HIGH POINT — Local dignitaries joined industry leaders, market attendees and founding members for the unveiling of the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame landmark here on Friday, celebrating the culmination of a new construction project designed to elevate the home furnishings story in the place where it began.

“Consumers will see the value of what it takes to make our furniture,” said Caroline Hipple, president of Norwalk Furniture and first woman-president of the Home Furnishings Hall of Fame. “For educators and students, this is going to be an amazing, living, growing and constantly evolving place, and we invite you all to be part of it.”

“It’s so important that the people who built this industry be recognized in this Hall of Fame,” said Ron Wanek, founder and chairperson of Ashley Furniture Inds. “It’s great how it supports continuous education in our business and recognizes the importance of technology to inspire young people to be part of this industry.”

North Carolina Senator Ted Budd joined the industry leaders onstage for the official ribbon-cutting. “When I tell people I’m from the Triad area — Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point — they light up and show me a picture of their favorite piece of furniture,” Budd said, prompting laughter from the audience in attendance.  “We’re here for industry, we’re here for you all, and we think we all win together.”

Community destination

Located at 311 S. Hamilton St., the 25,000-square-foot building features distinctive areas within the facility that are dedicated to industry history, education, design, and events including a two-story video wall, an theater, and the Hall of Fame Wall of Honor.

High Point Mayor Jay Wagner spoke about what the new Hall of Fame building destination will represent to the surrounding community.

“Today you are all honorary High Pointers,” Wagner said. “There are great things happening in High Point right now, great things. … There is a natural bond historically between the city of High Point and the furniture industry, and we’re happy that you’re here. It is now a priority of our city and our City Council to elevate High Point’s position in the world as a world design capital.”

He continued, “What happens here affects the entire world; what happens here affects everyone around the world in their home. … This facility will be a beacon to the entire industry as a place where they can come together to celebrate what this industry means to the world and to our city.”

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An inside look

Signature features in the Hall of Fame building include the La-Z-Boy Grand Story Wall, the Loloi Dynamic Story Wall, the Bill and Carolyn Hinks Celebration Hall, the Surya Presentation Staircase, the Furniture of America Leaders’ Bar, the Crypton Catering Kitchen, the International Market Centers Imagination Theater, the Raymour & Flanigan Tribute Wall, a Discovery Center, and the Hughes Family History Center.

The Hall of Fame building also includes space for hosting traveling exhibits with three shows debuting for the April opening. In “The Kings of Mod,” the collaboration of modernist designer Milo Baughman and furniture market Thayer Coggin is represented by iconic Thayer Coggin pieces from previous decades. “Italian Ceramics—A Rich History,” curated by David Gebhart of Global Views, showcases unique Italian décor, while an adjacent display features a historic rug once owned by the Kennedy family and used in the White House.

Other features include: the AICO Building Flame Symbol, the Best Home Furnishings Enterprise Reception Desk, the Bill and Pat Child Vision Balcony Right, the City Furniture Vision Balcony Left, the O. William Fenn, Jr. Leader’s Boardroom, the Karen E. McNeill Women’s Center, the Stephen Knight Pond Library, and the C. William and Julia Wittenberg, Jr. Strategy Foyer.

“I think the reason that people are stunned when they walk into the building is that they were expecting another showroom,” said Karen McNeill, CEO and president of the board of directors. “This is a state-of-the-art venue where the entire industry can come together to celebrate our successes, preserve our history and be inspired.”

“One of the key design goals was to tell the powerful, evolving story of the home furnishings industry,” says Pete Freeman, AIA, of Freeman Kennett Architects. “Its concept is intentionally tied to the history and heritage of home furnishings in a way that is modern, relevant, and able to adapt with ongoing new technology and design directions in the industry.”

Celebrating present and future

As part of the grand opening festivities, Hall of Fame representatives organized the creation of a time capsule that includes items “reflective of our time.” Scheduled to be opened again in 50 years, the time capsule includes more than a dozen items as of press time.

“The Time Capsule is an interactive way to capture and honor the significance of this important moment in our industry’s long, distinguished history,” McNeill said. “This will be a milestone as the establishment of a permanent home for the industry where we can gather, honor our leaders, tell our stories, and inspire future generations.

“Every inch of this landmark building is designed to ignite the imagination of our industry as well as consumers,” McNeill concluded. “ We want everyone to come away from their visit to the Hall of Fame inspired to create more beautiful spaces in what each of us calls home.”

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