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Expo for $10 Billion Cart and Kiosk Industry Set for Baltimore
By Sally Miller/SpecialtyRetail.com
Dated: Nov 01, 2006
Specialty Retail Report has scheduled its first semi-annual trade show for retail entrepreneurs, the
Specialty Retail Entrepreneur Expo & Conference (SPREE) in Baltimore in 2007.
Following the growth of the mall cart and kiosk industry from $3 billion in 1995 to $10 billion today,
Specialty Retail Report — the only magazine for retail entrepreneurs and managers of mall carts, kiosks
and temporary in-line stores — has scheduled its first semi-annual trade show for retail entrepreneurs, the
Specialty Retail Entrepreneur Expo & Conference (SPREE) in Baltimore in 2007.*
SPREE EAST Baltimore will take place April 25-27 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Cart, kiosk and
temporary in-line stores in malls and other retail venues such as theme parks, airports and entertainment
venues, remain one of the hottest growth areas in the retail marketplace. Show organizers expect more than
1,000 attendees at the Baltimore show, from entrepreneurs exploring opportunities for their first location to
industry veterans looking for the latest hot products, retailing strategies and expansion locations.
"We expect more than 120 exhibitors and more than 1,000 attendees at SPREE EAST Baltimore," said
Sally Miller, the Expo's director. "Our past shows in Boston and Long Beach were very well attended and
featured hundreds of new product debuts and new locations for cart- and kiosk-based entrepreneurs, so
we're anticipating a lively and productive show this April in Baltimore. We're a regional show and we
expect the Baltimore show to draw many attendees from New York City; Washington, DC; Philadelphia;
Raleigh-Durham, and as far south as Miami."
The show's premier sponsor is Louisville, Ky.-based Happy Feet, the creator and manufacturer of Happy
Feet and Animal Feet oversized plush slippers, which are sold from more than 200 carts and kiosks
nationwide. "The SPREE show is a fantastic opportunity to meet and talk with new and existing retail
entrepreneurs," said Happy Feet's president, Pat Yates. "We love the traffic, social activities and overall
atmosphere of the SPREE show."
The semi-annual SPREE shows (April in Baltimore and June in San Jose, CA*) are the largest shows for
cart and kiosk retailers, attracting hundreds of entrepreneurs who want to start or expand their businesses.
"The shows draw hundreds of people looking to break into this growing segment of retail, as well as the
entrepreneurs who have been in the business since it really took hold in malls about 20 years ago," said
Patricia Norins, publisher of Specialty Retail Report. "Now there are cart or kiosk programs in just about
every mall, airport, theme park or train station you can think of. There are numerous multimillion-dollar
companies today that started on a single cart or kiosk, and every year new entrepreneurs with exciting new
concepts join this $10 billion industry. Plus, SPREE East will feature dozens of turnkey
concepts—complete business start-up packages that make it easy for first-time entrepreneurs to buy into a
complete and tested retail concept."
The show offers free educational seminars organized for three different audiences—a Beginner Track and
an Advanced Track for retail entrepreneurs, and a Leasing Manager Track. "We have more than a dozen
educational seminars that cover everything from Retail 101 to visual merchandising and display tips to
expansion strategies," Miller said, adding "There are educational opportunities for everyone at SPREE."
The SPREE show is free for those who pre-register by April 16, 2007, and $35 at the door. "The SPREE
show is a great way for current and prospective entrepreneurs to get together and network without having to
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spend any money to get in," Miller said. "New entrepreneurs who don't even have a start-up budget yet will
find this free show very useful."
For more information or to pre-register, call (800) 936-6297 x 28 or go online to
www.SpecialtyRetail.com/spree.
Questions? Email spreeinfo@specialtyretail.com.
About Specialty Retail Report
Specialty Retail Report magazine (www.SpecialtyRetail.com) is a publication of Hanover, Mass.-based
Pinnacle Publishing Group, which also publishes Gift Shop magazine (www.giftshopmag.com). A quarterly
magazine founded in 1997, Specialty Retail Report provides cart, kiosk and in-line retailers with news and
information designed to promote their success and profitability, including new products, retail trends,
traditional and unique retail locations, and management strategies. The company's Web site is
www.SpecialtyRetail.com. The SPREE Web site is www.SpecialtyRetail.com/spree.
Category Retail, Publishing, Internet
Tags specialty retail, spree, cart and kiosk, retail industry
Email Click to email author
Website http://www.specialtyretail.com/spree
Phone 781.312.1055
Address 195 Hanover Street
Zip 02339
Country United States
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