According to Dallas Market Center, the Total Home & Gift Market had record attendance including a high number of new buyers. Attendees traveled to Dallas from 47 states to attend the trade event last month.
Attendance was up overall compared with June 2019, the last summer market before the pandemic. The number of new buyers was up more than 40 percent over June 2019. As well, the show continued to expand its geographic footprint: the show saw a 14 percent increase in buyers from the West, a 24 percent increase in buyers from the Midwest, and a 36 percent increase in buyers from the Southeast compared with June 2019.
“This was the strongest summer Total Home & Gift Market in many years,” said Cindy Morris, President and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “Buyers showed up early and ordered deeply. They wanted to be first in line to place orders, and many exhibitors reported 20, 40, 60 percent increases versus 2019. Buyers from every state arrived with confidence and enthusiasm to fill shelves and discover new products. Most impressive to me was the continuing pattern of new buyers arriving from east and west as well the middle of the country. Thank you to our exhibitors and sales reps who helped deliver a fantastic summer show.”
Taking place at the same time was Lightovation: Dallas International Lighting Show, which welcomed buyers back to the home of residential lighting and numerous expanded and new showrooms across more than 1 million square feet of lighting resources.
Buyers from across the U.S. and select countries attended the seven-day trade event that welcomed single and multi-location retail, buying groups and major stores. Among the first-time buyers was Maura O’Keefe Byrne from Thyme Café and Market in Santa Monica, CA: “It’s our first time to Dallas. There's a lot of energy in the building, a lot of people are out. We have found a lot of things we've seen in other places, but a lot of new things too.” Added Krista Chmielski of Bluemerie Permanent Botanicals in Port Austin, MI: “One of my reps … in Atlanta suggested I try Dallas this time. It's been a great experience so far, and I know that I'm going to find lots of new things that I wasn't even expecting.” Dan Saklad of Whisk in Cary, NC said: “It’s is our first time to Dallas. We came for the Gourmet Catalog meeting and that was the primary purpose, but I will tell you that I have been astounded by what I've seen here. It feels fresh. It feels innovative and exciting.”
Debuting during the show were dozens of new or expanding showrooms including legendary brands and hot new companies across gift and home, housewares and gourmet, holiday and floral to lighting and fashion. Inside The Temps at Total Home & Gift Market, hundreds of new and returning exhibitors in four distinct neighborhoods included the largest collection of vintage home ever seen in Dallas and expanded sections of bath, body and spa.
While at the shows, retailers participated in special events, seminars, discussions, organization meetings and tours while also experiencing displays of product trends to inspire their merchandising and ordering. Events included Lightovation's Showroom of the Year Awards, honoring exemplary lighting retail showrooms, and the HEARTS Awards, celebrating and honoring those who showed outstanding leadership during the pandemic. Uniting multiple industries for the first time, the HEARTS Awards was hosted by Carson Kressley and Thom Filicia.
Supporting the comfort, health and safety of all attendees, the market center continues important measures outlined via the plan available on the front page of the website.
