I spent the last two mornings at the International Housewares Show here in Chicago trying to jump back into work after spending the last few months working on the school fundraiser. In a nutshell:
WOW!
I would suspect every major household goods retailer (and more) were present and I was giddy with sensory overload! Note to self for next year, go on Sunday when hubby is home and schedule a babysitter for ALL DAY on Monday instead of just for a few hours!
A few vendors I got to chat with who you’ll be seeing on this site over the next few weeks:
Lodge(www.lodgemfg.com): Known for their cast iron cookware, they’ve come out with a line of enamel cast cookware that rivals LeCruset and Chantal. They also have a collection of mini-servers that are perfect for entertaining and go from oven/cooktop/grill to the table. Great price points & great products that will last a lifetime. What more can you ask for?
Curious Chef (www.curiouschef.com): Curious Chef is a spin-off from Tailor Made Products in Wisconsin. The idea is simple, to provide real kitchen utensils for the little ones that are safe and easy to use. Their site just launched and products will be in stores in Early Fall 2009.
Sarah Smith (www.sarahsmith.co.uk): Featuring a range of eco-friendly, fair trade products for home, their booth caught my eye with brightly colored fabrics that would brighten up any kitchen. Like myself, this was their first time at the Housewares Show and they were very excited to get the word out about their products.
I loved being able to meet the people behind the brands and all three vendors listed above were just great people to chat with and were all very passionate about their products. They also recognized the importance of moms as consumers (and hence, didn’t mind talking to someone who didn’t have a BUYER’s badge) and I can’t wait to post more about them!
Stay tuned…
