The First is always the best

Hey, I'm the first dealer to register and it wasn't easy. For those of you who don't know me, I'm actually registered with a member number of 294 so I've been coming to this forum for a long, long time.

I believe I was also one of the first Harbour Lights dealers as I've been with it since the beginning. I remember the days of the aol message board. What a dinousaur that was considering what the internet has become since then. And that was only 10 - 12 years ago. We're moving quick.

So here we are in 2008 and I'm still maintaining 3 cases of lighthouses on display at all times. God willing, I'll still be here a year from now.

So I'll leave you for now. I'm the guinnea pig for the dealer forum. Took many phone calls to get this done right. of course... I'm easy to find and have a pretty good stockage of newer items. Anyone out there looking for a 2-digit autoship... just visit my website.

Hello and congratulations.

Are you connected in any way with a shop of the same name in John's Pass in Medera Beach Florida?

They are down the street from where we vacation each January.

Hi Bronze Lady - I am looking forward to hearing about your successes and your challenges as an HL dealer. One of the dealers that I used here in KC is gone, plus one I used in Iowa is gone plus one I used in Michigan is gone so I know all dealers have challenges-- particularly as folks' money gets tight in these frustrating times. I will continue to buy HL products because they are the best when compared to their competitors - detail, keeping current, seahorses (which are lots of fun for me to find and now for my grandkids to find). We want to know how we can support our dealers that remain so that we can continue to find our HL stuff. Welcome aboard, Terry!

Terry was never my main dealer, for the only reason that I had my local dealers, but whenever I need something done fast and done right I always go to Terry first. Terry had one of the early signings with Rutherford back in 98 where I got my first Survival guide. I believe that Because of my good dealings with Terry influenced Rich to start his auto shipment with him.

I'm not really connected with the shop in John's Pass. My brother owns the building and it's where I spent my first five years after retiring from the Army.

The store's now owned by my ex-brother in law who's a great guy. Well - don't tell my sister I said that:) But no connection between the stores.

Gosh - I'm not going to talk about the challenges at this point. All I can say is "Be Carful what you wish for."

Being retired Army with that pension (for now I should say), I'm hoping I can weather the storm we're facing. I think more about the million folks with no job and no military retirement to fall back on. They've got a problem.

Anyway, I'm glad to be here and look forward to future discussions. Now, whoever emailed me about El Morro, please do so one more time and I can hook you up. Just the one person please. All I can get and you were first.

I can personally testify to quality of service that you get from Terry and The Bronze Lady. Terry has been my MAIN Dealer for many years.

I found him simply by chance while looking for a retired piece back in 2001 when I first started collecting. After several conversations with him by phone I learned that he had a low 3 digit Autoship number available. I took it! Terry gave me nothing but the BEST service for several years. Then I got caught up in the numbers game, found another dealer that had a 2 digit Autoship available, and went with the other dealer instead. Boy was that a mistake!!! I did not get the service from the other dealer that I had gotten from The Bronze Lady. And that 2 digit was costing me more money too, because I was having to pay $30. in shipping fees with every order. Something that I had never paid with Terry at The Bronze Lady. During this (brain laps) time of working with another dealer. I continued to do a small amount of business with Terry and always stopped in for a visit anytime I was in the Orlando area. It was on one of these visits that I learned that Terry now had a 2 digit Autoship available. This number being higher, yet close to what I was getting elsewhere. I came back to Terry. All I can say is that I never should have left in the first place!

I don't consider Terry as just a Dealer..... he is a Friend! During my time of driving the Charter Bus, I made many trips to Orlando taking groups to Disney, Universal Studios, Conventions....etc. And on any trip where I had any free time, I would go by to visit with Terry. Anytime a big 55 passenger bus would pull up in the parking lot at The Bronze Lady, Terry would know that Stephanie had come to visit!!! And yes I always bought something, if only a LLOM.

I remember too, a time several years ago... I took my 7 year old Grandson (now 14) with me on a trip down to Orlando for a Store Signing (my first). I had been preaching the whole 8 hour drive "Don't Touch ANYTHING", "keep your hands to yourself", "Don't touch the glass cases", "keep your finger prints off", .....etc. Then when we arrived the first thing Terry did was to give Tommy a pair of white gloves, and told him that he could touch the glass all that he wanted too, as long as he had the gloves on his little hands! Told him that "he was HELPING by wiping away other peoples finger prints". Now how many dealers would be so prepared for little ones? Thank You Terry! It's little things like this that put you over the top in my book!

Because of my illness this year (January 2008), I have had to drop my Autoship with Terry once again. This time not for another dealer, but simply because with Medical Bills and the Economy I cannot afford to buy every piece that Harbour Lights puts out. However if things get better, and I ever decide to pick up an Autoship again. The Bronze Lady will be the first place I go. In the meantime I do and will continue to buy what few I do buy, from Terry. With the exception being where I'm buying at an event where the True Lighthouse makes the profit for restoration.