AmericasMart to Meld Shows

Rug, Gift Events Start in Tandem

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 8/18/2008 12:00:00 AM

Atlanta —

Looking to more effectively cross-pollinate buyer activity among its related market events, the AmericasMart here has readjusted the schedules of its biannual Gifts and Housewares Show and its International Area Rug Market to co-exist starting in January.

For the past few years, the opening of the Rug Market has overlapped the wind-down of the Gift Show by three days — twice annually, in January and July.

But with housewares dealers and some gift stores expressing growing interest in expanding into the rug category, AmericasMart has nestled the rug market within the gifts/housewares show's dates, according to the show organizer.

Under the new schedule, the Gifts and Housewares Show runs from Jan. 6 to 14, and the International Area Rug Market spans Jan. 7 to 12. In July, the dates, respectively, are July 7 to 15 and July 8 to 13.

"We're now putting our rug show in the heart of our home furnishings and gift market to make it more convenient to our buyers, and this exposes more potential buyers to our exhibitors. We're trying to make market as efficient for the buyer," said Chas Sydney, svp, area rugs component and new business development, AmericasMart.

"Many home furnishings dealers shop for rugs, and this gives them one-stop-shopping convenience," he added.

The market date changes come in line with another change — the debut of AmericasMart's grand opening of its new Building 2 West.

This 10-story building will comprise four floors of exhibit halls and six floors of permanent showrooms dedicated to a recent new expansion of the gourmet and housewares categories and indoor/outdoor goods.

Sydney explained AmericasMart is in the process of "reshuffling some of the product categories" by showroom/exhibit space location to improve cross-merchandising efforts.

Building 1, which has long been home to permanent area and accent rug showrooms, will now also house furniture and home accessories showrooms.

Building 2 and 2 West will focus on gift vendors, while Building 3 will concentrate on fashion apparel categories.