Richard Gottlieb

Dallas Fall Toy Preview, the Puzzle
October 10, 2007

Puzzle play became reality yesterday as I joined toy industry members who, with grace and good humor, attempted to find their way around their new home. What they found was a Dallas Market Center filled with many blank walls, a numbering system that I am sure made sense to some but not to me, and a directory that only listed some of the exhibitors but by no means all.  Thoughts of Escher drawings, black holes, and parallel universes went through my mind as I attempted to find my way back to a booth that I swore had been there just minutes before but, seemingly, had disappeared.  

What helped was a Trade Center staff that, some holding maps, was, if not always helpful, unfailingly warm and friendly. So, by the end of yesterday, no one had disappeared and most seemed to have the system down.

At least on the first day, the Fair was thankfully free of protestors, politicians and others who might want to stage some street theatre at the industry’s expense. The mood seemed low-key but content and, if not optimism, one did not detect pessimism either.   

What turned out to be a surprising pleasure was last night’s cocktail party. Due to the structure of the Market Center, it was hard to tell how many people were in attendance, so it was a real kick to see everyone flood into one large room and fill it up. It gave the Fair a sense of energy and confirmed that the Fair was off to a good start.

So far, so good!

Posted by Richard Gottlieb on October 10, 2007 | Comments (0)