Welcome to August and the buying group summer shows. This month features three of the major groups we partner with: APRO and TRIB Group, Nationwide and BrandSource. These groups will be having their buy fairs and educational meetings and they're all presenting exciting programs for their members.

The National Rent-To-Own Convention & Trade Show hosted by APRO and TRIB Group kicks off the month in Louisville, KY, August 6-8. RTO World in 2018 was a resounding success as professionals from around the globe gathered for the first-ever rent-to-own convention which was expansive and exciting enough to be called RTO World. The energy and excitement continue into this year’s 2019 convention. You can bet across the board that this year’s RTO World at the newly remodeled Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville will give last year’s a run for its money. In addition to education, RTO World’s trade show will offer attendees an opportunity to connect with vendors, purchase inventory, and learn about the industry’s newest products and services.

This year, Nationwide Primetime will be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, August 17-20, in one of my favorite towns — New Orleans. The Nationwide Learning Academy at PrimeTime in NOLA promises to be the best live educational platform yet. Included will be more than 100 sessions across three days, with some of the leading authorities on a wide variety of compelling subjects. Again, the No Child Hungry program will be in full swing to package nutritious meal kits for hungry children in need.

BrandSource’s The Convention & Expo 2019 is a 4-day event beginning on August 24th, for the first time at the world-renowned Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Dallas. This year they will celebrate their 50th year anniversary of AVB. To commemorate the occasion, AVB and its core BrandSource division are pulling out all the stops this month with a collection of social events, seminars, and anniversary celebrations under the banner “Better Together.”

As usual, The Retail Observer will be in attendance of these spectacular events and we look forward to seeing you there. If you see me checking out the show, please don’t hesitate to stop me and say hello.

Happy Retailing,
Moe Lastfogel
​moe@retailobserver.com

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

Ok, we’re halfway through the year and halfway through the trade shows of 2019. What shows have you gone to or are yet to attend? So far this year we’ve highlighted Living Kitchen, TISE, Las Vegas Market, KBIS and the Architectural Digest Show. In this issue we are covering the International Home and Housewares Show and The National Hardware Show.

IHHS was held this year in one of my favorite cities, Chicago. The numbers of attendees were as high as other years, yet the buzz in the “Windy City” was over the top! As for The National Hardware Show, the buzz at this show was truly upbeat. With the gathering of industry attendees and the vendors, you can see a real turnaround in the economy happening! Both events were packed with upbeat attendees and industry partners alike. As for the show floor, every vendor I spoke with had a great show, and as some put it, “some of the best leads we’ve had in years.”

Opportunities at these shows for manufacturers and attendees have grown rapidly over the past few years. As I write this editorial, I am just getting back from PCBC and THE AIA Show and attended HD Expo a few weeks ago. In just a few short weeks come July and August Shows with LV Summer Market, APRO, Nationwide and BrandSource events. September brings Spoga, IFA and Cedia’s show, which I will be attending.

Realize that these shows aren’t just about viewing a new product or seeing a new design aspect, they are also about education, networking and growing your business. I look forward to attending the remaining shows of 2019 and am anticipating the new wave of partnership and collaboration in the upcoming year. I’ll see you there!

Happy Retailing,
Moe Lastfogel
​moe@retailobserver.com