DALLAS – June 2021 was the busiest summer month in more than 10 years at Dallas Market Center as the Apparel & Accessories Market, Total Home & Gift Market, KidsWorld and Lightovation brought in tens of thousands of buyers from all 50 states, eager to jump on new merchandise and replenish depleted inventories.
The Apparel & Accessories Market saw a 48% increase in buyers and sold out its exhibit space, creating a second, temporary trade show space to meet demand. Total Home & Gift Market saw more buyers than in several years, and Lightovation’s attendance returned to 90% of pre-pandemic levels. KidsWorld had a more than 50% increase in buyers, including retailers from 40 states.
Related. Dallas Market Center Sees Successful Total Home & Gift Market
Overall, June attendance saw a 75% increase in first-time buyers — a first for the market center. In addition, there was a significant increase in buyers from geographic regions outside the Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas (TOLA) region: a 31% increase in buyers from the West, a 44% increase in buyers from the Midwest and a 58% increase in buyers from the Southeast, compared with June 2019. Once again, records were shattered: Total attendance from these regions grew at a greater rate than they had in more than a decade.
Related. Dallas Apparel and Access Market a Model for Safety
In addition, the number of visitors to the market’s showrooms has continued to trend upward.
“June was a highly successful culmination of the efforts we have undertaken over many months and a strong partnership with our exhibitors and reps to create a safe, inspiring marketplace,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “The word is out and the momentum is incredible. We are a marketplace attracting buyers from across the country, and we are the new home for thousands of buyers—from Seattle to Miami.”
Reach Cindy Morris at (214) 655-6100 or cmorris@dallasmarketcenter.com.
