March 2007
Browsing the Gift Markets By Compiled By Jasmina Dolce

At Lawn & Garden Retailer, we know there are numerous gift shows during the year that you would like to attend, but you just can’t go to all of them. So we asked representatives from different gift shows to provide us with brief overviews of their shows. Keep in my mind this is not a complete list of all gift shows. There are many other local, regional and international shows taking place throughout the year.

Gift shows, in the United States and abroad, provide attendees with a variety of products as well as useful information on retailing topics, including merchandising, trends, business management and more. It can be hard to choose which gift shows will best suit your needs. So look over the next few pages, and compare what each of the shows has to offer. We have provided information ranging from time and place of each show to their missions and target markets. Don’t forget to check out each show’s Web site to find additional updated information in case details have changed.

AmericasMart Atlanta

Atlanta, Ga.
www.americasmart.com
Mission/background: AmericasMart is the nation’s leading gift, home furnishings and area rug marketplace. It is designed to create a business environment unlike any other by offering an extraordinary mix of specialty products presented in its permanent showrooms and temporary exhibit halls.
When: There are six gift/home furnishings markets annually. Dates for 2007 are available at www.americasmart.com. Registration: Call (800) ATL-MART.
Attendance: More than 548,000 attendees participate in 23 annual markets.
Target markets: Gift, home furnishings, area rug and accessories retailers from around the world.
Geographic region of attendees: All U.S. states and 80 countries.
Dedicated floor space: 4.2 million sq.ft. of showroom and exhibit space.
Show vendors: More than 2,000 permanent showrooms and 4,000 temporary exhibitors in January and July markets.
Educational sessions: AmericasMart University.

Chicago Gift & Home Market

Chicago, Ill.
www.merchandisemart.com
Mission/background: The Chicago Gift & Home Market is a long-running gift and home market. Over the years, it has grown significantly and today offers more than 1 million sq.ft. of permanent showrooms and temporary exhibitors. Its mission is to provide Midwestern retailers with the best selection of gifts and home accessories from which to source for their retail outlets.
When: Takes place semi-annually each January and July. The next show is July 19-25, 2007.
Registration: Open to the trade only and does not require a fee.
Sponsors: The Merchandise Mart hosts this market.
Attendance: Approximately 18,000 retail buyers per major market.
Target markets: Retail buyers, including gift shops, home accessories, garden centers, furniture stores, museum shops and hospital gift shops.
Geographic region of attendees: Midwestern states.
Dedicated floor space: Square footage tops 1 million with nearly 300 showrooms and 1,000 exhibitors in one building.
Show vendors: 800 temporary exhibitors and more than 300 permanent showrooms.
Educational sessions: Power Lunches feature industry professionals speaking about topics affecting retailers today as well as the Signatures events, which feature celebrity authors and book signings.

Dallas International Gift & Home Accessories

Dallas, Texas
www.dallasmarketcenter.com
Mission/background: Founded in 1957, Dallas Market Center is a leading wholesale merchandise resource.
When: Dallas Market Center hosts four major gift markets annually in January, March, June and September. It also holds first Monday and Tuesday mini-markets every month except January.
Registration: Open to the trade with no admission fee to qualified buyers.
Sponsors: The Dallas International Gift & Home Accessories markets are owned and operated by Dallas Market Center.
Attendance: Approximately 50,000 attendees annually.
Target markets: Specialty retailers and major stores buying gift, home, lighting, floral, garden, gourmet, home accessories, paper and packaging goods, seasonal merchandise and textiles.
Geographic region of attendees: Inter-national attendance from more than 80 countries and from all 50 states.
Dedicated floor space: 5.2 million sq.ft.
Show vendors: 2,000 permanent showrooms plus exhibitors in the temporary show.
Educational sessions: Seminars, walking tours and live product demonstrations are offered on merchandising and display, trends, sales and service, marketing and business management.

Galveston Gift & Resort Merchandise Show

Galveston, Texas
www.urban-expo.com
Mission/background: The Galveston Gift & Resort Merchandise show is timed to help retailers get a jump on the tourist and holiday season. Its mission is to provide retailers in Texas with the latest and greatest that the resort and gift industries have to offer.
When: Oct. 14-16, 2007.
Registration: Open to the trade only.
Sponsors: The Galveston Gift & Resort Merch-andise Show is managed by Urban Expositions.
Target markets: Gift and resort retailers, including souvenir; beach and surf shops; casinos; gift, card and specialty shops; home furnishings and decorative accessory stores; mail order catalogs; department and chain stores; floral gift stores; bookstores; garden centers; museums; zoos; aquariums and fashion accessory stores.
Geographic region of attendees: Retailers attend from all over Texas and neighboring states.
Show vendors: Gift and resort manufacturers in product categories including destination, resort and tourist merchandise, souvenirs, beach items, resortwear, t-shirts, general giftware, logo products, shell items, coastal- and nautical-theme products, fashion accessories, toys and games, decorative accessories, greeting cards, paper goods and social stationery, table top and gourmet items.

Glee Birmingham

Birmingham, England
www.gleebirmingham.com
Mission/background: Glee is the garden and leisure industry’s favorite event attracting retailers, distributors, wholesalers, importers, exporters and suppliers of garden, pet and leisure products from Europe and more. Its mission is to keep the garden, leisure and pet industries up-to-date with the latest product launches and retail ideas on the market.
When: Sept. 16-18, 2007.
Registration: This is a trade only event and does not require a fee.
Sponsors: Glee is managed by Emap TPS.
Attendance: 25,000.
Target markets: Garden, pet and leisure industry retailers, wholesalers, importers and exporters.
Geographic region of attendees: Europe and further abroad.
Show vendors: Glee has more than 1,700 exhibitors divided into three main sectors: garden, leisure and pet. The garden sector includes garden care, machinery, retail services, landscaping, nursery and water gardening. The leisure sector includes outdoor living, sports and play, home and gift, and out and about.
Educational sessions: Seminars held at Glee encompass a wide range of retail topics.

Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show

Las Vegas, Nev.
www.urban-expo.com
Mission/background: The Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show is the only one of its kind in the western United States dedicated exclusively to the specialized needs of the souvenir and resort merchandise industry. Its mission is to provide retailers in the western United States with the latest and greatest that the resort and gift industry have to offer and present resources that cannot be found in some of the major markets.
When: Sept. 27-29, 2007.
Registration: Open to the trade only.
Sponsors: The Las Vegas Sou-venir & Resort Gift Show is managed by Urban Expositions.
Target markets: Gift and resort retailers in the western United States, including souvenir shops, beach shops, casino gift shops, card and specialty stores, airport gift shops, amusement parks, home furnishings and decorative accessory stores, mail order catalogs, department and chain stores, floral and gift stores, and bookstores.
Geographic region of attendees:
Retailers attend from all over the western United States.
Show vendors: Featuring 500 booths, the show’s product categories include destination, resort and tourist merchandise, souvenirs, beach items, resortwear, t-shirts, general giftware, logo products, shell items, coastal- and nautical-theme products, fashion accessories, toys and games, decorative accessories, greeting cards, paper goods and social stationery, table top and gourmet items.

Miami Beach Gift Show

Miami, Fla.
www.urban-expo.com
Mission/background: The Miami Beach Gift Show showcases the season’s best in new products and trends. Its mission is to provide retailers with the latest that the industry has to offer and present resources that cannot be found in other markets. The Miami Beach Gift Show also has an expanded selection of jewelry, fashion accessories and other items available for order-writing and immediate delivery to the trade.
When: A semi-annual show held in the summer and winter. This year held Jan. 2-7 and Aug. 25-28, 2007.
Registration: Open to the trade only.
Sponsors: The Miami Beach Gift Show is managed by Urban Expositions.
Target markets: Gift, card and specialty stores; home furnishings and decorative accessory stores; mail order catalogs; department and chain stores; floral gift stores; bookstores; garden centers; beach shops; museums; zoos; aquariums; fashion accessory stores; theme parks; destination areas and export businesses.
Geographic region of attendees: This show consists of attendees from south Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Show vendors: With more than 400 booths, the Miami Beach Gift Show showcases products in a variety of product categories, including general gift; decorative accessories; aromatherapy; greeting cards; paper goods and stationery; tabletop; destination, resort and tourist merchandise; logo products; shell items; jewelry/fashion accessories; toys and games; gourmet; garden and more.
Educational sessions: Educational programs are offered in topics such as merchandising, display techniques, customer service and promotions.

Orlando Gift Show

Orlando, Fla.
www.urban-expo.com
Mission/background: The Orlando Gift Show is a large and long-running temporary gift event in Florida. Its mission is to provide Florida retailers with the latest the industry has to offer.
When: This is a semi-annual show that occurs in summer and winter. This year, Feb. 3-5 and Aug. 4-7, 2007.
Registration: Open to the trade only.
Sponsors: The Orlando Gift Show is owned and operated by Urban Expositions, George Little Management, LLC and Universal Shows, Inc.
Target markets: Gift, card and specialty stores; home furnishings and decorative accessory stores; mail order catalogs; department and chain stores; floral gift stores; bookstores; garden centers; beach shops; museums; zoos; aquariums; fashion accessory stores; theme parks; destination areas and export businesses.
Geographic region of attendees: This show consists of attendees from central and northern Florida as well as the Florida Panhandle.
Show vendors: Approximately 450 booths with major manufacturers and gift representatives in categories that include general giftware, collectible, greeting cards, holiday and seasonal, party and paper goods, novelties, souvenirs, tabletop, gourmet, home accents, floral, bath, bed and linen, apparel, glassware, fashion accessories, garden accessories and resort merchandise.
Educational sessions: Education programs are offered in topics such as merchandising, display techniques, customer service and promotion.

Philadelphia Gift Show

Reading, Pa.
www.urban-expo.com
Mission/background: The Phila-delphia Gift Show is the largest regional show of its kind. Its mission is to present resources that cannot be found in other markets in a relaxed show environment. Retailers will find easy, quick registration; free parking; and an easy-to-shop floor plan.
When: This event is held semi-annually. This year held Jan. 6-9 and July 22-25, 2007.
Registration: Open to the trade only.
Sponsors: The Philadelphia Gift Show is managed by Urban Expositions.
Target markets: Gift, card and specialty stores; home furnishings and decorative accessory stores; mail order catalogs; department and chain stores,; floral gift stores; bookstores; garden centers; museums; fashion accessory stores and boutiques. Geographic region of attendees: Retailers from the mid-Atlantic region.
Show vendors: The Philadel-phia Gift Show offers retailers a vast selection in product categories, including general giftware, decorative accessories, greeting cards, paper goods, stationery, tabletop, country crafts, collectibles, fashion accessories, toys and games, garden gifts, seasonal items and designer/artisan items.
Educational sessions: Educational programs are offered in topics such as merchandising, display techniques, customer service and promotions.

San Francisco International Gift Fair

San Francisco, Calif.
www.sfigf.com
Mission/background: The San Francisco International Gift Fair (SFIGF) is a comprehensive gift market on the west coast. With 17 diverse product divisions, this market brings retailers from around the world the most cutting-edge merchandise to fit every retail niche: home gift, lifestyle and corporate. Many trends in all industries start in San Francisco (the Bay Area), and the SFIGF’s mission is to stay on top of these in order to remain ahead of the competition.
When: This event is held semi-annually each winter and summer.
Registration: Open to the trade only and does not require a fee.
Sponsors: The SFIGF is jointly managed and co-produced by Á Western Exhibitors, Inc. (on behalf of dmg world media) and George Little Management, LLC.
Attendance: More than 20,000 retailers per show.
Target markets: Independent retailers, department stores, corporate gift buyers, online stores, catalogs, hospital gift shops, non-profit organizations, museum store buyers, educational buyers, interior designers and architects.
Geographic region of attendees: The show consists of attendees from the entire United States as well as Europe and Asia.
Dedicated floor space: More than 250,000 sq.ft. featuring more than 2,220 booths and 1,350 exhibiting companies.
Show vendors: Exhibiting divisions include accent on design, at home, details, distinctive lines, food focus, garden style, cash and carry, general gift, handmade, jewelry vault, just kid stuff, the museum source, personal accessories, pet style, stationery and trend, village age and the vintage collection.
Educational sessions: An industry-respected seminar program features two seminars daily offering topics in visual displays, sales, developing and keeping a successful business, and more.

Summer Fair London

London, England
www.summerfair.co.uk
Mission/background: Summer Fair London is a new international contemporary event for the home and gift market. Its mission is to bring United Kingdom buyers and exhibitors an event in London that will offer international companies that have never shown before in the UK. This show is timed for spring and Christmas buying.
When: This show is set to debut June 17-20, 2007.
Sponsors: Summer Fair is managed by Emap TPS.
Target markets: International home fashion and gift, art and card, and fashion accessories retailers.
Geographic region of attendees: From all over the world.
Show vendors: Exhibitors will be a mixture of UK and international companies divided into three distinct sectors: Home fashion and gift, art and card, and fashion accessories. The show will be a mix of fashion forecasts, merchandising ideas and inspiration.

The Torquay Fair

Torquay, England
www.torquayfair.co.uk
Mission/background: To meet the needs of seasonal and gift/home trade buyers in the southwest region of England.
When: Jan. 14-17, 2007.
Registration: Free and open to trade only. Register online at www.torquayfair.co.uk/visiting.html.
Attendance: More than 6,000 trade buyers.
Target markets: Gift, home, tourist and seasonal markets.
Geographic region of attendees: 75 percent southwest England.
Dedicated floor space: More than 32,000 sq.ft. gross space.
Show vendors: Importers, distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers and agents.

Toronto International Gift Fair

Toronto, ON, Canada
www.torontointernationalgiftfair.com
Mission/background: The Tor-onto International Gift Fair features more than 600 exhibitors displaying giftware and decorative accessories.
When: Jan. 26-29, 2007.
Registration: Open to the trade only and does not require a fee.
Sponsors: The Toronto Inter-national Gift Show is managed by George Little Management, LLC.
Attendance: 6,000 buyers per show.
Target markets: Specialty retail; chain; department; gift; drug stores; home furnishing/decorative accessory; bed/bath/linen stores; bookstores; bridal; children’s gifts; craft and hobby; dollar stores; florist/garden; gallery/museum; gift basket; kitchen stores; wholesaler/distributors; premium incentive buyers; souvenir/resort shops; gourmet food and stationary/card stores.
Geographic region of attendees: The show consists of attendees from across Canada, particularly from Ontario, as well as the Western and Maritime provinces.
Dedicated floor space: 60,000 sq.ft.
Show vendors: Approximately 600 exhibitors in four product sections, including personal style, at home, by hand and general giftware.
Educational sessions: Different speakers present topics such as merch-andising, store design, display techniques, selling and customer service.

Vancouver Gift Show

Vancouver, BC, Canada
www.vancouvergiftshow.com
Mission/background: The Van-couver Gift Show, like the city itself, celebrates creativity, innovation, quality and originality. The show has a completely transformed show floor and is now organized into six product divisions: amuse, dwell, give, indulge, reward and by hand.
When: It is held semi-annually each spring and fall. This year held March 11-13 and Sept. 9-11, 2007.
Registration: Open to the trade only and does not require a fee.
Sponsors: This show is managed by George Little Management, LLC.
Attendance: 6,500 buyers per show.
Target markets: Art supply stores; bath, bed and linen stores; bookstores; boutique/clothing stores; children’s stores; Christmas stores; drug store/pharmacy; florists/floral accessories; general gift stores; gift baskets; gourmet food/beverage stores; greeting card/social stationery stores; home furnishing/decorative accessories stores; housewares stores; jewelry stores; museum gift shops; novelty/souvenir stores and toy stores.
Geographic region of attendees: The show consists of attendees from across Canada, particularly from British Columbia. Attendees are also from Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec.
Dedicated floor space: Approx-imately 82,000 sq.ft.
Show vendors: 525 exhibitors.
Educational sessions: Educational programs are offered in topics such as retail technology, managing inventory, sales, customer service, merchandising and display.



Compiled By Jasmina Dolce

Jasmina Radjevic is associate editor of Lawn & Garden Retailer. She can be reached at [email protected] or (847) 391-1004.