GC Buying Group Gives Members a Running Start on IH+HS
GC Buying Group gave Store Members the opportunity to get a head start on the 2016 Chicago International Home and Housewares Show by hosting the Group’s annual Breakfast Meeting on Saturday, March 5th where members could network, discuss experiences and ideas, receive a preview of newly introduced products and pickup everyone’s favorite show tool, the GC Review Workbook.
Mary Behrens, owner of Kitchen Outfitters in Crystal Lake, Illinois, claimed that the GC Review Workbook is her “Chicago Show store bible!” The GC Review Workbook is exclusive to GC Store Members and provides booth numbers, show specials and new product introductions of GC vendors, facilitating a more efficient and organized review of vendor products during the show. “The guide was great – notes from the vendors I visited are now all in one place and easy to reference,” explained Barbara Freeman, owner of Kitchenware Outfitters in Savannah, Georgia.
The well attended pre-show member meeting’s open discussion topic focused on “Finding and Fostering Your Store’s Special Niche in Your Community.” Janis Johnson, President and Founder of GC Buying Group, kicked off the round table by saying, “As independent retailers we never strive to be average or ordinary, instead, you likely frequently analyze your own store and ask the question: What specific services am I providing to my community? At that point, you may settle on one area of focus that becomes your trademark among your customers.”
After Johnson shared the thought provoking statement, members had the floor to share advice and suggestions or call upon other stores for wisdom. Store owners from every experience level were in attendance to provide ideas, share problem solving solutions and express recent success stories.
Special guest and longtime ally of GC, Perry Reynolds, Vice President of Global Trade Development at the International Housewares Association, attended and spoke at the breakfast, personally welcoming GC members to the show.
Zwilling assisted GC by co-sponsoring the breakfast meeting. Scott Severinson, Vice President of Business, Joanna Rosenberg, Vice President of Marketing, Chris Adams, Territory Manager and Meredith Bradford, Public Relations, attended the meeting on behalf of Zwilling.
Rosenberg introduced products, unveiled the company’s latest acquisitions and said, “I enjoyed sharing Zwilling’s exciting new products with the GC team during breakfast and especially appreciated getting to visit with store members we had not yet met and look forward to working closely with.”
“We appreciated the opportunity to present at the GC breakfast meeting before the show and are always happy to support GC the best we can,” added Severinson.
GC’s successful meeting and Review Workbook provided value to over 150 buyers at the International Home and Housewares show.
“Thank you to the staff at GC for the wonderful breakfast meeting in Chicago; the food was good and it was so nice to touch base with other members before hitting the showroom floor!” exclaimed Greg Alexander, owner of Otter Creek Kitchenware and Electronics in Middlebury, Vermont.
