INSIDER’S VIEW | FROM THE PUBLISHER #oldfriends

I want to thank all of the past subscribers that have renewed their subscriptions recently during our #oldfriends promotion to renew at last year’s rates. Our subscription department was on pause through the past year and we are back to full speed. If you value this publication and the work that our amazing staff does on a quarterly basis, you still have time to renew your subscription. We thank you in advance! The #oldfriends promotion will run through the summer.

I’m excited to announce two new writers to the staff of RUG INSIDER. Brian Robins, co-owner of Kush and Jennifer Samad of Samad have joined the our editorial team! Brian brings a wealth of experience coming from retail and will be delving into many different topics facing the rug industry today. Jennifer comes from the wholesale sector and has a fresh current take on the industry. We welcome them aboard and look forward to sharing their perspectives and editorial on the area rug industry.

As 2023 progresses, we are pleased to see a shift towards color. Contributing editor Cecile Corral talks to top manufacturers to get their take. Check out In Living Color on page 27.

I have a question to ask? How many die-hard Dickens & Ballsworth fans do we have in the rug industry? Well, this publisher certainly is one and I have the tee shirt to prove it. In this issue, Brian Robins talks to Ned Baker of Tamarian and we lear n of his passion for music and the music that influenced him throughout his life. Read In My Secret Life: Ned Baker on page 27. Ned is a rockstar!

With the Last Vegas Market fast approaching RUG INSIDER catches up with Julie Smith V incent of Nine Muses Media who curates trends in the industry. She shares her style insights in First Look: Las Vegas market on page 49.

If you didn’t notice, the summer a larger magazine. Thank you to all new advertisers, contract advertisers and media partners for their contin ued support. Your advertising dollars are key to our success, and we love to show you off. The best is yet come!

See you in Las Vegas!

Peter Woodaman Publisher peter@ruginsider.com @ruginsider