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