As I helped arrange the name badges on the counter of the registration desk at the Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Association’s (DPHA) 2021 annual conference, I gazed at a long escalator full of people focused on our desk. For the next few hours, I had the pleasure of watching people descending from above with eyes beaming — their smiles hidden behind protective masks. People gleefully made the journey to Austin, Texas, in the midst of a pandemic with business at home ridiculously strong. They were taking the time away to listen, ask questions and learn ways to improve their businesses.
There are many other industry trade shows that are widely attended every year, but there is nothing as focused on the plumbing showroom business as the annual DPHA conference. The KBIS-IBS show presents products galore. The Architectural Digest and ICFF shows attract accomplished and influential designers and architects from New York City and beyond. These far-reaching shows present volumes of products in dynamically merchandised booths. But not one of these shows can claim to be the place to discuss the strategy, merchandising challenges, trends and nuances of operating a 21st century decorative plumbing showroom.