Surfaces organizers are planning a different kind of shopping experience for retailers in Vegas. A walking tour of several high-end Las Vegas shopping areas is set for Jan. 29. Led by retail consultants Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender of Kizer & Bender Speaking!, the four-hour event is designed to give retailers “valuable ideas on the art of store layout and design,” according to show organizer Kelly Cooper.

While the likelihood of finding the latest flooring rack at these stores is extremely small, Cooper says the tour, which is new to the Surfaces pre-show program this year, was definitely designed with flooring retailers in mind. “Even though the shops these retailers are visiting do not cater to flooring consumers, the fundamentals of design are still the same. They might even give retailers new ideas to try in their own stores.”

The tour includes stops at Mandalay Place, New York-New York and the Forum Shops at Caesars. The event is slated for 1 to 5 p.m. Jan. 29, as part of the pre-show conference program. These pre-show events are aimed at retailers and other attendees who want to get a jumpstart on the show’s many educational offerings. National Floor Trends columnist Dave Gobis will also be part of the pre-show program, teaching “Proper Shower Systems – Make Sure the Water Goes Down the Drain,” from 9 a.m. to noon Jan 29.