Show Floor Bustling with Activity on Day 2 at the National Hardware Show®

Attendees kept the energy level high on the show floor during the second day of the National Hardware Show^®.

Veteran attendees of the show said they continue to find it as a place where they can see a wide array of products and buy for the coming months.

“I do a lot of buying at the National Hardware Show,” said Bob Eames of Ace Hardware in Richmond, Calif. “I walk every aisle of the show when I’m here and I’ve been seeing a lot of new items this year.”

Jed Jaffe of Jerry’s Home Improvement Center in Eugene, Ore., has been attending the show for the past six years and said he comes to discover new products.

“In recent years, the show has really ramped up on new products and gotten into some expanded categories, which I like because I’m looking for barbecue items and garden hardlines,” he said.

The show also continues to draw in attendees who might typically go to specialty shows, especially as they try to get a broader view of the industry.

“We’re here because we’re nuts about tools. This is our first time at the National Hardware Show,” said Gary Roberts of Custom Engrave, based in Sun City West, Ariz. “We usually go to more specialized shows, but we wanted to see a wider range of products. Of all the shows we go to, this is the best place to see those out-of-the-box items you won’t see anywhere else. All of the innovative vendors are here at this show.”

Vendors also noted buyers are feeling more ready to buy than in past years.

“We had herds of buyers at our booth the first day, and we’re hoping that momentum continues the rest of the show,” said Rich Katzmann, vice president of business development for Danco/MJSI.

He said he also likes attending the National Hardware Show because it offers a chance to network with clients on and off the show floor.

While Spencer Krull, proprietor of EQ Ready, a maker of emergency preparedness kits based in Los Angeles, has been to many other trade shows—he used to work as a manufacturer representative—this is his first time at the National Hardware Show.

“I have to say, this is one of the best shows I’ve been to,” he said. “It’s so well-organized.”