Home & Garden Show introduces progressive products and hands on fun

by Jim Muench

March 21,2008

The tradition of raising, lowering and storing the United States flag just got more high-tech. With the telescoping flagpole from Great Plains Flagpoles of Paynesville, Minn., patriots can easily raise and lower the entire pole—with Old Glory already attached.

The telescoping flagpole was just one of many gadgets featured by exhibitors at the Mid-Missouri Home & Garden Show, where there's always something new to catch the eye.

The largest retail show of any kind in central Missouri, the event ran from Friday, Feb. 29, to Sunday, March 2, at the Hearnes Center and featured about 125 exhibitors hawking items such as hot tubs, siding, mole removal systems, pool tables and landscaping services.

Then there were the booths that were truly hands-on. Home Depot's booth allowed kids to use the company's tools and materials to make birdhouses and tool boxes, and the Columbia Career Center's booth featured a nail-driving contest.

The event also included more vendors displaying environmentally friendly products and services, such as the insulated concrete foundations shown at the Blazn Builders booth and energy-conservation programs outlined by the City of Columbia Water & Light Department.

One newcomer to the show was longtime Columbia resident Carl Toalson, who showed off his new business, Tint By Toalson, which provides installation of residential and commercial glass tinting.

About 7,500 people attended this year's show, 1,000 fewer than in 2007. Rival events, such as the True/False Film Festival and the Deer Classic, may have played a role in the smaller numbers, but Annie Pope, executive director of the Home Builders Association of Columbia, said the unseasonably warm weather was the main factor in the lower turnout.

"The weather killed us. The weekends for quite a while have been snowy and icy, and all of a sudden we had 70 degree weather; people didn't want to be inside," Pope said. "Nevertheless, exhibitors told me they were very happy with the attendance because the people who came were serious about home improvement."

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