HOME AND GARDEN SHOW
New Name, New Layout, Same Great Show Home and Garden Show sees several changes, additions in its 30th year By Brittany Svoboda If you’re one of the thousands who will be attending the Builders Association of Central Pennsylvania’s annual Home Show in hopes of finding a contractor to build your dream home, bedroom, or kitchen, or a specialist to revamp your heating and conditioning system, keep an eye out for some changes and additions to the annual event — including its name. The popular event, now called the Home and Garden Show, returns to the Bryce Jordan Center March 14-16. On Friday, the show is open from 3 to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $6 per person. Jeff Bolze, president of Pennwood Home & Hearth, which is the show’s sponsor, has been a part of the show since it began in the Nittany Mall. “I really believe in the show,” he says. “It’s a place where local people can go to find local contractors and suppliers.” Don Gilmore, owner of Gilmore Construction, has been participating in the Home and Garden Show for 25 years, and has served as chairman for 18 years. “It’s been exciting to see it grow from just the arena to the concourse,” he says. “We even have sites outside now. It’s really grown in the 18 years that we’ve been at the Bryce Jordan Center.” The annual event is a place where homerelated businesses can get their names out there, Gilmore says, which makes the show beneficial for both consumers and vendors. “If people don’t know you, they don’t hire you. It’s a good opportunity to meet a lot of people,” he says. “We
have 4,000 to 5,000 people coming through the door every year.” Abbie Jensen, executive officer of the Builders Association of Central PA, adds, “I personally think it’s a strategic use of consumer’s time.” Instead of looking to the Internet, she encourages people to take advantage of the person-toperson interaction the Home and Garden Show offers. It’s a better way to judge a company, she says, because you can base it on interpersonal interaction instead of relying on an online review. In a period when many people look to the Internet to find things, attending the Home and Garden show is a great way to “buy local and support the community,” she says. “It’s nice because everything is under one roof,” Gilmore says. “If you own a house or are thinking about owning a house, that’s the place to go.” The Home and Garden Show gives people the opportunity to talk to many local companies. Jensen says there will be about 130 vendors this year, which is similar to last year’s number. The Home and Garden Show provides a place for people who have a clear idea of what they want to do in their home as well as opportunities for those who need inspiration, Jensen says. Gilmore, who has a booth at the show every year, also encourages people to bring plans or an idea to vendors, but for a quote, an appointment will usually need to be made. This year, there will also be a new revamped layout to the show with the addition of “Centre Park.” This new feature will be on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center and be the main focal point of the show. It will house an outdoor grill, furniture, and deck with hot tub insert and will be completely landscaped, Bolze says. Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology students also will be working with landscapers and builders to create Centre Park, he says,
80 - Town&Gown March 2014