Question about the Chicago show? (2 Viewers)

How did the room trading tradition get started? It seems a bit odd to wonder about the hotel. I don't recall anything similar at other shows.
 
Interesting question. I believe they do it at the Westcoaster though.
 
Combat said:
How did the room trading tradition get started? It seems a bit odd to wonder about the hotel. I don't recall anything similar at other shows.
Click to expand...

Doug,
Excellent question.

The first time I attended back in 1997, I had a tough time picturing the whole room trading concept. I think the thing about it is the hotel has a unique layout (confusing is more like it) where each floor is divided into four sections if you will, the hotel itself is huge.

The way the whole room trading concept got started was back when the show first started, it was a one day event. As the show grew and grew in popularity both from an attendee and a vendor standpoint, the concept of a vendor driving out to Chicago for two or three days and making a two or three day drive home all for a one day event started to become an issue.

Someone came up with the idea of selling out of the rooms on Saturday, it was called a "preview" day where vendors would lay out their nicest items in the room for folks to see prior to the actual show on Sunday, hence the term preview.

Before you knew it, folks started selling items out of their rooms on Saturday, then due to the fact that you had to lay the stuff out Saturday, repack it and hump it downstairs the next morning, folks started slowly selling on Friday night as well.

The concept caught on like wildfire; ask anyone who's come to the show, the room trading is great, very, very relaxing, allows customers and vendors to meet in a less hectic environment than during the day of the show.

As the show grew, so did the amount of days of preselling; it is presently considered a three day preview (Thursday through Saturday) with the show on Sunday. Myself, I get out there on Tuesday, gives me loads of time all day Tuesday to set up the two rooms. I open around noon on Wednesday. The traffic is pretty light on Wednesday, but it is still a fun time; being out there 5 days prior to the show really allows me to settle in.

The dealers used to be up on just the fifth floor; most room traders start up there and work their way down. As the amount of vendors increased, the fourth floor began to be used as a room trading floor as well; the past few years, folks have spilled over down to the third floor as well, most of them are the newer dealers who have been attending the show for a short while.

As dealers drop out over time, third floor vendors are given the option of moving upstairs.....................
 
Warrior said:
Doug,
Excellent question.

The first time I attended back in 1997, I had a tough time picturing the whole room trading concept. I think the thing about it is the hotel has a unique layout (confusing is more like it) where each floor is divided into four sections if you will, the hotel itself is huge.

The way the whole room trading concept got started was back when the show first started, it was a one day event. As the show grew and grew in popularity both from an attendee and a vendor standpoint, the concept of a vendor driving out to Chicago for two or three days and making a two or three day drive home all for a one day event started to become an issue.

Someone came up with the idea of selling out of the rooms on Saturday, it was called a "preview" day where vendors would lay out their nicest items in the room for folks to see prior to the actual show on Sunday, hence the term preview.

Before you knew it, folks started selling items out of their rooms on Saturday, then due to the fact that you had to lay the stuff out Saturday, repack it and hump it downstairs the next morning, folks started slowly selling on Friday night as well.

The concept caught on like wildfire; ask anyone who's come to the show, the room trading is great, very, very relaxing, allows customers and vendors to meet in a less hectic environment than during the day of the show.

As the show grew, so did the amount of days of preselling; it is presently considered a three day preview (Thursday through Saturday) with the show on Sunday. Myself, I get out there on Tuesday, gives me loads of time all day Tuesday to set up the two rooms. I open around noon on Wednesday. The traffic is pretty light on Wednesday, but it is still a fun time; being out there 5 days prior to the show really allows me to settle in.

The dealers used to be up on just the fifth floor; most room traders start up there and work their way down. As the amount of vendors increased, the fourth floor began to be used as a room trading floor as well; the past few years, folks have spilled over down to the third floor as well, most of them are the newer dealers who have been attending the show for a short while.

As dealers drop out over time, third floor vendors are given the option of moving upstairs.....................
Click to expand...

Is it all traders on the 4th and 5th floors? Are the hotel guests (buyers) on other floors?

Terry
 
Phantom Warrior said:
Is it all traders on the 4th and 5th floors? Are the hotel guests (buyers) on other floors?

Terry
Click to expand...

They try to put as many traders as possible on the 4th and 5th floors; due to overflow, there are also some on the third floor.

Some of the buyers are on floors 1-3, others are on the 4th and 5th floors too, they are scattered all over the hotel actually................
 
I always thought everybody is on four and five, although there were a couple on the first floor last year.
 
jazzeum said:
I always thought everybody is on four and five, although there were a couple on the first floor last year.
Click to expand...

Nope; if 4 and 5 are booked solid, dealers have to go onto 3, also known as "The Dead Zone".........................
 
Was anyone on three last year? If they were, you're right, it's a dead zone.
 
Not sure about last year, but afew years ago, there were several dealers on that floor; if they all combined their earnings, the total was change for $1.00......................
 
Last year was very unusual since the Hyatt was still under renovation during the show. I think sections of the 4th and 5th floors were not finished, forcing dealers who have had the same room for years to move. Some dealers mentioned that their assigned room did not have a toilet ... and who can forget the terrible service in the temporary restaurants. Fortunately, that was all last year.:rolleyes:
 
Steven Chong said:
Besides the Chicago Show, the West Coaster is the only other toy soldier show that does formal room trading before the actual show.:)
Click to expand...

There is a rather small Toy Soldier Show in Indianapolis once a year on a sunday in march usually and a few dealers and private sellers are there for room-trading the friday and saturday before the show.
But nothing compared to either the Westcoaster or the Chicago Show.
Konrad
 
Warrior said:
Not sure about last year, but afew years ago, there were several dealers on that floor; if they all combined their earnings, the total was change for $1.00......................
Click to expand...

Last year was the exception for sure. Many dealers were on the 3rd floor, but to my knowledge have moved back to their previous rooms - or clos, on the 4th and 5th floors... I wouldn't expect anything on the 3rd floor... at least not much.

Jim
 
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