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Hundreds think spring at Niles home and garden show
26th annual event at Eastwood Expo Center features more than 100 vendors
By Jordan Cohen
NILES
With sub-zero temperatures and probably more snow, it may be difficult to think spring, even though the season officially begins in 19 days. Yet that’s what hundreds are doing based on the turnout this weekend at the 26th annual Nature Stone Mahoning Valley Home and Garden Show at Eastwood Expo Center.
More than 100 vendors of everything from kitchens and windows to landscaping and waterproofing are hoping that thoughts of spring cleaning and upgrades will bring customers despite the weather. Admission is free, which may be a factor in the large turnout.
“It’s a big plus, and a lot more people will show up,” said Nicki Beil of Youngstown. Accompanied by her son, his fiancee Courtney Dean of Girard, and her mother, the four were pricing kitchens, but had to stop and check out a display of soaps, perfumes and toiletries.
“Might have to have a party with these,” Beil said.
Another way to get into the mood is to smell and buy the fresh hyacinths offered by Colonial Gardens of Vienna. Manager John Hinely said he had purchased 400 pots of the spring flower and sold nearly half of them for $5 each by Saturday afternoon.
“I wanted to give everybody a taste of spring,” said Hinely, “so I bought them, and they’re snapping them up.”
One of the buyers was Cassidy Wedman of Warren, a representative of the Department of Veterans Affairs, one of the vendors at the show. “I’m just trying to get into
spring,” she said as she and others were lured by the sweet smell of the flowers.
Another major draw is the huge display of hot tubs — a seemingly perfect counter to frozen bones and bodies from the coldest February on record in the Valley.
“If this was outside, I’d be in it right now,” said Sam Thou of Niles, who was looking to price a hot tub with a whirlpool. Why? “Because I’m old and falling apart,” laughed Thou, who works in the heating and air-conditioning field.
One of the tubs contained two water jets with colorful sprays, but according to Ben O’Connell of Strong Spas of Danville, Pa., the manufacturer, the jets aren’t designed to be therapeutic.
“They have a very scientific purpose — fun,” O’Connell said. Thou agreed. “My grandson would love that,” he said.
Outside, trees are either barren or snow-covered, but inside, a number of vendors keep the focus on spring by offering gutter protection from leaves that have yet to sprout. Becky Recher, an Akron distributor of Leaf Filter, said she tells potential buyers that her product has a lifetime warranty, but only to keep leaves out.
It does not apply to protection from the snow and ice that have been pelting Valley roofs with regularity the last few weeks.
“No gutter protection for leaves can do that,” she said. Recher recommends concerned homeowners contact a certified electrician to discuss ice-melting options such as installation of a low voltage line.
The show resumes at 10 a.m. today and concludes its run at 5 p.m., with plenty of reminders that at some point, spring will be here.