Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, the national organization dedicated to the health and growth of specialty outdoor retail, will bring its four-day national buying show to the Knoxville Convention Center, November 7-10, 2017.
The Grassroots Connect show is designed to improve retail buying results. Scheduled as early as possible in the buying cycle, and organized to be as simple as possible in layout and design, the upcoming 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.
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 four-day event. Additional advance data shows an 8 percent increase in total appointments booked (6,366), a 10 percent increase in the total hours of appointments booked (5,619) and a 24 percent 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, a 500,000-square-foot facility that 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.
Grassroots Connect will be held in Knoxville for the next two shows (November 7-10, 2017 and June 12-16, 2018). Future dates and venues for Grassroots Connect will be announced during the upcoming Knoxville event.
Photo courtesy Grassroots Outdoor Alliance
