This might make a big difference

joerookery

Well-known member
This was posted on Facebook by Jeff Schroeder.

October 31st 2014

Wilmington, Ohio

After 30 years of operating the Military Antiques Extravaganza, better known as the MAX Show, today Tom Wittmann and Colonel Tom Johnson have passed the baton to the Ohio Valley Military Society. The MAX pioneered the international military collector show in the United States, and established the standards that other world class militaria events strive to emulate. The OVMS Show-of-Shows was in fact built on the model set forth by the creators of the MAX. Over the past 30 years, their efforts have directly resulted in the introduction of countless new collectors to the hobby, a raised standard for integrity and honesty, and fostered an atmosphere of scholarship that had been of significant benefit to veteran and new collectors alike.

The Ohio Valley Military Society is dedicated to preserving the tradition of quality and international fellowship that has been the cornerstone of the MAX Show. A number of MAX traditions will be retained, most importantly the revered MAX name. In addition, the best of the MAX will be combined with some of the most popular features of the OVMS Show-of-Shows. A complete plan is currently in development, but there are several highlights that can be shared at this time.

Table rates will be adjusted to match those of the Show-of-Shows. MAX tableholders who have already pre-paid their 2015 table reservations will be offered a choice of a rebate for the difference in price or the opportunity to add additional tables to their reservation.

MAX Show Life Members who are not already OVMS Life Members will be automatically granted OVMS life membership at no cost.

Of particular interest to all current and future OVMS members, your membership badge that allows free admission to the Show-of-Shows and all other OVMS events will now grant you that same privilege at the MAX Show. This is an important added value for your membership, at absolutely no additional cost.

The OVMS leadership will have more information to offer in the weeks to come. At the time of this writing, the acquisition of the MAX Show is merely hours old, and there is much to do before all administrative details are finalized. We will have table reservation forms available soon on the OVMS website. In the meantime, we invite all militaria collectors in the US and around the world to open a beverage of their choice, and join us in a toast to the proud record of the MAX, and it's successful future under OVMS direction.
 
WOW! I was just at the OVMS show yesterday and saw Jeff Shrader and Bill Combs and they didn't say anything. This is HUGE news.
 
J.LeBrasseur said:
good news, but sounds like the next 3 years still in Pittsburg area, oh well....

I'm not a big fan of the Monroeville (Pittsburgh) venue. I actually hate the hall as it has the banquet style room in the back and the trade show expo hall in the front. It feels like two different shows even when you are there! However I would assume the OVMS would want to keep it in the Ohio/Penn. area.

Moving the MAX to Indianapolis and then to Charlotte didn't really help the show. Moving it again probably wouldn't do it any favors. I think the key is probably rebuilding it and then determining a permanent home.
 
I have it from good authority that they are trying to move it to Bismark, North Dakota.
 
Love it, I am there! You are probably closer to Bismarck then I am, good 300 miles for me.

James
 
Yeah, it is a short 900 miles, half the distance to Louisville. They could not get a venue, so I suggested Salt Lake City or Billings Montana.
 
Latest updates will be on the OVMS Facebook page.. and the OVMS webpage once I find the super-secret place I stashed my access codes for making modifications there.

No move is planned for the next 3 years, and after that, it depends on many factors that cannot be predicted at this time. Peter is right, though - moving a show around is seldom good for it's health. Unless you have worked in this arena, you might not realize that finding a good venue for a large show is actually quite tough. Tougher yet when it involves guns and WWII souvenirs. Most halls large enough to handle a show like this are in downtown areas, and those are often a nightmare for traffic, parking, load-in, and other issues. Finding a large hall that is not smack in the middle of one-way streets in a big city center, and is willing to host a 'guns and scary army stuff' show is a tall order. Add to that geographic considerations, PLUS the fact that no matter where you put it, some will be elated, some apathetic, and some absolutely furious.. well, you see the problem.

One thing that Monroeville has going for it is that the convention center people are delightfully easy to work with. We will play with the layout and work to add more tables to the show. We are planning to open up one of the back rooms with VERY inexpensive tables to bring back the small collector who wants to sell extras or things he found that do not fit his collection. Those folks are the ones who went away long ago when the table rates started to rise, and it is our opinion that bringing them back will be a huge help to the show.

We also welcome suggestions. (Well, other than "move it to my city", which is getting very old, very quickly). If you have ideas, thoughts, etc. on this and / or the SOS, please do not hesitate to let me know. Email is better than PM. For the purpose of keeping them from getting lost in the weeds of my AGM email account, send any OVMS related stuff to this address: [email protected]

Sorry for keeping you in the dark, Peter. We all signed NDA's, and had to keep mum. Anna tells me that it was quite humorous at the show when people would come around looking for me, complaining that Bill and Greg were nowhere to be found, either. I'm a little disturbed that everyone apparently assumed that I had covertly gone back to the room to take a nap while she did all the work at the show. In reality, we were in meetings for this MAX deal. Really, we were!
 
I am really not sure if North Dakota would be an improvement weather wise. may be South Dakota might be better or even New Braska.
 
I have to submit the Canadian opinion in this discussion....keep it in Pittsburgh. It is 6 hours away from the largest concentration of Canucks ie central Ontario. Toronto alone has a population of 3 million. As far as the US goes, it is the same deal, there is no hope that the MAX moves west away from the centres of population on the east coast. Bottom line boys, this is a business operation. Sorry, westerners of both the Great White North and the Land of the Free, it aint going to happen, you just do not have the numbers.....North/South Dakota ????? It would be like moving it to Saskatchewan or Alberta in Feb.....brrrrrr!!! Anyone who made it to the show would be lucky to drive out alive.
 
Hey Brian,
As much as I would like to see the drive reduced to the show, the organizers would be crazy to move a successful show, the better option would be to start a new one, and the OVMS would be stretched pretty thin to do such a think out side their area. That would be a job for a western club. But this discussion has really raised the hopes of the 11 collectors in North Dakota and surrounding states.
The biggest boost to the MAX show is that the SOS people can not talk down to the MAX anymore, but that is OK for us westerners, we can still complain about the Crossroads of the West Shows:) and if some of you easterners would come out west, you could too.
 
Pittsburgh isn't a horrible location for the show. Moving the MAX twice in the past decade was a mistake and another move would kill it.

The biggest problem with the Monroeville Expo Center is that it isn't that big, and it is really like two different halls. But the Expo Center means the show is close to the PA Turnpike (the downside is that the turnpike is a small fortune), and there are plenty of hotels and places to eat within a stone's throw of the hall.
 
Peter is correct. Moving a show is rarely good for it, though often the promoter has no choice in the matter. Finding a good hall these days is actually quite an endeavor.

The EXPO MART does have some real advantages. It is easy to get to, the hotel situation is excellent, and there are plenty of places around for dinner if you know where to look. (Anna and I are perfectly happy with the Sheetz in front of our hotel, though far better options are sprinkled around the Monroeville area.) The convention center people there are by all accounts VERY easy and friendly to work with, which any show promoter will tell you - that's not always the case. Their concessions are also well-managed and friendly. Who ever heard of "free refills" at one of these places? Well, that's the way they treat you at Monroeville. Professional, cheerful, nice, helpful folks.

Size is a problem. The facility only has about 60,000 square feet, which is more than enough for most shows.. but the SOS is currently using around 150,000. I think we can work some magic to increase the number of tables in there by tinkering with the layout. We are also planning to open up unused areas of the facility at very low table prices to encourage the one and two table 90% collector/ 10% dealer kind of folks to return. These guys can be the heart and soul of a show, and we really want to encourage them to attend.

Regardless, the MAX has 3 years remaining on their contract there, and we plan to honor that.

The real key, though, is momentum. We need you guys to attend. We will do our very best to make it well-worth your while to do so.
 
Great posting guy's and all makes sense to leave it where it is.

The problem that a lot of have is the show is on the East coast, to far to drive etc. By the time I get done with airlines(never cheap to Pittsburg), car rental, hotel, parking at airport etc., I could have purchased a really nice helmet or two for same amount.

That is the nice part of the SOS, can drive it in 13 hours or so.

Will rethink next Max and see what happens...


All the best

James
 
Jeff raises a very important point, even though the city hall in Minidoka would be available for a show, there is no lodging with in 20 miles and there is only one cafe. Another factor is we only have 20 tables here, we could borrow more from Rupert, but then we would not be able to get in the hall. I will probably never be able to make it to the MAX show, as I can not save enough money to go to SOS, I would be able to save money if AGM would not keep sending out new catalogs. I think the best thing for me to do is have my checks direct deposited to AGM's bank account, it would sure save a lot of paper work.
 
Back
Top