Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, the national organization dedicated to the health and growth of specialty outdoor retail, will host learning sessions at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market to increase awareness and understanding of the group’s unique goals and events. The learning sessions come just over a month after a record-setting Grassroots Connect show held in Albuquerque N.M., which saw double-digit percentage increases in both retailer and vendor attendance.
The learning events at Outdoor Retailer Summer will be hosted in “The Camp” (Booth 38808). The main event is a panel discussion titled “What is the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance?” on Thursday at 1:30 pm. Additionally, Hill will join Outdoor Retailer show director Marisa Nicholson and Outdoor Industry Association executive director Amy Roberts for a question and answer session about the decision process for Outdoor Retailer show relocation on Wednesday at 3:30 pm.
A primary topic of the “What is the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance” panel discussion on Thursday will be the Grassroots Connect trade show, an invitation-only buying show for the specialty outdoor industry.
At the most recent Connect, the surge in attendance and interest was credited to its “buyer first” design. Key buyer-first features at Connect include standardized closed-front booth designs which guarantee affordability and eliminate passing distractions during presentations.
“(Connect) is the best show we do all season. The appointments are meaningful, engaged and focused. It is more than just a selling show, but a show to have open and honest communication and find ways to work together to benefit both vendor and retailer,” said Steve Talacki, Mountain Khakis Director of Sales.
“(Connect) is more productive than any other show this industry attends,” said Andy Welling of Sherpa Adventure Gear.
Appointments made for attendees by Connect organizers – one of the unique features of the show – were up 20% from the previous year, rising from 5,700 to 6,800. Total attendance at Grassroots Connect was 968, an increase of 12% from the previous year. Show attendance included 336 retail store owners and retail staff, including 224 retail attendees from Grassroots Outdoor Alliance members and 112 attendees from invited retailers.
Vendor attendance hit the mark of 414, made up of 279 Grassroots vendor attendees and 135 invited exhibitor attendees – despite a decrease in invitations offered. In addition to the double-digit growth for retailers and vendors, Grassroots Connect also saw a 40% increase in sales rep attendance.
