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We finally got back from the Houston show. I have to say that if I didn't know this was a different show I would have sworn I was at Transworld. Everything down to the signage, floor layout, and colors seemed to be almost the same. I would have never known the difference. There was the usual 1/3 paper and party section, 1/3 Major Vendors, and 1/3 smaller vendors breakdown.
There were early bird seminars which I did not attend as most dealt with actual stores and were of no interest. There were the usual fashion shows with lots of scantly clad ladies running amok. There were several bar setups around the floor which was pretty cool so you could get lit while spending your money.
I saw two new companies that interested me. One was Arrival Mask Inc which was a foam latex mask line owned and operated by a set of brothers here in the US. Wholesale prices started around $50-60. Good molds and paint jobs. There was also Stage Frights which makes a line of tombstones and unpainted full face prosthetic which were also very cool. Both of these companies I believe were started by others but then bought by the new owners to keep the lines from dying but I could be wrong.
Distortions new Granny prop was cool you just have to supply the chair and amp. One of the Chinese companies ripped off Distortions Scary Carrie really bad. I could swear it was the exact same mold. Bump in the Night has some new cool masks and props and some really big pig boots. You would have to see the pics I can't really describe them.
There were also the usual Chinese companies dotting the floor. It looks as though Sunstar will take Fitco's place as the mass market mass produced cheap Halloween prop company. I had seen them in the past but this year with a much bigger booth and a fitco vibe.
I took the time to speak to all of my reps from all of the major lines...Rubies, Funworld, PMG, Incharacter and so forth about their feelings on the show and the coming shows this season.
About 9 out of 10 agreed that they liked this show better than any of the Transworld shows. It was cheaper in every respect and the dates allowed them to get their orders to the factories earlier for better arrival dates instead of the late ones we are so use to. Most of the smaller independent vendors said they won't attend any of the other shows and some hoped the Vegas show fails miserably. I talked to some about St Louis but I got a lot of indecision. Every vendor I talked to had very strong opinions one way or the other and openly talked about it.
I personally thought the venue and dates were great and hope this becomes the new buyer show. It all depends on how well they did this year despite the big banner by the doors that already has the dates for next year. Traffic felt really lite like it did in Vegas last year if you went. Many thought it was lite because it was a new show and no one was sure how it would turn out.
Sorry for the pic quality.
There were early bird seminars which I did not attend as most dealt with actual stores and were of no interest. There were the usual fashion shows with lots of scantly clad ladies running amok. There were several bar setups around the floor which was pretty cool so you could get lit while spending your money.
I saw two new companies that interested me. One was Arrival Mask Inc which was a foam latex mask line owned and operated by a set of brothers here in the US. Wholesale prices started around $50-60. Good molds and paint jobs. There was also Stage Frights which makes a line of tombstones and unpainted full face prosthetic which were also very cool. Both of these companies I believe were started by others but then bought by the new owners to keep the lines from dying but I could be wrong.
Distortions new Granny prop was cool you just have to supply the chair and amp. One of the Chinese companies ripped off Distortions Scary Carrie really bad. I could swear it was the exact same mold. Bump in the Night has some new cool masks and props and some really big pig boots. You would have to see the pics I can't really describe them.
There were also the usual Chinese companies dotting the floor. It looks as though Sunstar will take Fitco's place as the mass market mass produced cheap Halloween prop company. I had seen them in the past but this year with a much bigger booth and a fitco vibe.
I took the time to speak to all of my reps from all of the major lines...Rubies, Funworld, PMG, Incharacter and so forth about their feelings on the show and the coming shows this season.
About 9 out of 10 agreed that they liked this show better than any of the Transworld shows. It was cheaper in every respect and the dates allowed them to get their orders to the factories earlier for better arrival dates instead of the late ones we are so use to. Most of the smaller independent vendors said they won't attend any of the other shows and some hoped the Vegas show fails miserably. I talked to some about St Louis but I got a lot of indecision. Every vendor I talked to had very strong opinions one way or the other and openly talked about it.
I personally thought the venue and dates were great and hope this becomes the new buyer show. It all depends on how well they did this year despite the big banner by the doors that already has the dates for next year. Traffic felt really lite like it did in Vegas last year if you went. Many thought it was lite because it was a new show and no one was sure how it would turn out.
Sorry for the pic quality.
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