International Housewares Show
| International Home + Housewares Show | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | housewares |
| Venue | McCormick Place |
| Location(s) | Chicago, Illinois |
| Country | USA |
| Inaugurated | 1938 |
| Attendance | 60,000+ |
| Organized by | International Housewares Association |
| Website | |
| www |
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The International Home + Housewares Show is staged every year by the International Housewares Association (IHA). It is the center of the IHA’s yearly activities. In 2008, the Show covered 785,000 net square feet (72,900 m2) of exhibit space. It is one of top 20 largest trade shows in the U.S. and in the top 10 in Chicago.
"The first House Furnishing Goods Exhibition was held in New York’s Madison Square Garden in 1906. The modern housewares exposition was born in 1927 when members of the National Home Furnishings Buyers Club decided that an exhibit in centrally located Chicago would be the most efficient way to view the products of many manufacturers. The group convinced 115 manufacturers to display their wares at the Stevens (later renamed Conrad Hilton) Hotel on January 3–7, 1928, now known as the Hilton Chicago. The newly established National House Furnishing Manufacturers Association (NHFMA) responded to their buyers’ request for an annual exhibition, and for the next 10 years, shows including kitchenware and major appliances were held at the Stevens.
The International Housewares Association (IHA) was formed from multiple mergers among different organizations.
The National House Furnishing Manufacturers Association (NHFMA) joined with the House Furnishing Manufacturers Association of America (HFMAA) to create a single non-profit organization called the Housewares Manufacturers Association (HMA). In 1941, the new HMA put on its first show at the Palmer House In 1946, the HMA and the New York Manufacturers Association merged to become the NHMA (National Housewares Manufacturers Association), the antecedent of IHA. The new NHMA signed the Philadelphia Convention Hall for its first joint exposition from April 27-May 2, 1947, marking the end of the “hotel era” and moving into a true exhibition arena.
The Housewares Show grew swiftly after World War II ended. Exhibitors continually strained to expand their booth space, and would-be exhibitors battered at the doors. To accommodate the growing number of companies, the Show moved to Chicago’s Navy Pier in 1949.
By 1949 the show was an international marketplace hosting buyers from 11 countries. The Show narrowed its product categories, terminating the major appliance segment and changing its name from the “National Housewares and Major Appliance Exhibit” to the “National Housewares and Home Appliance Manufacturers Exhibit” in 1950. The 1950 event saw a greater number of new products, although many manufacturers still had not invested in new tooling. The Show’s primary importance was its abundance of personal contacts.
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Wikipedia