Retail Observer

DECEMBER 2021 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 13 by the introduction of the Interior Design Pledge at the show, a convergence of goals set forth by IIDA, ASID, IDC and Metropolis, with a commitment to climate, health and equity. These are inextricably linked, and I hope they will push the needle forward for manufacturers to be on the right side of history. Please join me in signing the pledge here." – Brooke Horan, studio interior design lead, HDR "As we expand our presence in North America, and after a year apart from our customers, our showroom at theMART was an ideal home for us to host and reconnect with our clients and partners. We hoped to create a casual, relaxed outdoor/indoor atmosphere to share our tools for togetherness and show that there's a world of possibilities for connection right 'outside the office.'" – Thomas Wynants, "next boss," Extremis "We have been presenting at theMART for almost 20 years and we understand the importance of having a presence here as we continue to invest in our company's future. The investment in our new and larger showroom reflects our growth, passion, and values that continue to drive us. The larger space allows us to display our broad portfolio of products as well as entertain and host events. This Fall's NeoCon was a necessary step to transition the industry back to a normal cadence. We can't wait for next year's show!" – Dara Mir, president & CEO, 9to5 Seating "Another milestone in Spacestor's journey: opening a showroom in the iconic Merchandise Mart, at the heart of Chicago's design scene. It's been very well received, with hundreds of visitors through the doors on day one. What we're creating are spaces that are destinations; they are experiences, and this new design center is a showcasing of our flexible ancillary furniture solutions as answers to current workplace needs. This is all about creating enriching spaces that people want to come to, in an attractive and sustainable way." – Russell Kingston, managing director, Spacestor "Kettal has been looking for a showroom space in Chicago for quite some time, to show our products and gather with the A&D community. Coinciding with the launch of our new Workplace Catalogue, we couldn't think of a better venue than the Merchandise Mart and NeoCon. We are excited finally to have an address in Chicago, and we're looking forward to meeting everyone at our new space in Suite 10-155, where we'll showcase the Workplace products and our new outdoor pieces for the 2022 season." – Carlos Alfaro, export director, Kettal "HMTX made the decision to move from a temporary space to a permanent showroom to broaden our presence, focusing on our commercial brands, Teknoflor and Aspecta. These brands cover a significant amount of Healthcare and Hospitality in the growing commercial market segments. The new HMTX showroom will allow us to build relationships with customers in a more intentional way while showing new products and concepts. Having a permanent showroom at theMART will also provide the opportunity to host customer meetings and small events throughout the year outside of NeoCon." – Tiffany Davis, CEO, HMTX Industries "When the opportunity arose to open our second U.S. showroom in the iconic Merchandise Mart, Narbutas was excited to expand our presence in America. We're honored to be among the largest brands in the world, in the heart of the Chicago design community. Our showroom launch during Neocon 2021 featured some of our newest products and has proven to be very successful." – Natalija Daubar, president, Narbutas USA "The opening of Pedrali's permanent showroom on the third floor of the Merchandise Mart has been fantastic. Thanks to Byron Morton, Linsdey Martin, and their employees for the precious support and their enthusiasm and expertise. They were able to support Pedrali's sales team in welcoming the numerous attendees to Neocon 2021. It was a great show, beyond our expectations!" – Monica Pedrali, CEO, Pedrali "Our NeoCon 2021 experience was so exciting – it was great to see the energy from attendees, and especially inspiring to hear the positive reactions from our design community about Hightower's new showroom. I'm so proud of the time and detailed attention our team put into transforming our Chicago space. We built on the success of our award-winning 2019 debut here at theMART, leading with optimism, adding new textures, patterns, and overall just having fun and taking some risks! For any who could not attend NeoCon this year, I invite you to visit hightoweraccess.com for a tour – we're warmly welcoming all, whether it be in person or virtually." – Natalie Hartkopf, co-founder & CEO, Hightower Please visit NeoCon.com for upcoming details on NeoCon 2022, June 13-15, 2022. RO Reuniting at NeoCon 2021 Photo © Jacob Hand All photos opposite page © Tony Favarula

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