In spite of a lagging economy and looming war attendance was up approximately 35% at The Spring Book Show 2003. Of that increase, 40% were buyers who had not attended in the past year.
            “We were very pleased with both the number of tables sold and the buyers’ attitude toward buying,” said Larry May, owner of The Spring Book Show.  “There was a lot of good product available.  Business was brisk.  This is only the 5^th year of the show and we have grown substantially every year.  Our first show had 100 tables in a 10,000 sq. ft. ballroom and 80 buyers attending.  This year we had approximately 325 tables in a 36,000 sq. ft. convention hall with nearly 500 buyers in attendance.  That’s substantial.  We work hard to get the buyers there and the vendors appreciate our effort.  That is the reason for the growth.  The vendors have responded to our effort by working hard themselves. It is, no doubt, a joint effort.
            “I like the fact that so many of our attendees were first timers.  It motivates vendors when they know they can come to a show and pick up 10 to 25 new customers.  Our own company, Freight Management Systems, signed up 19 new accounts at this year’s show.  When you think of the effort and dollars spent each year to find new customers and realize that you can spend three days and a moderate amount of money and pick up that many new customers – it’s exciting.  There were buyers from 38 states and the District of Columbia, and 8 countries with the furthest being from Tokyo and New Delhi.