary of Century Furniture Industries. Century Furniture is part of CVI, a holding company, which also owns Valdese Weavers, Chaircraft, Expressions Custom Furniture and Heirloom Furniture.
Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) is a trade show and property management firm, specializing in managing buildings devoted to wholesale showrooms and commercial office space. MMPI produces more than 300 trade shows, market events and conferences each year.
MMPI manages The Merchandise Mart, Chicago Apparel Center, and 33 North Dearborn in Chicago; Market Square, the Suites at Market Square, Hamilton Market, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza and the National Furniture Mart in High Point, N.C.; the Architects & Designers Building in New York; the L.A. Mart in Los Angeles; and the Washington Design Center and Washington Office Center in Washington, D.C.
Vornado Realty Trust, owner of MMPI, based in New York City, is a fully integrated equity real estate investment trust. Vornado’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and are traded under the symbol VNO.
MEDIA INQUIRIES ONLY:
Joanna Mineau
Director of Public Relations
Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.
312.527.7074
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