ATLANTA –Trade show organizer Urban Expositions has announced plans to launch the Windy City Gift Show in the Chicago area.
The show is set to debut Jan. 18-21, 2014 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, which is very close to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
“From its easy accessibility to its solid convention infrastructure to its vast retail base, history has shown there are many reasons why the Chicago area should host a vibrant trade show for the gift industry,” said Doug Miller, president, Urban Expositions, in a statement. “In studying the marketplace, we felt Rosemont offered countless money and time-saving benefits to buyers and exhibitors alike. An ideal convention city that caters to the business-travel audience from O’Hare, the city offers quality hotels at affordable prices, easy access, an excellent convention facility and a brand new entertainment district filled with restaurants and entertainment venues.”
Urban Expositions expects the show to attract retailers from throughout the region including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, and Kentucky, representing a wide array of distribution channels. The show’s selection will be “custom-tailored” to reflect the regional tastes and interests of the area, Urban Expositions said, including “its strong seasonal business, great lakes and coastal towns, lodges and resorts. As a result, this distinctive selection will also offer appeal to top national retailers as well.”
The Windy City Gift Show is projected to open with a diverse offering of lines categorized into distinct product sectors, including Gifts, the largest section of the show featuring general giftware and a number of key subcategories like gourmet, seasonal, personal accessories, plush and toy; Handcrafted, a unique section featuring international and domestic artisans, designers and manufacturers of handmade merchandise; Design Chicago, featuring design-led merchandise across multiple categories, such as giftware, home décor and tabletop; and Jewelry Cash & Carry -offering fine/fashion jewelry, fashion accessories and other items, all available for immediate delivery to the trade.
Sales efforts for the Windy City Gift Show will be overseen by Joan Ulrich, vice president of new business development. Ulrich joined Urban in 2012 from MMPI where she was responsible for building revenues for the company’s permanent showroom buildings and trade shows in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
In addition to its full-scale sales efforts, Urban said it will launch “an aggressive, targeted buyer marketing campaign” designed to blanket the region with messaging about the new event and its opportunities.