Summer NAMM Show Snags 20-percent Increase in Buyers

July 16, 2012

Even though it’s a smaller event than the mammoth winter show, this year’s Summer NAMM event in Nashville packed a punch, drawing a 20-percent increase in buyers, compared with the 2011 event.

 

Besides more buyers, there also was a 9-percent increase in exhibitors to 372, compared with last year, at the National Association of Music Merchants’ show held July 12-14 at the Nashville Convention Center.

 

Part of the uptick in exhibitors came from 75 new brands that were on the showfloor and another 75 brands that returned to the show.

 

In fact, a new brand grabbed the spotlight when it won the “2012 Summer NAMM Best of Show” award.

 

Jim McGillivary, who won the award and is founder of Four Force that makes the EM1 lightweight amp, said, “This summer show is the best for us. It’s a time to meet local music store owners and buyers in a very music-friendly city.”

 

Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM, said the organization was grateful to all of the people who invested their time and money to attend the Summer NAMM show.

 

He added, “In spite of the continuing economic challenges, these folks are not sitting on the sidelines waiting for things to get better, but instead seizing the opportunity to increase their competitive advantage as we head into the fall and holiday selling season."

 

Several educational opportunities also were featured, including the NAMM’s inaugural Retail Boot Camp, which started a day earlier and attracted 100 retailers.

 

In addition, each morning opened with a NAMM U Breakfast session with guests such as Chip Averwater of Amro Music and author of “Retail Truths.”

 

Next year’s Summer NAMM show, on tap July 11-13, will have a new home at the Nashville’s Music City Center, which will have a 350,000 square foot exhibit hall, a 57,000 grand ballroom and 1,800 parking spaces.

 

In the meantime, The NAMM Show will be held Jan. 24-27 in Anaheim. Last year’s show drew more than 60,000 attendees to a 500,000 sq. ft.-plus exhibit floor.

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