Jun 14, 2017

Dallas Market Center announces partnerships with twenty leading buying groups, industry associations

Dallas Market Center has announced that a record number of specialized buying groups and industry organizations will participate in its upcoming Total Home & Gift Market (June 21-27, 2017) and Lightovation—Dallas International Lighting Show (June 21-24, 2017).

Twenty premier buying groups and industry associations will conduct business in Dallas including private buys, vendor showcases, new resource reviews, market tours, networking events, and other activities designed to sharpen business skills, gather industry intelligence, and procure merchandise.

New in June is a hospital gift shop vendor showcase catering to the specific buying needs of this important retail sector. Hospital gift shops are high-volume operations, many of which see annual sales of $1,000 per square foot. On Thursday, June 22, eighty five exhibitor tables will be filled with merchandise selected just for hospital gift shops. Buyers from AHVRP, Purchasing Power Plus, Kelli’s, and other hospital gift shops will spend the day reviewing merchandise as well as enjoying a complimentary lunch and trend tour with retail expert Rawlins Gilliland.

Returning in June is the Designers’ Lounge inside the Light + Design on Ten showroom in WTC 10085. The lounge is designed for interior designers to have a dedicated space at market to relax, review information, and network. The lounge is a collaboration between the American Society of Interior Designers, Texas (ASID-Texas), the Interior Design Society (IDS), and Dallas Market Center.

The American Lighting Association (ALA), based at Dallas Market Center, will present a full schedule of seminars and events including a full day of education for buyers across all categories seeking more information on the connected home. Topics include smart home products and customer demands, the internet of things, and a panel of experts sharing ideas and suggestions. For complete information, visit the American Lighting Association by clicking here.

The Holiday and Decorative Association (HDA), also based at Dallas Market Center, will promote the unmatched holiday and home resources on display in member showrooms on the second floor of the Interior Home + Design Center and will hold a Product Hunt contest during the show. Prizes include an Apple Macbook Air, iPad Mini4, and Apple Watch. Special individual receptions and promotions will also be held inside several showrooms.

A full list of the buying groups and association partners for June trade events includes:

American Lighting Association (ALA); ART (the Creative Home Furnishings Network); American Society of Interior Designers (ASID); Association for Healthcare Volunteer Resource Professionals (AHVRP); Brixy; Gift & Home Trade Association (GHTA); Gourmet Catalog; (HTI); Holiday & Decorative Association (HDA); Interior Design Society (IDS); International Floral Distributors (IFD); International Folk Art Alliance; International Interior Design Association (IIDA); Monograms America; Museum Store Association; Nationwide Marketing Group; PLATIN–Latin American Alliance; Purchasing Power Plus; Southwest Buying Group; Texas Association of Interior Designers (TAID); and the Zoo & Aquarium Buyers Group (ZAG).

“We have a long-standing commitment and dedicated staff to support these important groups that have tremendous buying power and industry influence,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO, Dallas Market Center. “We welcome these partners to Dallas and we offer them the opportunity to serve their members and to broaden their reach to tens of thousands of market attendees from around the world.”

Dallas Market Center is located in the strongest economic zone in the U.S., and five of the ten fastest growing cities in the U.S. are located within Texas. In addition, travel costs to Dallas are the lowest among all major market destination cities. In addition to two convenient airports and more than 8,000 free parking spaces, an efficient regional rail system offers a Dallas Market Center stop directly behind the marketplace for easy access to downtown and other destinations.

To make plans for upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the Dallas Market Center and Lightovation Apps. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and the DMC Daily Dose.