Looking for infomation and advice.

[Eric Furgeson]

Okay I was at the Seattle Pipe Club monthly meeting last night as I was speaking with Our President Matt Guss. During our conversation I asked when the club might be hosting a pipe show and sale. He replyed that they where very difficult to orginize and get off the ground. He also stated that the club had done one a number of years ago but had not found anyone to set one up since. He then went on half in jest to appoint me as head of the commity to organize the next one held by the club. He offered the full support of the club should I except the challenge and told me to think it over. Given that I have never attended a show due to lack of funds for travel. This is totaly new territory to me. I would enjoy the idea of having a show here in the north west and I think I might like the challange. I am seriously thinking this over but before I commit I would like to scope the ground ahead.This leads me to a few questions and seeking some advice. Do any of the Brothers here have any experince setting up a show and if so would you be willing to offer some guidance in doing so? Also for those of you who have attended shows in the past. What are some of the main things you look for at an event such as this. I mean besides the obvious showing of pipes and tobaccos? Is it comman to also include cigars and snuff at these events or are they mostly restricted to just pipes? Anyway I could go on and on with question but will leave off here for now. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this over and any help you may offer.

 

[idbowman]

I think there are a few folks here that have been part of show organizing...but, until they chime in my best advice is to find a way to get to a show at some point. Not trying to sound flippant (please don't take this that way), but I'd think it'd be very, VERY hard to set up an event when you're unfamiliar with those events are like. That's not to say it's a cookie-cutter thing and you have to do what everyone else does, but it would be seriously helpful if you had a frame of reference (from experience, not just word-of-mouth) to work from.

 

[Eric Furgeson]

Just as a frame of refferance I do have some experiance with guns shows and other trade related shows. But as you say I need to develope a familiarity with this type of show before I really decide to commit to taking this on. Right at the moment I am just trying to devlope an idea of the scope of work involved. I have an idea of the basics for any type of show such as venue, lodgings availability for incomming vendor/attendies, vendor costs, attendey addmition fees, and of course dates. But I am not sure of things such events with in the event or what order they should proceed in.

 

[Lonecoyote]

Eric, would this be a show at your local B&M? You should try to downsize on your first show. Usually a PIPE show is just that, pipes, tobacco for sale and pipe accessories, any and all. No cigars or snuff. The pipe show I attended here in NC last year was just that, had a great time and met and enjoyed a few Pipes's with a bunch of nice guys. I found a few bargains on pipes I wanted to restore and even a different pipe rack. Also, those were the days when tobacco samples were still legal to give out. I came home with just over 18 oz. of bulk and tinned tobacco's.  Lane actually was giving out full tins as samples. Those days are over!!! 
Make your first event small and local to you and build from there for a pipe show every year in your area. Good luck and go small the first time as I did, every year it will get bigger. 

KEEP ON PUFFING!!!

 

[Eric Furgeson]

Sadly none of our local B&M are large enough for even a small show. They all seem to be set up in strip malls with limited floor space. So I will either have to rent a space or try for an outdoor event during the summer months. I am leaning toward the idea of renting a space at one of the event centers on the Puyallup Indian Reservation. This would allow of on site smoking given that they are exempt for the local smoking bans.Thus oppening the door for a slow smoke compitition and ejoying of the pleasures of smoking while attending the event. I could do the same with an outdoor event but an not sure how that might be recieved.

 

[Richard Burley]

I'd start with a list of likely attendees, just to scope out interest. No idea where you'd get that without having an "in" somewhere, or paying for it and the attendant advertising. Sounds like a labor of love to me, with everything that usually implies, like restoring old cars. (Net loss, in other words.) But it's been done before, and the questions you've already asked suggest you could handle it. Dunno, maybe start a Facebook group?

 

[Lonecoyote]

Eric, I do like your Indian Reservation idea....that's already a big plus! I also like the recommendation from Richard Burley, if you do Facebook??? I don't, from the type of work I did before retiring I DO NOT believe in any social media. It was a BIG step for me to join the BoB, you have no idea....lol. If you've done this prior with guns/weapons your on the way of understanding what you will need to do. Call Chip From Smokingpipes, he is in customer service. Also a pipe smoker and he will give you some good advice. He was at the show here in NC last April at the Fair Grounds. Keep us posted. 

KEEP ON PUFFING!!!

 

[Carlos]

Search here, and the Internet, for pipe shows and you will come across a number of postings with pictures. Some of these guys take a lot of pics.

There is a lot of expense. A huge amount of time spent by too few people. With limited budgets, many folks attend the shows they can afford, or will maximize the exposure of their work. Chicago gets a large group from your club each year. Talk to those folks about the good, the bad, and the ugly. They can probably give you names from a number of shows that could provide you with more information.

 

[Eric Furgeson]

I'd start with a list of likely attendees, just to scope out interest. No idea where you'd get that without having an "in" somewhere, or paying for it and the attendant advertising. Sounds like a labor of love to me, with everything that usually implies, like restoring old cars. (Net loss, in other words.) But it's been done before, and the questions you've already asked suggest you could handle it. Dunno, maybe start a Facebook group?

I have to admit I am counting on the Seattle Pipe Club name having a certain amount of "draw" that goes with it. That and the fact that we have several members who are either well know or on the rise within the piping cominunity. I think that will help as an "in" in a lot of ways. I am not looking at this as a profit venture but I do wish to break even. So that will help as well. I am hoping I can get our master blender Joe Lankford to attend as well as several of the artisen pipe makers we have in the club. We also have past national slow smoke champion Grag Watness as a member so I am hoping he can help with that. So I do have resources open to me I just need to figure out how best to utilize them.

 

[Eric Furgeson]

Search here, and the Internet, for pipe shows and you will come across a number of postings with pictures.  Some of these guys take a lot of pics.  

There is a lot of expense.  A huge amount of time spent by too few people.  With limited budgets, many folks attend the shows they can afford, or will maximize the exposure of their work.  Chicago gets a large group from your club each year.  Talk to those folks about the good, the bad, and the ugly.  They can probably give you names from a number of shows that could provide you with more information.  

I know we have a large piping community here in the northwest and as you said most of us have limited budgets. This pervents many of us from travling to the shows. So I am hoping by possibly developing a show here I can open the door to both venders and hobbist that would otherwise be closed. I am counting on there being enough of a base to support and grow a long term repete show.

 

[Blackhorse]

A few thoughts from my years as annual conference planner for several state professional organizations...Oregon & Alaska...not necessarily in logical order:

Give yourself 6 or better yet 9 months minimum in advance at least for planning.

Yes, limit the event to pipes & pipe tobaccos.

Get a venue that allows pipe smoking indoors and a Saturday date tentatively set.

Contact reps from various pipe makers and tobacco companies for attendance.

Contact individual artisan pipe makers to book for attendance.

Try to set up keynote activities, demonstrations, lectures, etc. by experts to help interest.

Print up half page flyers to put in b&m sites and enlist their aide to talk the show up.

Generate a small committee of folks to help with various aspects of organization, planning, setup, etc.

Facility...registration...treasurer...program...door prizes...yadda, yadda, yadda.

Have monthly face to face meetings to go over plans to date, who's done what, what still needs to be handled, etc.

Abscond with all funds and that cute little hat check girl and run off to Jamaica.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Blackhorse sounds like a good resource for guidance on this. Well, except for Jamaica. Your money will go farther in New Caledonia. Otherwise, you have the drive, you can make a plan, and this can happen. You got this!

 

[Eric Furgeson]

A few thoughts from my years as annual conference planner for several state professional organizations...Oregon & Alaska...not necessarily in logical order:

Give yourself 6 or better yet 9 months minimum in advance at least for planning.

Yes, limit the event to pipes & pipe tobaccos.

Get a venue that allows pipe smoking indoors and a Saturday date tentatively set.

Contact reps from various pipe makers and tobacco companies for attendance.

Contact individual artisan pipe makers to book for attendance.

Try to set up keynote activities, demonstrations, lectures, etc. by experts to help interest.

Print up half page flyers to put in b&m sites and enlist their aide to talk the show up.

Generate a small committee of folks to help with various aspects of organization, planning, setup, etc.

Facility...registration...treasurer...program...door prizes...yadda, yadda, yadda.

Have monthly face to face meetings to go over plans to date, who's done what, what still needs to be handled, etc.

Abscond with all funds and that cute little hat check girl and run off to Jamaica.

Thanks Blackhorse!
I am thinking just over a year out. That will give me time to make sure it does not conflict with established events and improve the chances of attendance. I am actually thinkings may 2018 time frame. That will coincied with income tax return time and folks money is uaslly a little freer at that time of year. I am also thinking of trying to get a couple of the local B&M to actually set up at the show. I willl offer them a small discount on space to attract them. that way they will push the event harder and up our advertising that much more. That might also open the door to manufacture reagonial reps and sponceship of door prizes and give ayways. I will admit if I do take this on I am going to need help so I will be turning to the club members for as much help as I can get. By doing that we can do a monthly review session at our regular monthly meetings. I also am thinking of teaming with a local hotel and trying to get them to offer a discount to those who book stays during the event anddoing a two day event. This will increase cost yes but it will also increase opprotunities for attendance. (once I have all this in place the haqt check girl and I are headed to Scottland LOL)

 

[Eric Furgeson]

Blackhorse sounds like a good resource for guidance on this. Well, except for Jamaica. Your money will go farther in New Caledonia. Otherwise, you have the drive, you can make a plan, and this can happen. You got this!

Thanks Wiz! Does that mean if I do this you will be there? :lol!:

 

[Eric Furgeson]

Blackhorse sounds like a good resource for guidance on this. Well, except for Jamaica. Your money will go farther in New Caledonia. Otherwise, you have the drive, you can make a plan, and this can happen. You got this!

Thanks Wiz! Does that mean if I do this you will be there? :lol!:

That brings up the question of how many of you might be willing to attend?

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Blackhorse sounds like a good resource for guidance on this. Well, except for Jamaica. Your money will go farther in New Caledonia. Otherwise, you have the drive, you can make a plan, and this can happen. You got this!

Thanks Wiz! Does that mean if I do this you will be there? :lol!:

I will put it on the Planner.

 

[RDPipes]

Yes, like BH explained, there's a whole lota work to put one of these together not to mention finding a location such as a hotel or other facility large enough and that will permit such goings on and have a place that one can smoke their pipes. The cost of that alone is phenomenal. :fpalm:

 

[Lonecoyote]

Your best bet is on the weekend and look into renting a hall. In NY I rented a Knights of Columbus Hall and they were extremely accommodating. Also VFW halls are rented out for certain venues. Just an idea for you too also ponder. The show I went to here in NC last year was held on a Saturday and Sunday. Hand out 50/50 raffles and also raffle off a high end pipe on the day or days of your event. This takes months of planning, look for vendors that will participate. That's also why I recommend you speak with Chip from Smokingpipes customer service. 


KEEP ON PUFFING!!!

 

[KevinM]

Are there any non-pipe groups in your area that have shows -- fly fishers, hunters, skeet shooters, etc ... Well, they all started somewhere. Maybe you could at least get some advice from the locally experienced. Remember, your first show won't be your last (hopefully) and probably won't be your best. Okay, you don't like social media, but it is a good, low expense way to get the word out. Do any of the B&Ms in your area have FB sites? Try to get on them. Good luck.

 

[Eric Furgeson]

Lonecoyote I am looking into the Emerald Queen Casino and event center. They have full facilities with a hotel and are located on Native American land thus allowing for the enjoyment of our pipes at the event.Plus the added attraction of other entertainment and dinning on site. Once more I am counting on the name of The Seattle Pipe club to help draw in Pipers because of the popularity of our tobacco blends.

KevinM I am actually going to rely heavely on social Media. I will be setting up a face book page for the event once things jell together more. as well spreading the word on the many pages and forums I belong to.

I think you all for the valueable advice and hope to continue to hear from anyone who has anything they feel might be of assistance.