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Nearby was 2 x 4s for Hope, a nonprofit organization
that works to build safe and secure shelters for veterans
and those affected by natural disasters or who lack
safe housing. Attendees could make a small donation
and sign a message on a 2 x 4 that would later be used
in one of the organization's building projects.
SMART HOME VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE
As the popularity and sheer number of smart home
products continues to rise, the Show provided a new
interactive way for attendees to learn more—the Smart
Home Virtual Reality Experience. This display, located
in the central lobby, offered a virtual reality tour of a
fully equipped smart home. Scott Bard of 84 Lumber
gave the Smart Home experience a try. "It was the
first time I'd tried something virtual reality like this,"
he said. "It was really cool to see. I was able to walk
through a living room and bedroom and look all
through the house."
INVENTORS SPOTLIGHT
Attendees who wanted to find "the next big thing" in
the home improvement industry could check out
Inventors Spotlight in N109 to see 200-plus brand-
new inventions and solutions for their consumers.
Inventors in this area also had the opportunity to pitch
their products and to meet with buyers and potential
investors. "This is our first time at the National
Hardware Show," says Clint Bunch, president of
Dropout Cabinet Fixtures. "We are hoping that being
in Inventors Spotlight can help us find some manu-
facturing help instead of doing everything locally."
TAILGATE, BACKYARD & BBQ
Due to increased popularity, this area of the Show
has continued to grow each year. Tailgate, Backyard
& BBQ, located in the Silver Parking Lot, offered
attendees the perfect opportunity to experience
products in a more interactive way than they might
on the Show floor. The area included food, games,
music and networking opportunities, as well as the
chance to experience new products. "Traeger is a
lifestyle brand that happens to sell barbecues," says
Luke Edgar, vice president of specialty sales for
Traeger. "We spend a lot of time at this Show
building relationships and showing off our brand."
A Great Success
