Fall Dispatch Home & Garden Show Update - July 13, 2020

Dear Loyal Partner,

We are 9 weeks away from the opening of the 15th annual Fall Dispatch Home & Garden Show and we want to give you an update. 

Over the past five months we've been planning for how the 2020 Fall Dispatch Home & Garden Show might operate during this unprecedented time. The pandemic in Central Ohio has caused challenges for many of our businesses. 

In an effort to comply with the directives of Governor DeWine and the State Health Department we have submitted our Operating Plan for approval, and we have talked with many of you about how to conduct the show and comply with safe practices.  We had hoped to have a final decision from the Health Dept by now, but that has not happened. 

As a result we are taking a dual approach to our planning for the fall show.  

Plan A.  

With approval from the Health Department on or before July 24th, we will proceed with the show on Sep 11-13.  This is our preferred approach because we know homeowners are booking and spending money on home improvement projects during Covid, and we know that we can operate the event in a safe and secure manner -- just like the many retail stores that are open and operating.  In fact, much of our operating plan is based on the operating practices at Lowe’s, which are approved and safe.  Given our recent history with the Health Department, we are not confident that we will have the Health Department’s final word by July 24.

The Other Plan A.  

We are working on an alternate approach that is 100% certain and is not dependent on any outside approval in order to happen, and we are calling this The Other Plan A.  We are exploring ideas and options to host a Fall Dispatch Home & Garden Show Experience and we will unveil the detailed plan on July 27. Here are some of our preliminary thoughts at this time.  As always, we are open and receptive to your suggestions and ideas, so please send them to us.

  • The “Experience” will happen in October, a better time for Fall Home & Garden because days are cool and evenings are crisp.  Consumers are much more engaged in fall home activities and projects during this time.

  • The “Experience” will provide fresh and engaging opportunities for all of our partners

  • The “Experience” will have a distinctive WOW factor.

  • The “Experience” will provide an emotional connection

  • The “Experience” will offer a give-back to our partners.

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