During the coming week in High Point, there will be plenty of looking back and looking forward. That’s because the world’s largest home furnishings show will continue celebrating its 100th anniversary during this fall 2009 edition of the High Point Market.

The looking back will produce a sense of pride and accomplishment in how far the market has come in its first 100 years. The looking forward – still strongly impacted by the national and world economic downturn – will spawn cautiousness, but also a real sense of optimism because of improvement in some economic indicators.

On Thursday, officials of the city and the High Point Market Authority, along with others, marked the market’s past as they unveiled a historical marker on S. Main Street commemorating the first formal market held here in March 1909. Sunday night, the High Point Market Authority is sponsoring a Centennial Celebration open to marketgoers.

As for looking to the future with a sense of optimism, Market Authority President Brian Casey has noted that a number of retailers who had skipped recent markets here are returning this fall. And others in the business, such as Lisa Shankle of Hamilton Properties, are reporting more positive outlooks and less doom and gloom among those in the industry compared to recent markets.

Additionally, we can only be happy about two ventures opening for this market – Arts on Main, a jazz club, and 100 High, a light dining and entertainment spot for marketgoers in the former location of the J. Basul Noble restaurant that closed last summer.

Arts on Main is a fundraising project of the High Point Area Arts Council, but arts council members’ eyes are set on the jazz club becoming a permanent fixture downtown year-round. That is exactly the kind of entertainment venue needed downtown to serve marketgoers, but also to bring High Point area folks downtown all year long.

The concept behind 100 High also is solid. Its prime purpose, as a temporary operation, is to serve market visitors. More such venues are needed downtown during market. More also are needed in a revitalized downtown area to stimulate business and tourism traffic during off market times. ... But that’s a topic for another day.

For the next week, the High Point Market gets everyone’s focus. We’re glad you’re all here.