Consumers Upbeat!

Retail sales for 2017 are off to a positive start. January and February retail sales posted and increase over 2016. Consumer confidence is upbeat and experts are projecting a 4.2% increase for 2017 against a 3.8% increase for 2016. Department store retail sales continue to suffer posting a 7.3% drop in February. Macys, Kohls, Sears and Penney’s all have announced store closings for this year and major layoffs. At the same time non-store retail sales showed an increase of 11.5 % in February.

Our travel this year has taken us to Atlanta in January and we just returned from the Housewares show In Chicago. This is my 42nd year attending this show and I have seen many changes. The most obvious is the consolidation of retail and the absence of crowds at this show. For the most part, everyone at the show is waiting for the same handful of buyers that will make their show a success. Most companies we met with at the show seemed happy with the results at the show, and were positive moving forward. We had good meetings with Tabletop Unlimited and Lifetime and were encouraged with their ideas for our content moving forward. We also had a few positive meetings with new potential licensees and are anxious to work with their product development teams to create new product.

We also just finalized an agreement with Department 56 which will be creating the iconic lit villages incorporating our illustrations. We have been in talks with Department 56 for years and are thrilled to be moving forward.

The Licensing show is just around the corner and we have been busy preparing. We will be in Booth L214 and look forward to seeing many of you there. We will be reaching out to schedule meetings soon. If you have a specific time or day you would like to meet, please let us know.

Mike Waldner | Director of Licensing
1100 Waterway Boulevard | Indianapolis , IN 46202
phone (317) 489- 6973 | mwaldner@curtislicensing.com
Curtis Licensing | The Saturday Evening Post