By Moe Lastfogel
Director of Sales and Marketing for The Retail Observer

CES, World Market and Design and Construction week have ended. People on the internet, at the shows and post show press releases have said the same thing. The economy is back and the shows surpassed all expectations. Yet, there are still naysayers who are still wondering if they should participate or go to the shows still remaining this year or even next year.

Well, you snooze, you lose. Numbers don’t lie (most of the time) and I’m excited to say that the shows were packed. As usual, my schedule didn’t allow me to see everything, but what I saw was over the top. New vendors and products and many new faces, not to mention the old ones.

Design and Construction week was like a homecoming for me. At every turn, in the exhibit booths and aisles, I ran into someone that I knew. Not only our vendor partners, but from within the entire community that we work with; industry reps, designers, distributors and dealers were all present! It was a sight for these sore eyes to see so many people making the effort to be there, and that so many of our vendors were stronger than ever before and ready to do business. It was truly a milestone in the history of our industry.

So what’s up next? Arch Digest in New York, as well as BrandSource, Nationwide and Mega Group buy fairs in March along with the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo (HPBE) and the International Home + Housewares Show.

Are you going to any of these events? What are you missing if you don’t? A lot, if the previews I have seen are accurate. I expect attendance numbers and new retail opportunities will be above and beyond what we’ve seen in the past years. Go to Events page for links to all of the industry events happening this year. Then pick a show, plan your itinerary, pack your bags and please say hello if you see us at the shows.

I’m excited and hope to see you there!

By Eliana Barriga
Publisher and Managing Editor for The Retail Observer

The 13th annual Architectural Digest Home Design Show is upon us—a show filled with the sophisticated air that comes from thousands of products made by today’s hottest designers and sought-after architects. The Retail Observer is inspired every year we attend and encourage you to join us as we enter this wonderland of imagination. Be sure to watch out for our post-show coverage in an upcoming issue!

Last month, I welcomed the birth of my first granddaughter. As you can imagine, the experience was, and will be, one of the most memorable in my lifetime. As I held her in my arms, I started to think about all of the wonderful things I want to do for her. I then realized that for many of us, our businesses are like our babies. We take responsibility for its vitality, we nurture it, love it and give it our all. Unlike our children, sometimes we forget how much it depends on us to survive and we neglect it or worse, we don’t plan for its future.

Just as I plan to spend a lot of time passing down seeds of wisdom to my grandchild, I must make sure to take the time to lay down a solid foundation for the future of this magazine. It can be overwhelming sometimes to think about all of the things it will need to continue to grow and stay as healthy as it is today, especially when it leads you into unfamiliar territory. Our children always need us no matter how old they are, and so do our businesses.