Ohio Pen Show - Who's Going?

[inkstainedruth]

Didn't make the deadline for the convention rates. So I'm staying at a hotel about 10 or so miles away that (for two days) was less expensive and has free breakfast. Which is good, because that means I'll have more money for pen repairs (I've got a handful, including that pesky Shadow Wave...). And replacement caps for the sumgai 51s I got last week, and possibly for the 61 I got on the Bay of Evil, which also needs a hood arrow )if I can find one) -- and which may *also* have hairline cracks in the barrel . Can't tell how much of an issue that will be with the capillary filler, but I reconstituted the dried ink in it over the weekend and it seems to write okay.

The advantage of staying over Friday night as well means that I'm not completely exhausted when I get home (last year when I day-tripped, I rolled into my house around 12:30 AM); and if I don't get a chance to talk to all the people I need to vis-a-vis repair work and parts, I've got Saturday morning. The disadvantage, of course, is the extra cost of the hotel, plus extra meals.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[wvbeetlebug]

Being able to stay at the hotel or nearby definitely makes all of the difference. We didn't make the reservation time either but will be staying nearby and for much less. Really excited to go this time around especially since my husband will be with me. It'll be a weekend getaway for us.

[playpen]

Which hotel nearby is much less than the Crowne Plaza? We are staying on site but I'm interested to know where the rates are better.

I am looking for a sleek preferably black rollerball as a gift for someone special. All ideas cheerfully welcomed!

[gweimer1]

There are any number of hotels within about 10 miles that should be cheaper. Check in Hilliard, OH for other places.

[playpen]

Thank you for the lead. I am staying at the show site but I will keep it in mind future shows!

[inkstainedruth]

Actually, when I looked online at the beginning of the week stuff in Hilliard was *not* cheaper. :-(

I'll be in Westerville, which is still on the right part of the ring road (last year I day-tripped on Friday, but that ended up being a bit too exhausting). Getting excited about the trip, though. Heading out tomorrow afternoon, and am going to try and see if I can stick my nose into that vintage pen store on the upper end of N. High Street before going to check in and grab dinner. I couldn't find hours posted anyplace online, though, so just mostly keeping my fingers crossed.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[playpen]

Ruth,

 

We are here already. The hotel is almost empty at this point. We arrived just after lunch and already drove all around looking at what was built since last year. It's such a nice area. The hotel had a nine million dollar face lift and it sure looks spiffy compared to what it looked like last year. It's very nice.

[byggyns]

Heading out tomorrow afternoon, and am going to try and see if I can stick my nose into that vintage pen store on the upper end of N. High Street before going to check in and grab dinner. I couldn't find hours posted anyplace online, though, so just mostly keeping my fingers crossed.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Ruth, The pen store on High St. closes at 5 PM on Mon - Sat. He also steps out or locks up for lunch at around noon - 1 PM. I don't know if he has any modified hours for the weekend of the show.

He's quite a character and will occasionally get in some cool vintage stuff.

His new pen offerings are rather limited: some Pilot VP's, some LAMY Safaris and Al-Stars and a few others.

The only brand of FP ink he deals in is Private Reserve.

There is parking nearby on the street, at the nearby Kroger, and down a narrow alley to a parking lot at the back of the store.

 

 

To address the subject of this thread, I will be there on Saturday & Sunday. Unfortunately, I am working my second job today & Friday. It's just a short trip around the loop for me. I actually live in Westerville.

 

 

ETA: If anyone has searched online & seen a listing for a Paradise Pens location here in Columbus, it's old news. The store has been closed for some time. I went looking for it this year & was disappointed. There is also a listing for "Write Fine Pens." When I was past there last, it was an empty storefront. The antique store next door told me that the owner had never gotten things together to open the store. That address is only about a block away from the one you were asking about.

Edited November 6, 2014 by byggyns

[gweimer1]

Day1...and it's not even over....I need more money...

 

 

[StyloBug33]

About to head out the door!! Hope to be there for the evenings activities

[Fozziebear]

I'll save a few more pennies and try for next year. In the meantime ...

 

Have a great time, one and all!

[inkstainedruth]

 

Ruth, The pen store on High St. closes at 5 PM on Mon - Sat. He also steps out or locks up for lunch at around noon - 1 PM. I don't know if he has any modified hours for the weekend of the show.

He's quite a character and will occasionally get in some cool vintage stuff.

His new pen offerings are rather limited: some Pilot VP's, some LAMY Safaris and Al-Stars and a few others.

The only brand of FP ink he deals in is Private Reserve.

There is parking nearby on the street, at the nearby Kroger, and down a narrow alley to a parking lot at the back of the store.

Well, I'm now at my hotel (about 10-15 miles from the show site). I did swing up to the store briefly, around 4:30 and had a nice chat with the owner, who said he was headed on up to the show when he closed up (BTW -- clicking on the hours link on one site said the hours on Thursday were 1-9, but obviously that was not the case). I ended up parking over at the Krogers because I figured I wouldn't be there that long. Some nice pens, but mostly too pricy for me at the moment. My discretionary funds this weekend are mostly going towards repairs and restoration on pens I already have.

I probably should have asked the price and nib size of the Rotring Artpen that was packaged up and hanging on the wall with the BP refills, though -- I have one (courtesy of FPNer Uncle Red) with an EF nib that's very nice for drawing with.

The guy said he does restorations. Anyone ever deal with him? I was a bit curious as to what his prices and turnaround time were like, and if he does a good job. I had seen some reviews of the store online on places like Yelp and apparently some of the reviews were not too positive. But the guy was nice enough to me (if fairly opinionated -- I'm not sure I completely *agree* with some of those opinions, but was polite enough not to say so ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[gweimer1]

Are you going to be there tomorrow? Talk to me about that there.

[PAKMAN]

Hope you guys have fun, hate to miss it!

[wvbeetlebug]

Made a pit stop here in Charleston, WV at my Folks. They'll be watching our two little ones while the Hubby and I motor to Columbus in the morning for a little weekend getaway. Super excited! Any travel tips? Haven't been there in a number of years. Lots of new roads built since 2008!!!

[inkstainedruth]

That's the plan. Since I went to that store this afternoon, my schedule isn't as tight as it might have been. Probably hang around in the hotel room after breakfast for a bit and then try to get to Dublin around 12:30-ish (Google Maps shows it being about 15-20 minutes away, depending on the route and amount of traffic). Maybe tomorrow morning I'll peruse one of the books I picked up at the Half-Priced Books next to where I had dinner tonight: two books on drawing and painting and one called The Missing Ink (which I'm almost certain got mentioned in some FPN thread or other).

Are you going to be there tomorrow? Talk to me about that there.

Of course, since I'm not paying the weekend rate, I can't actually get in the door until 1 PM tomorrow. Which means that I will be doing a lot of zooming around tables trying to find various people I need to talk to about various repairs. Unlike last year, where I spent half the afternoon schmoozing at the tables in the hallway and then realized about 3 PM I hadn't even seen either of the ballrooms! And I was only there for Friday last year....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[inkstainedruth]

Hope you guys have fun, hate to miss it!

Yeah, sorry you're missing this year -- it was good to meet you last year.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[gweimer1]

Ruth - I should be there almost all day, and I signed up for a couple sessions. I'll keep an eye out for you.

[Parker51]

Well, I'm now at my hotel (about 10-15 miles from the show site). I did swing up to the store briefly, around 4:30 and had a nice chat with the owner, who said he was headed on up to the show when he closed up (BTW -- clicking on the hours link on one site said the hours on Thursday were 1-9, but obviously that was not the case). I ended up parking over at the Krogers because I figured I wouldn't be there that long. Some nice pens, but mostly too pricy for me at the moment. My discretionary funds this weekend are mostly going towards repairs and restoration on pens I already have.

I probably should have asked the price and nib size of the Rotring Artpen that was packaged up and hanging on the wall with the BP refills, though -- I have one (courtesy of FPNer Uncle Red) with an EF nib that's very nice for drawing with.

The guy said he does restorations. Anyone ever deal with him? I was a bit curious as to what his prices and turnaround time were like, and if he does a good job. I had seen some reviews of the store online on places like Yelp and apparently some of the reviews were not too positive. But the guy was nice enough to me (if fairly opinionated -- I'm not sure I completely *agree* with some of those opinions, but was polite enough not to say so ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Since he got married to his college sweetheart he has been a lot nicer, a lot happier I suspect. For a long time (twenty years or so) I wondered why he seemed to be a sour puss and I avoided him and his store, stopping in only about once a year, despite driving by about once a month. Now he is in a good mood, and helpful, even to people who are wasting his time. I observed him with a person trying to get him to buy a nearly valueless pen and he was actually sweet to them, explaining what the pen was, and why it has little value (third tier, gold washed brass nib needing resacked). The only unfortunate situation is that he sells on EBay, and as such has little stock compared,to what he once had. I expect if I was his age I would do the same and clear out what I could. He has sold thousands of pens, including a lot of good vintage ones at a fair price over the years. In regard to repairs, well, he will do them. He used to not like to repair Snorkels and charged accordingly for them, but for lever fills, button fills and the like he should be acceptable. I do not know what his current prices are, and I am unfamiliar with any work he might do on nibs as I have never asked him about that, but for a basic cleaning and sack replacement he is the only one doing it for pay in Columbus, and I believe one of only two in Ohio, and the only one with a store.

[CaptainBA]

I'll be there on Saturday! I'm really excited for my first Pen show .