Vendors at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market struck back with the same amount of fervor in making their show a success as the tornado that ripped through downtown Salt Lake did in trying to halt it.
With thoughts of 38-year-old Allen Crandy, Las Vegas, the man who was killed by flying debris from the tornado, in their minds, the retailers went ahead with their show.
And most expected them to, because it's the nature of the people in the business.
"This is the kind of industry it is — very resilient people. For us to come back in here was like climbing back on that horse again," said Paha Que President Jeffrey Basford, who sells tents and other camping supplies. "It gave us renewed faith in the industry, and that we are going to recover from this."
Dave Thomas, marketing director for Harmony of Easley, S.C., agreed.
"We're very sorry the tornado happened. I'm kind of overwhelmed by the response of the industry to the plight of the people that were in the back (pavilion)," he said. "I hate the fact that anybody was even injured, much less killed. Things like that happen, and you have to look forward after that."
The tornado touched down around 12:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon as crews were setting up for the three-day show. One person was killed, 81 others were injured and 300 homes damaged. Investigators' initial damage estimate was placed at $150 million.
Many retailers agreed that canceling the showed would have added to the economic devastation because of the number of people that were already there. According to Drew Simmons, spokesman for the show, there were 860 retailers, a new record, 330 of whom were in the two pavilions that were destroyed by the tornado. He estimated that some 30 retailers left because they lost everything.
"Despite the one unfortunate death, I don't see how they could have genuinely closed it down given the amounts of time and money everyone has spent preparing for it," said Samuel Spangenberg, vice president of Adventure Foods. "Had it happened a day later, with the tent full, injuries would have been staggering. Then it would have been reasonable to call it off."
Trent Wentz, of Witz Products, which sells waterproof containers for glasses, cameras and money, had a spot reserved in the pavilion. He rode out the storm and stayed at the show, but it really hit him hard.
"I think maybe they should have (canceled it), because I think it was a little unfair for the people out in the pavilion to have to go this route," he said. Wentz said he was grateful for the vendor that donated a little space to him, but the small table and one display was not enough to properly advertise his product.
Wentz spent nearly $3,500 for the rental space and transportation of his product.
Simmons said there were 13,620 retailers and vendors who participated in the three-day conference. Organizers were expecting more than 18,000 participants.
He said about 100 vendors voluntarily donated space to accommodate businesses — even those that were their competitors — that had been located in the destroyed pavilion.
"Outdoor Retailer was amazing not only in how they were able to get all the pavilion people inside, they were so cooperative in helping us get set up and extending show hours," Basford said. "It's amazing how this whole industry has pulled together. This incident probably couldn't have happened to a more equipped group of people."