What I’m Hearing! – Toy Association Events

Welcome to my new bi-weekly message which I have entitled – What I’m Hearing!  Outreach, inclusion, and responsiveness to opportunities and issues have been the focus of my time thus far as President and Chief Executive of The Toy Association. To those of you that have taken the time to share your POV with me, thank you!  My goal is to demonstrate, through action, that you were heard. My lines of communication are public and open. I welcome engagement and the chance to learn from you and also to share what your association is doing to help your businesses succeed. 

On the heels of our recent announcement that we will hold an LA Fall Preview for the toy industry this September what I have heard ranges from:  “It’s about time!,” to “Great job,  thank you and how do we participate?”

For this Bloom Report issue, I thought it would be a good time to provide more details on the preview so that all those who are interested can begin their planning.

Throughout the month of September, The Toy Association will offer showroom space and networking opportunities for the industry at large at 2250 East Imperial Highway in El Segundo, CA. Our goal is to provide toy companies with an efficient way to show their long-lead lines to buyers during the important fall timeframe.

Key facts and dates about the LA Fall Preview are outlined below:

• It will largely be a by-appointment marketplace, where companies will be encouraged to invite their contacts to private meetings in their space between 1-30.
• The Toy Association will also host a dedicated market week, from 9-13, and will invite buyers to make appointments with all toy tenants during that time.
• An Industry Networking Party will take place 10, hosted by The Toy Association for all in the toy industry who want to build relationships, network, and have some fun while in LA.
• Rental options include expansive showroom spaces and private offices (as well as a mix of both, allowing companies to host both closed-door meetings and display products in an open layout) available over three identical, consecutive floors in the building.
• Spaces start at 80 square feet and can accommodate up to 11,000 square feet; drapes and other showroom buildout options will be allowed (with approval).

Since spaces will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis (based on square footage needs) we are advising companies to reach out to their account executives to book their space. Companies beginning with A-G, contact Simon Yung; H-P, contact Stacy Liebensohn; and Q-Z, contact Michael Lynch.

The Toy Association LA Fall Preview is not a tradeshow. It was created as a solution, based on what we heard from many companies that wanted a presence in LA during the fall preview season. It’s primarily intended for buyer-seller meetings, but anyone in the industry can make appointments with toy companies to access their meeting spaces in the building.

We will continue to listen to the industry and adapt our marketplaces and events to ensure the toy community’s greatest needs are met. This will likely include some form of continuing activity in LA in the preview timeframe but plans beyond 2024 have not yet been made. Again, if you have ideas, feedback or other thoughts regarding LA beyond 2024, please feel free to provide feedback. We’re listening! I can be reached at akeimach@toyassociation.org.

Looking ahead to spring 2025, we will once again welcome the global toy industry to our iconic Toy Fair in New York City (March 1-4, 2025). The much-anticipated industry event will return to the Javits Center following a successful and vibrant show last fall, which brought the industry back together for the first time since 2020 to spot trends, see innovative product, and participate in top-quality industry education and networking opportunities.

Plans for the next Toy Fair are already in development – from exhibitor space renewals (concluding at the end of February) and general exhibit sales (opening in April) to Toy Fair University sessions, special events, networking parties, and more… We look forward to sharing what’s in store for Toy Fair over the coming weeks. Exhibitors who lock in their space early will be included in the priority round of booth assignments, starting in mid-March.

Our LA Fall Preview and New York Toy Fair marketplaces are designed to meet the business needs of the entire toy industry. Whether your company is large or small, you’re an entrepreneur or an industry veteran, an inventor, speciality retailer, or any other professional looking to succeed in the business of toys and play.