Archives: News
Urban Expositions Names Joan Ulrich Vice President of New Business Development
Urban Expositions has appointed Joan C. Ulrich to the newly created post of Vice President of New Business Development. Ulrich’s responsibilities will be overseeing the research and development of ongoing new business growth opportunities as well as working with Urban’s newly acquired Airport Revenue News (ARN) division. Ulrich will report to Urban Expositions Management Partners Doug Miller and Tim von Gal.
Manual Celebrates 80th Anniversary with New, Expanded Showrooms
2012 marks the 80th anniversary of Manual Woodworkers & Weavers, and as part of a strategic plan to expand their visibility in key market centers, the gift and home décor manufacturer has redesigned or relocated several of their corporate showrooms.
In Dallas, Manual has moved to Suite 1355, near the West entrance of the Trade Mart. “We believe this new space will permit us to better showcase the diversity of our line and especially our made in the USA products, which have resonated so strongly with buyers this year,” Steve Frawley, Director of Gift Sales, said in a statement.
iota Introduces a Bundle of Color: Two New iotababy Collections Featuring Gifts for Mom and Baby
Iota, a purveyor of trend-setting stationery, accessories and gifting essentials, introduces two new iotababy collections featuring gifts for mom and gifts for baby: the Dolly Lama collection for girls, and the boy/unisex Alphabet Soup collection.
Mimoco Expands Product Line at CES with Co-Branded MIMOMICRO Card Readers & Drives
Mimoco (www.mimoco.com), renowned makers of the MIMOBOT® line of character-based designer USB flash drives, has unveiled a new product line of fashionable personal data storage devices called MIMOMICRO™. The MIMOMICRO™ product line can best be described as a smaller, more versatile evolution of the MIMOBOT® collection.
Sun Protection Never Looked So Good
Best known for providing sun protective hats to the gardening industry, Tula Hats has been expanding their line of casual elegance hats that combine good design with function.
Tula Hats not only look great on but they also provide the health benefits of wearing a hat that has been given the highest sun protection rating of UPF 50+ by the California Polytechnic State University.
From Sandy Davis at Alief General Store in Houston Texas: “My first hat lasted 7 years before I had to replace it.
Classy Bride Presents The Ultimate Wedding Day Solution: The Bridal Emergency Kit
Forget about last minute wedding stress! Classy Bride has all possible wedding day emergencies covered with their new Bridal Emergency Kit. The kit is stylishly decked out with robin’s egg blue stripes and Swarovski elements, and contains three interior cosmetic bags.
ART Announces Atlanta ART Card Participants and Market Event
Accessories Resource Team (ART™), the association for the decorative accessory segment of the home furnishings industry, is pleased to announce the 14 vendors participating in the organization’s ART Card Program during the 2012 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market®. In addition, ART™ will host an event during the Atlanta-based Market.
The ART Card Program, which launched in the summer of 2011, is exclusive to ART™ members.
LockerLookz Turns Drab Middle School Hallways into Fab Runways One Wallpaper, Mirror & Chandelier at a Time
The look of happiness in a tween girl’s eye is when the class bell rings and she rushes to her locker, opens it and smiles. She’s got LockerLookzTM. It’s the hottest trend sweeping junior high halls according to the New York Times, national morning TV and tween girls. Because surrounding the pre-algebra book, social studies paper and lunch bag are purple zebra wallpaper, a lush purple shag rug and a matching white chandelier. All at a price way cheaper than a pair of her Ugg boots!
C.R. Gibson Cooks Up New Kitchen Collections Featuring Jessie Steele and Michael Healy Brands
C.R. Gibson, a leading manufacturer of treasured gifts that preserve, create and celebrate memories, introduces Jessie Steele and Michael Healy to its kitchen collection offering for 2012, two brands noted for their vintage style and sustainable design (respectively). Known as a market leader in recipe organization and storage products, C.R. Gibson is expanding its kitchen line, collaborating with both of these brands for the first time.
Local Merchants Tend to Report Strong Holiday Season
Petoskey, MI – The 2011 holiday season brought gifts such as solid sales performance and store traffic for numerous Northern-Michigan based retailers.
“We were very happy,” said Matt Norcross, owner of McLean and Eakin Booksellers in downtown Petoskey.
New Business Opens in Frontier
Frontier, AB – Frontier entrepreneur Val Hagen has always admired her mother’s love of handwork sewing and craft.
So she decided to make her latest venture, The Corner Closet, a tribute of sorts to her mother’s tenacious spirit and a commitment to bettering the local community.
“The idea behind Corner Closet came from several changes in my life,” explained Hagen. “I was dealing with the passing of my mother and trying to decide whether it was time to end my partnership with Norheim’s General Store and return back to Alberta or continue with business in Frontier.”
Local Sports Fan Turns Passion into a Chicago-Based Sports Retail Shop
Westchester, IL – Can’t get enough of your favorite Chicago sports team? Hometown Sports and Novelties in Westchester can help deck out your wardrobe or accessorize almost anything with their extensive collection of Chicago sports teams’ goods. From the Bulls to the Bears and Blackhawks, and also the coveted crosstown rivals, the Cubs and the White Sox, owner Carlos Arriola’s shop has everything.
Arriola first got the idea for the shop when he and his partner at the time were traveling around to festivals and shows showing sports action figures and other novelties.
Unmistakable Spring Sights & Textures: The Essence of Personal Getaways
Escape is defined in a distinctive, very personal way. For some, it is that perfect vacation spot, the smell of salt water, the sound of the city and for others, it is simply being at home surrounded by things that comfort and soothe. Peacock Alley’s unmistakable sights and textures of the Spring 2012 collection combine and capture the essence of these intimate getaways..
Seaside
Going slightly coastal ~ Enter Catalina. This Italian-inspired watercolor design with crisp hues of navy, coral and seaglass is 100% linen.
Jones’ Rustic Sign Company launches “Custom Box Signs”
Jones’ Rustic Sign Company, Inc. announced the launch of its Custom Box Sign program, offering a fully customized line of all wood box signs that reflect the unique community and locale of each customer. The customized all wood box signs, available in several sizes, are made in their Dayton, Ohio studio by artist and craftsmen that can feature your choice of town, city, beach, island, river, and mountain – any location name you desire.
Shainsware Turns Five! Expands Product Line for 2012
It all started when Ewa Zielinski, owner of Shainsware, musing over her laptop computer’s power cord wrapper which was wrapped around her wrist during her long drive home in rush hour traffic from her Fortune 500 marketing job. A highly creative person, she came across the idea of inserting “tiles” imprinted with letters, numbers and icons into the holes of the “wrapper: to create your own message.
In 2007, Martinoff launched Shainsware with bracelet starter kits in 12 colors consisting of elements (letters, numbers, icons) in matching colors.
Introducing Shains Mini Skinny Bracelet and a Mega Wrap!
Shains basic bracelet has evolved into a new line of three “skinny” bracelets/necklaces ranging in length from 8″to 19.” Now available in three lengths, Shains Mini Skinnies offers sizes that fits everyone and creates more space for your special message.
• Mini Skinny bracelet – 8″ in length and is available in cherry and grape.
• Double Wrap bracelet/choker – 14″ in length and is available in six colors: black, strawberry, lake, ice, cherry and glow in the dark. Wrap twice around your wrist to wear as a bracelet or wear it as a stylish choker.
Sassy Pet Sak Sillo Maintain Popularity at Douglas Company
Sillos are the go-to over-the-shoulder bag at Douglas Company. It’s so very true little girls like style too, and Douglas is giving it to them tenfold. Sassy Pet Sak Sillos™ have maintained their character and popularity over the past two years, and now designers at the plush toy maker and lifestyle gift company Douglas are introducing eight new styles for 2012. The new Sillos™ will debut at the 2012 Winter Gift and Toy Shows.
Designed for ages 3 and up, Sillos™ are a very unique bag in that they are the silhouette image of the animal they are named after.
C.R. Gibson Launches Casual Entertaining Collections For All Occasions
C.R. Gibson, a leading manufacturer of treasured gifts that preserve, create and celebrate memories, announces the expanded launch of its casual entertaining collection from a selection of top licensing partners: Lolita, Dena, Michael Healy and Susan Winget. Following the success of its first foray into the category, C.R. Gibson reaches wider in 2012 to include new textiles, melamine dinnerware, acrylic serveware and glassware, paper tableware and bamboo/bronze serveware to feed this growing industry trend.
All collections debut this January as part of C.R.
Made In America Debuts at the Temporaries at AmericasMart January Market
In an effort to help boost the U.S. economy and introduce retailers to companies whose products are American made, AmericasMart will unveil a Made In America category as AmericasMart presents the nation’s only global wholesale trade event of 2012: The Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market Jan. 11-18 (Temporaries: Jan. 13-17), with the Atlanta International Rug Market featuring the National Oriental Rug Show taking place Jan. 12-15 (Temporaries: Jan. 13-15).
AmericasMart may be the first – if not only – wholesale Market in the U.S.
Primitives by Kathy Celebrates New Dallas Showroom
Dallas Market Center, the world’s most complete wholesale marketplace, and Primitives by Kathy today announced Primitives by Kathy’s new Dallas showroom featuring 1,500 square feet of product including tabletop, holiday, gifts, fashion accessories, and more, located in World Trade Center 3-334. The showroom will debut during the upcoming Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, January 18-24 and host a grand opening cocktail party on Friday, January 20 from 6 to 8 p.m.
“Primitives by Kathy’s products have a unique, whimsical quality,” said Cindy Morris, COO, Dallas Market Center.