Industry leaders Andie Weinman and Joe Murphy of Continental Buying Group and Preferred Jewelers International have made the decision to postpone their annual May 2020 CBG Las Vegas Show for the protection and care of all involved.
The CBG Annual Summer Show has been confirmed and is now set for Tuesday, Sept. 8, through Thursday, Sept. 10, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
In a statement, Weinman, CEO, and Murphy, COO, said: “We truly love our industry and our jewelry community. This is a time to be with family and not worrying about a jewelry show. CBG is not just a group or an organization, it’s family and family come first. We have been watching vigilantly what is progressing with COVID-19 and felt that the safety of all our suppliers and retailers was of the utmost importance.
“After seeing the massive shutdowns all over the country to prevent the further spread of the virus, it was imperative for CBG to go into action to find a solution to keep everyone as safe as possible.
With the show less than three months away, they said, “We felt it was our responsibility to be proactive.”
Weinman and Murphy added: “We did not feel the ‘wait and see’ approach taken by other jewelry tradeshows was an appropriate response. We could see that cancellations were going to be inevitable.”
The CBG office expressed that even if the virus is eradicated by late May, retailers and suppliers will still need time to regroup due to the slowdown in business the virus will inevitably cause. September would be a safer and more conducive time to hold their well-known trade show at Caesars Palace.
“By September, retailers should be able to regroup and be more focused on fourth-quarter business.”
Weinman and Murphy added: “This virus will not last forever. The markets will rebound. We must all remain positive and diligent in our own safety and the safety of others. We are stronger together.”
As part of the effort to help everyone cope, learn and be more prepared, CBG is planning a full Educational Summit on the day following the last day of their September 2020 Las Vegas event.
“We send our best well wishes and prayers to all those that have been affected by this situation in any way.”