Chicagoland

[buzzojoe]

Just a quick report on the Chicagoland show.
Weather was beautiful. Sales were good. Prices were crazy high on signs, thermometers, and other non-coin op items. Prices on coin op stuff seemed to be pretty much the same as they have been for the past year or so. Pinball machines seem to be continuing to slide the most, with jukes appearing to have bottomed out price-wise. The biggest issue about the show continues to be the "other" shows that have popped up at the same time. The show at the Kane COunty Fairgrounds has been around years and years, and has never really caused too much trouble for the Chicagoland show. But a few years ago a "cash register collectors" show started up in a local hotel parking lot and it quickly became a "pre-show" for Chicagoland wit a LOT of coin op stuff being bought and sold there. That hotel shut the cash register show down last november when the bank next door complained and the fire department showed up and made everyone move and such. So this week they had the cash register show on Friday across the street from Pheasant Run at the Hilton Garden hotel. That show didn't seem to have any effect on the CHicagoland Show, BUT on Thursday a group of COCA members got permission from the Hilton Garden to have a little show in their parking lot, and a LOT of dealing was going on there. Personally I HATE having the other shows. In my opinion it takes the focus off of the Chicagoland show, and robs the Chicagoland promoters of revenue because people can set up and sell for free or very little (I think the Cash Register show was $15.00 to set up). With the economy already hurting the shows, we don't need to make things worse for them so they lose money and end the show. Especially since everyone is there BECAUSE of the Chicagoland show and their advertising, etc. Just my opinions.....