News

Dallas Market Center (DMC) was named a finalist for the 2026 Gold 100 Grand Award in the Good Impact Award category by Trade Show Executive magazine, recognizing DMC’s Stand With Main Street initiative on behalf of independent retailers nationwide.

The Good Impact Award honors trade shows that create positive legacy and meaningful difference for the communities they serve. DMC is one of four finalists in the category, alongside FDIC International, Natural Products Expo West, and SupplySide Global. Winners will be announced live at the Gold 100 Awards & Summit, taking place Sept. 22–24 at the Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes, California.

DMC launched Stand With Main Street in April 2025 in response to sweeping tariff policies that threatened the survival of the independent retail ecosystem the company serves.

The campaign mobilized more than 2,200 customers to sign a petition delivered directly to Commerce Secretary Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Bessent, and U.S. Trade Representative Greer, and brought DMC customers — including the president of Hallmark Cards — into a briefing with Kansas Senator Jerry Moran’s staff. DMC also joined a broad coalition that filed amicus briefs with the Court of International Trade and the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the tariffs exceeded presidential authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

On Feb. 20, the Supreme Court ruled in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump that the President lacked statutory authority to impose the tariffs, a decision that vindicated the advocacy DMC and its coalition partners had pursued on behalf of more than 200,000 independent retailers and their suppliers.

“Dallas Market Center is a family-owned company and protecting the small and independent retailers we serve has always been part of who we are,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “When their livelihoods were at stake, we knew we had to use every resource available to us, lead where we were positioned to lead, and bring partners together across the industry to make a real difference.”

Throughout the campaign, DMC coordinated with the National Retail Federation, American Lighting Association, Gift and Home Trade Association, Housewares Industry Association, and Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America to ensure independent retailers’ concerns were represented as an industry-wide priority. In partnership with nonprofit Heart on Main Street, DMC also hosted an educational webinar titled “Adapting to Disruption: How Top Main Street Retailers Are Navigating Tariffs” that drew more than 250 retailers and offered insight into strategic planning, sourcing, and resilience in a disrupted retail landscape.

LOOKING AHEAD

Coming up next for Dallas Market Center are the Gift & Home Market, KidsWorld, and Dallas Design Week (Sept. 15–17). Happening concurrently are ArchLIGHT Summit (Sept. 15–16) and ASID GATHER: Catalyst (Sept. 16–18).