Travel Blog — Club Managers Show in San Diego

March 21, 2013 Category :Shows 0

After landing in San Diego and defrosting in our hotel room, It was a good lesson always pack a rain coat and when in doubt leave the shorts home.

Diane and I hit the road to visit some new customers and had the opportunity to introduce new hotel properties to our vast line of linens. The new Lily damask was well received and sampled heavily to be used in some banquet rooms for the new wedding season. It’s always a great way to test your new line by bringing it to your customers so it can be seen live and on their tables. I love the dog and pony show….favorite way to sell. 3 days on the road, one day to set up our booth….we always manage to bring everything but the kitchen sink so it’s always a challenge to set the booth up so it’s inviting and shows a little bit of everything we have to offer.

We stocked our booth with new items, and many of our long running products of solid Milliken Signature, Majestic Damask and Scuba stretch banquet cloth option for any country club setting. Our new Biltmore damask is a great addition to our line, it’s a traditional damask available in fashion forward tones as well as earth tones, blacks and burgundy. The new Othello with it’s wonderful geometric look, show cased with our Gold Quarry for a smashing color combination sure to warm up any room. We were happy with the booth and the show had a wonderful turn out….it will  keep us busy for the next few months with follow up and samples.

Before I took off to Las Vegas and the ARA show, I was honored to accept an award from The Boardroom magazine for linen provider of the year. Thank you Boardroom and thank you Club Managers.

I should land in Vegas by 1am off to ARA I go.

Travel Blog 2013 – The Special Event Show in Chicago

January 31, 2013 Category :News - Something Different Linen| Shows 0

Special Event Show - Chicago

The 2013 show season started with a bang. The Special Event show this year was held in the windy city…Chicago by far one of my favorite places to visit. Everything from some the best restaurants, to a great walking city, that it is Chicago, it never disappoints. This year’s Special Event was also a great success. The attendee traffic was up and the energy in the special event industry was high with expectation of a good year for everyone.

This is one of my favorite shows; it allows me to meet new customers catch up with old friends and colleagues. The opening night party was a Chicago gangster theme with gambling, live music and a piano bar, the event was a fun time. My favorite food station was of course the desert bar.  And it would not be “traveling with Ari” if something didn’t go wrong, so I penciled in 30 minutes of elevator time with 40 of my industry friends.  Once we were able to pry the doors open, it was party time!

Something Different this year highlighted its print capabilities and how they fit into the party and event world. We featured stock patterns from wild tropical’s, new geometrics and traditional florals. We also offered printed themed pillows, scuba table forms. We also brought back an old friend, printed tissue lame.  Our new prints in the chevrons and block prints will be available in March but can be seen on our website – insta-linen.

If trend setting colors are on your purchase list this year, please see our Mandarin Satin, Poly-bengaline moire and our Bamboo. These fabrics are available in the 2013 spring fashion colors….emerald, violet, yellow, blues and oranges. The show was a great sounding board for customers to tell me what they are most interested and what their needs are, so they can have a successful year.

Coming home, I had a 3 hour delay at O’Hare. Not a problem. I was able to catch up on my People magazine while relaxing at the bar with a tall vodka and balancing a deep dish pizza on my knees…a souvenir for my husband.

Next month, off to San Diego for the Country Club show!

 

Happy New Year from Something Different Linen!

January 5, 2013 Category :News - Something Different Linen 0

With 2012 now behind us we charge forward into 2013 with the expectation of having a prosperous and productive New Year!  SDL wishes our customers, prospective customers and vendors a happy and a healthy New Year! Our sleeves are rolled up, the factories are clean; our new website is online, and we’re ready to charge ahead!

The industry show season kicks off in January, so please see Aracelis’s travel schedule. She will be on the road to meet customers old and new and she will be ready to discuss projects going forward.  Ari has new products to show and is looking forward to meeting with you.

Made in the USA is important to us and our customers. We are one of only nine distributors capable of providing you with Milliken Napery fabrics.  Milliken has set the mark for quality and color fastness. Milliken can be a great choice for your rental company or facility. The upfront costs might be marginally more but the return on your investment will far surpass the imports.  Please ask Ari about Milliken Signature, Visa and HD products!

We have invested heavily in our print operation, giving us the ability to print textiles up to ten feet wide without seams. We are also printing vinyl static cling and a host of other substrates that lend themselves to the most creative party producer. We are making custom pillows, curtains, napkins and tablecloths. Please contact us for more information and samples.

For the last 25 years we have put great emphasis on contract cutting and sewing. We are comfortable receiving your fabric and working with you to create patterns and cutting and sewing your finished products. We can also inventory your fabric and cut and sew your finished items in an organized and timely manner.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

 

Mitchell Smith

Something Different Linen, Inc.