The OFA Short Course, set for July 10-13 in Columbus Ohio, will feature an expanded garden center segment that will have three exciting new programs:
• Garden Center Live! Merchandising Contest
• Garden Center Live! Merchandising Concepts
• Garden Center Live! Interactive
Garden Center Live! Merchandising Contest: This will consist of four contestants (each sponsored by one of the garden center trade publications) and three rounds. Rounds 1 and 2 will occur on Sunday, July 11. The winners from each round will advance to the finals on Monday, July 12.
Building on last year’s excitement, participation, and feedback, a few changes to the contest have been made to simulate real and often last-minute garden center merchandising. Contestants will not know their display theme until two hours prior to their competition, nor will they be permitted to bring their own props.
Garden Center Live! Merchandising Concepts: The Merchandising Concepts, built by Saturday morning workshop attendees, will feature several themed displays using various types of retail fixtures. This year’s concepts include cause marketing and merchandising concepts that attract and sell to Gen X and Y, edible gardeners, and newbie gardeners. The Garden Center Live! Merchandising Concepts will be located in the concourse adjacent the Garden Center Live! Merchandising Contest.
Garden Center Live! Interactive: Remember the old bookstore room? OFA is transforming that space into Garden Center Live! Interactive, an intimate area for garden center retailers to mingle, demo products, and ask questions. This year Garden Center Live! Interactive will feature POS systems, cause marketing campaigns, eco-friendly container gardening examples, and a “Steal This Idea” showcase. Garden Center Live! Interactive will also feature information kiosks with take-home tips and ideas and interactive mini-sessions throughout the OFA Short Course.