When The Atlanta Shoe Market opens its 2010 Spring Market on August 13 it will be the fifth consecutive time the show will set a new attendance record for both exhibiting vendors and attending retailers. As the show continues its remarkable growth, Executive Director Laura Conwell-O’Brien and the Southeastern Shoe Travelers Board of Directors also continue to find new ways to make what has become known as the industry’s “buying show” an increasingly productive experience for both sides of the aisles. For the August 2010 “spring market,” the new wrinkle is the addition of a Fashion Collection featuring exclusively Salon and Better shoes.
The concept for the Fashion Collection comes on the heels of the successful introduction of the Kids Shoe Box, which debuted at the recent February 2010 Fall Market. More than 210 brands will be on display in the new Fashion Collection area, which will be located in The John A. Williams Ballroom in the Cobb Galleria Centre.
The Kids Shoe Box will return with more than 110 brands of children’s shoes, and again be located in the Grand Ballroom of the host Renaissance Waverly Hotel.
“We remain true to one of the principles that has made the show such a great place to conduct business, which is having everything under one roof,” pointed out Conwell-O’Brien. “But as we grow, setting asides areas for specific categories make it easier for retailers to compare styles and do business with vendors in those particular categories.”
Once considered a regional event, The Atlanta Shoe Market has gained national status in recent years. The February 2010 Fall Market counted retailers and exhibitors from 33 states, representing all sections of the country, as well as continued increases in Caribbean attendees. That edition of the show recorded increases of 15.3 percent in retailer pre-registration, 13.1 percent in exhibition space and 8 percent in attending exhibitor personnel.
The August 13 – 15 Spring Market again will set new exhibitor and attendee records. Both the new Fashion Collection and returning Kids Shoe Box sections were sold out by May, three months prior to the show, and as of the end of May, only seven Main Hall booth spaces were still available.
“The show has simply become too important to miss,” noted George Mustafa, sales manager for the Children’s Division of Trimfoot Company, who has exhibited at the show for 24 consecutive years. “It is evident in the participation of the majors from all across the country.”
The Atlanta Shoe Market is held twice a year in Atlanta, Ga., to feature fall and spring styles respectively. The show is sponsored by the Southeastern Shoe Travelers Association (SESTA), which was founded in 1942 and today counts more than 1100 industry representatives as members. The Atlanta Shoe Market ranks among the 10 largest shoe trade fairs in the world.
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