The National Lawn and Garden Show is a unique concept for entrepreneurs and companies looking for important, and hard to get, one-on-one, personal time with important buyers of their products. It’s a “reverse tradeshow” concept where the buyers are scheduled to meet with suppliers that best fit their needs.
The show was held June 10-12, 2008 in Chicago, IL. Among the unique items this year were garden and bird watches from Wingscapes Bird Cam and Brinno, low energy pumps from Fountain Tech, Chickity Doo Doo organic fertilizer made of 100% composted chicken manure (www.chickitydoodoo.com) and a designer doghouse that is both a home and patio accent and cozy pet retreat from Leifers
“It was quite an educational experience for us,” said Kathy Ellis, President of Leifers. “We know our designer doghouses will be a perfect match for pet lovers who also love their patios and gardens. No one wants an ugly or silly doghouse ruining the hours and hours of dedication and hard work people put into their yards.”
Among the buyers were companies like:
Calloway’s Nursery Inc.
Cinmar/Frontgate Catalog
Collections Etc.
Commerce LLC
Doctors Foster & Smith Inc.
Gardenocity Inc.
Hammacher Schlemmer
Improvements Catalog
Picket Fence
Plow & Hearth
QVC, Inc.
Sears Holding Company
Yardiac.com
“We believe the designer doghouses will be a great match for some of the higher-end specialty home and patio catalog companies. Our goal for going to the show was to find out what type of reception this product had in the lawn and garden industry and to get the interest of the more well known catalogs like Frontgate, Plow & Hearth and Yardiac.com,” said Ellis.
“The show was a complete success for us,” said Ellis. “We were only back in the office one day before Frontgate Catalog called and asked for samples! We could not have asked for a better reception and nod of approval.”
Samples of the product will be sent to the Frontgate sample room in West Chester, OH.
About Cinmar/Front Gate Catalog (www.frontgate.com)
In September 1991, Frontgate mailed the first Frontgate catalog to 300,000 upscale American households. The aim of the new direct marketing company was to offer these consumers products and services of unprecedented quality. Since that time Frontgate has enjoyed tremendous growth. In 1996, Frontgate was recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the nation's 500 fastest growing companies. Today, Frontgate is the recognized leader in catalog and online shopping for the home environment. This year alone, they will circulate almost 83 million catalogs.
Frontgate is part of Cornerstone Brands, Inc. (CBI), a family of direct marketers that ranks among this country's top ten consumer direct firms. Their partnership with CBI allows them to retain their unique marketing and brand identity while enjoying the advantages of improved operational capability and greater purchasing power. In addition to Frontgate, other Cornerstone member companies include some of the most respected and fastest growing names in direct marketing:
Ballard Designs — Accents for the home and garden
Garnet Hill — Natural fiber bedding, home furnishings, and accessories
Smith & Noble — Customized window treatments offering the best in quality, fashion and value
The Territory Ahead — Clothing and accessories for the serious adventurer or armchair traveler
TravelSmith — Wrinkle-free travel clothes, indestructible luggage and innovative travel essentials
You can reach their corporate offices at: Frontgate, 5566 West Chester Road, West Chester, Ohio 45069
About Leifers
Leifers — for the most loved pets in the world! Leifers offers a line of luxury pet furnishings and products designed to compliment your home as well as your pet. The company offers two designer dog and cat houses — NeoClassic and Old Ruins – that combine architectural elements, high-end design, and functionality to create a home accessory. Leifers also offers accessories and comfort items for their doghouses, as well as “Scratchy Butt” health and wellness products. A percentage of all Leifers’ profits are donated to the Houston Spay-Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) whose mission is to prevent the suffering and death of cats and dogs due to overpopulation. For more information, visit www.leifers.com or by email at kellis@leifers.com