How strong is casual dining? And how do you sell it?

Porter was recently featured in Furniture Today during Highpoint Market October 2022.
Below are some excerpts from the article!

Demand has been down for Portland-based full home case goods and upholstery importer Porter Designs, but it’s slowly coming back. Dining, in particular, has continued to sell.
“We’re almost out of dining,” said co-owner and President David Weiss. “We will have new intros for High Point out of India. We’re also adding to collections already in place.”

_{Porter Designs’ Cambria dining set is crafted from solid sheesham wood.}

“Mostly flexibility in what you have in inventory. They’re trying to fill their floors. They want a variety of styles,” he said.

“We’re seeing a trend toward natural woods that are lighter,” said Julie Grant, creative director and co-owner. “More acacia, more whites. We’re seeing people get rid of the sea of espresso across their floors.”

Like Copeland, Grant and Weiss say when selling dining, you must tell a story. For them, that story is sustainability.

“When you’re asking people to pay more, they need a reason,” said Weiss. “Whether its solid wood or sustainability. We’re planting trees, and we tell customers that. People are spending more on furniture, and they want and need reasons to continue doing so. Especially at the higher end.”

“We also want them to know about our construction features,” said Grant. “You can’t lift our marble tables with one hand. You’ve got to captivate (your customers).”

You can read the full article on Furniture Today' site here.