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Furniture retail centers lauded

Bureau presents 2009 Tourism Award

John Dayberry

Steve Ikerd (left), Mandy Pitts (center) and Tracey Trimble are shown at awards program at the Hickory Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau office.

WANT TO GO?

What: Tourism Day at the Hickory Crawdads

When: Gates open at 6 p.m. game starts at 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: L.P. Frans Stadium, 2500 Clement Blvd., NW, Hickory

Ticket information: Call 322-3000

DID YOU KNOW?

• Travel in North Carolina generated more than $16.5 billion in tourism-related expenditures in 2007.

• The tourism industry directly employs more than 190,000 North Carolinians with a payroll of $4.2 billion.

• Tourism in North Carolina generates more than $1.3 billion each year in state and local tax revenue.

Source: N.C. Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development

By John Dayberry | Hickory Daily Record

Published: May 12, 2009

HICKORY - Catawba Furniture Mall and Hickory Furniture Mart are winners of the 2009 Hickory Metro Tourism Award.

The Hickory Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau presented the awards Monday as part of National Tourism Week celebrations.

More than half of inquiries to the agency are related to furniture, said Mandy Pitts, chairwoman of the Hickory Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau board of directors.

"We can trace our furniture history back to the early 1900s when it began with manufacturing which spurred economic development," Pitts said.

"Today furniture continues to be an important industry in our community, and also has become a tourism attraction in the Hickory Metro."

Accepting the awards were Steve Ikerd, owner and operator of Catawba Furniture Mall, and Tracey Trimble, executive vice president and general manager of Hickory Furniture Mart.

"Even though the furniture industry is not as strong as it has been in the past, we must continue to produce and market furniture nationally and internationally as it is part of our community's heritage now and will be for generations to come," Ikerd said.

"Each day we have new and returning customers, and last week shipped a large order to Egypt, so people are visiting Hickory and shopping for furniture," he said.

Catawba Furniture Mall, at 377 U.S. 70, SW, contains more than 8-acres of showroom space.

Trimble said Hickory Furniture Mart welcomes more than 500,000 shoppers each year.

"Hickory Furniture Mart is proud to call Catawba County its home and is extremely grateful for the dedicated team effort which was made on its behalf by so many of its furniture friends in the region," Trimble said.

"Through the support and encouragement of countless friends, including area manufacturers, craftsmen, retail operators, small business owners and several others, Hickory Furniture Mart has been able to convert itself into the furniture destination it is today."

The four-level Furniture Mart at 2220 U.S. 70, SE, has more than 100 stores and galleries representing about 1,000 manufacturers.

This is the second Tourism Award presented by the Hickory Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau. The 2008 award went to the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn.

National Travel and Tourism Week is being celebrated through Sunday.