(ATLANTA) – When jewelers arrive for the August 6-8, 2016 Atlanta Jewelry Show at the Cobb Galleria, they’ll find a welcoming and enjoyable show experience that has defined the show throughout its history. Brand new resources, an easy-to-work floorplan, pre-show breakfast, AJS U educational offerings, the AJS Rewards Program, the Loupe Pavilion, and fun Mingle! networking events are just a few highlights. They will also get a preview of some of the enhancements the association is planning to kick off in 2017.
“Like the marketplace itself, we need to shift and evolve to ensure we host a show that responds to the ever-changing market and the way jewelers are buying today,” explains Carol Young, Executive Director, Atlanta Jewelry Show. “We add new programs and product resources for each edition of our event and this August is no exception. Our buyers will find even more of the new lines, education and networking opportunities they’ve come to expect and appreciate when they step through the doors in August. We have also been meeting over the past year to implement some great new concepts and initiatives for the Atlanta Show in 2017 and beyond and can’t wait to share many of these on site in August.”
Show highlights include:
• New “Pop-up” Educational Sessions at Loupe Pavilion. Join the Atlanta Jewelry Show’s newest program, The Loupe, to discover services and business-building programs being offered by the exhibiting participants, all custom-tailored to the specialized needs of today’s small business owner. Located in a specially designed pavilion on the show floor, these vendors will also be hosting quick learning sessions in the pavilion to highlight their services throughout the show, including jewelry photography, merchant credit card processing, website design, point of sale, office supplies and others.
• GIA Gem Identification Lab Session. The Atlanta Jewelry Show will once again offer a GIA (Gemological Institute of America) lab session in conjunction with the August show. The GIA Gem Identification Lab session will be held Tuesday – Saturday, August 2-6. Session hours are 9 am – 5 pm each day. Required for Graduate Gemologist and Graduate Colored Stone Diploma Programs, this session invites participants to learn the time-tested procedures and identification skills used by the Institute’s renowned experts. A letter of completion will be provided. To register or receive more information, contact Judy Lince at jlince@atlantajewelryshow.com, 800-241-0399 or 404-634-3434.
• New Introductions. New Resources. The August show offers a one-stop resource for new designs, new introductions and trend resources. Easy to navigate and discover the newest designs, the show floor will welcome many new, first-time vendors, as well as returning exhibitors, showcasing top brands and classic best sellers in the Point of View: A Designer Gallery, Promenade and general booth areas.
• Return “Engagements” at AJS U. Back by popular demand, the Atlanta Jewelry Show’s most popular educational session returns for the August Show. “Engagements: A Collaborative Retail Experience” invites audience members to engage in an idea-packed discussion with a panel of knowledgeable, experienced retailers and moderator Kathy Beall, K. Beall Associates. The program is just one of many seminars offered during the AJS U seminar series.
• $5 Buffet Lunch @ Marketplace Café. Enjoy a delicious, hot buffet lunch – without leaving the show floor – for only $5! Buyers simply show their badge and special lunch coupon at the Marketplace Café to take advantage of this special offer.
• Meet Old & New Friends at Mingle! It’s not all business at the Atlanta Jewelry Show. Often described as more of a family reunion, the show, and especially its popular nightly after-hours Mingle! gatherings, bring old and new friends together to catch up. Held each evening of the show, these festive gatherings in the lobby of the Renaissance Waverly Hotel provide the perfect spot to meet, mingle, dance, and enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
• Complimentary Buyer Breakfast Each Morning, Sponsored by Southern Jewelry News. Gear up for a busy buying day by enjoying a light continental breakfast served in the registration concourse area.
• The More You Order, The More You Earn. Buyers can earn valuable AJS Reward points for simply placing orders for their best-sellers, required stock items, and other store necessities during the Atlanta Show, and then redeem them for hotel and travel packages, electronics, personal accessories, home goods and more. At any time during the event, buyers need only bring copies of orders placed during the show to the AJS Rewards desks – now located conveniently on the show floor – where the representative will deposit the corresponding Rewards points to their Rewards account. After the show, retailers can visit the program’s online catalog to see the all the items they can order.
• VIP Experience – Atlanta’s Elite Buyers Club. Retailers who have earned 15,000 AJS Rewards points or more at any one of the past three shows are automatically enrolled in the Elite Buyers Club – the exclusive club of Atlanta VIP buyers. As a member, they receive special badges signifying VIP Status; access to an exclusive registration counter just for Club Elite Members; and entry into the exclusive, member-only Club Elite lounge. To find out if they qualify for membership, buyers should contact Fran Strauss at 800-241-0399 or fstrauss@atlantajewelryshow.com.
About SJTA
The Southern Jewelry Travelers Association is the nation’s oldest association for independent jewelry representatives and the official sponsor and producer of the Atlanta Jewelry Show. For more information visit www.atlantajewelryshow.com, e-mail info@atlantajewelryshow.com or call 800-241-0399 or 404-634-3434.
