Vacant vendor spaces

[Guest Camperon]

I walk every foot of every vendor row every year. Much of it is wasted, walking past vendor spaces that are empty or used for vehicle parking. I would like to see the red field at the South end of the stadium eliminated for vendors and used for vendor parking. The few vendors there, are spaced so far apart, it is wasted effort to walk the long distance between them. Those vendors could easily move into some of the many empty spaces on the side of the stadium, still in the red field. The same goes for the separate section on the South end of the orange field. There are many vacant spaces in the main orange field for those vendors. The hope is more vendors per mile of walking instead of all the wasted walking past vendorless spaces.

[Matt Harwood]

That would be awesome, but how do they know who will show up and who will not? Whose space do you reassign to consolidate? I know a lot of people who buy the spaces year after year just in case they decide to go or because their father or grandfather always bought spaces. Consolidating all those spaces would be tough simply because they have no way of knowing the reasons why people bought the spaces or their intentions. I've had this same thought many a time and haven't been able to think of a way to police it without becoming draconian and/or wasting massive manpower on checking who is using which spaces and keeping track of that information for several years to determine who is actually using spaces and who is wasting them.

 

Great idea, but how to implement? I bet they'd be open to ideas for how to make something like this happen. I'd sure like to see the same thing happen in the car corral, but again, no way to know why people bought the spaces or even if they'll show up. And it seems that asking people to be honest or to be courteous and thoughtful of their fellow hobbyists is out of the question.

[Brass is Best]

I walked 27.6 miles. You have to take the good with the bad. One mans treasure is another mans trash. I did notice a lot of able body men riding golf carts this year. I also noticed they were not bashful about telling those on foot to get out of their way. How dose one even get a golf cart at Hershey? If things are going to be reorganized perhaps all of the "New Parts" vendors should be in one area. Then if you are not looking for new parts, tires, magazines or insurance you could skip that section. Probably best to leave it as it is controlled chaos. No matter what you would change it would upset someone. Besides it works well how it is and we all need a good hike once in awhile.

[CarFreak]

How about monitoring who doesn't show up, who reserved those vacant spaces, and if not selling, they can't renew the following year?

 

Exception for doctor's notes.  

[CarFreak]

Yes we noticed the plentitude of golf cart and other motorized vehicles although we didn't encounter too much get-out-of-my-way attitudes. 

 

I thought you are required to provide proof of handicap before receiving a permit to have them on the field but maybe that practice has fallen by the way side? 

 

And isn't there signage at the entrances to the car corral restricting them?  That's where its quite noticeable, crowded with walkers and entitled riders coming together.  If not allowed then why do the vested volunteers allow so many to enter?

[trimacar]

It's against the law to ask for proof of handicap, so anyone can get a cart registered and use it.  That said, remember that a lot of handicaps aren't readily visible.  That said, a lot of able bodied people who should be walking, were riding.

 

The "policing" of cart and bicycle and scooter and so forth use was sporadic at best.  Gas powered vehicles were everywhere, although according to Hershey Region guidelines they're only allowed for meet officials.

 

Tuesday seems to be a "free" day, every mode of individual transportation you can think of was running around.  Wednesday, there were bicycles everywhere.  Thursday was better, with fewer bicycles.

 

I saw at least one battery powered vehicle, that's within the rules, but it was towing a little trailer with a little generator to keep the battery charged, so technically that's not allowed.

 

I can appreciate that the Hershey Region has a huge job, but the rules aren't enforced very well....and yes, the car corral has very specific signs saying no golf cars, yet the attendant at the end gate just ignored them driving in...

[John Kelso]

Here's another take on flea market spaces. I've had a space for nearly 40 years. Most of those years I had a wife and kids helping at the space

so I was free to hunt. For the past ten I'm the only one attending so I have parts, and I want to look.  The dilemma is do I sit at the space or do

I do what I want and walk around?  Personally I like that everything is mixed up.

[Restorer32]

I don't care that many spots are used for parking. At least those vehicles brought people into the flea market. I will start to worry when people stop showing up.

[Guest Camperon]

I did not know there were absentee site owners. It would be interesting to know how many unpaid and available sites there actually are.

[thehandleman]

My Biggest Complaint every year as a vendor, when the customer gets a little tired and he comes up on my row, he may look down and see club vans parked all over my row and say to himself I will skip this row and go to a better row with more rusty gold, a van, sub lease a space from someone not going, and all of a sudden  9 guys jump out and walk. They put one freaking carburetor and a couple yankee lens on a table to act like there selling while there eating lunch then back at it. That's what needs to be enforced, If a guy can spend all his money to come from Norway and boost the local economy as well, should he not deserve a chance at finding his parts he is in need of? Instead of walking around a 50' motorhome's with three parts out front. I don't know the answer, I love Hershey my father did 52 years selling, its in mine and my brothers blood.If something is not done to curb the problems, I fear less and less people will come. It takes me weeks to start preparing all the stuff to bring, My sales were down a solid 30% from last year and the weather was pretty much perfect. Also maybe another answer is see if Carlisle and Hershey can spread farther apart on dates so we have more people dedicated to the preservation of Hershey.Just thoughts still love it.

[Terry Bond]

Every year there are posts here from those who would like to see it somehow reorganized.  There have been some good thoughts, and I'm sure everyone has good intentions, but in reality it's difficult to either categorize areas or do much with vacant spaces or parked vehicles.  Remember this year a lot of vendors and buyers had been impacted by some pretty serious disasters and were unable to make it to vend or buy.  In my own case, I had a broken leg.  It didn't keep me from being there but greatly restricted my ability to sell and get around.  For vending I had a simple ez-up and a couple of small tables and a few brass lamps, so I guess I fall into that "little bit" category - but there was a valid reason.  I was also in a rented mobility scooter that I had to have properly registered by showing drivers license and wallet handicapped permit card.  The barriers into the car corral were staffed by security and only properly registered scooters/carts were permitted.  I saw several people on non registered carts stopped by security in the market, and one guy on a bicycle given the option to leave or push the bike.   I know of several vendors with plenty of stuff who also have an extra space for their motor home or camper.   Remember also that some vendors like  to occasionally go shopping.  Personally I like to close up at least one day, usually Thursday so I can look too.  I know when I was on the Board of Directors there were often other obligations, meetings, etc that took time away from both vending and looking.  So - it's really an individual thing and if you happen to walk past my space on Thursday it would be vacant.  

Hershey is an experience - the worlds greatest show on earth for the old car hobby, and I love the treasure hunt.  Hershey Region does a fabulous job with it all and they are all volunteers doing the best possible.  Ever year they have a wash-up meeting and begin planning immediately for the next year.  I'm sure there are a lot of good ideas that get tossed round.  To steal a line from the late Ted Fiala, one of our founders, "Long Live AACA"...and-the Hershey fall meet.  May they never run out of gas.

Terry

[thehandleman]

All Good Points, I rough it in my enclosed cargo trailer, I would love to close up and walk but to many people come from a far looking for parts, my obligation is to be open at 8am and start closing at 5pm each day, thats my dedication to the preservation of the hobby and originality. 

[John348]

On 10/9/2017 at 8:21 PM, Camperon said:

I walk every foot of every vendor row every year. Much of it is wasted, walking past vendor spaces that are empty or used for vehicle parking. I would like to see the red field at the South end of the stadium eliminated for vendors and used for vendor parking. The few vendors there, are spaced so far apart, it is wasted effort to walk the long distance between them. Those vendors could easily move into some of the many empty spaces on the side of the stadium, still in the red field. The same goes for the separate section on the South end of the orange field. There are many vacant spaces in the main orange field for those vendors. The hope is more vendors per mile of walking instead of all the wasted walking past vendorless spaces.

 

Just a few thoughts on this, did you think that maybe the people in the red field south like it there, and enjoy the social aspect of their Hershey neighbors? Those vendors could request a new location if they wanted to. I have several spaces in the red field north, and if I had to relocate for the above reasons you mentioned I would have to think long and hard about renewing them, and most likely I would not. True there might be a few people who park their cars and not set up, but it is very hard to both vend and enjoy hunting for parts. Between  3 of us we have 9 spaces, four on one side of the aisle and five on the other, and yes we park our cars on the the other side of the aisle and sell from the other. Otherwise we would have to breakdown and set-up everyday just to move our cars in and out. This allows us to put more things out 

[John_S_in_Penna]

On 10/10/2017 at 8:12 PM, thehandleman said:

...They put one freaking carburetor and a couple Yankee lenses on a table to act like they're selling...

I fear less and less people will come.... 

 

I agree with you, handleman.  Already I have decided

that walking the show field is not productive, and sellers

that do what you're describing turn people away from those rows.

We want to strengthen Hershey, not weaken it, and your points are good.

 

Maybe Wal-mart should place all its products randomly

throughout the store, so that you have to walk and scrutinize

every foot of every aisle to find the toothpaste you were seeking.

Wouldn't that be fun?

 

"But I like walking 15 miles and searching," some enthusiasts will say.

I don't suppose they would like the random Wal-mart concept--

and that's on a much smaller scale than our multi-acre flea market.

 

 

 

Edited October 14, 2017 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[trimacar]

While I understand your point about Walmart, it's hard to compare that store and Hershey.  Walmart, or any such store, has complete control over the goods being sold.  Hershey, on the other hand, is quite random.

 

In one way, being random is a good thing.  Let's say all the Model T parts sellers are in one spot on the field.  The first few people there who are serious buyers get all the "good" stuff.  Having it spread out over the entire field gives everyone a random chance to find the good stuff.

 

As to the Red field, it's sort of become the area for early brass cars and stuff, so I'd hate to see that changed.

 

Here are my thoughts:

 

-eliminate the Orange field and turn it into parking.  Make each spot a 10 x 20, to park a car or truck, and charge $60 a space.  The Hershey region still makes the same money, and those who use a spot for just parking get a deal.

 

-only give ONE window sticker for each TWO spaces purchased on the flea market areas.  That would eliminate a lot of the "just parking" cars and trucks, and force them to buy a spot in the Orange field to park.

 

-pick a day, let's say Thursday, and go through fields....anyone without a booth set up, or parts being sold, just parking, gets a warning.  If the same person does the same thing the next Hershey, they're forced out of that space and have the option to buy a parking spot on Orange field.  (by the way, according to a discussion last year on the Forum, the Hershey region does (?) go through and cancel spots where people are just parked...although I haven't heard much of an uproar about this, so not sure how much it's enforced)

 

All that said, I think it's going to stay pretty much the same, as it's hard to police and hard to change the way it's now handled.  For example, I had occasion to talk to one of the Hershey region security volunteers (I had an issue with a neighbor vendor who drove over some of my parts for sale, I didn't call security but one of my other neighbor vendors did), and he said his job was to keep bicycles and gas powered carts out of the Green field.  That's a LOT of territory for one person to cover.

 

As someone has said before, regardless of rules and how they're enforced, still no other place I want to be the first of October!!

 

[48woodie]

I am 3 three out of cancer treatments. I am still not 100 % but am able to again go the Hershey Fall Meet.

 

It was  hard coming back this year and looking down an isle and see that 50 % of the spaces are being used for parking or just empty.  I agree with "The Handle Man ". He must be frustrated when he looks down his isle and sees so many spaces being used for parking.

 

Why can't the AACA Police the show and contact the people using the spaces for car parking, trailer parking or the empty space holders. Give them a one time warning then take away their space/spaces ?  The Iola Wisconsin Show does it.

 

Here are some photos I took on Thursday ?????   These are not all the photos I took.

 

Mike

 

 

[Bhigdog]

18 years ago my wife and I would spend two days walking the flea market including the old airport. There was sooo much to see and look at. We were'nt really looking for any particular parts but there was soooo much to see. The rows were chock-a-block with vendors hawking everything imaginable. There was soooo much to see.

Wednesday I brought a car to the corral to sell. About noon I thought I'd walk the market for a bit. After all, there was soooo much to see.

After maybe three rows of walking and seeing maybe  8 vendors  my knees and hips  brought me to my senses.

There was soooo little to see.

Well, I did sell my car.......................Bob