Atlanta – Looking to more effectively cross-pollinate buyer activity among its related market events, the AmericasMart here has readjusted the schedules of its biannual Gifts and Home Furnishings Show and its International Area Rug Market to co-exist starting in January.
AmericasMart has for the past few years overlapped by three days these events – which occur twice annually, in January and July – with the Gifts and Home Furnishings Show scheduled first and the rug market thereafter.
But with home accessories retailers and some gift stores expressing growing interest in expanding into the rug category, AmericasMart has nestled the rug market within the gifts/housewares show’s dates.
Under the new schedule, the Gifts and Home Furnishings Show stretches from January 6–14, and the International Area Rug Market spans January 7–12. In July, the dates, respectively, are July 7–15 and July 8–13.
"We’re now putting our rug show in the heart of our home furnishings and gift market to make it more convenient to our buyers, and this exposes more potential buyers to our exhibitors. We’re trying to make market as efficient for the buyer," said Chas Sydney, svp, area rugs component and new business development, AmericasMart. "Many home furnishings dealers shop for rugs, and this gives them one-stop-shopping convenience."
The market date changes come in line with another change — the debut of AmericasMart’s grand opening of its new Building 2 West.
This 10-story building will comprise four floors of exhibit halls and six floors of permanent showrooms dedicated to a recent new expansion of the gourmet and housewares categories and indoor/outdoor goods.
Sydney explained AmericasMart is in the process of "reshuffling some of the product categories" by showroom/exhibit space location to improve cross-merchandising efforts.
Building 1, which has long been home to permanent area and accent rug showrooms, will now also house furniture and home accessories showrooms.
Building 2 and 2 West will focus on gift vendors, while Building 3 will concentrate on fashion apparel categories.
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