Potential sale of Hershey

[Restorer32]

Mondolez has dropped their attempt to purchase Hershey but I find it interesting that Hershey said that "any offer would have to start at $125/share" which says that Hershey could in fact change hands if the price were right.

[poci1957]

So what do you think?  Do you think the company would be better for the community if they stay independent?  My observation is that is usually the case as long as the company is successful enough to remain financially able and we hope Hershey is.  

 

I guess Mondelez is the former Kraft Foods which also acquired Cadbury in 2010 and promptly closed an iconic plant and outsourced to Poland (the source does say the closure was in process before the takeover). Todd C

[Restorer32]

I would like to see the company stay in Hershey but I took a big hit this morning when the stock dropped $12/share when Mondolez dropped out. The Hershey trust is sitting on billions they can't find enough ways to spend and still be in compliance with Milton's will. It's an interesting problem.

[mercer09]

It is always better for the community if they stay independent. The minute you merge, the faster you see jobs go away.

 

always cheaper to consolidate. The new norm is for one person to do 2 1/2 jobs at companies these days. Everyone needs to be Superman.

 

end result, is poor quality and companies leaving America. All been done before..................

 

products always suffer.

[Restorer32]

Yes but if they don't stay competitive all those jobs will disappear anyway.

[poci1957]

1 hour ago, Restorer32 said:

I would like to see the company stay in Hershey but I took a big hit this morning when the stock dropped $12/share when Mondolez dropped out. The Hershey trust is sitting on billions they can't find enough ways to spend and still be in compliance with Milton's will. It's an interesting problem.

 

Sounds like it, I read the Wall Street Journal article last week and it seems it mentioned that the State is involved in approving decisions of the trust and the trust is in charge of any merger decision?  Sounds like an unusual situation.  The area has benefitted for a century having had such a benefactor as Mr. Hershey, hope it continues, Todd C 

[Restorer32]

But you just know there are politicians slobbering at the mouth trying to figure out how to get their hands on some or all those billions tied up in the trust. The trust controls the majority of the voting stock.

[poci1957]

29 minutes ago, Restorer32 said:

But you just know there are politicians slobbering at the mouth trying to figure out how to get their hands on some or all those billions tied up in the trust. The trust controls the majority of the voting stock.

 

Yes, here in Illinois heads would explode at the thought of all that money sitting around out of reach.  Again, Mr. Hershey is to be commended as a wise public benefactor the likes of which we wish we could see today, Todd C

[edinmass]

Just look what happened to the Ford Foundation and The Henery Ford, when the family's second and third generation no longer held an intrest. Ruined by the XXXX XXXX XXXX. Don't want my post deleated. Let's just say the people running it now are more interest in their salary, perks, influence peddling , ect. Most of the great old items are no longer on display, soon there won't be any cars or transportation items in it. Then they will change the name. Sad, just like how half the country is operating today. People with no clue sure they are Smarter than the ones who made the money. Nothing last forever, Governments, countries, economic systems, units of money, they all come and go. Old man Hershey's vision has gone on a long time, here's to it going on for another hundred years.

[poci1957]

3 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Just look what happened to the Ford Foundation and The Henery Ford, when the family's second and third generation no longer held an intrest.

 

I think I recall Henry Ford II said the Ford Foundation was one of his biggest disappointments later in life

[mercer09]

Yes but if they don't stay competitive all those jobs will disappear anyway. (they are sitting on a boat load of cash-as you mention)

 

and if the chocolate is cheapened repeatedly, who will want it? Nestle and Mars come to mind as competitors............

 

NY already closed all of it's doors to manufacturing. nothing left in this country but intellectual property rights and the chinese are stealing that as well.

[Larry Schramm]

Much of the loss of jobs can be related to taxes.  You can not tax your way to prosperity.  States with the highest tax rates have seen the greatest loss of jobs.  This also includes cities with high taxes including income taxes.  Here in Michigan the areas of the state that have seen the greatest out migration of residents are cities with income taxes and lots of government  oversight.

[John_S_in_Penna]

16 hours ago, edinmass said:

Just look what happened to the Ford Foundation and The Henry Ford....Most of the great old items are no longer on display, soon there won't be any cars or transportation items in it. 

 

It has been a long time since I have been to 

the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village--

since before I became an antique car hobbyist.

I do remember a lot of antique cars, with planes and

maybe trains, from my visit as a teenager.

 

Are fewer cars and other modes of transportation

now displayed?  If so, what is the museum's stated reason?

What types of displays have taken their place? 

 

Edited August 31, 2016 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[dibarlaw]

John:

 My wife and I are planning to attend the Old Car Festival so I will give an opinion then. I was at The Henry Ford Museum (Edison Institute) as it was called and Greenfield Village back in 1966. I thought I had died and gone to heaven with what was on display. What a wonderful clutter.  Wall to wall artifacts of all types and more brass era cars than I could ever imagine seeing. I remember in the 1970s-1980s the foundation had a series of auctions "to clean house". As I had thought, cleaning out the many warehouses old Henry had more stuff stashed. Fast forward to 1996 when I took our family to visit. I was very disappointed to see the place "cleaned up" in that now it was brought up to Museum industry standards. Much less volume of displays. What was there were interpretive displays engineered by museum curators to tell a story. I understand to keep the general public interested in coming to a museum that they had to adapt to a modern audience. I still miss all the stuff. I will see what has changed.

[edinmass]

There is pleanty of t shirts and assorted Chineese toys for sale at sky high prices. Lots of whacked out nut job displays about social injustice and income redistribution, you know the story. Most of the farm equipment, half of the steam engines, 2/3 of the transportation stuff is all gone. They even have a grade school inside the museum. Asinine. And VERY sad.

[edinmass]

Did you go to the Hershey fall meet in the late 60's or early 70's, and then the last few years. They are NOT the same, not even close. The same goes for the Ford museum. In my humble opinion it's less than 1/3 of what is was in the old days. Change is not always bad. But I remember the old museum without the big up sell IMAX and if memory serves me a 5 dollar enterance fee. I think I paid 35 for just a basic entering fee, greenfield village was extra.(not in the old days.) Most of the hands on displays in greenfield village are long gone, the blacksmith, Firestone farm in actual work mode, ect. Inside the museum is the same way. IMAX fees are crazy, most of the topics are not museum related. When Imwas there last time the movie Titanic was the big movie showing in IMAX. It is a sad and partial fraction of what it once was. Years ago a hundred steam engines were working on compressed air, showing a walking beam and other such power plants in actual motion. It's hardly worth the time and effort today, and the price to get in is asinine. Just my two cents. Ed

[Restorer32]

At Hershey in about 1975 we were forced to remove a homemade sign we had posted on our camper offering a car for sale because the car  wasn't old or collectible. The car? A 1963 Jaguar XKE Conv. Times change, deal with it. It sure would be boring if we were still looking at the cars and parts we looked at in 1968.

[A. Ballard 35R]

Sometime in the early 1960's there was an AACA rule that you could only have cars and related material in the Flea Market AND that in accordance with AACA eligibility the items had to be 25 years old or older. Enforcement of this policy was not always consistent but it explains why your 1963 Jag was flagged since it was not even close to being 25 years old. Theoretically the same rule applies now and there are no problems finding parts for cars as new as 1991. Parts for pre-WWI I understand are very scarce. As a matter of fact, isn't there still the 25 year cutoff for cars in the car corral which it was the last time I took a car there to sell?

 

I personally know that the Miller brothers had a space in the Flea Market in the 1960's and were told to leave because they had Corvette parts they were selling. Perhaps that had something to do with the success of Carlisle.

[edinmass]

If you notice I was not complaining, just commenting on how the museum and the fall meet have changed. The fall meet is now 40 percent open space, junk toys, RV parking, ect. We set up a tent, bring more than a thousand parts, open 8 to 5 tues to Friday. It's more of a social meet now, and that's ok, but my point is with the pavement, and modern buildings, upgrades ect, it has undergone changes to the extent it is no longer what it was in the old days. I have no issues with any parts over twenty five years old, and fortunately hot rod stuff hasn't invaded to any great extent. I find it interesting people are quick to say I am negative, not in the least, just commenting on the changes at the museum and the fall meet. I am so busy now doing antique cars full time, Hershey is my "least" productive car event that runs multiple days. I have no problem with it, as I see it as a social meet, and no longer an opportunity to by pre war car stuff. I was going to take it off my must do list this year, and only attend if the weather is good. Add up time, hotel costs, four spaces, commercial tent, portal potty, fuel for the truck, ect........we sell tens of thousands of dollars of parts and are lucky to break even at the end of the week and cover our costs. 2015 was going to be my last year for Hershey as a selling meet. I was planning on just attending for social reasons, a few of the boys asked me to keep setting up, so I agreed for this year. We will see what comes. By the way, how many young people have you given a ride in a pre war open CCCA Classic in the last month? I have lost count, my guess is more than twenty five, I'm trying to keep the youngsters interested in cars. Negative? Not at all, just observations. 

[edinmass]

And one last thought.......I enjoy the hobby even more today than in the past. It has evolved into many diffrent interesting areas.....touring, shows for judging, concours, the list is almost endless with choices on how one can participate today. Have a good day, Ed

[Larry Schramm]

On ‎9‎/‎6‎/‎2016 at 3:51 AM, edinmass said:

Did you go to the Hershey fall meet in the late 60's or early 70's, and then the last few years. They are NOT the same, not even close. The same goes for the Ford museum. In my humble opinion it's less than 1/3 of what is was in the old days. Change is not always bad. But I remember the old museum without the big up sell IMAX and if memory serves me a 5 dollar enterance fee. I think I paid 35 for just a basic entering fee, greenfield village was extra.(not in the old days.) Most of the hands on displays in greenfield village are long gone, the blacksmith, Firestone farm in actual work mode, ect. Inside the museum is the same way. IMAX fees are crazy, most of the topics are not museum related. When Imwas there last time the movie Titanic was the big movie showing in IMAX. It is a sad and partial fraction of what it once was. Years ago a hundred steam engines were working on compressed air, showing a walking beam and other such power plants in actual motion. It's hardly worth the time and effort today, and the price to get in is asinine. Just my two cents. Ed

 

I would totally disagree with you on the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.  I have been going to the museum for over 50 years and it is one of the best collections of Americana around.  When I first started going in the 60's the museum was just rows and rows of stuff on display.  Interesting but after a couple of times visiting it was the same.  The museum has evolved with new displays and interactive displays.  The new auto display is great.  Their special events over the calendar year add to the experience. 

 

On Greenfield Village much of the buildings are the same as they have been for years.  The Firestone Farm is still a working farm(at last time I heard) with crops planted and horses in the barn and there is a lot of history there with original buildings/ exhibits not found any where else like the Wright Brothers bicycle shop, etc..  The best thing about the village is all of the extra activities that occur over the summer usually on weekends.  The two car shows that the village hosts are absolutely the best.  This weekend (Sept 10-11) is the Old Car Festival https://www.thehenryford.org/current-events/calendar/old-car-festival which is a fantastic event for vehicles older than 1932.  I will be there with our truck.

 

The blacksmith shop is still there and open in the village, but I heard that it is not easy to get someone that has blacksmith skills to run the shop so that is why it is not operating.

 

As for price, what about the price for just a movie or going to Disney or any other amusement park? Nothing is cheap today compared to what we paid when we were younger.

 

This is why we have an annual family pass to support the museum.

[Paul Dobbin]

Quote

 I remember the old museum without the big up sell IMAX and if memory serves me a 5 dollar enterance fee. I think I paid 35 for just a basic entering fee, greenfield village was extra.

  I also remember when admission to Disney World was cheap and you bought only the ride tickets you wanted to ride.  Now it's about $100     per person per day.  (For totally fake fantasy)   Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum are still a bargain for a wonderful real and

  educational experience.  Turning the clock back is not a realistic option, even Ford automobiles have evolved and gone up in price.

[padgett]

Was there in the 70s and there last week. Had a guided tour of the museum. Was a bit of whitewashing of his life and that of Edison (though Tesla and Westinghouse were both mentioned as were the strikebreakers of the 30's). Do not expect 400 point cars, most look like they were driven to the displays, or the guides to know only the earliest Mustangs had the 260.

 

Touk a tour around the villiage in a AA omnibus that needed a clutch. Never saw such short shifts (barely moving and into 2nd) was that common ?

 

Is not the same as before but is quite interesting, well worth a visit particularly if you can score the pink wristband (and accept that a 2-6-6-2 Allegheny is bigger than a cab-forward 4-8-8-2)

[mercer09]

regarding Ed and Hershey- couldnt agree more with you Ed.

 

I have very little interest in attending Hershey any longer. Yes, it is a great social for many of you, but regarding parts and cars- I see less and less each year, and the vendors are dying off............

 

again, just my observation and yes, 30-40% of the spaces are empty. some of that can be attributed to being taxed by PA. who wants to be bothered? certainly not me......................

 

you earn 300. bucks on selling some old parts and the taxman visits.............. ebay is much simpler and I find far more-yes, times have changed-not always for the better.

 

ps Disney is a rip off! 

[alsancle]

1 hour ago, mercer09 said:

regarding Ed and Hershey- couldnt agree more with you Ed.

 

The Hershey flea market is 25% of what it was 20 years ago.   There is no way to argue that.     I still enjoy it for the social interaction, but the days of finding obscure parts is gone.  Yes, an occasional trinket but nothing like pre-1995. 

 

As far as museums go,  I have never been to the Henry Ford so I have no first hand opinion.  But if Ed says it is going down hill, I believe him.  This is a guy that can give you a tour of the Smithsonian or National Art Gallery blind folded.  He is a museum savant.

[Larry Schramm]

10 hours ago, Paul Dobbin said:

  I also remember when admission to Disney World was cheap and you bought only the ride tickets you wanted to ride.  .

 

Ahhhh.. The days of the A to E ticket.   Tell anyone of the younger generation that a great experience was an "E ticket" ride and they will have no idea what you are talking about.

 

For those of you that do not know, the A ticket was the cheapest ticket and the E ticket was for the most expensive rides like the roller coasters.