Mar 11, 2013

Dallas Total Home & Gift Market Presents Multiple Buying Opportunities

Dallas Market Center today announced that the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market being held March 21-24 will offer multiple crossover buying opportunities and honor retailers that give back through its The Next Big Give program. The Market is held in conjunction with the Dallas Apparel & Accessories Market, Dallas Western Market, Dallas Bridal Market (March 22-24) and the new PBJ: Play. Baby. Juvenile. (March 21-22).

“March Market in Dallas is the once-a-year crossover buying opportunity for a wide range of products from home accessories, furniture, holiday and seasonal items to gourmet, toys, apparel, fashion accessories and more,” said Cindy Morris, COO, Dallas Market Center. “The variety of offerings and The Inspired Event honoring The Next Big Give winners will create a memorable experience for buyers and offer inspiration.”

On Thursday, March 21, The Inspired Event, an all-market party in the Hall of Nations, World Trade Center (WTC) 1st floor atrium, will honor the two winners of The Next Big Give, a national search for retailers who make a difference in their communities. Journeys of Life owner Jean Haller of Pittsburgh, Pa. and Leon & Lulu owner Mary Liz Curtin of Clawson, Mich. will be recognized by Bill Winsor, president and CEO, and Cindy Morris, COO of Dallas Market Center.

In addition, buyers will have a chance to win a “Merchandising Makeover” store consultation worth more than $2,000 from Dallas Market Center representatives Karl Marshall, director of special events and Amber Williams, visual director. Marshall and Williams will travel to the winner’s store to review the retail space providing fresh, new display ideas for existing props.

Williams’ and Marshall’s passion for creating compelling displays matches their skills in production and use of color and themes for effective selling through visual merchandising. Marshall has more than 15 years of experience in residential design, special event production and styling with celebrities and retailers such as JCPenney. Williams also has more than 15 years of experience working in visual design and display coordination with companies such as Anthropologie and Aidan Gray Home.

The “Merchandising Makeover” winner will be announced at The Inspired Event and tickets may be purchased at the event or in advance online at MerchandisingMakeover.Eventbrite.com. Each raffle ticket is $20 and will benefit Journeys of Life’s charity of choice, POWER, an organization helping women recovering from addiction; and Leon & Lulu’s charity of choice, Gift for Life, dedicated to life-saving AIDS research and education.

Additional special events during Market will educate and entertain. The informative Discovery Tour: “Total Accessories Overview to Overhaul Your Assortment,” led by retail expert Rawlins Gilliland, will take place on Friday, March 22 at 10 a.m. in front of SCENE on the WTC 13th floor.

The Range, the permanent neighborhood of western home accents located on the WTC 6th floor, will be open during March Markets. Attendees are invited to enjoy an extensive beverage menu and food selections including sandwiches, salads and snacks from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, March 21 to Sunday, March 24.

A complete list of events is available on the Dallas Market Center website. To prepare for March Markets in Dallas, download the Dallas Market App. Also, keep up-to-date on all market information by visiting Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest or by visiting Know It All, the Dallas Market Center blog.

About Dallas Market Center
Founded in 1957, Dallas Market Center is the world’s most complete wholesale marketplace. Within its marketplace of more than five million square feet, retailers from around the globe source products ranging from home furnishings, gifts, decorative accessories and lighting to textiles, fashion accessories and men’s, western, women’s and children’s apparel. With more than 50 markets each year attended by more than 200,000 retail buyers from all 50 states and 78 countries, Dallas Market Center offers hundreds of events and seminars geared toward helping retailers expand business and increase profits. As a result, more than $8 billion in estimated wholesale transactions are conducted annually within the Dallas Market Center complex. The Dallas Market Center website is available at http://www.dallasmarketcenter.com/.