Home and Garden Show 2020
By: J. David Chapman/January 23, 2020
As I write this column, I just returned with my family from the 2020 Home and Garden Show at the Oklahoma City fairgrounds.
The 38th annual show featured experts in landscaping, gardening, remodeling, and home decor. This year, I was given a tour of the show by Assistant Show Manager Bonnie Erlbacher. According to Erlbacher, the expected attendance to view and interact with the 430 exhibits and booths is 38,000. Garden writer and speaker Dee Nash was there sharing her knowledge of gardening in Oklahoma. Three thousand square feet of the Bennett Event Center was transformed into a lush area of trees, plants and flowers by three local landscaping companies. Exhibitors in the Baby Boomer Boulevard showcased the latest trends and innovations to help seniors live in their homes longer.
Every year, I ask myself which vendor/exhibit/booth has a product or service making a difference in the industry. This year, I was specifically looking for quality products and services that are environmentally sensitive. I found two that stood out to me.
There were more hot tub and spa vendors at the home show than any other product. I was looking for one that stood out and was doing something different. Dave Kemp works for Softub and brought two hot tubs for display. This tub uses a patented heat recovery system utilizing waste heat generated from the pump motor to heat the spa to the desired temperature. With the slogan “Simple is Better,” the Softub looks great and is super-efficient and surprisingly affordable.
The second booth that caught my eye was manned by Tony Leddy. Leddy was there representing a company called Enercept, presenting the advantages of structural insulated panel technology. I overheard Tony telling customers that SIPs are “the future of framing.” SIPs construction includes many of the same components as traditional construction, but offers the benefits of a stronger structure, increased energy efficiency, faster installation and overall, a more cost-effective project.
The show is big, and frankly a bit intimidating, but I can’t think of a better way to kick those winter blues. I left the show thinking to myself how fortunate we are to have such a skilled and passionate group of professionals in our local housing, gardening, and landscape industry.
J. David Chapman is an associate professor of finance and real estate at the University of Central Oklahoma (jchapman7@uco.edu).