The Independent Garden Center Show (IGC Show) is held every year since 2007 in
Chicago, IL, in the
United States.
History
The IGC Show was created by Jeff and Cheryl Morey, co-directors of
Garden Centers of America (GCA)[1] and publishers of IGC Magazine.[2] The first IGC Show was held in 2007, at Chicago's
Navy Pier.[2]
IGC Show 2018 reconvened at Chicago's
Navy Pier.[7] In 2019, citing ongoing construction at the Navy Pier, the show was moved to
McCormick Place.[8][9]
IGC Show 2019 was hosted in the Lakeside Center at McCormick Place.[10]
Description
The IGC Show is one of the largest shows for independent
garden center owners, managers and buyers. The show is not open to large retail chain competitors or the general public.[2]
The IGC Show presents garden center products available at
wholesale. It is a juried show so every exhibiting company has been screened to ensure the products offered for sale are relevant to independent garden centers.[2]
Education session
In addition to the trade show, the IGC Show hosts an educational conference on topics relevant to garden centers, such as customer service,
inventory, signage,
social media, store design, advertising, and more. Each day before the trade show opens, a keynote speaker starts the day.[2]
The IGC Show provides a networking area. "Shop Talk" Retail Discussions, facilitated by a moderator, provide discussion on topics including
marketing strategies,
minimum wage increases, and younger customers .[11]
Shop Talk" Retail Discussions in the IGC Networking Lounge
IGC show provides a special area of vendor exhibits for companies that are new to the IGC Show and garden center industry. The New Product Zone features new products and plants submitted by vendors all across the show's exhibit space.
The 2019 show unveiled the IGC Retail Lab, a retail symposium and interactive design forum. It is designed to help IGC owners turn their stores into gathering spaces that capitalize on the most popular consumer trends.[12]
Contest
In 2017, the Best New Product and the Best New Plant awards contest was started. Garden center retailers voted for their favorite new products and plants.[13]
Best new product
2017 - first place Kreative Gardens of
Miami, FL; second place went to Potwheelz Garden Dolly of
Gulf Breeze, FL.[7]
2019 - first-place Complete Grow Kits from A Pot for Pot of
Oakland, CA; second place Fir Needle Products from Bedrock Tree Farm of
Wakefield, RI.[15]
Best new plant
2017 - first place Regal Petticoat Maple from Sester Farms in
Gresham, OR; the second place 'Gold Breeze' Zebra Grass from Hortech in
Spring Lake, MI.[7]
2018 - the first place Hollywood Hibiscus from J Berry Nursery of
Grand Saline, TX; the second place Endless Summer Hydrangeas Summer Crush from Bailey Nurseries of
St. Paul, MN.[14]
2019 - first-place Best New Plant plant arrangement of Yellow Star, Large Capitata Maroon and Tropiflora from Russell's Bromeliads of
Clermont, FL; the second-place First Editions Iceberg Alley Sageleaf Willow from Bailey of St. Paul, MN.[15]
2015 – Robert Hendrickson, Business Story Developer for Next New Planet, Marketing Service Provider for The Garden Center Group, and IGC Magazine columnist[19]
2015 – Lloyd Traven, President of Peace Tree Farm
2015 – Ernest Wertheim, Principal of Wertheim, Van Der Ploeg, & Klemeyer[19]
2012 – Joe Lamp’l, Founder of The Joe Gardener Company, Garden Writer, Author and Host of GardenSmart and Fresh from the Garden[22]
2012 – Joseph Pine, Co-founder of Strategic Horizons and Starizon Studio, and Co-author of The Experience Economy: Work is Theater & Every Business a Stage[22]
2009 – Robert Hendrickson, Business Story Developer for Next New Planet, Marketing Service Provider for The Garden Center Group, and IGC Magazine columnist
The Independent Garden Center Show (IGC Show) is held every year since 2007 in
Chicago, IL, in the
United States.
History
The IGC Show was created by Jeff and Cheryl Morey, co-directors of
Garden Centers of America (GCA)[1] and publishers of IGC Magazine.[2] The first IGC Show was held in 2007, at Chicago's
Navy Pier.[2]
IGC Show 2018 reconvened at Chicago's
Navy Pier.[7] In 2019, citing ongoing construction at the Navy Pier, the show was moved to
McCormick Place.[8][9]
IGC Show 2019 was hosted in the Lakeside Center at McCormick Place.[10]
Description
The IGC Show is one of the largest shows for independent
garden center owners, managers and buyers. The show is not open to large retail chain competitors or the general public.[2]
The IGC Show presents garden center products available at
wholesale. It is a juried show so every exhibiting company has been screened to ensure the products offered for sale are relevant to independent garden centers.[2]
Education session
In addition to the trade show, the IGC Show hosts an educational conference on topics relevant to garden centers, such as customer service,
inventory, signage,
social media, store design, advertising, and more. Each day before the trade show opens, a keynote speaker starts the day.[2]
The IGC Show provides a networking area. "Shop Talk" Retail Discussions, facilitated by a moderator, provide discussion on topics including
marketing strategies,
minimum wage increases, and younger customers .[11]
Shop Talk" Retail Discussions in the IGC Networking Lounge
IGC show provides a special area of vendor exhibits for companies that are new to the IGC Show and garden center industry. The New Product Zone features new products and plants submitted by vendors all across the show's exhibit space.
The 2019 show unveiled the IGC Retail Lab, a retail symposium and interactive design forum. It is designed to help IGC owners turn their stores into gathering spaces that capitalize on the most popular consumer trends.[12]
Contest
In 2017, the Best New Product and the Best New Plant awards contest was started. Garden center retailers voted for their favorite new products and plants.[13]
Best new product
2017 - first place Kreative Gardens of
Miami, FL; second place went to Potwheelz Garden Dolly of
Gulf Breeze, FL.[7]
2019 - first-place Complete Grow Kits from A Pot for Pot of
Oakland, CA; second place Fir Needle Products from Bedrock Tree Farm of
Wakefield, RI.[15]
Best new plant
2017 - first place Regal Petticoat Maple from Sester Farms in
Gresham, OR; the second place 'Gold Breeze' Zebra Grass from Hortech in
Spring Lake, MI.[7]
2018 - the first place Hollywood Hibiscus from J Berry Nursery of
Grand Saline, TX; the second place Endless Summer Hydrangeas Summer Crush from Bailey Nurseries of
St. Paul, MN.[14]
2019 - first-place Best New Plant plant arrangement of Yellow Star, Large Capitata Maroon and Tropiflora from Russell's Bromeliads of
Clermont, FL; the second-place First Editions Iceberg Alley Sageleaf Willow from Bailey of St. Paul, MN.[15]
2015 – Robert Hendrickson, Business Story Developer for Next New Planet, Marketing Service Provider for The Garden Center Group, and IGC Magazine columnist[19]
2015 – Lloyd Traven, President of Peace Tree Farm
2015 – Ernest Wertheim, Principal of Wertheim, Van Der Ploeg, & Klemeyer[19]
2012 – Joe Lamp’l, Founder of The Joe Gardener Company, Garden Writer, Author and Host of GardenSmart and Fresh from the Garden[22]
2012 – Joseph Pine, Co-founder of Strategic Horizons and Starizon Studio, and Co-author of The Experience Economy: Work is Theater & Every Business a Stage[22]
2009 – Robert Hendrickson, Business Story Developer for Next New Planet, Marketing Service Provider for The Garden Center Group, and IGC Magazine columnist