The latest gift, home furnishings and gourmet products come together in one spectacular double buying experience during the Sept. 13-15 Atlanta Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market and the Atlanta Gourmet Market. The September Market -- leading up to the January 2009 debut of AmericasMart Building Two West Wing -- delivers an unprecedented combination of quality and variety in:

• Permanent Showrooms: Housed in 13 complete product centers within a three-building -- soon to be four -- campus.
• Temporary Booths: Conveniently located in a central location in Building 1, Floor 7.
• Best of Atlanta Awards: An AmericasMart-exclusive honor -- judged by top food industry experts -- spotlighting superior gourmet products and celebrating achievement in product manufacturing and packaging.
• Gift Basket University: The only hands-on workshop symposium dedicated to the gift and gourmet industry, offering the latest design techniques and business strategy classes.

As one of the last order-writing markets of the year, the September Market provides retailers an opportunity to discover new product and replenish stock before the holiday season. In addition, the Market offers a comprehensive lineup of educational seminars, further strengthening the overall market experience at AmericasMart. This fall, courses include:

• Gift Basket University: Baskets, Bows and Wrapping Techniques. Jimi Taylor and Cheri Reagor return to demonstrate the fundamentals of basket-building, simplifying bow-making and making it affordable by using a variety of ribbons and enhancements. Saturday, Sept. 13, 9:30-11 a.m. Building 1, Floor 7.
• Cooking Demonstration: Recipes Worth Sharing. Sheila Thomas cooks up a classic Christmas with a sampling of America's favorite comfort foods. "Recipes Worth Sharing" (FRP Publishing) book signing to follow. Presented by Delectable Samplings. Saturday, Sept. 13, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Building 3, Floor 14 Gourmet Gallery.
• Your Gift Basket Business: Getting Off the Ground and Keeping Afloat. Laura Weiss, owner of Dolce, shares advice on starting a gift basket business and explains the importance of keeping it organized to ensure success. She explains how to research and prepare for the gift basket industry with tips on sourcing/organizing inventory, creating a functional workspace and putting processes into place. Saturday, Sept. 13, 1-2 p.m. Building 3, Floor 14.
• Effective Marketing for Your Gourmet Store and Cooking School. Mary Moore, founder and owner of one of the top-rated gourmet retail stores in the country, Cook's Warehouse, defines methods of marketing a business from grass-roots campaigns to meaningful partnerships and community relations. She provides great tips on how to stretch the marketing budget, with a focus on both external and in-store marketing. Saturday, Sept. 13, 3-4 p.m. Building 3, Floor 7.
• Gift Basket University: Anything But a Basket. Jimi Taylor and Cheri Reagor explain how to move out merchandise and display products. They will show the most effective way to build a base for creative and unusual containers, with take-home tips on shipping procedures for gift basket designs. Sunday, Sept. 14, 9:30-11 a.m. Building 1, Floor 7.
• Pricing for Profit and Succeeding Today's Economy. Jimi Taylor of Taylor Made Gift Baskets guides retailers through a simple formula to price products, factoring in the time invested. Retailers will also learn how to become a one-stop shop for customers by diversifying inventory and incorporating clever extras. Sunday, Sept. 14, 12-1 p.m. Building 3, Floor 14.
• Cooking Demonstration: Samples from Atlanta's Best. Laura Achee shares wonderful treats from The Junior League of Atlanta's two cookbooks: Atlanta Cooknotes and True Grits. These cookbooks boast collections of regional recipes, inspired photography and lively, charming stories by renowned Southern authors. Presented by Delectable Samplings. Sunday, Sept. 14, 2-3 p.m. Building 3, Floor 14 Gourmet Gallery.