Oct 4, 2007

Pacific Market Center Announces Park Avenue Agents Showroom Expansion

Seattle – Pacific Market Center announces the showroom expansion of Park Avenue Agents to its collection of elite showrooms at the industry destination for buyers in the Pacific Northwest. Park Avenue Agents is a leading representative of books, children’s products, toys, puzzles, games for all ages, party goods, infant apparel, fashion accessories, and more. The showroom is expanding by 44 percent to better serve the company’s growing customer base.

“As we enter our forth decade of operation, our optimism about the continued growth of the Pacific Northwest economy has prompted us to expand our showroom,” said John Park, co-owner, Park Avenue Agents.

Park Avenue Agents represents well-known publishers, such as Penguin Book Group, Running Press, and Dover, Hallmark Party goods, GeoCental and Safari Ltd. nature products, John N. Hansen toys and games, Molly ‘n Me fashion accessories for the young at heart, Stephen Joseph infant and children’s products, and much more.

“Park Avenue Agents has been with us since the beginning and it is very exciting to be a part of their continued success,” said Lisa Goodman, marketing director, Pacific Market Center. “The expansion will give them more space to display their popular product lines and better serve the leading retailers that frequent the Park Avenue Agents showroom.”

Significant buyers include retailers such as Amazon.com, Sur La Table, Top Ten Toys, Mark’s Hallmark, Fireworks Gallery, Wildlife Trading Company, Bartell Drug, OMSI Science Store and party stores from Fairbanks, AK to Billings, MT. Park Avenue Agent’s team of 11 highly skilled and experienced sales associates provide them with excellent personalized service.

Diana Hefner Park who founded the business in 1977 is semi-retired. Her volunteer activities include procuring samples year round for her sample sales supporting Gift For Life/amFAR (American Foundation for Aids Research). Diana’s sample sales have donated $130,000 from samples donated by Park Avenue Agents, other tenants of the Pacific Market Center and Western Exhibitors.

John is a certified manufacturers’ representative as granted by the Manufacturers Educational Research Foundation and holds a master’s degree in Whole Systems Design from Antioch University. John’s daughter Heidi Park is a managing partner at Park Avenue Agents.

Park Avenue Agents expanded showroom opens on August, 2007 and is located in suite 575 at Pacific Market Center. For more information, visit pacificmarketcenter.com.

About Pacific Market Center

The industry destination for buyers in the Western United States, Canada and beyond, Pacific Market Center offers 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 pacificmarketcenter.com. Pacific Market Center is owned and managed by The Benaroya Companies.