polishedball
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2014
Posts: 89
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Post by polishedball on Sept 14, 2014 19:29:01 GMT -5
Is it just my area? Mid michigan or are most towns rock and gem shows lacking. Was one this weekend running for 3 days, one table selling some rough and slabs though all material was pretty blah, none of the newer or rare stuff. Most was tables of tumbles, etc.. There was one awesome both with a guy out of IL that did gorgeous wire wraps and he was super nice encouraging my daughter to try it. Wish I could remember his name.
I guess I just kinda expected better. What are your oval show like, gonna try another next weekend a couple hours away still in state. Thoughts?
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polishedball
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2014
Posts: 89
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Post by polishedball on Sept 14, 2014 19:31:39 GMT -5
Wrap-n-rock was the vendor I enjoyed. The power of google
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,681
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Post by Fossilman on Sept 15, 2014 9:26:38 GMT -5
Our rock shows and venders here,make you drool,as soon as you enter the doors.............Got to love Oregon for great rock!!
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Sept 15, 2014 11:50:58 GMT -5
I am sure our local Michigan shows do not compare to some of the out west states but they are still fun. I am not sure where you are located but I will have three tables at a gem and mineral show this weekend in Howell Michigan. This is my first time doing this particular show so I can't speak as to how good it will be. There is a fairly new rock shop in Midland. Have you been there yet? Chuck
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polishedball
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2014
Posts: 89
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Post by polishedball on Sept 15, 2014 14:49:46 GMT -5
My wife and I are planning on attending this one. It is a 2.5 hour drive, but have some friends that direction we will visit as well. I look forward to seeing your work as I am trying to learn the wire wrapping techniques and will love to see what you have done in person. I am in Grand Rapids, no close rock shops here that I know of. I have just returned to the hobby after a 3 decade break . Does your booth setup have a name displayed to look for. Thanks John
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Sept 15, 2014 19:14:58 GMT -5
My wife and I are planning on attending this one. It is a 2.5 hour drive, but have some friends that direction we will visit as well. I look forward to seeing your work as I am trying to learn the wire wrapping techniques and will love to see what you have done in person. I am in Grand Rapids, no close rock shops here that I know of. I have just returned to the hobby after a 3 decade break . Does your booth setup have a name displayed to look for. Thanks John Our booth will have a couple wooden signs that say "kidd rocks" Chuck
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Sept 15, 2014 19:17:12 GMT -5
My wife and I are planning on attending this one. It is a 2.5 hour drive, but have some friends that direction we will visit as well. I look forward to seeing your work as I am trying to learn the wire wrapping techniques and will love to see what you have done in person. I am in Grand Rapids, no close rock shops here that I know of. I have just returned to the hobby after a 3 decade break . Does your booth setup have a name displayed to look for. Thanks John Here's some pics from a show we did this spring in Taylor Michigan. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/65101/rock-gem-show-display-allChuck
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bcrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 418
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Post by bcrockhound on Sept 15, 2014 20:14:40 GMT -5
Here on Vancouver Island, I've found the same thing. My local club had a booth at a fair recently and I went planning to meet the artisans, take pictures and interview one or two about their work. Unfortunately everything they had for sale was generic stuff from the internet, the kind every rock store sells, and the local stuff they had was terribly put together. They actually would hot glue tumbled stones on top of each other, with the hot glue strings showing. I bought some stuff and joined the club to be nice, but I've already got a more extensive collection and knowledge of local stones than my local rock club. Oh well, in their lacking I see opportunity.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,622
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 16, 2014 0:41:29 GMT -5
The high costs of gas and motel rooms is keeping a lot of dealers from traveling very far for smaller shows. To drive 500 miles round trip to do a 3 day show can easily cost $600 for gas, food, and three nights in a decent motel. And that doesn't even include booth fees which vary depending on the venue. It's tough to make a profit with those kinds of expenses in this terribly weak economy unless you are doing a large show with lots of foot traffic. Being able to remember what our local Gem shows were like 30-40 years ago makes me sad to think about it. We used to have a very good show in Greensboro, NC at the Colosseum the week before Christmas that would fill up the exhibition center with dealers and the foot traffic was elbow to elbow. But the economy got so bad in the Piedmont area of NC that the last year they had the show I was told that sales and attendance were so low that only two dealers applied to renew their booth spaces for the next year. Larry C.
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Post by glennz01 on Sept 16, 2014 12:26:17 GMT -5
Some of our club members went to Tuscon earlier this year and got some pics.... pics
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Sept 16, 2014 12:52:23 GMT -5
thats the most amethyst I have ever seen in one location. Nothing in my area compares. Chuck
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Post by glennz01 on Sept 16, 2014 13:37:17 GMT -5
Tuscon is the show to go to!
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Post by snowmom on Sept 17, 2014 5:44:21 GMT -5
There is a rock show scheduled for Nov with Midland rock club here in MI. It is a pretty active club. Might try to hit that one.
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Post by Pat on Sept 17, 2014 12:31:55 GMT -5
Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society show in San Jose is very good. On a weekend in April annually.
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riverbendlapidary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2006
Posts: 1,058
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Post by riverbendlapidary on Sept 18, 2014 23:13:26 GMT -5
The high costs of gas and motel rooms is keeping a lot of dealers from traveling very far for smaller shows. To drive 500 miles round trip to do a 3 day show can easily cost $600 for gas, food, and three nights in a decent motel. And that doesn't even include booth fees which vary depending on the venue. It's tough to make a profit with those kinds of expenses in this terribly weak economy unless you are doing a large show with lots of foot traffic. Being able to remember what our local Gem shows were like 30-40 years ago makes me sad to think about it. We used to have a very good show in Greensboro, NC at the Colosseum the week before Christmas that would fill up the exhibition center with dealers and the foot traffic was elbow to elbow. But the economy got so bad in the Piedmont area of NC that the last year they had the show I was told that sales and attendance were so low that only two dealers applied to renew their booth spaces for the next year. Larry C. you nailed it. once you add gas, booth fee + weak economy it's mainly an academic excercise rather than a money-making one...
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Post by snowmom on Sept 23, 2014 8:27:32 GMT -5
polishedball, did you make it to the show this past weekend, and what did you think?
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