The conventional wisdom when it comes to putting on a home and garden show is that small and intimate is better than cavernous and crowded.
Mary Schmelzer is banking on that come April 6 when the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce presents the 2013 Home and Garden Business Showcase at the Northfield Ice Arena.
“We think our show is the perfect size and has everything people are looking for when it comes to home and garden shows,” said Schmelzer, the chamber’s executive director. “Here, there is opportunity for exhibitors and show-goers to have meaningful conversations and tap into the expert advice. In the world of trade shows, smaller really is better.”
Schmelzer said the showcase will offer homeowners a variety of exhibitors and options, from home remodeling and flooring options to tree care service and landscaping.
“There will be plenty of choices for homeowners,” she said. “You can really do comparison shopping during the show. The beauty of the show is being able to have conversations in one day. This is a show full of experts and it’s very important to get questions answered by these folks and really to shop locally.”
Jane Pausch has helped organize the event all three years the chamber has been involved (including this year) and says the showcase continues to get bigger and better. A member of the Northfield Chamber staff, Pausch is excited about this year’s prospects.
“We’re growing all the time,” she said. “We’ve been doing it now for three years and we want there to be continuity. We’ve been very pleased with the turnout and the results.”
Pausch said the first year the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce took over planning the event, about 600 people came through the ice arena doors. The next year saw an increase, as 850 to 1,000 people attended the show in 2012. Pausch is hoping that number goes even higher this year.
Besides what they calls the obvious reasons, both Pausch and Schmelzer hope that pushing the show back one week — which means one week closer to spring — more people will be in the right frame of mind.
“The ice will have been off the arena floor for three weeks (compared to two weeks normally) so it won’t be as cold,” Schmelzer said. “And hopefully the temperatures will be going up and spring will be in the air.”
While the showcase will feature more than 50 exhibitors whose representatives will be there to answer questions, explain processes and to give tips, there will be an added bonus, according to the executive director.
Some of those tips will be provided by the four featured speakers – Leif Knecht of Knecht’s Nurseries and Landscaping, Emily Custard of Schmidt Homes, Sherry Morgan of Northfield Olive Oils and Vinegars, and Tim Franklin of Culligan Water Systems of Northfield (one of the showcase’s big sponsors for the second year).
“This year we will feature interactive speakers,” Schmelzer said. “It’s not all lecture-based.”
And for the exhibitors, the Home and Garden Business Showcase is a way to, well, showcase their businesses.
“There will be many vendors there to show off their wares and to talk about their businesses,” said Pauline Kes, an owner of KES Equipment/Ben Franklin Plumbing and a committee member. “We love the showcase and we’re expecting an even larger turnout this year. It will be a great show.”
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