| The West Coast Art & Frame Show, held January 28-30 at the Las Vegas Hilton, once again enjoyed a strong year, with the trade event having more attendees and exhibitors than ever. Now in its ninth year, the WCAF Show drew a total attendance of 4,100 from throughout the U.S. and Canada and from many other countries, and the number of exhibitor booths now tops 600.
“This was definitely our best ever show,” says Show Director Rob Gherman. “The WCAF is a show where quality buyers meet quality exhibitors, and both keep telling me that the WCAF Show is their favorite, with a upbeat atmosphere and great people and ideas.”
One new feature this year was the Hall of Mirrors, a special 100' long display of custom-framed mirrors from exhibitors that showed the quality and variety that are available for the customers of frame shops everywhere.
“The trade show provided a great opportunity for attendees to see the year’s first look at new art and framing products,” says instructor, author, and book publisher Vivian Kistler. “You could find a wide variety of artworks on display all over the show, from small handmade prints to large stretched canvases. There were also many new moulding styles and mat colors introduced that retailers could chose from to freshen their inventories.”
Attendees consistently say they like the quality and variety of exhibitors as well as the many seminars and workshops at the National Conference. There's also the convenience of having the show at the Las Vegas Hilton, which hosted the event for the sixth time.
Kelly Strother, manager of Red Door Gallery in North Little Rock, AR, says, “It was my first time at the show, and it was much better than I thought it would be. Bob Carter’s retailing class, for example, provided practical skills and examples that will help us save money and keep our stock well organized. The trade show was really good as well. I plan to come back next year for more classes.”
Deanna Stone, general manager at Arizona FrameWorks in Safford, AZ, says, “There was a lot to take in, but it was all great. The displays were wonderful and provided some really great ideas. The workshops were also very helpful, like Eric Tollefson, who provided money-saving tips in his tools class that will reduce my costs.”
And Jillian Sanford, owner of Frugal Framing in Olympia, WA, adds, “The show, the classes—everything was wonderful. The exhibitors are trying to make our jobs easier, and I appreciate that. The classes were fabulous, especially the workshops. Jim Miller’s shadowbox class was especially important because the demand for it is huge. The information and ideas from all the classes makes the creative juices flow. It's great to come home energized and full of great ideas.”
Exhibitors were also enthusiastic. Dave Rosner, senior vice president of marketing at Framerica, says, “The general atmosphere was that it was a very busy show. People were buying. Management did a great job, and everything went smoothly. The bottom line is that buyers come, and there are plenty of vendors to see. As an American manufacturer, it was a good show for us. We left feeling good about our company in the current market. The show was great.”
Todd Lampert, CEO of Precise Height, says, “This was our first show, and it was a huge success for us. It was very well organized, and everyone was very helpful. It had a tremendous flow of people, who were engaged and inquisitive. We had a great time.”
During the show, The National Conference hosted more than 100 lectures and workshops, the largest educational venue in the art and framing industry. Enrollment set a strong pace, with 5,200 seats filled over four days. Classes ranged from intensive one-hour business seminars to day-long, hands-on framing workshops. Courses were available in eight education tracks: Fundamentals of Framing, Master Classes, Profit & Management, Gilding, Mat Cutting, Sales & Design, Technology, and Commercial Framing.
As PFM business editor, retailer, and noted instructor Jay Goltz pointed out, “Nowhere have there been thousands of seats filled for education like this. Ten years ago a trade show might have had 10 classes. We have made a tremendous shift from a cottage industry to a professional retail industry. The growth in education at the National Conference is a reflection of that.”
Another highlight of the Conference was the annual Successful Retailing breakfast, which featured a lively interchange on the subject of “Positioning Your Shop for Success.” Based a talk-show style format, moulding company executives Mark Gottlieb, Ron Berich, and Tom Bergen; sales representatives Shelly Hackett and Mark Walker; and frame shop owners Susan Young and Lyn and Harris Holt were interviewed on what it takes to run a successful retail framing business in today's economy. The panel discussion was attended by more than 300 people.
National Conference Director Deborah Salmon says, “The overwhelmingly positive feedback from so many National Conference attendees is very rewarding. It continues to exceed our expectations, with the number of attendees—from individual shop owners and franchisees to chains and suppliers—at another all-time high. Everyone I talked with said they were very happy with the entire educational program.”
Next year's show will be held again at the Las Vegas Hilton, January 26-28, 2009. Classes begin a day earlier, on January 25. For more information, call 732-536-5160. For trade show information, ask for Rob Gherman. For education, ask for Deborah Salmon.
Larson-Juhl and PhotoVu Team Up
Larson-Juhl has partnered with PhotoVu™ to offer framers the Custom Framing Program for PhotoVu wireless digital picture frames. A display is set up in each shop, and customers can choose a Larson-Juhl frame to surround the PhotoVu digital frame. The digital frame becomes a “painting” that can be hung anywhere in the home, with digital photos constantly rotating.
PhotoVu frames have the ability to display thousands of images on one frame. The excellent quality and extra-large display sizes of 19"x22" make it appealing for customers as well. Custom framers form a partnership with PhotoVu and have access to a dedicated Larson-Juhl and PhotoVu website, www.photovu.com/larson-juhl.
“PhotoVu is the premium manufacturer of wireless digital photo frames, and our partnership with them presents a great opportunity for framing retailers to expand their consumer reach by offering new technologies,” said Jim McCoy, vice president of marketing, Larson-Juhl. “Whether it's a digital picture frame or a high-definition widescreen TV, Larson-Juhl has an extensive framing portfolio to accommodate a wide range of today's electronic products.”
Mark Van Buskirk, partner of PhotoVu, explains, “Now custom framers can easily retail PhotoVu's wireless digital photo frames, bringing their framing expertise and Larson-Juhl's extensive framing selection together to match any customer's decor.”
For more information, visit the website or call
303-444-5566.
Ultramitre Offers Preventative Maintenance Program
A new Preventative Maintenance Program is now available from Ultramitre. Designed to be an affordable, convenient, and reliable way to upkeep equipment, extend machine life, and enhance production volume, the service is provided for most major brands of computerized mat cutters, mitre saws, V-nailers, wall cutters, straight line cutters, and vacuum presses. Factory-trained technicians provide service at the machine site on a pre-schedule basis, once or twice a year, or an “as needed” recurring basis. Registration for this nationwide program can be found at www.ultramitrepm.com, or by calling 800-433-3140.
Machines are given a full diagnostic check up and tuned up to factory specifications. Pricing is provided in advance of a purchase. If parts are needed, quotes are provided in advance with a flat rate for labor.
Once registered with the website, a company has its own secure user area with a detailed equipment inventory listing. There is 24/7 access to preventative maintenance and repair history for all machinery, and pending service can be viewed as well. New service calls can also be scheduled online.
Trump's Celebrity Apprentice Features Artaissance
Artaissance, the online art gallery and newest division of Larson-Juhl, was chosen as the major artwork provider for Donald Trump's reality show Celebrity Apprentice, which airs Thursday nights on NBC.
The majority of the art featured in the show's boardroom, war rooms, and other areas is provided exclusively by Artaissance. Featuring more than 2,000 images, Artaissance allows consumers to custom-size art. Larson-Juhl is also the major supplier of frames for the art. Artaissance President and Chief Curator, Steve McKenzie, helped hand-select all the images, representing 17 different genres.
Roma Launches New Website
Roma Moulding has launched its new user-friendly website, www.romamoulding.com. Customers can view the entire Roma product line and register for exclusive access, such ordering corner samples and catalogs directly online. An Advice Center with instructions on how to join frames and wood and frame care tips is also featured.
The site is designed for customers and retailers alike. Customers can research Roma’s offering then view the store locator to find a retailer near them. In addition, Roma’s Customer Care Group has been trained about the new site and its navigation to better serve customers.
Tony Gareri, Roma’s vice president of sales and marketing, states that the website is designed to continue to grow and that Phase Two is underway to bring more easy-to-use features to the new website.
Lone Star Conference Set for May
Central Texas Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA) is organizing a trade show and education to be held May 3-4 at the Omni Hotel in downtown Austin. There will be more than 20 vendors. Education will be led by respected industry experts in addition to CPF exam and recertification courses.
For more information call Ursula Overdiek, CPF, at 512-263-9333, or visit the website www.centraltexasppfa.com.
SMAC Paris Set for March 16-18
More than 400 suppliers and brands will be represented at the tenth annual SMAC 2008 trade show in Paris, at the Exhibition Centre Paris-Nord Villepinte, featuring framing/pictures, fine arts, craft and hobby goods, needlecraft, stationery, writing, postcards, and party goods.
The Framing Trade Show is organized in partnership with Creaplus, Professional Association for Artistic Manual Activities. For more information, visit www.smacparis.com or send e-mail to contact@smacparis.fr.
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