That's funny that the guy switched them - but now that you mentioned what you did it made sense in the beginning
It is tough with the tables thing. The guys bringing a ton of stuff don't camp out. What I've seen happen is various levels, basically if you're setting up a tank, you pay one rate (these are usually all called vendors), and those who just want space another rate (usually cheaper because they aren't using electricity, etc.). Any number of levels could work, except if you had too many. Honestly, this was the first swap that I didn't buy a table partly because I didn't want to pay the same amount to have a spot to park my stuff as the guy who has a huge set-up going with lights and everything else. Also, I only had a few things, so I figured there would be first-come, first-serve type tables to park. Usually other swaps have first come type tables. Again, not a criticism at all - I know space was an issue - these are just suggestions.
i like the whole no power table idea, say we had some spare tables left you can park 2-3 people on a table and charge them $5 each for a 1/3 table or something because they are using no power. one reason i commented on this is meisens setup, he has no power or water being used at his stand, he has a great setup and has some great sales to go with it, he has detailed pictures of all of his things on the bags of what he is selling and people buy them, some people like to see it live in the tank more but still it works out good, i am considering doing what he did next time, a lot less hassle of lugging water/tanks/lights/power cords/ etc. i could just get some nice colored labels and stick them on my **** cups and sell away! however i would still like to provide either a LED actinic flashlight or LED actinic plug in light to show people the color of some of the hard corals assuming most softies will be closed. its just so much less to deal with, i dont gotta worry about bagging corals or anything because they will already be prebagged and ready to go.
it was a great time. I agree though, it was a lil to crowded LOL. I couldn't even make it to all the tables, and missed a lot of them. I waited till the crowd thinned out to do most of my looking. It actually paid off as I got a nice deal on a real nice 4 color chalice. Check union halls also. 900 on mich ave in Wayne is pretty large, and I used to be a member there for 15 years and might be able to get a discount. I can get our hall at 3000 at a good rate, but it's not a whole lot bigger than where it was, and it's in woodhaven. The school thing would be cool size wise, but the cocktails where kinda a nice addition LOL. Maybe washtenaw county fairgrounds, or the fairgrounds near where the swap was? Might be a good idea to get a few people with generators donate them to use for the day also. I have one that your more than welcome to use. Next year, I would try to find some people to run a grill and sell burgers, dogs, ribs, etc and use the proceeds for the A2 reef club??
it was a great time. I agree though, it was a lil to crowded LOL. I couldn't even make it to all the tables, and missed a lot of them. I waited till the crowd thinned out to do most of my looking. It actually paid off as I got a nice deal on a real nice 4 color chalice. Check union halls also. 900 on mich ave in Wayne is pretty large, and I used to be a member there for 15 years and might be able to get a discount. I can get our hall at 3000 at a good rate, but it's not a whole lot bigger than where it was, and it's in woodhaven. The school thing would be cool size wise, but the cocktails where kinda a nice addition LOL. Maybe washtenaw county fairgrounds, or the fairgrounds near where the swap was? Might be a good idea to get a few people with generators donate them to use for the day also. I have one that your more than welcome to use. Next year, I would try to find some people to run a grill and sell burgers, dogs, ribs, etc and use the proceeds for the A2 reef club??
yeah i said the same thing we could get people to donate like some deer steaks and burgers and some fish etc and have a cookout either before or after the swap and proceeds go to A2 club. i know we would get a great turn out from it! it was a suggestion i had in another thread lol
First want to thank everyone that came. Posting in this thread will not be ignored. Dont know if peiple know but SirPatrick started this 3 years ago and I was a guy that read about a swap being help within 10 miles of me. I thought this was interesting and thought that I would go check it out. Was kinda cool b/c I was just some dude checking out a swap being held by another hobbiest at his place of employment. Chris and I talked some but I never knew what a freind he would be. Later a month or so later he posted hammers on a site and went and got them from him and started talkng to him. Thats when we became the freinds we are. From then on we have a drive to keep a swap in this ann arbor area. We knew that it would become a big swap in michgan. Last years swap proved the importance of a swap in this area. As the years are progressing, the popularity of the swap here is snowballing. Right now we are in a growing phase. it does inpersonalize the swap a little but that is part of the the sucess of the swap. Lots of reason we have vendors is that they want tables. They pay the same amount as anyone else does. They want the tables and lots of hobbiest do not. We have to sale tables to hold this swap. The eagles do not give us the hall for free(nor last venue). We actually allow people to presale thier stuff and bring it (others dont or have limits). I did not do as much as some did this year. But there are many hours that go into these events. We do not make much from the swap but it allows us to put money in bank to make sure we have it next year. This year we not have to take from our personal fund to hold it!!!! That is progress. I think you you calculated the amount an hour we generated from work involved to hold this swap we would have made around 10 cents per hour lol. Nice thing about having swap was it assure that one will be held next year. All of vendors were excellent. Also, Some people there were hobbiest(manoj and ect) selling their stuff to other hobbiest and giving them a pretty good deal. In all, I think we did a nice job. There always is some area for improvement. But remember, these vendors are the same people that keep this and other sites operating. We have brought an unheard of swap to one of the better around here. I love these swaps b/c it allows me to meet people that havethe same love of the hobby as me. I look forward to beng next years raffle MC if you all will alow me again.
Paulo
Im with jim on the schools and tanks thing.. they cant maintain them like they should be able to, its a nice gesture but in the end it rarely works out.
Keep up the ideas though, the swap can still get better and the more ideas we have the more options to improve we have!
I didn't mean to donate *a tank* I meant have the vendors donate 5$ towards the school.
I too agree with Jim though.
my idea was try to get ahold of a local highschool and see if we can use their cafeteria, they always have water messes and i am sure they meet the power requirements for it, a lot already have tables in them for people to sit at so that shouldnt be an issue, they are big open areas as well so i think it would be great! they could give some of the kids community service for helping vendors with things such as helping tape down wires, cleaning up water spills, helping collect the money, writeing up name tags etc...
thats what i said, we should have it at my high school its prefect. the only thing sirpatrick wants availbility to alchol, so he says no. But i think more space is more inmportant than beer. lol
thats what i said, we should have it at my high school its prefect. the only thing sirpatrick wants availbility to alchol, so he says no. But i think more space is more inmportant than beer. lol
yeah we can just get hammered in the parking lot, or go to the bathroom and drop a shot in our drink haha jk!
Originally Posted by weimers75
That's funny that the guy switched them - but now that you mentioned what you did it made sense in the beginning
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Which was why he was on one of the center tables...one less cord across the floor. 
There's nothing like being a Reefer!
