Jan 6, 2012

Welcome Home Opens AmericasMart Showroom and is Already Planning for Future Growth at Nation’s Only Global Marketplace

“This is the place! Atlanta really is the premier location for the home and gift industry,” said Mark Andersen of Welcome Home LLC, a new company that is opening its first showroom just in time for AmericasMart to present the nation’s only global wholesale and trade event of 2012: The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market Jan. 11-18 Temporaries: (Jan. 13-17), with the Atlanta International Area Rug Market featuring the National Oriental Rug Show taking place Jan.12-15 (Temporaries: Jan. 13-15).

Welcome Home, which will offer “dressy casual” tableware and accessories in AmericasMart’s Building 2, showroom 933, is confident that, with buyers coming from all 50 states and more than 90 countries worldwide, that they will meet their stated goal of expanding their showroom space from 1,770 square feet of showroom space in time for the AmericasMart January 2013 Market.

“That is our goal and we’re confident we will grow that rapidly and successfully,” Andersen said. Contributing to their confidence is that many of the products are Made in America, “which we want to emphasize because we think it’s important,” he said. “We are all veterans in the wholesale giftware and retail business. I’ve been showing at AmericasMart since the 1980s, and we believe we have lines that will resonate with buyers and consumers across the Southeast.”

Welcome Home offers seven lines including Annieglass, a premier line of luxury handmade table art, Salisbury Pewter, a line of handmade silver and pewter gifts that Andersen says is “a hit with all gift, tabletop and jewelry stores,” and Skyros Designs, a line of casual dinnerware from Portugal.

“We want our showroom to reflect our name,” said Andersen. “We want it to be a warm, inviting place that buyers would like to come and enjoy. We’re proud of our lines and we’re proud to be in business.

With their new showroom on the ninth floor of Building 2, Welcome Home is already planning its future success at AmericasMart. “Everything we’re doing in this showroom is based on the assumption that we will need more space quickly. We intend to also go into soft goods like bedding. But AmericasMart will bring in the buyers and we will bring in the sales.”