The upcoming ENK Children’s Club show, running Jan. 11 to 13, will be Stanley Kaye’s 139th children’s trade show — and his last.
“And we thought he was just getting started,” said Tom Nastos, president at ENK. “That’s a lot of shows, and every one has been better than the previous one. That’s the best compliment anyone could give to Stanley.”
Kaye, show director of Children’s Club and a longtime children’s apparel executive, will retire this month. With family roots in the men’s wear business, he started out selling trade advertising at The Larkin Group, which later created and produced the International Kids Fashion Show.
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“When we first started the International Kids Fashion Show [in 1979], there had never before been a trade show in the children’s market,” said Kaye, who served as show director there for several years. “We tried to bring something to the market that had never happened before, and there were a lot of naysayers. That was the mentality of the late Seventies: ‘Everybody knows who we are. Why do we have to all go into one spot and exhibit?’ You always have those momentary obstacles, but then you find people who want exposure, people who are forward-thinking. And they gave us a base for a show.”
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In 2000, Kaye moved to ENK, where he’s stayed for 14 years.
Of his decision to retire, Kaye said: “You reach a certain age in life. Health is on my side, and I’ve had a great career. So you make a decision: You can work forever or you can go on to the next chapter of your life. It’s not business-related, but from a social, family point of view.…I’m not going to say I won’t miss what I’m doing. But this was the time to say goodbye.”
“He is one of the true gentlemen in the industry,” said Joe Loggia, chief executive officer of Advanstar Global, which acquired ENK in November 2012. “He’s very straightforward; he does what he says he’s going to do. And he truly cares. We’re lucky to have had him.”
Asked what he’ll miss the most, Kaye reflected for a moment.
“Typically, our shows start on a Sunday,” he said. “I love 11 a.m. on a Sunday. By then, the buyers are on the floor. There’s a hum. That’s something that I’ll certainly miss. You never get over that. It’s an individual high. You still have two or three days to go, but you’re off to a good beginning, and things are functioning. It’s like watching a car on all its cylinders. You brought the buyer and seller together; you feel good.”