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WEST VIRGINIA COUNTRY STORE RETURNS TO CHARLOTTE CHRISTMAS SHOW
When it comes to Christmas expositions, few compare to the Southern Christmas Show at Charlotte, N.C. Housed at “The Park,” formerly the Charlotte Merchandise Mart, the event features 224,000 sq. ft. of Christmas gifts, decorations and assorted holiday paraphernalia.
The first stop for many shoppers? The West Virginia Country Store, sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) and West Virginia Division of Tourism.
“The Department had attended this event in years past, but we did not attend last year’s event in order to focus on other opportunities,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “So many shoppers were disappointed we weren’t there that the organizers contacted us to get us on board for this year’s show.”
WVDA Marketing and Development Director Jean Smith said the Show is a great way to introduce West Virginia products to a larger audience.
“We were very fortunate this year to be located in the first storefront, so we had steady traffic the entire show and our producers gave out thousands of samples,” Smith said.
She also noted that the Division of Tourism was represented throughout the Show.
“They said they made as many contacts in two days as they normally would in an entire week. We sold about $40,000 worth of West Virginia products, but I think we accomplished even more for the image of the state,” Smith said.
Except for North Carolina wines and Christmas trees, Smith said West Virginia was the only state represented at the Show, which draws visitors from across the southeastern United States.
Fred Lockard, owner of Up The Creek Mustard in Montgomery, was one of the West Virginia producers who gave out samples at the Show. A veteran of several food shows, he said he was unprepared for the scope of the Charlotte event.
“[WVDA Marketing Specialist] Cindy Martel told me it was busy, but I guess I had no concept of what that really meant,” said Lockard. “Our hot dog chili sauce sold so well that we had to take six more cases [to Charleston] to be delivered down there.”
Bluegrass BBQ owner Jim Gilbert of Summersville had a similar experience.
“I was blown away by the Show – it’s absolutely awesome, and the Department of Ag people do a bang-up job,” he said. “In two days of sampling, we sold more than 200 bottles. If I hadn’t decided to put 10 more cases in the car before I left, we would have run out on the first day.”
A newcomer to the specialty food industry, Gilbert praised the WVDA for its assistance in getting his products packaged, labeled and on store shelves in West Virginia and elsewhere.
Lockard, a veteran specialty foods producer, was surprised that entrepreneurs from other states have not had the same experience.
“There’s a tremendous amount of things they [WVDA] do that you just take for granted – that gives you a real appreciation for what you’ve got,” Lockard continued. “As a business person and lifelong West Virginia resident, I’m thankful for that.”
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
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