Interactive Discussion Groups At Winter Gift & Home Accessories Show

Furniture World Magazine

Pacific Market Center is the first mart in 2007 and on the west coast to host the Retail Advisory Board of the Gift and Home Trade Association (GHTA). This experienced panel of top independent retailers from across the country will discuss best practices in a “retailers talking to retailers” environment on Thursday, January 25 during the Winter Gift & Home Accessories Show. Notable panelists include: · Cinda Baxter, Details Ink, Minneapolis, MN · Melissa Haberstroh, The Burlap House, Boerne, TX · Sonia Mott, Motif Home Décor, Pewaukee, WI · Sherrie Ness, Bates Nut Farm/Farmer’s Daughter, Valley Center, CA “This is a unique opportunity for buyers visiting the show to speak candidly about their business opportunities and challenges and learn from this group of outstanding, successful and dynamic retailers.” said Lisa Goodman, director of marketing, Pacific Market Center. “The GHTA’s retail advisory board was very well received in Chicago and New York and so we are very excited to host them at Pacific Market Center.” Chosen by the GHTA members, the eight-member board was created in 2006 to support and cultivate the industry’s independent retailers. Sponsored by GHTA, OneCoast, Wellspring, Independent Sales Association (ISA) and Pacific Market Center, the panel will hold an interactive discussion touching upon several hot industry topics including: - Ways to Maximize Trade Show Buying Experience: What can retailers do to make their trade show buying experience as productive as possible? - Ways to Maximize the Buying within the Store: What can you do as a retailer to make sure the buying you do in your store is done with the best result possible? - Ways to Promote and Sell Products Through the Register: What can you do to drive more sales through your cash register? About the panelists: Following a successful career as an event coordinator for clients such as the NFL, NBA and PGA Cinda Baxter combined 25 years of graphic design experience and an appreciation for fine papers and took on a new role as a retail store owner. Since opening Details Ink in 1994, Baxter has served on the Advisory Board for the National Stationary Show, two years as a Blue Ribbon Panel Judge for the Louie Awards and become a two time winner of the Retail Excellence Award. In addition, she has been a speaker at the New York International Gift Show the Los Angeles Gift Show and featured in a number of national and regional magazines including Modern Bride, Gifts & Decorative Accessories and Greetings Etc. Melissa Haberstroh is the owner of The Burlap Horse which specializes in antique and heirloom furnishing and lifestyle accessories as well as providing residential and commercial decorating and procurement services to hotels and other commercial businesses. Gifts & Decorative Accessories honored The Burlap Horse with the Gold Retailers Excellence Award in 2004 and 2005 and the Boerne Area Historical Preservation Society followed the honors with an Architectural Design Award. Haberstroh serve as a director and officer of the Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce and as a retail representative to the City of Boerne’s Tourism Advisory Board and Signage Ad Hoc Committee. Sonia Mott opened Motif Home Décor in November, 2000 following 18 years in the corporate business world focusing on executive management training and strategic planning. As a destination stop in the Milwaukee area and known for carrying unique vintage pieces and architectural salvage, Motif was chosen as the “best home décor” store by Milwaukee Magazine. Mott’s store is catered to the higher end market and takes on a different personality every 3 weeks to keep it fresh and exciting for its visitors. Sherrie Ness runs Farmer’s Daughter in Valley Center, CA, carrying on her great grandfather’s legacy of the well known Bates nut farm purchased in 1921 to race, process and sell walnuts. Upon receiving a business marketing degree Ness opened her own retail gift enterprise in the barn in 1985 and together with her husband she continues to roast and package her own products selling both wholesale and retail. The destination business is located on a 100 acre farm where customers come from all over the world to visit the stores, picnic in the park, and feed the farm animals in the farm zoo. This complimentary one hour session will be followed by an informal question and answer session and a wine and cheese reception. The Winter Gift & Home Accessories Show will take place at Pacific Market Center from January 24 to January 30, 2007 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Monday with late night buying available on Friday until 8 pm. The show closes at 4 pm on Tuesday, January 30. For more information about the show and to register for the retail advisory board session please visit www.pacificmarketcenter.com or call (800) 433-1014. About Gift & Home Trade Association (GHTA): GHTA is a nonprofit professional trade association, which desires to improve the relationships between suppliers, retailers, and representatives in the gift and decorative accessories industry. The goals of GHTA are to create a visible, powerful voice for all participants in the gift industry and to provide educational and networking opportunities. About Pacific Market Center: The industry destination for buyers in the Western United States, Canada and beyond, Pacific Market Center offers 100 permanent showrooms on five floors featuring thousands of product lines for a wide selection of merchandise to help buyers keep up with every trend affecting their consumers. Pacific Market Center draws thousands of buyers from more than 30 channels of distribution including high-end department stores, corporate, specialty retailers, home furnishings, kitchenware, events, gourmet food, hospitality, garden/outdoor living, salons & spas, wineries, Internet, and regional chain outlets. Located in Seattle's Design District, Pacific Market Center is open to the trade only. For more information, visit www.pacificmarketcenter.com. Pacific Market Center is owned and managed by The Benaroya Companies.