Will the experiment be a success?

Yesterday was Professional Preview Day at the Central States convention in Milwaukee. Chairman Kevin Foley called it experimental. It followed PNG Day on Wednesday. The public will be let in this morning at 10 a.m. for the first time.

I have already spoken to a dealer or two who plan to leave tonight, so it will be interesting to see what the bourse looks like tomorrow.

As you might expect, it looked kind of slow on the bourse yesterday. Many dealers left their tables untended to walk the floor to try to make deals happen. When I start asking for comments, I expect I will hear how these efforts to scare up some business worked.

Overall, if the public shows up in large numbers today and tomorrow, then I expect the new arrangement will be judged a success and it will be continued at future conventions. It the public doesn’t come, or if dealers are dissatisfied with the business they do with the public, then perhaps we will see some adjustments made to next year’s convention schedule.

Two days in a row of just dealers certainly made it easier for me to talk to them as the day moved along yesterday, but my convenience is not the reason why we are all here.

Last night I attended a nice gathering of exhibitors at Mo’s Pub. It was hosted by Fran andd Ray Lockwood. Fran is exhibits chair. She really knows how to treat exhibitors, but even more to the point, CSNS knows how to treat exhibitors. Looking at case after case on the floor, I was impressed. The exhibits are worthy of a national convention in both number and quality. Kudos to both Fran and the Central States organization.