Dallas Market Center Announces Summer Schedule of Apparel & Accessories Trade Events
—Strict health and safety, social distancing measures in place—
DALLAS – May 7, 2020 – Dallas Market Center, the only complete lifestyle marketplace in North America and a hub of wholesale commerce for retailers seeking apparel and accessories, has announced a revised summer schedule of trade events. The June Apparel & Accessories Market will be held June 23-26, while additional, smaller format buying events will be held throughout the summer. The August Apparel & Accessories Market will take place as previously scheduled, August 25-28, preceded by the recently rescheduled summer edition of Total Home & Gift Market, to be held August 19-25. The full schedule is below.
The summer trade events will draw exhibitors representing top brands and retail buyers from leading independent stores across the Central U.S. to review and place orders as retail re-starts across the country. On May 1, retail reopened in Texas following an Executive Order from the governor, and on May 4 Dallas Market Center reopened its doors and welcomed more than two hundred buyers into the building on the first day of business.
Details regarding the reopening and the rigorous health and safety measures in place are available on the company’s website. Buyers are being encouraged to check with showrooms for appointments and availability prior to visiting.
“After careful consideration, and following the governor’s order, we are creating a series of summer events to best serve our customer community,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “Our primary concern is the well-being of our customers, and throughout this pandemic we have been in close contact with state and local officials as well as our customer community to seek their perspective on business conditions, health and safety measures, and travel concerns. As conditions changed so did customer thoughts on planning for marketplace visits. The consensus, made even clearer after states announced their plans to get back to business, is that we should begin carefully ramping up our marketplace in sync with the reopening of retail. We are confident in the viability of our schedule and the strict health measures we have put into place in partnership with our exhibitors. We will be ready when the buyers are ready—and while we know that might take some time, we are confident in our ability to balance good health and good business.”
In addition to new health and safety measures there are also natural design features of the marketplace that promote minimal contact and social distancing: open parking, large entryways, quick registration in multiple areas, multiple sets of escalators in each building, wide hallways, and showrooms with controlled access to allow for the appropriate distance between customers. The on-site services available at the summer events will be announced soon. All traditional market elements that involve close contact and/or gatherings will be adjusted or removed completely.
“We will be reaching out to our loyal buyers as well as buyers impacted by so many shows cancelling or delaying their events until later in the year,” said Eva Walsh, EVP of Leasing and Retail Development for Dallas Market Center. “We understand that for many retailers their first steps are reopening their doors, restarting their sales, and then making a careful decision about visiting the marketplace. We fully expect more drive-in business for our summer events given our location within a few hours’ drive of most of the territory served by exhibitors and sales representatives. Even if buyers decide to visit for only a day or two we will be prepared to help make their trip quick and successful.”
The full schedule:
June 23-26: Apparel & Accessories Market, KidsWorld Market, plus select gift and home showrooms open
July 21-23: Apparel & Accessories + Gift & Home Open House: select showrooms open by appointment
August 19-25: Total Home & Gift Market
August 25-28: Apparel & Accessories Market, KidsWorld Market, Dallas Western Market, and Dallas Men’s Show
About Dallas Market Center
Dallas Market Center is a global business-to-business trade center and the leading wholesale marketplace in North America connecting retailers and interior designers with top manufacturers in home décor, furniture, gifts, lighting and fashion. Inside its dynamic, five million square foot campus, nearly 200,000 customers from all 50 states and 85 countries seek industry trends, business education and new products from exhibitors throughout the year via dominant trade events for gift, home décor, holiday and floral; the nation’s most comprehensive apparel and accessories markets featuring the latest styles from East Coast and West Coast designers; the largest residential lighting trade event in North America; and the largest and most successful open-daily design center. The marketplace is located in the strongest economic zone in the country. In addition, more than 80 percent of Dallas Market Center buyers report that they do not shop other market centers. To make plans for upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the Dallas Market Center Apps. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the Dallas Market Center blog.
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