Kids Count: Vegas Kids Helps Buyers Capture Growing Market
(LAS VEGAS)—July 12, 2010—The newly expanded Vegas Kids brings together a juvenile tour de force during Summer Las Vegas Market August 2 - 6 at World Market Center Las Vegas. Buyers can expect to see a broad and colorful spectrum of showrooms with the latest in youth furnishings and décor, as well as informative speakers and seminars.
Designers, Retailers Stand to Benefit as Parents, Grandparents Spend More
Paul Kurnit, owner of KidShop and a recognized leader in youth marketing, says that Vegas Kids gives the entire industry a chance to mix, mingle and learn from one another. “Vegas Kids is a great opportunity for the kids industry to come together to share ideas and success stories. The show will highlight some of the latest and greatest directions in kids’ lives, fads and trends, family insights and new directions for kid design, furniture and furnishings.” Kurnit will share more insights during his Vegas Kids presentation, “Kid Wisdom: Essential Insights for Furniture Fun and Profit on Monday, Aug. 2 at 9:00 a.m. in Bldg. C-424.
Robert Maricich, president and CEO of World Market Center, says that Vegas Kids provides an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the industry and discuss the keys to success. “The youth furnishings industry has remained strong, even in these trying times, and that’s for good reason,” says Maricich. “Studies have shown that while parents are more likely to make sacrifices for themselves, they’re still spending when it comes to their kids. Vegas Kids gives both buyers and sellers a greater understanding of this high-growth marketplace and how to capture it. From the youth furniture to the category-specific programming, this exciting destination at Las Vegas Market truly delivers.”
Parents aren’t the only ones spending. According the 2009 study “The Grandparent Economy,” conducted by grandparents.com, grandparents are living longer, working harder and accumulating more than ever. The report says that grandparents spend nearly $23 billion on gifts annually for their grandchildren, accounting for 42 percent of the overall gift market.
High Point, N.C.-based Lea Furniture will showcase Nickelodeon Rooms by Lea - Nick, TweenNick, TeenNick and SpongeBob Surf Club Collections during Vegas Kids.
“Lea looks forward to participating in the Vegas Kids show. The campus and set-up will make it easy to introduce potential new retailers to Lea’s distinctive quality and functionality as well as
the versatility of the Nickelodeon Rooms collection,” said Jack Richardson, president, Lea Furniture.
Richardson added, “Lea’s presence at the Vegas Kids show will help the company to expand upon our distribution into new geographic regions and retail channels. And, based on what we’re hearing from our sales team and customers, it will allow us to more opportunity to meet with a diverse set of new retailers who may not have seen Nickelodeon Rooms yet, while also allowing us more time to spend on existing relationships with Lea customers who attend the show.”
Lee Blount, business manager for the Ark Group/Thuka Furniture, based in Suffolk, Virginia, says he’s looking forward to the company’s upcoming product launches at Vegas Kids. “We have many brand new children’s furniture lines from Danish and German manufacturers that have never before been sold in the USA,” says Blount. “This gives us an opportunity to supply a range of low-, mid- and high-priced product to independent retailers across the USA, Canada, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Additionally, we are now the American distributor for Spiegelburg Toys, a German manufacturer that has not been shown in the USA prior to its launch at Vegas Kids.”
Blount says that in addition to the premiere venue and memorable entertainment that can always be found at Market, he appreciates the Las Vegas location of World Market Center Las Vegas. It gives his East Coast company greater access to clients, “We are beginning to notice that a lot of retailers from the West Coast prefer to attend the Vegas shows, so this show provides us with great visibility and opportunities to meet them,” he says.
Ted Weber, sales manager for Bolton Furniture in Morrisville, Vermont, says that his company will be showcasing the Low Loft Bed System. The bed can be configured into a tent or storage space and converted into a regular twin or full bed as the child grows. Bolton Furniture will display six bed styles and demonstrate that the different styles, finishes and collections can be shown in just 600 square feet. “What it means to our customers is a profitable return per square foot,” says Weber.
An exclusive line-up of programming will fuel attendees’ discussions throughout the week. In addition to Paul Kurnit’s seminar, design author and frequent “Today” show contributor Susanna Salk will address what’s new kids’ room design. And lifestyle blogger and social media expert Katja Presnal will advise on how independent retailers of youth home furnishings can gain a competitive advantage through effective social media strategy.
Nevada artist Bryan Christiansen’s work will also be on display throughout the Vegas Kids show. Christiansen is known for his unique, life-sized animal sculptures made from recycled pieces of furniture. A type of urban furnishings artist, the sculptor creates new and provocative pieces from old and discarded items.
In addition to Vegas Kids attendees, World Market Center currently attracts thousands of traditional furniture and home retailers internationally to its market every season, and more than 20 percent of buyers purchase juvenile furniture.
Among those companies expected at Vegas Kids: Acme Furniture, Alligator Enterprises, Atlantic Furniture, Bolton/Vermont Precision, Country Cottage, Embassy Int’l/Elements Int’l, Good Trading, Opus Designs, Kelsey’s Collection, LA Rug, Lea Industries, Levels of Discovery, LightHeaded and HeadLites, Newport Cottages, Oopsy Daisy Fine Art for Kids, Opus Designs by Hooker, Sing 2 Learn, Thuka Furniture, LLC, Delta Children’s Products and Tuga Sun Wear.
The Vegas Kids exhibitors that serve the youth segment include those located on the 4th floor of Building C:
Acme Furniture C0405-3, C1201
Alligator Enterprises C0405-30
Atlantic Furniture C0405-10, C0405-25, C1378
Baby Dipper C0478-7
Bedtime C495-11
Bolton/Vermont Precision C0495-15
Brian Christiansen C405-30
California Kids C458-11
Coaster C499-6
Comfort Research C483-1
Country Cottage C405-5
Creative Baby Inc C0478-6
Delta Children’s Products C401-7
Elementary C0405-18
Good Trading C458-4
Kelsey’s Collection C0405-20
Kinfine C405-22
Kinfine Kids C405-2
LA Rug C0458-3
Lea Industries C0499-9
Levels of Discovery C0499-8
LightHeaded and HeadLites C0405-7
Mauricio’s Furniture C458-7
Naturepedic C458-10
Newport Cottages C0405-9, C0405-11
OneWorld C401-12
Oopsy Daisy Fine Art for Kids C0499-2
Opus Designs by Hooker C0495-17
Powell Company C499-10
Sing 2 Learn C0401-10
Southeastern Kids C401-12
Thuka Furniture, LLC C0401-1, C401-2
In addition, other exhibitors will be featuring the latest in youth furnishings and décor, including:
4D Concepts A736, A740
Adesso Inc A420
Affordable Furniture A1019
Ambella Home Collection A153
Amity Home C0599-112
Ashley Furniture Industries B1470, B1500
aspenhome B0801, B0880
Baseline Licensing C1484
Bear Hands & Buddies C0512-34
Best Home Furnishings A653
Best Master Enterprises B1200
Boyd Specialty Sleep B0826
Braggables C0512-28
Brownstone, Inc. A100, A106, A120
Broyhill A1053
Buhler Furniture C1236
Capel Rugs Inc. A226
Chromcraft Revington Furniture B1380
Coaster Company of America C1612, C1621
CR Kids B1380
CYM Furniture C1562
Delta Children’s Products B908, C0401-7
Diamond Star Glass A321
Donco B0922
Dreamfit C1540
Elite Design Furnishings B726
Embassy Int’l / Elements Int’l C1564
Emerald Home Furnishings B1350
Ethan Allen C0196
Fairmont Designs A754
Five Star Mattress A735
Flair Design B1170
Flik Flak Watches C0512-34
Furniture Traditions, Inc C1384
Furniture Transport Group B1630
Generation Furniture B1470, B1500
Global Eagle LLC B0520
Good Trading B1160
Harden Manufacturing A901
Hiatt Furniture A954
Hollywood Bed & Spring Mfg. C1278
Home Dynamix B0460
Homelegance A625
International Bedding Corporation B0946
Jubilee Collection C0501-40
Kalalou C0787
King’s Rattan B1006
Kittrich Corporation C1566
Kush Furniture Company, The A853
LaCrosse Furniture Company A535
Legare Furniture A1024
Legion Furniture B1068
Lexington Home Brands C1100
Life Style Covers by Royal C1350
Linon C1288, C1296
Lumisource A322
Melissa & Doug C0512-38
Midwest-CBK C0999
MK and Company C0512-35
Mobital USA B0775
Modus Furniture International B0662
NCA Design, Inc. B0625
New Classic Home Furnishings A854
Night and Day Furniture B1012, B1018
Noble House, Inc C0660
Office Star Products C1412
Pastel Furniture, Mallin Casual Furniture B1400
Perdue C1379
Postcards Home A119
Powell Company A747, A753, C0499-10
PTM Images B0568
Pulaski Furniture Corporation C1401
Quoizel A401
Robert Allen Group, The C0101
Samuel Lawrence Furniture C1401
Saro Trading Company C0801
SDH Enterprises C0684
Skyline Furniture Mfg. A847
Somerton Home Furnishings A916
South Shore Furniture B0980
Sprout Shell, LLC C0512-23
Squeakers C0512-22
Surya B0350
The Rug Market B0306
Thomasville Furniture Industries, Inc. A1030
Tino Turtle Travels, LLC C0512-26
Tuga Sun Wear C0512-7
Venetian Gems/Classic Touch C0772c
Walker Edison A642
Whittier Wood Furniture C0395-1
Winners Only A630
Yosemite Home Décor A417, C1035
Vegas Kids at Las Vegas Market will be held August 2-6, 2010 Attendees can book discounted rooms online now at www.vegaskidslv.com. For a list of Vegas Kids exhibitors, visit the online directory at www.vegaskidslv.com.
About World Market Center Las Vegas
World Market Center Las Vegas is an integrated home and hospitality contract furnishings showroom and trade complex. The state-of-the-art campus showcases furniture, decorative accessories, gift, lighting, area rugs, home textiles and related segments, as well as the Las Vegas Design Center open daily to consumers and designers. World Market Center currently hosts the biannual Las Vegas MarketTM, the preeminent total home market along with INSPIREDESIGNTM, Gift + HomeTM and Vegas KidsTM. For more information on World Market Center Las Vegas and its shows, visit www.wmclv.com. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.
