AmericasMart Accelerates Gourmet, Housewares And Tabletop Growth

AmericasMart’s Gourmet & Housewaresand Living & Entertaining: Gifts, Tabletop & Accessories collections will extend its commitment to the culinary community with a new signature event at The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market in January 2014.

“Tabletop and Housewares items are definitely in demand and on trend for a broad range of retailers,” says Kristi Forbes, vice president of gourmet, housewares, tabletop & gift. “AmericasMart’s continued leadership in this segment has allowed us to increase the depth and breadth of our lines and to further support the culinary community.”

Driving the growth in AmericasMart’s Gourmet & Housewares collection is an expanded showroom for Sherry Matthews Marketing LLC and new showrooms for Chef’N Corporation, Gourmac, Magefesa USA, Typhoon Homewares LLC and Lancaster Commercial Products LLC.

The Living & Entertaining: Gifts, Tabletop & Accessories collection is highlighted by new showroom growth alongside expansions, relocations and updates of longtime AmericasMart exhibitors. Joining the collection for the January Market are Spartina 449 and Julia Knight, Inc. Welcome Home, LLC and Rosse & Associates, Inc. expand their spaces as Jason Products Ltd. and Keller-Charles of Philadelphia relocate to Floor 8. Exciting exhibitor updates include a completely redesigned showroom for Jay Strongwater/ MacKenzie-Childs and new owners for Lazy Susan USA Inc.

AmericasMart confirms its commitment to the culinary community with a new special event “Culinary Futures: Helping Tomorrow’s Professional Grow” to raise funds for Les Dames d’Escoffier International – Atlanta Chapter, a philanthropic society dedicated to fostering women in culinary and hospitality professions. The event, hosted in partnership with Cook’s Warehouse, Harold Import Co. and Dugan Bliss, features a cocktail hour and silent auction and is open to all buyers and exhibitors. It takes place onThursday, January 9 from 6 - 8 p.m. in the Fashion Theater on Building 3 Floor 15. Single tickets are $75, each additional is $50. Tickets will be available for purchase at door.

AmericasMart’s internationally renowned Gourmet, Housewares and Tabletop collection is brought to life by live cooking demonstrations from national culinary stars and presentations by entertaining experts.

Highlights of Market programming include:

• “A Taste of Bacchanalia” presented by Chef Anne Quatrano, executive owner of Bacchanalia, sponsored by Le Creuset. Known for her deep-rooted care for ingredients and technique, Chef Quatrano creates her signature dishes in the new Le Creuset Palm color. Thursday January 9. 2 p.m. Building 2, Floor 8, Demonstration Kitchen.

• “Picture Perfect Parties” presented by Annette Joseph, celebrity entertaining expert and author. “The Today Show” entertaining expert demonstrates her stylish solutions for entertaining with panache. Thursday, January 9. 3 p.m. Building 2, Floor 9, Seminar Room.

• “Marcus Samuelsson’s New American Table” presented by Marcus Samuelsson of Food Network’s “Chopped All Stars: Judges Remix.” Samuelsson shares recipes from his cookbook, “The New American Table,” which takes a journey through the inspired food of the United States, his beloved adopted country. Friday, January 10. 1 p.m. Building 2, Floor 8, Demonstration Kitchen.

• “Wine Tasting with Georg Riedel.” In a unique tasting and glass discussion, Georg Riedel, head of Riedel and 10th generation glassmaker, will demonstrate the relationship between the shape of a glass and perception and enjoyment of wines. Cost is $50 per person. Registration is available at AmericasMart.com/wine. Friday, January 10. 3 p.m.Building 3, Floor 15, Fashion Theatre.

• “Picture Perfect Starters: Straight from the Garden” presented by Annette Joseph, celebrity entertaining expert and author. From extraordinary tablescapes to delicious and easy recipes, Joseph teaches how to create and host a picture perfect party from farm to table featuring easy recipes that are perfect for spring. Saturday, January 11. 1p.m. Building 2, Floor 8, Demonstration Kitchen.

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Outdoors Takes Center Stage at 2013 International Pool, Spa, Patio Expo

A special report by Giftware News columnist Marilyn Nason

Badmitton sets from Water Sports, LLC (streammachine.com)

"The family that plays together stays together" certainly emerged as the overall theme of the annual International Pool, Spa, Patio Expo in mid-November in Las Vegas. In the past few years this show has clearly identified food alone is not the only reason the backyard has become the ideal place for everyone of every age and interest to focus on spending quality time in a lifestyle that increasingly encompasses not only food, but also all-age activities, entertaining and family/friends togetherness.

More varied types of relaxing activities in or near the pool are emerging as not only enjoyable but totally fashionable for the youngest to the oldest to enjoy. Exhibit displays at the show offered countless exciting tips on ways to fully experience backyard living today at its best

Great for young beginners to learn how to play the game of pool with confidence this cue from CueStix International (cuestix.com) features an attached cue ball.

As the 2013 trade show year comes to a close, backyards, patios, the beach and stadium parking for tailgating have all emerged as perfect venues for young and old to enjoy the outdoors.

Cascade" Acrylic Rainbow Drinkware from Merritt International (merrittusa.com)

For the more athletically and or competitively-inclined, water and backyard sports were shown as diverse as age and ability can conquer, with badminton and other ball sports, darts, table tennis now available in every price range and ability challenge level.

Indicative of consumer interest in expanding their variety of potential activities and entertaining (even on the most modest budget), food preparation and attractive, colorful serveware for the backyard introduced at the show expanded on that already growing category of tailgating and partying items increasingly important at both gift and outdoor trade shows in recent years.

From grills to pizza ovens to rainbow-hued sturdy attractive tableware, thermos and water bottles, the show identified the almost limitless depth and breadth of available items introduced at this show this year as ideal for self-purchases, as well as welcome gift-giving when invited for a backyard party.

Packaged cleaner kits from Flitz International (flitz.com)

Exciting options for outdoor décor included well-designed clocks (some shaped like sailfish and dolphins); barometers, thermometers, humorous signage, fun/functional garden figures and decorative planters.

Not only has home decor become equally important for backyards, but aromatherpy, too, is beginning to play an interesting role as well. Several retailers offered all natural spa and bath crystals/beads, humidifiers, candles and diffusers in dozens of exotic scents.

While every backyard may not include a family room with professional billiard table, those who do found the perfect item to help the novice learn to play pool without destroying the table top-thanks to a specially-designed ball to replace the cue stick tip during the challenging learning period.

Colorful Galaxy balls from TRC Recreation (txrec.com)

Ever mindful of pool safety were several items including lockable wristband for youngsters and headband for swimmers. Not to be outdone by the mattress industry that touts its ability to offer mattresses that retain the shape of the individual sleeper, several exhibitors showed colorful polyethylene nylon and mesh floats almost replicating this same ability to create the floater's shape. Some styles even offered room-for-two space.

Wisely, the industry has not overlooked one critical, ever-present basic of outdoors living/entertaining: cleanup. Exhibitors showed attractively packaged outdoor fabric/metal furniture care kit, as well as BBQ grill care kits, not only perfect for self-use but as welcome gifts.

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Americasmart Home: Design, By Design, For Design

AmericasMart Atlanta continues to expand its role as a comprehensive design-driven marketplace with a growing furniture product mix anchoring what in January 2014 will be the largest home furnishings merchandise presentation in its history.

New lines and designs in case goods and upholstery, accessories, casual furnishings, lighting, area rugs and much more across hundreds of showrooms and in select Temporaries collections assure designers and retailers unmatched selection in the convenience of a fully integrated product mix under one roof.

Setting the pace for the January 7—14 The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and January 8—11 The Atlanta International Area Rug Market featuring the National Oriental Rug Show is the continuing convergence of home and area rug merchandise, with showrooms on floors three, four, five and six of Building 1 featuring the rich eclecticism of lifestyle merchandising.

“From top to bottom, AmericasMart’s Home collection offers all of the product retailers and designers need for trend making domestic style,” says David Savula, executive vice president of leasing for AmericasMart Buildings 1, 2 and 3. “Exhibitor growth across Building 1’s large and growing HOME merchandise resources has produced a complete spectrum of selection, particularly on floors four and five, where exhibitors are perfecting the lifestyle mix designers and retailers seek.”

AmericasMart Building 1 in January 2014 continues as the Market destination for all things HOME across 18 full floors of merchandise—all categorized for optimum efficiency. The Building One HOME collections include:

Floor 1: HD HOME, the exclusive juried collection of design-focused home furnishings & décor. 
Floor 2: Area rugs presented in the National Oriental Rug Show Temporaries collection. 
Floors 3—6: Area rugs, furniture, lighting and accessories. 
Floor 7: Furniture, accessories, lighting, fine linens, home textiles and more in the HOME Temporaries collection. 
Floors 9—10: Home accents, furniture and fine linens. 
Floors 11—14: Furniture, home accents and accessories, lighting, and area rugs. 
Floors 16—20: Holiday, floral and home décor.

For additional information about The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market® and The Atlanta International Area Rug Market featuring the National Oriental Rug Show, visitamericasmart.com/home/jan-2014.

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Holiday Sample Sale in Seattle Area Underway to Benefit Gift for Life

Gift for Life, the gift and home industries' charitable organization, has announced that the 17th Holiday Sample Sale is being held now through January 12th 2014 in Edmonds, WA.

Park Avenue Agents of the Pacific Market Center is managing the sale of donated gifts, toys, books, home accessories, and more available to the public at wholesale prices with all proceeds going to Gift for Life.

This year the sale is located at 22824 100th Ave W in Edmonds, WA. Merchandise has been donated from many Pacific Market Center wholesale showrooms, independent retailers and manufactures across the country. Unsold merchandise will be donated to local AIDS-related charities such as the Lifelong AIDS Alliance and Seattle Children’s Thrift Shops.

“With the holiday season right around the corner, this event gives consumers the perfect opportunity to shop at wholesale prices while supporting a great cause,” said Heidi Park of Park Avenue Agents.

In 2011, the last time the biennial sale took place, proceeds of $30,000 were presented to Gift for Life. Since 1992, the sale has raised more than $300,000.

“The Pacific Northwest has always been a tremendous partner,” said Stu Teller, chair of the Gift for Life board. “It’s a region with strong ties to wholesale, healthy retail conditions and generous people; therefore, we expect this year to be another great success.”

For more information, visit giftforlife.org