Scribbler, Waterstones and Baileys buyers reveal what caught their eye at PG Live 2023
This time a fortnight ago the two-day greeting card festival that is Progressive Greetings Live was in full swing, bringing together retailers, overseas distributors and publishers of all shapes and sizes.
In the first of a series, PG Buzz shares the views from Scribbler’s co-owner John Procter, Waterstones’ dynamic buyer duo Hazel Walker and Megan Douglas, and indie Penny Bailey, co-owner of the trio of Bailey’s card and gift shops.
Here, they lift the lid on their top product picks from the annual greetings extravaganza, which took place on 6-7 June…
John Procter, co-founder of Scribbler
“PG Live is essential for our industry and it always has been as it’s so focused on cards – fabulous cards from so many great publishers. The opportunity of seeing everyone, bringing everyone together from all sides of the greeting card industry family, makes it unique. We really loved it this year, both as an exhibitor and as a retailer.”
Stand outs: “Up in Springboard, we really liked Hutch Cassidy as the designs were so impactful with a great sense of colour. Sylvia Prince was also impressive, such a comprehensive range with great appeal. Dinosaurs Doing Stuff was a lot of fun; Katie Tinkler Illustration had some lovely designs, while Battered Cards also stood out.
“It was also good to see so many strong refreshes and new ranges from the more established brands. As ever, Redback Cards had lots of great new designs and Five Dollar Shake’s collection was on top form.”
Hazel Walker and Megan Douglas, senior buyer and buyer at Waterstones
“What a show! We love visiting PG Live as it always has such a great atmosphere – and this year’s event felt particularly inspiring and there really seemed to be excitement in the air!
“It was lovely to see so many card publishers under one roof, existing suppliers, as well as discovering some new ones. We had a wonderful time seeing all of the fab new product and it’s always a great chance to catch up with all the brilliant people in the greeting card and giftwrap industry.
“We came away excited and inspired – the product standard was so high that it will make our selection process very tough!
Stand outs: “Raspberry Blossom really gave a taste of summer with its wonderfully vibrant stand and it was great to see that they are bringing their unique style to giftwrap too.
“We also really enjoyed having a chuckle at all of the brilliant puns on the Bewilderbeest stand. However, with so much excellent product on display, we ended the day with a very long list of highlights!”
Penny Bailey, co-owner of Bailey’s in Ainsdale, Crosby, Maghull and Southport
“We had such a lovely day at PG Live. I took my two store managers, Caroline and Aimee, for the first time and they really enjoyed it. It is quite a trip for us to do in a day, but well worth it to see all the fabulous greeting card companies under one roof.
“ I’m always enthusiastic about cards, but PG Live gives a boost to that enthusiasm and really makes me think about what’s working well for us, what we should do differently and what would our customers be pleased to see.
“The best part, though, was catching up with our current suppliers and fellow retailers, hearing their news, comparing notes, and the friendly Retas’ rivalry banter! Thank you to everyone for the great show, champagne reception, coffees and lunch.”
Stand outs: “We bought Robert James Hull’s adorable watercolours of animals with pompoms. The tricky bit was choosing which to leave out. I predict good things for this company.
“We also bought a spinner of Alljoy’s 3D pop-up cards to trial in our Maghull store. The price point is competitive, there’s a design for everyone, and something a little bit different to set us apart from the big retailers.
“I thought I’d finished my Christmas card buying for this year but couldn’t resist Wendy Jones-Blackett‘s Christmas ranges, so they were ordered as well.
“It was great to see new designs from our current suppliers too. Hallmark’s new offering was impressive. The new-look Forever Friends will be a hit, I’m sure.
“I loved the new additions to Paper Salad‘s Hunkydory range, which offers consistently good sellers for us. Plus, Raspberry Blossom‘s new gift range with Widdop was super cute! And, while we’re talking cute, Lucy Driver’s illustrations really tick that box, and are in my possibilities for the future pile; and Ginger Betty‘s new baby range provoked serious aaahs from us.”
All pics from PG Live 2023 can be viewed and downloaded by clicking here. Stand bookings are being made for Progressive Greetings Live 2024, which will take place 4-5 June at London’s Business Design Centre. Contact Tracey Arnaud on traceya@max-publishing.co.uk
Top: Bailey’s (left-right) team of Penny Bailey, Caroline Cropper and Aimee Howes at The Retas/Greats retailer drinks reception at PG Live
