KIMBERTON PA – A change in location of 13 miles to the east, from Sanatoga to Kimberton PA outside Phoenixville, brought a steadier stream of traffic and a potentially a greater number of clients interested in doing business, according to some exhibitors at the 58th annual home show operated by the Building Industries Exchange (BIE) of Pottstown and Vicinity Inc. The show, held at the Kimberton Fair Grounds on Route 113, ended Sunday (Feb. 13, 2011).

Just as they had for years at Sanatoga’s Sunnybrook Ballroom, where BIE last held its event, visitors who came to what is now called its Tri-County Home and Garden Show roamed aisles of the exhibition hall (above) to browse vendor displays for new, different or eye-catching items among their products and services. But it was a somewhat different crowd than vendors have seen in years past, several said.

“They definitely wanted to talk about what you could do for them, not just what you had to give away” at the booth, said C.R. Davis III of C.R. Davis III and Sons Pest Control Inc. While some home show guests in the past were attracted by items like pens and yardsticks offered as free gifts by merchants, this year’s attendees “were more interested in knowing how you could help them,” he said.

Real estate agents Tom Orlando of Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township (above at right) and Edward Lloyd also declared themselves pleased. Both are affiliated with the Keller Williams Realty office on North Lewis Road in Limerick PA. “People know interest rates are low. They know real estate is coming back. So they’re scouting for bargains,” Orlando said of questions he answered during the weekend.

Keller Williams’ presence at Kimberton paid off for a third member of the group, agent Richard Graham, who was unavailable Sunday. “He’s out showing a home,” Orlando explained.

Smiling faces (above) at the J.O.B. Design and Construction Inc. booth greeted visitors and provided more information on an open house the company is holding Saturday (Feb. 19) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its offices at 65 N. Hanover St., Pottstown. Across the aisle from them (below) were Dr. Joseph Baker and Dr. Daniel Maybee of Limerick Chiropractic Center, who provided posture screenings and described their practices.

Introduced as a new category at this year’s show were home crafts and decorative arts, represented in part by Grace Pirog (above) of Gracefully Framed in Boyertown. She drew visitors in with hand-painted miniatures of local homes and buildings that could be commissioned and presented as one-of-a-kind gifts. “We’ve had a lot of people stop by,” she said.

The BIE said about 80 exhibitors participated in this year’s show, and it’s hoping for more next year to expand beyond the exhibition hall into a second building, the nearby Kimberton Fire Company hall.

Area residents still have a lot on their home and garden show agendas this year, however. The Suburban Home and Garden Show, promoted by D&D Expositions, is scheduled to be held Feb. 24-27 at the Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks; to be followed by  Sunnybrook’s own Home and Garden Show, scheduled for March 10-13 at Sunnybrook Ballroom in Sanatoga.

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