OFFPRICE Show Scores Record Showfloor Size, Most Attendees in Four Years
February 28, 2013
Neon is a must-have color for spring, according to the buzz on the showfloor of OFFPRICE Show, the bargain apparel, accessories and footwear show that took place Feb. 17-20 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Owned by U.K.-based Tarsus Group, OFFPRICE was part of the Las Vegas's biannual Fashion Week, which included events at several venues across town, such as the Las Vegas Convention Center and Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.
The show has seen boon times during the recession, with both of its biannual editions being honored as TSNN fastest-growing shows.
This February, OFFPRICE continued to show strong numbers, with the number of exhibitors up about five percent to 525 and square footage breaking records at 130,000 net square feet. Attendance was the highest in four years, with 11,006 on hand to check out the latest styles.
"First two days were record-setters; they were fabulous," said David Lapidos, executive vice president of OFFPRICE.
This year, the show offered free shuttles to Magic Market Week at the LVCC and Mandalay Bay. To maximize their time on the floor, buyers also could participate in free tours led by David Abbate, a senior industry buyer, and make new connections with vendors, as well as learn how to negotiate the best deal. In addition, Buyers could create online wish lists that allowed them to create custom show itineraries.
On the exhibit floor, the buyers seemed cautiously optimistic and many still focused on stocking for spring to keep inventories low. Several commented on hard-to-beat value.
Attendee Ann Marshall, a buyer with AEM Enterprises, was shopping for bright colors for spring. She noted that budgets steadily are increasing.
The same sentiment was echoed by attendee Linda Mickel, a buyer with Old School Enterprises, who was impressed with the variety of product and felt like she needed more time. She said, “I found some deals that (were) better than what I had, so I’m happy.”
Exhibitor Richard Nelson, with Weinberg Hosiery Company, said, “The show was good. In fact, it was a little better than business in general.”
He noted that sometimes it’s hard to judge the quality of the traffic until later in the year. “Last time, we had a customer who placed a $500 order at the show, but between Augusta and December ended up placing over $9,000 worth of dollars. If we weren’t at the show, we wouldn’t have gotten it.”
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
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OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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