June Lightovation Reports Steady Traffic and Return of International Buyers

July 13, 2022  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

“The summer show was both a welcome back and an industry celebration,” said Cindy Morris, President and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “We welcomed back buyers from North America and South America to see new collections and bestselling products plus we also celebrated many of the top lighting retailers in North America. The in-person experience to connect with one another, share information, and survey lighting trends is unmatched.”

Attendance at the four-day event was marked by the return of loyal retailers, an increase in first-time Lightovation attendees, and a sharp increase in attendance by international retailers including Canada, Central America, and South America.

“The summer edition of Lightovation was a good chance to reconnect with customers, especially international retailers,” said Naomi Sperling Goldman, chief operations officer, Maxim Group. “Seeing them in person and exchanging insights is critical for their business and ours. We appreciate their enduring support for modern design and their immediate input on our latest collections. Likewise, with an understanding of Maxim's products and designs gained at the show these retailers can distinguish themselves and stand apart from their competition."

Added Nicholas Delle Donne with Artika: “We had a great Lightovation this year. We saw a lot more Canadian customers, which was very nice to see.”

Among the expanded showrooms at the event were Zeev Lighting. New to Lightovation were Acrosentec, Arnsberg, GE Lighting, Jach Lighting, and LNC Home.

These new exhibitors joined more than 40 lighting companies which have recently leased new showrooms or renewed leases. The list includes Minka Group, Visual Comfort Group, Quoizel, Quorum/Oxygen, WAC, Schonbek, Arteriors, Hunter Fan Company, Fanimation, and Hinkley. For the majority of these companies, Dallas is either their only wholesale showroom in North America or their flagship showroom location.

Said Jess Wiedemer, president of Hinkley: “We had been looking forward to connecting with everyone in Dallas again, catching up with key accounts and welcoming back our international buyers - especially as we hit the halfway point of our 100th Anniversary celebration. Having the chance to engage with customers, debuting our new Lark collection in-person, and the launch of our Centennial Summer Collections was very impactful. As we head into the 2nd half of our centennial celebrations, we are continuing to invest in our Lark and Hinkley collections as well as our newly expanded distribution center. We are eager to see everyone again in January 2023!”

Showroom of the Year Awards Honors Best in Business

Dallas Market Center and Furniture, Lighting & Décor magazine celebrated the 2022 Showroom of the Year Award Winners at a ceremony during the show. Winners were:

• Revenue Under $2 Million: Georgia Lighting, Sugar Hill, GA
• Revenue $2 Million-$5 Million: Pace Lighting, Savannah, GA
• Revenue $5 Million and Over: Dominion Lighting, Arlington, VA
• Outstanding Merchandising Display: Amini’s Galleria, Chesterfield, MO
• Exceptional Community Involvement: Accent Lighting Galleries, Lake Oswego, OR
• Social Media Star: Guildwood Lighting & Fireside, London, ON, Canada

Trend Displays and Presentations

During the June show, the Lightovation comprehensive 2022 trend report was available, which encompasses major directions in home decor, architecture, building and remodeling and how they impact lighting. The printed report, which debuted in January, was exclusive for Lightovation attendees to pick up and was accompanied by updated product displays illustrating updated aspects of the trends. Also at the show, award-winning trend ambassador Patti Carpenter presented the trends from the report with new information after her research at recent European shows.

Additional presentations included interior design duo Kandrac + Kole discussing design challenges they face in lighting and how they go about solving them. And two lighting application seminars were offered from the American Lighting Association in The SMART Center (TM 4826). On the fourth floor of the Trade Mart, the American Lighting Association welcomed guests to their booth and promoted its fall conference, September 11-13 in Austin, as well as membership benefits. Receptions for ALA’s Women in Lighting and Young Executives groups also took place.

A presentation by ALA and the Consortium for Energy Efficiency was also held highlighting trends in smart home alongside recognition for winners of the Integrated Home Competition. Legrand, Minka Aire, Modern Forms and WAC Lighting were among the innovative manufacturers honored.

Light Stars

More than fifty top retail salespeople from 24 states and 3 Canadian provinces were welcomed to Lightovation as Light Stars. Honorees received airfare and two nights of hotel accommodations. Anyone in the industry may nominate individuals for the June 2023 Light Stars program by visiting www.dallasmarketcenter.com/lightstars.