Albany expo visitors get a jump on 'bucket list' items

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

ALBANY — OK, sure, there were lots of cool things to check out at The Albany Herald’s Hope Depot of Albany Southwest Georgia Home, Garden & Outdoor Expo at the Albany Civic Center Saturday.

Dale and Joy McBride got out of their vehicle and went straight to the selection of boats brought on site by Boater’s World Marine Centers; Jessica and Will McGuire had to contain 6-year-old Calvin and 4-year-old Colin as the boys checked out the ATVs — real and toy-sized; a crowd gathered around Ryan Williams and Dale Richter’s Buzz Fuzz exhibit, some squirming as they watched the bees do their thing; people with bug problem’s that weren’t bees got the inside scoop — and some sweet treats — from the ladies at the Adams Exterminators booth; people queued up to get some of Jethro’s free coffee; everyone wanted to know more about Sandals vacations from Southwest Georgia Travel; those Barn Owl garden tools grabbed people’s attention; and the boys with Flint Equipment Co.’s Ag & Turf division had the stuff that everyone — everyone who gardens, at least — lusted after.

But the big draw at the expo, held for the second year after a two-year COVID-induced delay?

“Everyone wants one of these buckets,” Albany Home Depot Store Manager John Crockett laughed.

True, folks were clamoring for the distinct 5-gallon buckets with The Home Depot logo as they walked onto the floor of the civic center. But as they looked around and saw every manner of outdoor, home and garden, home improvement and recreational equipment most could imagine, they quickly started chatting up the reps on hand. And, of course, everyone had to sign up for the giveaways that, buckets aside, included a Home Depot grill and a Sandals vacation package.

“This is great for the boys, great for us to get out with them,” Jessica McGuire said as Colin and Calvin’s eyes grew large at the sight of all the cool stuff around them. “We’re just getting here, but the boys are already having fun.”

Herald Retail Manager Heather Harrison said the expo generated a great response from the community.

“We probably had more people come through in 2019, but coming out of COVID I think we had a great response from the community,” Harrison said. “The vendors I’ve talked with said they had great interaction with people who came to the expo.”

Indeed, Southwest Georgia Travel owner Greg Gray marveled at “all the nice people we met” and said his time at the expo was “well worth it.”

Clint Faircloth with KellerWilliams Realty said the contacts gathered at the expo would be invaluable, and Lauren Dorminey with Wild Herbs or Iolita said, “There were a lot of people interested in talking with me about herbal medicine.”

Crockett, who said being involved in community activities like the expo is one of The Home Depot’s “core values,” said his one year with the Albany Home Depot location has been a whirlwind of a year.

“This has been awesome,” Crockett said. “It’s a great way for us to stay involved with the community. We pride ourselves in the fact that we stayed open as an essential retailer throughout the pandemic, and we actually had record numbers last year. Everyone was stuck at home, and we were able to safely meet customers’ needs by limiting the number of people we allowed into the store.

“Being involved in the expo is another way we stay involved with and try to give back to this community.”

Staff Photos: Carlton FletcherStaff Photo: Carlton Fletcher