Pier Review

Published

15 years ago

September 3, 2008

A trip to the future site of the INSTORE show

Last month, we held a site visit and advisory board meeting at Chicago’s Navy Pier, the future location of THE INSTORE SHOW from April 19-21, 2009. Despite a travel résumé that includes 35 countries, I had never seen Chicago before, much less Navy Pier, and I was impressed. Cool city, cool site.

How would I describe Navy Pier? A classic chunk of red-bricked Americana. Fresh, clean and somehow healthy-feeling. The trade-show floor feels very manageable — big, yes, but not so big you’ll wish you had a bicycle to get from one side to the other. (You know that trade-show advice we always tell you: to walk a show and see everything before you buy anything. You can do that here.) Other highlights:

• Foyer areas with floor-to-ceiling windows providing views of both Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Destined to be a popular show hangout.

• The Grand Ballroom, where we’ll be hosting a first-night “America’s Coolest Stores” party. The domed ballroom is located at the end of the pier and, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, offers 360-degree views of the lake and the city. A magic place. (It’s going to be a great night.)

I’m excited about the show. We’re digging deep to create an educational program filled with the kind of genuinely useful topics you’ve come to expect from our magazine. Plus, we’re seeing where we can tweak the relationship between retailers and suppliers to make your buying smarter and your selling easier. And finally, we want to make it fun.

All in all, an exciting project that takes greater shape each day. Look for updates at theinstoreshow.com.

Wishing you the very best business…

David Squires
Associate Publisher

dsquires@instoremag.com

Wilkerson Testimonials

Wilkerson: “They Feel Like Family”

Newton’s Jewelers in Fort Smith, Ark., was a true institution. But after being at the helm for most of his life, owner (and descendent of the original founder) Kelly Newton decided it was time to retire. He chose Wilkerson to handle the sale. “I’ve known the owners of Wilkerson for a long, long time. I felt at home with them,” he says. The final retirement sale was just a “blast” and the Wilkerson sales team made it so very simple and straightforward, says Newton. Would he recommend Wilkerson to others? Absolutely. “They’ve done incredible work,” says Newton. “They feel like family.”