Why Do Exhibitors Like LBC Boots Choose Glee Birmingham?
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Every year, Glee welcomes a new generation of businesses hoping to make their mark on the garden retail industry. Some arrive with established reputations and deep pockets. Others turn up with something far more modest: a handful of products, a compact stand and plenty of ambition. For anyone searching for proof that Glee Birmingham works as a launchpad rather than just a home and garden trade show, LBC Boots is exactly that proof.
For LBC Boots (formerly Leon Boots), the story began at Glee in 2021. The business launched into the garden retail market with just over ten products and a stand that could have fit into the corner of most exhibitors' floor space. Its mission was simple: bring a fresh perspective to gardening footwear by combining comfort, practicality and modern design.
Five years on, the business has grown into an established name within the sector, with an expanded stand, a growing retailer network and a product range now firmly focused on lightweight, sustainable footwear with clear points of difference for both retailers and consumers.
What made the difference for a brand-new exhibitor?
According to Charlie Burgess, Managing Director at LBC Boots, that growth has been built one conversation at a time. As anyone researching wholesale garden suppliers or weighing up where to find garden suppliers will know, visibility is everything for a young brand trying to break into an established retail sector.
"Glee gave us the opportunity to get our products in front of the right people from day one," he explains. "As a new brand, that visibility was invaluable. It allowed us to introduce ourselves to buyers, start conversations and begin building the relationships that have supported our growth ever since."
How does a small brand grow into an established supplier?
Like many young businesses, LBC Boots didn't arrive expecting overnight success. Instead, the company focused on consistently returning to Glee, refining its product range and demonstrating how the brand was evolving year after year. That steady approach has paid dividends, and it's a pattern familiar to anyone who has sat on the buying side of a garden centre suppliers list, watching which exhibitors keep showing up with something new.
"We've become much more focused," says Charlie. "Everything we develop today centres around sustainability, ultralight design and creating products that genuinely stand out. It's no longer about offering lots of products. Instead, it's about offering the right products. Glee isn't just where we sell our products. It's where we learn and listen. The conversations we have with buyers, retailers and the wider industry have been invaluable in shaping how the brand has evolved."
That focus on sustainability and considered product development mirrors a wider shift across garden retail. Buyers are curating ranges that reflect the values of increasingly discerning shoppers, whether that's in footwear, wholesale plants or outdoor living products more broadly. For exhibitors, that means the businesses that listen to feedback on the show floor are often the ones that end up defining the next few years of stock lists.
Alongside that product evolution is a growing customer base, with new garden centres and retailers continuing to come on board as awareness of the brand has increased. Importantly, many of those relationships can be traced back to conversations that first began on the Glee show floor-a reminder that in person conversations offer something a scrolling feed or cold email simply can't replicate.
Is a trade show still worth it once you're established?
For Charlie, Glee has become much more than an annual exhibition. "It's remained a consistent platform to showcase how the business has evolved," he says. "Every year we're able to reconnect with existing customers, introduce ourselves to new buyers and demonstrate what's new. Just as importantly, it's where we get honest feedback, understand what's changing in the market and leave with ideas that influence what we do next. That's incredibly valuable for a growing business."
That consistency has seen LBC Boots grow from a small launch stand into a much larger presence, reflecting the confidence the business continues to place in the event.
What advice would you give a first-time exhibitor?
Having lived that journey first-hand, Charlie has a reassuring message for businesses considering exhibiting for the first time.
"You don't need a huge stand," he says. "What matters is having a product with a clear point of difference, talking to as many buyers as possible and building relationships. Don't overcomplicate it, just get yourself out there."
It's advice that captures exactly why Glee continues to play such an important role in bringing new brands into the garden retail market. For LBC Boots, that first step was a small stand at Glee in 2021. Five years on, the business stands as a reminder that success isn't measured by the size of your stand on day one, but by the relationships you build, the conversations you have, and your willingness to keep listening, learning and evolving.
Ready to build your own success story?
Every established brand started somewhere. Whether you're launching a new product, entering the garden retail market for the first time, or looking to accelerate growth as a wholesale supplier, Glee provides the platform to put your business in front of the buyers who matter most.
Co-locating with Autumn Fair, Glee creates Europe's biggest buying moment, delivering access to an even broader audience of buyers, more opportunities to build valuable retail relationships and unrivalled business insight.
If you like what you've seen here, why not join us in-person for the retail event of the season? Glee runs from 8-10 September 2026 at the NEC, Birmingham, co- Register for free here, and join our newsletter for the latest updates before the show.