Reed launches housewares show to be co-located with Hardware Show

Just as the International Home and Housewares Show was closing earlier this week, Reed Exhibitions announced that it’s launching The Homewares Show, which will be co-located with The National Hardware Show, starting May 8-10, 2007, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The new show will complement an existing partnership with George Little Management’s Gourmet Housewares Show, which is also co-located with The National Hardware Show. The move is in response to feedback from some of the National Hardware Show’s largest buyers, including Wal-mart, Home Depot Ace Hardware, Lowes and Linens’n Things. Rob Cappiello, Industry Vice President and Show Manager of The National Hardware Show, says he’s not trying to take on the International Housewares Association’s International Home & Housewares Show. “We’re not doing this based at looking at the competitive landscape,” explains Cappiello. “It’s simply a matter of more of our buyers say they want to see more housewares and attend fewer shows.” The partnership with the Gourmet Housewares Show will continue, says Cappiello. “The events will complement each other.” He says Reed’s Homewares Show will feature items such as cleaning products, home storage products, pet supplies and small appliances, whereas the Gourmet Housewares Show features upscale table top items, cutlery and high-end cooking gadgets. All together, by 2007 the National Haardware Show plans to double the exhibit space devoted to housewares products to 150,000 square feet, plus the expected 100,000 square feet occupied by the Gourmet Housewares Show. Contact: Beth Blake, Reed Exhibitions, (203) 840-5451.