It seems foot traffic and sales are up for 2012 Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo vendors when compared to last years' event and local businesses outside the Civic Center are also taking advantage of the increased traffic through the area.

     Runnings, a local farm supply store says they're seeing about 25% more sales in cattle handling equipment as well as feed both attributed to the stock show. Just down the street, Lowe's Home Improvement also says they're getting a bump in business. Lowes Store Manager Bob Hamilton says, "From the day they come in and even the vendors come in just to set up their displays, they're coming in just because they need some additional things just to help them get ready for that onslaught of people coming in for the show."

    And the sales don't stop when show preparations do Hamilton says throughout stock show week... he notices plenty of folks coming in to plan their purchases for when their pockets are full of post stock sale cash. As ranchers depart the show with empty trailers and plenty of dough he says the most poplar purchases at his store go to large home appliances and grills.

     Hamilton says, "Once they have that, then they know what they want, and I'm sure they've gone to other places in the community, and they come back, they're ready to go home and they just want the things. 'Bang-bang,' get them in the truck and let's get them gone so they can head home." He says the beginning of spring is the most profitable time of the year for Lowe's but the stock show crowd provides a nice boost in what would otherwise be considered a slow time of the year.

Brendyn Medina