It’s almost time for the CGTA Toronto Gift and Tablewares Show!
The time has come again for Theresa and I to leave Nipawin and go buy next seasons lines!
It’s really exciting to explore the hundreds of booths and displays of numerous retail wholesalers and unique giftware vendors. Exciting. But exhausting! It was only January when we were in Toronto last for the Winter CGTA buying for Christmas 2011. This time we will be checking out whats new for Spring 2012 and add on to any orders for Christmas and Fall with absolute must-haves!
The giftshow is hosted by the Canadian Gift & Tableware Association and is located not far from the Toronto Pearson Airport, at the Congress Centre and International Centre. We’ve been attending for a few years now, and every year we get a little more savy and fine tune our buying strategy. This is the first Summer show we have attended in Toronto. So it will be a little different. Like instead of hot chocolate samples – we will be getting ice cream and lemon water instead! Plus, we will not have to bundle up in layers of winter wears in order to survive the 5 minute shuttle ride from the hotel to the show. Oh the joys of summer!
Since the show is closed to non-retailers, we are hoping to give you a little glimpse into what we are up to while at the show. It’s really exciting to have our customers come into the shop and buy stuff that we thought long and hard about bringing in. Sometimes after hours of wandering up and down the aisles of cheap drug-store crap, there is a feeling like we won’t ever find something worthy of our valuable and trendy customers. Luckily, we usually find some really interesting stuff, and it all turns out ok.
The hotel is booked. Meeting scheduled. Flights paid for. Our flight leaves Sunday morning at 6 am from Saskatoon airport. A day earlier then the show. Why? Not for sightseeing I’ll assure you. We have to visit the supplier showrooms to do some pre-show buying. You know, for some of the great stuff you already know and love from the shop! After a day being carted from one showroom to the next, we will drink some wine, consult our plan of action, and sleep.
We have a meeting at 9 am sharp at the Samaco/Canfloyd booth. What will we find there? Hopefully some gorgeous home decor and stylish pieces from the CobiStyle collection created by Cobi Ladner. Or maybe some sophisticated designer styles from Steven and Chris?
Let us know what you want to see in the shop in 2012. We want to bring you everything you need to style your home and your life! Wish us luck at the show and stay tuned for more updates!
- Posted in: Events
- Tagged: canada, canfloyd, cobistyle, ctga, giftshow, Nipawin Florist, steven and chris
