Sold out International Home + Housewares Show reports increased attendance

Casual Living Staff -- Casual Living, 3/14/2013 10:45:54 AM

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The just-concluded 2013 International Home + Housewares Show is garnering rave reviews from buyers and sellers, officials say. The show was sold out with more than 2,130 exhibitors and saw an increase in total buyer attendance through its first three days before predictions of heavy snow. The increase included significant growth in international buyer attendance.

"We are hearing very positive feedback from both exhibitors and attendees," said Phil Brandl, president of the not-for-profit International Housewares Association, which owns and operates the show. "The theme of most of our feedback has been focused on innovation with many citing the nearly 500 new exhibitors and thousands of new product innovations from longer term exhibitors."

"The show's new earlier Saturday opening was well received and well used based on reports from our Retailer Advisory Councils as well as from exhibitors," he added.

"This year certainly validated the value of a four-day show to our industry," said Peter Cameron, CEO of Lenox, "especially given the weather forecast that led some attendees to plan an early departure. We got a whole show's worth of business done regardless of weather and found buyers very appreciative of the extra time on the floor."

Media attendance included a significant increase in bloggers, coverage by The New York Times, NBC's Today Show, ABC's The Chew and several Chicago TV stations. Other major publications included Better Homes and Gardens, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Dwell, El Paso Times, Fine Cooking, Food & Wine, Food Network Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Houston Chronicle, InStyle, Redbook and UPI. The show will generate in excess of 300 million consumer impressions through broadcast, print and Internet coverage, a press release states.

The 2014 International Home + Housewares Show will be held March 15-18 at McCormick Place, Chicago USA. Attendee registration for 2014 and additional show information are available at www.housewares.org.