I wonder if any of you have had the same thoughts I have about what lies ahead in the Harbour Lights future.

When I was at the Headlights for Lighthouses event last weekend, I had a nice conversation with Nancy while she was signing a very large amount of Little Lights of Mine (LLOM). There were case after case of them for her to sign. I think there were destined for the ALF Conference and Dinner scheduled for Saturday night.

Almost every HL function you went to in the past had some sort of gift or raffle to win full size HL's, be it a GLOW or LE. Not everyone could win but a few lucky individuals walked away with a treasure.

Here comes LLOM! Everybody who registered for the Headlights cruise got one in their gift bag. I imagine everyone at the ALF Dinner received one too.

Are the LLOM the future of Harbour Lights? They certainly are a lot less expensive to give away. Everyone gets one where a raffle only rewards very few lucky winners. They are small and very compact in their little boxes. They are extremely well done and easy to ship. You can certainly display a lot more LLOM in the same space where you might fit much fewer LE's or GLOW's.

I have never heard about any breakage of LLOM. I've heard no stories amount damage in shipment. I imagine these little lights would break if dropped. Has anyone broken one? Maybe people don't say anything because they are inexpensive and easily replaced.

I'm beginning to believe that the LLOM are the future of Harbour Lights. We all might be surprised to find out that LLOM will be around forever as the best selling HL's ever made.

Bob

I think you're right, Bob. Everywhere that there is a lighthouse event, it seems there are LLOM. They are sold places that regular HLs aren't. More people can buy them as decor and little gifts for the half-lighthouser...people who would not plunk down $60-80 for an LE when they are not really interested in the low supply factor. You can go to twice as many stores as LEs are sold, have a selection of twice as many current sculptures, and never have to race to get the newest hot-selling almost-out limeted piece. You can amass your collection gradually. And you can put them many more places than LEs-on the windowsill, atop the TV, in that little built-in display nook in the kitchen. You're not worrying "Oh my gosh, what if it falls and breaks?" because you can always go get another one if it does. As opposed to an LE, which you always want to keep under lock and key in a secure display curio with bulletproof shelves (you get the idea).

Also, they have tonns of detail for the price, as you said. I am sitting here with my Cape Hatteras LLOM. Now, the LE Hatteras was the first HL LE, which means two things: a) they cost a small fortune to get one and b) they are not as detailed as newer molds. Because of those two reasons, a casual buyer would not want to pay that money for what they might feel only a real dedicated HL collector would display. People are buying LLOM to put around their house, not to sell later. They want them to be extremely good looking.

Overall, they are what are going to keep HL afloat so that us serious HL lovers can continue to collect our beloved LEs. Say what you want about LLOM..without them, we might now have NO Harbour Lights.

I think your both right about the LLOM's. I think they are well done and I have a complete collection of those from New England and have expanded that to include others. "THE PRICE IS RIGHT."

Bert

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They do break. I've seen some with chips, same sort of thing you see with LEs that have been improperly handled.

I like the LLOMs, and have quite a few, but being of poor vision(20/2000)and just because I like the LEs, the LEs will be my first choice.

As far as give aways are concerned, the LLOMs are a great idea, but hope HL continues with the LEs at event signings. (No LLOMs were part of the give aways at the signings held recently in CO. Guardians seem to be a frequent give away, as well as LEs that are older pieces. (Fairport Hbr, Horton Pt, etc.)

If the LLOM's are the future of HL, HL won't be in my future...

I think that LLOM will be the future of HL in that they will be what are going to bring in enough revenue for HL to continue to provide us with the LEs. Face it, LEs are a limited market. There are us that are dedicated collectors...and not much else. "Normal" people don't usually go into a store, see an LE at $80, and decide "I just have to have that!" No, they go for the $15 LLOM of the same light. You get tons of people buying LLOM, it makes up for the balance of people not buying LE. The scale levels in the end. So we really DO need LLOM if we want to keep getting LE...thus, it truly is the future of HL.

LLOM...keeping the HL legend alive...