NSSEA to end Ed Toy & Gift show
By Staff -- Playthings, 4/17/2008 10:19:00 AM
CHICAGO—The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) announced this morning that the National School Supply and Equipment Association (NSSEA) will collaborate with ASTRA to promote ASTRA’s 2009 event in an agreement that means the end of NSSEA’s 2-year-old Ed Toy & Gift Showcase following this month's edition.
“We think the ASTRA Marketplace provides the perfect concentrated venue for retailer buyers to see the highest quality and most unique specialty toy and game products available, so we are delighted to welcome NSSEA members to our annual event,” said ASTRA President Kathleen McHugh. “This collaboration will benefit all members directly because it adds value to the Marketplace for both organizations.”
McHugh told Playthings she expects the agreement to be a win for the specialty toy community as it eliminates the expense of exhibiting at another similar show, should attract more attendees to exhibitors at ASTRA’s event, and will give former NSSEA attendees a chance to see a focused selection of specialty toy market products under one roof.
"It's a really exciting collaboration," McHugh said. "In a gloomy economy, it's a shot in the arm for the industry."
The 2009 ASTRA Marketplace & Academy will be held June 13-17, in St. Paul, Minn.
