Jul 27, 2011

July Gift & Home Furnishings Market Saw Growing Buyer Base and Robust Order Writing

Atlanta, GA – A large and growing national and international buyer base, new and newly expanded product collections and consistent order writing marked the July 2011 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, which closed its eight-day run on July 20 with retailers from every U.S. state and more than 75 countries doing business at AmericasMart Atlanta – the Global Market by Design.

With strong representation from key northeastern, Midwestern and far-west states, the July 2011 Market saw continued expansion of its national franchise as retailers and designers traveled long distances to take advantage of the world’s single-largest home, gift, area rug and apparel product mix and the economies and efficiencies of a fully integrated marketplace.

Exhibitors large and small took note of the Market’s buoyancy . “Overall, we were pleased with the July market,” said Brad Rosenkampff, owner and COO of The Southern Link. “We found the mood very positive and the buyers were buying.” Showroom owners and temporary exhibitors across virtually every category found order-writing to be strong, including the celebrated HD HOME and HIGH DESIGN categories, with HD HOME making its second successful showing following a January 2011 debut.

An equally important factor in Market energy and activity is the star power represented in marquee-level events, programs and promotions all aimed at enriching the Market experience for buyers and exhibitors alike. Showcasing the AmericasMart home furnishings collections were acclaimed designers Kathryn M. Ireland, Chip Wade, Vicente Wolf, Vern Yip and Courtney Novogratz. Celebrity Chefs Linton Hopkins, Cat Cora and Marie Nygren added special glamour and excitement in the Demonstration Kitchen area.

Topping all Market events was ICON HONORS 2011, the most anticipated and important night in the gift and home industry, with 13 Honors conferred upon top achievers from across the home and gift landscape. A Lifetime Achievement honor was presented posthumously to J. Todd Figi, patriarch of a gift industry family and the founder of Figi Giftware, which was based in San Diego. Two special Medals of Excellence were awarded to Restoration Hardware of Corte Madera, Calif., and The WILLIAMSBURG Brand of The Colonial Foundation, Williamsburg, Va. Marcia Miller of Mud Pie, based in Stone Mountain, Ga., and Todd Litzman, of Brandwise LLC., of Lakewood, Colo., received the ICON Achievement award.