For more information about this, please refer to previous Holmes Spot blog entry:
Mike Holmes At The Kalamazoo Home Expo
According to this article from the Kalamazoo Gazette, Mike Holmes attracted some pretty big crowds at the two shows he did yesterday - nearly 500 a piece - proving once an for all that Mike's not a celebrity, he's an all out rockstar! And if you've ever drawn some sort of mental parallel between Mike Holmes and Tim Allen from Home Improvement, it's addressed there at the end of the article.
From the Kalamazoo Gazette:
TV general contractor Mike Holmes draws large crowds at Home Expo Kalamazoo
By on March 09, 2013 at 3:48 PM, updated March 09, 2013 at 11:47 PM
“He’s the only kid I know whose grandparents get him Home Depot gift cards for his birthday and Christmas … he’s seriously that much into construction and (home repairs) because of Mike Holmes,” said his father, John Belmont.
The Belmont youngster’s day was complete after Holmes autographed the tyke’s rust-colored Carthartt overalls, which will likely never again be washed.
John Bosch quipped the overalls will probably end up framed and showcased in his son’s bedroom.
Holmes, a 49-year-old Toronto-area resident, is the star of the television programs Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection. Broadcast on HGTV and DIY networks, the programs typically feature home-building or remodeling jobs gone awry due to unscrupulous contractors, unqualified laborers or questionable materials. Holmes then steps in and corrects the flaws.
“Do it right the first time,” Holmes said. “It’s what my dad always told me and I still live by that today.”
Holmes said people who are considering a new house or renovation should abide by three rules: Slow down, educate yourself and check out your contractor. As an example, he said a couple who agrees to re-do their kitchen may be overzealous with excitement during the planning process. So much so, they typically work with the person from the first company they contact and don’t bother exploring other potential options.
Slow down the process, Holmes suggested.
“The job isn’t going to get done overnight, so take your time,” he said. “Many of you probably wouldn’t give $50,000 to your brother, so why would you be in such a hurry to give it to a stranger?”
After about 45 minutes, Holmes spent nearly half an hour fielding questions from the audience. He drew about 500 people to each of his shows Saturday. Holmes attracted similar numbers during appearances at the same venue in 2011.
Richland residents Nick and Jessica Del Vacchio said they are in the midst of closing on their first house and hope to move in by the end of the month. Nick Del Vacchio said he watches Holmes faithfully every week and said he has picked up a number of tips and suggestions.
“I really admire the guy because he stresses how people should do their research and not go into a situation blindly, and I probably wouldn’t have been as careful if I didn’t hear Mike talk about that over and over,” Del Vacchio said.
Kalamazoo resident John Parks said he likes the benevolent side of Holmes, who spends much of his time correcting a job poorly completed by someone else. Parks said he remembers an episode in which a woman paid for her garage to be reinsulated and driveway refinished. It was clear she was bamboozled, and Holmes and his crew stepped in and did the job correctly.
Prior to his public appearances Saturday, Holmes in a media interview said he enjoys not following a script, both in person and on his TV show. He said the start of his television career 11 years ago was a reluctant beginning.
“I didn’t want to do TV and I told them repeatedly no when they jumped up and said they wanted a pilot,” he said. “I was too busy and I said I don’t need this, I’m not a TV guy, but the one guy came back and he said he noticed I like to teach one family at a time and he asked if I’d do a show if we could teach one family at a time.”
Holmes said he committed to a two-year run. As time passed and his fan base grew, however, Holmes said he recognized his work was changing a system that included immoral contractors and builders. He also savors being a role model to young men and women who are considering following in his line of work and need the education to be good at what they do.
He said he doesn’t want to always be on TV, but at the moment, Holmes said his work on TV is not completed.
A father of three and grandfather of two, Holmes said he has never had occasion to meet Tim Allen, star of the ‘90s sit-com Home Improvement. Though Holmes and the character Tim Taylor have a common interest, they aren’t the same people.
“I’m quite the opposite (of Tim Taylor) … I’m very serious and Tim Allen is a funny guy who plays a funny character, but I’d still love to meet him,” Holmes said.
The four-day Kalamazoo Home Expo was scheduled to end Saturday evening. Organizers said they were projecting about 18,000 people over the course of the event, an increase from about 16,000 last year.
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