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AmericasMart
A distinguished panel of judges drawn from the retail, fashion, design and education communities will review the field of submissions and determine award recipients in the inaugural ICON Honors, exclusively produced by AmericasMart Atlanta in partnership with the Gift & Home Trade Association (GHTA) and a national media sponsor.
The team of judges, comprised of individuals with more than 100 combined years of experience, includes four of the most respected and applauded names in the American design/retail arena: They are: Alexa Hampton, president and featured designer of Mark Hampton; Gloria Lang, adjunct assistant professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology; Julian Tomchin, an industry veteran with more than 40 years of experience; and Connie Post, CEO of Connie Post Global Media.
“We have created an unprecedented awards celebration to recognize and honor the industry’s leaders and those on the forefront of innovation and inspiration in the gift and home spectrum,” says Beth Lang, GHTA president. “To ensure that we reward the best, we have secured established leaders and the crème de la crème of the industry. With their expertise and experience, ICON Honors will discover and showcase companies achieving excellence in the designated categories.”
Ohio Wholesale, Inc. and Kennedy’s Country Collection are moving, but only next door. The companies’ Atlanta showrooms are brand new and professionally re-designed but will remain on the 6th Floor of the AmericasMart Gift Mart, Building 2, right next door to the old showrooms.
ASD
Over 2,400 exhibitors displayed hundreds of thousands of products across 100 categories including Gift, Jewelry, Style & Beauty and Value & Variety at the Sands Expo Center and Las Vegas Convention Center, Feb. 28 – March 3. Covering just over 610,000 net square feet of exhibit space the nation’s longest running merchandise trade show continued its “evolution of ASD” with specialized sections attracting every type of buyer including independent retailers, department stores, national chains and internet retailers amongst the over 45,000 attendees. The total number of buyers in attendance increased 15 percent over the previous year.
Representing over 85 countries across six continents, buyers came prepared to write orders in nearly every type of product category including fashion accessories, home décor, gift and many others. Buyers from Latin American countries including Mexico, Argentina and Costa Rica, amongst others, increased by over 33 percent.
“ASD Las Vegas has so much to offer, I can’t wait to share it with my retail clients,” said Cathy Wagner-Donovan, first-time speaker, retail expert and founder of Retail Mavens. For many it was a sign of positive growth within the retail industry.
“This was probably our best show ever,” said Judy Gillman, president of Stockwell Greetings, a greeting cards wholesaler that primarily sells to the value channel.
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The waterfall outside of the Sevierville Events Center, home of The International Gift Exposition in the Smokies® (IGES).
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M & M Gift Shows: The International Gift Exposition in the Smokies®
The International Gift Exposition in the Smokies® (IGES) has always boasted the kindest and most professional vendors out there, and now they can boast one of the most creative vendors as well.
Steven, of Wilcor Outdoors, wore a barrel around the IGES show last November to promote drawings Wilcor held for buyers. A buyer simply had to write down his/her name, company name and cell phone number and give it to Steven. All during the show, as their drawings were held, the Wilcor staff would text the winners who then claimed their prizes at the Wilcor Exhibit. It appears they gave away a lot of cash! Their creativity paid off!
According to David Corrigan of Wilcor, “Once again the IGES show in November did not disappoint! With what turned out to be a record show for us at Wilcor, there was little more we could have asked for out of a show. With our largest staff of salespeople in attendance we had no idle time! We were writing orders and opening new business relationships every minute of the show!”
Creative and world famous artist Jody Bergsma signed many complimentary pieces for buyers in her booth and country entertainer Templeton Thompson sang a few of her original songs for buyers in the Attitude Jack exhibit to promote her apparel line. M&M Gift Show Management approved all promotions prior to the events and encourages vendors to get creative for the 2010 show!
The IGES/SSS Expo this year takes place November 3-7, Wednesday through Sunday, in Sevierville, Tenn. For more information please contact show management.
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This poster welcomed the National Caves Association buyers to their first annual networking dinner in Sevierville, Tenn., and gave recognition to the businesses that sponsored it including IGES/SSS and the following vendors: Bloom Brothers, Cool Jewels, Funworks, Jaco of America, Lantern Press, Play Visions, Safari Ltd., Squire Boone Village and The Petting Zoo.
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IGES/SSS Welcomes Buying Groups
The International Gift Exposition in the Smokies® (IGES) and the Souvenir Super Show (SSS) welcomed several buying groups to the gift show this past November including the National Caves Association (NCA), the Zoo and Aquarium Gift Buyers Group (ZAG) and the National Association for Retail Buyers (NARB). These groups held annual meetings, mixers, cocktail parties and/or dinners in Sevierville, Tenn. Various vendors teamed up with IGES/SSS to sponsor some activities for these important buying groups.
“Our exhibitors truly care about their buyers, they were eager to sponsor various activities and many have already requested to be sponsors in 2010 as well!” said Heather Hoffman, account executive with M&M Gift Shows.
With the largest ever IGES/SSS show this year, there will certainly be plenty of sponsorship opportunities for vendors!
If you are part of a non-profit organization and would like to hold your annual meeting or activity with IGES/SSS during the 2010 show this November 3-7,Wednesday through Sunday, please contact Lisa Wagner, director of buyer services.
Urban Expositions
The annual Birdwatch America show will leave its perch in Atlanta to run concurrently with the winter editions of the Philadelphia Gift Show and Seattle Gift Show beginning with the 2011 editions. Show owner Urban Expositions has chosen these strategic West and East Coast collocations to tap into future growth opportunities for the backyard nature products show, as well as new cross-market buying/selling potential and convenient, cost-effective access for niche buyers outside of the show’s traditional geographic trading area.
The show was most recently held at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center. Birdwatch America -East will be held January 8-11, 2011 in conjunction with the Philadelphia Gift Show at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa. Birdwatch America-West will debut February 5-8, 2011 alongside the Seattle Gift Show at the Washington State Convention Center. Following the 2011 events, Birdwatch America will continue to co-locate with each of these winter editions.
“By bringing Birdwatch America to these strategic East and West Coast locations, we expect to reach a whole new audience of birding and backyard nature product retailers, while also expanding the buying opportunities for our well-established attendee base,” said Doug Miller, president, Urban Expositions. “The Philadelphia and Seattle shows offer cost-effective, convenient destinations with complementary product mixes and space to grow. We think the collocation offers a number of mutually beneficial opportunities for buyers and exhibitors alike.”
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