Feb 16, 2017

Buyers explore new lines at AmericasMart March Market

AmericasMart Atlanta hosts the home and gift industry’s premiere mid-season buying event March 8-10, 2017. The Atlanta Spring Gift, Home Furnishings and Holiday Market gives buyers another occasion to explore the Market center’s more than 1,500 permanent showrooms, complemented by a curated Temporary showcase of up-and-coming and artisan lines. Showrooms will be open across in the Home and Gift collection including those in the specialty The Gardens, Tabletop and Gift and Gourmet and Housewares collections.

The nation’s largest Holiday & Floral/Home Décor collection continues to celebrate its 20 years of success as trend-driven florists, designers, landscape artists and professional decorators gather to finish their Holiday 2017 buying.

“There is so much energy in the March Market coming off our strong show in January,” said Jackie Harrelson, showroom manager for Winward International. “March is a great time for us to work with buyers who did not make it to see us in January or need to finish their orders. We have the experience with the product to know what buyers are looking for, and the time at this Market to give them what they need for a successful holiday season.”

“AmericasMart’s Holiday and Floral collection has five floors that are nearly at capacity with trendsetting merchandise,” said Brooks Beard, AmericasMart executive director of Leasing for the Holiday & Floral/Home Décor collection. “With so many line introductions and so much new product displayed throughout the category’s 460,000 square feet in January, returning for the March Market has become a necessity for buyers who want to source all of the must-have product for the Holiday season. If they don’t buy it now, they risk losing the latest and greatest to their competitors.”

Across the home and gift collection, lines are using the Market to grow their buyer base and expand their business with current customers.

“March Gift is a great Market because it gives that customer who likes to take their time an opportunity to buy without the hustle and bustle of the January and July shows,” said Wendy Marcum, Southeast sales manager for White Ginger.  “We often have comments that a customer didn’t know we carried a certain line because they usually are just breezing through. So many people can be a bit overwhelming to new customers who are just opening and local customers, and the March Market allows us the opportunity to spend a little more quality time with them and work on growing our relationship.”

“This year I would love to work closer with the local decorators and interior designers,” explains Jonathan Pearson of Kitchen 2 Table.  “We represent several well-known fashion brands such as Versace, Oscar De La Renta and Missoni, and I am confident that that they will be well received.”

The Building 1, Floor 1 Temporary collection is a full floor of more than 65 temporary exhibitors featuring a mix of gifts, home accents, fashion jewelry, and framed art as well as hand-made products, gourmet foods plus holiday and outdoor merchandise and children’s items.

Thought leaders and trendsetters share their industry acumen in a series of lunch seminars throughout the Market. The series kicks off in the Building 1, Floor 15 Designer Workspace on Wednesday, March 8 with “Spring Into Sales”  featuring “flower magazine” Founder and Editor-in-Chief Margot Shaw and retail and merchandising experts Kristin Alber of REstyleSOURCE, Dina Woodruff of Peridot and Pacita Wilson of Pineapple Park sharing their knowledge on boosting sales surrounding seasonal events and holidays. Steve McKenzie of steve mckenzie’s leads a hands-on master-class lunch workshop on the perfect holiday cocktail gift basket and how to present it in a personal and stylish way on Thursday, March 9 in the Building 2, Floor 8 Demonstration Kitchen. On Friday, March 10 the lunch seminar series returns to the Designer Workspace with Jessie La Falce, design director and lead designer of Nandina Home & Design, presenting “Take It Outside,” a discussion of what is new in outdoor spaces for both entertaining and relaxing.

The Atlanta Spring Gift, Home Furnishings and Holiday Market is the backdrop for the exclusive celebration of “Modern Luxury Interiors Atlanta’s” “Best of Design” issue release on Thursday, March 9 at 6 p.m. in the Building 1, Floor 14 Vignette Gallery. Paula Wallace, president and

founder of the Savannah College of Art and Design and the special issue’s guest editor, leads the awards ceremony and gives remarks.