abq home & garden show
Feature Story
With three exhibit halls at Expo New Mexico packed with 300 booths representing 160 different companies, the Albuquerque Home & Garden Show is an information overload for those looking to spruce up, plant or do significant work around the house.
“We have everything for your home inside and out,” said show organizer Lili Ann Metzer, who has run the event (abqhomeandgardenshow.com) for all 25 years. We have the sort of things that make it a little different than other builders home trade Natural “I think shows shows.” are gardening, there all in a Albuquerque,” part is room of home the for eclectic improvement, a Metzer lot of mix, different said. she and “For said. the and attendee, for the vendors we have Albuquerque a lot of different has a things lot of things going on.”
It was actually the history of the area that first drew Metzer to New Mexico. wanted “I love to the be there southwest and I archeology,” thought Icould turn this she said. “I wanted to be there and thought I could turn this into showcasing spaces In what addition for I non-profits do their and to the wares, still many to enjoy Metzer provide vendors that has informational aspect who set aside of are it.” material she about said. what they do to help the community, “I try to do my part to help the community,” Metzer said. “I also have an area for gourmet food entrepreneurs called ‘The Marketplace,’ cash-and-carry types, but I think the shows get diluted a little bit when you try and do too many different tings"
Still, having a range of items is helpful to attract a wide range of attendees, she said.
“We have arts and crafts and I’m constantly amazed by the people that are selling it and their creativity.” Metzer said. “We have some people bringing in some really nice, custom wine barrel furniture. They’re bringing in beautiful stuff. You never know what people are going to go for.
One of the big highlights will be Belgard Hardscapes’ 52-foot showroom trailer, Metzer said, that will be parked by the red barn.
Brought in by Buildology, it will be displaying numerous outdoor living products, including outdoor kitchens and furniture, she said.
“I try really hard to bring in things that are something different, more than the average home improvement companies,” Metzer said. “I like to have something new to advertise and give people a reason to come back. A lot of people are curious about what we’re going to have each year.”
Falling into the unusual category, a company called Pleni-Sphere is showcasing its dual-layered canvas building.
“It allows whoever is using it to still stay connected with nature during all four seasons,” said owner and inventor Adonata Pyaga. “As it turns out, this dwelling with two layers of the world’s finest canvas has air pockets in between that allows it to be insulated in the winter so it’s extremely toasty warm with a simple radiant heater. It’s a true four season dwelling.”
A round structure, it makes for an efficient way to add space, she said.
“The first use is a backyard getaway guesthouse,” she said. “Everyone in Albuquerque needs an extra room for something. Even one hour here and there, to be in that building is restorative. I see the room being used for entertainment, relaxation, as a place for guests to stay overnight and for camping in comfort. A lot of my buyers permanently set it up in the backyard or if they have extra land somewhere, as a weekend getaway.”
The Home & Garden Show provides the perfect venue to get the word out about the product, Pyaga said.
“I want people to fall in love with it and have the opportunity to put it in their back yard or second land property,” she said.
Finding unusual companies like Pleni-Sphere is what makes the event special, Metzer said, complementing the aisles of more traditional home-improvement companies.
“I look at what I would want as a consumer,” she said. “My needs for a home have changed. We look for those sorts of companies and try to bring them and shake things up a little bit. I didn’t want to bring in a lot of stuff from out of state but we’re doing the very best we can to bring top of the line companies.
Among those, BAC Enterprises (bacenterprises.com) is a longtime vendor that circles the Home & Garden Show every year.
“She advertises very well and she gets the crowd there,” said Bill Younts, BAC sales and production manager who has been doing the show each of his 18 years with the company. “We joke that her trade show is kind of like the gift that keeps on giving. We get all these leads from show and we get some appointments from the show, then through the rest of the year you get calls from people wanting to set up appointments because of the show. We enjoy the contacts we can get. They seem to be quality contacts, people who need a new roof.”
The show falls at a good time because it’s after tax season and well into spring so people are looking for projects, Younts said.
“People are in spring mode,” he said. “They’re ready to start improvements on their homes. It’s a good spring show and it kicks things off going into the summer.”
The company has secured two booths and will bring out samples.
“We want to get in front of a good crowd,” Younts said. “We bring out brochures and samples of things that we sell. We usually have three or four people in the booth so if it gets busy, we can handle the crush. We make sure everybody gets talked to.”
All in all, Albuquerque has been a good spot for the Home & Garden Show.
“I’m very pleased,” she said. “Albuquerque has been very good to me for 25 years. I think it’s a milestone.”