NY Now Reports Increased Traffic + Robust Order Writing

It was the first NY Now show under its new ownership, and there was good news all around.

The summer edition of NY Now – its first under the ownership of Rockview Management Group – concluded this week on an upbeat note. The show featured 460 brands and had 5% growth in buyer attendance after several years of decline. In addition, buyers came to the Manhattan show from 49 states and 40 countries. Approximately 58% of buyers came from the Tri-state region (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut) with California, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, Maryland, and Virginia comprising the top 10 states with the largest number of buyers attending.  

Out of the 460 exhibitors on the show floor, more than 70 were showing for the first time or returning after a hiatus. From emerging makers to established industry favorites, the summer show offered buyers a broad cross-section of brands across every major category, including home décor, wellness, tabletop, stationery, personal accessories, children’s goods, gourmet, fine jewelry and emerging lifestyle brands.

New exhibitors – including Dr. Squatch, Weleda, cuddle+kind, Capri Blue, Printfresh, Pura, Beatriz Ball, Lauren Newton Jewelry, Kimberly Hodges Art & Design, and dozens more – joined returning brands to create what was reportedly one of the show’s most dynamic assortments in recent years.

Noted attendees Loren and Marisa from their New Jersey -based store Love Letters, “We had such a great buying experience at the NY Now show! There was an excellent selection of quality products, and the vendors were friendly and helpful. We found some great new items for our customers and look forward to attending again!”

Added Elizabeth of Pennsylvania-based Home Grown, “After shopping the NY Now show for just over 30 years, I can confidently say that NY Now has officially begun its journey back towards its heyday. It was wonderful seeing so many vendors, old and new, and there was an energy in the air that made us feel as though there’s new, young talent in those halls, just waiting to be discovered.”

Buyers stated that there was a positive energy felt throughout the show — from buyers walking the aisles, to new show branding seen throughout the facility, as well as interactive activations, morning mimosa bars and an opening night reception. This general excitement translated into real business with exhibitors reporting robust order writing right up until the close of the show.

Noelle VanHendrick from ZPOTS said, “The vibe and energy were unreal at this Summer show. I’ve been doing this show a long time, and some of my buyers who haven’t been to NY Now for years came back and wrote orders with me again. I’m really excited for the future.”

Sarah Rubin, owner and designer at Rubyzaar, offered this perspective, “We didn’t just write reorders, but had over 60% new orders at this Summer show. From small shops to big institutions, in addition to significant museum and educational presence and a lot of catalogs. This has been by far the most successful show we’ve had in a very long time and reached pre-pandemic levels.”

The Summer 2026 edition reflected show management’s commitment to investing in the future of the wholesale marketplace while building on NY Now’s more than century-long legacy. Across three days, retailers, designers, specialty stores, museum shops, department stores, and independent boutiques gathered to source new products, strengthen existing partnerships, and discover emerging brands.

“We are so proud of what we accomplished since acquiring the show just three months ago,” said Dorothy Belshaw, CEO of NY Now. “The energy, excitement and positive feedback from both buyers and exhibitors was overwhelming, and we are so grateful to the industry for supporting our vision of transformation.”

According to show management, the strong turnout underscored the industry’s continued demand for meaningful, in-person connection and product discovery in one of the country’s most influential retail markets.

Building on the momentum of the Summer show, NY Now will return to the Javits Center from January 31 to February 2, 2027, with what organizers describe as “a refreshed market experience designed to make product discovery easier and more robust for buyers and increase visibility for exhibitors.”

The Winter show will introduce a simplified floor plan organized around three core destinations – Gift & Lifestyle, Home and Handmade – creating a more thoughtful sourcing experience while encouraging buyers to explore the full breadth of the show floor.

The show will also celebrate the return of Handmade, a category long associated with NY Now, alongside expanded agency participation, international exhibitors and the return of the Greeting Card Association’s NOTED event.

“On-site sign-up for Winter 2027 indicates we are tracking toward a 96% renewal rate,” Belshaw said. “We hosted 107 exhibitor prospects at this show and are working to accommodate them for the upcoming show as well.”

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