Page 86 - MM July2018

TEMPORARIES
When buyers attend The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market®, among all the other items on their to-do lists is finding that one mystery product. That one big surprise that ends up thrilling customers and becoming a staple in their stores.
Those surprises are often found in the General Gift temporary exhibits on Floor 5 in Building 3. And because of that, it’s a section well worth a comprehensive look.
“I would certainly think of what you’re looking for and just take
the time to go up and down a lot of aisles,” says Neil Solomon
of The Fanatic Group, a General Gift exhibitor that offers licensed collegiate product and custom-branded gift and novelty items.
“Walk the aisles and see if something sticks out. Don’t overlook”any vendor because you never know.
NEIL SOLOMON
Laura Dadisman, director of sales for Gift & Home Trade Shows at AmericasMart, says the section has themed “neighborhoods” to make it easier to navigate and stumble upon that surprise product line.
“For example, there are a few aisles dedicated to all ‘better’ gifts such as pretty paper, nice candles and cute desk accessories,” she says. “There is another group of aisles that is a neighborhood with more men’s gifts and gameday items. Grouping complementary product as best we can is key for an effortless shopping experience.”
A buyer for every option
Exhibitors in the General Gift temporaries are just as determined to find surprises of their own—buyers who wouldn’t otherwise see their products.
“We love being there because buyers walk by and even though they haven’t thought about selling our products before, they see our displays and think about customers who have asked about it,” says Fred Green of Jenkins Enterprises, which offers licensed sports and military gifts.
Because the General Gift temporaries attract many vendors with that goal of expanding customer bases, the section is constantly infused with new and unique product lines. One example is Dallas-based Fly Away Style, LLC, a stationery and gift company featuring the distinctive watercolor artwork of founder
Ben Paladino.
“The images Ben has chosen to paint are whimsical but unique,” says Fly Away Style’s Tesa Laviolette. “They’re fresh and uncomplicated. We make it really easy for people to send a unique personal message to someone.”
As of the July market, they’ll be able to do more than that with Paladino’s artwork. Laviolette says the company is unveiling a line of porcelain coasters and a collection of candles in its first time exhibiting in Atlanta. >
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