Chicago Show Celebrities... (1 Viewer)

[LTC PaulN]

...Wow! Truly a menagerie...famous and infamous...a rogue's gallery.... a bunch of really nice people who come together like family to support each other and the hobby several times a year. Well done on finally putting faces to names I'd only met through forum posts!

 

[mikemiller1955]

this is Julie from Treefrog...

I met her for the first time at the show...

such an easy person to like...

very sweet...friendly and talkative...

she gives you a hug when you meet and talks to you like you have known her forever...^&grin...

this is me with her...

not sure what happened to my camera on this pic...^&grin...

her side of the pic came out great...
but my side obviously malfunctioned...^&grin...

meaning that anyone that has seen me in person...
knows I'm a lot more handsome than in this photo...^&grin...^&grin...^&grin...

I think I need a new camera...
I wish I had at least smiled...

Pete and Shannon would of been proud of their table's presence at the show...

great staff...great displays...really cordial...

I asked one of the employees if they knew where a water fountain and he disappeared for a second and came back with a glass of water for me...

very nice crew!!!

 

[mikemiller1955]

...Wow! Truly a menagerie...famous and infamous...a rogue's gallery.... a bunch of really nice people who come together like family to support each other and the hobby several times a year. Well done on finally putting faces to names I'd only met through forum posts!

so true on your comment...and thank you...

 

[mikemiller1955]

one last pic of Julie from Treefrog...

 

[mikemiller1955]

Mike,

I don't what his handle is. I know that he was able to see Lawrence Lo's photo albums so he could tell me what sets he wanted but then he said he had trouble after that.

Brad

Brad...you might give him 2-3 days to get home...it's quite a drive and he said it would be leisurely at best...

 

[jazzeum]

That's not a drive I could or would think about making. I know quite a few people drive to the show. Tom Dubel drove to the Show and was leaving yesterday morning to go home as he had to fly out early today. I assume -- and hope -- he made it.

 

[mikemiller1955]

last...

but certainly not least...

my boy Nicholas Cameron...

Nick has Crown Military Miniatures in New Hampshire...

the beautiful young lady was introduced to me as Nicolette...

Tyler is wearing a name tag that says "Nick"...

and I'm 100% sure the guy in the middle...my friend...is Nicholas...

so the name tags may be wrong...

Nicholas is taking Crown to many, many, many shows a year...

just starting up a few years ago...he is trying to establish his presence in this hobby...

I know they work their rear ends off at these shows and he puts out a great display of soldiers...showmanship and service...

 

[mikemiller1955]

That's not a drive I could or would think about making. I know quite a few people drive to the show. Tom Dubel drove to the Show and was leaving yesterday morning to go home as he had to fly out early today. I assume -- and hope -- he made it.

Tom is gonna be in a foul mood when he sees what happened to Big Ben...which I'm sure he is aware of already...

 

[mikemiller1955]

I know not everyone goes to the shows...

and even if you do...

you have no idea what a monumental effort it is to bring a companies products to serve as our eye candy unless you have done it...

of course they make money...

but this is a Herculean feat to do this...

some dealers drive 20+ hours just to arrive...

and of course they have to drive back...

they unload...haul up elevators...set up displays...sometimes 1,000's of figures and then try to sell them...

the man hours are unreal...

I have helped do this...

it's hard...heavy lifting...long hours...

this particular show is an especially brutal back breaker...

after the room trading is over...

then they re-pack and haul all the stuff down to the showroom and set up again...

crazy man hours...

setting up displays is monotonous repetitive work that what once was fun as a hobby...is now grueling as a job...

from the promoters...organizers...vendors...employees...this is a huge production...

I personally know of several vendors that might have gotten 2-3 hours sleep on a few nights...

I realize they make money on this...

but I just want to say I appreciate the effort that all the promoters and dealers put out to entertain me...

thanks to all...

 

[thebritfarmer]

Looks like you had a great time Michael and good to put some faces to the names.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Looks like you had a great time Michael and good to put some faces to the names.

Scott...thank you...part of the trip for me was a social event and to meet these people...

I have another 100 or so pics of product that I will do later...

and yes...I had a great time...

I bought 7 buildings...

1 Hudson & Allen...

2 Vietnamese bamboo hooches...

3 Hobby Bunker unpainted buildings...

1 smaller unknown foam building...

I was hoping to find some of the K&C SP desert buildings or walls...

but no luck on that...

 

[villagehorse]

No doubt about it Mike, from this thread I gather the people are what the show is all about. The most comprehensive study of patronage I have seen, with you as the common link. The show itself for you was just a bonus, what an amazing experience. Robin.

 

[GICOP]

pretty fascinating guy Brad...

he just oozes leadership...

you don't get to the rank of Colonel doing nothing...

do you know his "handle" on the forum?

Mike,

I don't what his handle is. I know that he was able to see Lawrence Lo's photo albums so he could tell me what sets he wanted but then he said he had trouble after that.

Brad

Hi Michael and Brad

Sam's "handle" is Fireball Three

Cheers

Martyn

 

[mikemiller1955]

Hi Michael and Brad

Sam's "handle" is Fireball Three

Cheers

Martyn

thank you Martyn...

that is an appropriate handle for him...^&grin

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Mike, We know Andy will be at the Texas Show next year. Hope you invited some of the others to attend our own little party....Texas style !

Wayne

 

[mikemiller1955]

I am sorry - but I apparently missed you at the show. In the past, we at least had a Treefrog pin indicating it was "safe" to introduce yourself. A name tag with the FT sign might be a step-up.

I normally ask for fire if I meet someone that I want to be friendly with - but smoking was prohibited in the hotel. :rolleyes2:

I'm sorry I missed you too...it would have been my pleasure...

 

[Go for Broke]

Mike, great collection of photos and a very good idea.

 

[kogu]

I know not everyone goes to the shows...

and even if you do...

you have no idea what a monumental effort it is to bring a companies products to serve as our eye candy unless you have done it...

of course they make money...

but this is a Herculean feat to do this...

some dealers drive 20+ hours just to arrive...

and of course they have to drive back...

they unload...haul up elevators...set up displays...sometimes 1,000's of figures and then try to sell them...

the man hours are unreal...

I have helped do this...

it's hard...heavy lifting...long hours...

this particular show is an especially brutal back breaker...

after the room trading is over...

then they re-pack and haul all the stuff down to the showroom and set up again...

crazy man hours...

setting up displays is monotonous repetitive work that what once was fun as a hobby...is now grueling as a job...

from the promoters...organizers...vendors...employees...this is a huge production...

I personally know of several vendors that might have gotten 2-3 hours sleep on a few nights...

I realize they make money on this...

but I just want to say I appreciate the effort that all the promoters and dealers put out to entertain me...

thanks to all...

I can only agree what Mike describes above.
Sure a monumental task that most of the dealers and the mfrs. go through.
At one show, I believe it was 2007, I helped a relatively small dealer (he represented the Grenada Studio, St. Petersburg, after the Studio broke up with Aeroart) to move his stock on the show day from the room to the show floor downstairs. It was quite some work, especially since you could not pile up figures in a box due to the high quality of the items.
Since the elevators were totally over-occupied, I decided to take the stairs.
Man, I tell you, that was quite a workout for me that day ^&grin
Don't really remember how often I took the route, but it was too many times :wink2:
Ever since, I tend to disappear out of the rooms of dealers I know by Saturday afternoons ^&grin

Cheers!

Konrad

 

[jazzeum]

Thanks Martyn. I noticed he was last on in early August. I will call him later this week to see what the issue may be on Forum access.

Brad

 

[PanzerAce1944]

John owner and operator of Marxman out of New York...

everybody knows and loves this guy...

he's a riot...

always smiling and joking...

I don't think anyone does as many shows as him...

ooops...sorry...forgot to upload pic again...

Yes he is ! John Stengal.....correct ? Was his son there with him ?

Wayne