Old NeoCon West Is Out, NeoCon Xpress-L.A. Is In

By Rachelle Crum -- Tradeshow Week, 7/17/2006

Merchandise Mart Properties is making waves on the West Coast. Beginning next year, in place of its regional interior design and facilities management show, NeoCon West in March, it will offer NeoCon Xpress-L.A. in September — at the same location, the Merchandise Mart-owned L.A. Mart.

The Chicago-based firm is "repositioning" and "taking a new approach," said spokeswoman Shawn Kahle, as the result of research and feedback from show participants.

Exhibitors said that, because of product development cycles, they preferred to roll out new designs each year at Merchandise Mart's massive June NeoCon World's Trade Fair in Chicago. In the past, some manufacturers introduced new designs at NeoCon West; others at World's Trade Fair. Many said having a regional West Coast show a few months after the Chicago show, not before, would be more valuable.

The World's Trade Fair gives exhibitors "a bigger bang for their buck," Kahle said. The show at the firm's Merchandise Mart permanent showroom facility June 12–14 attracted 50,493 attendees; NeoCon West this year drew more than 6,000 professionals.

"New product introductions are just going to get greater exposure at the world's trade fair," said Kahle. "It really just became a matter of how to best serve the needs of everyone. It gives the attendees more new product exposure."

Some NeoCon West 2006 participants agreed with Kahle.

Reginald Head, senior associate and director of interior design for the Los Angeles-based firm Langdon Wilson, said, "I think that's probably a good idea. I don't see any problem (with a show in September)."

The change will help "introduce products in a timely fashion," said Barbara Dunn, a principal for architecture firm Gensler in Santa Monica, Calif.

She added, "It seems to be advantageous."

Meanwhile, the Contract Interiors Marketing Assn. recently announced that it will launch a show to compete with the NeoCon brand — Intersect West '07 Feb. 28–March 2 at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. The group has hired Triad Expositions to manage the show.

It is unclear whether L.A.DesignWeek (which encompassed NeoCon West each spring) will continue as scheduled March 26–27, 2007.

NeoCon World's Trade Fair and NeoCon West, both for commercial and hospitality interior products and services, attract interior designers and facility management professionals. They started in 1969 and 1998, respectively.

In 1984, Merchandise Mart launched IIDEX/NeoCon Canada, next taking place Sept. 28–29 at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto. In 2002, the firm started NeoCon East, this year scheduled Oct. 11–12 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Other architecture, design and furnishing shows Merchandise Mart organizes include the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, Art Chicago, Chicago Antiques Fair, The Interior Design Show, Intl. Home Furnishings Market, January and July Chicago Gift & Home Market, L.A. Mart Gift & Home Furnishings Market, One of a Kind Show & Sale Chicago, and Spring and Fall Chicago Gift & Home Market.

MMPI also manages 350 West Mart Center in Chicago; Market Square, the Suites at Market Square, Hamilton Market, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza and the Natl. Furniture Mart in High Point, N.C.; the Architects & Designers Building and 7 W New York, both in New York; the Boston Design Center in Boston; and the Washington Design Center and Federal Center Southwest in Washington, D.C.