by Steve Feldman
This is going to be a good year. Don’t ask me how I know; I just feel it.
I’m feeling good because the economy seems to be improving slowly but surely. It’s just that we haven’t felt it yet because it is not being led by the consumer or housing; B2B is what’s leading this time around.
I’m feeling good because no matter what market I’ve attended since November—Karastan, Floorscapes/ColorCenter, the Dallas markets, the CCA Global conventions—the retailers have had positive outlooks and been backing up those attitudes with their wallets.
But I’m also feeling good because this is a special year for Floor Covering News: our 25th anniversary. I’ve only been a part of the magazine for one-fifth of its existence, but these last five have been the most rewarding of my professional career. If you look at the charts on page 42 you can see why. I’m part of an industry-leading magazine, one that has the highest frequency and one that publishes 100 more editorial pages than our nearest competitor. And given the quality of the editorial on those pages, I know we are really making a difference for our readers.
Our readers are very important to us, which is why I would like to get as many as possible involved in our silver anniversary. In May we will be publishing a special 25th anniversary issue, and we would love your input. Among the features in the magazine will be a number of “top 25” lists encompassing the last 25 years. They will include:
•Events
•Innovations
•People
•Women helping to shape the industry today
•Those no longer with us
•Retail tips
•Do-overs
•Where are they now
•Things we’ve learned
And a whole lot more. I’d like anyone with a computer and keyboard to send some emails our way and submit some entries for our consideration in any one of the categories listed above. Of course, many categories have their obvious inclusions, so you don’t need to tell us that Bob Shaw was one of the most important people in the last 25 years. Nor do you have to tell us that laminate flooring was one of most important innovations. But we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to think a little outside the box. Email steve@fcnews.net.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Surfaces. By the time you read this you’ve long since made your decision whether to attend. I know there are the Shaw and Mohawk regionals and for some of you the retail group conventions. There’s a limit to how many shows one can attend. But if you are not making the trip to Las Vegas this year, think long and hard about next year. The Hanley Wood folks do an amazing job at putting on an event that not only creates value for attendees, but the educational conference, this year sponsored by FCNews, is second to none. Manufacturers offer an array of show specials, so you can actually make money by coming to the show. And you can go for two days and spend under $500. And if you happen to be a member of the World Floor Covering Association, the event qualifies for a scholarship of up to $500. So, in essence, you could actually attend at no cost.