Page 20 - BusinessWest March 4, 2024

Up Close and Personal
Home & Garden Show Continues to Draw a Diverse Crowd
BY JOSEPH BEDNAR
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“If I’m buying windows and I
get a chance to touch that window and slide it up
and down or left and right, I feel better about that product. And that’s what the Home Show offers.”
Andrew Crane said the annual Home & Gar- den Show staged by the Home Builders and Remodelers Assoc. of Western Massachusetts (HBRAWM) began as a way to get contractors out in front of people who needed projects done.
These days, with the prevalence of the internet, consumers can do a lot of their research and shop- ping online, and they do.
But here’s the thing — the annual show, now in its 69th year, still draws a crowd.
“There are a lot of people that still want to meet their contractor, look that person in the eye, maybe see what their trucks or equipment look like, talk about specific projects, and see pictures. That’s how I like to shop,” said Crane, HBRAWM’s executive direc- tor. “The Home Show is for people that want to see and talk to contractors, as well as other people. If I’m buying windows and I get a chance to touch that win- dow and slide it up and down or left and right, I feel better about that product. And that’s what the Home Show offers.”
This year’s edition runs March 21-24, in and around multiple buildings at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. Crane says he expects about 15,000 visitors over those four days.
“If I’m looking to build a home ... I’d like to find a guy that’s built several homes, or dozens, or hundreds, educating me about the process,” he continued. “It’s probably the single biggest investment
Andrew Crane says the Home Show is both a helpful experience for homeowners and a fun day out with family or friends.
you’ll make in your entire life. If you buy a car, it lasts you five years, six years, maybe 10 years. If you buy a house, it’s supposed to last you 50 years, 60 years, 80 years. So it’s kind of a big decision.”
20 MARCH 4, 2024
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