GC Buying Group Announces Move To Dallas Market Center For January Start the Year Conference
—Annual event including Vendor Showcase to coincide with 40th anniversary of GC; to be held during Dallas Total Home & Gift Market—
DALLAS – September 1, 2020 – GC Buying Group, the original and leading buying group in the housewares industry, has announced that it will hold its Start the Year Member Conference and Vendor Showcase from January 6-7 at Dallas Market Center. The annual event draws retailers from across the country to review new products from leading vendors with the company principals, network among peers, and experience presentations from business and industry experts. The conference will be held during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, which takes place January 6-12.
The Vendor Showcase will return with a broad range of products for the home—from gadgets to fine cookware to the latest in kitchen electrics—presented in a single location for efficient review. The previous Start the Year Conference welcomed 200 buyers from independent retail and 145 vendors. A full schedule for Start the Year, including special sessions and speakers as well as participating vendors, will be announced in the coming months.
The hub of the event will be a GC Buying Group Lounge and Conference Room located in expansive space on the second floor of the Trade Mart. Nearby tradeshow space will be utilized for the Vendor Showcase as well as social activities.
Janis Johnson, founder and president of GC, said: “We are honored to welcome the industry to GC’s hometown as we celebrate 40 years of service. This is going to be a special year, and we are pleased to work with a host marketplace that will provide new energy and tremendous support for all attendees. Now more than ever, independent retailers need to deepen relationships, discover what’s new, and sharpen their skills to compete. The destination for gaining a business edge in 2021 will be Dallas.”
Said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center: “We look forward to welcoming GC Buying Group stores and vendors to Dallas for inspiration and business renewal. Janis and her team share our commitment to supporting independent retail and working together to create a January event that can carry retailers forward confidently into the new year. We know that attendees will appreciate our hospitality, convenient location, wide product selection, and comprehensive health & safety protocols.”
Among the key benefits of membership in GC Buying Group are its conferences and showcases, merchandise discounts and special programs including freight allowances and dating programs. Networking opportunities and the members-only website allow for the exchange of vital information to help members stay ahead of their competition.
This summer Dallas Market Center hosted multiple buying events including the Total Home & Gift Market, which welcomed buyers and sellers safely into the buildings with strict health and safety protocols including mandatory face coverings and temperature checks. Those measures will continue for the foreseeable future. The August 19-25 show welcomed 55% of the attendance compared with last summer’s market including a sharp increase in new buyers. Supporting the retail rebound, 97% of exhibitors in Dallas were open to build or deepen relationships, help buyers discover what’s new, and to facilitate the significant orders placed at the show.
The Dallas marketplace is home to gourmet and kitchenwares resources inside the Trade Mart and World Trade Center including permanent showroom neighborhoods in the Trade Mart for housewares and tabletop. The open daily Gourmet Market in the World Trade Center is home to hundreds of specialty food and beverages, kitchen and wine accessories, housewares, casual tabletop and gifts for all occasions.
As retailers continue to seek a wider array of new products and to visit the marketplace on their own schedule, only Dallas Market Center is open daily and presents a series of fall and winter events to support inspiration, discovery, and ordering. In September, Total Home & Gift Market takes place September 23-25 and Fall Design Week is September 22-24. Looking further ahead, November and December will offer First Monday & Tuesday events and January Total Home & Gift Market will take place January 6-12 with Temps January 6-9.
To make plans for upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the Dallas Market Center mobile app. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the DMC Daily Dose.
About Dallas Market Center
Dallas Market Center is a global business-to-business trade center and the leading wholesale marketplace in North America connecting retailers and interior designers with top manufacturers in gourmet and housewares, home décor, holiday/floral, gifts, lighting and apparel. Inside its dynamic, five million square foot campus, nearly 200,000 customers from all 50 states and 85 countries seek industry trends, business education and new products from exhibitors throughout the year via dominant trade events for gift, home décor, holiday and floral; the nation’s most comprehensive apparel and accessories markets featuring the latest styles from East Coast and West Coast designers; the largest residential lighting trade event in North America; and the largest and most successful open-daily design center. The marketplace is located in the strongest economic zone in the country. In addition, more than 80% of Dallas Market Center buyers report that they do not shop other market centers. To make plans for upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the Dallas Market Center App. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the Dallas Market Center blog.
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