Dallas Market Center last week announced Lightovation enjoyed its largest summer attendance in six years and a 22 percent year-over-year increase in lighting showroom store attendance.
The market held a number of events for lighting professionals looking for educational and networking opportunities. The show offered a special slate of educational programming around the grand opening of The SMART Center, which featured eminent speakers and eight Certified Lighting Consultant (CLC®) accredited educational opportunities, four of which were also National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) accredited. Among the speakers were keynote Jon Schallert, renowned speaker and business expert, and Leslie Carothers, digital communications expert.
“The June edition of Lightovation continues to be an important opportunity for showrooms to easily review new products and gain new information and skills,” said Cindy Morris, Dallas Market Center President and CEO. “Creating a setting that powers ideas and business skills was top of mind while developing The SMART Center, in order to play a part in continuing the forward momentum of the industry.”
Two important industry meetings were also held around Lightovation. Lighting One, a lighting industry cooperative, hosted its annual convention at the Marriott City Center on June 18-19. More than 80 lighting showroom members attended. On the heels of this successful event, the cooperative announced plans to hold its 2019 convention at the Hilton Anatole, which will also be the official lighting industry host hotel for June 2019 Lightovation.
On the same pre-show dates, nearly 40 residential lighting and integrated home space professionals gathered at Dallas Market Center for the 2018 Lighting for Tomorrow workshop. Lighting for Tomorrow is a competition held by American Lighting Association, the Consortium for Energy Efficiency and UL (Underwriters Laboratories), which recognizes the top decorative, energy efficient lighting fixtures in the market. The workshop was held in place of the 2018 competition and served as a forum for idea generation and discussions on the future of connected residential lighting.
Industry leaders were also recognized during Lightovation in the ninth annual Showroom of the Year Awards during an evening reception on June 20 honoring top lighting retailers throughout North America. Dallas Market Center and Lighting & Decor magazine announced the following winners:
• Revenue Under $2 Million: Village Home Stores, Geneseo, IL
• Revenue Under $5 Million: Pace Lighting, Savannah, GA
• Revenue $5 Million and Over: Design Lighting, Surrey, BC
• Outstanding Merchandising Display: Northwest Lighting and Accents, Mt. Prospect, IL
• Exceptional Community Involvement: Dominion Electric Supply Company, Laurel, MD
• Social Media Star: Idlewood Electric, Highland Park, IL
Highlighting the continuing innovation in the industry, dozens of Lightovation exhibitors submitted more than 100 new June product introductions in six categories for consideration in the Market Choice Awards. In this fifth edition of these popular awards, sponsored by enLIGHTenment magazine, a record number of lighting buyers voted for their favorite products online and on site at voting kiosks. The winners awarded at the show were:
• Best Bath Lighting: Zag from Varaluz
• Best Ceiling Fan: Vortex from Modern Forms
• Best Chandelier/Pendant: Marquette from Savoy House
• Best Outdoor Lighting: Bend from Hinkley Lighting
• Best Portable Lamp: Sawback from Quoizel
• Best Technology: Infinite Aura from Swarovski
In an effort to educate the future of lighting, Dallas Market Center selected over 50 participants to attend Lightovation for the Light Stars program, now in its fourth year. Participants were chosen from a group of nominated top retail salespeople from across North America who have never attended the show.
Finally, Dallas Market Center awarded its Visual Merchandising Award, which acknowledges the creative efforts of showrooms on each floor of the Dallas Market Center campus. The winning companies with exceptional and inspired displays on the Trade Mart’s Lightovation floors were:
3rd Floor: Kuzco Lighting
4th Floor: Craftmade
More information can be found at www.dallasmarketcenter.com.
