Highlights of the Decade

As The Gift and Art Buyer entered its third decade in 1937, celebrating its 20th anniversary, another industry enterprise was also observing a two-decade milestone: 225 Fifth Avenue. The building billed itself as "The Market Place of the Industry," according to an advertisement in the magazine's April 1937 anniversary issue.Housing more than 600 different lines of gift and art merchandise, "225" drew buyers from across the country. Major factors in the draw: the building's lines were permanent and 225 was open every business day. Semiannual shows in February and August added to the attraction. The granddaddy of markets was Chicago, home of the industry's first organized show in 1922. When the Merchandise Mart opened its doors in 1930, it became home to the Chicago Gift Show, an annual August event.But during the decade other U.S. cities such as Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Detroit, as well as Toronto, Canada, vied for the attention and the business of a growing industry. Trade shows became an industry standard. While the gift business began centralizing in distinct marketplaces, its leaders were centralized in an organization that united buyers and sellers: The National Gift and Art Association Incorporated. Among the organization's achievements, its officers stated, was "bringing together buyer and seller," which they added, "made for a more intelligent understanding of our common problems." A central organization, they believed, "aided in the progress which is carrying us forward to new records." The association sponsored three major shows: the Boston, New York and Philadelphia Gift Shows. The Philly and New York shows were combined for a few years in the late '30s and early '40s due to "the impossibility of securing suitable accommodations in New York" — a testament to the industry's growth.