Grassroots Connect brings outdoor industry’s best buying experience to the doorstep of its biggest national trade show

October 25, 2018

For the first time ever, Grassroots Connect (Nov 4-7, 2018) will be hosted in the Colorado Convention Center in the heart of Denver’s vibrant downtown district

Grassroots Connect heads to Denver next month, placing the outdoor industry’s best buying event on the doorstep of the outdoor industry’s biggest and most iconic national trade show.

For the first time ever, Grassroots Connect (Nov 4-7, 2018) will be hosted in the Colorado Convention Center in the heart of Denver’s vibrant downtown district.  As another first, Outdoor Retailer Winter Market (Nov 8-11, 2018) will be held immediately following Connect at the same location.

The alignment of the two shows is anticipated to provide a boost of energy and enthusiasm at both events, as well as create significant new opportunities for discovery and industry collaboration.

“These two shows came together because of a growing awareness and acceptance that we need to evolve as an industry,” said Rich Hill, President of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance. “There are certainly going to be some bumps in the road as it’s effectively a new show and a new venue, but overall this collaboration is a positive step forward for the long-term health of the outdoor industry.”

First hosted in 1997, Grassroots Connect is the twice-annual buying show of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, a national collaborative dedicated to the health and growth of specialty independent retail.

Designed to be hyper-efficient, hyper-affordable and instrumental in improving retail buying results, Grassroots Connect takes a specific slice of the trade show formula  — the buying experience  — and executes it at the highest possible level.

Fundamentally different from “traditional” trade shows, Grassroots Connect achieves its goals through a variety of ways including pre-booking all attendee appointments, minimizing booth designs, and prohibiting on-floor events and entertainment.

Grassroots Connect has always been hosted as early as possible in the buying calendar to enable retailers to engage with the majority of their key accounts, and then focus on the exploration of new brands for the remainder of the buying season.

Grassroots Connect is anticipated to draw nearly 1,000 participants from independent specialty retailers, vendor brands, and invited members of the outdoor industry community.

“The change in the buyer experience this November will be huge. It’s early in the buying cycle, they’re going to know their budgets, and they’re going to have the ability to see new faces.  This is going to help some brands get a shot,” added Hill.

ABOUT GRASSROOTS OUTDOOR ALLIANCE: Grassroots Outdoor Alliance is an active network of 70 independent retailers working together for the health and growth of specialty outdoor retail.  With 130 storefronts across 37 states, Grassroots member retailers currently total approximately $400 million in annual sales. Through data collection and analysis, direct member support, specialty events, and deep vendor partnerships, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance is creating both a vision and roadmap for the long-term success of independent specialty retailers. Grassroots Outdoor Alliance is also recognized as a catalyst for the success of its retailers and vendor partners; an advocate for specialty independent retail; a promoter of education and community within the specialty channel; and a key influencer of the national outdoor industry. For more information on Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, please go to www.grassrootsoutdoors.com.

ABOUT GRASSROOTS CONNECT: Efficient, affordable and effective for every attendee, Grassroots

Outdoor Alliance Connect is the only national show designed specifically to improve retail buying results. Scheduled as early as possible in the buying cycle, the growing Grassroots Connect show is now in its 20^th year, and attracts nearly 1,000 independent specialty retailers, vendor brands, media, and members of the outdoor industry community to each show. Connect provides a highly efficient opportunity for retailers, reps and vendors to present, discuss, plan and collect pre-season orders. Cost-effective and simple, Connect is both an incubator and testing ground for the greater outdoor industry. Invited retailers receive a per attendee reimbursement to offset their travel costs. Future dates for Connect include Denver, Colorado (Nov. 4-7, 2018) and Knoxville, Tennessee (June 10-13, 2019).  For more information on Grassroots Connect, please go to https://connect.grassrootsoutdoors.com

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