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Navigating High Point Market: Our Top 5 Tips

High Point Market is the largest furniture industry trade show in the world. It’s the ultimate twice-yearly destination for the industry—a chance to visit our favorite vendors, explore new sources, grab vintage finds, and get some industry-specific education.

We’ve been attending High Point Market for years…and we’ve learned a few tricks along the way.

How do we make the most of our time? Here are our five best tips:

1. Go Early

High Point Market officially opens up on Saturday but the Antique Design District opens on Wednesday. We love the layer of vintage and one-of-a-kind finds in our designs.

Additionally, with the lead times right now, this district is cash and carry… you can walk away with a set of chairs and not wait 30 weeks!

Blue Ocean Traders opens up Thursday morning. Get there early and be ready to muscle your way through the warehouse. Worth it for breadboards, vintage rugs, and some unique finds.

Also, maybe our favorite thing: There are fewer people there in the early days of High Point Market. Most of your reps are there already for sales training and are happy to make showroom appointments.

It’s always great to walk through a showroom and really see the pieces and not have it crowded with people sitting on everything.

2. Make Appointments

Appointments are hard to keep if you fill up your whole day with appointments. Inevitably one will run over and put off your whole day.

Only make appointments with lines that are imperative to have a knowledgeable rep walk you through. We find this to be true of our larger upholstery lines + lighting.

Also, make them in the morning so you’ll be on time!

3. Pace Yourself

There is a lot to see and literally a lot of ground to cover. Some important tips:

Know who serves lunch. Our favorites are Elk, Hickory Chair, and Jonathan Charles.
Grab a water every time you are offered one.
Do not overload your day. You’ll get physically exhausted but also be visually overloaded. Get started early with a coffee but allow yourself to leave when you are done each day.

Gathered Interior Design Higi Point Market

4. Use the Shuttle

The buses are helpful if you find yourself near one that is stopping where you are going. Just tell the driver where you’re trying to go and they will tell you your stop.

The Go Anywhere shuttle is the hidden gem of transportation up there. Call and tell them what building you are walking out of and which one is next. Like a taxi, they will come to get you and drop you off. And, yes, it’s free!

We don’t use the shuttle to/from the hotel. Although most hotels offer this, it takes too much time in the morning and sometimes you get stuck waiting at the end of the day too.

There is free parking near the Steele Building—just get there early to ensure a spot. We find this is the easiest spot to start all of our days from. We call a Go Anywhere Shuttle to take us to our first destination.

High Point Market Shuttle Gathered Lindsey Cheek

Guide To High Point Market Nc Gathered Interior Design

5. Walk Down Main

We start with vintage and cash + carry early, then dive into IHFC and Showplace. These buildings are big and overwhelming but the visual delight of these spaces leaves us on a high.

We like to wrap up walking down main to see a few favorite vendors including Mr. Brown Home, Julian Chichester, South + English, and Artesia.

High Point Market is overwhelming but, with some preparation and planning, it can be successful!