Dealer creates the South Georgia Home Showcase

A Tifton, Ga.-based lumberyard company hopes to build business – and relationships -- by creating an event for local homeowners called the South Georgia Home Showcase.

Jay Short, owner of Short and Paulk Supply Co., is promoting the Feb. 12-13 home show as a can’t-miss event for both home owners and builders. Some 100 manufacturers and suppliers are expected to attend the event, held at the Tifton campus of the University of Georgia. At the same time, the show will provide builders continuing education every hour from the American Institute of Architects.

Short and Paulk operates five retail lumberyards in Georgia, plus a truss plant and a door shop. The event grew out of a relationship Short made with UGA during the building of a net-zero-energy house on the Tifton campus a few years ago.

"I had talks with a professor about how get building science out in front of more people. We go to a lot of shows like the Builders’ Show,  LMC shows, Orgill shows – but if we could have some kind of training event and also let people see the new products and do all of that together, then we might be really onto something.”

More than 100 companies are expected to particpate as exhibitors at the inaugural Home Showcase. Plus, the event will feature 12 Contractor College Classes. 

“We’re going to have a group of interns from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College going all day long doing interviews pictures and videos on Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram,” he said. “We’ll create that excitement so that if you’re not here, you got to be here.”

Lumberyard participation in home shows is common. But creating a show from scratch is a rare approach. To Short, the idea is simple: If it helps his builders and it helps his home owners, then by definition, it helps Short and Paulk.

Short also sees the show – co-presented this year by Conger LP Gas – as a community-building exercise. Registered attendees enter for free, but a walk-in door charge of $10 is donated to Habitat for Humanity. Also, proceeds from sale of water and Gatorade will go to a local organization promoting literacy.

“If we’re able to make good things happen around us, then we’ll benefit, too,” Short said.