January 2023 Dallas Market Trip

If you couldn't already tell, we adore Jim Shore and his figurines. While we do have a growing selection of products from other artists, our biggest catalog so far is for Jim Shore. We just love many unique collections and themes he creates. From from Disney Traditions, Peanuts, and Grinch; where the nostalgia of our childhood is fused with the quilted rosemaling he is knowing for. All the way to the Heartwood Creek collection where he gets to really challenge himself in new and exciting ways, while still being faithful to the themes of the past.

Like many of our customers, we watch his monthly Facebook live events, eager to see his what new creation he had though up. There were many artist renders and whispers of things to come, it made it all that much more exciting for January to roll around to see what the year has in store.

So, when I was presented with an opportunity to join Sheri at the Dallas Market in 2023, I think my only thought was "what airline do we use?" A plan was put in place to attend and we quickly registered, bought our tickets, and rented our car.

The next few months were a blur. Our amazing customers kept us incredibly busy fulfilling their orders and answering their questions, we hardly had time to think about anything else but ensuring their items arrived in time for Christmas. So, when January finally came, we were beyond excited to head to Dallas to reward our customers and followers with a closer look at all the amazing pieces that would come out this year.

Now, January holds the unique distinction for me to being the busiest month of the year. Not only does Jim Shore release hundreds of items, but many of our other artists and brands release new pieces that have to get put on our website. This is not as simple as clicking a few buttons and pressing enter, everything is done one at a time, ensuring that I keep the same level of quality our customers have come to expect from us. So, when Enesco released all the products the week that we planned to leave, I knew that if I wanted to go to Dallas, I would be working tirelessly the entire time I was there.

Taking a late night flight from San Jose California, we arrived in Dallas Texas just before midnight. The next morning we headed to the market and checked in. The entire center was a labyrinth of stores and designers, it was easy to get lost and nearly would have, if it wasn't for Sheri's stellar navigation skills.

When we finally walked up to the Enesco display, I couldn't believe how many new pieces there were. Jim Shore was at the top of his game this year; with so many new pieces and even introducing two new collections - Highland Glen and Holiday Manor - it was a wonder that he was also able to design for the D100 Disney Anniversary.

We spent hours monopolizing the displays as we took pictures and videos, and held as many as we could. We walked around every single group of figurines, absorbing the shear volume of product that there was to see. I even got to see my favorite animal, the Rhinoceros, brought to life by Jim Shore through his partnership with Animal Planet. I will certainly be adding it to my personal collection. Jim Shore also did a Western Santa which reminded me a lot of my late step-father; with his country attire, white bushy beard and big round belly, he was the spitting image of dad.

We finished our tour of the Dallas Market Center by seeing all the other amazing things that Enesco has released this year, as well as looking at other brands that we might be interested in adding to our catalog of products. One of our successes as a retailer, aside from Sheri's keen eye for detail, is our unwavering desire to only carry brands that we feel is just an extension of what we already sell. We choose brands by what leaves a lasting impression on us and what brings us joy when we see it.

I was personally emotional when I saw the Western Santa, and giddy with excitement when I picked up the Rhino. It is in those feelings that I am reminded that countless others have similar stories. Weather it is a mother buying a small dolphin figurine because it was her late daughter's favorite animal and it reminder the mother of her, or a avid collector who still feels excitement when she receives her hundredth gnome in the mail.

We end our whirlwind trip to Dallas as quickly as it began, with a late night flight back to rainy California, with renewed excitement for the coming year.