“We are happy to see retailer and manufacturers relying on ASR as an important part of their business plan,” says Kevin Flanagan, ASR Show Director. “Brands are investing in new booths, exciting events and using the show as a platform to launch new lines while buyers are utilizing the show to make big purchasing decisions.”
The 10% increase in booth space gave the industry an early indication that the industry is growing and ASR is the first step many brands choose to take. Contributing to the increase were 60 new brands including Insight, Plain Jane Couture, WE, and West.
Not only was there traffic and energy in the aisles, but booths were packed were packed with people viewing new lines and writing orders. Mike Glenn, Marketing Manager for O’Neill confirmed this firsthand, “This time it seemed like people were doing business, writing a ton of orders, this is the way the show is supposed to be run.” An emphasis by ASR to bring in quality attendees, those who need to be there to do business, not just a sheer quantity of people on the floor was immediately appreciated by both brands on the floor and hard working retailers. “There were a lot more retailers here, and more importantly, they were here to do business,” says Roy Cox, sales for Zoo York. Mikke Pierson, co-owner of ZJ’s Boarding House, confirms that from the buyer side, “More people are coming to do business and having a good time doing business – both the brands and shops are bringing a great sense of involvement to build brands as a partnership.”
Universally retailers look to ASR as a learning experience. Milo Meyers and his shop Hanger 94 attend ASR to find everything from trends, new brands, even shifts in design and fabric all under one roof. “We learn from what is happening in the aisles, the buzz, what the kid’s are wearing,” Meyers says. He points to the emergence of a heavy metal influence and the continued presence of art in fashion beyond T-shirts into wovens and denim at brands like Low and Jedidiah as some of next season’s hotter fashion shifts.
Beyond the buying and business within booths, many retailers really look at the value ASR provides for networking with other retailers. Duke Edukas, co-owner of Surfside Sports in Newport Beach, found the show to be well set up and appreciated the user friendliness of ASR. He sends his buyers to the show to write orders and finds ASR to be the prime platform to look at the bigger picture, “It is a great opportunity for us to share thoughts and network with other retailers who are in similar business situations, get new ideas, while resolving issues with brands we currently work with in person.” Taking the practical and making it tactical, retailers took advantage of complimentary business advice and networking opportunities at various seminars over the weekend with shops sometimes dedicating one employee just to attend.
