"The Merchandise Mart gives me everything I need, why go anywhere else?"
-Larry Armer, Von Maur |
The Chicago Market is a long-standing, premier quarterly gift and home accessories tradeshow that brings together an extensive selection of gift and home product that attracts buyers from all over. From rep groups such as One Coast to industry leaders like Global Views, the variety of product is unmatched, eye-catching, and laid out in one easy-to-shop building – The Merchandise Mart!
EXHIBITING OPTIONS
OPEN EVERYDAY SHOWROOMS.
Maximize your exposure to buyers during the four Markets each year plus lucrative day-to-day traffic shopping the floors of The Merchandise Mart. Contact us for more information.
PERMANENT, MARKET-TIME SHOWROOMS
The high value of a permanent presence in Chicago with no set-up and no tear-down for each Market. Contact us for more information.
TEMPORARIES
Unparalleled in quality, our temporary exhibit space spans 400,000 square feet in a hard-wall booth system during the January and July Markets. Contact us for more information.
CATEGORIES
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More and more buyers are differentiating themselves by incorporating Beckman's true handcrafted, one-of-a-kind pieces—separating themselves from the competition. Learn more about this key component of The Chicago Market at www.beckmans.com. |
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Lake Living, the nation's only freshwater-inspired buying experience, reaches out to thousands of resorts in the Midwest and around the Great Lakes. See the Lake Living House on television - from The Chicago Market, July 2008. |
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The Merchandise Mart is the world's larges building to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Building (LEED-EB) Silver Certification. This category designation helps buyers identify and embrace environmentally-friendly products. |
TEMPORARIES CATEGORIES
GIFT AND ACCESSORIES The largest section of the show with a broad range of products featuring the latest innovation and creative resources.
HOME & TREND Showcasing home furnishings, design trends, including clean modern, refined classic, warm casual and rustic cottage
URBAN CHIC A collection of unique, high-design products focusing on a modern aesthetic
WHAT A GIRLS WANTS An eclectic assortment of products focusing on women, including personal accessories
Chicago ranked #1 among Top 25 cities for a "business/meeting trip that's also fun" in the America's Favorite Cities poll for Headline News, Travel + Leisure and CNN.com. That's because Chicago has it all--gorgeous lakefront, world-class cultural establishments and exciting nightlife--and it's an international business center with a diverse, powerhouse economy encompassing the headquarters of more than 30 Fortune 500 companies.
SAVEUR magazine named Chicago "America's New Culinary Star" and dedicated its entire October issue to Chicago dining. A sampling of Chicago restaurants and attractions are listed below to help you get started planning the Chicago experience you crave!
Dining Around Chicago
American
Wildfire
159 W. Erie • (312) 787-9000
Asian
Vong’s Thai Kitchen
6 W. Hubbard • (312) 644-8664
Chicago-Style Pizza
Lou Malnati’s
439 N. Wells • (312) 828-9800
Pizzeria Due
619 N. Wabash • (312) 943-2400
Cuban
Mambo’s Grille
412 N. Clark • (312) 467-9797
Chicago’s Favorites
Harry Caray’s
33 W. Kinzie • (312) 828-0966
Mike Ditka’s
100 E. Chestnut • (312) 587-8989
French
Tru
676 N. St. Clair • (312) 202-0001
Brasserie Jo
833 W. Randolph • (312) 595-0800 |
Greek
Papagus
620 N. State St. • (312) 642-8450
Indian
Klay Oven
414 N. Orleans • (312) 527-3999
Italian
Coco Pazzo
300 W. Hubbard • (312) 836-0900
Latino
Nacional 27
325 W. Huron • (312) 644-2727
Steak
Keefers
20 W. Kinzie • (312) 467-9525
Kinzie Chophouse
400 N. Wells • (312) 822-0191 |
Be sure not to miss the best part of Chicago–The
City! The Merchandise Mart is conveniently located downtown within walking
distance or a short
cab ride to museums, parks, events and more!
Chicago Attractions!
One of the nation’s largest facilities devoted to the art of our time, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) offers exhibitions of the most though-provoking art created since 1945.
220 East Chicago Avenue
mcachicago.org • 312-280-2660
An impressive collection of flagship retail stores, renowned restaurants and countless entertainment options all along a one-mile stretch of North Michigan Avenue.
North Michigan Avenue
themagnificentmile.com • 312.642.3826
A Chicago landmark with more than 50 acres of parks, shops, restaurants and even a large operating Ferris wheel.
600 East Grand Avenue
navypier.com • 312-595-PIER
Millennium Park is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. The result of a unique partnership between the City of Chicago and the philanthropic community, the 24.5-acre park features wintertime ice-skating and indoor intimate concerts at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
201 E. Randolph Street
millenniumpark.org • 312-742-1168
For more information on Chicago restaurants, events and attractions visit www.choosechicago.com. This site for the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau is the premier organization that promotes Chicago's world-class assets to global leisure travel and convention business to ensure the economic vitality of the City and its member business community.
BRINGING YOUR BUYERS TO MARKET
The Buyer Relations Manger, Sara Hall, has two goals: attract new buyers to market, and keep current attendees coming back. She does this by providing market attendees the timely, relevant market and vendor information they need to have a productive and enjoyable visit to The Merchandise Mart.
The buyer relations program includes:
- Retail Excursions throughout the Midwest to visit key retailers
- Premier Buyer Program
- Buyer-Focused Events in select cities
- Bi-Monthly Events for Retailer Appreciation at The Mart
- Daily Interaction with buyers through phone calls, emails and letters
- Monthly Meetings with showroom managers and principals to find out what buyers need
- Red Tag Parking Program
- Buying Group Partnerships with groups including Ace Hardware and Purchasing Power Plus
- School Partnerships to promote future opportunities
- Art and Design Association Partnerships on the local, regional and national level, i.e. A.S.I.D., I.I.D.A., M.S.A., ArtFair Calendar, N.A.I.A.
- Retail Support Groups, i.e. Retail Speaks, Greater Northern Michigan Avenue Association, Local First Chicago and more
- VIP Outreach Program to top buyers sourced from front line sales people
If you're a sales representative or exhibitor and you'd like to have Sara Hall, buyer relations manager, contact your VIP retailers to discuss opportunities or if you're a buyer and would like more information, please email shall@mmart.com or call 312.527.6448.
The Chicago Market is promoted continuously throughout the year. Markets and day-to-day buying events are promoted through advertising and direct mail campaigns, email campaigns and through our Web site.
- Advertising and editorial coverage in key trade publications
- Direct mail campaign of more than 500,000 pieces sent to buyers each year
- Innovative e-mail campaigns targeting buyers every month
- Comprehensive Public Relations campaign
- A dedicated Buyer Relations manager
- On-site displays and signage
- Plan Chicago - our exclusive Product Locator
| "The Chicago Market continually presents us with creative marketing opportunities and co-branded events to help us reach our target customers..." - Steve Casso, burton + BURTON |
THE CHICAGO MARKET: Day to Day program focuses on bringing in buyers for special events year-round, using our valuable daily resources to generate excitement among buyers during Market and every day.
FIRST TUESDAY EVENTS invite buyers to learn first-hand from industry professionals as they share tips and insights on a variety of topics. Lunch is provided.
FEBRUARY 3 | APRIL 7 | JUNE 2 | AUGUST 4 | OCTOBER 6 | DECEMBER 1
SAMPLE SALES are exclusive opportunities for the trade to save on thousands of showroom samples throughout Floors 13-15 of The Merchandise Mart.
MAY | NOVEMBER
To find out more about our marketing campaigns, contact Trisha Schultz, Director of Marketing, at 312.5277816 or tschultz@mmart.com.
