Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, the national organization dedicated to the health and growth of specialty outdoor retail, will bring their four-day national buying show to the Knoxville Convention Center, Nov. 7-10, 2017.
Efficient, affordable and effective for all attendees, Grassroots Connect is the only national show designed specifically to improve retail buying results, said the buying group. Scheduled as early as possible in the buying cycle, and organized to be as simple as possible in layout and design, the upcoming Grassroots Connect show is anticipated to attract nearly 1,000 independent specialty retailers, vendor brands, media, and members of the outdoor industry community.
“It’s really heartening to see the broader outdoor industry community embrace Connect as a place to gather, to listen and to focus on business,” said Rich Hill, president of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance.
A unique aspect of Grassoots Connect is that organizers schedule all attendee appointments in advance – at the upcoming fall 2017 show, more than a third of attending retailer buyers are already booked solid for the entire four-day event. Additional advance data shows an 8% increase in total appointments booked (6,366), a 10% increase in the total hours of appointments booked (5,619) and a 24% increase in the average number of appointments per buyer (22).
Open to members and invited guests, Connect provides a highly efficient opportunity for retailers, reps and vendors to present, discuss, plan and collect pre-season orders. Invited retailers also receive a per attendee reimbursement to offset their travel costs.
Grassroots Connect will be held in the Knoxville Convention Center (http://www.knoxvilleconventioncenter.com), a 500,000-square-foot facility which includes a 120,000-square-foot exhibit hall, a 30,000-square-foot divisible ballroom and 18 meeting rooms. The hall is the first convention center in Tennessee to be certified LEED Silver for Existing Buildings from the USGBC, and Green Certified through the TN Green Hospitality Certification program. The show venue is located a short walk from Market Square, the heart of the city’s vibrant and walkable downtown which includes eclectic shopping, fine dining, outdoor concerts and hotels.
Grassrots Connect will be held in Knoxville for the next two shows (Nov.7-10, 2017, and June 14-17, 2018). Future dates and venues for Grassroots Connect will be announced during the upcoming event in Knoxville.
To request a retailer or vendor invitation, please go to http://www.grassrootsconnect.net/request-invitation
