Grassroots CONNECT – A new, invitation-only, early buying event that brings together the 100 best brands in the outdoor industry with 100 hosted top tier specialty outdoor retailers.
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The Grassroots Outdoor Alliance today officially unveils Grassroots CONNECT – an early buying show designed to drive focused interaction between pinnacle outdoor brands and their specialty retail counterparts in a hyper-productive work environment. Kenji Haroutunian will serve as the Grassroots CONNECT Show Director.
The show will debut this November 11th in Knoxville, TN immediately following the highly-regarded Grassroots Summit. CONNECT will be a hosted buying event; invited retailers will be reimbursed for the vast majority of their costs to attend, including hotel and transportation.
“CONNECT is about making it more efficient for the core of the outdoor industry to get it’s work done in a manner and timeframe that levels the playing field for specialty. It will bring together 100 iconic brands with 100 of the top specialty outdoor retailers in the United States,” said Wes Allen, president of Grassroots. “This is an opportunity for brands and retailers to get the heavy lifting of line showings completed at a time of year that makes sense for everyone. Brands can show early enough to get good reads on their orders, and retailers will be able to efficiently see and write their biggest vendors before they shift their focus to the crucial holiday sales season.”
Initial reaction to Grassroots CONNECT is strongly enthusiastic: “At ExOfficio, we see the Grassroots Summit as a cornerstone event to our seasonal launch process,” commented Brian Thompson, the General Manager of Ex Officio. “The timing is perfect and allows us to get an early read on our business. Equally important, the show gives us an opportunity to bring key members of our HQ staff together with our Grassroots retailers and reps and get real business done. The show is easily the most productive event we attend each season. With the introduction of Grassroots Connect, we now have the opportunity to bring this fantastic format to a greater number of top outdoor specialty retailers.”
Grassroots CONNECT will run from November 11 – 13, 2015 and will immediately follow the Grassroots Summit at the Knoxville Convention Center. Attendance at CONNECT is invitation only for both brands and retailers. For more information, please contact Kenji Haroutunian kenji@kenjiconsults.com or Wes Allen wes@grassrootsoutdoors.com.
