L.A. Shows Offer Hot Deals for the Summer Season

You say you like sunshine? Well, the sun will shine brightly this summer on the wide array of resources on display at the California Gift Show (CGS), July 21–24, and the L.A. Gift Show, July 17–24, in Los Angeles.

The 133rd California Gift Show, produced by George Little Management, will return to the Los Angeles Convention Center, July 21–24, with a broad selection of giftware from the United States and around the world, as well as educational seminars addressing new and emerging trends, advancements in retail technology, and merchandising. A full schedule of special events will also be offered to help buyers make the most of their trip to the West Coast.

With the introduction of 250 new companies, the total number of exhibitors has reached nearly 2,000 in 350,000 square feet of exhibition space. Product collections include Body & Soul, Child's Play, Contemporary Handcrafted, Fashion and Jewelry Accessories (order-writing only), Gardens, General Gift, Gourmet & Housewares, High Design, Holiday/Floral, Home Accents, Jewelry (immediate delivery), Simply Handmade, Stationery, Trend/Resort/Souvenir, What's New, and World Style, a multicultural product selection encompassing furnishings, antiques, artifacts, jewelry, and apparel.

The World Style Collections, located in Kentia Hall, continue to be a focal point of the show, covering some 70,000 square feet of exhibit space, and featuring unique products from around the world. The collections are organized into four groups — Fashion & Fiber, Museo-Gallerie, Jewelry, and Furnishings — put on view three times a day in the World Style fashion shows at the rear of the show floor. In addition to the World Style Collections, international pavilions from European and Asian countries will provide buyers with cosmopolitan product offerings. Pavilions include Malaysia, Slovenia, China, Korea, Indonesia, and Italy.

Special product displays located in the South Hall and West Hall lobbies of the Convention Center will showcase the newest, most innovative products at the CGS. Designed in conjunction with students and faculty from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM), the Concept Stores product displays provide buyers with a sneak preview of new products, as well as visual merchandising ideas for their own stores.

SPECIAL EVENTS

The World Style Fashion Shows — July 21–24, at 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. — bring product to life with high-energy performances. Featuring exciting dance routines set to a fusion of music styles, the shows embody the multicultural spirit of the collection at Kentia Hall. (There will be no 4:30 p.m. show on July 24.)

The Island Party, July 21, 6–8 p.m. in the L.A. Convention Center, offers buyers the chance to take a break after a long day of shopping, and enjoy refreshments and music along with the sounds of a steel drum band. Buyers can also enter their name in the many drawings, including one for a weekend getaway. The party features complimentary food and cash bars.

BUYER AMENITIES

The Ten-In-A-Row Lounge, for buyers who have attended ten consecutive shows, features a business center with Internet access, a concierge, morning refreshments, and coat and baggage check.

The Gold Coast Lounge, designed for high-yield buyers representing retailers with at least $750,000 in annual sales, offers all the amenities of the Ten-In-A-Row, as well as complimentary lunches on Saturday and Sunday.

Travel and hotel arrangements can be made through Group Travel by calling (888) 524-7285, or visiting www.gtameetings.com.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

All Roundtable Discussions will be held in the Upper Concourse, room 406

Saturday, July 21

• "Turning Trends Into Money-Making Ideas." 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. An overview of current trends, hot colors and motifs, and growing product categories.

Sunday, July 22

• "Visual Merchandising in 2002 and Beyond." 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Get a glimpse into the future of merchandising tactics with Brian Dyches, including store layout, fixtures, lighting, sensory elements, product positioning, and visual directives.

Monday, July 23

• "Small Store Survival." 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Tabitha Bowling of Whereoware will share ideas for utilizing technology in the business environment, including b-to-b Web sites and point-of-sale (POS) systems.

Tuesday, July 24

• "Ways to Win Customers and Keep Them Coming Back." 3–4:30 p.m. Laurie Karzen of Just Whistle will discuss the ins and outs of retailing

SEMINARS

Saturday, July 21Seminars will be held in the Upper Concourse, room 406

• "Secrets of Shopping the Show." 9:30–11 a.m. Speaker: Laurie Karzen
• Keynote Presentation: "Inspire Increased Per-Customer Spending and Raving Referrals." 3–4:30 p.m. Speaker: Kare Anderson.

Sunday, July 22

• "Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul." 3–4:30 p.m. Speaker: Susan Harrow

SHOW INFO

Hours: July 21–23, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; July 24, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Address: 1201 Figueroa St., Los Angeles 90015

Call: (800) 395-3901

www.californiagiftshow.com

Buyers and exhibitors are invited to take part in an eight-day "extravaganza" when Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. (MMPI) presents the L.A. Gift Show at the L.A. Gift Mart, July 17–24. Thousands of new products in the gift, decorative accessories, and furniture categories will occupy nearly one million square feet of showrooms on 13 floors. The mart will provide complimentary food, beverages, and entertainment, including hula dancers and stilt-walking lobby hosts from 9–11 a.m., July 17–20. For buyers' convenience, the L.A. Gift Show also offers frequent, complimentary shuttle service to hotels, parking, and the temporary exhibits of the California Gift Show at the L.A. Convention Center.

RubberStamp, Scrapbook, & StickerMania, the only national show of its kind, returns for its sixth year this July. For one day, July 19, the L.A. Mart's tenth floor exhibit hall will be transformed into a one-stop product and education resource for the latest in scrapbook kits, accessories, licensed designs, and more. New to the L.A. Mart in July, the premiere of Temporaries at the L.A. Mart will unveil a collection of gift and accessory merchandise in space 204 of the mart.

Rounding out the Gift Show experience, attendees can gain insights from seminars offered by the L.A. Mart seminar program, featuring a roster of industry experts. The seminar program offers tools for building business by keeping abreast of current trends and enhancing retail and design skills. MMPI recommends advance registration to save money and ensure a place. The cost is $15 for the first seminar, and $10 for each additional seminar. Admission at the door is $20, space permitting.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Hawaiian Getaway Sweepstakes, July 21, 3 p.m., space 204. One lucky buyer will win a round trip for two to Hawaii. Look for the Hawaiian Lounge Cafe and Getaway Sweepstakes Entry inside the new Temporaries at the L.A. Mart.

Opera L.A. — Friday Late Night Shopping, July 20, 6–8 p.m., floors 1–10. Visit the showrooms of the L.A. Mart in an evening setting and enjoy the richness of Italian food and music. Strolling opera singers plus free wine and food samples from the various regions of Italy will be offered throughout the floors. Showrooms will host additional themed buffets, and many offer Late Night Shopping specials.

RubberStamp, Scrapbook, & StickerMania 6 will take place from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. in the Mart's tenth floor exhibit hall. The program includes two seminars: "Boost Your Bottom Line with Scrapbooking," by Valerie Dellastations; and "Treasured Memories: A Scrapbook Retail Success Story," by Christine Mesko. In addition, exhibitors will present half-hour demos on their newest products. At the end of the day, from 5–6 p.m., buyers are invited to enjoy light hors d'oeuvres and drinks in a party atmosphere.

BUYER AMENITIES

The Mart Card registration system allows buyers and designers already in the L.A. Mart's database to receive a specially bar-coded card on an L.A. Mart publication. Others can register online or in the first floor lobby upon arrival. Mart Cards are good for badging and admission to all future shows at the L.A. Mart, the Chicago Merchandise Mart, and all other MMPI trade shows in the United States.

The L.A. Welcome Station will offer chilled bottled water and snacks, along with leis to set the tropical mood. In the afternoon, the station will offer reggae music, free pina coladas, and snacks.

E-day@the.lamart, Thursday, July 19, will offer buyers live Internet hookups in the California Room from 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

SEMINARS

Tuesday, July 17 — Gift Baskets Galore

California Room, second floor

• "To the Top: Sales and Marketing." 10–11 a.m. Speaker: Terry August
• "Putting It All Together: Shrink Wrapping and Bow Making for Beautiful Baskets." Noon–1 p.m. Speaker: Juanita Lewis
• "Gift Basket Design and Mechanics." 2–3 p.m. Speaker: Barbara Lord

Wednesday, July 18 — Focus on Design

California Room, second floor

• "House to House" 10–11 a.m. Speakers: Angelica Moon and Lisa Green

• "World Design." Noon–1 p.m. Speaker: Joe Ruggiero
• "Color the Feng Shui Way." 2–3 p.m. Speaker: Angi Ma Wong

Thursday, July 19 — e-day@the .lamart

California Room, second floor

• "Easy But Extraordinary Gift Wrapping for E-Tailers." 10–11 a.m. Speaker: Arona Khan
• "The Christmas Zone." Noon–1 p.m.
• "Basic Overview of the Internet and Web Access." 2–3 p.m. Speaker: Jeff Cukier

Monday, July 23

• "Recognizing the Value of Diversity in Your Customer Base." 10–11 a.m. Speaker: Marilyn Nason

SHOW INFO

Hours: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; except July 20, 9 a.m.–8 p.m.

Address: 1933 S. Broadway, Los Angeles 90007

Call: (800) LAMART-4

www.lamart.com