By the time the doors opened on the April New York Tabletop Show, the rumors were swarming like bees. Few details had followed the announcement in March that the newly minted Tabletop Association would assume management of the show beginning in October of this year.
This lack of information about the Tabletop Association raised many questions: What changes would there be under the new association? Could the new association reinvigorate future tabletop shows?
The Tabletop Association’s inaugural president, David Zrike, president and CEO of R Squared and Zrike Brands, clarified the reason for the relative silence by the association since its formation: “[We’re] taking the time to do this thing right from every angle.” His enthusiasm was clear. “We’ve put together a tremendous board of talented individuals that are going to look at the industry and work together to not only make the show better, but to make the whole industry more agile, more cohesive, and more important.” he said. In short, the board focus, according to Zrike, is well-considered evolution, not a revolution of immediate change.
Interviews with Zrike and other Tabletop Association board members revealed a passionate, collaborative undercurrent. Linda Levine, president of Godinger Silver, said, “Together, we can imagine future shows from a different perspective — a more multi-faceted show that reflects the style of our lives. That means it’s not a tabletop show. It’s a design show. It’s a décor show. It’s a gifting show. It’s social. It’s inspiring.”
Bill Robedee, president of Portmeirion Group, North America, agreed. “A trade association gives us an opportunity to collaborate a little, you know, where appropriate,” he said. “Trade associations are fun in the sense that everybody’s a competitor, and yet you [all] have common interests.”
A trade association gives us an opportunity to collaborate a little, you know, where appropriate. Trade associations are fun in the sense that everybody’s a competitor, and yet you [all] have common interests.
– Bill Robedee, President, Portmeirion Group, North America
Tabletop Association board members interviewed are united in a sense of determination and purpose, centered on an unwavering belief in the importance of in-person trade shows and their contribution to industry stability and growth. “For the business in the U.S., and, quite frankly, for the Canadian business, the show matters,” Robedee said. “To gather people in a single place, to sit down and talk to each other… to touch, feel, look at, and discuss. You’re not going to replace the New York Tabletop Show with Zoom calls, or virtual showrooms, or any of that… It just doesn’t work. There’s a lot of human interaction that makes this [business] happen.”
Among the approaches the Tabletop Association believes will enhance future markets is a policy of inclusion that extends to all tabletop companies. “The addition of all companies that want to be involved in tabletop, whether or not they occupy a showroom at 41 Madison, that’s a big deal,” said David Mackrell, president, Tabletop and Food Service at Lifetime Brands, “It will make a big difference for the buyer experience.” Robedee agreed, “It’s just a larger community. That really serves the retailer better, and it serves the industry better.”
Content innovation is another Tabletop Association objective that reaches beyond the narrow runway of show dates. “You can’t run a business just based on a show,” Godinger’s Levine said. “I know that together we can create an association that’s really present — for the industry throughout the year, with programs and advisories that make New York Tabletop a year-round experience, not just a market.”
Mackrell takes an even broader view: “Looking forward, the Tabletop Show will be more than a product showcase, it’ll also be a learning experience that gets into the specific product and consumer trends that are important to both tabletop retailers and suppliers,” he said. The idea of providing meaningful trend and consumer intelligence that would serve both sides of the table would likely add value and attendance.
Looking forward, the Tabletop Show will be more than a product showcase, it’ll also be a learning experience that gets into the specific product and consumer trends that are important to both tabletop retailers and suppliers.
– David Mackrell, President, Tabletop and Food Service, Lifetime Brands
Another overarching direction is a focus on “customers and consumers,” meaning the association will strive to serve the broader needs of the retailer through greater understanding of the end consumer. “We have to get the retail community really involved,” Levine said. “That means not just being a resource, but letting retailers share their experiences and frustrations through panels and other formats that get some real discussion going… so we can evolve together.”
Portmeirion’s Robedee echoed the importance of open-to-listen: “You have some of your most interesting interactions with the independent account community. People come to the show from all over the country, so you really get that extra direct communication, whether they’re sales reps or regional accounts. That’s a great opportunity to understand what’s happening around the industry, around the country and around the whole market that we serve.”
As exciting as mapping the future is, the Tabletop Association board members have prioritized solidifying its foundation. “There’s a lot of great brainstorming going on at this point,” Robedee said. “But right now, we’re really focused on practical nuts-and-bolts things that we need to accomplish to get up and running properly. If you can’t execute, and if you miss the details, that doesn’t serve the interests of anybody. We really want the tenant community, and those who might not have a showroom in the building, to feel the value for money in the membership.”
Last week, the Tabletop Association released further information on its membership fee ($2,500 annually per company) and a list of member benefits. The provisions covered all the essentials previously provided by 41 Madison Avenue owner Rudin Management (which produced the New York Tabletop Show through the April show), plus the addition of detailed show attendance reporting and expanded networking opportunities during show times. The fall 2021 New York Tabletop Show, to be run by the Tabletop Association, is set for October 18-21.
Was every question answered by the new Tabletop Association? No. But interviews with board members revealed three elements that will prove crucial to its success: The intelligence to meet the needs of a rapidly transforming marketplace; a commitment to collaboration and inclusion across the tabletop industry; and the vision to innovate. With these in place, the Tabletop Association can initiate the evolution of the market it envisions.
