Plush trade show lassoing exhibitors for 2014 show

Potential exhibitors were treated to the red carpet treatment during Plush’s preview event at the World Market Center on Wednesday.

Champagne, sweets and snacks were spread out for all to enjoy during a tour meant to show off the luxe trade show brand and what next year’s inaugural show could look like.

“This year we’re here to let the industry know what we’re all about,” said Jina Park, Plush’s CEO and founder.

In the past, the brand has been all about consumers, hosting a Los Angeles event the past three years where manufacturers show off their children’s products for interested parents. The mother of three started that show because she spent a lot of her free time looking for the best children’s products online, as did many of her friends.

“The consumer show has been a huge success since the very beginning and we’re growing exponentially at this point. At the consumer shows we realized a lot of buyers attended as well, purchasing tickets as consumers,” Park said.

Thus, the idea for a business-to-business event was born. The first Plush industry-only trade show is scheduled to take place in fall 2014 at the World Market Center’s Pavilions, the tented area across the street from the main campus.

“It’s endless, the ideas we have of what we could potentially do in there, so we’re excited,” Park said. “We want to pack this place with quality buyers. And help manufacturers build relationships.”

About 100 established manufacturers are coming this week to meet the Plush staff and determine whether the new trade show is something in which they’d like to participate. Plush aims to provide a focused show with about 200,000 square feet of leasable area.

“It’s going very well. We’re meeting some of the top manufacturers in the industry and they seem really interested,” Park said.

As of Wednesday morning, 13 companies had secured floor space for 2014.

“Vegas is the trade show capital of the world, and our manufacturers and buyers want to come to Vegas,” Park said. “Really, who doesn’t want to come to Vegas?”

Park said she chose the World Market Center venue around June while preparing for her Los Angeles consumer show.

“It was just breathtaking. The building is massive and I felt it would be a good fit for the industry,” she said.

A request for comment from the World Market Center went unanswered.

For more information on the show, visit www.plushshowvegas.ccom.

Contact reporter Laura Carroll at lcarroll@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588. Follow @lscvegas on Twitter.