Paragon, Propac lead showroom shuffle

Paragon Picture Gallery and Propac Images partnered with Southern Accessories Today as their new sales agency for the Southeast, beginning July 1. SAT, an Atlanta-based sales agency, operates an 18,000-sq.-ft. showroom on the 12th Floor of AmericasMart Building 1/Merchandise Mart.

"We feel our new partnership with Southern Accessories Today will position us for future growth in the industry," Paragon President Lendell Glassco said. "Their sales expertise and industry knowledge will be a great benefit to our customers."

Malanta Glassco-Knowles, Paragon vice president of marketing, described SAT as an exceptional sales organization. "They are known for their experienced sales team, beautiful showroom and a line package of some of the markets' best decorative accessory companies," she said. "We are extremely excited to have them represent Paragon and Propac."

According to Propac President Vince Glassco, "SAT's Atlanta showroom will be the largest product display — more than 6,000 square feet — in America for both Paragon and Propac. The ability for our customers to see practically all of both lines in one place is a tremendous benefit."

SAT owner and President Steve Papevies said he is equally excited about the new partnership. "The quality of the Paragon and Propac product and their ability to service all sizes of accounts, is amazing, especially considering a large portion of their manufacturing process is hand done," Papevies said. "Paragon and Propac are very precise and efficient organizations. We are excited to have the opportunity to work with both companies."

The partnership effectively ends Paragon and Propac's long-standing presence in the Napp Deady rep showroom and also impacts the locations of other wall decor exhibitors. Alberta, Canada-based Art Evolution previously showed its framed art and mirrors with SAT, but now will exhibit in the J. Douglas showroom in Atlanta.

Guild Master, a Decorize company, changed its Southeastern sales rep group from SAT to J. Douglas and will display its wall art, lighting, accessories and accent furniture in that showroom, one floor up in AmericasMart Building 1.

"We had a great relationship with SAT but they picked up this art line, and we collectively decided they would be really focused on that," Guild Master CEO Steve Crowder said. "We have to grow our business and we thought there was a better group for us in J. Douglas Sales. I think we'll end up with about the same floor space as SAT, but it's a different group and we're excited about it. We sell the three distribution channels and our sales reps are just one of those channels."

At the October High Point Market, Paragon and Propac also will show in SAT space on the first floor of the Commerce & Design Building. Guild Master is committed to stay in its C&D 1A space, Crowder said.