That was all you could get of the show floor, through occasionally open doors. Beeping forklifts could still be heard inside this afternoon, though the final touches will be completed in time for the 12:30 opening. In the words of IDDBA president, Mark Rudy (also vice president of sales for the Hubert Co.), "It's part trade show part education and part networking."
That means there's a lot to get ready. This show is home to the densest population of large fixtures, all of which require some sort of support. Hot cases, cold reach-ins, self-serve islands and countertop carousels take up a significant amount of space on the show floor, and indeed, there is a high level of involvement by equipment and packaging companies. The extent of participation by all stakeholders is important if retailers are expecting to have total solutions to implement back home.
That kind of interaction in this forum is what makes highlights like the annual Show & Sell Center so compelling. It's a comprehensive centerpiece of merchandising solutions and creative marketing that could only come together with everyone participating.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Soon those doors will open and we'll see for ourselves.