The biannual international furniture market returns to High Point on Saturday and coincides with a new set of tariffs targeting imported cabinets, bathroom vanities and upholstered furniture.
The levies are intended to benefit domestic companies. But many in the furniture industry are worried that the hit to the global supply chain could lead to higher prices.
Caroline Hipple, a consultant with decades of furniture industry experience, says she’s worried that the tariffs — and the federal government shutdown — could make people think twice about major purchases like home furnishings.
“Strong consumer confidence means you'll buy big-ticket items," she says. "Iffy consumer confidence, you're going to defer that purchase for a while.”
The furniture market has been held in High Point for over a hundred years and has an estimated economic impact of more than $6 billion annually on the region.