I was surprisingly pleased with the new facility for the PANTS show in Oaks PA.  When I first saw the building, I thought “this is going to be awful!”.  But once the show was set up inside, it was great – good lighting, good traffic flow.  And best of all, there were attendees!  It was the best PANTS show we’ve had in several years.  Our new items were well-received by the buyers, so I came home happy.

The following week I went camping w/my family up at North Lake State Park in the Catskills – our first family camping trip in 15 years!  It was really fun spending 3 days w/Chuck and our three ‘kids’ Matt, Mike, & Liz (ages 32, 30 & 26) – we hiked, kayaked, and spent lots of time sitting in front of the campfire.  I found that sleeping in a tent is not quite as easy as it was when I was younger, but was grateful for the Thermarest mattress.  Take a look at the photo of us on Sunset Rock… a beautiful spot!

Well, it wasn’t one of the best shows ever.  The most popular items were again the inexpensive, but useful, items… and all of the items that turn used soda bottles into something useful were the big sellers – the Catch-a-Mouse mousetrap, the Twist & Spouts (which turn a bottle into a watering can), and the Bird Feeder, for example.  Most of the orders written for immediate shipment have been shipped, and we’re still getting most orders out within 24 hours.  Life is good.

Except perhaps for the previously mentioned glacier that continues to grow on our driveway… these daily 2-3″ of snow that don’t get plowed just get packed down, the February sun melts the top, which freezes again overnight… my normal 30-second commute to work across and down the driveway is now fraught w/danger.

I headed to Atlanta earlier this month with no small amount of apprehension, since the media has been pelting us with doom & gloom.  By the time the show closed on the first day, I was feeling pretty darn good – we wrote a nice number of orders.  By the time the show closed on Tuesday I was feeling giddy… it was our 2nd best Atlanta show ever.  I’m still somewhat surprised, but think I’ve realized why.

We sell a lot of inexpensive, useful items.  We’ve always stayed away from the ‘fluff’ and the decorative and kept with the basics.  These are the items that will continue to sell even when people are being careful with what they spend.

We also have the low $50.00 minimum order.  We don’t have minimums on the individual items either, so it’s easy to try new things.  Honestly, it’s rare for us to write a $50.00 order, but we don’t scare new customers off with a high minimum.

I don’t know if those are the reasons we had a great show, but whatever the reason, I’m certainly glad.  I’m heading off to the NY Intl. Gift Fair this week, and hope it will be as successful.  My mom will be helping me this year – booth #7145 – come see us!

Last week’s PANTS show was the last of this show’s time in Atlantic City – most attendees of this long-standing show are thrilled that the show will be moving back to PA next year.  As a long-time exhibitor of this show, I’m glad because I know it will be a more-attended show in PA.  As a beach-loving human being, I am sad for the move.  Instead of staying in Atlantic City for the show, I’ve stayed in Ocean City, about a 30-minute commute.  I was able to spend each evening sitting on the beach, and got a full day on the beach Friday after the show closed. 

This year’s show was actually pretty good -  we wrote more orders than we did last year, and saw a number of new people.  We did offer a show special this year.  Do you retailers generally try to take advantage of show specials?  We rarely have offered specials at shows, but have started doing so and it seems to make a difference in the number of orders we write.  The shows are SO expensive to do that we are trying to think of ways to do more business there.  Suggestions are always welcome!

Those of you who frequent the trade shows have most likely met Lynne’s mom, Val Johnson (wife of Rod, who is the son of Dorothy Biddle).  She’s been helping out for years, and this Friday, February 1st, she celebrates her 80th birthday.

And where will she be?

Why, with Lynne at the New York International Gift fair, of course!  If you’re stopping by please be sure to wish her a Happy Birthday.  She’s going to kill me for saying that…but I couldn’t help myself.

Val is an amazing woman…friendly, caring, intelligent, independent, skilled crafter and seamstress, world traveller, Red Hat Lady…she even lent me her copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  All of us here can only dream of sustaining such vitality throughout our lives, and we’re grateful she’s a part of our team. 

Greetings from the freezing Poconos…is it March yet????

Atlanta and TPIE were decent this year…thanks to all of you who turned out.  Any orders placed are on their way, unless you’ve requested a future ship date or we ran short on an item (all should be in stock within the week).

We’ll be at the New York International Gift Fair, but we’ll be in General Gift, Booth Number 7042 instead of on the Pier because the powers that be moved Floral and Garden to Javits.  Hope to see you there!

 For more info:  http://nyigf.com/

Or, the Tropical Plant Industry Expo if you prefer…Lynne is setting up our booth right this second.  If you’re around, stop in and see her!

http://www.fngla.org/tpie/

Lynne is in Atlanta setting up our booth at AmericasMart…stop in and see her if you’re in town, booth number 2-C-17.  She’s got all our new items with her so you can check them out ‘in person’.

Here’s the link to the AmericasMart site:

http://www.americasmart.com/