I should offer a clarification of my "like" to Brad's (jazzeum's) comment above. I understood him to mean that the number and quality of dealers at this particular show has been declining, and I've observed that myself. So I showed my agreement with a "like".
I know the promoter, and in my observation, he has made a couple of mistakes, over the past ten years or so. One is that he overreached himself in adding some additional, smaller shows to his schedule. The other is that he has been more, frugal, shall we say, than perhaps was wise. As a vendor, as a businessman, of course making money on your ventures is the primary goal. But my observation of this particular promoter is that he's pushed the pendulum too far in the direction of saving money.
An example is his now-defunct Langhorne show. For about ten years, he staged a show in Langhorne, PA, on an off-weekend in November. It was a small show, about fifty tables, but a good one for a number of years. But eventually the venue priced him out. He moved the show to Neshaminy, a little north of Philly, to a small, dingy venue, hard to get to, and with only about 25 tables. Of the vendors who followed the show to the new location, half fled after the first year, and it lasted about another two years. The promoter had the majority of tables himself in those two years.
At the same time, his New Jersey suffered its decline. That's why Brad's (jazzeum's) comment is apt. It's an accurate observation.
Now, also at the same time, the promoter's Heart of the South show has been consistently successful, at least, to hear everyone's comments after each show.
If he is trying now to bring his New Jersey show back, then good for him. Perhaps he learned the lesson and is concentrating again on his core shows, instead of trying to do too much.
Prost!
Brad
