Southern Jewelry News

Show will be held March 14-16 at Hilton New York, near Diamond District and Midtown attractions

(PROVIDENCE, R.I.) - In a change that promises a host of benefits for vendors and attendees, MJSA Expo New York will move to the Hilton New York hotel in Midtown for its 2010 run, scheduled for March 14-16.

The Hilton, at West 53rd Street and Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue), provides convenient access, either onsite or nearby, to everything visitors from the jewelry industry may want or need, from restaurants, hotel rooms, and entertainment to a quick trip to the Diamond District on 47th Street just blocks away. Radio City Music Hall, the Rockefeller Center, and the Museum of Modern Art are across the street, and Broadway, Lincoln Center, and Fifth Avenue shopping are within walking distance.

“Next year’s Expo will bring everything together in a safe, walkable area that shows off New York at its best,” says David W. Cochran, president and CEO of MJSA. “And even though the Hilton is a nicer venue than our last site, the Javits Center, we negotiated a deal that will keep the price of a booth the same as last year’s.”

In addition, the Hilton is setting aside a block of rooms at a locked-in discount. Expo guests will pay less than $200 a night. (Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.)

“We’re happy with the dates, too,” says Mitch Horowitz, MJSA’s outgoing vice president for sales. “With so many people moving to just-in-time inventory, buying is being done later now, and inventories will have been depleted by Christmas and Valentine’s Day. There’s also no conflict with holidays or other shows.”

MJSA Expo New York is the nation’s oldest and largest trade show devoted to jewelry manufacturing and design. Every year it features the latest in machinery, supplies, components, services, and finished products for manufacturers and retailers.

In moving to the Hilton, MJSA is returning to the scene of successful past shows, but Cochran gives credit for the idea to association members. Expo New York was last held in a hotel in 1994, and several members suggested MJSA consider revisiting the setting. “They wanted to stay in New York,” he says, “but they wanted a later date and minimal hassles, like needing shuttle buses as we did at the Javits.”

Cochran expects a high return rate among companies that exhibited last year. Expo New York 2009 did well despite the poor economy, especially in comparison to other shows, “and the Hilton is so much more conducive to both doing business and enjoying the city,” he says. “You can take a customer out to dinner or for a drink, or just find a place to relax during the show, without even leaving the building. And later you can catch a Broadway show by walking a few blocks.”

The exhibition space will be on three floors connected by an escalator. Vendors should receive renewal notices soon to secure their booths.

For more information about MJSA Expo New York 2010, call 800-444-6572 or send an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .