REVIEW: Hershey Expo

I had a fantastic and fortunate weekend in Hershey. I went to the
Expo, and here's my unbiased review as how *I* found the show to be.
As usual, no one has to agree or disagree, but this is just my
opinion.

Personally, I thought the Expo was FANTASTIC! It was VERY well set-up
and it was everything it was advertised to be. There were a LOT of
nice machines there, as well as other miscellaneous items perfect for
a gameroom. There were jukes, pins, vids, gumballs, cash registers,
pin parts, juke manuals, slot machines, pachislos, and almost anything
else one can imagine for a gameroom.

Hats off to the people who put it together, as well as all the vendors
who were there to sell their quality items. I feel the prices (for
the most part) were fair to the quality of items people were selling.
No, they weren't truly a "bargain" price, but I felt that they were in
line for a restored machine that someone would just need to plug in
and play. I did see a few people selling "as-is" pins and jukes, but
since I didn't have any hauling capacity, I didn't look into them.
Some that did have prices listed for an "as-is" machine were
reasonable.

Bottom line/Overall review: FANTASTIC! I think that those who did
make the show (and expected the show to be as it was advetised) would
agree that it was well done. I didn't see any junk there and
basically everything was a nice restoration job. Yes, the prices did
reflect a restored machine, but they seemed to have been well worth
it.

I hope this becomes a yearly event in Hershey. I honestly cannot say
enough nice comments about the show. It was advertised as a Gameroom
Expo and not like an Allentown show, and they did deliver as promised.

THANK YOU for a great show and I personally hope it becomes a yearly
event.

Bill
I don't have any ties to the promoters, vendors, or anything with the
show. I just stayed for a weekend and visited the show on Friday and
Saturday. The views reflected are just my personal feelings.

I think you HAVE ties to the promotors, vendors and the
show as a whole. I also believe your views are someone elses
views and not your own, as I have met you, and you don't seem
to have alot going on in the belfry.

Not Hankster.

Bill
I don't have any ties to the promoters, vendors, or anything with the
show. I just stayed for a weekend and visited the show on Friday and
Saturday. The views reflected are just my personal feelings.

Whoa!Flaming someone should be elsewhere not here.I don't know either of you
but I went on Sunday,the only day I could go do to work obligations.Sure some
of it was sold off but there were still some nice machines there.One guy had 3
beautifuly restored Seeburgs and the prices reflected it of course.He sold his
Seeburg C before I left.The 45s he had were crappy shape mostly and he was too
high on them for condition I thought.But Glenn Strope had a nice selection of
used 45s mostly for $1 each.Wurco was there with the record sets and cds and
jukeboxes.Lots of nice unrestored machines too.Lots of pinballs,
videos,slots,diner booths,stools,candy machines,advertising,neon
signs,literature.Wish somone with repro parts was there such as A-1
Nastalgia.He's well within driving distance of the show.Maybe next time.Got
lots of Always Jukin' books and stuff from Charlie Maier and saved on
shipping.Very nice meeting and talking to him.One of the most helpful guys
around since he's not trying to talk you out of doing your own juke and sell
you one of his.He don't sell jukeboxes.I liked the show but it was the first
gameroom/juke show I've ever been to and I hope they continue because Chicago
is just to far for me.





I think you HAVE ties to the promotors, vendors and the
show as a whole. I also believe your views are someone elses
views and not your own, as I have met you, and you don't seem
to have alot going on in the belfry.

Not Hankster.

Bill
I don't have any ties to the promoters, vendors, or anything with the
show. I just stayed for a weekend and visited the show on Friday and
Saturday. The views reflected are just my personal feelings.








I think you HAVE ties to the promotors, vendors and the
show as a whole. I also believe your views are someone elses
views and not your own, as I have met you, and you don't seem
to have alot going on in the belfry.

Not Hankster.

Bill
I don't have any ties to the promoters, vendors, or anything with the
show. I just stayed for a weekend and visited the show on Friday and
Saturday. The views reflected are just my personal feelings.

I have been taking the medication now, and my belfry has a few less bats in
it now. The doctor says that I should be completely cured by the year 2015.

Excuse me now... I peed in my pants.

Bill

I think you HAVE ties to the promotors, vendors and the
show as a whole. I also believe your views are someone elses
views and not your own, as I have met you, and you don't seem
to have alot going on in the belfry.

Not Hankster.

Bill
I don't have any ties to the promoters, vendors, or anything with the
show. I just stayed for a weekend and visited the show on Friday and
Saturday. The views reflected are just my personal feelings.

1Ripper wrote:
I had a fantastic and fortunate weekend in Hershey. I went to the
Expo, and here's my unbiased review as how *I* found the show to be.
As usual, no one has to agree or disagree, but this is just my
opinion.

...

I don't have any ties to the promoters, vendors, or anything with the
show. I just stayed for a weekend and visited the show on Friday and
Saturday. The views reflected are just my personal feelings.

Well, I *DO* have ties to both the promoter *AND* to a vendor (that
vendor being *me*). I had several machines for sale in the "Funland
Gallery" (the free play area). But I wanted to put my $0.02 in from the
other side of the show...

This is the first time I've been on the other side of the buyer/seller
"game." The machines that I had for sale were *NOT* regular pinballs --
I had several machines from the 30's and 40's -- all flipperless
machines; some completely restored, some project machines. I spent the
entire weekend talking to the people who were walking through. Some
were perspective buyers of a game for their house; most were people just
looking around and having a fun time looking and playing.

I had a blast. I got a chance to talk to people about pinball for three
days straight. As you can tell by my choice of pinballs to sell, I like
the old stuff, and I was able to share what knowledge I have about
pinball history and art with people that were interested in and/or
fascinated by "something old and completely different." There were the
old car buffs who like the idea of the old being new again; There were
the gamerom novices who didn't have a clue about pinball before the
advent of solid state scoring; and everyone in between. Some people
tried the flipperless machines, got bored after 1 ball, and left. Some
played for 15 or 20 minutes straight -- determined to beat "such a
simple game."

Yes, I sold several of my machines; one (1939 Bally "Supreme") to a
20-something who loved the art and wanted to try finishing the
restoration that I started, and another (1939 Bally "Scoop) to a
30-something who seemed fascinated by the game itself -- especially the
gambling machine aspects.

Finally, I've known the promoter, Jimmy Rosen, for a while now. I can
tell you that he busted his backside to put the expo together. And I,
for one, thinks that he deserves a HUGE round of applause for putting
that level of blood, sweat and commitment into starting what I hope will
be a yearly event.

Jimmy, if you're reading this -- sign me up for next year! Now take a
vacation, for goodness sake! You deserve it!

Bill