Big changes are happening at The JCK Show ~ Las Vegas next month. Registration has been streamlined, the on-site registration fee has been eliminated, new pavilions have been added, existing pavilions have been redesigned, and a host of new buyer-comfort amenities have been installed.

These changes are designed to make it easier for retailers to shop the show. However, to ensure the most efficient and pleasant show experience, JCK recommends all attendees take time to study the new show plan before starting out. All maps will be color-coded, with signage and other guides to each individual section also colored to match.

Here are some key changes:

• There will be four new pavilions on the show floor. StyleMaker; Debut Collection; and Equipment, Technology, and Supplies will be located on Level One. The new Luxury Collection will be located on Level Two next to the Prestige Promenade.
  StyleMaker is a grouping of contemporary, design- oriented firms that offer distinctive, fashion-forward looks. Its color code is red. The Debut Collection, color-coded tan, features a group of exhibitors who are either new this year to The JCK Show or who have been exhibiting for less than two years. They are grouped together so retailers can quickly locate possible new resources. The Equipment, Technology, and Supplies pavilion, sponsored by MJSA, will feature a variety of machinery, computers, and services. Buyers also should note that packaging, display, and other retail fixture and accessories manufacturers have been relocated to this pavilion, color-coded teal.
  The new Luxury Collection, located on Level Two, features exhibitors who also participate in the Luxury by JCK show, so that buyers who did not attend the separate Luxury event can find these companies easily. Its color code is blue.

• Other pavilions on Level One include the World’s Fair (color code olive) and Antique and Estate (color code maroon).

• The Design Center, a longtime fixture on Level One, has moved upstairs. It will be located on Level Two, at the right rear of the hall, next to the Galleria. Its color code is orange.

• Remaining on Level Two are the Galleria (color code dark green), Prestige Promenade (color code black), the Platinum Pavilion (color code gray), the Plumb Club (color code purple), Diamond Plaza (also color-coded blue, but with a diamond design), and Time Square (color code yellow).

• The AGTA Pavilion, color-coded pink, also is remaining on Level Two. Its hours of operation are slightly different from the rest of The JCK Show: the Pavilion is open May 30-June 2, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.

Do your homework. With the size of most major jewelry shows today, few buyers work a show by browsing alone. Savvy JCK Show buyers arrange their appointments and go-sees well in advance of the show, using the JCK Show Guide to plan their time.

The additional pavilions at the 2003 Show have resulted in a number of exhibitors’ booths being moved from their former locations, so to maximize your time, make sure you know where your usual vendors are located before you set out. They may have moved! Use the show guide for advance planning or nightly review of exhibitors. On site, be sure to carry one or more of JCK‘s lightweight, conveniently sized floor guides: the Pocket Planner, the Navigator, and the International Pocket Planner (for the World’s Fair section only). Key aisles at the show have been renamed as landmark “boulevards,” and there will be more “You Are Here” directory boards stationed throughout the show. Additionally, there will be a floor plan map in every edition of the JCK Show Daily, and each JCK Show staff member will be wearing a white flower for easy identification on the floor.

Relax, learn, have fun. The redesigned show includes an additional 20,000 sq. ft. of café and lounge space. Multiple lounges will be provided for attendees to rest, relax, and regroup, with plenty of comfortable seating, soothing music, concierge services, and massage services. Café areas also have been significantly upgraded, with better quality and more variety of food choices and tables with tablecloths and flowers. At the conclusion of each business day, a two-hour-long Happy Hour will be held in all the cafés and lounges. The JCK Conference program begins Wednesday May 28. Most sessions are free, with seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Log onto www.jckgroup.com for more information and to see the schedule of classes.

A very special keynote address is planned this year. Leon Hall of E! Entertainment’s Fashion Emergency will discuss “Cultivating Consumer Desire and Brand Cachet” on Friday, May 30, at 8:30 a.m. His talk will help retailers understand the elusive “want it, need it, got-to-have-it” factor that puts a product or store on the “in” list in any community.

Finally, don’t miss JCK‘s traditional Welcome Reception on Thursday, May 29, from 6:30-11 p.m., at the Paris Hotel. The world-famous Temptations will be performing live, with room for singing, swaying, and dancing along. Admission is free.