Market Runup: Summer Markets Swing Into Action This Month
By Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 6/8/2008 3:14:00 PM
Educational workshops and seminars aimed to help retailers stay vibrant and continue to succeed in an increasingly challenging economy will be key at most markets this summer. And as always, throughout the season, emphasis on show floors and in showrooms will be on growth categories. Both the Dallas Market Center (DMC) and AmericasMart Atlanta, and the Craft & Hobby Association, are putting special emphasis on the burgeoning kids market, and most shows will again focus on the growing awareness of earth-friendly products.
Dallas Grows KidsWorld
The comprehensive 200,000-square-foot marketplace for children’s products on the 8th floor of the World Trade Center, promises the addition of more leading manufacturers of gifts, home décor, toys, furniture and related merchandise during Total Home & Gift Market, June 18-24.
KidsWorld Studio, the floor’s shared showroom, is almost 100 percent leased for the upcoming market with several new companies including: Mia Bossi, Modest Mommy Nursing Cover, and Pediped. Buyers may join KidsWorld Studio on Friday, June 20 for a Fiesta from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. that will include Mexican food, margaritas, beer and a live Mariachi band.
In addition, all KidsWorldF!NDS temporaries – which have grown to nearly 50 – will now be located in a larger renovated space adjacent to KidsWorld Studio on the 8th floor. KidsWorldF!NDS will also host a complimentary brunch Monday through Friday of market at 10 a.m., on the 8th floor atrium. A complete list of special events, which include drawings for prizes, are available at www.dallasmarketcenter.com.
In addition to Total Home & Gift Market, concurrent markets at the DMC include Holiday & Home Expo, June 18 – 24; Holiday & Home Expo Temporaries, June 19 – 23; International Lighting Market, June 19 – 22, and the F!NDS Dallas Temp Show, June 20 – 23. New this June is the Dallas Hospitality/Contract Lighting Show, June 23.
Green in Atlanta
Retailers will discover a “green” AmericasMart Atlanta as the spotlight is on eco-friendly product, featuring environmentally friendly educational programs during the July 8-16, Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, July 8-16. Building on the July 2007 debut of the AmericasMart Green Product Showcase, this season's showcase -- located in Building 2 -- will feature a juried collection of nearly 250 environmentally friendly products supplied by more than 125 AmericasMart exhibitors. This year, AmericasMart will honor the most innovative eco-friendly product in the showcase with the “Sustainovation” Award—selected by a panel of independent judges.
During market, buyers will have five days – July 11-15 – to visit more that 4,000 temporary exhibitors, 400-plus that will be new to Atlanta. The temporaries full lineup is:
Building 1
Floor 1: Europe’s Finest
Floor 2: Coastal Lifestyles CollectionTM; Distinctly American; Garden Products; High Country Lodge®
Floor 7: Fine Linens; Home Accents; Home Furnishings
Floor 9: Home Accents; Home Furnishings
Floor 10: HIGH DESIGN
Building 2
Floor 3: Pampered Pets
Building 3
Floor 1: Gourmet; Holiday; Floral & Baskets
Floor 2: Handcrafted Design; Tabletop; Fine Gifts & Housewares
Floor 3: Children’s World; Cash & Carry Jewelry
Floor 4: Body & Soul; Boutique; Write On!; Down to Business; Jewelry & Fashion Accessories
Floor 5: Collegiate Products Licensee Pavilion; General Gifts & Resort; Inspirational Gifts featuring CBA; Men’s Gifts; Collectible Dolls & Bears; Museum Products.
The Alanta market will again present its exclusive educational initiative, AmericasMart University (AMU), for retailers, which is free. Taught by renowned consultants, strategists and experts in business planning, modeling and development, the classes offer retailers an additional and unique benefit of attending market. AMU focuses on explaining how to run a business efficiently and is geared toward retailers dedicated to improving and expanding their stores. Current AMU curriculum addresses three Topics of Learning – Retail Business Basics, Buying & Selling and Building Your Brand – and each offers beginner, intermediate and advanced classes. All classes are held in the 3rd Floor Conference Center, Building 3.
In addition to AMU, the market will feature a comprehensive schedule of workshops, presentations and panels covering a diverse range of topics and categories. A complete list of is available at
Powering Up in Chicago
The Chicago Market: Living and Giving, July 17-23, 2008, will again offer a packed calendar of educational and special events, including its Signatures Series, which promises to provide attendees with retailing knowledge about industry trends from business leaders, and The Power Lunch Seminar Series, where buyers will learn from leading trade and consumer magazine editors and retail consultants. Market attendees that want to attend the lunch seminars must RSVP at www.shopchicagomarket.com.
The Power Lunch Seminar Series includes the following.
Saturday, July 19, Noon–1 p.m., Thriving in a Recession, 7th Floor, Caroline Kennedy, Executive Editor, Gifts & Decorative Accessories magazine.
Sunday, July 20, Speed Networking For Retailers, Noon–1:30 p.m., 7th Floor Cinda Baxter, founder, RetailSpeaks.
Monday, July 21, Internet Strategies...From Statistics to Success, Noon–1 p.m., 7th Floor, Jenny Heinzen York, editor, Home Accents Today magazine.
Tuesday, July 22, Public Relations 101 - Learn How to Get Published, Noon-1 p.m., 7th Floor, Jan Parr, editor, of Chicago Home + Garden magazine
Market will also include its Signature Series in the Signatures Lounge, 8th Floor, as follows.
Sunday, July 20, 11 a.m.-Noon, Gail Reichlin, author, The Pocket Parent and 2–3 p.m., Sharon O’Connor, creator of MusicCooks!
Monday, July 21, 2–3 p.m., Christie Matheson, author, Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style, and writer for Glamour, Shape, and the Boston Globe.
Array of Educational Sessions at CHA
The Craft & Hobby Association will offer a lineup of over 70 educational and workshops during its annual summer Convention & Trade Show, July 17-20, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Ctr., Rosemont, IL. The programming is designed to provide retailers, manufacturers and designers with business techniques and solutions that will carry them through the current economic downturn and beyond. The three different types of sessions - workshops, seminars, and demo-narssm.
Featuring such sessions as “Why and How to Use Classes and Clubs to Generate Store Traffic” and “Actions Speak Louder than Words! Veteran Sales Techniques That Work,” the Summer Show’s educational lineup is geared to CHA members enhance business operations and increase sales. Show-themed education will also help attendees reach one of the fastest growing segments of the craft and hobby industry, the U.S. kids crafting market, consisting of 73 million children under the age of 18.
Special Summer Show offerings include the following.
[] Retailing with Excellence Program: A track of customized education for independent and scrapbook retailers focused on key business basics including Marketing, Sales, and Inventory. The goal of this program is to encourage continued success and growth among CHA’s independent retailer members with take-home business lessons retailers can immediately implement in their stores.
[] Designer Education: CHA’s Designer Education program features events tailored specifically for designer members and scheduled during the lunch hours to reduce time away from the tradeshow floor.
[] Kids Crafting Show Themed Education: Designed to educate CHA members on how to reach kids with craft products and services, this Summer’s Show themed education features sessions such as “Driving Sales Through Kids” and “Grow Your Business with Digital Scrapbooking: for Kids and Tweens!” Attendees will also learn customized Kids Crafting projects and techniques through CHA’s Workshop program.
To learn more about the upcoming 2008 CHA Summer Convention & Trade Show, including a complete schedule of all programs and events, a map of the show floor, exhibitor listings and travel discounts, visit www.chashow.org.
We would love your feedback!
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