May 17, 2009

Dear Members and Exhibitors,

We have been busy, busy, busy with lots of folks wanting to sell us stuff.  We hear other type businesses complain that nothing is moving but most gun shop owners are griping about not being able to get enough things to sell.  Ammunition in military calibers, military style guns and accessories and hand guns in general are all hard to find because distributors themselves are out of stock.  What a time to be us.

Like Clinton during the 90’s, with his ban on gun imports, the current pres has also stimulated a lot of fear.  One would expect BO to be stinky but who knew how he was going to be so good for our business, at least for now.  The common folks are worried about who will protect their families and property combined with worry about whether they can buy a gun or ammunition in the future; they see neighbors losing jobs while their own fortunes disappear – is it any wonder why gun sales are sky rocketing? 

Your next chance to cash in is at our new little Arms Fair we have put together for Sunday, June 7th at the Old Mill Restaurant in Stillwater.  This riverside venue sits half way between the City of Mechanicville and the Village of Stillwater, on Routes 4 & 32, which run along the west shore of the Hudson River.  A flyer is enclosed and we are already half sold out through a few phone calls and word of mouth.  We’ll also have some breakfast and lunch specials along with a full bar.  Just like our great little Holiday Inn, Lake George Show, this should be fun and profitable.  By the way, we had just over 350 paid admissions there last February.  Will any of your shops see that many potential buyers on a Sunday?  Give us a call.

Speaking of shows ---- how ‘bout that March Saratoga Arms Fair?  We sold the most tables ever with all nooks and crannies full, another sell out and the attendance was terrific, wall to wall elbows right to the end.  We had a great show!  However, some of you called too late to get tables, we were basically sold out two weeks ahead of time so don’t wait to send in for our August show, do it now.  All we ask is a one table deposit and payment of balance two weeks prior to our show date.  Please check your mailing label for member renewal date.

Our Saratoga fliers for August and October are also enclosed and you will notice we have moved to the end of August and again have the Halloween weekend dates.  Note also that we have deposited for another January show but this time, instead of the first weekend, on the last, after the Albany show.  I think this will be a very good schedule at Saratoga for the rest of the year.  Beginning this summer there is supposed to be some construction on the City Center that will allow them needed expansion.  We can only wait and see and work around the plans, I don’t anticipate any big problems but simply a little bother and probably a much better facility when it’s done. 

I mentioned busy; we’ve been working on getting our house finally finished and our shop building needs some attention, like roof repair and new bathrooms.  Opportunities for buying merchandise and guns while sales have been steady when we can get the right items.  We re-joined the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, found some new advertising venues, did an hour radio interview about gun sales on WGY with Al Roney, did a TV interview along with a few newspapers, all while trying to lose weight and look dashing.  But all in all, SOS, same old stuff going on.  We hope all of you are as well as we think we are. 

Incidentally you can hear my radio interview on our web site at NEACA.com and you can also follow me on “Twitter” where I can alert the membership and exhibitors to anything new happening. 

Cathy and I are certainly doing our part to keep the economy chugging along, managing to spend what dollars come in – sometimes a bit more.  Did I mention we’re in the process of buying a turn-key restaurant?  That is, if the lawyers manage to write what I speak as a contract, thoughts seem to get lost in the translation.  Then the paper work, inspections and, oh yeh, I’m trying to get the bank to be my partner for a while, as I said, SOS.

As usual, lots of energy and ideas, so little time.  As you can see, we’re always trying to move ahead, step by step; we hope all of you are doing the same – hopefully with more speed.  All will be well in time, always is, send money – giving makes you feel better, so I’m told.

Happy turkey hunting – God knows there are enough of them out there.

Sincerely,

Cathy & Dave