Dallas Market Center closed out its June Total Home & Gift Market, held June 24-30 alongside KidsWorld and The Temps at Total Home & Gift Market, with a strong rise in new buyers. New company registrations rose 14.5% year over year, with registrations for Total Home & Gift Market specifically up 15.9% year over year, as retailers and interior designers came to the show for the first time.
Show organizers said attendees from the Texas-Oklahoma-Louisiana-Arkansas region remained its home base, representing 77.9% of total new company registrations. But the sharpest growth came from new companies from the Southwest, West and Midwest all up compared with June 2025 registrations.
“Retail has shown remarkable resilience, and the businesses that are thriving are the ones staying connected to trends, to vendors and each other,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “This June market told an encouraging story. Buyers came back, and just as many came to Dallas for the first time. New retailers from the Midwest, the Southwest and the West are choosing Dallas because they can source across categories on one campus, and that kind of growth tells us we’re building the right market for where retail is headed.”
Exhibitors across the marketplace also noticed new interest from buyers across the show.
“Everybody comes to Dallas. You are going to see a lot of great stores that you probably have heard of, that you know and love, but you’re also going to get a lot of new customers,” said Tart by Taylor’s Brooke Kennedy. “We are constantly opening new accounts here.”
The June show marked a period of showroom growth for Dallas Market Center, with more than 100 brands moving into the first and second floors of the Interior Home + Design Center and new and expanded showrooms opening across the World Trade Center and Trade Mart. In the Trade Mart, B’s Knees Fragrance Co. (TM 1339) and Shine Décor (TM 1309) were new, while Roman Inc. (TM 1418), NextGen (TM 1038, 2040) and Roadrunners (TM 1743, 1521) all expanded. Elite Accessories (TM 1034) relocated and expanded.
Attendees also experienced The Masters Series with daily live demonstrations from four tastemakers across the week. John Mark Sharpe, founder of John Mark Enterprises, opened the series on the World Trade Center atrium stage with “Beyond the Bow,” a live demonstration paired with a conversation about his career journey. He returned later in the week for a session on retail displays that drive sales. Also appearing on the Masters stage were Chris Norwood of Norwood Day Floral Co., Presley Pierce and Jeff & Jody Long of The English Cottage.
“Dallas Market Center is truly where community thrives and connections are made,” Sharpe said. “It’s been wonderful to feel the love from them and feel like part of the family so quickly.”
Future markets at Dallas Market Center include August Apparel & Accessories Market and KidsWorld, Aug. 18-21, as well as Total Home & Gift Market and The Temps, Jan. 6-12, 2027.
