Patio and yard goods are still hot—and some are in short supply

Sales of grills, patio furniture, fire pits and other outdoor goods skyrocketed last spring and summer as the pandemic forced people to stay at home. So a big question for this spring—as vaccinated people started venturing out again—was whether that trend would continue. Local garden and outdoor venture retailers say it has. In fact, they say sales of some products, like outdoor furniture, have been even hotter, which is just one of several reasons many outdoor goods have been hard to come by. Host Mason King talks with two of those retailers—Scott Horvath, owner of Omalia’s Living, and Pat Sullivan, who owns owner of three Sullivan’s Hardware & Garden stores plus Allisonville Home & Garden by Sullivan. They explain the supply chain issues that are causing a shortage of bigger-ticket items like fire pits and furniture and smaller, everyday products like watering wands and garden hoses. For more about the trends, check out Kurt Christian's store at IBJ.com .