Portland Gift & Accessories Show Pre-Show Report

Furniture World Magazine

The 153nd semi-annual Portland Gift & Accessories Show®, which takes place January 5-8, 2008, is the first gift market of the winter buying season. This January, the Portland market announced that there will be a new design to the exhibit floor and fresh manufacturers and artisans—many of which use this event to premier their product to the wholesale . Look for an increased emphasis on “green” and “sustainable” product this winter. In addition, Show Management has put togethetrader a fabulous after-hours event and educational programming ensuring that buyers will be treated to “more than a gift show.” The Market: The Portland market will include 300 exhibiting companies, encompassing 43,500 net square feet of exhibit space at the Oregon Convention Center. The Portland Gift & Accessories Show will feature a variety of giftware, decorative accessories, personal and fashion accessories, home décor, garden & outdoor product, one-of-a-kind, handmade merchandise, antiques and collectibles, tableware and fine jewelry. Nearly 5,000 buyers are expected to attend the show. “This season, the management team of the Portland Gift & Accessories Show has worked tirelessly to upgrade the summer market. In June, buyers will see a completely redesigned floorplan—making it a more boutique buying experience for the independent retailer. We have also secured a number of new exhibitors and artisans that will use Portland as a ‘launching ground’ for their latest product offerings. With the busy fourth quarter and buyers basing year-end success on holiday sales, the Portland market becomes a more important destination as it will allow the ability to test market new product before the competition nationally,” said Joan Stockton, Show Manager of the Portland Gift & Accessories Show, Western Exhibitors, Inc. Portland Gift & Accessories Statistics Anticipated Number of Booths: 450 Anticipated Net Square Footage: 48,000 Anticipated Buyer Attendance: 5,000 Programs: The Portland Gift & Accessories Show will feature new educational programming. These programs are specifically designed to educate retailers in increasing their profit margins. Please view the At- A-Glance information for complete details. Back by popular demand, the Portland “Hoedown” reception is planned for both buyers and exhibitors on Monday, January 7, 2008—6:15 pm-8:30 pm at American Cowgirls Bar & Grill (conveniently located across the street from the Oregon Convention Center). Seminar Reservations: Reservations for seminars and events taking place at the Portland Gift & Accessories Show can be made by phone, fax, on-line at www.portlandgift.com or mail. Many events sell out in advance and most offer a 25 percent price discount for pre-registration—reservations are required for the Monday sessions. Checks, Visa and Mastercard are accepted and cash is acceptable on-site. For additional information, visit the Portland Gift & Accessories Show web site at www.portlandgift.com or call Customer Service at 800.346.1212 or fax inquiries to 415.346.4965. The pre-registration deadline is Wednesday, January 2, 2008. Buyer Amenities: Discount Day—Monday, January 7, is a bargain for buyers. Seminars are at a reduced rate and multiple seminars are further discounted. Demonstration Theater—Back by popular demand, Demonstration Theater will feature free daily workshops held on the show floor. The effervescent Sue Kirby will “MC” all the demonstrations while Exhibitors will demonstrate a host of different ways their products can be sold, displayed or combined to obtain the highest profit margins. “Only In Portland” Show Specials—Many exhibiting companies will be offering specials that can only be found on-site at the Portland Gift & Accessories Show. Retailers wanting to take advantage of these cost-effective incentives will receive a complete listing on-site. Three buyers will have an opportunity to win $500 cash for orders in daily drawings Saturday-Monday. Attendees will obtain their game cards at the Launching Pad located in the registration lobby, and after having their cards stamped by various exhibitors, they can then be entered into the drawing. Winners need not be present at the drawing. Parking Rebates—Retailers can receive up to $6 for their parking at specific lots by presenting the coupon located in the badge mailer at the show office. Parking will be available at the underground garage at the Oregon Convention Center. Log onto www.portlandgift.com or www.oregoncc.org for complete, updated parking information. Product Categories: Artisans Avenue (featuring handmade goods by Northwest artisans), Gift & Collectibles, Stationery and Trend Merchandise, Multi-Cultural Merchandise, Personal Care Products, Personal/Fashion Accessories, Garden & Outdoor Living Products, Housewares and Gourmet Products, Home Décor and Accessories, The Jewelry Vaultsm(featuring fine and fashion jewelry, semi-precious stones, precious stones, gold, silver, beads, multi-cultural accessories, watches) and FoodFocus (pre-packaged, gourmet food items) and The Vintage Collection (antiques and found objects). Travel Information: Travel arrangements can be made through Group Travel Associates, the official travel agent for the Portland Gift & Accessories Show®. To make reservations, call 800.821.0339 (outside California) or 805.496.1251 (Continental U.S.). Reservations can also be made on line at www.gtameetings.com or faxed to 805.496.1291. Exhibitor/Attendee Information: For exhibitor information regarding the Portland Gift & Accessories Show®, contact Joan Stockton at 415.725.2522. Fax: 415.346.4965. E-mail: joan@weshows.com. Additional information can be found by visiting Western Exhibitors’ web site at www.portlandgift.com. For buyer information, contact Western Exhibitors, Inc., 2181 Greenwich Street, San Francisco, CA 94123. Phone: 800.346.1212 (outside Bay Area); 415.346.0168 (within San Francisco Bay Area). Fax: 415.346.4965. E-mail: showinfo@weshows.com. Portland Show Dates and Hours Saturday, January 5-Monday, January 7 9:00 am-6:00 pm Tuesday, January 8 9:00 am-1:00 pm The Portland Gift & Accessories Show® is managed and produced by Western Exhibitors, Inc. on behalf of dmg world media. The Portland Gift & Accessories Show® and The Jewelry Vaultsm are registered trademarks of Western Exhibitors, Inc., San Francisco, California USA