Happy July everyone! The All-New HUDSONSCR.com has launched! Check it out, along with an electronic version of our new July issue. Let us know what you think! Comment on this post, leave a comment on our Facebook page, email us, give us a phone call – we love to hear from you!
Announcements
HUDSON’S is Making a Quick Change
This June, exciting things are happening at HUDSON’S Childrenswear Review.
We’re in the process of making a few updates for you, our readers –ones we plan on revealing very soon. We hope you’ll be pleased!
Our next issue will be out in July.
In the meantime, keep informed with what’s happening in the children’s wear industry right here with HCRSourceBook, our official blog. Check out HUDSON’S current CALENDAR and plan your summer road trip to the trades. You can find it by clicking the “HUDSON’S Calendar” tab at the top of this page.
Every Wednesday, check out HCRSourceBook for all-new INDUSTRY NEWS posts and more. Why not set up an email subscription to our blog right now? Simply enter your email address in the form found on the right column, under “Email Subscription.” And our new posts will be waiting for you in your email box every Wednesday morning. We promise you’ll be glad you did.
Stay in touch with what’s happening at HUDSON’S! Check back to our website in July! Like our Facebook page, too. We’ll be posting updates there all June long. Please contact us directly, if you have any questions or comments. We’d love to hear from you.
Good things are happening this summer at HUDSON’S. Make sure you’re a part of it!
-Janet Muniz
VegasKids
New Show on HUDSON’S Calendar!
On August 1-5, World Market Center Las Vegas presents an exciting new trade show that brings the full spectrum of kid’s markets together for one super-convenient, opportunity-packed event.
Following a successful launch last summer, Vegas Kids débuts in an expanded section of World Market Center, centrally located in the heart of downtown Las Vegas. With easy access to Interstate 15 and US Highway 95, it is adjacent to Las Vegas Premium Outlets® on Grand Central Parkway.
Vegas Kids brings together buyers and sellers from the juvenile industry and features nursery and youth furniture plus accessories. Held in conjunction with Las Vegas Market and Gift + Home, Vegas Kids offers unique programming, resources and special events all geared to equip your business for what’s ahead. Attendees can expect to source fresh, innovative products as well as find a confluence of new opportunities to help them differentiate their stores, add new revenue streams and increase sales.
“Juvenile continues to be a hot market for retailers,” says WMCLV president and CEO Robert Maricich, “and we are pleased to offer it once again as a destination at Las Vegas Market, along with relevant programming that helps retailers uncover new ways to market to this sector.”
World Market Center Las Vegas is a dynamic new showcase for the home and hospitality contract furnishings industry in Las Vegas, the fastest-growing home furnishings market in the country. When fully completed, the venue will have more than 12 million square feet of state-of-the-art exhibit space in eight buildings on 57 contiguous acres. All segments of the industry will be together on one mega-campus, making it the largest, most comprehensive, most accessible showroom and convention complex in the industry.
Expanded plans for Vegas Kids include seminars by industry experts to share their knowledge and experience with market attendees. Learn more about increasing green strategies in your business, staying ahead of the latest in industry trends and discovering the best in design. Enjoy a host of opportunities to network and have fun, like complimentary receptions and special exhibits. A full calendar of networking receptions and week-long exhibits is in development.
The World Market Center’s WMCommunity is an online resource that provides a whole new way for buyers and sellers to connect. Creating an online profile allows you to register for upcoming shows, update your contact information, receive key market news, find more exhibitors and popular products, build your calendar and schedule meetings with exhibitors. Find them on Facebook, too.
-Janet Muniz
Follow-up to HCRSourceBook post…
As a follow-up to today’s HCRSourceBook post…
HELP JAPAN! K.I.D.S. is coordinating immediate relief efforts following the devastating 9.0-magnitude earthquake and 23-foot tsunami that swept the northern part of Japan. K.I.D.S. is asking retailers and manufacturers to provide donations of desperately needed new products, and for the public to provide monetary support to the long-term relief effort, by visiting www.KIDSdonations.org or calling 212.279.5493.
In the hours following the record-breaking quake that set off tsunami warnings as far away as California and South America, K.I.D.S. alerted both its corporate and private donors with a call for support. Urgently needed new items such as blankets, undergarments and apparel are being collected and K.I.D.S. is working with its not-for-profit partners to ensure that shipments quickly reach affected children and families.
Through the K.I.D.S. 10-to-1 system of matching donations, the organization is donating $10 worth of new product for every $1 raised. Donations of $5, which provides $50 of new merchandise to child in need, may be made by texting the word ALLKIDS to 85944. Visit www.KIDSdonations.org for more information.
-Janet Muniz
25th Anniversary of K.I.D.S.
To help celebrate K.I.D.S. 25th anniversary, check out the Kids In Distressed PSA airing on one of the jumbo screens in New York City’s Times Square through October 15. It details instructions for mobile phone users to text “Happykids 25” to 27138; this triggers a $25 donation to the organization, helping put desperately needed new merchandise in the hands of those who could use it most.
In this 25th anniversary year, K.I.D.S.’ goal for donated new product is $100 million. “K.I.D.S. is unique in its ability to reach 4.5 million children in need every year, helping them strive for a better life than they have,” says president Janice Weinman. “By tapping into the new technology of mobile phone giving, we are asking many more people to help us continue to make a difference in the future of our youth, by giving them new product, one child at a time.”
See the PSA – bigger than life – every hour, 18 hours per day on the CBS big screen, north side of 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues. The PSA can also be seen on KIDSdonations.org and on YouTube – but you don’t need to see the PSA to celebrate with K.I.D.S. Simply make a donation – of money, merchandise, time – it’s all good!
The K.I.D.S. website offers information on how people can directly join the mission to help children in need. The “Get Involved” section of the site has suggestions for personal and group projects such as product collection drives and fundraisers.
K.I.D.S. officially commemorates its past on December 1 during the 25th Anniversary Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York.
-Janet Muniz
Sanrio celebrates 50 years
Last Wednesday, Hello Kitty was joined by Sanrio COO Kunihiko Tusji and Maxine Clark, founder, chairman and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop to ring the closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange – all to commemorate Sanrio’s 50th Anniversary.
This week, the popular lifestyle company kicked off an entire year of events to celebrate their distinct philosophy, ” small gift, big smile,” that a small act of communication, friendship and sharing brings happiness to fans of all ages. Build-A-Bear is one Sanrio’s many business partners joining the celebration.
Check out the Focal Point story in our current issue, which highlights Sanrio and all of their plans! Visit Sanrio online for more, too.
Congratulations!
-Janet Muniz
Custom Tricycle for Charity
Visiting Playtime New York? In town for ENK Children’s Club?
On Saturday July 31, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund‘s 13th annual Super Saturday takes place at Nova’s Ark Project in Water Mill, NY. Exclusive preview shopping begins at 12 noon and continue to 6 PM. This famous one-of-a-kind designer garage sale features a kids’ carnival, gourmet dining and exciting activities galore.
This year, Blindmice has designed a custom tricycle with Giant and is putting it on display – and it’s for sale! Catie Foster of Catiedid Sales, Inc. in the California Market Center in Los Angeles, CA tells HCRSourcebook the custom tricycle is offered for a $500 donation at their retail partner Baby Shock in Westhampton, NY today through Friday, or at the Baby Shock booth on Super Saturday. Along with the tricycle, Blindmice has socks for sale, partnered with goods also sold by Baby Chai, Lucky Jade Products, Knuckleheads, Hula Mula and Jannuzzi Clothing.
“Any product not sold at the event will be donated to Little Threads Foundation to help foster kids,” says Catie. Little Threads is the brainchild of Knuckleheads’ Melissa Nash.
Super Saturday 12 raised nearly $3.4 million! The money was used to support the mission of OCRF, which is the formulation of early diagnostic treatment programs and research toward the ultimate conquest of ovarian cancer.
-Janet Muniz
Wonder!
Click on the current HUDSON’S cover on our website home page to view the electronic version of the July issue!
Marketed as “the first-of-its-kind children’s retailer,” Wonder is set to open its flagship store this November, providing the world’s largest collection of young children’s products and services under one roof. Based in Deerfield, IL, the 135,000-square-foot store focuses on children ages birth to seven and offers a wide assortment of brand name, value-priced children’s basics and consumables that includes everything from apparel and shoes to toys, electronics and furniture, as well as unique, high-quality specialty and boutique merchandise.
Wonder founder and chairman is entrepreneur and father of two Shane Christensen, who developed the concept upon recognizing a hole in the marketplace. Tired of having to travel to multiple destinations to meet his family’s daily needs, he evaluated the current children’s retail environment and found that the existing model was fragmented throughout a variety of retails channels – boutiques, specialty chains, mass merchants, and play and party. His solution is to create a single destination and one-stop shopping solution for all of a parent’s needs.
Focused on something the new company calls a Passion for Parents™ philosophy, Wonder also features a 21,000 square-foot indoor park as well as party areas and a restaurant, coffee bar and bakery allowing kids to play while parents shop – and enjoy some adult time, too. Admission to Wonder’s play area is based on a membership model. Wonder currently employs seven people; management is hoping to launch 19 stores in the next five years.
Taking an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach to the flagship store’s development, Wonder is renovating an existing big box retail space using recycled and repurposed materials and fixtures, hiring Gensler to design the store’s interior and exterior, with the goal to create a retail icon that can become a case study for a cost-effective and sustainable design.
The vision of Wonder has attracted a talented group of former c-suite retail executives including Bill Colaianni, former Walmart chief marketing and merchandising officer for Central America, and former president and chief executive officer of VTech Industries Rick Mazursky.
“I’m truly excited by the Wonder concept,” Bill says, who is now Wonder’s president and CEO. “It’s a great opportunity for me to use 35 years of consumer marketing, retail and general management experience from some of the world’s biggest companies to build something new and exciting.”
Bill also mentions that he thinks it’s an ideal time to launch the new children’s retail concept because spending on children in this age group is largely “recession-proof” – plus, the state of the commercial real estate market allows for acquiring great properties at very reasonable prices.
Visit WonderWarehouse.com and watch a video of a recent CNBC story about the new company’s progress.
-Janet Muniz
Enchanted Enfant Returns
Paula Franco joins the Enchanted Enfant team as newly appointed sales director.
News from a much beloved children’s brand: luxury line Enchanted Enfant returns to market!
Designer and founder Michele Brulé recently took some time away to mourn the loss of her mother to breast cancer, and now she’s back with a collection for spring summer 2011 inspired by historical works of art, vintage Parisian photographs and images of her mom as a child.
The Printemps 2011 Collection could be her strongest to date, emanating the signature romantic elegance that Enchanted Enfant has made its trademark. The Joséphine dress is a dreamy confection of silk chiffon with delicately ruffled cap sleeves, smocked empire waist and a sprinkling of jewel-like metallic trimmed rosettes available in plum, putty and blush.
Michele tells HCRSourceBook she is extending the brand with Couturier Collection, truly special, special occasion wear. Notable pieces include the stunning L’Opéra gown and Place Vendôme dress with glistening metallic lace trim and the must have Estelle Italian brocade coat, named after her six-year-old daughter and muse.
The Essentiels Collection is also extending the brand, chic easy pieces for everyday wear offered at a moderate price point for broader distribution. Key pieces include the Rue Cler pima cotton pointelle smocked top and legging, the raffia wide brimmed floppy sun hat and silk rosette headband.
What’s more, Michele and Enchanted Enfant is donating a portion of all sales from the Printemps 2011 Collection to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the first and only National Cancer Institute designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children .
View the collection at the next edition of ENK Children’s Club August 1 – 3.
-Janet Muniz
Bass Pro Shops Family Summer Camp
This summer during the Bass Pro Shops Family Summer Camp, families can spend time together at a very affordable price – absolutely FREE.
The Bass Pro event continues through Sunday, July 11 at 54 Bass Pro Shops across the U.S., including two stores in Canada (others run through July 18). Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 2pm, and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-5pm, kids get to enjoy free crafts like coloring their own backpack, painting a wiggle fish, designing their own birdhouse, making a camping photo frame, creating plaster animal tracks and making a leather key chain for Father’s Day.
The whole family can learn the basics of hiking, camping and fishing. Other workshops include bird watching, archery, animal identification and plants & insects. New this year: families can learn important summer safety travel tips for their pets. Kids can earn a collectable pin for every workshop completed. Plus families can take part in the time-honored tradition of making campfire s’mores, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, 5-6pm – all while supplies last.
“This is our way of helping families enjoy affordable, fun activities together and create lifelong memories,” president Jim Hagale tells HCRSourceBook. “Bass Pro Shops is committed to helping adults and children put away their laptops, video games and cell phones this summer – and head outdoors.” Customers can pick up the FREE Summer Guide booklet full of different outdoor activities and tips, ideas and product checklists to help make the most of summer outdoor adventure.
Plus, the HUGE Ultimate Outdoor Giveaway includes more than $74,500 in prizes! Five winners drawn nationally receive special packages including a Bass Pro Shops Big Cedar Lodge Vacation Package. And one lucky GRAND PRIZE winner receives a complete outdoor package worth more than $60,000, including a Barna Log Cabin, an Arctic Cat® Prowler™ UTV, Tracker® Pro Team™ 175TXW fishing boat and an ASCEND™ kayak. See store or visit ESPNradio.com for more details and to register.
Get your summer on!
-Janet Muniz
Children's Retail Today 
