Confident retailers and designers anticipating a strong fourth quarter gathered at Summer Atlanta Market at AmericasMart, July 12-18, 2022, to source trendsetting products, exchange ideas and connect with leading brands and company principals.
“Business was definitely robust this week at Atlanta Market as buyers and sellers reconnected – some for the first time since Winter 2020 – at the United States’ largest gift and home decor collection,” said International Market Centers CEO Bob Maricich. “The nation’s buying power came to Atlanta to focus on sourcing must-have product in preparation for the fourth quarter.”
For many, the need to nurture vendor relationships and the concentration of leading gift and home brands drove buyers to Atlanta Market.
“Atlanta Market has a big impact on our business -- it's the best market in the country,” said retailer Howard Henschel, CEO and President of Norman's Hallmark who attended market with a delegation of six buyers sourcing for 68 locations in four states. “We missed it during COVID and in January because of travel problems. We came this summer to see new trends, to negotiate and to speak to the principals of our various vendors – all very important for our business.”
Programming including the new GCX: Expo & Education, a joint presentation from GC Buying Group and IMC, also brought buyers out of their stores and back to Atlanta Market for networking, education and informed product discovery.
“It was so good to reconnect with vendors and fellow retailers after two-and-a-half years,” said Bob Kratchman, president of Kitchen Kapers with four locations in Pennsylvania.
Atlanta Market attracted attendees from all 50 states, three U.S. territories and 48 countries. Some 9% were new to Atlanta Market and 14% returned after a pandemic hiatus. The geographic breakdown of Atlanta Market buyers has returned to more a traditional pattern with international attendance rebounding to pre-pandemic levels and notable growth in attendees from the Midwest, Northeast and Southwest.
Making connections with new buyers and reconnecting with existing customers was top of mind for brands and sales agencies at Atlanta Market.
“I certainly met a lot of new people at Atlanta Market that I didn’t have exposure to before and probably wouldn’t have found on the road,” said Daniel Ratchford, national sales representative for decor brand Chelsea House. “Business is strong. This was my best Atlanta Market ever and a nice ‘summer bump’ for Chelsea House.”
Jordan Godwin, director of marketing and graphic design for Chelsea House’s sister brand Wildwood, echoed that sentiment, noting that about half of the brand’s buyers were new accounts while the rest were existing buyers excited to be back at market. “After COVID, buyers are getting back into the swing of things. It felt like old times with people socializing, hanging out and talking. There has been an exciting buzz going on throughout the market.”
The Summer 2022 Market was also an opportunity for established brands to continue to leverage investments made over the past few years in AmericasMart Atlanta’s strategic campus updates. Gift and decor brand TAG experienced a continued benefit from a relocation made in Summer 2022.
“We have been averaging about 35% new accounts each market with buyers coming back to Atlanta Market and seeing our new location for the first time,” said Thom Petrouski, TAG senior vice president of sales, who also reported growth in average order size and interest in “at-once” orders for immediate goods. “IMC really hit it out of the park with the showroom restack. This is the most cohesive Atlanta Market has ever been. The depth .and breadth of product and grouping together of the lifestyle brands is what made the key accounts fly in and the independents come back to market.”
The Summer 2022 Atlanta Market presented 8,000+ gift and home decor brands in 1,000+ showrooms and 1,110+ temporary exhibits including 250+ new, expanded and relocated exhibitors. It launched two new categories - Boutique LUXE and Cash & Carry LUXE – and three new showcases: two Emerging Brands Showcases featuring up-and-coming gift and personal care brands and RISE by JuniperMarket by IMC.
The next Atlanta Market is Tuesday, Jan. 10 to Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.
