What Will the Building Industry Look Like in 2022? A Conversation with the Home Builders Association of Mahoning Valley
Steve Stack:
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What is the HBA?
Steve Stack:
Welcome back, folks. I’m Steve Stack coming to you from Studio 3B in Canfield, Ohio. Today I am sitting down with the executive officer of the HBA of the Valley here in Youngstown, Ohio. We’re going to discuss a bunch of different things, but one of them being the residential construction landscape for 2022. So, I’m here with Karen Caruso, executive officer. Welcome, Karen.
Karen Caruso:
Thank you for having me, Steve.
Steve Stack:
How are you doing today?
Karen Caruso:
Oh, fantastic. How are you?
Steve Stack:
I’m doing really well. Real well.
Karen Caruso:
That’s good to hear.
Steve Stack:
Whenever we have visitors at Studio 3B, we love it. We love it. We love to sit down with you, bounce some questions off of you, and just like we’ve done for a number of years, it’s Steve and Karen talking. Okay?
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
So, we’re going to have fun with this.
Karen Caruso:
Thank you.
Steve Stack:
We’re going to cover some important information. We’re going to talk about what the NAHB and your local HBA are forecasting for 2022, the landscape that we see out there. Are guys optimistic? Are they reserved? That kind of stuff… We’re going to talk about the services that the local HBA provides. A very important part of the HBA (I’m aware of it, you’re aware of it, you live it) is that one of the original reasons for a Home Builders Association was representation.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
We’re going to talk about that on the local level and on the national level. I know you have a great membership in the Mahoning Valley – Mahoning County, Trumbull County, Columbiana County – they’re very well represented in Columbus and on the national level.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
With some membership, they’ve devoted a lot of their life to that.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Then we’re going to skip around a little bit. We’re going to talk about something that you’re going to experience for the first time this year.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
It is the IBS (International Builder Show), hosted by the National Association of Home Builders and it’s in Orlando, Florida this year.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah. I’m very excited.
Steve Stack:
You’re going to be busy.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Because you’re no sooner going to get home and turned around from that, and then you are hosting (HBA Home and Garden Show)… And I don’t know the year, how many years is this show?
Karen Caruso:
Oh, it’s the 71st.
Steve Stack:
71st annual.
Karen Caruso:
The 71st annual, yeah.
Steve Stack:
Home Builders Association Home & Garden Show.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Changing it up a little bit this year.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
New location.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
You were telling me a little bit earlier, some new things are coming out.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
So, that’s going to be an interesting conversation. I’m looking forward to it because-
Karen Caruso:
Thank you. Yeah, me too.
Steve Stack:
Baird Brothers sees it every day, how the Mahoning Valley, and when I say the Mahoning Valley, that’s Trumbull County, that’s Mahoning County, that’s Columbiana County and we can go East and West a little bit too, but how they support local businesses, local organizations. I completely expect to see that support at your 71st Annual Home & Garden Show, I really do. The beautiful facility is out there at the fairgrounds.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
It’s going to be a no-brainer. You’re going to have a crowd.
Karen Caruso:
We’re glad we’re going to have you there for sure.
Government Representation From a Contractor Association
Steve Stack:
Well, let’s go ahead and start talking about some of these topics that we’ve bounced off. In a nutshell, what’s the role of the HBA and the NAHB? They’re not just a bunch of people getting together, right?
Karen Caruso:
No, no.
Steve Stack:
Go ahead and explain some of the premises that our local HBA was founded on.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah. Well, the idea behind the HBA is to represent good contractors. So, we keep some quality businesses to refer out to the Valley. People that are looking for a trusted company, a trusted builder, remodeler, electrician, a beautiful wood supplier like you are, that’s what we are about. It’s having a nice amount of good contractors.
So, right now we’re at about 210 members at our local level. Then we feed into the Ohio Home Builders Association and they have the membership of all the locals in Ohio. And then you move up to the National Association of Home Builders, and that’s where most of the action takes place.
We support lobbying at both the state and the national level, and it helps mitigate some of the impositions that they try to put restrictions on wetlands, for example, building codes, plumbing codes. So, sometimes these codes are put forward to be approved, and they’re not for the benefit of the consumer or the contractor because it increases cost, it makes things more difficult to do. So, we are all about advocating for good legislation.
Steve Stack:
So, in effect, you’re a built-in level of protection?
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
For both the contractors and the end-user, the homeowner.
Karen Caruso:
Exactly.
Steve Stack:
And neither one of us is denouncing rules and regulations.
Karen Caruso:
Correct-
Steve Stack:
There are a ton of great rules and regulations that have come up through the years that actually protect the builder.
Karen Caruso:
Yes, yes.
Steve Stack:
Or protect the homeowner.
Karen Caruso:
For sure.
Steve Stack:
But there are points, policies that are being introduced that need discussion.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah. We actually introduce some policies, as well-
Steve Stack:
Right.
Karen Caruso:
That would be helpful to the industry. So, we’re all about good regulation, but sometimes things are out there that just are counterproductive.
Steve Stack:
Right.
Karen Caruso:
And just need to be tweaked a little bit sometimes. So, that’s what our lobbyists do.
Steve Stack:
Yeah. And you use the word lobbyists and I’ll call them watchdogs.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Right?
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
I mean, they’re-
Karen Caruso:
Same thing.
Steve Stack:
Yeah. That’s interesting. A lot of people don’t know that on the state level, on the national level, these discussions are going on every day.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Every day. Now, back to our local HBA.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Benefits From HBA Membership
Steve Stack:
You’re not only working on the legislation and that side, but as an organization, you bring benefit to your membership. As Steve Stack, why would I want to belong to the local HBA? What are some of the benefits that the HBA can afford?
Karen Caruso:
The biggest benefit I’d say is the HBA logo because consumers have come to trust HBA contractors. So, that gives you our name to use when you’re presenting yourself to your customer, it gives them peace of mind. Also, another benefit is that I like to connect contractors with one another. For example, you might be looking for something in particular, workforce development, things like that, and I connect the contractors together to see if they can help one another out because it’s not just competition, it’s cooperation and working together.
That’s how we’re moving forward in a positive way with our membership. And networking events are fantastic, it’s a good way for them, and everybody, to meet one another and share ideas.
Steve Stack:
Yes. It’s a great group to surround yourself with.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
And then we can go one step further. If I’m a small business owner in the construction field or supporting the construction industry, as a member of the HBA, I have some great discounts available to me.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah.
Steve Stack:
As far as-
Karen Caruso:
Worker’s compensation. You can save on fuel savings.
Steve Stack:
Automobiles.
Karen Caruso:
Fleet sales. Yeah. Automobiles, whether it be an individual car for your own use or for your business, if you need a fleet, we’ve got some great discounts out there. The worker’s compensation is really the biggest one. We go through Sedgwick.
Steve Stack:
Yeah.
Karen Caruso:
So, yeah. Fantastic savings.
Steve Stack:
The nice thing about it, having been involved locally, it’s a very well-rounded group. Men, women, financial, anything from footer to financial, right?
Karen Caruso:
Oh, goodness, for sure-
Steve Stack:
And everything in between.
Karen Caruso:
Exactly.
Steve Stack:
You mentioned electricians, plumbers, HVAC.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah. Tractor supply.
Steve Stack:
Tractor supply, building material suppliers.
Karen Caruso:
Generators, heating, anything you might need.
Steve Stack:
Really, it’s a true resource.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
And the consumer can call into your office for advice or direction. Talk about that a little bit.
Karen Caruso:
Oh, exactly. I mean, now more than ever, in the last couple of years since the pandemic began, I think it’s more vital to be part of a group like ours. Consumers reach out to us because everyone’s schedule is so overbooked right now. I try to narrow it down for them and refer our contractors out, give them a nice wide variety of names and numbers to reach out to, and they can call to get at least on the people’s schedules because it’s harder than ever now.
And then it gives the contractors more visibility in the community, too. Also, the way the prices have been escalating at an astronomical rate, you’re aware of it, I try to explain that to the consumers and let them know what’s happening so that they’re not blindsided when they get a quote from someone.
Steve Stack:
So going from that, you set this next topic up perfectly. I know you have your general membership meetings, I know you have your board meetings, your executive officer meetings, etc. I know the topic of conversation. Here we are early in the first quarter of 2022, everybody’s chattering.
What’s going to happen in 2022, both on our local level and beyond on the national level? What kind of talk is there at your office about what’s going to happen in 2022?
Karen Caruso:
It’s really such a fluid situation right now but the predictions are, I mean, we’ve had an increase in building starts in 2020, in 2021, now at the beginning of 2022…We’re already seeing a bit of an increase. But they’re predicting a little bit of a leveling off of that. It really is a fluid situation.
Steve Stack:
I know locally here in Columbiana, Mahoning, and Trumbull counties, I find myself asking, where is the next subdivision going?
Karen Caruso:
Yeah.
Steve Stack:
Is there going to be a lot shortage or are we faced with it now?
Karen Caruso:
I think we’re faced with it now, Steve. Honestly, they’re sparse. They’re just sparse. They’re hard to get, for sure.
Steve Stack:
They’re scattered around-
Karen Caruso:
They’re scattered.
Steve Stack:
I know, and you drove past it coming out today. If you’re in the construction field or construction industry, you love seeing dirt being turned over.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
And we are witnessing that two miles, three miles up the road with a new subdivision going in.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Are there many more? I can maybe think of one or two expansions, but any more new subdivisions that you know of off the top of your head that are on the books?
Karen Caruso:
Not off the top of my head but I’m sure there’s going to be more in the future like we’ve been seeing.
Steve Stack:
Yeah, the places that builders and construction supply companies have lived in over the last four or five years, they’re filling up.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah. Yeah. They are. There’s been such an increase, there’s been such a boom and demand for housing. Millennials are now at the point where they’re looking to buy their own homes. They want to get out of their apartments and buy homes.
People are spending more time at home also, staring at their four walls and thinking of new things that they could do or deciding that they’re going to turn a nursery into an office. A lot of remodels, a lot of expansions, and people looking for a new home.
From a Large Construction Company to Small General Contractors
Steve Stack:
Yeah. And you’re headed down the road that I wanted to go down here in that over the last two years, two and a half years, how COVID has affected the building industry–
Karen Caruso:
Oh, gosh.
Steve Stack:
And the building industry supply chain. What do you hear guys talking about as far as the availability of materials?
Karen Caruso:
Well, the availability of materials is getting to be an even more pressing issue, to be honest. The bigger issue is the workforce. Even before the pandemic hit, there was a shortage of skilled labor. Then the pandemic hit and took even more skilled laborers out of the workforce, whether it be that they decided to retire or that they were having to take time off due to the pandemic, because of illness. They’re scrambling.
I have companies that have, for example, there’s a wife of a contractor who’s starting to learn how to do the flooring and things like that, just so she can lend a hand. So, there are more people playing multiple roles in their businesses. They are getting stretched with their time, so they’re spending 150% of the hours that they used to put in.
Steve Stack:
Right.
Karen Caruso:
Just to try and keep up, and even so, they’re not booking out. I mean, I don’t even think they’re booking out sooner than six months at this point for most builds and remodels.
Steve Stack:
It’s going a little different direction from what we’re talking about right now with the influence of COVID, but to your point of the workforce, folks out there have to realize that there are so many opportunities in the construction fields. And when I say opportunities, I say employment opportunities.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Making yourself very good living type of opportunities.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Whether you are an excavator putting in a new subdivision, digging a foundation hole, whether you are the block layer, whether you’re a guy driving a concrete truck, whether you’re on a framing crew, any of the gamut of people that it takes to build a residential home or a commercial property.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Any one of those industries in that workforce, they’re begging people to come to work.
Karen Caruso:
Oh, yeah.
Steve Stack:
And they’re rewarding them very well to come to work.
Karen Caruso:
Yes. It’s very lucrative.
Steve Stack:
Something I want to investigate further, and maybe you have, I hear the trade schools can’t get people through them fast enough.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
And if they can get them through them, they’re leaving there and they’re going to work the next day.
Karen Caruso:
Sure.
Steve Stack:
So, we don’t want to lose sight of the ability to very possibly do something you love and you want to put your heart in it every day, and that could be in the construction field.
Karen Caruso:
For sure.
Steve Stack:
One thing, whether you’re a bricky, a stonemason, framing carpenter, finished trim carpenter – the fellows that we like to see – you know what? If you can develop a craftsmanship, you’ll make a very lucrative living.
Karen Caruso:
Definitely. Definitely. I sit on the advisory committee at New Castle School of Trades and the last meeting that I went to, we got to take a tour of the facility and see the skilled trades class. There was a night class there. I actually personally shook the hands of all the students that were there and thanked them for deciding to go into this wonderful, it’s not just a job, it’s a career.
Steve Stack:
Yes.
Karen Caruso:
And you’re not just going to be a worker but once you get started, you can hang your own shingle and have your own company and build. I mean, there’s so much potential. These kids are going to be graduating from this program, making more money than many college graduates right off the bat.
Steve Stack:
Right.
Karen Caruso:
They even start working before they graduate. We need to make the kids realize, reach back into grade school, middle school, especially high school, let them know, give them the message. I think they’ve been discouraged to go into the trades for many years and that tide needs to turn.
Steve Stack:
I believe so, too, but I also believe that the NAHB-
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
They are huge advocates-
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Of the trades.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
And educating the young folks coming through.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
And they want to see a balance.
Karen Caruso:
Yes, definitely.
Steve Stack:
But you’re right. You might take some college courses in business administration, property management, whatever, whatever. And that’s only going to strengthen a career of whatever you may want to go into.
Karen Caruso:
Sure.
Steve Stack:
It gives you that background that you need.
Karen Caruso:
Both are essential in different ways.
Steve Stack:
Exactly. Exactly.
Karen Caruso:
We need the college graduates, but some aren’t cut out for that and would do so much better in the skilled trades. There’s something for everyone and they’re both fantastic.
Steve Stack:
I know a gentleman that sits on your boards at the local level and I know his son has a survey engineering company. He and I have spoken and they cannot graduate enough survey engineers right now to become licensed and certified through the state. You would think something as simple as that, and granted, it might be surveying a five-acre plot of land for a building lot or it could be more complicated on a commercial site, but every slot needs people.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah. Every piece of the puzzle is just as important as the next.
Increase in Home Improvement Demand
Steve Stack:
Going back to the COVID situation… I like when we throw those little tangents that you have my mind, but going back to COVID, you went into the labor shortage.
Karen Caruso:
Oh, yes.
Steve Stack:
How it has affected the building industry, that way… The other two things that come to my mind is product availability and cost of product. What are the guys saying about that?
Karen Caruso:
I mean, an escalation clause has to be built into every contract. That’s one thing that as a member of the HBA, we have our own escalation contract addendum that we can give to builders, contractors. Just to give them that security, so when the consumer sees the contract, and signs the bottom line, they understand that there has to be flexibility because the prices are so fluid.
Steve Stack:
Right now. Yeah. I know here at Bairds, we’ve incurred some increase in our raw materials coming in. And over the last couple of years, we’ve had some different price adjustments. Fortunately, the hardwood industry hasn’t been hit as hard as the general construction product two by fours, two by sixes, plywood. Plywood’s been-
Karen Caruso:
Roofing material.
Steve Stack:
Plywood’s been crazy.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
We see some of that in our hardwood grade plywoods, but we’ve been fortunate. We’ve been able to get it in a couple of products and its supply and demand, the poplar. We’ve seen poplar, typically a very affordable hardwood, we’ve seen it bouncing around. That was influenced by COVID more so than availability. COVID restricted the availability of medium-density fiberboard products.
Builders, supply houses had to look for an alternative. So, they went to like one of our products, the poplar finger-jointed primed molding line.
Karen Caruso:
Sure.
Steve Stack:
Very good product. It was available at Baird Brothers.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Fortunately.
Karen Caruso:
Yes, thank goodness.
Steve Stack:
But, we see that. I have friends and colleagues throughout the construction supply family. They say they can’t get their hands on windows.
Karen Caruso:
Doors, windows, garage doors. It even comes down to paint colors.
Steve Stack:
I just heard that! A gentleman was at a paint shop looking to buy some paint and he says, “I don’t have the paint to mix for you.”
Karen Caruso:
Yeah. Isn’t that something? Who would’ve thought?
Steve Stack:
I know! It’s even tough to get appliances.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah.
Steve Stack:
You have your new home built, you’re waiting on appliances.
Karen Caruso:
Sure. And even more basic, they get the foundation poured, they get the framing done, and then there are homes that are waiting for garage doors.
Steve Stack:
Yeah.
Karen Caruso:
Who would’ve thought we’d be in this situation? So, things like that are other things that delay the finishing of the job and the point where the consumer can move in.
Steve Stack:
You touched on it, as far as both locally and nationally, building statistics moving into 2022. I get some notifications from national, and I know you do too. Guys are still pretty confident. Contractors are really confident that 2022 is going to be okay.
Karen Caruso:
Yes, they are.
Steve Stack:
Is anybody talking beyond that?
Karen Caruso:
I haven’t heard talk beyond that. I think everybody’s just taking it, I don’t want to say a day at a time, but the way things are you just like I said, it’s so fluid.
Steve Stack:
Yeah.
Karen Caruso:
But they do have the confidence and they’re still doing very, very well. They just wish they had more workers and wish they had better flexibility in the pricing and availability.
Steve Stack:
Yeah. I know. And we’ve been very fortunate here in our protected little area of the Mahoning Valley and the surrounding counties but, I had an opportunity to travel late last fall. I was out to California. I was in Arizona. There are areas where they can’t build houses fast enough.
Even into the surrounding areas of New York State and Connecticut, we have a great partner up that way in This Old House, and in conversation (and I’ve witnessed it as close as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), the exodus of office-working people in the cities. The attitude of saying, “Well, I don’t have to work in the city anymore.”
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
“I can work from home, but I need a home. We’re not living in the apartment downtown anymore.” And so, we’ve seen a big influx of the city dwellers leaving and going out further than the suburbs even, and wanting to build new homes.
Karen Caruso:
It’s a huge shift, isn’t it?
Steve Stack:
Yeah. I have friends in the Pittsburgh area and downtown, because of the pandemic, it isn’t what downtown used to be. And they’re questioning if it’s ever going to come back to what it used to be.
Karen Caruso:
That’s what I was going to mention after you mentioned that, because at first it just seemed like a temporary thing but now people are seeing the benefits of it. I’m sure there are pros and cons, right? But the majority of people see the benefit, the childcare costs and things like that, commuting, all the time you take to commute. So, for a lot of companies, I don’t think they’re having as many people in-office.
Steve Stack:
And that affects us, and your membership represents not only the new home builders, the professional contractors but also the professional remodelers.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
I mean, that’s a huge segment of our business also-
Karen Caruso:
It really is.
Steve Stack:
And I know your membership is represented very well by a group of remodeling companies.
Karen Caruso:
Oh, yes.
Steve Stack:
So, it’s good. Even if they’re not building a new home and they’re buying a 1975, 45-year-old home-
Karen Caruso:
There’s a lot to do.
Steve Stack:
They’re going into it and they’re like, “Okay, it’s time. It’s time to buy some hardwood flooring, I need a hardwood flooring installer. I want to replace the windows.” They look for a window company, which is part of your membership also.
Karen Caruso:
Yes, many.
Steve Stack:
And somebody will install windows, trim windows out, whatever the case may be, new roof.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah.
Steve Stack:
Roofing. I know you have a great representation of roofing companies and suppliers.
Karen Caruso:
Over 20. Yeah.
Steve Stack:
Yeah. So, there you go. So it’s, again, I’ll go back to that word – “opportunity.”
Karen Caruso:
Oh, it really is a big opportunity for sure. Yeah.
Another part of that, too, is that people aren’t traveling as much. So, they’re saving that money. So, they have more money to invest in their home. Not as much eating out, not as much traveling.
Steve Stack:
We have seen, over the course of the last couple of years, you mentioned people staying at home, not traveling as much. We were restricted on where we could travel, when we could travel, and being told to stay at home. That had a big impact on us here at Bairds because Uncle Joe would come home in the driveway, and we know what automobile sales have been like the last couple of years (through the roof).
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
He was driving a new pickup truck and he walked in and Aunt Sally said, “Well, Joe, I see you got a new pickup. When are you going up the Bairds and ordering that hardwood flooring for me? We’re going to be stuck in the house, let’s make it nice.”
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
And we’ve seen that. It’s had a huge impact on us the last couple of years, and thankfully so.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Thankfully so.
Karen Caruso:
Yes, definitely.
Steve Stack:
So, we’re in 2022, and the team from Baird Brothers and a representative from the local HBA, we’re going to Orlando, Florida.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Down to that little show, IBS 2022 (International Builders’ Show).
Karen Caruso:
Yeah, that little huge show. Right?
Steve Stack:
And I understand it’s going to be your first go-round.
Karen Caruso:
Yes. Yeah, I’m very excited.
Steve Stack:
There’ll be some friendly familiar faces so, no worries, right?
Karen Caruso:
No, no.
Steve Stack:
We will be exhibiting, put it in your memory bank.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
We’ll be in the South Hall at booth S523.
Karen Caruso:
Fantastic.
Steve Stack:
That’s going to be adjacent to the new IBS building zone, and we’re really excited about it. The IBS building zone folks, if you’re headed down to Orlando, number one, please stop by booth S523, say hello at the Baird Brothers booth.
And number two, the IBS building zone this year is adjacent to us. So, we’re going to be easy to find.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Find the IBS building zone, it’s a 5,400 square foot display, and we’ll be hanging right off the side of it. There’s going to be a lot of neat things there and you’ll see them, you’re going to be a sponge down there. You’re just going to be taking everything in.
Karen Caruso:
Oh, for sure. For sure.
Steve Stack:
I mean, they’ll be doing demonstrations, they’ll be having educational seminars, how-to seminars, new product introduction, it’s going to be a little beehive right there. Okay? So, when you come down, of course, you’re going to swing by.
Karen Caruso:
Of course.
Steve Stack:
We’re going to have conversation, we’re going to introduce you to some people, and it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a good trip.
Karen Caruso:
Right.
2022 HBA Home and Garden Show
Steve Stack:
We’re looking forward to it but just as important, more important on the local level, you have a little Home and Garden Show coming.
Karen Caruso:
Yes. Yes. We do.
Steve Stack:
71st annual.
Karen Caruso:
71st Home and Garden Show.
Steve Stack:
Okay. So now, and as we had that conversation, I’m thinking back as a youngster, five years old, six years old youngster going down with my mom and dad taking us down to the old Idora Park.
Karen Caruso:
The ballroom.
Steve Stack:
When the Home & Garden Show used to be hosted there.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah.
Steve Stack:
You’ve been involved locally at different levels through the years?
Karen Caruso:
Mm-hmm.
Steve Stack:
How many places can you think of that have held the Home & Garden Show?
Karen Caruso:
So, we started at the Idora Park ballroom, and then we bounced to Mr. Anthony’s for quite a few years, and then we were at the old Ames building.
Steve Stack:
Oh, yes.
Karen Caruso:
Do you remember?
Steve Stack:
Yes. Yes.
Karen Caruso:
Then after that, I think we were at Shepherd Self Storage, that place on South Avenue in Boardman. Then we were back at Canfield Fairgrounds, and then we went back to Mr. Anthony’s, I believe in 2012 or something.
Steve Stack:
I remember-
Karen Caruso:
We’ve been at Mr. Anthony’s for many years. Now, since the Fairgrounds built their new event center, we’re back at the Fairgrounds in 2022.
Steve Stack:
And for anybody that hasn’t been out to the Fairgrounds yet to see the new event center, it’s beautiful.
Karen Caruso:
Oh, it’s so spacious. Yeah.
Steve Stack:
I’ve spent more than one early spring Home & Garden Show with Baird Brothers, working through the HBA, at the Canfield Fairgrounds when we used to have multiple buildings.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
You had to walk into the building, out of the building-
Karen Caruso:
It was scattered back then-
Steve Stack:
Off to the next building.
Karen Caruso:
Now it’s all in one.
Steve Stack:
What type of vendor response are you getting for the Home & Garden Show this year? A lot of participation?
Karen Caruso:
Oh, my goodness, yeah. We’re about 80% sold out so far and it’s changing by the hour. So, we’ve got a wide variety.
Steve Stack:
Again, thanks for taking some time out of your busy day to come join us for a little bit.
Karen Caruso:
Oh, no, I appreciate it. It’s a nice little break.
Steve Stack:
I know it’s a very busy time for you.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
The venue has changed this year. There’s going to be a little bit of admission this year.
Karen Caruso:
Yes, there is. There’s $5 admission, but children 12 and under are free for the show. Also, if you go to Market Magazine, the issue that’s coming out in February, there’s a buy one, get one free coupon in there. It’ll also be on localflavor.com. So, you can find good discount tickets.
But there’s free paid parking. The sponsors of our show are WW Heating and Cooling and Banner Supply. So, we’re very grateful for them to help make our show possible. Along with Masonry Materials, they’re our landscape sponsor. For the free parking, we have a sponsor Window Depot of Youngstown so, we’re glad to have partnered with them for that. We’re excited about the show, there’s going to be so much more to see.
Steve Stack:
I was going to say, I’ve heard rumors and rumblings that there’s going to be some new things involved.
Karen Caruso:
Oh, my goodness.
Steve Stack:
Everything from food vendors to kids’ activities.
Karen Caruso:
Yes. Yes. This is the first year that we’re going to have our own food concession area. So, we have two of the most popular local flavors, if you want to say. Sara’s BBQ & Catering, which you’re familiar with.
Steve Stack:
We know them.
Karen Caruso:
Yes, they do some pulled pork, brisket, nachos, I heard their nachos are amazing. Can’t miss that. Then we also have Hoover’s french fries, they’re very famous. Hoover’s french fries, steak hoagies, lemon shakes. Then we also have a lady that makes homemade fudge. She’s been at our show forever, but she’s glad to be back. Yeah. So we have food. We have a consumer break area where people can actually sit down and be comfortable and enjoy their food.
Steve Stack:
Nice. Nice.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah.
Steve Stack:
It’s got to be exciting.
Karen Caruso:
Very, very.
Steve Stack:
Going back to last year’s Home & Garden Show…
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Boy, you were right on the edge, whether you were going-
Karen Caruso:
We were prepared-
Steve Stack:
Not going-
Karen Caruso:
We were prepared for either direction.
Steve Stack:
I remember running into you the day of setup.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Over at Mr. Anthony’s, you were on pins and needles but it turned out that it was a very well-attended show.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Congratulations. You were the first one coming out of the blocks that pulled off a consumer show.
Karen Caruso:
Thank you.
Steve Stack:
And people were ready.
Karen Caruso:
Oh, they were thanking us for having a show.
Steve Stack:
And-
Karen Caruso:
It was a heartwarming thing.
Steve Stack:
Now, I think and I’m hoping and praying for all of our behalfs, that this year with the excitement of moving the show to a bigger venue — and folks, this facility is beautiful.
Karen Caruso:
It is.
Steve Stack:
Plenty of room.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Plenty of parking, plenty of room. I know that you have a couple of outdoor vendors that are participating with you?
Karen Caruso:
Oh, yeah.
Steve Stack:
So you’ll have a little bit of that outdoor flavor, but depending on the weather, come inside that new building.
Karen Caruso:
Oh, yeah.
Steve Stack:
Climate control?
Karen Caruso:
You can’t miss it. Oh, definitely.
Steve Stack:
Big, bright, airy, and I am really excited for you, number one, but for the region, because if this gets legs under it, you’re going to be a busy girl.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah, we’re growing.
Steve Stack:
And growing this.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
So-
Karen Caruso:
We’re growing.
Steve Stack:
Yeah. I’m excited. So, hey, anything else? In your position of executive officer, I envision the juggler.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
They normally work with what? Three rubber balls or three bowling pins and-
Karen Caruso:
Yeah.
Steve Stack:
And I know this time of year you’ve got eight or ten rubber balls or bowling pins going up in the air. I’m not going to keep you much longer. Good luck at the Home & Garden Show. The dates on that again?
Karen Caruso:
It’s going to be March 4th, 5th and 6th.
Steve Stack:
Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Karen Caruso:
Friday, Saturday, Sunday. We have Angels For Animals there. So, you can even come and adopt a pet or see what they’re all about.
Steve Stack:
Oh, that’s fantastic.
Karen Caruso:
Yeah.
Steve Stack:
That’s fantastic.
Karen Caruso:
We’re so glad that they’re going to be part of our show.
Steve Stack:
It’s going to have a different look.
Karen Caruso:
Oh, yeah. There’ll be children’s activities too. So, we’re working up some great plans.
Steve Stack:
Well, we have a little business to take care of before that, I will see you in Orlando.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
At the IBS 2022 show.
Karen Caruso:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
You know where to find us.
Karen Caruso:
Yes, I do.
Steve Stack:
And I look forward to seeing you down there and more importantly, I look forward to getting home and experiencing what is going to be a very special 2022 Mahoning Valley HBA Home & Garden Show.
Karen Caruso:
Thank you, Steve.
Steve Stack:
Karen.
Karen Caruso:
Very much.
Steve Stack:
Thank you for visiting.
Karen Caruso:
Always great to see you and be at Baird Brothers.
Steve Stack:
Looking forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks.
Karen Caruso:
Thank you.
Steve Stack:
All right.
Karen Caruso:
See you then.
Steve Stack:
Until then, folks. Hey, stick around, keep following us on a social side. bairdbrothers.com. See our Content Studio. We appreciate our guest Karen Caruso from the Mahoning Valley HBA stopping out today. More to come, stay tuned!
For all you folks listening, thanks for talking shop with Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods. If you’ve enjoyed this episode and wanted to stay up-to-date with the American Hardwood Advisor series, give us a like and subscribe. For more tips, projects, and inspiration, check us out on Facebook, Instagram, or bairdbrothers.com. Until next time.The Home Builders & Remodelers Association of the
Valley is located at 1240 Boardman-Canfield Rd, Suite A, Youngstown, Ohio 44512
