In what has become nearly as much a staple of the Adult Novelty Manufacturers Exposition as the double-headed dildo, Sportsheets held it’s annual ANME cocktail party at the Universal Sheraton Monday evening.
“At this point, we can’t not do it,” Julie Stewart, who runs Sportsheets International with her brother, Tom Stewart, told AVN.com. “It’s an essential part of the show.
Cocktail hour began at 4:30 and within minutes of the showroom floor closing at 5:30, the bar, located off the lobby of the Sheraton, was packed. Julie worked the room like a politician, smiling and issuing the always-popular drink tickets.
This was the fifth year Sportsheets held their cocktail party, something the Stewarts say has been beneficial in bonding with their customers in a less formal manner than on the exposition floor. And life on the expo floor can, at times, be rough.
Julie Stewart related a story about a customer earlier in the day who spent an hour in their booth telling her where improvements could be made.
“It’s brutal sometimes,” she said, “it can be painful, but it’s better to hear it than not to. It helps us – on the floor here you see a lot of the same things; we’re trying to be different and innovative."
At this year’s ANME, Sportsheets is displaying more than 39 new products (bringing their total to 250) and they are especially proud of their new, 24-page, full-color catalog which features a beautiful shot of Jelena Jensen on the cover and shows off many of the company’s latest products.
The catalogs, stacked on the bar, seemed to move as quickly as the drinks – yet another sign of a successful Sportsheets party.
“It’s just a way for us to thank everyone,” Julie said with a smile on her face and drink tickets in hand.
