AmericasMart Atlanta is a wholesale trade center located in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The exhibition center is one of the largest permanent wholesale trade centers in the world. AmericasMart Atlanta consists of four buildings totaling seven million square feet. The Mart opened in 1957 and hosts several trade shows every year including Market Wednesday, Atlanta Apparel, Atlanta Spring Immediate Delivery, and The Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market. Trade show exhibitors rent permanent showrooms as well as temporary booths during trade shows. Some permanent showrooms are open daily, though many are open only part of the time or during trade shows. AmericasMart Atlanta is not open to the public and only employees and guests of registered businesses are admitted.
Structure
America’s Mart Atlanta consists of four buildings, Building One, Building Two, Building Two WestWing, and Building Three. The Mart’s main address is 240 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 2200, which is where the first building is located. Buildings Two and Three are located on Spring Street and Building Two WestWing is located on Williams Street. 24 pedestrian bridges connect the different buildings of the Mart for indoor access between buildings.
History
A local architect of Atlanta, John C. Portman, designed the Atlanta Mart. The Mart opened in 1957, and Portman has held many positions of leadership since the founding. These include chairman of the board, chief executive officer, and a director. John Portman’s son, Jeffery Portman serves as the President of AMC, Inc., since 1994. AMC is the trading organization which is the parent company of AmericasMart Atlanta. In 1996 Jeffery Portman renamed the trading center AmericasMart, as before it was known as the Atlanta Market Center. He has worked to expand the Mart since his presidency, and is responsible for the Building Two WestWing, which opened in 2009 and is the newest addition.
Entrance
The mart is a place to buy wholesale products and it is expected that the products the buyers purchase at the mart are then resold in their businesses. Therefore the mart is closed to the public. Buyers must register their businesses with the Mart and are required to check in upon arrival. A business must visit the Mart with a specified regularity or forfeit its membership. A company may bring employees and guests to assist with purchasing decisions.
Trade shows
AmericasMart sponsors several trade shows each year.
- Atlanta Apparel
- The Atlanta Apparel show is focused on selling clothing, shoes, and accessories.
- Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market
- The Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market is one of the largest wholesale home and gift shows in the world with hundreds of thousands buyers and sellers in attendance. Major Shows occur in January and July, Smaller Shows occur in March and September.
- Atlanta International Area Rug Market
- The Atlanta International Area Rug Market offers area rugs at wholesale cost.
- Atlanta Immediate Delivery Show
- The Atlanta Immediate Delivery Show of is a cash and carry event at which exhibitors offer merchandise for sale and immediate delivery at the event.
- Market Wednesday
- Market Wednesday takes place the first Wednesday of the month when there is no large trade show that month (February, April, June, August, October and December)
References
External links
- AmericasMart Atlanta, official site
- AmericasMart blog
- http://10times.com/venues/americasmart-atlanta