"Question to Dealers" Topic

"The Weekend" a small convention operating out of the Continental Inn (across the Street from the Lancaster Host) and placed on the third or fourth Weekend of June, presently has no dealers. We have lots of space and are thinking of starting to include dealers.

The convention operates on a different model and scheme from other conventions. The emphasis is on friendship, games, game design, food, fun, and fellowship. As such, we would not want any dealers to be stuck in the "dealer hall" all day. We know many dealers game, and many are our friends already, and we would like to allow the dealers to be able to play, and lounge in the "Munchie Pit" with the rest of us. The Games we put on are top notch and usually "big extravaganzas" and put on by GM's who like that sort of thing. Games, socializing, having fun, and All of them are "experiences" of a con. Dealers are part of the con experience too, but Dealers all too often are treated as aphids by the ants of the convention ant farm.
We also understand the amount of work involved as many of our attendees already ARE dealers but don't bring their wares to sell. But dealers provide a convention experience just as valid as GM's and attendees.

What we are considering is a limited dealer effort. We do not expect a dealer to bring ALL his stuff to a con. There is of course a limited clientele.

One of the other earmarks of "The Weekend" is we are not looking to make any more money than we need to and are satisfied if we make enough money to cover expenses.

Therefore dealers coming to the convention would be charged NOTHING, the same as any other attendee who stays at the Continental. If you come, take a hotel room at the Continental there is no charge for the convention. Persons staying elsewhere are requested to make a $20 USD donation, but that would be it.

The question is are there any dealers who would be interested in doing this, coming with a "stripped down" store of wares, that would not require large and expansive booths and a lot of assistants?

Please let me know by e mailing me at sigurd@eclpse.net

Vendors will want to know your attendance, genre of the con, cost of hotel rooms, etc.

Otto:

My friends in the vendor community generally like events like this. Most are gamers as well. I have done events like this in the past. I put out a sign "Come Find Me At Table B2" or else I run games in front of the booth. Both have worked.

For these events I'll usually bring just a couple small lines and a lot of clearance.

NJ is too far from Chicago, but I think if you offer it up you might get some takers.

As an alternative, you could also do flea market tables. Charge, say, $10 USD for the weekend. Same set up. Put out your stuff and then a sign where to find you.

Otto: I may be interested in setting up a small "booth" for a couple of days. My challenge is all schedule related with two larger shows bookending the Weekend, work travel and family stuff (not to mention production for the shows). With that said, I would definitely consider setting up for a full day and then departing the following day. This would provide an opportunity for the gamers to shop for 12+ hours etc.

Dear Extra Crispy and BTC Terrainman

We don't do a flea-market. We have two tables, a "Free Table" where people can come and dump stuff they just want to find a good home for and a "Bring and Buy" where you lay the stuff out with a price tag. As the convention is in one big 5,000 sq ft ballroom with another 3,000 sq ft mezzanine available, there's n separate dealer hall.

A vendor could come for a single day, that would be fine. As for themes, they don't mean much each year we have a theme, but it's just an excuse to slap some cover art on he badges and brochures. The proclivities of the attendees are all over the map, from ancients to sci-fi. All however are miniature gamers. This year we had a request from several "orphans" from the WBC moving on to Pittsburgh from the host and are welcoming them.

We are canvassing for interest and will work out the details with those venders interested.

79th PA

That information is all in the "After Action Report/ Keepsake bulletin" (48 pages) full color that we put out after the convention which contains battle reports of every game put on (well those we can run down the GM's and hog tie them till they give us the report- some are too slippery) and in the four quarterly updates we publish through the year which informs you of all the things you mentioned. These give blurbs on the new games signed on, the schedule, other events like contests and raffles and so forth. The con is primarily historical miniatures, but we allow any sort of gaming with miniatures, and open gaming for Euro-games, board games, etc. This years theme is "Space Babes, Sci fi gaming honoring the great "B" movies of our youth. Next years game will be "The Civil War." Themes don't mean much, people bring games they'd like to put on just as they bring donations to the "munchie mountain" of free refrshments and beverages.

In all things we would not want to chain the venders to their booths, we want them able to play and socialize.

I also would love to attend but I too am too far away. Since my open heart surgery, i only travel 9 hours for a local or regional show. A lot also has to do with the type of games being played. if it is mainly RPG, then I will not attend as I do not sell RPG items.
Another consideration is the number and type of local hobby stores. If you have any in the area then you do not need for me to attend.
Good luck with your convention.

I might be interested. Depends on the schedule.

I would love to come but It's too far from CA to the con.

Sounds like a good deal, but I'm about 3,000 miles away, which is a deal breaker for me.

A pity.

Dear Rudy

NO RPG. Hard core Ancients, 18th Century, Medieval, SAGA, WWII, Colonials, and Napoleonic gamers predominate.

Deare Evil Bob

THIS YEAR the convention is the 17th to 19th, with a kick off dinner on the 16th. Next year it will be on the same third weekend of the month of June.

Do you have a web site? I just moved back to Lancaster and can run a game or 2.

Otto: Would love to chat with you about this in the future. I cannot do this year as my calendar is already full for these dates.

Dear Cold Steel

We work out of the "Society of Daisy" a yahoo group. If you want to send me your snail mail I wills end you an invite and last years After Action Report and Keepsake booklet.

The convention is the 17th to 19th, of June, at the Continental Hotel right across the street from the Host. Your games would be welcome.

send me your postal delivery address at sigurd@eclipse.net and I will add you to the attendees list.

Otto

Otto, can't make it this year (although I'd love to attend as I've been following your convention for several years now and it sounds like a lot of fun), but hopefully I can put it on the schedule for next year.

Historicon always conflicts with other family events that always occur on the same weekend, so The Weekend would give me an opportunity to travel east and see some old friends again.

Our convention "Fields of Honor" in Des Moines, IA is generally this sort of effort. We have vendors cycle through but usually only have 1 or 2 in any given year. They are in the same room as the gaming. We have 100-120 attendees and a few guys that will spend good amounts of money.

Usually vendors that bring new stuff do really well the first year they come (When their stuff is all new to the attendees). If they come back with the same stuff the next year they usually do very poorly since everyone either bought what they wanted last year or bought it on the web after the fact.

The ideal setup for us would probably be having 4 to 5 vendors that rotate so only 1 comes each year. However it gets harder and harder to get vendors to a small con like ours.

@Leidang

When is your show? I could be interested in attending with a small selection of my many lines/ranges. Drop me a line. mark@scalecreep.com

We can't do this year as we just had a baby in March and I'm backed up schedule-wise but I am really interested in next year's con.

If you get the chance email me at bob@evilbobs.biz

Cold Steel
We just moved to Lititz and are looking to build up a gaming group. Ancients to Sci-fy. Right now we're on a Saga kick but mainly play colonials and what every strikes our fancy. Contact us at liebl.bob@gmail.com
Bob and Cleo