The Chicago Market: Living and Giving^® Announces Not-To-Be-Missed Special Events For Retailers During 2011 January Market

The Chicago Market: Living and Giving^® offers the best in programming and special events and this January is no different. As usual, The Chicago Market will offer mix of special late night shopping, networking opportunities and educational programming and seminars that are not to be missed. Event highlights include seminars and book signings from interior designers Frank Fontana and Mick De Giulio, extended late night shopping on January 22 and January 23 and a social media panel moderated by Meredith Schwartz of Gifts & Decorative Accessories magazine. These events and more can be found only at The Chicago Market: Living and Giving, January 20-26, with Temporaries, including Beckman’s™ Handcrafted Show, January 22-25.

The Chicago Market will offer a jam-packed buying experience with the following events and amenities. Visit www.ShopChicagoMarkets.com/events for more information and to RSVP for all events.

• DEMDACO ARTIST EVENT: Learn Selling Techniques for Embellish Your Story by Roeda™ (Saturday, January 22) – Join artist and retailer, Carol Roeda, for an exciting and informative breakfast seminar at 7:30-9:00am, as she debuts her new line Embellish Your Story by Roeda for 2011. RSVP at our website by December 20, www.ShopChicagoMarkets.com/events

• Navigating Your Floor Plan with Effective Merchandising Techniques (Saturday, January 22) – Join Retail Minded’s Nicole Leinbach Reyhle and enjoy lunch as she discusses how merchandising can be used to maximize sales in unexpected places.

• What Is FourSquare? And Why Your Customers Should Care (Sunday, January 23) – Enjoy complimentary lunch from 12-1pm, as Meredith Schwartz and a panel of independent retailers discuss social media sites that allow customers to “check-in” to their favorite places in real-time via their smartphones. Schwartz and the panel will share how these sites can provide free publicity and how savvy storeowners can use them to their advantage.

• DESIGNER DAY (Monday, January 24) – Designer Day hits The Chicago Market with two exciting design-focused seminars. Join Mick De Giulio for breakfast from 8-9am as he explains how the evolving phenomenon of a kitchen-centered lifestyle will impact the future design of the American home. Following his seminar, De Giulio will be signing copies of his new book, Kitchen Centric. Need another design dose? Stop by for Frank Fontana’s Lunch-n-Learn seminar from 12-1pm as he reveals some of his exclusive HGTV high style, low cost decorating tips and tricks that have been featured on the TODAY Show and Oprah.com. Following his seminar, Fontana will be signing copies of his book, Frank Fontana’s Dirty Little Secrets of Design, with a complimentary dessert and champagne happy hour.

• Meaningful Experiences Through Merchandising (Tuesday, January 25) – In need merchandising tips and tricks? Stop by the Tag showroom from 12-1pm as Vanessa Nunley shares her trade secrets to creating a merchandised store environment that not only entertains customers, but also encourages them to buy. Nunley, an interior designer, life stylist and blogger, will offer meaningful ways to embrace and help consumers bring your products into their homes and lives.

CHICAGO MARKET: LIVING AND GIVING SHOW HOURS
Thursday, January 20 – Tuesday, January 25
Showrooms: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Floors 13, 14, 15
Saturday, January 22 – Tuesday, January 25
Temporaries and Beckman’s Handcrafted Show^®: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Floor 8
Saturday, January 22 and Sunday, January 23 – SHOP LATE NIGHT!
Showrooms: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. | Floors 13, 14, 15
Temporaries and Beckman’s Handcrafted Show^®: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Floor 8
Wednesday, January 26
Showrooms: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Floors 13, 14, 15

For more information on The Chicago Market: Living and Giving, please visit www.shopchicagomarket.com or call 800.677.6278 (MART).