The 13th annual San Francisco International Gift Fair experienced a 10% increase in summer market attendance, welcoming more than 26,000 retailers, 5,168 of which were first time attendees, according …
The 13th annual San Francisco International Gift Fair experienced a 10% increase in summer market attendance, welcoming more than 26,000 retailers, 5,168 of which were first time attendees, according to George Little Management (GLM), which co-organizes the Fair with Western Exhibitors, Inc. The number of exhibiting companies was 1,762, and buyer attendance was reported at 26,011. Net square footage of the Fair was 320,227. New divisions and a surge in market growth distinguished the Fair as the West Coast“s premier gift and decorative accessories event: Distinctive Lines, a new juried division featuring over 100 companies, presented a broad range of sophisticated merchandise, recognized for quality and design; The Vintage Collection-Antiques and Found Objects, offering unique and limited edition antiques and retro items, debuted at The Concourse with a 50% increase in exhibitor participation since its Winter 1999 test market; At Home expanded for the third consecutive time, with a 24% increase in square footage, for a total of 25,602 net square feet. “With the launch of two new divisions at this market, the San Francisco International Gift Fair continues to offer the finest cross-section of product available on the West Coast,” said George F. (Jeff) Little II, GLM president and Mike Dean, president of Western Exhibitors. “The combination of new companies with a solid base of returning exhibitors resulted in an influx of new retailers seeking merchandise to make their stores truly unique.”