Home remodeling & lifestyle show – Albuquerque Journal

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Bigger and better

Reiser is part of a new group, Albuquerque Home Shows, which bought the popular event last year. This is its second show after putting on one in the fall, and the company has vowed to make this one bigger and better than ever. This is our second as new owners so each show were looking to be new and improved with fresh ideas, to she aid of the EXPO that will run February 25-26 at the Manuel Lujan Jr. Exhibit Complex.

A touch of new mexican culture

Toward that end, the show has dedicated an entire hall to nothing but New Mexico products. Were going to have everything from foods, to jewelry, to art, Reiser added. All kinds of things will be there in Hall C; olive oils, jerkies and salsa. New Mexico made products. Hand-crafted items. The additions were brought in after checking the results of questionnaires to attendees of last falls show. We surveyed our people as they came through in September, Reiser said. We asked them what they would like to see more of at the show. Some of the feedback was for retail type of items, more New Mexico-type of products. Not everybody was there just for the home stuff. And we listened.

Apparently the idea was a hit with vendors, as well, as that hall sold out quickly, Reiser said. There are so many different types of woodworking, metalworking and other artists. It adds interest to the show and gives people a reason to stick around so its not just home improvement, there is a little bit of everything, she added.

Entertainment and seminars

In another effort to get people to hang out longer and increase the benefits to the attendees this year, Reiser shares that the show will include a stage that not only will be filled with entertainment, but also a full slate of seminars that will be useful for the consumer looking for some home ideas. Theres going to be financial stuff for the home, a dog trainer with obedience tips on training and gardening tips, she said. Well be giving away door prizes like the Amazon Echo.

Dreamstyles presence

Some of the vendors have been enlisted to help, like DreamStyle Remodeling. Were going to have one on kitchen and bath remodeling, one on what to look for when replacing windows and our remodeling department is going to do another one, said Dawn Dewey, DreamStyle marketing director. The Albuquerque-based company will have a major presence at the show, filling the equivalent of 20 10-by-10-foot booths, she said. The home shows are a great opportunity for people in the community as the season warms, people are looking to make improvements to the home to have a chance to see everything we offer, Dewey said. Its a place where they can shop around and have a good time.

In addition to its exclusive Renewal By Anderson windows, which will have a particular extensive display, DreamStyle will also showcase its custom remodeling, design/build kitchens and bathrooms; bath wrap products to shower conversions, sunrooms, stucco, cabinet refacing and patio covers. Well have a wide selection of top name-brand home products, Dewey said. Were going to have a lot going on.

Adopting pets

Being a big sponsor of the Albuquerque Animal Humane Society, a portion of the space will be filled with adoptable pets. Were also going to have giveaways and a lot of fun stuff so people can come by and see what we have to offer, she said.

Vendor benefits

The show is not only good for attendees, but the vendors get benefits, as well, said Lucas Satterfield of BAC Roofing. We like the steady crowd, he said. Were very pleased with the quality of people who come to the show. Weve been doing the home show forever now. We like the hours, how it is set up and ran. They advertise it very well and keep it very busy.

Often customers will come back to visit, Satterfield said. We have several customers that come back to see us every single year, he said. And we get a lot of leads. We get people who call us and say they saw us two or three years ago and kept the card and call us when theyre ready.

Its also a good time for the vendors to do some meet and greet. A lot of the vendors have been doing it for a long time, Satterfield said. Other than customer access, you get a lot of good, quality time with vendors. Its great for building relationships with other vendors. Still, in the end, its the consumers who truly benefit. We have a total of more 260 booths with more than 200 exhibitors, Reiser said. The cool thing is you can compare the different businesses. For instance, if youre thinking of solar, you can interview more than one. It all will be under one roof to allow people to do some comparison shopping.

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Home remodeling & lifestyle show - Albuquerque Journal