Retail Observer

OCTOBER 2018 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 39 director at La Familia Green in Chicago. "We have seen lots of buyers from west of the Mississippi. Not just West Coast buyers but also people from Kansas, Colorado and Texas." BUYERS LAUD CROSS-CATEGORY BUYING AND ONE- STOP SHOPPING Retailers and designers' ability to buy across all styles and price points of home furnishings and gift positions Las Vegas Market to cater to an evolving retail landscape that features lifestyle product selections incorporating each category. With more than 5 million square feet of permanent and temporary exhibit space dedicated to furniture, home décor, gift, housewares, gourmet, seasonal, tabletop, handmade and apparel exhibitors, Las Vegas Market provides the breadth and depth of product many buyers are seeking at Market. "I discovered a couple of key new vendors who are going to be integral to my merchandise mix for next season," said Julie Steiner, Barnes Foundation Shop. "Sometimes all it takes is one or two perfect-fit product lines to make a big difference to the look and feel of the store, or to the variety of a merchandise mix, and the quality of two of the LVMKT vendors I bought from, in particular, made this market incredibly helpful to me." "The Las Vegas Market is the largest on the West Coast, which makes for terrific one-stop shopping," said Sarah Haven, retail manager for Gallery One Visual Arts Center. Randy Rodgers, president of Creative Leather Furniture, Chandler, AZ noted, "I found all I could want — from fashion-forward edgy and stylish accents, to practical utilitarian products." "Summer Vegas turned out to be very productive," said Jeff Wood, upholstery/leather/motion buyer for Bob Mills Furniture of Oklahoma City. "There were lots of great products to see. We made some great buys and committed to some killer products." MARKET INITIATIVES AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES EXPAND VALUE OF MARKET More than 40 industry partnerships solidified Las Vegas Market's role as a networking destination for the home furnishings, gift and design industries. In addition to member meetings hosted by organizations including Hallmark, the International Furnishings and Design Association, and the Home Furnishings Retail Association, several collaborative events took place at Summer Market and included the Up on the Roof Gift for Life Gala, the ANDYZ awards celebration and the IFDA DesignEdge Summit. Favorite celebrities including the Scott Brothers, the Real Housewives of New Jersey; and even four-legged celebrities (a llama and an alpaca) made appearances, while signature trends programming provided buyers with the latest consumer and industry influences and included Ahead of the Curve, Best of the West, and First Look, combining inspiration and entertainment with effective, efficient business strategies. "Las Vegas Market continues to evolve along with the home furnishings and gift industries," Maricich said. "We're invested in continuing to focus on the needs of the buyers in our industry and providing a critical platform for them to do business." Las Vegas Market is the nation's fastest-growing gift and home décor market and the leading furniture marketplace in the western U.S., presenting 4,000+ gift, home décor and furniture resources in an unrivaled market destination. Las Vegas Market features thousands of gift, furniture and home décor lines, allowing for cross-category commerce among these industries. Winter 2019 Las Vegas Market runs January 27-31, 2019. For more information, visit www.lasvegasmarket.com. V I B R A N T L A S V E G A S M A R K E T

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