If the number of businesses showing their products at the Jacksonville Home & Patio Show indicates the relative state of the economy in terms of consumer spending, 2015 could go in the books as the best year since the recession began in 2008.
“Exhibitors are telling us that more people are spending more money,” said Cristian Moore, show manager for Orlando-based Marketplace Events, which produces 42 home shows annually in the U.S. and Canada. “It’s a trend across the board.”
He said 310 businesses set up displays inside the Prime Osborn Convention Center, a more than 10 percent increase compared to last year’s 280 fall show exhibitors.
Participation in both the spring show and fall show also is on the rise. Moore said over the past several years, about half of the spring exhibitors also registered for the fall show; this year, 76 percent of the spring participants are back this week.
Terri Moore, owner of Earth Works, a landscaping services company and garden center along Beach Boulevard, said her company began participating in the spring show about 20 years ago. They also started exhibiting at the fall show four years ago, when the recession was beginning to retreat.
The past two years have been the best so far for developing new landscaping and water garden customers.
“We have seen a big increase in the number of people willing to spend money on their backyards,” she said.
Robert Walker, owner of All About Blinds & Shutters, has been selling his custom-designed window treatments at the home show for the past 10 years. He’s seen discretionary income go up and down with the economy.
“2009 and 2010 were horrible,” he said. “It’s definitely coming back, but it’s not back to how it was in 2006.”
There’s a company at the show this week that won’t be back next year.
CordaRoy’s, a bean bag chair that converts to a bed, was invented in 1998 by Byron Young. In 2012, the product was showcased on the reality television show “Shark Tank.” Entrepreneur Lori Grenier invested $200,000 in the product.
Alex Sanda, who’s minding the CordaRoy’s booth at the show, said this will be the last time he’ll set up the display in Jacksonville.
“Since Shark Tank, we’ve been getting into the retail stores,” he said. “We’re going to stop doing home shows.”
Marketplace Events is anticipating continued growth in exhibitors before the spring show moves into the convention center March 3-6. Moore said based on the number of exhibitors that reserved space this weekend and the increase in businesses booking space at successive shows, some products will be for the first time displayed outdoors around the convention center and possibly in the parking lot.
“We’re really running out of space. It’s a good problem to have,” he said.
The Home & Patio Show is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. For ticket information, visit jacksonvillefallhomeshow.com.
@drmaxdowntown
(904) 356-2466