Educational seminars, social event, capped off busy day at SPREE

Las Vegas, NV—Brisk deal making and great attendee interest marked the second full day of SPREE.

Jerry Jones of CBL Properties, one of the show’s sponsors, was delighted with the show’s rapid growth over the years and noted the palpable excitement on the floor.

Dozens of new products piqued customer interest. Of particular appeal were products tailored toward technology—such as the Applecore, a product designed to hold together cables without clutter; Road Mice—wireless computer mice modeled like cars; and USB storage devices shaped like bracelets that are increasingly trending up on college campuses.

Established favorites in specialty retail including Calendar Club, were also busy throughout the day. Lori Lesko of Calendar Club, reported that many attendees were interested in the company’s owner-operator program.

Seminar sessions

Lori Lesko was also one of the presenters at a series of educational seminars held all day long concurrently with the show. Her talk focused on seasonal opportunities available to both beginning and seasoned retailers. She evaluated risks including initial investment and return on profit for various models.

Much expanded this year was an international focus; the global specialty retail market took center stage first in a presentation moderated by Suzanne Cayley of Ivanhoe Cambridge. Presenters included a representative from the Canadian Consulate and the U.S. Commercial Service, an arm of the Department of Commerce; they referred participants to resources helpful to conduct business in Canada.

An even more expanded global focus was the theme of another seminar moderated by Deborah Kravitz of Provenzano Resources. Louise Poole of MacArthur Glen was one of the presenters. She along with Byron Lewis from Lewis Commercialisation, showcased the differences in specialty retail between the U.K. and the United States. Kravitz, for her part, showcased projects recently executed in Dubai and elaborated on the differences in specialty leasing between the Middle East and the United States.

Provenzano Resources delivered other well-attended seminars about the nuts and bolts of the specialty retail business. Social media and email marketing were popular topics of interest in seminars presented by Patricia Norins, publisher of Specialty Retail Report, and Melissa Kellogg, contributing editor.

The networking continued well into the evening as attendees participated in a social mixer at Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, an event sponsored by Jones Lang Lasalle.