Fair vendors keep cool while selling their wares

By Amy Lavalley Post-Tribune correspondent July 22, 2014 6:18PM

Robert Phillips of Porter Township gets information on roofing from Bill Hunt, project manager for Ideal Roof Solutions, Tuesday in the commercial building at the Porter County Fair. | Sujn-Times Media

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Updated: July 23, 2014 2:01AM

VALPARAISO From gourmet food to bathroom remodeling, the commercial building at the Porter County Fair is a one-stop shop for just about anything.

Clothing, jewelry, sweets its all available, and thats not to mention the free stuff, like candy, pens and refrigerator magnets that vendors hand out to entice the public.

On Tuesday, when the temperature outside was sweltering, the commercial building had another freebie, and that wasnt just handshakes from Porter County politicians getting the word out before the November general election; it was air-conditioning.

There were shoppers, too, like Robert Phillips of Porter Township, who bought windows from a vendor at the fair about seven years ago. This time around, he was looking for roofing.

Thats why I came. Ive got to add gutters and a new roof, he said, adding shopping at the fair has a number of advantages. It saves a lot of walking around and driving into town, and I like to stay with more local people. I like to keep the money in the county.

Bill Hunt, project manager for Ideal Roof Solutions, has had a booth at the fair for four years. The booth generates three or four roofing contracts a year, he said, and is good for name recognition for his company.

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Fair vendors keep cool while selling their wares