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For
75 years, Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) has been North
America’s specialist in marketing support of buildings with
wholesale showrooms. MMPI acts as a market maker for the industries
it serves, bringing together wholesalers, retailers and consumers.
In this capacity, MMPI is both a property manager and trade show
producer, divisionally organized by the industries housed in its
buildings and represented at its events.
Each
year, MMPI hosts dozens of major trade shows and more than 300 conferences,
seminars and special events throughout North America. These events
bring tenants and exhibitors the customers they seek. Twenty-four
hours a day, 365 days a year, MMPI provides its tenants with responsive,
on-site management. MMPI supplies its tenants, their employees and
visitors with a unique combination of business services and amenities
to meet all needs efficiently on site.
Partnership
marketing is what we call MMPI’s design center and trade show
marketing philosophy. As partners with our showrooms and exhibitors,
MMPI’s success is based on their success and we construct our
marketing programs as a platform on which they can build their own
events.
Our full-time staff of more than 475 professionals are skilled in
the management, marketing and day-to-day operations of our facilities.
All services are performed in-house by this highly competent team
of staff members that comprise: Construction • Finance/Accounting • Housekeeping • Information
Services • Legal • Maintenance • Marketing • Marketing
Communications • Materials Handling • Meeting
Planning • Office and Retail Leasing • Operations • Public
Relations • Sales/Leasing • Security
Staff members are recruited with specialized industry experience,
bringing to MMPI not only their recognized talents but contacts and
relationships with key industry leaders. MMPI’s staff draws
its experience from a vast array of related industries and associations,
including Baker, Bloomingdale’s, Brunschwig & Fils, Enesco,
Ferguson Enterprises, Haworth, Inc., Henredon, Herman Miller, International
Facilities Management Association, International Interior Design
Association, Kimball International, The Kohler Company, Masco, National
Restaurant Association, SieMatic Corporation, Stark Carpet, Steelcase,
Inc. and Wood-Mode.
Design centers, an outgrowth of merchandise marts, house high-end interior
design furnishings showrooms catering to affluent consumers who source their
purchases through design professionals such as interior designers and architects.
The Merchandise Mart houses the oldest, largest, and one of four premier
design centers in the United States. Other design centers include: the L.A.
Mart®, the A&D Building in New York and the Washington Design Center
in Washington, D.C.
Merchandise
Marts are industry buildings whose wholesale showrooms
are enhanced not only by proximity to others in the same
industry, i.e. furniture, gift, apparel, but also as a
result of market events or trade shows whose attendance
is based upon factors which include a critical mass of
showroom tenants. The Merchandise Mart is the first and
largest merchandise mart in the United States and is home
to dozens of trade shows. Industry buildings attract tenants
whose businesses are enhanced by proximity to others in
the same industry. These buildings offer specialized services,
i.e. medical and dental practice buildings, jewelry buildings,
toy buildings, gift buildings and furniture showroom buildings.
Market Centers are merchandise mart buildings or complexes
that house multiple industries. The Merchandise Mart in
Chicago is one of three market centers in the United States.
MMPI
management also leases, markets, and handles day-to-day
operations for office and retail spaces in its buildings.
MMPI manages The Merchandise Mart, 350 West Mart Center
and 33 N. Dearborn in Chicago, the Washington Design
Center and Washington Office Center in Washington D.C.,
totaling over 2.8 million sq. ft. of office space. The
Marts retail component offers office and showroom
tenants merchandise such as clothing, books, greeting
cards, wine and gourmet products, along with a bank,
post office, dry cleaners and hair salon.
On behalf of our tenants, MMPI maintains a full construction management services
staff, which is deeply involved in supervision of construction at all properties.
MMPI has supervised the construction and renovation of more than 10 million
sq. ft. of space. In the last decade, more than 14 full floors of The Merchandise
Mart have been completely renovated. 
Merchandise Mart, Chicago
High Point
Suites at Market
Square
Plaza Suites
Washington Design Center, Washington,
D.C.
A&D
Building, New York
350 West Mart Center/Chicago
Apparel Center
Kitchen & Bath
Center
Chicago, IL
Washington, D.C.
New York,
NY
L.A. Mart
7 W New York
Trade
shows are generally traveling versions of showroom-like presentations
in which businesses do not need a year-round showroom presence. Companies
display their products and services in a temporary facility, such
as Pier 94 or McCormick Place, for brief "markets" or trade
shows. Some merchandise marts have their own trade show facilities
and host their own shows. These exhibitions in temporary space are
used to supplement and enhance business conducted in permanent space.
The Merchandise Mart holds exhibitions for the following industries:
Antiques Bridal Casual Furnishings Commercial Furnishings Gifts & Home
Accessories Menswear Residential Furnishings Women's & Children's
Apparel
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