Winter in July: It's Gift Show Season!

As a retail store owner, shopping is always a season or two ahead.  That means holiday gifts and home decor in mid-July, here at America's Mart Atlanta.  We found tapestry scarves and cashmere gloves for fall, and ordered lots of beautiful Christmas ornaments and festive Balsam Fir holiday soaps: 

Last February, we battled ice and snow in our down parkas to get to the NYC Gift Show, NYNow.  Despite the frigid temperatures and Narnia-ice-forest scenery, we ordered the beach totes, straw hats, and linen sundresses for hot summer days that are currently in the shop.

At the shows we walk all day long, for 4-5 days, hoping to see everything amidst the thousands of display booths.  It's always a thrill to discover great new products, as well as to see the creativity of the vendors displaying their merchandise (of course to compensate for all of that walking, iced coffee breaks are absolutely necessary ...)

It's lots of fun, along with a whole lot of work, but we do love this part of the job.  A real delight to meet creative people from all over the world, and to enjoy the slower pace and Southern charm of Atlanta.

Enjoy the summer weekend ... we're off to find more holiday gifts in this July winter wonderland!

(Holiday felt mice ornaments ... so sweet.  They'll be in the store late fall)