Letter to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larry Karel

Larry Karel is the president of Karel Exhibition Management (www.kemexpo.com).

Dear Joe,

Just read with interest your editorial in your Spring issue—not very nice of you Joe and I disagree with your negative comments about the smaller regional markets.

I to believe Vegas will be fantastic for our industry if the real estate doesn’t go sky high once the fish are in the bowl—by that I mean every mart across the country has or is losing furniture tenants because of the rising costs.

Regional markets?  I can only speak for myself and want to give a few facts:

1) Our New Jersey market sells out each and every year over 1000 booths with a waiting list.

2) Our Orlando Summer market has over 1500 booths.

3) Our Southern California market twice yearly sells over 1000 booths.

4) Our new Houston market sold nearly 1000 booths for a market that will open in 2 weeks---never have I had a first show with that many exhibit spaces sold.

Joe, the many companies that either exhibit or attend our regional markets do not travel far from home.

These are small and medium sized companies who cannot afford exhibit fees in major markets and for the few that do they get lost among the major exhibitors showing and the attending buyers either can’t afford the cost of what travel is today and if they do many if not all of the major furniture market exhibitors will not do business with them because of their credit rating.

So Joe, again I will say your remarks about our regional markets are not fair, you never questioned me as to how they are doing or if they are getting smaller or why is there a need for them.

Sincerely,

Larry Karel

FL