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Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down?

Posted By: BuyGlass

Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/06/11 09:32 PM

Wow the buzz on Facebook the past few days is that Harbour Lights and the Lighthouse Depot might be closing down after this year. Mums the word here or what???

Sean
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/06/11 09:55 PM

Anything is possible including me winning the lotto, but, no rumor here about this happening. I wouldn't count on rumors until you hear it from the source.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/06/11 10:25 PM

Do we have a source anymore ???
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/07/11 01:36 AM

The "SOURCE" being an announcement from Harbour Lights thru an email, HL Webmaster or from our dealers.
Posted By: Bob M

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/07/11 12:16 PM

A lot of "brand name" collectibles went out of business many years ago. It's our lousy economy that none of the Pols seem to be able to correct. People just don't have the expendible cash anymore. Their interests now lie with just surviving and providing the basics for their families. HL hung in there by making adjustments and providing a quality product to its followers. If the end is near, I understand. I say thank you for a great run and lots of fun.

Bob
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/07/11 02:18 PM

I was actually kidding about who the "Source" is.

A message from TonyC would have come by now to put our minds at ease. Could be why he's moved on.

Here's hoping that it's not the end for HL's. I hope somehow, someone(s) KEEP THE FLAME !!! LHM...Harry...Bill...(sigh)
Posted By: CAVR

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/07/11 02:30 PM

Time will tell......
Posted By: Angels Gate

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/07/11 06:42 PM

I think time HAS told. I don't know any more than anyone on the Forums, and I know less than most, but to me, the writing has been on the wall for AT LEAST the two years that I have been collecting HLS. I am glad they have held on for this long, but when they can't even sell a few hundred sets of Special lights, how can they be expected to survive at all? Yet, we must keep in mind that at this point, we are hearing RUMOR alone, and while an 'official' announcement isn't likely for awhile, even if it IS true, I won't be at all surprised to hear it... only saddened.
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/08/11 07:42 PM

Since I started that Facebook thread, let me comment here on "Harbour Lights Watching".

There are certain expectations we have about what to expect from Harbour Lights based on the company's history under the Younger's from 1991-2006 and under Don's management from 2006 to the present.

When certain expectations don't happen, "HL Watchers" take this as a sign that things aren't going well at our favorite collectibles company.

Everything is NOT Don's fault. The economy was already bad when he took over and it clearly has gotten worse. That he has been able to keep the company going for the past years is, frankly, amazing, a tribute to his business experience and acumen.

Harbour Lights has actually been profitable for the past several years.

That is, they made more money than they spent on product development, overhead and staff. Not so for the collectibles retailers including HL's number 1 reseller - Lighthouse Depot.

LHD's overhead must be higher than HL's. The one advantage that LHD enjoys over the other retailers is that they don't need to carry an inventory of Harbour Lights. If they get an order for 2 of a particular piece, they can purchase those pieces from HL as needed and ship them out the same day.

If there isn't much business for the retailers, then there isn't much future for Harbour Lights.

A reliable source told me that NO products are presently in development for 2012. (Maybe items have been chosen, but they are not being sculpted.) LHD hasn't published a catalog in several months and doesn't have one ready for this year according to my source.

The Alaska Cruise provided an income stream to Harbour Lights because of the exclusives sold at increased prices directly from HL to collectors.

Probably a majority of those who attended the reunion were no longer actually collectors.

The number of "auto-ships" to dealers has dropped into double-digits (under 100). In the past it was in the thousands.

What might be the future of Harbour Lights?

The company might be sold -- assuming an interested buyer could be found. Or it might be turned into a direct-to-collector subscription program similar to Franklin Mint.

All this is speculation on my part -- based on my experience at "watching" Harbour Lights.

Harbour Lights could surprise me. I've heard the death bells tolling for them before and they made it through those times. They could do it again.
Posted By: RMau

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/08/11 11:13 PM

Well now!

I knew not hanging out at Facebook could mean missing out on lots of news, tidbits and rumors. Thanks Sean for sharing the buzz with those of us still living in the old neighborhood!

Whether there are more years to come or not, the 20 years that have passed have been thoroughly enjoyable for me. However, I'm thinking along the same lines as John.

Harbour Lights has withstood many business challenges. They have dealt with run-away success in the early years, a change in ownership, the long-running decline in the economy, the loss of dealers and distribution, and on and on.

I live in Florida, which I think historically has been one of HLs better markets. The economy here is terrible. The housing market will be years recovering to what it was in the early and mid 2000s. Unemployment is about 11% and climbing for the past three months, not getting better. In some counties the rate is pushing 14%. In '04, '05, and '06 unemployment was under 4%. There simply isn't any money for things like HLs.

Even those who are fortunate enough to have work are spending money differently today than they used to. Saving is much more 'top of mind' for many people. Down-sizing is back in vogue, so available dollars will go further.

I hope I'm wrong because there are a few pieces I'd still like to see HLs do. But even there, I'm part of the problem. There are only a few. And 'a few' is a tough business model. Volume is better. But I don't think that HLs has been able to muster enough volume, especially per piece, to keep their supply chain costs from constantly rising. I imagine that there are minimum order requirements as well as volume discounts that factor in. It is possible that HLs just cannot muster the minimums anymore.

We'll see. But I suspect the ride is over. If it is, it was great while it lasted!

Rick
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/08/11 11:28 PM

LHD Is having a "Close Out Sale"... not particularly a reassuring name for a sale in these economic times:

http://www.lighthousedepot.com/category....campaign=E09081
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/08/11 11:30 PM

Here's a link to the Harbour Lights Collectors @ Facebook. You don't need to join FB to read the posts.
Posted By: RMau

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/09/11 12:02 AM

Thanks for posting the link John, but like every other time I've tried a FB link, I wind up at a Log In page. As far as I know, there is no way to see FB content without a FB account.

I'd like to be wrong on this, so I'm listening if anyone has the key to this lock.

Rick
Posted By: fra02441

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/09/11 12:03 AM

I looked on facebook and it wont let you see the posts unless you are friends with them
Posted By: RMau

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/09/11 02:35 AM

Fran,

That's what I thought.

Thanks for looking.

Rick
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/09/11 04:55 AM

Sorry... The group is a closed one. You need to be a member to view it. My mistake.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/09/11 02:20 PM

Originally Posted By: Webmaster

Harbour Lights has actually been profitable for the past several years.

That is, they made more money than they spent on product development, overhead and staff. Not so for the collectibles retailers including HL's number 1 reseller - Lighthouse Depot.

LHD's overhead must be higher than HL's. The one advantage that LHD enjoys over the other retailers is that they don't need to carry an inventory of Harbour Lights. If they get an order for 2 of a particular piece, they can purchase those pieces from HL as needed and ship them out the same day.

If there isn't much business for the retailers, then there isn't much future for Harbour Lights.



Here's hoping someone(s) buys HL and keeps it alive !!!
Posted By: Angels Gate

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/09/11 07:35 PM

Here we go again! Some of the most important topics imaginable to Harbour Lights Collectors are posted on FB, rather than the Forums! Let's see if you all can get your FB 'Friends' to save the company, or do anything besides post a "LIKE" comment!
Posted By: rgurskey

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/09/11 09:16 PM

You should know by now that negative topics and comments seldom appear on the Collector Forums.
Posted By: Angels Gate

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/09/11 11:52 PM

I know you are right, but it is still seems a bit ridiculous to 'gild the lily' at this point. All of us collectors love what HL has done for us in the past, and we have a vested interest (so to speak) in what is happening to the company now. There cannot be a better place to discuss all of it than right here, is all I'm saying. Those of us with the nerve have b-----d about this and that, but have not passed by a single lighthouse made by HL, other than a few paint variations. We LOVE these replicas, and we deserve to know what gives. RIGHT HERE ON THIS SITE!
Posted By: RMau

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/10/11 01:26 AM

John,

Thanks to you and Fran for the follow-up. But I'm still not going to join FB. Personal preference, nothing against the folks who are there.

I guess I'll figure out what's going as time passes. I'll either come across a new piece that I'd like to add to the collection, or I won't.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fellow collectors,

The collector community has always been split into different groups, and split in different ways. Those who collect them all, those who collect a subset of interest. Those that posted in the online conversations, those that watched and read. Those who conversed frequently with the Youngers and HLs, those that might have said hello to Bill at an event. And other ways too.

So it isn't a surprise to me that the collector community has split again, along yet another line of demarcation. These Fora, and Facebook. I think it's a shame that the online discussions are fragmented like this. But it is my choice to avoid Facebook. And not any of the FB participants responsibility to make the extra effort to 'include me in' by spending additional time to replicate a discussion here.

Through all of this, the saddest part is that (apparently) all the different niches of the HL collector community added together, no longer add up to enough market for HLs to continue in business. And that is a shame.

No matter what neighborhood of the HL community one hung out it, it was interesting and fun. Life needs more of that, not less.

All best everyone,

Rick
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/10/11 02:09 PM

Rick - I'm with you on the Facebook feelings. While I have nothing against these sites, I prefer not to make myself anymore public then I am right now for hackers, spammers, etc. I read so many things about these sites being accessible to the above and that is why I cannot bring myself to participate.

My other thoughts on this subject is with less and less people participating on the Forums, and with the eventual demise of Harbour Lights, I wonder why we continue to pay for the Forums server. My last input is that I personally hope Harbour Lights will shut down for 2 simple reasons: 1. I am out of room and have no more space for another curio. 2. I feel like I'm throwing money away everytime I buy a new release and if I cancelled my auto ship I would put another nail in my dealer's coffin.
Posted By: Dave H

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/11/11 09:07 PM

I tend to believe the writing is on the wall (in large letters) for HL's demise, especially with Tony's departure. It has been a good run. However, I tend to also believe that this does not spell the end of the line for the forums. I know that your primary area of interest is just HL products, but we have so many members who also enjoy the travel and real thing. And, should HL close up, we will be positioned to help the remaining dealers and collectors who find HL late in life. You know that the membership here is the collective brain trust for things HL, with knowledge and insight not found elsewhere, including at HL itself.

While I don't post as much as I did at one point (I'm not into posting simply for the purpose of posting) I do check the forums every day. I know I am not the only person doing this. There are many who are either not members or don't stay logged in so they show up as guests. Even though I would like them to register and log in, I am also happy that they choose to visit the site and hope that we are able to be helpful to them without chasing them away.
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/11/11 10:10 PM

Dave - You have some good points that you made concerning keeping the brain trust in tact. Even though we have very little conversations going on (it took over 30 hours for someone to answer my posts on why we keep the Forums going when in the old days it would have had many rebuttals within the hour), but, as long as there is money to support the Forums we should probably continue to pay.
Posted By: Middle I-land MI Max

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/11/11 11:00 PM

Anyone have any reason(s) for HOPE for our beloved Harbour Lights sculptures continuing that you would care to share here?

What should HL be doing at this apparent critical time to stay in business as seen by those of you who are a part of "our collective brain trust"?

Just maybe HL leadership will pay attention now, and gain an innovative idea(s)?

Max
Posted By: RMau

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/12/11 02:26 AM

Max,

There is always hope. Look at what the Tampa Bay Rays did this weekend as they chase a playoff spot!

But, unfortunately, I agree with Dave. I think HLs, as we know it, has had it's run. I don't see a market in these economic times.

In my view, HLs market has been shrinking for a number of years. There are many reasons. Some I think were self-inflicted, some were out of their control, but just as devastating to their business.

Out of their control? The economic meltdown. I think this was the last straw. People just have to prioritize their spending differently today than they did before the mortgage/housing crisis and the loss of so many jobs. The question of what about tomorrow is much more vivid in people's minds.

So the spending evaluation is 'I have $100.00. Do I 1) pay myself and save it, 2) pay a bill or 3) buy a Harbour Light that I really don't a place for anyway'. More and more people are picking 1 or 2 instead of 3.

HLs also was a victim of their own success. They made great stuff. Stuff that got better and better over time in terms of detail and craftsmanship. Those things don't come cheap, even in China.

I believe that HLs, in the Younger's hands, did all that they could to keep the per piece cost down. I looked at a couple of random years of the online catalog at harbourlights.com. In 1992 the average cost per piece at list was $65.57. In 2001 it had only gone up to $71.00. That's not bad. But how did they do that, even if good craftsmanship costs more?

Well, in 1992 there were 14 pieces released. Cost to purchase all of them was $918.00. In 2001 there were 24 pieces released, not including GLOWs. Cost to purchase all of them was $1,704.00. (If HLCS membership was $45.00. It was about that)

So, the per piece cost was still reasonable, but the cost to 'have them all' was way up. The increased number of annual releases was in response to perceived collector demand. But I think it had the unintentional consequence of making collectors evaluate their collections more closely. What were they collecting? Why were they collecting it? And so forth.

I know it did for me. And the net result in my case was I bought many fewer HLs pieces. And shrunk my contribution to HLs revenues at the same time. I think a lot of collectors were doing the same thing beginning around this time.

What has happened since? In 2011 there are 13 pieces listed at harbourlights.com. This could be a good thing for cash strapped collectors. But the average cost of a piece is up to $101.92, or $1,223.00 to by them all.

There is probable a role for edition size in this discussion as well. Edition sizes in 2010 and 2011 were 1,200 for Limited Editions. From a HL corporate perspective, that is a lot less overall revenue. Even if editions sell out, which I don't think that they are.

So, if you're still reading, that's the long way around to say that I don't think that sales cover expenses any longer. Economists are saying that the economic recovery may take several more years. In many places real estate values aren't expected to approach the peaks of the mid-2000s for many, many years. Even if one divides those time frames in half, we're still talking years, not months. Too long for a cash strapped company to hang on and hope for the customers to return.

Unless HLs, as a business, can figure out how to cut costs and increase revenues, without compromising the product, I don't think they can remain viable.

One man's opinion, but I'd love to hear what other's think.

Rick
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/12/11 04:21 AM

I think we've already established that HL's are still turning a profit, even after you figure in the their overhead. The problem sounds like will Lighthouse Depot be sticking around to fund future HL releases.

The HOPE we need to hear is that a new owner is on the horizen and keeps them HL's coming. Maybe some new minds will figure a way to reduce production costs. Maybe move production to Viatnam or Sri Lanka.

Of course the current owners could separate HL from LHD and reduce production costs. Buy I'm not holding my breath on that happening.

Here HOPING that their still will be 2012 HL releases. Even if they are later then usual.
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/12/11 04:52 PM

Loon - Personally, I think that HLs staying around is a pipe dream. Rather then concentrate on new releases that very few will buy, you might want to concentrate on the older releases that you don't have. Now is the time to buy!
Posted By: RMau

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/12/11 05:41 PM

I'm willing to be convinced that HLs, as an independent entity, is making a profit. But I'd be very surprised if that were the case. And even if it were, one has to factor in that new owner would have increased costs to cover the loss of support that Lighthouse Marketing and Lighthouse Depot provide now.

I believe that we collector's agree that we'd very much like HLs to continue is some fashion. But I've asked myself, if given the means, would I buy Harbour Lights? The answer is no. I simply don't see a viable business.

Now, I will admit that sometimes the 'big picture' is hard for me to bring into focus. But there are many challenges here. Any business has fixed costs. Salaries, cost of goods, marketing, etc. You can fiddle with those costs, tweak them here and there, but you cannot eliminate them. To stay in business you have to have enough revenue to consistently cover those costs. To grow your business, you have to have enough revenue to consistently exceed those costs.

I don't see HLs having that kind of revenue. To get pieces manufactured HLs has contracts with China. Those contracts are most likely some sort of sliding scale for discounts vs production. Buy 25% of the anticipated 1,200 pieces, pay X per piece. Buy 50% of the anticipated 1,200 pieces, pay X less 10%. Buy the full 1,200 pieces, pay X less 30%. Or something similar.

Those costs are fixed costs. They are the price of admission to the market. And chances are they are only break-even until the production run gets well into 1,200 pieces. So what do you do? If you take the run in pieces, you drive up your overall costs with multiple set-ups on the line, multiple shipments, etc. If you take all 1,200 up front, you take all the risk of not selling them out. Buying 1,200 and only selling 337 isn't good business, even though one can say that on a per piece basis, you made a profit. But you haven't made enough money to cover all of your costs. You have dollars sitting on the shelves in the form of the 863 unsold pieces.

There are old timers here on the Forums who have heard/seen me say this before. HLs longevity has been challenged since they were founded. There are only so many lighthouses to make replicas of. The Youngers did a great job of trying to diversify their lines and develop multiple revenue streams. Limited Editions, LLOMs, Anchor Bay, GLOWs, the balloons, etc.

Some of those worked and worked well. LEs and LLOMs probably the best. Others never caught on. The balloons and Anchor Bay, except the Coast Guard ships, which seem to have found a niche. But, as the potential owner of HLs, ask yourself what is left to do with these lines?

How many LLOMs can one seaside gift shop sell for the local lights? They've been available for several years now. Is that a growing or a declining market?

How many LEs are left to do? How many of them are well known lights and likely to sell out while attracting new collectors? Are LEs a growing or a declining market?

What about overseas? Expand internationally? HLs efforts there didn't work. But it would seem that maybe there is some market there. If another company hasn't already taken a page from HLs and opened up for business in their home country.

All-in-all, I just don't see a viable, long-term market for HLs. I think that HLs did great stuff to manage the 20 years that they have had. But I won't be surprised to hear official confirmation that they have closed their doors.

I hope I'm wrong. There are Fresnel Lens' that I'd like to add to my Lens shelf!

Rick
Posted By: Dave H

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/13/11 03:36 AM

I don't think there is much chance of bringing HL back from the edge. They have done a good job of killing off most of the dealer network and when LHD folds who will move the product? There are still some great dealers out there, but I don't think they could move enough product to pay for someone to order a production run.

I could create all sorts of scenarios for a small, efficient company to exist, but it must have a good distribution channel. If LHD is out of the picture who will fill in the void? I would love to think some of the remaining dealers would be able to pick up lots of new customers, but it would take a while for the customers to find the dealers. I'd love to believe so, but could the new owners survive long enough sitting on lots of unsold product while the customers found a new dealer?
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/13/11 02:17 PM

Rumor has it that the 2012 lighthouses have been selected and drawings complete, but LHM/LHD hasn't raised enough funds to proceed any further. Yet!!!
Posted By: Cana Fan

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/13/11 03:22 PM

Case in point to Daves comments, I'm heading up to Vermont this week (Burlington/Lake Champlain area) for work, and checked on HL dealers to check out if I had time. Nada, not one. Kinda hard to believe. My dealer in Wisconsin has taken most of their HL's off the shelf and are only special ordering them now. Needless to say they are not happy with the way things have gone, with the discounting and the like. Would hate to see HL go away, but figured it would happen at some point once the Youngers gave it up...

Mike
Posted By: RMau

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/18/11 03:17 AM

Kinda quiet here.

Loon, anything more on the rumor that 2012 lights have been selected? And where did that rumor come from? Go back and ping them again, inquiring minds want to know the latest!

Mike, how did Vermont go? Did you have time to look for HL dealers? Maybe shops that don't show up in the list, but have some old timers on the shelves?

The silence on this topic might be telling is something.

Rick
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/18/11 04:46 PM

Haven't heard anything since.

My take is that LHD will be running alot of sales to come up with the funding for next years pieces.

Everything might be a little later then prior years, or maybe a much reduces amount of pieces, or maybe none.

If "HL 2012" does happen, sales better be going up or you can be sure there is no "HL 2013".
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/18/11 04:57 PM

Loon - My inside sources relayed to me that the 2012 pieces have NOT been ordered yet and probably won't be ordered. They told me an announcement will most likly be coming in October but did not know what the announcement was about.

My "gut feeling" is that it will be about HLs not being produced anymore. We'll see how reliable my resources are when October rolls around.
Posted By: RMau

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/18/11 08:01 PM

Thanks Loon & Rich.

I suppose another possibility for an announcement is that the Harbour Lights line has been sold to another company. Being a line within a larger organization might be a way to continue.

A company that already has ties to manufacturing in China, and distribution in the US might work. Harbour Lights would then be an added revenue stream for that company to offset/pay for those costs.

But, there would still have to be a enough revenue to at least pay for itself and not drain profits from other lines within this potential company.

I guess we'll know more in October. Maybe.

Rick
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/18/11 08:45 PM

Looking for a possible buyer?

Check out http://www.authenticmodels.com. Nautical product line, attention to detail, but their products are VERY expensive.

The problem facing any potential buyer: the number 1 seller of the line seems to be in financial trouble.

I suspect that when Don bought HL in 2006, no money changed hands. The Youngers probably got a percentage of sales from the inventory and from the future products for some limited number of years.

That could be the terms of sale now, if a buyer were to step forward.

The top asset? Harry Hines.

Problem assets? Unsold inventory (competes with new products), weak dealer network (hurt by actions of LHD), very weak number (under 100) of 'buy them all enthusiasts', and all the well known US lighthouses have already been made. (And those enthusiasts don't have any more display space.)

And oh, Yes --- the miserable state of the economy world-wide. who has any disposable income???
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/18/11 10:11 PM

If it's true HL's are still turning a profit, even if it's small. In today's miserable economy, why would you closeup shop?

Most companies are going under only after they've falling into a large amount of debt. If HL is truely profitable, aren't they doing better then most struggling businesses?

I think the announcement is about LHD closing up shop and some of their assets being sold off. One being Harbour Lights.

Maybe Harry or Bill advised Don of other companies interested in HL from before the sale to LHM.
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/18/11 10:57 PM

At the time Bill was looking to sell the company, the ONLY person he approached was Don.

This from Bill's mouth to my ear during the Interview for the Collector's Guide.
Posted By: RMau

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/19/11 02:21 AM

I'm very willing to be very wrong about all of this. But ...

I can imagine a scenario where the math shows that on a per piece basis HLs in turning a profit. That is per piece as in a sale of one LE to one collector. The piece cost $X to produce and it is sold for $X+. The + is a profit, on that one piece.

But I don't see that enough entire editions are being sold, so that HLs as a whole is profitable.

As I was thinking about the question of profitability for HLs, it occurred to me that edition sizes are way down too. This shows the decline in distribution as dealers and collectors have withdrawn from the market. It also probably means that HLs per piece costs have gone up, as volume discounts from the factories have diminished or even disappeared.

In fact, this could be the last straw. HLs may not be able to find a manufacturer for 2012, because they want (need?) another reduction in edition size. The factory may not want the work because at those volumes they cannot make money themselves.

I see a business that is being squeezed from many directions. And the squeeze has been going on for a number of years. There doesn't seem to be any more blood to get from the HL stone.

Rick
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/19/11 04:42 AM

As a business entity, with the costs of designing, sculpting, manufacturing, shipping, the paid staff, etc. Despite slow sales, Earlier this year, I had it on good authority that the company was profitable.

Yes, the manufacturers are charging more and requiring larger orders. Their costs are higher, etc.

I was told that, in fact, HL still ran at a substantial profit for Lighthouse Marketing.

I'm not sure if the real estate overhead for the warehouse and offices in West Kennebunk were factored in or not. Another source has indicated the facilities are a great financial burden.

Here is a public report on Lighthouse Marketing -- however both Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot appear to be merged into this one report. The address shown is the LHD Store, not the West Kennebunk offices and warehouse. Read the Report
Posted By: Cana Fan

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/19/11 03:38 PM

Rick, Had some time on Friday to cruise around Vermont, but fould no HL's. Did head up to Isle La Motte and Windmill Point but could not see the lights (private property well protected). Did have a nice ice cream treat at Ben and Jerrys though...

MW
Posted By: rscroope

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/19/11 08:21 PM

Wish I realized earlier Cana Fan, I could have hooked you up. I'm assuming since you got close that the flooding is not in this area.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/19/11 08:26 PM

Wouldn't it great if we could get a statement from Harry & Bill on the current state of Harbour Lights!
Posted By: Cana Fan

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/20/11 02:59 PM

Bob, was visiting a customer in Essex Junction and there was no flooding in that area. Seemed to be in pockets. All the way up the Champlain Islands I didn't see any real evidence of flooding.

Had I known for sure how much time I would have I would have made more of an effort to see these ligths, but it's one of those things where I may have 2, 8 or no hours to kill. Just so happened this time it was closer to 8.

Mike
Posted By: rscroope

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/20/11 06:51 PM

To bad Rob clark would have been happy to show you his lights
Posted By: Cana Fan

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 09/21/11 03:21 PM

Maybe next time I'll have meore time and be able to plan. At least I know who to contact!

MW
Posted By: SDudley

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/07/11 10:56 PM

Ok, is it me, but I have tried to get on lighthouse depot site from two different computers and it looks like the site has been taken down. Anybody else see this?
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/07/11 11:16 PM

Couldn't get on it either. I got a picture that said something cool is coming with a new owner. Let's see if this is the prequel to the announcement that I heard was coming in October.
Posted By: Lighthouser

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/08/11 07:45 PM

No one at home on the L Depot Facebook page either.
I drove by the store on RT. 1 yesterday on the way somewhere else, but didn't notice anything strange from the road.
Posted By: Middle I-land MI Max

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/10/11 05:41 AM

Heard at the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival in Alpena, MI this weekend from someone who had visited the LD store very recently. Their opinion was that the LD store looked very sparse with merchandise on display for sale.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/10/11 04:21 PM

LHD Web-site is still down!
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/10/11 04:31 PM

I wonder if we should call Harbour Lights to see if there still there?
Posted By: WackoPaul

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/10/11 08:05 PM

I have the answer to the website issue.. They are in the process of switching over to new servers and they ran into some problems.. It should have already been back up but isn't yet.. They said it should be up again soon, business as usual!
Posted By: WackoPaul

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/10/11 08:07 PM

BTW if you have called Harbour Lights or Depot and just get a message, it is because they are taking today as a holiday.. It is Columbus Day today!!

Don said the store in Wells, ME is open today and they are doing a good brisk business today..
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/11/11 12:49 AM

Great to hear !!!
Posted By: The Lightkeeper

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/11/11 01:15 AM

We made a stop at the Lighthouse Depot last Thursday. Couldn't believe my eyes. Hardly anything left in the store. *(Usually the store is jam packed with merchandise) Stuff was spread out. There was nobody shopping in the store. They were having an (end of season 40% off almost everything sale) except 2010 and 2011 Harbour Lights. All others HL's were included in the sale. All of the clearance merchandise is now on the second floor. Also there is a for sale sign in front of the building on Route 1. I mentioned the rumor about them closing which was denied by the person working there. All in all it did not look promising. Maybe they are getting ready to relocate to a smaller shop or something??
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/11/11 01:39 AM

It will be an interesting thing if the rumor I heard comes true. The date for the rumor is October 15th so we will see.
Posted By: CAVR

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/11/11 02:02 AM

The clock is ticking......
Posted By: WackoPaul

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/11/11 04:47 PM

They have the following up now at Lighthousedepot.com..

Attached picture depot.jpg
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/12/11 12:18 AM

Could be a special "going out of business" site with everything marked down.
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/12/11 10:29 PM

This new page that Paul pictured above is being hosted by GoDaddy.com which implies to me that the Depot/HL is no longer running their own IT department and that perhaps my speculation above may be correct.

The custom IT needs of LHD/HL are/were all handled by Geoff Baker and are very complex. Well beyond what I would expect one could do from a GoDaddy site.

OR it could be that the site is going to be hosted elsewhere and they will point the domain there when it is ready.
Posted By: The Lightkeeper

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/14/11 02:07 AM

It just doesn't take this long with today's techonolgy to get a web site operational, espescially if you are a mail order business.
Posted By: The Lightkeeper

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/14/11 02:10 AM

Has anyone seen a Fall catalog from Lighthouse Depot??
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/14/11 04:29 PM

The Lighthouse Digest website -- including the lighthouse database -- was recently severed from the Lighthouse Depot web site.

It is now at www.lighthousedigest.com

Rumor is the bills from the company that was managing the Lighthouse Depot site hadn't been paid in some time and that caused the lighthousedepot.com site to be shut down.

Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/14/11 04:35 PM

Originally Posted By: flacoastie
It will be an interesting thing if the rumor I heard comes true. The date for the rumor is October 15th so we will see.


Maybe we'll hear something tomorrow....
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/16/11 11:45 PM

Still no new http://www.LighthouseDepot.com website.

Not sure about an October 15 announcement; I didn't get anything. Did anyone else?
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/17/11 01:34 AM

I was just told that an announcement would me made on October 15th concerning HLs. I was never told what the announcement was about. It's also very funny that Patty has now left HLs. Was anyone given a reason for her leaving?
Posted By: WackoPaul

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/17/11 02:53 AM

She has been looking for another job for a quite awhile now, I was told, not by any one there, Rich..
Posted By: Middle I-land MI Max

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/17/11 04:45 PM

Would the Patty mentioned above be Patty Samson at HL Customer Service? I noticed she was answering the phone herself sometimes in recent weeks and doing calls about 2011 HL Membership and Society pieces. I last talked with her at HL on Sept.19, 2011.
Posted By: WackoPaul

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/17/11 09:50 PM

That would be the same Patti... She spells it with an I on the end...
Posted By: Angels Gate

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/18/11 02:56 AM

A lady named Barbara at LD said the site should be back up by the end of the week.Rhonda, at Harbour Lights said it should be up tomorrow. Don't know what the 'surprise', is, but Barbara said the site is indeed an "e-commerce" site now.
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/20/11 05:15 PM

Still no new web site at lighthousedepot.com
Posted By: WackoPaul

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/21/11 09:17 PM

A scaled down website is up and running now..

Lighthouse Depot
Posted By: Middle I-land MI Max

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/22/11 05:55 PM

HUGELY scaled down selection of items, except HL. The Home Decor section has only 53 items and Books only 8 items.
Contrast this to their old mailed out catalogs of 50-60 pages.
Posted By: WackoPaul

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/22/11 07:24 PM

They may add more as time passes.. They may wanted to get something up especially the Harbour Lights.. If they add more it would be now or never with Christmas sales coming up..
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/27/11 12:48 AM

So anybody hear anymore rumors, good or bad, for Harbour Lights 2012 ???
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/27/11 12:56 AM

I heard that no lighthouses have been ordered for 2012, but, my October 15th rumor for an announcement was wrong so this could also be wrong.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/27/11 01:04 AM

What I heard was that 2012 will be just like any other Harbour Lights release year and that we'll hear about the Winter releases in late December or early January.

Anybody else hear this?
Posted By: rscroope

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/27/11 05:19 PM

I know that in the past HL had to plan a year ahead in the product line to meet release dates. With all that's changing both here and China it might be longer lead time.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/29/11 07:01 PM

From what I've heard, the 2012 line was selected back in February. Most likely, everything up though receiving the AP's has already happened.
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/30/11 09:14 PM

I doubt the 2012 products would have been made back in February, Loon.

I have received an update as to 2012, however:

The winter introductions have been designed and the originals are in China, but production hasn't been ordered yet.

Expect many fewer pieces in 2012, if production proceeds. Perhaps 10-12 pieces.

The property on Route 1 (The Lighthouse Depot store) is for sale with an asking price of $3 million. Why so much? The property owner (not Don Devine) says it's been a very successful business location, so it must be worth that. Ironic.
Posted By: Angels Gate

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/31/11 04:42 AM

Do you mean that they are only making 10-12 different designs? They have done that recently, so there isn't anything new about that. I don't get the 'flap'. Come January, or by at least May or June, we will know the whole story, and probably not a moment before that, except rumor, so I'm finished stressing over it all. Never in my experience with collecting anything, has it been so difficult to get a straight answer to collectors' questions!
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/31/11 03:09 PM

I only heard the February was the piece selection, no originals at that time. The update you received matches what I heard, except for the property sale part.

I guess we will be happy with atleast 10-12 pieces next year, it that happens!

Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/31/11 05:04 PM

I personally hope that HLs stops, while they are ahead and still the premier lighthouse maker, making lighthouses altogether. It has not been any fun spending my money on something that is not worth half of what they charge for it. When the Youngers were around, and even when Tony was involved, there was a sense of belonging. Now there is absolutely no reason to even look forward to new issues especially since the prices have gone out of sight.
Posted By: Cana Fan

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 10/31/11 07:16 PM

Cant argue with you there Rich.
Posted By: RMau

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/01/11 12:37 AM

Just me beating the same old drum, but if HLs had done 10-12 pieces, total, per year 10 years ago, would we be having this discussion now? Or would there be a more vibrant market and collector community?

Admittedly, that is tough to imagine in today's economy. But I think it is a valid question for the Rumor Mill. Heck, it's not like there's a lot of other things going on with HLs!

In the spirit of the season, we can engage in some Monday morning quarterbacking. What if HLs had done X-Y-Z instead of A-B-C?

- What if they had released no more than one piece per month? No counting gifts, give-aways and commissioned pieces, but counting collector society, reunion and regional pieces.

- What if they had stuck to their attempts at specialized subsets of lights? Lady light Keepers? Gone But Not Forgotten? Tributary lights? (Hudson River, Sunken Rock, etc)

- What if they branched out into commissioned pieces sooner? Would that have allowed them reduce the dependence on LEs?

- What if they did something like many fewer LEs, but did them on a grander scale? More of the lights setting, or with additional features like a ship wreck on the rocks? Or practicing surf men and their gear?

I'm sure that there are other ideas out there. And I'm sure that each of these has pros and cons.

Thoughts?

Rick
Posted By: Middle I-land MI Max

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/01/11 06:02 AM

-What if they had kept the quantity produced of limited editions much lower for much longer and adjusted it downward quickly before repeated overproduction helped kill the interest and value of HL?
Posted By: DANIEL

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/01/11 08:14 AM


Even though us collectors have been telling Harbour Lights to slow down for years I feel that it was the genius work of a brilliant business man, Bill Younger that knew to get every penny out of the market while it was good then sell it before it bottomed out.

First of all I would like to say that before Harbour lights would go out of business I would like them to complete all of the Florida lights and the Jones point River Light. I would love to see the Jones Point with a special low production number of 500 or 750. My deep hopes were it to be a forum exclusive, but obviously that ain’t going to happen.

Secondly I keep hearing that HL is making a profit so maybe what they are doing is working, but on the other hand I am hearing un-happy collectors that are discontent with the high prices and how many are being produced. Twelve lighthouses a year is still a lot of lighthouses. At an average of$125 a light that is $1500.

Maybe Hl need to look at making simpler lighthouse and ones that are made of just cold cast porcelain without all the expensive metal works. The southern Bells of 1993 are fine examples of simple non-metal work lighthouses that in my opinion are still some of HL finest work. Somehow HL needs to keep their annual prices below the $100 a month mark.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/01/11 02:56 PM

I feel the biggest issue is production costs need to be reduces so retail prices get back under $100. The only way I see that happening is to move production out of China and to either Sri Lanka, Vietnam, or another location that can produce HL's at a much lower cost. I don't see LHM as big enough to afford that move. It would take a larger company, that already had production facilities in these countries, to buy Harbour Lights.

If production costs are reduces, then hopefully edition sizes can be reduced. If edition sizes were only 600-800 pieces, the supply would be closer to the demand and collectors wouldn't be waiting for LHD or Ebay discounting. Their wouldn't be any discounting.

And I really would love to see another CF exclusive !!!
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/01/11 05:47 PM

Loon - I don't think that collectors would even buy 600 pieces if they were produced. The demand is just not there anymore. We haven't even come close to selling the 500 pieces of our CF Exclusive and we have had wide visability on this with EBAY, the Forums, the Coast Guard Chief and Warrant Officers Websites, Roland on his website and numerous gift shops and clubs. Give it up and smell the roses, HARBOUR LIGHTS as we knew it is DEAD, DEAD, DEAD!!! Did I mention that HLs is dead.

As far as another CF Exclusive, that is also dead unless you want to buy the remaining leftovers and garantee that you would buy at least 250 of the new exlusive. You can continue to dream that HLs will come back but I wouldn't bet a wooden dollar on it ever returning.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/01/11 06:56 PM

Rich, I get the feeling you think Harbour Lights is DEAD!

tongue pillowfight
Posted By: Angels Gate

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/01/11 07:05 PM

I think the appeal of these lights is the incredible detail they have achieved over the years. If they go back to no metal work, and less detail, they would become another Danbury Mint, or worse. You can't go back to the stone axe after having a chain saw. The lights were fine BEFORE they learned to do the ironwork because they were still the finest that could be done at the time. They were cutting edge, and faithful to the light they represented.
I don't think there is a long-term cure for what ails HL. It is the same thing that ails the entire world economy.
Posted By: RMau

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/01/11 07:09 PM

Well then Rich, that is a pretty definitive opinion! Especially from such an avid supporter of HLs over the years. I hope that HLs has a future, for you and all of the other committed collectors. But I agree with you. I don't think so.

Thoughts about the why and the how of where HLs is today have been posted here and I'm sure at Facebook. Maybe other sites too. Wrap it all up and I what I think we are seeing is supply and demand at work. No demand = no supply.

Is that Taps I hear playing?

Rick
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/01/11 08:11 PM

Originally Posted By: Middle I-land MI Max
-What if they had kept the quantity produced of limited editions much lower for much longer and adjusted it downward quickly before repeated overproduction helped kill the interest and value of HL?


Shoulda, woulda, coulda....

But, yes, if HL had capped the number of new editions issued each year, and kept the issue size to 5,500 pieces, (lowering the issue quantity to what could be sold in 2 years), they might still have a market and early collectors would still have a value in their collections.

But when edition sizes of 10,000 could be sold out before the production run began (Thomas Point), the temptation was too great to not capitalize on the apparent demand.

20/20 Hindsight.

Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/01/11 10:15 PM

And I am still a firm believer in the HL quality and attention to detail. I also still believe that HLs is the top of the line in lighthouses, but, I'm also a realist in the fact that the lighthouse fad is over and abandoning a sinking ship is not disgraceful. I will never give up my collection as I always have and always will love lighthouses, but again, I am smart enough to not throw money down the drain. I'm a believer in getting out while still on top and that's what HLs should do, in my opinion.
Posted By: The Lightkeeper

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/02/11 04:41 PM

"the fact that the lighthouse fad is over"

I said this five years ago and not many people believed me.

One can collect just so much stuff and that's it. No more room. So you stop buying and then you start selling the stuff that you no longer want and usually for a whole lot less than you paid for it. This is especially true for Harbour Lights. Just go on EBAY and see how little most of them are selling for. (if they Sell at all)

There are not enough newcomers to the market to sustain the "fad"

Also there are not too many younger people interested in lighthouses or getting involved with preservation groups. I would believe that most of us who really like lighthouses and are involved with one or a few lighthouse groups are over 40 and probably over 50. Most that I know personally are over 60.
Posted By: lgthouselady

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/04/11 12:10 AM

I am sorry if lighthouse collecting has ever been thought of or considered to be a 'fad'. I think and feel that I am a lot better off having found out about and know about Harbour Lights lighthouses. I am grateful for each one of mine. However, for many reasons I experience myself as a very nostalgic person so I don't look at it as though Harbour Lights is 'dead'. If it's served it's purpose and brought people together what more can be asked. We still have our lighthouses and all the people we've met and things we've done. I am better off.
Posted By: lgthouselady

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/04/11 12:13 AM

However, don't ask my kids about my collection. I hear that they ask, "Is Mother still collecting lighthouses, I don't want them". LOL Anyway, like my sister-in-law says of her collections, 'they only have to last as long as I do'. That's good enough for me. Kathleen Pence
Posted By: kory63

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/04/11 12:27 AM

KUDOS lgthouselady, Well said! cheers
Rick
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/04/11 12:34 AM

No fad for me. I'm enjoying the hunt for older pieces and hope for a 2012 line.
Posted By: MelJB

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/04/11 04:50 PM

I like your thoughts lgthouselady. If it had not been for HL I would have never met all the fine people I have, or visited all the different areas of the country. Collecting beanie babies never gave me that!

No one (so far) in my family is interested in my collection. I am trying to encourage my grand nephew Jaxson (he just turned 3) by giving him lighthouse books and toys. He loves Thomas the Tank Engine and I found an accessory to his train track that includes a bridge and a red/white striped lighthouse that lights up and has a fog horn sound effect!!

Took Jaxson to his first lighthouse on Oct 24th - Old Point Comfort. He made up a great story about a princess that lived in the light and a knight that had to rescue her. LOL, he associated the tower with a tower in a Mario game!! But I am going to keep trying!
Posted By: MelJB

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/04/11 04:55 PM

Another thought...is attendance at lighthouses down? If not, maybe its not a lack of interest in lights just collecting, and given the state of the economy - less extra $$, and lack of room for us long time collectors that is impacting sales, not just a general lack of interest?
Posted By: rscroope

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/05/11 09:37 PM

Lighthouses are still popular but fundraising is taking a big hit!
Posted By: WackoPaul

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/05/11 10:58 PM

Fundraising overall is taking a big hit..
Posted By: lgthouselady

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/07/11 08:37 PM

Melody, keep trying. I have a lighthouse book I bought somewhere and I was looking at it the other day and am thinking about sending it to my just turned 9 year old granddaughter. A most unexpected moment can spark a lifetime interest. Interest in and love for lighthouses does not center around Harbour Lights company. However, I will say that a most unexpected moment in time President's Day holiday in 1992 ignited my interest in lighthouses and a later visit to the same place in 1995 produced a flyer for Harbour Lights Collectors Society. I joined and here I am. I am so grateful for all the places I have been and things I've seen as a result of going to the Harbour LIghts event in Portland, Maine in 2006. I had never been in the NE and besides going to the event we rented a car and drove 3200 miles seeing lighthouses all the way to Ocracoke. Now I am waiting, and not very patiently, for the opportunity to go to the SE and see all those lighthouses including the Florida Keys.
Kathleen Pence
Posted By: MelJB

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/08/11 05:35 PM

I will continue to find and send lighthouse related items to Jaxson even though he is quite a distance from me - he's in VA.
Posted By: Cana Fan

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 11/08/11 08:56 PM

Wanna get young people interseted in collecting lighthouses? Pay Justin Bieber to hold up a Harbour Light and say "Harbour Light lghthouses are the only lighthouses I collect". You wouldn't be able to keep up with demand, at least until his star fades in a year or so....

MW
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 12/02/11 04:07 PM

It's been very quiet on the rumor front.

Anybody hear anything?

Are we to expect no news and assume Harbour Lights are no more?

Will there be an announcement, good or bad, around Christmas/New Years?

Did Justin Bieber get all the new releases?
Posted By: Middle I-land MI Max

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 12/02/11 09:15 PM

Justin may have got some of mine since HL shipped my HL dealer some of the wrong edition numbers for my LE's
Posted By: lgthouselady

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 12/04/11 04:41 AM

I am thinking about giving their phone number a call as there is something I need if HL is still there and they still have it. didn't they have an office and equipment to design lighthouses? It can't all just vanish. These were people I saw in Alaska. Maybe they feel as badly as we do. I know one thing I miss and that's getting together with and interacting with people who have a common love of lighthouses and all the fun and adventures getting together is, but I live far away in the desert of Arizona. I mean, I hope there are still groups of us that get together and help out lighthouses and each other. When I get to Washington State I have gone up to Point No Point and visited with those people as we are part of USLHS also. I love to do that but about all I can do is visit and donate money. Jeff Gales is a wonderful person and is doing a wonderful job with what he's doing.
Posted By: The Cape Cod Store.com

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 12/05/11 02:35 PM

Originally Posted By: lgthouselady
I am thinking about giving their phone number a call as there is something I need if HL is still there and they still have it.

If you're looking for something particular we may be able to help you out as we have a number of current and retired items in stock. Drop me a note at roland@thecapecodstore.com or phone at 508-364-0947 and I'll be happy to help a fellow Forums member if I can.
Posted By: Gekko

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 02:33 AM

Sorry to be depressing with my first ever post here. I called Harbour Lights today and was told the end is pretty much eminent. I am just starting to collect and I am really bummed to hear this news. What do you expect the secondary market to do? I have no clue if things will get cheaper or increase in value. Any thoughts?
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 02:56 PM

I basically knew this was going to happen many months ago and predicted an announcement late last year, but, it never came. As far as the secondary market goes, I think it will continue to decline for 2 reasons: 1. The lighthouse fad is over, 2. Older collectors are giving up collecting and selling their collections at rock bottom prices.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 03:51 PM

Sad it has come to this.

I don't see it as a fad that's over. I think it has been poor marketing.
Posted By: Weasel58

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 05:23 PM

The lighthouse fad has been over for 5 or 6 years now. I personally am surprised that LD was able to survive this long.
Posted By: The Cape Cod Store.com

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 05:36 PM

Originally Posted By: Lighthouse Loon
Sad it has come to this.

I don't see it as a fad that's over. I think it has been poor marketing.


If that's the case Loon, then every other company who makes lighthouse replicas has had bad marketing as well. Lefton went out of business. Scaasis has pretty much discontinued all of their larger sized lighthouses, completely did away with their large light-up "Nautical Lights of the Sea" line and scaled back their smaller size lighthouses, (similar to LLOM's), to about one-fourth of what they used to make. Tell me of one other company who is making new lighthouse collectibles. Zilch! Nada! Nyet! NONE! It's time to take off those rose colored glasses and enter the real world!
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 06:02 PM

No rose color glasses here! The real world is the one we choose to live in.(I need some Twilight Zone music when i say that).

I always felt Lefton and Scassis did poorly because there product was substandard compared to Harbour Lights.

Harbour Lights downfall is the loss of all of our collector mates who quit( I know they had there reasons ) and HL's failure to market for replacements customers.

I've enjoyed my 7 years of collecting them. Those of you who have collected for the full 21 years are the true die-hards !!!
Posted By: Gekko

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 06:02 PM

So considering I was looking to start collecting, do you have any advice for a noob like me? Should I wait to start buying in or not? I was about to pull the trigger on my first piece, but I am not sure now if I should wait. I am not in this for the investment, but also do not want to buy some pieces and have the bottom fall out. Thx for any advice!
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 06:10 PM

Gekko, Don't collect for investment.

Collect for the love of it.

I'm not sure whats going to happen.

If you like them, buy what you can afford. Space your purchases out and savor each one you add to your collection.

Too bad you don't have a couple hundred friends, might convince HL to make some new ones.
Posted By: Gekko

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 06:28 PM

Good advice Loon! Thanks. I am reminded of the fact my wife once acquired collector plates in the 80's. Bradford Exchange. They went under and the secondary market died. I still have about 30 plates in boxes and its not even worth the effort to put these on Ebay. But then I cant help but think no more supply should equal more demand right? Where are good places to buy? I see Cape Cod on here. I also see people seem to not like Lighthouse Depot for some reason. Is Ebay safe? Any advice? Thanks.
Posted By: MelJB

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 06:50 PM

Not to slight Cape Cod - I have bought from Roland at Cape Cod and he has alway been a great resource, and I've also purchased from Cape Annies and the folks there are also very nice. But I would think at some point LH Depot would be an excellent source especially at the point that they are discounting everything. I just received two APs from them from their 50% off everything sale. However, I would also check Ebay. I have bought pieces there and was mostly successful. I guess you will have to practice bargain shopping for some items and others you may have to pay more due to availability and if you "just have to have it now".

In addition, there is a forum here Trading Post, where you can post what you are looking for and members will contact you if they have lights to sell.

Now for me, lighthouses are not a fad - I love them and will continue to collect whatever items I can find and continue to visit them whenever possible. If the item is unique I don't care if I don't have any more room, I will make room some how!

I cannot put a price on the friendships offered and fun I have had lighthousing, and if that were to go away - I would be extremely depressed!!!!!!
Posted By: Gekko

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 07:14 PM

Thanks Melody. Is the 50% off at Depot going on now? I do not see it advertised on their site. I like the passion many of you have. I am a part time winemaker and find when people have a passion for something it makes for a great message board community.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/06/12 10:03 PM

Gekko, You missed LHD 50% sale. But I would check there website daily. They have frequent sales. There may be a few things on sale now.

Be sure to give Cape Annies and the Cape Cod Store some business. They are first class HL dealers. They will take care of you very well.

And as Melody suggested post what your looking for in the Trading Post forum. You'll be very happy with the results. I've purchase pieces from over a dozen of our CF friends.

Happy HL Hunting !!!
Posted By: Gekko

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/07/12 03:10 AM

Thanks Loon! I did find those two even before I found this forum. Good to have someone validate them being good businesses.
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/09/12 11:03 PM

Another 50% off sale at lighthouse depot. NO limits on anything! Final days?
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/11/12 03:31 AM

While the Winter 2012 Harbour Lights have been designed and the paint samples are at the factory in China, word is that no production has been ordered yet.

ASSUMING an order were placed tomorrow, it might be 30-60 days before the first product would appear in Maine.

(I have no knowledge if an order will be placed or when it might be placed, however.)
Posted By: wolfdevil

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/11/12 05:25 AM

I received seven pieces today that I ordered at 50% off including the Alaska Reunion Set. I'm not going to feel bad about it since I've also bought four pieces from my dealer this year at a 10% discount when she ordered them for me. She is only selling the Harbour Lights she has left unless someone places an order. I let her know of all the updates at HL since she no longer keeps up with it. If Harbour Lights/Lighthouse Depot is going to close, I'd rather see these pieces bought by collectors at a significant discount versus being destroyed.

Wonder if even further discounting is in the near future?
Posted By: Cana Fan

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/11/12 04:06 PM

Am I missing something? I don't see anything on their website advertising a 50% off sale....
Posted By: HCS

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/11/12 04:11 PM

Originally Posted By: wolfdevil
I received seven pieces today that I ordered at 50% off including the Alaska Reunion Set. I'm not going to feel bad about it since I've also bought four pieces from my dealer this year at a 10% discount when she ordered them for me. She is only selling the Harbour Lights she has left unless someone places an order. I let her know of all the updates at HL since she no longer keeps up with it. If Harbour Lights/Lighthouse Depot is going to close, I'd rather see these pieces bought by collectors at a significant discount versus being destroyed.

Wonder if even further discounting is in the near future?


The people who purchased the Alaska Reunion Set at full price believing what they were told "Exclusive for cruise attendees" are the ones who feel bad - We were duped!!
Posted By: Gekko

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/11/12 07:14 PM

Cana Fan, the code for the discount at checkout is CD501. The deal is good thru 1/12/12. I bought my first 6 pieces. I am not betting on any sort of investment value, just in for the love of the product. Buying at 50% though is a nice hedge. Saint, do you know the winter 2012 pieces that were supposed to be released? I would love to know the 'possibilities'.
Posted By: CAVR

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/11/12 11:32 PM

Originally Posted By: HCS
The people who purchased the Alaska Reunion Set at full price believing what they were told "Exclusive for cruise attendees" are the ones who feel bad - We were duped!!


I hate to tell you... but it goes beyond those who just went on the cruise.... many collectors also purchased the Reunion Sets, at "Full Price" originally offered from Harbour Lights last spring before the cruise even departed the shore.... we too got "duped"!

The moral of the story is.... a lot of die hard long time HL collectors got "duped" (fill in the parentheses with any word you wish to choose).

It is "time" for the last nail to be placed.....
Posted By: mombo

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/11/12 11:49 PM

Now I have a question here. Way back when HL was sold by the Youngers, wasn't the new company called Lighthouse Marketing or some such thing? Even though located in Maine and sort of affiliated with LHD weren't we told it wasn't exactly the same company? So if that's the case are we premature in assuming that Harbour Lights is a goner too? Sure LHD was the largest dealer and maybe their demise is enough to kill off the line. Or was this really, after the sale, really all the same outfit?

"Inquiring minds want to know"...
Posted By: Gekko

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/12/12 01:13 AM

I am a noob to this whole scene here but my understanding is LH Marketing owns Harbour Lights and LH Depot. It is the same company basically even though they are legally seperate entities. I imagine if HL went out of biz that LH Depot would still operate exactly where it is. As to peeps being upset over previous purchases, wouldn't that only be justified if the company knew it was shutting its doors? Seems to me they are trying to find a way to save themselves right now in this brutal economy. It appears unlikely, but isn't the prudent thing to do is not release the 2012 line for fear of this exact sentiment? I personally hope they stick around. Right now I feel like I am buying a ticket onto a sinking ship.
Posted By: MelJB

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/12/12 01:54 AM

The fear is that because LH Depot is running so many hugely discounted sales and also the rumor that they are trying to sell the building they currently occupy, they are shuting down operations. Now, there is the possibility that they are just trying to close their "brick and mortar" store but would continue to operate as a Web store only.

Are they perhaps holding off on new HL releases until the brick/mortar issue is resolved?? Only Lighthouse Marketing knows for sure.
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/12/12 02:12 AM

Gekko - Your statement "Right now I feel like I am buying a ticket onto a sinking ship" is a little bit misleading to me. You are in the BEST time ever to buy lighthouses if you truly want them for a collection. You are in the WORST time ever to buy if you want an investment, which you earlier said you don't.

When you can buy a California, Canadian or even a latter produced lighthouse for pennies on the dollar, how can you complain. You can collect Harbour Lights whether the company has gone bust or not and come away with entire collections for 1/4 or less then most of us paid.

The question you should ask yourself is do I really want to collect lighthouses because I love them or do I want to collect lighthouses because other people are doing it? And what better time to buy as when the ship is sinking. There are over 450 different lighthouses that have been produced by Harbour Lights so you will have some time to go before you have to worry about a "sinking ship".
Posted By: Gekko

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/12/12 03:16 AM

Hi Rich. My point that I was trying to make is simple. If the ship is sinking, smart money says wait till its officially "sunk" to buy in. I just took advantage of a 50% off sale and I would not call that "pennies on the dollar". 50 pennies on the dollar yes but not like the discount you suggest. If the company survives, then 50% off is great. If they close doors permanently, then it is not such a great deal. I think its safe to say it appears they are going under. I do not want to step on you lifers toes and be the proclamation of doom, but it does not look good by any account that I read here. And again I am in to collect. I lived in Maine for a year recently and visited 60 of the 65 lighthouses there during that time and I have never been the same!
Posted By: HCS

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/12/12 03:59 AM

Originally Posted By: CAVR
Originally Posted By: HCS
The people who purchased the Alaska Reunion Set at full price believing what they were told "Exclusive for cruise attendees" are the ones who feel bad - We were duped!!


I hate to tell you... but it goes beyond those who just went on the cruise.... many collectors also purchased the Reunion Sets, at "Full Price" originally offered from Harbour Lights last spring before the cruise even departed the shore.... we too got "duped"!

The moral of the story is.... a lot of die hard long time HL collectors got "duped" (fill in the parentheses with any word you wish to choose).

It is "time" for the last nail to be placed.....




Another sore point for cruise attendees, to find out that a SELECT few SPECIAL collectors, who did not go on the cruise were able to purchace the set prior to the cruise.We were sold a bill of goods by being told the sets were exclusive:

From: webmaster@harbourlights.com 7-7-10 "Harry is working on three new limited edition lighthouse replicas EXCLUSIVELY for those collectors who travel on the Harbour Lights 20th Anniversary Reunion Cruise."

From: Rod Hunt (rod@paradise-bound.net)
3-29-11 "The 20th anniversary Alaskan Cruise replicas will be available ONLY to Collectors who have registered for Harbour Lights 20th Anniversary Reunion Alaskan Cruise."

From: Tony J. Constantino (tconstantion@harbourlights.com 4-20-2011 "Harry has 'built' three outstanding replicas to celebrate Harb our Lights' 20th year!" "Remember the replicas have been 'built' for those Collectors and Lighthouse Enthusiasts who are Registered Guests on the Harbour Lights 20th Anniversary Reunion Alaska Cruise! "EXCLUSIVE AND LIMITED!"
Posted By: mombo

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/12/12 04:47 AM

Please don't get upset with me but it's time to let this one go Hilari. You're not the only one who feels this way about the Reunion Set but at this point it seems that you're beating a dead horse. I'm sure I'd feel the same as you about this issue if I'd spent the big bucks, not only for the HL set but the cruise as well. Sometimes we just have to accept what happens, fair or not, if we don't have the power to change it.
Posted By: flacoastie

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/12/12 06:03 AM

Mombo - Well said and while I also didn't attend, and did buy my set from a person that was kind enough to sell me their 2nd set at what they paid for it, I think it is time to drop this subject also. Life isn't always going to be fair and as this cruise was being planned I don't think anything about HLs going out of business was in any of the people's minds that was mentioned. Economy, fads and lack of money, and not deceit were the leading factors.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/12/12 08:07 PM

Lets not forget that when LHD sells a piece at 50% off, they probably still make a 50% profit. If other dealers do that, they are lucky if they break even.

It has all come down to supply versus demand:

If the demand was higher than the supply, would we see the low Ebay selling prices, dealers dumping stock at rock bottom prices, LHD/LHM selling their stock at 50% off. (their are actually other dealers selling them cheaper), and why the cruise pieces became unexclusive, then discounted. Nobody can afford to eat inventory that doesn't sell even if we had a good economy.

If us collectors didn't stop collecting. And those that started selling off their collection for pennies didn't help. Which lead to dealers selling off their surplus at rock bottom prices. Which has lead to LHD being stuck with hundreds of non-moving stock(per each release). Which has lead to more collectors to quit collecting or buy at very discounted prices. All along they way dealers are dropping like flys. We come to the current state of Harbour Lights.

These rose colored eyeballs that God gave me still think there is hope for 2012 and beyond. I have a goal of reaching 500 pieces in my collection. While I know HL has made around 750 different pieces, I only have about a dozen on my hunt list. I currently own about 460 different HLs(I don't collect variations), so a couple more years of new releases would be needed.

I feel once a year passes with no new HL's, it's makes it that much harder to comeback. Whatever collectors hung in there will be gone as well.

Funny thing is I've gotten calls and emails from dealers who want to know whats going on for 2012. I've been updating them as best I can.

What happened to "Keeping the Flame" lit.
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/12/12 08:24 PM

Originally Posted By: mombo
Now I have a question here. Way back when HL was sold by the Youngers, wasn't the new company called Lighthouse Marketing or some such thing? Even though located in Maine and sort of affiliated with LHD weren't we told it wasn't exactly the same company? So if that's the case are we premature in assuming that Harbour Lights is a goner too? Sure LHD was the largest dealer and maybe their demise is enough to kill off the line. Or was this really, after the sale, really all the same outfit?


Yes, Mombo -- two different corporations. Two different physical locations. Both companies plus the catalog operation owned 100% by Don Devine.

The warehouse/offices of HL are an albatross around the company's neck. They have been trying to sell the facility for some time and MIGHT move to a smaller/cheaper place.

LHD does NOT own the buildings from which it operates. The owner of that property is trying to sell it for $3 Million. From at least one report here on the CF, the store has very, very few products on display. On LHD's website, they only list 13 books, 38 clothing items and 42 home decor items in addition to 379 HL products. They did not send out a Holiday catalog this year.

However, LHD has been the #1 seller of HLs for many years. LHD's discounting of HLs (and the economy in general) has caused many other dealers to give up. So, if LHD goes out of business, who will retail Harbour Lights?

As I've noted in a previous post, production of the Winter 2012 releases has not been ordered yet.

Some speculative possiblities:

1. HL could 'hibernate' offering direct mail order sales of the present products from a smaller building. Should the economy improve in a year or 5 years, new products might be ordered to be sold directly.

2. Continued discounting of inventory by LHD to raise capital.

3. A Bankruptcy is NOT necessarily in the future. HL owns its inventory. I doubt it has any debt. Don is probably financing short falls of income for operations personally. This might include the mortgage payment on the HL warehouse/offices and the rent on the LHD store.
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/13/12 04:43 AM

Originally Posted By: Gekko
Saint, do you know the winter 2012 pieces that were supposed to be released? I would love to know the 'possibilities'.


Gekko, Trust me on this. Even if they know what they are, they're not going to tell us. But feel free to tell us your wishlist over in the Wishlist forum(logical place).
Posted By: wolfdevil

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/15/12 05:03 AM

Wow.

I just got an email from Lighthouse Depot -

Now with purchase of the Alaska Replica Set you get a free Eldred Rock, AK Little Light and the first seven buyers get a Sentinel Island, AK Name Badge and Thumbnail.

Now I've been duped :)
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/16/12 02:26 AM

Originally Posted By: Lighthouse Loon
Originally Posted By: Gekko
Saint, do you know the winter 2012 pieces that were supposed to be released? I would love to know the 'possibilities'.


Gekko, Trust me on this. Even if they know what they are, they're not going to tell us. But feel free to tell us your wishlist over in the Wishlist forum(logical place).


Gekko - yep, what Loon said. I have no knowledge of what's been sculpted.
Posted By: Gekko

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/17/12 07:52 PM

Another 50% off sale at Lighthouse Depot. Code is CD501.
Posted By: wolfdevil

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/18/12 06:04 AM

Repeat code for repeat sale. Looks like LHD will continue to do this until they possibly sell out.
Posted By: Gekko

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/18/12 07:28 PM

I am curious how dealers (many rec'ed above) do not offer similar sales? I asked one and they said they had an agreement with LHM to not undercut retail prices. Yet the source of the agreement and the supplier of the goods is selling all for 50% off! The only logical explanation is the dealer would be breaking even to losing money giving a 50% off sale, whereas LHM/LD still makes money at that level. The dealers must be ticked off at LHM/LD right??
Posted By: The Cape Cod Store.com

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/19/12 07:58 PM

Originally Posted By: Gekko
I am curious how dealers (many rec'ed above) do not offer similar sales? I asked one and they said they had an agreement with LHM to not undercut retail prices. Yet the source of the agreement and the supplier of the goods is selling all for 50% off! The only logical explanation is the dealer would be breaking even to losing money giving a 50% off sale, whereas LHM/LD still makes money at that level. The dealers must be ticked off at LHM/LD right??

You got that right!
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/25/12 01:28 AM

60% off everything in an email sent yesterday. Rate is good until 1/28/2012. Code "CD60" -- could the CD stand for "Closing Down"???

Next up? 75% off everything?

End of this month or next = end of LHD? HL?

I don't have any inside information, just guessing from the almost daily "sale" emails from LHD.
Posted By: wickywacky

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/25/12 01:54 AM

LHD STILL HAS 2 TYPES OF SALES THEY HAVEN'T USED YET.
Posted By: CAVR

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/25/12 04:36 PM

1) Buy 1 get 3 Free!
2) Give it away for Free!
3) Big Lots, Marden's, and/or any other business that deals with liquidations, surplus, close-out, etc....
Posted By: DANIEL

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 01/26/12 12:21 PM

Its the:

Winter Clearance 60% OFF Sale

Posted By: TerryO

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 02/01/12 07:02 PM

do you think there will be a new release this year?
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 02/01/12 07:18 PM

TerryO -- please scan back through this thread.
Posted By: CAVR

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 02/03/12 04:05 AM

How can there be any new 2012 releases if somebody can't even come up with the cash to "COD" the new product from CHINA. I can't blame China for this one. Heck, you would think at 60% off retail and perhaps 80% off next week, that enough money would be gathered....

Perhaps, there is still hope and the new 2012 pieces are sitting in some cargo container in a huge ship yard in Hong Kong waiting to be loaded upon payment.... but I doubt it!

Harry may have made the masters of the 2012 pieces for the factory, but I don't think 1 piece has ever been made or will ever be made. Is there even confirmation that Harry even works for HLs anymore?

I think the Summer 2011 pieces and the 2011 Christmas piece was the final production for HLs.
Posted By: The Lightkeeper

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 06/08/12 12:39 AM

Just got back fron Maine. We stopped by the Lighthouse Depot for probably the last time. For sale or lease signs are up in front. Not much left in the store, not many customers and when I asked when they were closing the answer I got was " They haven't told us yet". The upstairs is closed and the downstairs doesn't have much - mostly what is left is of the Harbour Lights remaining inventory. Sad to see such a great store come to an end, but its days are numbered.
Posted By: rscroope

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 06/08/12 01:01 AM

That must have been a real sureal experience, Mike! That place was always jumping especially before they bought Harbour Lights!
Posted By: The Lightkeeper

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 06/09/12 01:17 PM

"That must have been a real sureal experience, Mike! " Sure was. My wife and I have a lot of memories there in that store. All the good times we spent with Tim and Kathy before they moved to "Upeast Maine".
Posted By: mombo

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 06/11/12 03:56 PM

The question I've asked before I never got an answer for - what about the museum Tim had in, I think it was, the building next door to the store? Is that gone, moved? I was only there once, the year Maine had the large lighthouses at various places, including at least one out front of the Depot. My daughter and I checked out the museum as well as the store. And ate at the diner across the road, busy place.
Posted By: WackoPaul

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 06/11/12 05:00 PM

The Museum has been gone for quite a while, the building was used for sale items for a while.. I suspect a lot of the pieces from the Museum are up in Rockport now.. Tim is located way up the coast in Cutler, Maine just about 20 miles from Lubec, Maine and the Canadian border..
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 06/11/12 07:14 PM

Tim Harrison: Did the LHD museum end up merged with Ken Black's?
Posted By: The Lightkeeper

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 06/12/12 04:56 AM

This is from the American Lighthouse Foundation website:

American Lighthouse Foundation & Maine Lighthouse Museum Formed one of the Largest Lighthouse Museums in the United States...

Sometimes joining forces to attain greater strength in numbers and access to more resources in conserving our nation’s rich lighthouse heritage simply makes the most sense.

Such was the case when the American Lighthouse Foundation (ALF) consolidated the artifact collection of the Museum of Lighthouse History, formerly of Wells, Maine, within the collections of the Maine Lighthouse Museum (MLM) in Rockland, Maine during spring 2007.

The consolidation was completed on April 19, 2007, with a fine representation of each collection placed on exhibit and opened to the general public for visitation two weeks later on May 5, 2007.

The consolidation of the ALF & MLM collections created one of the largest lighthouse museums in the United States, thanks to the efforts of the late Ken Black who founded the Maine Lighthouse Museum, and the American Lighthouse Foundation and its founding president Timothy Harrison, who spearheaded the creation of the former Museum of Lighthouse History.



Posted By: WackoPaul

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 06/12/12 03:01 PM

I knew it was Rock something since I have been there many times I should have remembered it was Rockland, getting old beats the alternative..
Posted By: mombo

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 06/12/12 05:52 PM

Thanks guys. I just checked and it was 2003 that we were there, over 9 years ago!!!
Posted By: Lighthouse Loon

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 06/12/12 09:00 PM

Good to know it's still there!
Posted By: The Lightkeeper

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 07/07/12 09:19 PM

I noticed that Lighthouse Depot now has about 10 different Harbour Lights selling for only $7.00 each and a bunch of others for $12 -$14. I believe the end is very near. These are not LLOM.
Posted By: Gekko

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 07/08/12 08:05 AM

Might be the slowest death ever...
Posted By: SDudley

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 07/08/12 09:55 PM

I agree with you on that.
Posted By: Webmaster

Re: Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot Shutting Down? - 07/08/12 10:25 PM

Rhonda told me late last March to "expect an announcement next quarter."

That quarter has come and gone. No announcement. Guess it will have to wait until the very last piece of inventory is sold.
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