IMC unveils strategic growth plan for Las Vegas Gift + Home

Home Accents Today Staff -- Home Accents Today, 9/1/2012 2:00:00 AM

International market Centers announced a three-phase plan, beginning in 2013, to strategically evolve the Las Vegas market and position it as the most comprehensive buying platform for buyers in the Western United States.
     The three-phase plan includes introducing new product categories such as tabletop, home textiles and lifestyle collections, growing existing categories and re-merchandising presentations.
     "This plan re-imagines and re-aligns the presentation of gift and home décor at the Las Vegas Market. By strengthening existing resources, launching new categories and enriching the presentation of better goods, we will create an unparalleled marketplace for gift and home products in the western United States," said Dorothy Belshaw, president of Gift + Home Décor.
     Beginning in winter 2013, IMC will designate 13 floors, comprising 1.7 million square feet, in Building C as the destination for gift and home décor resources at Las Vegas Market. As part of this repositioning, IMC will present a collection of high end home décor resources on C3 as an extension of the fully-leased B3 initiative launched at the recent summer market. The floors are directly connected by an inter building bridge.
     Phase One strategic plans continue at the summer 2013 Las Vegas Market with the introduction of two new categories.
     "C-One" - a new, cross-category curated showcase on the first floor of Building C - will include tabletop, gift and home resources in both permanent and temporary presentations. Also debuting in summer 2013, the Lifestyle Collection on C10 will feature suppliers of on-trend resources from in-demand categories such as fashion accessories, personal care and fragrance, stationery, juvenile merchandise and technology accessories.
     Part of the C-One initiative includes a special tabletop collection featuring customized showroom spaces prominently positioned in World Market Center's Building C Lobby Level.
     IMC also plans to expand its home décor resources on C4 and C5 with specialty home textiles resources. Also, Las Vegas Market will launch gourmet, kitchenware and casual tabletop categories on C11.
     As part of the third phase, Las Vegas Market's temporaries component will relocate to C12 and C13. This relocation will allow for expansion opportunities on C14 to include new merchandise categories to further enhance the overall assortment.
     IMC also announced that the next winter Las Vegas Market will take place Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2013, and the summer edition will be held July 29-Aug. 2, 2013. In 2014, the winter show will be held Jan. 27-31, and the summer market July 28-Aug. 1.
     As an extension of this plan, IMC has partnered with Eller Enterprises to produce an executive conference for the gift and home industry. The event will take place Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 2013. Keynote speakers include former Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman and former Labor Secretary Robert Reich.
     "This will be the first conference of this type in our industry that will address topics with world-renowned speakers and experts taking the discussions to a much higher level than ever before," said conference organizer Randy Eller, president of Eller Enterprises. "This unique gathering will allow industry leaders not only to learn from foremost experts on world economy but also to discuss applications of these concepts to their individual businesses." For more information, email reller@ellerent.com.