Archives: News
A taste of Austria
Portsmouth — Austrian products in downtown Portsmouth?
Yes — thanks to Sonja Echt, who opened Edelweiss last week.
The official grand opening will be held on Friday and Saturday, complete with refreshments, including champagne and goodies.
Echt met her husband, a physics professor at the University of New Hampshire, when she was still working and living in Innsbruck, in the Austrian region of Tirol. In fact, Echt was her future husband’s landlord.
The two fell in love and for some years it was a commuter marriage.
Christmasworld – The World of Event Decoration International Frankfurt Fair
Christmasworld 2009 – more exhibitor registrations than this time last year
San Francisco ‘Neighborhoods’ theme to February gift fair
(San Francisco, Calif.) — There’s a reason that San Francisco is America’s favorite city. Unrivaled scenery, unequaled cuisine, and unparalleled cultural offerings make the City by the Bay a uniquely important destination to be part of the newly inaugurated winter edition of the San Francisco International Gift Fair (www.sfigf.com) February 7—10, 2009.
Holiday & Candle Display How-To Videos Designed to Help Retailers Boost Sales in the Fourth Quarter
(Cannon Falls, MN) – Midwest, leading designer and manufacturer of the Seasons of Cannon Falls brand of holiday and seasonal home accents, premium Colonial Candle brand of candles, and Delight brand of accents to brighten the home, introduces a series of 12 online bite-size video segments each two to four minutes long, featuring holiday and candle retail display tips and ideas created and presented by Midwest’s award-winning visual display experts.
WMC Las Vegas names Phillip McKay Senior Vice President
(LAS VEGAS) — Robert Maricich, President and Chief Executive Officer of World Market Center Las Vegas, today announced that tradeshow industry veteran Phillip McKay has joined the company as Senior Vice President.
In this newly created position, McKay will be responsible for leasing to gift, lighting, rugs and decorative accessories segments as well as launching new product line categories.
National Junior Achievement poll takes pulse to forecast teen spending on gifts
(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – For retailers expecting lumps of coal in their cash registers this holiday season, teens’ consumer confidence about holiday spending may provide an unexpected gift. According to Junior Achievement’s 2008 Teen Holiday Spending poll, more than three quarters of teens surveyed (76 percent) plan to spend as much—or more—this year than last year on holiday gifts.
Are teens looking at the economy through rose-colored glasses, or has the impact of the current financial crisis not yet trickled down to their wallets?
Nana Star and the Moonman wins Moonbeam Children’s Book Award
(Fairfax, VA) — A panel of experts recently picked Nana Star and the Moonman as a bronze medal winner in the Book with Merchandise category for the 2008 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards.
The awards are designed to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading.
Blossom Bucket relocates showroom
(North Lawrence, OH) – Blossom Bucket, Inc. is proud to announce the relocation and expansion of their showroom in the AmericasMart in Atlanta, Georgia. The Grand Opening celebration is slated to coincide with the beginning of the winter mart, January 8, 2009.
Found just down the hall from their previous 1,000 sq. ft. space, this exciting new venue offers a more centralized location — easily accessible from the elevators — and improved lighting to promote the additional 800 sq. ft. of product and creative merchandising ideas!
Ambiente 2009: More room for design
(FRANKFURT, Germany) — Messe Frankfurt will expand the spectrum to be seen at Loft, the meeting place for design, from representatives of the established avant-garde to international newcomers. Then, from Feb. 13-17, Loft will occupy Hall 6.0 in addition to the regular Hall 6.1.
“Our aim is to expand the range of clear, modern design to be seen here in Frankfurt”, says Loft Director Sabine Scharrer, citing the occasion for this is the growing international demand for high-grade design, individuality and sustainability. “Design is rapidly developing into a decisive sales argument.
New discoveries are here: January 2009 Market Temporaries
(ATLANTA) — The nation’s largest Temporaries Collection gives buyers 5,100 booths full of premier product in 28 complete home and gift categories featuring 600 first-time exhibitors and four completely new product destinations…all in the January 2009 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and the Atlanta International Area Rug Market featuring the National Oriental Rug Show.
AmericasMart’s celebrated Market-within-The Market Temporaries span the entire four-building campus, with the debut of Furniture & Case Goods, Souvenir, Resort & Novelty Gifts, Halloween and Li
Holiday jobs in area to be scarcer
Recession conditions in northwest Ohio has produced a tighter temporary job market this holiday season, with fewer openings, more job seekers vying for the openings that exist, and many of the available positions already filled.
“You have overqualified people looking to take anything just to put food on the table,” said Leigh Guerra, an official with The Source, which is Lucas County’s work force development agency.
Trillium Artisans & SiShellSea take part in Portland semi-annual expo
(Portland, Oregon) — It really is true: ’tis better to give than to receive. Just ask the dedicated staff of two Pacific Northwest groups whose mission is to do well by doing good: Trillium Artisans and SiShellSea, LLC. From January 10-13, the Portland Gift & Accessories Show (www.portlandgift.com) is spearheading an effort to highlight some of the region’s businesses whose bottom line is about more than a buck.
“Pacific Northwest companies have long known that it’s good to give back and go green,” said Jenay Root, Manager for the first expo of the Gift Show industry calendar.
Decorating items galore at Olde District 5 gift shop
South Bend, IN — With one room after another, each elegantly adorned with everything from candles to decorations to kitchenware, there are hundreds of decorating possibilities for any home during any season at Olde District 5 gift shop.
Located on Indiana 331 in South Bend, Olde District 5 is a gift shop where you can find items collected both locally and from around the country.
Retailers hope to receive Merry Christmas … early
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go.
While Halloween decorations of cobwebs and jack-o-lanterns have barely come down from doorsteps and lawns, many retailers have already frosted storefronts, hung white lights and decorated Christmas trees, weeks earlier than in years past.
And Santa?
Dear Santa, I need a job!
Wellington, FL — Ask plenty of people what tops their holiday wish-list this year, and many will say a job.
“I mean people have come to me here and said ‘Do you know anywhere else people are hiring?’ because they’re sadly desperate for jobs right now.” says Michelle Gaffney who operates a Christmas ornament kiosk in the Mall at Wellington Green.
A recent survey found retailers are cutting back on seasonal staffers this year by about 20%, expecting softer retail sales in a tough economy.
“We’ll be hiring four or five employees,” says Gaffney, “Last year I think we had six
Sweet Start
Why would someone who’s allergic to chocolate start a chocolate company? For Mike Ashamalla, owner of Tifa Chocolate & Gelato in Agoura Hills, it’s because chocolate seems more like a delicacy than a sweet to be consumed mindlessly.
“If I eat too much, I break out in hives. I tolerate it in small amounts,” Ashamalla said of his chocolate allergy. Due to his ailment, Ashamalla said that he savors the exotic chocolates sold at Tifa as they should be.
New store offers gift and home items, screen-printing
Vidalia, Mississippi — Janet and Bill Hughes had often talked about moving their screen-printing operation out of the family home, but it never seemed to be the right time.
But that all changed recently, when a spot became available in a building they already owned on Carter Street in Vidalia.
A few months back, the previous tenant closed her business and moved out, and Janet Hughes took that as a sign that it was time for her to move in.
Americasmart license & design January 2009
(ATLANTA) — For the first time this January, AmericasMart brings together artists and licensing agencies from across the nation with the world’s leading gift and home furnishings manufactures and designers in one of its newest Market Temporary collections: AmericasMart License & Design, which will be featured January 9-11, 2009.
This product collection completes an essential component of everyday business and creates a one-stop destination for permanent and temporary exhibitors seeking new artisan talent and fresh design options for new product applications.
Unique vendors, vineyard team up
Fairmount, IL — A wine tasting paired with a shopping extravaganza and a tour of seven unique local shops should help make spirits bright at the start of the holiday shopping season.
Sleepy Creek Vineyards, located near Fairmount, has joined with local shop owners and home-based business owners for two separate events geared toward those looking for unique gifts.
The first of these events, “A Holiday Gathering,” returns Thursday to Sleepy Creek for the second year.
“At this time of year, people don’t have time to go to a shopping party at someone’s home,” Daw
Calico Cat synonymous with downtown revitalization
Galesburg — Having diverse merchandise, providing good customer service and employing great people may not be the most cutting edge components of a successful business, but it certainly has worked well for one Galesburg boutique.
Calico Cat — The Gift Store is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.