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Show News & Business, Show Recap

June Total Home & Gift Market in Dallas Attracts More New Buyers From Across U.S., Strong Orders

The Dallas home and gift event reports the largest summer trade event in more than 10 years, with more new buyers attending from across the country and steady order-writing.

7/6/2022
image of Dallas market building interior
The Dallas Total Home & Gift Market continues to attract more buyers.
 
DALLAS – The June 2022 edition of Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, the largest summer trade event in more than ten years, welcomed more new buyers from across the country and steady order-writing, the market center announced.

Buyers for the seven-day event arrived early to place orders at the first show of the summer season. Retailers and interior designers from all 50 states attended the show as well as international buyers from Canada, Central America, and South America.

“We were extremely pleased with attendance especially among new buyers from across the country,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “Frankly, business conditions this summer and economic forecasts are uncertain, so consistent order-writing was a welcome result especially for exhibitors who offered new products or unique items. The reimagined Temps was the highlight of a summer show that once again demonstrated the Dallas momentum. We have hosted record-setting shows for more than 18 months that created dramatic tailwinds; but now we are facing economic headwinds that slowed things down a bit. That said, we continue to make gains—including attracting more new buyers and brands who want to do business in Dallas.”

The number of new buyers attending markets in Dallas continues to grow. Attendance at the June show by buyers visiting Dallas Market Center for the first-time was ahead of June 2021 and also ahead of pre-pandemic shows. Attendance also continued to widen geographically: buyers from the southeast increased 29%, the midwest increased 7%, and the west increased 7%.

“I love Dallas market for so many different reasons,” said Taylor Jones with The Tiny Closet Boutique in Opelika, AL. “One of the top reasons is the energy…it feels like you are ready to hustle every single time you are here. So from Alabama we are always traveling straight to Dallas.”

In addition to thousands of independent retailers, the buying power from major stores and buying groups added to the marketplace energy and commerce. Attendees included Tuesday Morning, Dillard’s, Michael’s Stores, The Container Store, Buc-ees, At Home, JC Penney, Neiman Marcus, AAFES, World Market, Kohls, Albertsons, Brookshire Grocery, United Supermarkets, Big Lots, Boot Barn, Halls, Hobby Lobby, Maurices, Joanns, The Paper Store, Universal Direct, Gelson’s Markets, HEB/Central Market Grocery Stores, Southwest Buying Group, MAI, Palmer Marketing, Brixy, and HTI plus the team from Oprah’s Favorite Things.

Adam Glassman, Creative Director of Oprah Daily, commented: “I love coming to the Dallas Market. We have found a lot of stuff for a little ol’ thing I work on called Oprah’s Favorite Things. We’re excited to be back.”

More than 40 new and expanding permanent exhibitors and hundreds of new Temps debuted during the show, together with special exhibits, events, and seminars. Among the exhibitor community, results were shared noting retailer and designer confidence and new buyer traffic.

“It was our best summer show by double digits,” said Randa Crisler with Portico Collection. “We started writing business during the Apparel show, continued during pre-market days on Monday and Tuesday, and then the show itself. We saw buyers from coast to coast and they truly responded to new products and collections by placing orders.”

Wes Hardin, CEO and owner of Diverse Marketing, which had a major expansion for June Market, posted to LinkedIn: “Diverse Marketing Nation is in the process of wrapping up the most productive, successful, and positive Dallas Gift Show of all time….in our entire 65-year history. Hats off to our team as it has never been so well rounded!”
Angela Schmook with Roadrunners commented: “Dallas Market did not disappoint! Market started with a bang having one of our best early bird days ever. Our reps booked solid appointments and the sales were strong overall. We launched several new brands that had great first market experiences. Several existing brands had some significant new product introductions that retailers were clearly craving. We did see a significant slowdown in attendance over the weekend, but the market in total was a success.”
Home décor exhibitors noted both market traffic and their daily business.

“Our June show was as strong as January in traffic and sales, which is tremendous,” said Matthew Wilson, Palecek showroom manager, Dallas. “And of course, our daily business serving the design community is also strong. We are having a very good first half of the year.”

Paul Michael, owner of Market Hill on 6, commented: “Business in Dallas is not slow, ever. Our business is good on a daily basis plus the June show exceeded last year’s record setting sales.”

The Bigger, Better, Reimagined Temps
The Temps at Total Home & Gift Market was the largest presentation in more than ten years with more than 1100 exhibitor booths across five distinct neighborhoods of hot new products and brands. Nearly 50 percent of exhibitors were first-time participants.

Jason Feyka, co-owner of first-time exhibitor Replica Décor, said: “We heard from other [exhibitors] ‘you’ve got to go to Dallas…people will love you in Dallas,’ and we’ve met people from all over. We’ve exhibited at other trade shows and our experience here has been one of the best.”

Matt Bird, owner of Mason Jar Label Clothing, commented: “We’ve been to many other markets around the country, this is always the one we do best at…we also draw a lot of [buyers] from around the country so we get people from Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Minnesota as well as people locally like Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Texas, of course.”

Added DJ Hernandez from Pura Vida: “We have been coming to the show for 5 years…what keeps us coming back is the relationships…we’re building so many great relationships with our accounts that every time we come back, it’s like a family…we can hug our accounts and do business at the same time.”

Highlighting the events were premiere parties for High Style and for Antiques on Wednesday morning, panels sponsored by Gifts & Decorative Accessories magazine and Modern Luxury, and an Antique talk with John Phifer Marrs.

IFAM Collection Enjoys Record Sales
The International Folk Art Market Collection returned to Dallas Market Center with twenty artisans from around the world showcasing their wares and sharing their stories through their art. The exhibit in the World Trade Center Atrium, which began more than ten years ago, had their best sales in history among artisans representing India, Uzbekistan, Laos, Guatemala, and other countries. The artisans are part of the International Folk Art Market (IFAM), the largest event of its kind in the world, taking place each summer in Santa Fe.

Retailer Excellence Awards
The 71st Annual Retailer Excellence Awards took place on June 22 during the Total Home & Gift Market. The event, in partnership with Gifts & Decorative Accessories magazine, has been celebrating retail excellence since 1951. The event honored 21 retail nominees and seven retail winners in seven categories: Specialty Store, Multiple Locations, Visual Merchandising, Store Events, Store Design, Social Media Outreach and Online Initiatives, and Socially Responsible. In addition, GDA will also present awards to the Manufacturer of the Year and Sales Representative of the Year. Gift for Life, the industry charitable organization, presented its Industry Achievement Award to industry analyst and journalist Warren Shoulberg who also spearheaded fundraising for World Central Kitchen. The fundraising has reached more than $23,000.

Showrooms Feeding Families
Select showrooms participated in the “Showrooms Feeding Families” fundraiser benefitting World Central Kitchen organized by Gift for Life. More than $20,000 was raised. Participating showrooms included: Cliff Price & Co., Goetz, KBD Sales, NextGen Dallas, Nora Fleming, Park Hill, Patrick & Co., Portico Collection, and Road Runners. Generous direct donation support came from RAZ, Creative Co-Op, and OneCoast.

Additional Summer and Fall Events
Also taking place during Total Home & Gift Market were Lightovation, the largest trade event for the business of residential lighting, and KidsWorld. Upcoming shows at Dallas Market Center include the Dallas Men’s Show, July 30-August 1, Apparel and Accessories Market, August 23-26, KidsWorld, August 23-26, AETA International Trade Show, August 25-28, and WESA’s International Western/English Apparel & Equipment Market, August 25-28. In September, Dallas Design Week takes place September 12-15; Total Home & Gift Market, September 13-15; and ArchLIGHT Summit, September 15-16.

For upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the Dallas Market Center mobile app. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the DMC Daily Dose.
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