It’s time! Once again, we’re in the final stretch before NeoCon. It’s an exciting part of the year for the A&D and contract furnishings industries. But what could possibly top last year’s unveiling of the Mart’s gorgeous (and much needed) renovations? We’re happy to report that we like the sound of what’s in store for the show’s 2017 edition.
If you thought the renovations were over, you’ll be please to find that there are still a few more things to unveil. Last year, the space at the top of the grand staircase was occupied by a pop-up bar. In June this year, the Mart will introduce Marshall’s Landing, a restaurant/café/lounge and private event space from DMK Restaurants, of Ada Street, DMK Burger Bar, and Henry’s fame.
The 250-seat restaurant is geared toward the business crowd and will feature a 30-seat bar with craft beer, small plates, and burgers, along with coffee from multiple roasters. Seating areas in the new restaurant will be equipped with “service call buttons” that ensure waiters only tend to tables when they are wanted – a feature that is part of the “high-tech service” trend that is picking up speed in restaurant design and management.
The 2017 NeoCon keynotes are already generating buzz as well. First up, Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post, will be in the house on Monday to kick off the series. We think Ms. Huffington will speak about Thrive Global, a company she started to “end the stress and burnout epidemic by offering companies and individuals sustainable, science-based solutions to enhance both wellbeing and performance.” On Tuesday Jessica Green, founding director of Biology and the Built Environment (BioBE) and co-founder and CTO of Phylagen, will speak. John Ronan, founding principal of John Ronan Architects, will close out the series on Wednesday.
But what we’re really hyped to hear about the keynote series is that they will no longer take place at the Holiday Inn connected to the Mart. Instead, the keynotes will be speaking in the Motorola town hall theater, a gathering space much more designer-friendly.
The Mart team is continuing to put more resources toward making the 7th floor Exhibition Hall a destination with staying power for showgoers. As part of the Mart’s renovations last year, the 7th floor received a full makeover complete with new flooring, lighting, wayfinding, and a floor plan that organizes companies into five distinct categories: Furniture + Fabrics, Interior Building Products, Finishes + Materials, Flooring, and Technology.
This year attendees can expect to see many new faces on the 7th floor, which will feature 28% new-to-NeoCon brands. The 7th floor can still seem overwhelming. But, the Mart team’s smart navigational tweaks have made that floor doable, and even enjoyable.
If you’re still on the fence about floor 7 going into the show, check out a few of the new companies highlighted in our photo gallery below.
New to the show this year is something called “Icons of NeoCon” a higher level series of standout CEU speakers who could be considered true “icons of NeoCon.”
The inaugural 2017 edition will include sessions from:
>Lauren Rottet, FAIA, FIIDA, NCARB, founding principal and president of Rottet Studio. Speaking on: Hospitality Comes to the Office
>Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, Founder and President of Ross Barney Architects. Speaking on: Livable Cities: The Role Urban Design and Architecture Play
>Cheryl Durst, executive vice president and CEO of IIDA; and Suzanne Tick, founder of Suzanne Tick Inc. Speaking on: Designing for the 50 Percent: Hospitality for the Savvy Traveling Woman
>Howard Tullman, CEO of 1871. Speaking on: 1871 – Lessons Learned Building the Largest Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in the U.S.
“It’s a program that has legs, and it allows us to honor people who embody what the show is all about every year,” said Lindsey Martin, director of marketing, NeoCon Shows, at Vornado | Merchandise Mart.
As usual, the show will include some fantastic showroom and booth parties and special events, including:
>DIFFA Chicago 2017 Gala, Saturday, June 10
>IIDA COOL Awards Gala, Sunday, June 11
>Block Party @ NeoCon, Tuesday June 13. The Block Party is the “official party of NeoCon 2017,” new this year, hosted by Interior Design magazine and the Mart, and held outside the Mart on River Drive.
>Interior Design Giants Party, Thursday, June 8
>Interior Design’s HiP Awards, Sunday, June 11
>The 2017 Best of NeoCon Award Winners’ Breakfast, Monday, June 12, 7:30a.m.
“The industry is up, and the showroom business has also been very strong the last two years,” said Byron Morton, vice president of Leasing at Vornado | Merchandise Mart. “We’re continuing our plans, and we think this year is going to be just as successful as the last.”
See you at the show!