Jul 20, 2011

Strong Start to July 2011 California Gift Show® Underscored by Major Anchor Two’s Company Long-Term Lease Commitment to L.A. Mart®

Los Angeles, CA – MMPI and California Gift Show® celebrate the beginning of the July 2011 Market today with all indicators pointing to a robust start. From overall showroom and exhibitor anticipation to increased hotel and attendee registration numbers, CGS is flush with energy and optimism welcoming buyers and designers to a re-imagined show experience.

Highlighting this bullish outlook is the announcement of industry titan Two’s Company’s re-commitment to L.A. Mart with an extended, multi-year lease agreement. For nearly 30 years Two’s Company has served the West Coast gift and design communities from its L.A. Mart address. Over the past three decades the gift and home showroom has expanded to present compelling merchandising trends, evolving to its current prime real estate as an innovative, high-concept destination to serve today’s discriminating buyers and designers.

“Our day-to-day business is stronger in Los Angeles than anywhere else in the country,” said Tom Zimmerman, vice president sales & marketing, Two’s Company. “That’s no accident. We enjoy premium Main Level showroom real estate with window frontage on three sides. Our corporate vision dictates a constant rotation of products and displays with fresh new merchandise and fixtures each quarter to inspire our customers. And we employ an experienced, well-entrenched sales force to work the region. Add to this the success we have experienced thanks to L.A. Mart’s ability to drive trade traffic through our various marketing partnerships with the building, and our recommitment to MMPI becomes apparent.

On Saturday, July 23, one of the busiest days at CGS, L.A. Mart will host an official ribbon-cutting and reception with Two’s Company commemorating this important partnership renewal.

With Market enthusiasm on the rise, CGS is nearly sold out on the show’s hotel inventory, with both rooms sold and total nights sold up significantly over July 2010. Adding further energy to the anticipation, attendee pre-registration is up more in double digits since January 2011. Advanced RSVP for CGS events is also pacing ahead as buyers and designer look forward to keynote lectures and presentation with the industry’s leading gift and design editors and publications.

“We are extremely encouraged by the advanced indicators pointing toward an exciting July Market,” said Mark Furlet, vice president and general manager CGS/L.A. Mart/L.A. Mart Design Center. “The California-centric theme of the show that will define the product focus, events and overall show experience at both our destinations, the L.A. Mart® and Los Angeles Convention Center, reinforces the importance of our region to the gift industry and beyond.”

For a complete listing of CGS show information, please visit: www.californiagiftshow.com. Image downloads are available at: www.pressroom.mmart.com/cgs/image-gallery/

CALIFORNIA GIFT SHOW DATES/HOURS

L.A. Mart
1933 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Tuesday, July 19 – Monday, July 25
Gift + Home Showrooms: 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Friday, July 22 – Monday, July 25
Design Studio + Beckman’s Handcrafted Show™ L.A.: 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Friday, July 22 – SHOP LATE NIGHT!
Gift + Home Showrooms: 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Design Studio + Beckman’s: 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Los Angeles Convention Center: South Hall Gift & Kentia Global Marketplace
1201 South Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90015
Friday, July 22 – Sunday, July 24
Temporaries: 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Monday, July 25
Temporaries: 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

ABOUT L.A. MART and CALIFORNIA GIFT SHOW
L.A. Mart® is a registered trademark of MMPI. The California Gift Show® is a registered trademark of MMPI. Beckman’s Handcrafted Show™ L.A. is a registered trademark of MMPI. L.A. Mart is home to nearly 200 permanent year-round, residential, decorative accessory and gift showrooms serving the retail and interior design industries. The California Gift Show Temporaries feature over 800 temporary exhibitors of lifestyle merchandise, home décor and furnishings, in the newly enhanced and expanded Temporaries at L.A. Mart and Los Angeles Convention Center, making the California Gift Show the preeminent market for gift and home furnishings products on the West Coast. L.A. Mart is located at 1933 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90007. For more information call 213-763-5800 or visit www.californiagiftshow.com or www.lamart.com.

MMPI is a trade show and property management firm, specializing in managing buildings devoted to wholesale showrooms and commercial office space. MMPI produces more than 300 trade shows, market events and conferences each year.

MMPI manages The Merchandise Mart and 350 W. Mart Center in Chicago; Architects & Designers Building and 7 W New York in New York; Boston Design Center in Boston; L.A. Mart in Los Angeles; and Washington Design Center and Federal Center Southwest in Washington D.C.

Vornado Realty Trust, owner of MMPI, based in New York City, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust. Vornado’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and are traded under the symbol VNO.