Furnishings industry's Hall of Fame unveils new facility
Jimmy Tomlin, The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
Updated 5 min read
Apr. 15—HIGH POINT — Karen McNeill excitedly pointed to a spot in front of the new American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame building, explaining that that's where the facility's "Eternal Flame" — a continuously burning flame symbolic of the eternal nature of the home furnishings industry — will be installed.
"The 'Eternal Flame' is going to be the selfie that goes around the world," said McNeill, CEO of the Hall of Fame. "People can say, 'Here I am at the home furnishings capital of the world.' "
Truth be known, though, McNeill is even more excited about what's happening behind the "Eternal Flame" — the near-completion of the organization's new digs at 311 S. Hamilton St., a former showroom that the Hall of Fame purchased in 2019 and has since transformed into its permanent home.
"This place really becomes the bridge between the community and the industry," McNeill said during an hour-long sneak-preview tour of the facility earlier this week. "During Markets, we're really here for the industry, but between Markets it's going to be all about the community. We've got really broad marketing plans that we'll be implementing to welcome the community."
While the outdoor "Eternal Flame" likely won't be fully installed until late summer, the facility itself will make its public debut this coming week, during the Spring 2023 High Point Market. A ribbon-cutting will be held at 9:30 a.m. Friday, followed by the placement of a time capsule to be opened in 50 years. Then on Saturday between 1 and 4 p.m., all Market attendees are invited to come see the Hall of Fame for themselves.
Even as construction workers continued installing exhibits and special features inside and outside the building this week, McNeill pointed out the facility's many wow factors that are sure to catch visitors' eyes, from the 25-by-17-foot video screen inside the main entrance to the majestic staircase, opposite the screen, that leads up to a large boardroom, galleries and offices on the second floor.
Between the staircase and the video screen — dubbed the Dynamic Story Wall, which will feature video, photography and messaging — is the Celebration Hall, an open gathering space that can host seated dinners for 150 people or cocktails for 450. A series of placards beneath the screen tells the story of the $150 billion home furnishings industry, and how High Point became the home furnishings capital of the world.
In the center of the building, still on the first floor, the Hall of Fame Gallery features plaques with photos and biographies of the 111 men and women who have been inducted into the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame.
"We have four pillars of how they're chosen for induction — enduring excellence, superior accomplishments, innovation and creativity, and philanthropic generosity," McNeill explained. "So these plaques tell what they did to impact the industry."
This so-called Wall of Fame also features a touchscreen kiosk that will enable visitors to search and discover more about the honorees.
A separate display in the Hall of Fame Gallery honors emerging leaders in the home furnishings industry, the individuals who are molding the future of the industry.
Other highlights on the first floor include the 30-seat Imagination Theatre for showing documentaries and other films related to the industry; a library and women's center, which can double as small meeting spaces; a Children's Discovery Center for introducing kids to the wonders of the home furnishings industry; and a space for traveling exhibits.
"When we started looking for a building," McNeill said, "we went to 12 different museums and discovery centers and said, 'Tell us what to do and what not to do.' One thing that came up over and over was, 'You need to have a traveling exhibit area that constantly changes, so you're not one-and-done.' So we took that to heart."
The first traveling exhibit focuses on the partnership of High Point furniture maker Thayer Coggin and designer Milo Baughman, and their significant impact on the industry. The exhibit, which will remain on display for six months — until the fall Market — features not only furniture produced by the two men but also photos of Coggin and Baughman from throughout their respective careers.
Some of the second-floor highlights include a large, stately boardroom with a retractable door, similar to a garage door, which can be opened to expand the size of the meeting space; a Trend Spotter exhibit explaining how industry designers turn fashion and lifestyle trends into new products; and the Tell-Us-Your-Story Video Booth for capturing visitors' personal stories related to home furnishings.
Also on the second floor are a pair of Juliet balconies that overlook the facility's grand atrium at the front of the building as well as the hustle and bustle of Market attendees along Hamilton Street.
Officials believe the Hall of Fame's new facility will go a long way toward changing the perception of the home furnishings industry.
"The perception is that we're this backwards industry, which really couldn't be further from the truth," McNeill said. "So part of our mission is to make this a cool industry, because we are a fashion industry that thrives on change and innovation, and we want people to see that."
