SOS AFTER BATTLE REPORT 2016

Well, the 2016 Show of Shows is “history” so to speak but it is one for the books and I can’t wait to tell you about it. It was held in a different hall at the Kentucky Expo Center so instead of it being a large hall with an “L” extension, it was in one very big hall. We had our usual select location on the left wall. We put together a very professional display which many who attend do appreciate.

There are always factors involved in determining the difference between a good show and a great show. So what made this a very good show for us? This was the first time in years when the show wasn’t held in conjunction with a gun show so one would think that might have a bearing on the attendance. I had a bunch of people tell me that they liked it better this way because attendees could spend more time at our show and not be concerned about what they were missing at the gun show.
This year the weather was very cooperative for the duration of the show. So after my team made the 18-hour trek from Massachusetts in some horrific ice and rain storms, the weather turned very nice and temperatures were a balmy 60-70 degrees in Louisville. That certainly put many in a good mood and has a distinct bearing on attendance.

(part of the crew)

.......................................(Dave whistling a happy tune!)..................................................(My professional photographer, Jeff Demers)...........................

(the crowd waits to get in)

So, overall, in my opinion, attendance appeared to be very heavy on Friday and moderate on Saturday. Another factor is still the currency exchange rate. Numerous attendees come from all over the world to attend this show. In fact, many tell me if they are only going to select one show to attend per year, the SOS is their first choice. It would be conservative to say that the Euro, the British Pound, the Aussie Dollar and every other form of foreign currency still sucks. Naturally, this plays a major factor in the buying power, and this was evident by the fewer foreign visitors at the show. The ones that did attend were doing more looking and selling than buying.

(nice selection of newly acquired flags)

Coming to the show knowing these factors upfront, I had lowered my expectations but, as in previous years, the end result was much better than I projected. Sales and, in a few cases, trades made this a very good selling and buying show. To add to the spice, there were a few walk-ins with veteran items that I had the opportunity to take a swing at. It’s always difficult because these folks are always looking for offers and that makes it difficult. It almost becomes an auction and can be quite frustrating. I understand why people do this because they are trying to get as much as possible for their items. I batted around .333 in this category.

(quite the collection of SS Helmets, just in)

(the table was always busy!)

The organization, rules and regulations adhered to by the sponsor which is the Ohio Valley Military Society are fair and consistent and this makes for a well-organized show. Once again my helmet is off for all the hard work and dedication by the officers and volunteers.
Virtually everybody I spoke with said they had a good show whether they were just attending or setting up. I talked to a number of collectors who said they were able to find items from their most wanted list because the selection at the show is so varied.

(Hayden Howard with Bill)

One of the highlights of my show was the opportunity to meet and interact with some youngsters who are the future lifeline of this hobby. Morgan, Alexander (from Copenhagen) and Hayden from Oklahoma (pictured above) are among a few. These teenagers were enthusiastic and very knowledgeable.  Where else could this happen except at the SOS?

(check out our nice selection of daggers)
 

The icing on the cake for us was the privilege to sponsor a veteran again this year. Larry Eads of the OVMS does a great job coordinating this and we are proud to be a part of this effort to show our gratitude to these great Americans. This year we sponsored Dick Cole, who was Jimmy Doolittle’s co-pilot on the historic raid which became known as “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo”.  He is a young and chipper 100 years old. Yes, you read that correctly! We were privileged to spend some quality time with him, his daughter and Wes, his director of security. My team was absolutely in awe of being in this man's presence. He is truly a national treasure!

Stay tuned and I’ll follow this up with a future blog with more details about this member of “The Greatest Generation”.

Now that the OVMS is in charge of the MAX show in October, there are even more advantages to becoming a member of this vibrant club. Membership gets you not only into both shows free but also into the shows earlier than the general public. Please consider joining by going to their website. Tell them I sent you! http://www.sosovms.com/Membership/