The 2024 National Hardware Show (NHS) wrapped up yesterday at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Throughout the three-day event, several awards were given out recognizing outstanding vendors and products.
A group of independent retailers selected by the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) walked the floor during the first two days of the show looking for their favorite products and nominating them for the NHPA Retailers’ Choice Awards. After the panel of judges deliberated, the winners were announced Wednesday evening during the NHS and NHPA Awards Ceremony.
Retailers’ Choice Awards judges RJ and Helen McDaniel say they loved being able to walk the show floor with the specific goal of finding new and cool products. The couple runs B&B Hardware & Rental in Milan, Illinois.
“There were lots of vendors and the show floor seemed really busy,” RJ says. “The new floor layout was easy to navigate and we were able to find some neat products that we think will sell well in our store.”
Tiffany Baum, senior director of retail management for City Mill Hardware in Hawaii, served as a Retailers’ Choice Awards judge for the second year in a row.
“I appreciate finding new products for the stores, but my favorite part is hearing the stories from the vendors,” Baum says. “Many of these vendors are small businesses like ours and have amazing stories of bringing their products to market. It’s very heartwarming.”
Also during the awards ceremony, Kathryn Emery, NHS public relations, and Kevin O’Conner, host of “This Old House”, announced the winners of the NHS awards.
The NHS Most-Loved Award went to the top five companies at the show with the most scans from attendees at their booth. Those winners included: Mule, Wrap-It, Likwid Concepts, Permasteel and Backyard Banger. Chosen by media attendees and NHS celebrity guests, the NHS Rising Star awards went to Work IQ Tools for the NEW section of the show, to Rapid Rafter for the NEXT area of the show and to OmniWall for the Made in the USA section.
Another highlight of NHS that was new for 2024 was the PRO Education day, where industry professionals and contractors could immerse themselves in expert-led education covering the latest trends, best practices and future forecasts. Professionals were also treated to an invitation-only reception for networking and delicious food and drinks.
Personal connections were another huge part of NHS, says Kathryn Emery, PR correspondent for NHS.
“Shaking hands and having a conversation in person and building a relationship is the quintessential part of what makes NHS different than all the rest of the shows,” Emery says. “We value, host and encourage press and influencers to attend, to amplify the products message and help get them on the map in media. We get the best voices to tell products stories; it’s a media event and the stories get told for the brands and products all year long.”
