Las Vegas Market buyers, new and old, here to restock and discover

LAS VEGAS -- A stronger-than-expected end to 2010 has helped boost the buying momentum among retailers who are here this week to restock and discover new finds. Opening day buyers interviewed by Home Accents Today included an equal number of first-time Las Vegas Market attendees, and those who haven't missed a market since World Market Center debuted its first show in July of 2005. Also this week, we found that, more often than not, buyers were reluctant to stop and chat for fear of missing or being late for scheduled buying appointments with favorite vendors and reps - and we take that as a good sign. Here's more of what those we spoke with had to say about business, their shopping lists and the expanded Gift+Home section.

Our store has been around since the 1950s, my husband and our two partners have been the owners since 1986. We're on the California side of Lake Tahoe and cater to a lot of second homeowners from San Francisco, Sacramento, etc. We sell garden, gifts and outdoor living. Business-wise, we're looking for things to pick up. We've been through a lot of ups and downs over the years. The past couple of years have been a little tough. We've hosted some social events on our patio, and we rent out our gazebo - there was a wedding there just last weekend. And we plan to expand that with some nice umbrellas, little lights, small trees. You have to reinvent yourself. -- John and Leslie Hyche (right), McBride's Nursery, Tahoe City, Calif.

This is my fourth year here. I love the Gift+Home section - there's a lot more in the section than last time. It's a nice addition to a market that traditionally was furniture only, and offers a more complete look. For me it's especially good because I'm not a big furniture store and in the past two to three years, gifts and small items have really saved us. Having Gift+Home here offers more of a one-stop shopping opportunity. Do I think it could affect the other gift markets? Well, I've never been to the California gift show -- I've heard a lot of good things about it, but I always shop in Seattle, and I know of a lot of other stores that still rely on the Seattle show. Business-wise, our Christmas started out a little scary at first, but we're up about 15%. I feel like people are ready to spend their money, but they're still trying to find the bargains. I have more people coming in and asking for discounts. So this week I'm looking for things that are reasonable, with value. I think the market is still going in that direction. -- A Liengboonlertchai, Simplicity Décor, Kirkland, Wash.

We're in Leon, in Central Mexico, near San Miguel de Allende. We've been in business for five years, most of the styles we sell are for patio or indoors - casual, comfortable, a lot of rattan, furniture, accessories, some woven rugs, small items -- nothing synthetic, no leather, no plastic. This is our first time at the Las Vegas Market. We came in yesterday, and are going to stay four days. It's very nice, very easy to get around, the people downstairs were very helpful, explained the layout. As for business, we've been growing since 2007, the year we opened. The kind of products we're bringing to the Mexico market are different from the normal products people sell there, so for me it's been good. -- Daniel and Amalia Mendiola, Casa Mendiola, Leon, Mexico

We're buying wall décor, seasonal and mirrors. We come to Vegas twice a year, since it first opened. We also go to Atlanta and Dallas. We're not looking for any particular styles, just different materials, anything new, continuing to make sure we show our customers a value, that's what Kirkland's is known for. We just want to make sure we're offering that to the customer. -- Carri Crawford and Erin Watson, Kirkland's, Nashville, Tenn.

We're an interior design business, open since 2005, and we have a small retail showroom. Our style is pretty much everything. We're in Cleveland, so a lot of traditional... and we try to do things a little bit edgy, some modern, classic. This is our first time in Las Vegas. We usually go to High Point. But we literally just got here and have only been to five or six different places. Business was actually good, kind of crazy over the holidays. I can't say I'm looking for anything special here. Though I do need to find some contract lines, some contract furniture ... new lines we haven't seen. Just something we can bring home that other people haven't seen yet. -- Andrew Blank and Garryd Koynock, Interiors by Andrew Blank, Cleveland, Ohio

We're interior designers, based here. We come pretty much to every market. This time, we're looking for island, tropical. Has anything caught our eye yet? Yes, this whole showroom (Palecek). We love everything. -- Stephanie Foster and Karol Kubinski, Karol's Kreations, Las Vegas

I'm from Las Vegas, and I go to design school in Utah, at Bridgerland. My aunt, an interior designer, comes here every year. This is my first time here, and we're waiting for the next seminar to begin. I've always wanted to come here; it's so nice and I like everything I've seen so far. -- Zaira Benson, Las Vegas