SF Market Venues Expand Cooperative Efforts, Launch "Great Market, Great City" Campaign

Furniture World Magazine

For retail buyers and design professionals who are serious about furniture and accessories, the Market centers in San Francisco are giving them even more reason to shop in January. The SF Mart, SF Design Center and Concourse Exhibition Center, who began cooperative marketing efforts for the July 2002 Market, have added yet another partner for the January 2003 Market: the SF Giftcenter and Jewelrymart. At the combined venues, buyers can shop more than 600 permanent showrooms in two million square feet. They can find some of the biggest West Coast, East Coast and international brands, including Ashley, Baker, Bernhardt, Broyhill, Lane, Lexington and Palliser. Plus, the addition of the SF Giftcenter and Jewelrymart brings a much larger assortment of accessory and occasional furniture lines to the Market. "The diversity in product, style and culture makes the San Francisco Giftcenter and Jewelrymart an exceptional resource for retailers," says SF Giftcenter President Michael Butler. "Our joint efforts will provide buyers with the opportunity to shop six major buildings at one Market." The integrated Market, which runs January 17-20, gives buyers access to a full range of styles and price points, from high-end designer lines to more promotional products. In all, buyers can shop more than 2,000 national and international lines at the San Francisco Furniture Market. "Buyers want choices of brands, styles, price points, designs, covers and values to make their shopping experience worthwhile," says SF Mart President Michael Gennet. "Now buyers coming to the SF Market will have a much broader selection and potentially more profitable experience than they ever imagined." The San Francisco entities are promoting this expanded Market to buyers through a special "Great Market, Great City" advertising and direct mail campaign, as well as expanded web site information. The campaign promotes the positive aspects of shopping in San Francisco, the West Coast's premier Market since 1915. One of those positive aspects is the ease of working the SF Market. All six buildings honor the same badge, so attendees need only register once. Each venue distributes the others' Pocket Guides, enabling buyers to plan their shopping from any location. A free shuttle runs between venues, and buyers can consult a Transportation Guide for other alternatives. January is also Design Month in San Francisco. "This proclamation recognizes the City's important role as a national and international design destination," notes Tim Treadway, CEO of the SF Design Center. "The comprehensive SF Furniture Market is one of the centerpieces of Design Month, and with streamlined registration and a single show directory, it will ease the way for exhibitors and buyers alike." For edification, attendees can attend numerous seminars by industry leaders. The seminars, which are sponsored by the SF Design Center, SF Mart and the Western Home Furnishings Association, are held daily and cover a variety of topics including design & style trends, marketing & advertising, e-commerce, inventory control, warehousing and management. Getting to San Francisco is easy and affordable. Buyers can fly into either San Francisco or Oakland. Qualified stocking dealers can stay at 4-star hotels for $109 per night, a rate that is subsidized by the SF Mart, and all attendees can take advantage of discount hotel rates that begin at $69 per night. In addition to the offerings at Market, buyers can enjoy a great city, too. San Francisco has received many accolades, including being named Conde Nast Traveler's #1 destination in the world. Readers of Bon Appetit also named San Francisco as the #1 city for dining out. "The goal of this liaison is to make tangible improvements that will bring more buyers to Market," says Michael Gennet. "It provides them with an even more appealing and more productive shopping opportunity than ever before in San Francisco. If they're serious about furniture, we're making SF the place to shop." Scheduled in January and July, the SF Furniture Markets each attract 8,000 to 10,000 attendees. The Markets are open to buyers, members of the home furnishings industry, the design trade and members of the press. Admission is free and doors open at 8 a.m. For more information, visit www.sfmart.com, www.sfdesigncenter.com, www.gcjm.com or call (415) 552-2311.