LAS VEGAS—The International Market Centers (IMC) announced plans to implement an evolution of the World Market Center here, transforming its Gift + Home Market into a premier destination.
Beginning next year, floors 1-14 in Building C, which comprise 1.7 million square feet, will be repositioned as a gift and home powerhouse. The plans include the addition of such underrepresented categories as tabletop, home textiles, kitchenware and gourmet, as well as expansion of existing categories and re-merchandised presentations.
Already, eight leaders in the tabletop category--including Alessi, Michael Aram and Nambe--have committed to the new tabletop focus, an initiative that will take place during the summer of 2013.
“This new merchandising strategy creates a clear and compelling identity for Las Vegas Market, both as an established venue for the furniture industry, as well as a dynamic, rising marketplace for the gift and home industry,” said Bob Maricich, CEO, IMC. “This multi-dimensional platform is truly relevant for today’s cross-category buyers and suppliers, and offers opportunities to explore new distribution channels, such as hospitality and design.”
Dorothy Belshaw, president, Gift + Home Decor, added, “This plan re-imagines and re-aligns the presentation of gift and home decor at the Las Vegas Market, IMC. By strengthening existing resources, launching new categories and enriching the presentation of better goods, we will create an unparalleled marketplace for gift and home products in the western United States.”
For the winter show, which is scheduled to run Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2013, gift and home exhibitors will be reorganized into Building C. In addition, IMC will debut its Gift + Home CEO Summit, taking place the last two days of the winter market. IMC has partnered with Eller Enterprises to produce an executive conference for the gift and home industry, scheduled to run during the show.
In the summer of 2014, c-ONE will debut, a new, cross-category showcase presented in a curated collection on the first floor of Building C, and will include tabletop, gift and home companies in both permanent and temporary presentations. On the 10th floor of Building C, the Lifestyle Collection will debut, featuring suppliers of in-demand categories such as fashion accessories, personal care and fragrance, stationery, juvenile merchandise and technology accessories.
Winter 2014 will see the expansion of home decor resources on C4 and C5, including home textiles. In addition, gourmet, kitchenware and casual tabletop will debut on C11 to target the specialty gourmet retail audience in the West.
Separately, World Market Center announced the Las Vegas Market dates for 2013 and 2014. As mentioned, the winter market will take place from Jan. 28-Feb. 1, while the summer market is scheduled for July 29-Aug. 2. In 2014, the winter show is slated for Jan. 27-31, and the summer show will occur from July 28-Aug. 1.
In addition, these dates will extend World Market Center’s strategic partnership with Surfaces, the floor-covering industry show. According to a World Market Center statement, “The co-location of both Las Vegas furnishings events give hundreds and hundreds of buyers who attend both shows the ability to shop the widest range of suppliers as well as convenient access to services such as shared registration badges and direct shuttle service to both venues.”