My paperwork said no selling until 6:30 Wednesday night. After the auction.

'Set up' allowed Wednesday. Of course, if you set out all your signs/cans/globes/etc. somebody will buy something.

We have the most difficult spot to occupy in the entire lot (IMHO). We are clear down in the back corner with J U S T enough clearance to pull the big Dodge Ram and the 24' trailer in - if no one is already there. Previous years we have had to ask other vendors to move some of their inventory or even their trucks to give us clearance.

We arrived late afternoon Monday just so we could get in without the hassle.

That's 5 nights of hotel costs + food and beverages for one day of actual sales.

We did not set anything out on Wednesday. We set up early Thursday and had fairly decent sales until about 1 PM, then the heat killed any further foot traffic.

Of course by then, over half the vendors were already gone - or packing up to leave.

We set everything up again Friday morning - and probably had a total of 40 people walk by all day. Some even went out of their way to thanks us for actually being set up. Of course by noon, we were only one of about 5 vendors still set up in the lot.

Since there was absolutely NO FOOT TRAFFIC by 1 PM Friday, we closed up, packed everything and headed out for a long lunch.

I understand this was a 'trial' schedule. But if the show continues to go as it did this year, there won't be hardly any spectators at the show - only vendors selling to vendors.

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On a related note. I talked to Ron and another big sign collector in the Ballroom on Saturday. Their consensus was the lighter sales had a lot to do with all the BIG DOLLAR auctions that have happened this year. Something like 20 Million dollars of Petrolania has changed hands since January. They thought that limited the funds available for items at the show.

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Whatever the problem - too hot, too many auctions, no vendors on Friday - whatever, something has got to change or this show will die a slow death.

Jim

[Linked Image from cruisin66.com]