May 26, 2008

The Chicago Market: Living and Giving announces July lineup

Chicago, IL – The Chicago Market: Living and Giving, July 17-23, will be bustling with product trends, as well as an action-packed calendar of educational and special events. The Market’s highlights include the Signatures Series, where attendees will gain valuable retailing knowledge about industry trends from the best in the business, and the Power Lunch Seminar Series, where buyers will learn from leading trade and consumer magazine editors and retail consultants.

Power Lunch Seminars: Enjoy a complimentary lunch while learning tricks of the trade from industry experts. RSVP is required for all Power Lunch Seminars and can be done on www.shopchicagomarket.com.
Saturday, July 19
12 – 1 p.m., 7th Floor
Maria Weiskott, editor of Gifts and Decorative Accessories magazine
“Thriving in a Recession”
Join Maria Weiskott, editor of Gifts & Decorative Accessories magazine, as she discusses best practices and tips for keeping your business healthy during a recession. Weiskott will present exclusive survey results, highlighting what successful retailers did to ride out past recessions and how they are managing success in the current down-market. A discussion will follow.

Sunday, July 20
12 – 1:30 p.m., 7th Floor
Cinda Baxter, Retail Consultant and founder of RetailSpeaks
“Speed Networking—For Retailers!”
Join us for a networking event that you won’t soon forget. Hosted and moderated by Cinda Baxter, consultant and founder of RetailSpeaks, this fast-paced session will connect you with fellow retailers to share ideas, stories, and tips learned through your own experience in the industry — plus, you’ll pick up lots of new ideas on the way. From dealing with crazy customers to marketing marvels, anything is fair game.
Monday, July 21
12 – 1 p.m., 7th Floor
Jenny Heinzen York, editor of Home Accents Today magazine
“Internet Strategies – From Statistics to Success”
Join Jenny Heinzen York, editor-in-chief of Home Accents Today, as she reveals results of the magazine’s exclusive Internet Survey, examining the ways vendors and retailers are using the Internet. Jenny will be joined by a panel of Internet experts to give some tips on putting that information to work and making your business successful online.
Tuesday, July 22
12 – 1 p.m., 7th Floor
Jan Parr, editor of Chicago Home + Garden magazine
“Public Relations 101—Learn how to get published!”
Promote yourself and your store through the media to drive business. Chicago Home + Garden magazine Editor Jan Parr will educate designers and retail owners on how to attract the attention of the media — maximizing visibility to new and existing customers. Parr will discuss tricks-of-the-trade to help ensure that you get noticed by the editorial staff of leading consumer and trade publications, and how being published is a simple, effective way to build your client base that every business owner should use to their advantage.

Signatures Book Signing Events: Celebrity author book-signing events featuring famous personalities and best-selling titles —Complimentary books are available while supplies last.

Sunday, July 20

11 a.m.- Noon, Signatures Lounge, 8th Floor
Sponsored by Rep Factor, Showroom 13-616
Meet Gail Reichlin author and nationally respected speaker on the merits of positive discipline. Her book, The Pocket Parent is, literally, a pocket-size book of tried-and-true advice, common sense, parental wisdom, and sanity. This handy book will be a lifesaver for every parent of a 2-to-5-year-old. Once the ground rules are set in the first chapter, the guide moves to an A-to-Z compendium of common problems. Just look it up — Anger, Bad Words, Biting, Chores, Lying — and find the “Sanity Savers” list of suggestions, easy-to-follow bullets, anecdotes, and more.
For the bag, glove compartment, backpack, or shelf in the kitchen, The Pocket Parent is there for you whenever you need it.

2 – 3 p.m., Signatures Lounge, 8th Floor
Sponsored by Charlie & Me booth 8-4062
Meet Sharon O’Connor, creator of MusicCooks! On a continued mission to offer families a way to enjoy music everyday and a way to give us the balance we need, O’Connor created MusicCooks!
These stylish boxed recipe card sets feature music pairings from Grammy-award-winning musicians that make cooking and entertaining more fun. O’Connor’s recipes are fresh, quick and easy, and each one has sensational photos, practical cooking tips and shopping and pantry lists. Now with more than 30 titles, O’Connor’s publications have sold more than 2 million copies worldwide.
“Here’s to delicious homemade food and great music, two of the best things in life!” – Sharon O’Connor

Monday, July 21

2 – 3 p.m., Signatures Lounge, 8th Floor
Meet Christie Matheson, author of Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style and writer for Glamour Shape, and The Boston Globe. Matheson will teach buyers how to go green without giving up style. Going green can help you look gorgeous, have a killer wardrobe, create a home that’s an oasis and feel more connected to your friends and family.

The Chicago Market: Living and Giving is a trademark of Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI). Beckman’s Handcrafted Gift Show is a registered trademark of MMPI.
Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (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; Market Square, the Suites at Market Square, Hamilton Market, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza and the National Furniture Mart in High Point, N.C.; the Architects & Designers Building and 7 W New York in New York; the L.A. Mart in Los Angeles; and the 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.