Vegas Kids Offers More Youth Furnishing Resources

Yesterday I wrote about gift trade shows taking note of the strong juvenile-product marketplace, and today we have news that furniture show are doing something similar. Vegas Kids has always been a division of The Las Vegas Furniture Market, but now it’s its own show (check out the shiny new website here).

World Market Center Las Vegas found that its growing youth-furniture segment is expanding along with the category as a whole. “Our Market attracts tens of thousands of home furnishings retailers internationally every season, and more than 20 percent of current attendees purchase juvenile furniture, making this expansion in youth furnishings a natural extension for Las Vegas,” Robert Maricich, president and CEO of WMC, says. “Despite the economic downtown,” he adds, “youth lines have remained strong at retail. This expanded juvenile event will bring the best of what’s new in youth furnishings to the forefront.”

The most recent projections by Easy Analytic Software Inc. suggest that youth bedroom sales will increase nationally by 14.8 percent during the next five years. That’s in part due to the fact that parents are still spending on their children. While 71 percent of parents say they have been personally affected by the recession, 90 percent of them say they are spending less on themselves, so they can spend more on their children.

The seminar series has been developed to help retailers take advantage of new revenue streams, including youth furniture. Seminar and Event highlights include the following:

Kid Wisdom: Essential Insights for Furniture Fun and Profit
Presented by Paul Kurnit, KidShop
Monday, August 2 | 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Building C, 4th Floor
Join Paul Kurnit, owner of KidShop and a recognized world leader in youth marketing, to learn more about the current state of the kids market and how to connect your company’s core capabilities to today’s opportunities.

Vegas Kids for Grownups Reception
Monday, August 2 | 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Building C, 4th Floor
Join today's leading juvenile furniture manufacturers as they celebrate with a cocktail reception. Beginning at 4 p.m., The Vegas Kids for Grownups party injects real fun back into the juvenile business.

Room for Children: The Exciting State of Children’s Design Today
Presented by Susanna Salk
Tuesday, August 3 | 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Building C, 4th Floor
Design author Susanna Salk uses images from her new book “Room for Children” as a launch pad for a lively discussion. Well known for her contributions to “Today” show and “Early Show,” Salk will hold a book signing following the discussion.

Getting the Most Out of Social Media
Presented by Katja Presnal, Skimbaco Lifestyle and Collective Bias
Tuesday, August 3 | 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Building C, 4th Floor
Lifestyle blogger and social media expert Katja Presnal discusses how independent retailers of youth home furnishings can gain a competitive advantage through effective social media strategy.

Vegas Kids at Las Vegas Market will be held August 2-6 in conjunction with the Las Vegas Market and Gift + Home.

New York Gift Shows Offer Something For Baby

Juvenile-product retailers have gotten lucky of late as more and more trade shows pop up with sections devoted specifically to products for babies, children and their parents.

During the last New York International Gift Fair, show organizers announced their Focus Forward 2013 strategic plan, which sees the reorganization of NYIGF as the Javits Convention Center changes too. One of the first steps of Focus Forward 2013 is the new Baby & Child division. Cross merchandising children’s every day products with gift merchandise is the industry standard now, so it’s worth a trip to New York to find new diaper bags, furniture and layette alongside plush toys, books, footwear and anything else you can imagine.

Elsewhere in New York City, you’ll find a similar concept now in its second go round at 7 W New York. The NYC Baby& Kids Fair, which runs August 16-18 at 7 W 34th Street, presents temporary exhibitors with children’s products and parenting aides. And I’ll be there too! I moderate the Product Profiles speed-selling seminar and buyers lunch on Tuesday, August 17 at 1 p.m.

Here’s a little teaser from the NYIGF to whet your appetite.