What can you tell me about the Shenandoah Valley Knife knife show in april?

[striper28]

I am interested in doing this show. A customer brought it to my attention and I think that I will have time to do it. What can you tell me about the Shenandoah Valley Knife knife show in april? Any info would be appreciated. What type of knives are typically sold there, custom, factory, collectible? It is a 3 day show, how's the turnout?
Thanks,
Chuck

[PeterAtwood]

Chuck, although I grew up in Harrisonburg I have never been to the show. My mom went the last couple of years thouhg and she says it's great! Doesn't mean much though.....

Ask Barry Jones. I know he has done the show several times.

[Darren Ellis]

Peter,

You grew up in Harrisonburg!?! Cool! I lived there for 8 years, within walking distance to the Little Grill and the L&S diner, and within smelling distance of that god-awful feed tower on the North side of town! I used to go see Dave Matthews play at Jokers before he made it big...as well as the Boyd Tinsley Band...ah, those were the days... That has got to be one of the best places I've ever lived...I miss Harrisonburg...it's one of the most progressive small towns I've ever lived in... I want to move back there one day.


Chuck,

If you find anything out about the show please post it. I've been interested in that show for two years now, but last year and again this year they've scheduled it for the same darn weekend as Batson's Hammer-in down in Alabama. Somebody needs to talk to the organizers about that!

-Darren

[Osprey Guy]

I had a table at the Shenendoah Valley Show last year...Shared a motel room with my buddy Ron Nott, who also had a table.

It's a good-size show...held in a "cow palace", tables are spread out over two large rooms. Lots of different styles represented. (It cost me $$$ to be there since I was set up next to "the Giraffe Bone table"...Ouch!

I got the impression that the turnout for last year's show was different than in previous years, so I don't know if my first impression was a fair one. Although the crowd was steady, it seemed like it was mostly "tire kickers"... Lower priced knives did OK but the $500 and up crowd didn't fare as well. In fairness, the economy had just nose dived and I have a feeling that with the improving economy, this year it could be a much better show with a better qualified crowd in attendence. It's cheap enough (including cheap motels nearby), one sale could easily cover the cost of the show.

Interesting that Barry Jones was mentioned...He and his brother had strongly suggested I do this show (We had tables next to each other at that joke of a knife show in Richmond last year). They said that historically, art knives and high embellished knives did well at Shenendoah. From what I hear, this is the show where Van Barnett made his mark early on...selling knives $2000 and up!

I just got my signup sheet for the show and am still deciding...I'll have to take a decision soon as they're holding a table for me.


Dennis Greenbaum

Yeah Baby!

[alchemy knife]

I have done this show as both a customer and a vendor for a number of years. It is a nice mix of production, custom, and antique knives.

I normally did very well at the show as a production knife dealer, however last year, thay opened up the second room and added many more dealers. Apparently the traffic was about the same as other years, but because they diverted traffic to enter the new room first, a lot of the customers had their money spent before they ever got back to the dealers who had been supporting the show for many years.

If you decide to do the show, find out if both rooms will be open, and which room the traffic will enter. Try to get a booth in that room. I really think most of the problems last year were that the show had almost doubled in size from the year before.

Contact information for the show: April 2-4 Fri-Sun - Shenandoah Valley Knife Collectors Show & Sale-Chris Crites (540) 432-1688

While I will not be selling at this year's show, I will most likely be attending the show, and possibly the awards dinner. I hope to see a bunch of you there.

Pam

[Osprey Guy]

Oh yeh....I had forgotten about the Awards Dinner.

That is worth attending. The (sizeable) Shenendoah Valley Knife Club that sponsers the show has really got it's act together...The Awards Banquet was well organized, fun, and you get to hang with a really great bunch of fellow "knife nuts" (Their "in-house" MC for the evening's festivities was a very funny guy!).

Pam makes a good point about the two room thing...It definitely caused some confusion. But having said that, everyone I spoke with told me the traffic was down substantially from the year before (to add to the economy problem, the weather was really crappy for the Show).

If you're on the fence about this one, something to keep in mind is the $40 table fee for three days...


Dennis Greenbaum

Yeah Baby!

[PeterAtwood]

Darren,

OMG, The Little Grill!!! I loved that place and used to hang out there all the time. My buddy Tim worked there and I would sit around after closing and drink beer until the very wee hours while I helped him clean up. The owner, Bob Driver, had the most amazing collection of blues records and I copied many of his best tapes. What a fabulous sandwich list they had too.

I actually grew up outside Harrisonburg in the little town of McGaheysville on a 250 acre dairy farm. My mom and step dad are still there.

[Barry Jones]

I thought I heard my name being mentioned

The SVKCC Show is a fun show to do. Phillip and I have done every one except for the very first one. It is a laid back kind of show.

The show offers a pretty even mix of dealers and custom makers. There should be almost every type of knife there from cheap (and inexpensive) factory knives to collectible military knives to some high dollar custom knives and everything in between. Lot's of CASE and BUCK collectors doing their wheeling and dealing. There will be a collector or 2 displaying collections (custom and factory). Custom knifemakers like P.J. Tomes, Edmund Davidson, Wayne Whitley, Tommy McNabb, and a whole slew of other great ones will be there with a wide variety to choose from. James Poplin should also be there selling supplies (worth making the trip just to buy stuff from Pop).

Just like any other show, attendance and sales can be up or down. The show is so much fun for Phillip and I to do that most of the time we really don't give a hoot whether we sell a bunch or not. It's an opportunity to meet and talk with our friends.

I do remember first meeting Van Barnett at that show. It has been a few years since he had a table there. Those were the days when he would have a $150 hunting knife on his table. He would still have a nice artsy type dagger to sell but nothing quite like what he makes these days.

Now, If I could just talk them into holding the chopping contest again...........

[alchemy knife]

Barry,

You told me about the chopping contest I also liked the seminars they use to hold.

Pam