MANSFIELD, Ohio — The snow finally relented and, as the sun punched through the clouds and the mercury slowly climbed, more and more people began to trickle into the Ohio State Reformatory.
The Building Industry Association of North Central Ohio’s fifth annual North Central Ohio Home and Garden Show got off to an inauspicious start Friday thanks to Mother Nature, but foot traffic had begun to pick up by Saturday afternoon.
“Yesterday was a little slow. The snow was coming down and I think that kept a lot of people away,” said Brian Piatt, who was manning a booth for From the Ground Up Tree & Landscaping in Mifflin. “We’ve seen a decent amount of people come through today.”
About a hundred vendors set up booths either inside the reformatory or in a large heated tent near the OSR’s main entrance. They offered everything from security and sound systems to kitchenwares and remodeling services.
“I try to go to three of these shows every year, this one, the one in Ashland and one at the (Richland County) fairgrounds,” said Galion’s Todd McCullough, owner of The Pool Guy. “I’ve talked to some new people and run into some regular customers. It’s a chance to get new business and a social outing as well.”
Mansfield’s John Woodruff, owner of Stonecreek Masonry & Construction, spent most of his day answering questions and arranging appointments with potential customers.
“These shows are a great way to drum up business,” Woodruff said. “I’ve had a lot of success with home shows, as well as county fairs and festivals. I’ve been going to these shows for the past 20 years.”
With temperatures expected to reach the mid-40s Sunday and only a slight chance of rain in the forecast, merchants were hoping for bigger crowds on the final day of the three-day event. The show runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $2 or two nonperishable food items.
“Hopefully we’ll see a lot of people come through the door tomorrow,” Woodruff said. “With the weather about to break, this is the time people are looking to do some home improvements.”
