HOME TEXTILES MARKET WEEK® OFFERS SUMMER 2009 ACTIVITIES

WHITE PLAINS, NY, May 8, 2009… A full slate of activities, including topical seminars and events unique to New York City, will augment Home Textiles Market Week’s® resources and enhance the market experience for attending retailers.  The semi-annual market for mid-to-high-end home textiles – produced cooperatively by GLM®, a dmg world media company, 230 Fifth Avenue and 7 W New York – runs Friday, August 14, through Thursday, August 20, 2009.

Home Textiles Market Week opens at 7 W New York on Friday, August 14; and at 230 Fifth Avenue and the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®) at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Pier 94 on Saturday, August 15.  More than 500 suppliers of luxury home textiles will participate in the Market – the United States’ largest collection of better home fashions resources.

“Now more than ever, retailers want to make the most of their investment in market week,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “This summer, they will have access to business-building seminars, exciting ‘only in New York’ after-hours events and a host of amenities and promotions to enhance the market experience.”

(NOTE: A full seminar and event schedule follows.)

Educational Seminars
Retailers can extend the market’s value with educational seminars addressing a wide variety of retail issues and opportunities.  Topics include color trends, sustainability, social media marketing and best business practices during a slow economy.

One of the program highlights is The Influence of Color, an in-depth exploration of color and its impact on buying trends, hosted by the New York Chapter of The International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA) on Monday, August 17, from 9:00 – 10:30 am, at NYIGF.  During the session, co-presenters Sara Mosley and Fran Sude from Design-Options will discuss color and fashion’s key influences as well as other color insights and Deborah Sanders, managing editor of Veranda magazine, will address the use of color in the home.

A complete listing of seminars, with complete descriptions, speaker information and dates and times, is available online at http://www.nyhometextilesmarketweek.com.

Special Events
Several only-in-New York after-hours events are planned for market week, including Gifts & Decorative Accessories’ 58th Annual Retailer Excellence Awards recognizing excellence in retailing and individual achievement, on Sunday, August 16; 7 West’s Hawaiian Luau reception featuring live island music, hula dancers, tropical drinks and a drawing for a Hawaiian Vacation for two on Monday, August 17; and NYIGF’s “A Night on Broadway” featuring specially-priced tickets to hit musical West Side Story on Tuesday, August 18.  Details and tickets are available at http://www.nyigf.com/programs.

As an added benefit, market participants are invited to visit The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the foremost museum of modern art in the world throughout the week at no charge, compliments of NYIGF, 7 West New York, 230 Fifth Avenue and 41 Madison. 

“Best New Product Awards”
The Home Textiles Market Week Best New Product Awards will return to recognize product excellence in four categories – Bed, Bath, Dining and Home Accessories – as well as one overall “Best of Market” distinction.  Winners, selected by a panel of trade and consumer editors, will be announced on Tuesday, August 18, at NYIGF.

Display
NYIGF’s SustainAbility: design for a better world® program will return this summer with a special display at the Javits Center showcasing some 175 environmentally-conscious and socially-responsible products crafted from sustainable, recycled or renewable resources. This special exhibit will be complemented by two “green”-themed seminars – one featuring environmental entrepreneur, media personality, author and retailer Josh Dorfman, The Lazy Environmentalist, on Monday, August 17, at NYIGF.

Promotions and Buyer Amenities
NYIGF is offering summer 2009 market participants free access to ZAGAT.com, which searches online Zagat Ratings & Reviews – by cuisine, location or special features such as service, décor or “best buys.”  A free 30-day trial is available through August 31, 2009, at http://www.zagat.com/redeem with promotion code: NYGF9.

Retailers visiting NYIGF’s At Home at Pier 94 can win free tickets to the New York Mets’ inaugural season at Citi Field in the NYIGF “Take Me Out to the Ball Game!” promotion.  Two retailers will be selected at random to win two free tickets each to the Monday, August 17, New York Mets vs. San Francisco Giants game. 

Retailers shopping all floors of 7 West on Monday, August 17, 5:00 – 8:00 pm, can win a Hawaiian Vacation for two (retailing for $2,500).  Cocktails and appetizers will be served on all floors, and live island music, hula dancers and a tropical drink will be featured in the lobby

Additionally, there will be several events happening within the individual showrooms at 7 West, including themed product promotions and receptions.  Several buyer amenities also will be offered, including complimentary lunches for buyers and designers on August 14, 15, 18 and 19, and access to the Club 7 Lounge, which will offer complimentary beverages and business services.

230 Fifth Avenue will be offering all buyers attending New York Home Textiles Market Week complimentary hot or cold beverages, breakfast and afternoon snacks at the new rear lobby Buyer’s Lounge with catering provided by the Antique Café.  Select 230 Fifth Avenue showrooms will also be hosting events in their individual showrooms for buyers and designers.

Together, the three New York Home Textiles Market Week venues produce a combined market directory listing all participants, provide free inter-venue shuttle transportation between market locations, and offer discounted travel and hotel rates for market participants.

For attendee information, contact GLM’s Customer Service Department at 1-800-272-SHOW (7469), or (603) 665-7524, or visit http://www.nyhometextilesmarketweek.com.

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HOME TEXTILES MARKET WEEK®
August 2009
New York, NY
NYIGF® (Jacob K. Javits Convention Center & Pier 94)
7 W New York
230 Fifth Avenue

SEMINAR, EVENT & PROMOTION SCHEDULE
For attendee information, event registration and tickets, contact GLM’s Customer Service Department at 1-800-272-SHOW (7469), or
(603) 665-7524, or visit http://www.nyhometextilesmarketweek.com.

Friday, August 14
Home Textiles Market Week: 7 West 34th Street Open

Shop Early Day at 7 W
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
7 West
International buyers will be treated to showroom specials, raffles, giveaways and specialty refreshments, co-sponsored by the 7 W Exhibitors Association.

Complimentary Buyers’ Lunch
12:00 noon – 2:00 pm
7 West 34th Street

Saturday, August 15
Home Textiles Market Week: NYIGF (Handmade® at Javits and
Pier 94), 7 West 34th Street, 230 Fifth Avenue Open

NYIGF Orientation
8:30 – 9:30 am
Javits Center, Club GLM Lounge – 1E02-04
Free daily NYIGF Orientation sessions will help first-time attendees navigate the Fair, use the directory and make the most of their time at market. Giftware News editor-in-chief John Saxtan will answer industry-specific questions and provide information on how to shop the show.  Also offered on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

In the Suites @ 7 W
9:00 am – 7:00 pm
7 West 34th Street
The 7 W Suites will feature special appearances, demonstrations, refreshments, gifts and raffles.

Shop Saturday at 7 W ‘til 7
9:00 am – 7:00 pm
7 West 34th Street
Guests will enjoy beer, wine and snacks throughout the building while shopping the extended schedule at 7 W.

Complimentary Buyers’ Lunch, sponsored by GUND®, Suite 704
12:00 noon – 2:00 pm
7 West 34th Street

NY Market: On the Town at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
3:30 – 5:30 pm
11 West 53 Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues
NYIGF participants are invited to celebrate Accent on Design’s 25th Anniversary at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the world’s foremost museum of modern art.  Admission to attend this viewing, or to visit MoMA any time during Market Week, is free upon presenting a summer 2009 New York Market badge, compliments of NYIGF, 7 West New York, 41 Madison and 230 Fifth Avenue.  http://www.moma.org

Sunday, August 16
Home Textiles Market Week: NYIGF, 7 West 34th Street, 230 Fifth Avenue Open

GHTA Rotating Forum – Retailer Best Practices Session
12 noon – 1:30 pm, with light lunch and networking starting at 11:30 am
Javits Center, 1A02-03
Industry veterans from the Gift and Home Trade Association (GHTA) will facilitate a series of interactive discussions among retailers, addressing key business issues and opportunities. Over lunch, participants will share information and ideas for effective communication and cooperation among retailers, sales reps and manufacturers, as well as ideas for effective in-store events and promotions. Moderators include: Carol L. Schroeder, Orange Tree Imports, Madison, WI; Sherri Ness, Bates Nut Farm/Farmer’s Daughter, Valley Center, CA; Rosanne Brown, Venice Stationers, Venice, FL; Marc Rice, Fox Premier Sales, Atlanta, GA; and Eartha McClelland, ICU Eyewear, San Rafael, CA. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 onsite.

Retail Strategies:  Using Social Media to Connect with Customers
3:00 – 4:00 pm
Javits Center, 1A02-03
Jenny Heinzen York, editor in chief of Home Accents Today, and a panel of Internet-savvy retailers will share their secrets for using Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and other online tools to connect with customers and increase sales. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 onsite.

58th Annual Retailer Excellence Awards
6:00 – 10:00 pm
Marriott Marquis
Gifts & Decorative Accessories hosts this celebration to recognize excellence in retailing and individual achievement.  During this festive industry gathering, 2009 finalists will be recognized, retail category winners will be announced and special recognition awards will be presented.  Introduced in 1951, the Retailer Excellence Awards are among the most prestigious in the industry.  2009 categories include: Gift Store Design/Redesign; Marketing Achievement; Visual Merchandising/Display; Retail Internet Innovator/Innovation; 2009 Outstanding Manufacturer’s Representative; 2009 Rising Star; and the 2009 Gift For Life Industry Achievement Award. Tickets $150 each, including cocktails and dinner, are available through http://www.giftsanddec.com.

Monday, August 17
Home Textiles Market Week: NYIGF, 7 West 34th Street, 230 Fifth Avenue Open

In the Suites @ 7 W
9:00 am – 7:00 pm
7 West 34th Street
The 7 W Suites will feature special appearances, demonstrations, refreshments, gifts and raffles.

Complimentary Buyers’ Breakfast & Beverages
9:00 – 11:30 am
230 Fifth Avenue
Rear Lobby Buyer’s Lounge

Complimentary Afternoon Snacks & Beverages
12:00 noon – 5:00 pm
230 Fifth Avenue
Rear Lobby Buyer’s Lounge

The Influence of Color presented by IFDA
9:00 – 10:30 am, with continental breakfast and networking starting at 8:30 am
Javits Center, 1A02-03
Color is one of the most powerful tools in the world.  The New York Chapter of The International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA) will lead an in-depth exploration of color and its impact on buying trends.  Co-presenters Sara Mosley and Fran Sude from Design-Options will discuss color and fashion’s key influences as well as other color insights. Deborah Sanders, managing editor of Veranda magazine, will address the use of color in the home.  Tickets $25 for IFDA members/$40 for guests in advance, or $40 and $55 after August 13 and onsite.  For information, visit http://www.ifda.com, or to register, call 212-686-6020, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

It’s Easy Being Green: A Conversation with Josh Dorfman, The Lazy Environmentalist
12:00 noon – 1:30 pm
Javits Center, 1A02-03
Retailers will discover easy, stylish and convenient ways to green their lifestyle and their livelihood during this one-on-one interview with Susan Szenasy, editor-in-chief of Metropolis Magazine, and Josh Dorfman, environmental entrepreneur, media personality, author and retailer.  Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 onsite.

Create Your Own Strong Economy: Use Email Marketing to Power Your Sales
3:00 – 4:00 pm
Javits Center, 1A02-03
Patricia Norins, publisher of GIFT SHOP and Green Retailer magazines will suggest methods to develop email campaigns that attract and retain customers, boost sales and build customer loyalty.  This fast-paced seminar will offer proven solutions, as well as examples for inspiration. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 onsite.

Antiques & Interiors Design Gallery Cocktail Celebration & Reception
4:00 – 5:00 pm
7 West 34th Street
Buyers are invited to the launch of the new gallery of unique and distinctive design and décor pieces, and to meet internationally renowned John Aspley, the gallery’s owner and curator.  Wine, beer and appetizers will be served.

Hawaiian Luau
5:00 – 8:00 pm
7 West 34th Street
Market week participants will enjoy live island music, hula dancers and a tropical drink in the lobby before heading off to shop the suites.  By visiting all floors for cocktails and appetizers, they can enter to win a Hawaiian Vacation for two, retailing for $2,500.

Tuesday, August 18
Home Textiles Market Week: NYIGF, 7 West 34th Street, 230 Fifth Avenue Open

Complimentary Buyers’ Breakfast & Beverages
9:00 – 11:30 am
230 Fifth Avenue
Rear Lobby Buyer’s Lounge

Complimentary Buyers’ Lunch
12:00 noon – 2:00 pm
7 West 34th Street

Complimentary Afternoon Snacks & Beverages
12:00 noon – 5:00 pm
230 Fifth Avenue
Rear Lobby Buyer’s Lounge

Retail Makeover Business Planning Program - Your Action Plan to Surviving a Slow Economy
3:00 – 4:30 pm
Javits Center, 1A02-03
Leading retail expert, and Gift & Home Channel contributor, Barbara Crowhurst, will offer a step-by-step guide to business survival essentials, including setting and meeting sales targets, controlling debt and budgeting expenses, managing inventory and planning and executing marketing strategies. This session will preview a nine-part business training series, to be posted weekly on giftandhomechannel.com starting in September. Attendees will receive a free “Business Planning Workbook” (valued at $39.95), and one lucky participant will be randomly selected to win a complimentary “Power Hour” Retail Makeover by Crowhurst.  Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 onsite.

“A Night on Broadway,” featuring WEST SIDE STORY
7:00 – 9:50 pm
Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway (between West 46th and 47th Street)
One of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time returns to Broadway, as star-crossed lovers are caught between rival street gangs on the turbulent streets of New York City in the 1950s.  Directed by librettist Arthur Laurents, the show features Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's legendary score, featuring such classic songs as “Something’s Coming,” “Tonight,” “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.” Tickets, normally priced at $109.50, are specially priced at $90 for market participants, with the difference being absorbed by GLM®.

Wednesday, August 19
Home Textiles Market Week: NYIGF, 7 West 34th Street, 230 Fifth Avenue Open

Complimentary Buyers’ Breakfast & Beverages
9:00 – 11:30 am
230 Fifth Avenue
Rear Lobby Buyer’s Lounge

Complimentary Buyers’ Lunch
12:00 noon – 2:00 pm
7 West 34th Street

Complimentary Afternoon Snacks & Beverages
12:00 noon – 5:00 pm
230 Fifth Avenue
Rear Lobby Buyer’s Lounge

Thursday, August 20
Home Textiles Market Week: NYIGF (Handmade at Javits and Pier 94 closed), 7 West 34th Street, 230 Fifth Avenue Open

No programming on Thursday, August 20

Awards
New York Home Textiles Market Week “Best New Products” Awards
Select exhibitors will be recognized for excellence in five categories – Bath, Bed, Dining and Home Accessories – along with one overall “Best of Market distinction.  Winners and finalists are selected by a panel of editors based on innovative design, product solution, aesthetic appeal, creativity and new material or technology.  Winners and finalists will be announced on Tuesday, August 18.

Display
Sustainability: design for a better world®
Saturday, August 15 – Thursday, August 20
Javits Center, North Concourse
Environmentally-conscious and socially-responsible products and producers from around the world will be showcased in a special display, curated and installed by Ilene Shaw of Shaw & Co! Productions.  The exhibit will spotlight global gift and home industry suppliers whose products or production processes are eco-friendly, as well as companies whose business practices are socially responsible or fair-trade oriented.

Promotions
The “Take a Bigger Bite of the Big Apple!” promotion gives market participants free access to ZAGAT.com, allowing them to search Zagat Ratings & Reviews – by cuisine, location or special features such as service, décor or “best buys” – and its over 40,000 of the best places to Eat, Drink, Stay & Play in New York City - and around the globe.  A free 30-day trial is available through August 31, 2009, at http://www.zagat.com/redeem with promotion code: NYGF9.

Retailers visiting At Home at Pier 94 can win free tickets to the New York Mets’ inaugural season at Citi Field through NYIGF’s “Take Me Out to the Ball Game!” promotion.  Two retailers will be selected at random to win two free tickets each to the Monday, August 17, New York Mets vs. San Francisco Giants game.  The winner will be selected at 2:00 pm on game day.  Tickets are donated by John Buttine Insurance.  This promotion is offered by George Little Management, LLC. and is not connected in any way with the New York Mets baseball organization.

230 Fifth Avenue Promotion: Free Trade Magazines & Giveaways
Saturday, August 15 – Thursday, August 20
Free copies of the latest trade magazines will be available at the front lobby Registration Desk for all attendees.  Giveaways with the 230 Fifth Avenue logo will also be distributed.

230 Fifth Avenue Promotion: Discounted Hotel Rates
Saturday, August 15 – Thursday, August 20
All out of town attendees will benefit from discounted hotel rates at nearby hotels available through 230 Fifth Avenue’s official travel agency, Lois Lane Travel.  For rates and availability or to book a hotel reservation, visit http://www.loislanetravel.com/230fifth or call (888) 212-8966.

230 Fifth Avenue Promotion: Complimentary Beverages & Snacks
Monday, August 17 – Wednesday, August 19
All buyers visiting 230 Fifth Avenue can take advantage of complimentary hot or cold beverages, breakfast and afternoon snacks at the new rear lobby Buyer’s Lounge with catering provided by the Antique Café.

7 W New York Promotion: Buyers’ Lounge Amenities
Friday, August 14 – Thursday, August 20
All buyers visiting CLUB 7 W can take advantage of the amenities in the Buyers’ Lounge in Suite 729, including complimentary coffee and water; phone, fax and Internet access; trade, building and city information; and parking, commuter, and taxi rebates.

7 W New York Promotion: Complimentary Buyers’ Lunches
Friday, August 14, Saturday, August 15, Tuesday, August 18 and Wednesday, August 19
Buyers can keep up their stamina with complimentary lunches at 7 West. The lunches will be offered from 12 noon – 2:00 pm in the 34th Street Café. Saturday's lunch is sponsored by GUND®, Suite 704