North Mississippi produces the most upholstered furniture in the country and for the last four days the Tupelo Furniture Market has been the biggest hot spot in the city. The market has been around for thirty years and has grown since then.  With six buildings and two million square feet exhibit space, many manufacturers choose to come here and showcase their furniture instead of elsewhere.  

"It was good.  It was comparable to previous years.  Sometimes the traffic patterns are heavy and early, light or late.  This market we had a lot of people come in early before the furniture market began," said Kevin Seddon, the president of the Tupelo Furniture Market.

"We had a good turnout for that and we also have had designers come through all week.  I mean we been having steady traffic for the entire week," said Renah Pettigrew, mangaer of Wade's Fine Furnishings. 

Buyers have their eyes on specific items, but...

"There always looking for good upholstery buys, but then of course they are looking for case goods which is hard wood furniture, bedroom furniture and kitchen furniture," said Seddon.

This particular market pulls buyers from 40 states and internationally Canada, China, and the Middle East.  

"It's thousands of buyers.  We actually don't know the totals until after the market, but it's usually six to eight thousand," says Seddon.

"It brings buyers in from the region that set aside this week to come and buy new products," says Pettigrew.

Meaning millions of dollars were spent the last few days. 20 to 30 new companies will be participating in the next market. It will also feature lots of decorative items such as wall hangers, candles, and soaps.  The reason for this is because more women have joined the business and changed the nature of it.

"Female retail operators that have a very diverse floor where they will have furniture, but they will also have these other items cause their target is women buyers and we're gonna have a major focus on that," said Seddon.

(Source: wtva.com  Author: Gabby Boyd)