WMC co-producing Off-Price Specialist show
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, December 4, 2005
Las Vegas — The World Market Center is partnering with an international media company to co-produce an off-price show in conjunction with the WMC's winter market.
The Off-Price Specialist Show will take about 40,000 square feet in the Las Vegas Convention Center for an estimated 50 to 70 exhibitors, including manufacturers, importers and wholesalers of "quality value lines," closeouts and excess inventories offered at prices said to be below wholesale. The emphasis is not on furniture, but home accents and gifts.
WMC and the Off-Price show will honor each other's registration badges. Tarsus Group, the United Kingdom-based company that has produced the Off-Price shows, plans to run shuttles between the World Market Center, the WMC temporary exhibits at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, and the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The Off-Price show runs Jan. 31–Feb. 3, within the WMC's Jan. 30–Feb. 3 schedule.
"We feel the World Market Center is going to be a huge force in the home decor world and we're thrilled to be part of it," said Liz Eaton, executive show director for Off-Price Home & Gift.
The first Off-Price Home & Gift show took place in May 2004. Eaton said the emphasis is on home accents and housewares, including textiles, tabletop, lighting, wall décor, decorative pillows, area rugs and garden and other outdoor accents. Some exhibitors have included Art & Frame Mart, Alco Inds., Classic Concepts, Home Essentials & Beyond, Lite Source, Polar Lighting and Uma Enterprises.
"The purpose of this show is to make people aware of the off-price market," Eaton said. She said annual retail sales in the U.S. off-price industry are estimated at $20 billion.
Shawn Samson, WMC co-managing partner, called the Off-Price show "an important addition." He said it will give buyers "an opportunity to shop for high-quality merchandise at below-wholesale price points."
Four co-produced Off-Price Home & Gift shows are planned for next year in Las Vegas, two in conjunction with WMC's home furnishings markets and two more in May and October. The Off-Price events may use WMC's Pavilions tents for the shows that don't coincide with the furniture markets.
The World Market Center, which plans to eventually grow to eight buildings and 12 million square feet, will have about 2.3 million square feet of temporary and permanent exhibit space for the winter show. The main building and nearby Pavilions will open Jan. 30, while temporary space at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center will open Jan. 31.
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WMC partners with off-price show
Dec 1, 2005
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