Gardeners, businessfolk brought together

POTSDAM — Home improvement, gardening and business networking might seem an odd marriage to some, but putting them together makes perfect sense to Patricia L. McKeown and Jo Ann Roberts.

The respective St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce executive director and events coordinator deliberately put those themes together for an event they dubbed The Really Big Show, held Friday and Saturday at Clarkson University's Cheel Arena.

"We have had business-to-business shows in the past, but if you're not looking for a business service, you're not really drawn to the show," Ms. Roberts said Saturday afternoon. "In this economy, we wanted to hold an event that would help businesses, so we decided to do a combination show. The response has been very, very positive."

Fledgling businesses used the event to find potential customers and business contacts. East Coast Timber, Massena, has been operating since December, and owner Timothy J. Lapka said the show was his company's first. His business uses local timber such as cedar, spruce, fir and white pine to build log homes and log accents on existing homes, in addition to elaborate children's swing sets.

"Just about everyone coming in here has stopped by to check us out," Mr. Lapka said. "People are building all the way down the St. Lawrence River. Our focus now is getting in customers' sights."

The show also was a first in St. Lawrence County for The Olde Oxbow Smokehouse, operated by Gary E. and Carol M. Cunningham, Antwerp. The two started bottling their unique homemade barbecue sauce three years ago, and have expanded their product line to include spice rubs and marinades. Their sauces are available at several locations in the county, including P&C Foods, Gouverneur, and Black Lake's Edwardsville Grocery, but the couple said as they handed out free samples that greater exposure never hurts.

"We've gotten a lot of good contacts this weekend," Mr. Cunningham said. "We've been to the Thousand Islands and Watertown events, but this is one of our better shows."

Established businesses also took advantage of the Chamber of Commerce show to raise their profiles.

Dale L. Lehmer has operated Antique Woods and Colonial Restorations, Gouverneur, for 35 years, but says it's likely that few locals know his business exists. He salvages building materials from abandoned north country houses and barns, recycling them to build homes. He said the end product, ranging from rustic to posh, is usually for clients elsewhere in the country.

"We want to do more in the area," Mr. Lehmer said. "There are a lot of abandoned farms in St. Lawrence County, and we're hoping to get more people interested in our services. We can keep the cost down by focusing on smaller size, and it's an attractive option because we use all recycled materials."

The show wrapped up Saturday afternoon, but Ms. Roberts said she hopes it hasn't seen its last.

"The early feedback has been all positive, and we've been asked to consider making it an annual event," she said.