The What: NeoCon, The National Exposition of Contract Furnishings, debuted in 1969 and today is considered the largest trade show of its kind in North America. NeoCon is the premier event in the furniture and interior design industries, and it provides access to the latest and most innovative products, as well as unbeatable networking and educational opportunities. More than 700 exhibitors from around the world showcase their products each year and represent a wide range of industries, including office, hospitality, healthcare, retail, government, instructional and home interiors. More than 40,000 trade professionals including interior designers, architects, facility managers, space planners, manufacturers and more attended NeoCon,in 2013, and The Merchandise Mart is preparing for a similar turn out in 2014.
NeoCon is the only place to see thousands of new product launches from top brands in the industry, all in one convenient and beautiful location. Those who attend will receive first looks into the next season’s innovative, new products and resources. NeoCon even offers educational programming with nearly 100 accredited seminars, forums and keynote speakers. You will find products that satisfy all of your needs and interests, including not only furniture, but also fabric, flooring, interior finishes, technology and more.
The Where: NeoCon takes place at The Merchandise Mart, a commercial building located on Chicago’s north side. When the Merchandise Mart opened in 1930, it was the largest building in the world with 4,000,000-square-feet of floor space. Today it is a staple of the Chicago skyline. Showrooms take up about 50% of the usable floor space, and some showrooms are open to the general public, while others are only open to wholesalers. Rather than placing products on shelves, a full room is set up in each of the showrooms so that consumers can take advantage of the opportunity to see how everything looks in person and to test the furniture and feel the textiles themselves.
The When: Neocon takes place over the course of three days, this year spanning from Monday, June 9 through Wednesday, June 11, 2014. The Merchandise Mart will be open from 9:00AM until 5:00PM on each of these days so that attendees will have plenty of time to see the manufacturers and designers that they want to see, although we would not recommend expecting to see everything that NeoCon has to offer. Remember, with more than 700 exhibitors and 100 seminars in what used to be the largest building in the world, there’s more than enough to be seen!
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