Lotta Big Names Blowing Off The Dc Pen Show . . .

[markofp]

When I saw Richard Binder at the Long Island Show back in April, he expressed considerable frustration at the poor management of the DC Pen Show and some anger over how things went last year. This morning, he posted this on social media:

Historically, the Washington DC Fountain Pen Supershow has been an enjoyable show for exhibitors and patrons from all over the world. Last year, however, the show's change of location and lack of organization led to frustration and anger among both exhibitors and patrons. We have received no indication that the problems experienced last year have been resolved, nor has the show's website been updated except to change the dates of the show from last year's to this year's.

While all of us enjoy pen shows, participating as an exhibitor at a show is an expensive proposition. We are professional pen people, and we need to be able to set up before the public is admitted so that we can work during the show. The complete lack of information about the Washington show raises serious questions about our ability to serve our clients.

For these reasons, we have decided not to attend the Washington show this year. We greatly hope that the problems of the past have indeed been resolved, and we hope to return next year.

Mike and Linda Kennedy, Indy-Pen-Dance
Richard and Barbara Binder, RichardsPens
Rick Propas, The Penguin
Martin Ferguson, Martins Pens 51
Ron and Robyn Zorn, Mainstreet Pens
Carl Seidl - Pens of Dist-INK-tion
Joel Hamilton - Inkpen
Sherrell Tyree - Inkpen East

Edited May 24, 2018 by markofp

[MightyEighth]

I just saw that as well. Very disappointing but I can't blame them. I was looking forward to having some pen work done. Wonder how many others not associated with this group will also bail. I'm local so I'll be going anyway, but my expectations will be set to low.

 

- Marc

[PAKMAN]

Saw this on Facebook too. Sad that the show has gone so downhill!

[JonSzanto]

I very well remember getting a lot of flack in pointing out how chaotic and unprofessional the run-up and preparations for the show were. It all appears to have been very valid concerns.

[cakibler]

The LA Pen Show was a mess too I hear with the hotel undergoing renovations a

 

 

Nd the facilities were not up to snuff.

[Parker51]

I am glad to learn that the aforementioned Fountain Pen Professionals have taken this stand. Too often those in positions of authority, in this case an organizer, fail to recognize when they can't meet their obligations and expect everyone else to deal with the problems they create. Here Here!

[GClef]

Historically, the Washington DC Fountain Pen Supershow has been an enjoyable show for exhibitors and patrons from all over the world. Last year, however, the show's change of location and lack of organization led to frustration and anger among both exhibitors and patrons. We have received no indication that the problems experienced last year have been resolved, nor has the show's website been updated except to change the dates of the show from last year's to this year's.[/font][/color]

While all of us enjoy pen shows, participating as an exhibitor at a show is an expensive proposition. We are professional pen people, and we need to be able to set up before the public is admitted so that we can work during the show. The complete lack of information about the Washington show raises serious questions about our ability to serve our clients.

For these reasons, we have decided not to attend the Washington show this year. We greatly hope that the problems of the past have indeed been resolved, and we hope to return next year.

Mike and Linda Kennedy, Indy-Pen-Dance

Richard and Barbara Binder, RichardsPens

Rick Propas, The Penguin

Martin Ferguson, Martins Pens 51

Ron and Robyn Zorn, Mainstreet Pens

Carl Seidl - Pens of Dist-INK-tion

Joel Hamilton - Inkpen

Sherrell Tyree - Inkpen East

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Scans/photobucket-7737-1359243606585.jpg

[JotterAddict62]

Good for them. Maybe other dealers, vendors should do the same, then the promoter will get the message.

 

When I went to my first Chicago pen Show when it was held for the last time with the old promoter then the next year

with a new promoter with a last minute [ if you will ] new location that year. [ at least they had a show ]

Now for the last few years at the current location they have it dialed in.

[markh]

The LA Pen Show was a mess too I hear with the hotel undergoing renovations a

 

 

Nd the facilities were not up to snuff.

 

The L.A. show has some organizational "issues" - mostly that it's only open to the public on one day. In this way, it's a little unfriendly to vendors/table holders.

 

But it's been the same way for many years. IMO it works acceptably anyway, mostly because it draws from such a large population area. I've been coming for a long time and will be coming back with no hesitation (I'm in the "advanced hobbyist" category - this isn't a business for me).

 

As to the hotel - true it wasn't finished, but it was supposed to be - I don't think it's reasonable to blame the show organizer for that.

 

While I think L.A. could be much improved by changing the show and table days, I think you need to cut a little slack to the small number of people who take the time and financial risk to organize such an expensive event.

 

I think the S.F. show is just about perfectly run - takes a bunch of people to make it happen.

 

.

[inkstainedruth]

I haven't been to DCSS for several years, due to the date change. I'm a little sad, because that was my first show. But my second was Ohio Pen Show, which I love. Smaller than DC, of course but pretty much everything is, and very well run. And it's close enough to Pittsburgh that I could day trip if necessary (I did that the first year because I had a prior commitment the same weekend, so I just went out for Friday afternoon and drove him after grabbing dinner at the Max & Erma's a couple of blocks away.

I've also done Triangle Pen Show the past couple of years (although can't make this year -- and the drive to and from Pittsburgh is pretty exhausting, even when my husband went with me last year), and I've been to the Commonwealth Show a couple of times (which is still really small in comparison, but is also just one day). And then this spring I got to the Baltimore-Washington Show. Liked the show; but Baltimore itself? Not so much; if I go next year I will (a) have to find a different hotel from the one I stayed in; ( get a better sense of parking garages in the vicinity of the site hotel; and © likely want to do the "online parking garage reservation thing -- a garage 2-3 blocks away had one price listed for pre-reservations online, but just pulling in on Saturday cost me around thirty bucks just for the 2 hours I was running back to the show to do last minute shopping . And caused me to go "Charm City -- where they nickel and dime you to death.... Even trying to find a list of nearby garages, let alone the prices online? Let's just say the ImPark seems to have an extremely poor IT department. I also can't recommend the cab company I used going back to my hotel from the site hotel Friday night, because apparently getting stuck at a light is considered a "stop" and was I charged accordingly...

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[AAAndrew]

Y’all come on down to the Triangle pen show this weekend. Close(ish) to DC and more intimate.

[JonSzanto]

Ruth, you seriously need to hit the Return key every so often...

[Parker51]

The Ohio pen show is well run, and if you fly in and are on a tight budget use Public Transportation: $2.75 each way by bus, but the travel time is 1 hour 15 minutes from airport to hotel.

Edited May 30, 2018 by Parker51

[FarmBoy]

I haven't been to DCSS for several years, due to the date change. I'm a little sad, because that was my first show. But my second was Ohio Pen Show, which I love. Smaller than DC, of course but pretty much everything is, and very well run. And it's close enough to Pittsburgh that I could day trip if necessary (I did that the first year because I had a prior commitment the same weekend, so I just went out for Friday afternoon and drove him after grabbing dinner at the Max & Erma's a couple of blocks away.

I've also done Triangle Pen Show the past couple of years (although can't make this year -- and the drive to and from Pittsburgh is pretty exhausting, even when my husband went with me last year), and I've been to the Commonwealth Show a couple of times (which is still really small in comparison, but is also just one day). And then this spring I got to the Baltimore-Washington Show. Liked the show; but Baltimore itself? Not so much; if I go next year I will (a) have to find a different hotel from the one I stayed in; ( get a better sense of parking garages in the vicinity of the site hotel; and © likely want to do the "online parking garage reservation thing -- a garage 2-3 blocks away had one price listed for pre-reservations online, but just pulling in on Saturday cost me around thirty bucks just for the 2 hours I was running back to the show to do last minute shopping . And caused me to go "Charm City -- where they nickel and dime you to death.... Even trying to find a list of nearby garages, let alone the prices online? Let's just say the ImPark seems to have an extremely poor IT department. I also can't recommend the cab company I used going back to my hotel from the site hotel Friday night, because apparently getting stuck at a light is considered a "stop" and was I charged accordingly...

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Was it not possible to stay at the show hotel? Perhaps that would have let you avoid some of the hassles.

[MarcShiman]

There are a number of very important members of the pen community that don't feel its worthwhile given the Friday chaos, but there are a lot of great vendors from coming from around the world. I'm excited to go

[AAAndrew]

Pendemonium will be there.

[JonSzanto]

The sad part about it is that people are like drug addicts in these type of things: they will seemingly put up with virtually anything to get their fix! I doubt the show owner is a bad person, but they have zero impetus to improve as long as people simply shrug their shoulders and pretend nothing is wrong. I understand vendors wanting to sell and fp fans wanting to get their kicks. It just would be nice if it all could be handled... a bit better.

[markh]

The sad part about it is that people are like drug addicts in these type of things: they will seemingly put up with virtually anything to get their fix!

 

So... how many pens do you need to be an addict? I no doubt qualify.

 

I guess I'll have to go with what Brad Dowdy says on his Penaddict blog page "There are worse addictions, right?"

 

 

.

[JonSzanto]

So... how many pens do you need to be an addict? I no doubt qualify.

 

I guess I'll have to go with what Brad Dowdy says on his Penaddict blog page "There are worse addictions, right?".

 

I have no problems with the addiction. I like to choose the venues and pushers carefully, though.

[inkstainedruth]

Was it not possible to stay at the show hotel? Perhaps that would have let you avoid some of the hassles.

 

The hotel show rates for Baltimore-Washington was more expensive than the old DCSS site in Tyson's Corners had been. I can afford to pay for the site hotel, or I can afford to shop at the show, and stay someplace cheaper -- and I'm NOT day-tripping Baltimore from Pittsburgh. Day-tripping OPS the first year I went was bad enough -- I was exhausted by the time I got home (which, with getting dinner and stopping to fill up the gas tank) meant that I was stumbling into the house at 12:30 AM.

Unfortunately, in the case of B-W, I booked through Priceline and *thought* I was getting a good deal. The reality was considerably less so -- including having to walk several blocks in the wrong direction from the site hotel and back to find breakfast, which turned out NOT to be included, that was remotely affordable (and boy did I give Priceline an earful about my hotel when I got home). And after I checked out and went back over to the show, the garage that was closer to the site hotel than the 8 blocks away hotel parking (walking into a *strong* head wind in the process) turned out to be obscenely expensive for a weekend (and not REMOTELY like what the online rates I saw suggested -- and that was one of the few garages where I could actually find information online).

So if I do B-W next year, I've got to do a whole lot more research as to hotel *and* parking rates. Of course I'll probably be on my third attempt to find someplace decent for OPS come November. The place I stayed 2 years running turned into a complete dump on year 3; the place I stayed last fall wasn't a whole lot better (the "pool" turned out to be in the gym across the drive and the desk clerk gave me a paper ID bracelet to use to prove I was a hotel guest -- needless to say I didn't avail myself of that "service"; and the room I was in was under the stairwell, so really noisy). On top of which, the room door was either warped or mis-hung: the top of it was flush with the molding but the bottom stuck into the room by at least half an inch, and I was REALLY happy for the deadbolt and chain....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth