SHOPA show turnout indicates industry support

Drug Store News, Jan 4, 1993

NEW ORLEANS -- Boosted by a 60 percent increase in exhibitors over last year, the second School and Home Office Products Association (SHOPA) Show presented a bullish array of products and industry "firsts," sending clear signs that this new trade association is garnering strong industry support.

Around 450 exhibitors and buyers from all trade classes were on hand to launch new products and programs, and also reinforce their everyday lines. Around the exhibit hall, retailer-vendor meetings were much in evidence.

All trade channels were represented. Although SHOPA did not have final figures on the number of retailers in attendance at press time, Ron Riviere of Snyder Drug Stores said after the show: "It appeared that all the major buyers were there."

Randy Spicer, general manager of marketing for Strathmore Legacy, told Drug Store News that multi-channel buyer diversity "makes for interesting presentations." He added that with today's sharp competitiveness and consolidation, buyers "need to be aware of what's going on in other trade channels."

In the B-T-S categories, Lisa Frank's newest characters, Hollywood Bear and Ballerina Bunny, were attention-grabbers. The new Stuart Hall Gitano school line of notebooks and portfolios offered a sharp contrast in retro-glamour and urban images.

Greg Lamb of Payless said he had an eye out for the right kind of licensed product, "something that moves out of the rat race of commodity."

There was a lot of activity in the organizers for school and home segments, and the home office segment, ranging from Rubbermaid's launch of a new home and office organizer line, and Fellowes new home management series to DayRunner's new TimePlus software for electronic time management.

Snyder Drug's Riviere noted "home office seems to be the big growth area and we've taken a very strong position here in terms of future growth."

New |relaxed' trend

The new "relaxed" business trend was also in evidence, such as Mead's new nylon and leather Cambridge SoftWear line of portfolios, briefcase and other products.

Beside new product, buyers were looking for other competitive advantages. Brad Fenz, merchandise manager for Longs Drug Stores, noted that he was interested in prepacks, corrugated displays for endcaps, and other devices that maximize space while boosting gross margin.

SHOPA firsts

The first SHOPA New Product Showcase proved to be a popular attraction for both buyers and vendors.

A tradition was launched at the annual meeting when Stuart Hall chairman Charles Hanson was awarded SHOPA's first Life Member Award. The award will not be given each ear, however, official noted.

Also at the annual meeting, keynote speaker Dr. Carl Steidtmann, vp and chief economist of the Management Horizons Division of Price Waterhouse, highlighted trends of the 1990s and beyond, stressing the growing importance of the value-oriented customer who is looking for "a solution for lifestyle problems."

SHOPA projects a 1992 net income of $587,000. This year, when it will assume the management of its 1993 trade show, it will cut expenses by around 16 percent.

SHOPA will also shortly begin research projects to study trends in distribution and a consumer study on school and home office products.

At the Creative Works exhibit, where safety-conscious school supplies inspired by European design were display, president Bruce Shapiro praised SHOPA as an "exceptional association." He remarked "if they don't answer all the needs of the industry today, they certainly will in the future."

Riviere of Snyder remarked after the close of the show: "I think overall it was very good, very productive. It doesn't seem [as though] there is much congestion and you're not fighting hordes of people in each booth, as we found at the Javits Center in New York" which was SHOPA's predecessor, the B-T-S show.

At the close of the show, $1.5 million worth of school/home office products was donated to school children in seven Louisiana parishes.