GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Show season is back at DeVos Place.
“Being off last year was miserable at best,” says Show Manager Carolyn Alt. “We love what we do, and we think it shows in the end product.”
One year ago, DeVos Place was a vaccine clinic.
“It was hard not to be here,” says Alt. “The building was a vaccine clinic, which was wonderful for the community, but this is wonderful for the community as well.”
But now, the Remodeling & New Homes Show is back.
“There's so much need, and supply is such an issue,” says Lyn Cook. “So we come to this, and we see a bunch of people and different options, and find out if we can do any of these projects we'd like to do.”
Because, like so many others, time spent at home the last year got their wheels turning for something new.
Businesses, like Heartland Builders, who need the help say businesses like theirs are navigating uncertain times in the supply chain.
“We're busy. So that's very helpful, and we're grateful for that," says Heartland Builders Owner Rich Kogel Schatz. “We schedule everything. As soon as a client closes on their loan, we order everything: the appliances, the garage door and the windows. Whereas before, we may have waited to order that.”
They’re ordering in advance, so things can be there when they're needed.
In all, the last year taught the business of shows at DeVos Place one thing:
“It really has helped us take a lot less for granted," says Alt.
No matter what, West Michigan is in this together.
“We like coming to stuff like this,” says Cook, “because you get to see a lot of the local businesses, which we would like to support.”