Store Events I think the store events are up to the dealer and Harbour lights, it is up to them for how many and who. If they have them I will go if they are in my area of 200 miles. I attend a store for give always, a chance for the gold and a chance to ask Bill more questions about the early years of HL. Many of the store events have nothing to do and all we can do is stand around until the drawing.
But: With all this doomsday talk about less and less everything, there has been one big major change this year and I hope it will keep following thru. Both at the N.O. regional and at the St Aug Store event HL gave out AP’s. If you keep the store events going make it everyone’s worthwhile. Give out more free stuff and chances for AP’s or low numbers.
If I am going to travel 400 miles round trip to a store event and pay $75 for gas, make it worth my while. All store events should have a thumbnail or button that you can only get at a store event not regional. All store events should have some AP’s or single digit give always or at least some double-digit giveaways. If you want people to go to the stores make it worth every ones time and money. Also never give up the gold; it is still a good collector attraction for going to store events.
If Bill can't go to a store event I am okay with Harry.
Regional Events: I think the regional is the way to go, they are fun and we have many collectors that travel many miles to go to them. I think anyone that goes to a regional will say it was worth the time and money to go to it. I went to N.O Regional with my family and I am very thankful we went. My four kids had a good time and there is always something to do at the regional even for kids.
I agree with the statement above, make it four regionals instead of two. Try to spread it out across the country so that as many collectors as possible can go. If this takes away from store events than so be it.
If we are going to have only two regionals next year, I think the south Atlantic states have sat here patiently waiting for its turn. I feel the best choice for a southern reunion is Charleston, SC. It has not been chosen before, has a lot to offer and it is very centrally located for the southern collectors and still in a reasonalble traveling distance for the mid atlantic states.
I feel the second regional for next year should again be up in either the great lakes or north/mid atlantic states, but a new and different location. I am not familiar enoft with the northen lighthouses or cites to pick a location, but I feel that area is the strongest with collectors and lighthouse, and should always have a regional.
If we had a third regional then it should be on the west coast. My concern for having a regional on the west coast, specially at the North pacific area, is what kind of turn over would it get.
Fourth regional: Texas never had a regional and there is a lot to do there.
Reunions: Reunions are a different animal and it should never effect regionals or store events. Reunions are in a different price range and we should never give up any store events or regionals so that there can be a reunion.
St Augustine Event: There has been much talk about the St Augustine event being the Same-O, Same-O each year and many collectors are ready for a change. I love the St Aug store event, it has become a family tradition and I would hate to lose this event, but I must admit, it somehow needs to be spicen’ed up. Maybe we could have lighthouses races up to the light and back for the gold?
Rich and I had been playing around with an idea for the St Aug Event. We could make a second day and use the companies café at where I work. It over looks the river in Jacksonville and we can have the Café all day {cost is not an issue). We could set up stuff in the large foyer adjacent to it, like the old days of regionals and invite HL dealers of Florida and different lighthouse organizations. Rich and I could bring some of our old lighthouses and I could bring some of my variation collection in person. Compare a California to a Canadian, to a Malaysian. Get collectors excited in the old collectables again?
