> Hello All,
>        This is another of our updates on the 2010 Chicago Pipe Show.
>        As of yesterday we have 215 exhibitor tables reserved for our
> 2010 Pipe Show.  We will have room for 91 additional exhibitor tables,
> totaling 306, if the resort agrees to our Show layout.
>        We also received good news from three of our friends, Rob
> Cooper (Coopersark), Steve Monjure (Monjure Int’l) and Paul Creasy
> (Altadis USA), who were concerned about the continuation of our annual
> Friday Evening Welcome Dinner; they wanted it to continue and have
> agreed to be co-sponsors for part of the cost.  The Friday Welcome
> Dinner will continue, as a no cost dinner, for 2010.
>        As you know, if you have attended one of these dinners as one
> of our annual 600 + guests, the food is great, the crowd large, the
> atmosphere relaxing and friendly. Remember, this dinner is
> complimentary to anyone attending the Chicago Pipe Show.  We can use
> the help of others who would like to co-sponsor this Friday Welcome
> dinner and hopefully we can continue this Welcome Dinner into 2011 and
> beyond.
>       For the record, our 2010 Show will be the first show that we are
> accepting sponsor funds for the Friday evening dinner.  Our Show has
> always been successful and we have always made a profit for the
> following Show.  However, with 2008 and the anti smoking laws, where
> we could no longer smoke in the Mega Center, we were forced to rent a
> tent for smoking.  The first tent (40 x 100) cost about $15,000.00 for
> 2008 and the second tent (60 x 100) cost about $20,000.00 for 2009.
> These tent expenses depleted a good deal of our reserve funds for the
> Show.  The tent was needed and because of the size of the crowd we had
> to have a larger tent in 2009.  Unplanned, the tent has become an
> attraction in itself.  In the tent, you can visit with pipe makers,
> fellow collectors, tobacco blenders, etc., all in the same location
> and at the same time, eat, drink and smoke, legally!
>       We realize that there are economic issues, sales are down,
> profits are down and there are the ever increasing anti smoking
> issues.  We all want to keep our spending in check and yet enjoy
> ourselves at the Pipe Shows.
>       The Chicagoland Pipe Collectors Club has been very fortunate to
> have wonderfully successful Pipe Shows.  We started with less than 90
> exhibitor tables back in 1996 and for the past couple of years we have
> been over 300 exhibitor tables.
>       Sadly, we have seen some pipe shows slowly decrease in the
> number of exhibitor tables in the last few years.  We are working
> diligently to keep our exhibitor numbers up.  We know the many
> economic issues and other obstacles that have led to a decrease in
> exhibitors, especially the Internet and E-bay.
>       Several of our former exhibitors have told us that they love our
> Show and wish to continuing being a part of it but as walk-ins only.
> They have advised that by being exhibitors, they have more work and
> less time to enjoy the Show activities and visit with their friends.
> I tell them all the same thing: they are welcome whatever they decide
> to do but eventually if we all start feeling that way, we will have
> large crowds attending Shows but fewer exhibitor and wares to view and
> our buying selections will become limited.
>       The free Friday Pre-Show will continue as another trademark of
> our show.  Some have asked us to discontinue this activity because too
> many items are purchased there and several visitors become limited on
> spending funds for the Show itself.  It has also been suggested that
> we charge for these half exhibitor tables because many of these
> exhibitors are not Show exhibitors and why should they be given an
> advantage over those exhibiting at the weekend Pipe Show?
>       We say that the Pre-Show is open to all and we strongly believe
> that it brings in more visitors for the Show.  The Pre-Show annually
> has about 1,000 visitors of which about 300 + come solely for this
> event due to family or work commitments on the weekend.  The Pre-Show
> is their Chicago Pipe Show and they have told us this many times.
> Many of these 300 + Pre-Show visitors arrive early Friday morning and
> are headed homeward by 5PM.  Most live within the surrounding states
> and can drive to Pheasant Run in 3 hours or less.
>       The Chicagoland Pipe Show means different things to the many
> different people.  We wish that you all continue enjoying and visiting
> your Chicagoland Pipe Show.
>       As most of you may have heard, the 2010 Chicago Pipe Show will
> be my last due to medical reasons.  I will have no involvement in
> future Shows, except maybe as an exhibitor or visitor.  My goal is to
> have the 2010 Show be a big success, like the previous Shows.  Craig
> Cobine will take over as Director, with Mike Reschke continuing as
> Assistant Director for 2011 and onward.  We have added one new Show
> Officer, Judd Perlson, who will join Rex Poggenpohl, Paul Bender, Aziz
> Panjwani, Mike Gaffney and Chuck Rio in completing our Show staff.
> All are working to make our Shows continued successes.
>       I have been honored to have such a hard working, dedicated and
> reliable staff during the history (15 years) of our Chicagoland Pipe
> Collectors Club (CPCC) Show.  I also have fond memories of all the
> other pipe shows that I either directed, consulted, helped plan, etc.
>       In closing, please remember to make your exhibitor table
> reservations and your Pheasant Run Resort guest room reservations as
> soon as possible.
>       See you all at the Chicagoland Pipe Show, May 1 & 2, 2010.
>       Thank you.
>       Frank
>       630-271-1317
>       fpbu...@aol.com