Question about Allentown Spring Thaw meet

No

Charlie had been a long-standing vendor for decades at Allentown, but that changed about 3-5 years ago.  Nicholas Smith Trains has taken all the table-space that was once assigned to Charles Ro.

David

Sort of true . (sorry I'm being a nit-picker, I guess)

 

Some of the space Charlie Ro used to have along the back wall (between the 2 food concession areas) is now normally taken by the display layouts and train races for the kids.

 

-Dave

 

That's going back further - when he last had a booth it was where Nicholas Smith is now.

 

--Greg

Actually, if you REALLY want to be correct... Charlie (along with several rows of vendors) moved from that location MANY years ago when the Annex expansion opened and became part of the train show.  Charlie then had an even larger number of tables along the Chew St. wall of the annex for several years, and those are the tables that Nicholas Smith Trains now uses.

David

I really miss Charlie Ro at the Allentown show  As I am about 100 miles away, I felt his presence really made it worthwhile for me to go.  Gryzboski & Nicholas Smith are my "runner ups," as I tend to go to shows to buy new product.  Does anyone know why Ro bailed from Allentown?  Some sort of squabble... or just a business decision?

I'm with you on that too, Ron.  I remember Charlie being at the Allentown show in the 1970's... back when there weren't nearly as many toy train dealers as there are today.  Life was simpler back then, and I always thought it was cool that the guy from Massachusetts would make the long trip to Allentown twice a year.  After all, his multi-page, full-page magazine ads were legendary back then when print was king.   

 

Charlie is the best, and that's why I never hesitated giving him a "shout out" here on the forum even when he wasn't an official forum sponsor.  If that ruffled a few feathers here, so be it.  He earned that honorary status the old-fashioned way, and he'll always be in the "Hall of Fame" of toy train dealers in my book!   

 

As for why he's no longer at the Allentown show?  Can't say with 100% certainty, but I always tell him whenever/wherever I do see him that he's definitely missed at Allentown.  It's just not the same without him, but I'll admit to being an old-fashioned, sentimental fellow on occasion.   

 

Word has it that the November show is just too close to October York, and Charlie would rather "stay close to home" as things begin to ramp up for the Christmas shopping season in November.  Can't say I blame him.  None of us is getting any younger, and hauling toy trains around the country gets to be a bit challenging -- even for the young-at-heart.   

 

Being the successful and quintessential business person that he is, I'd bet there's a pretty solid business reason these days that's keeping Charlie happy at the store most of the year, while streamlining his round-trips to PA down to the two TCA York shows -- even though he'll always be missed at Allentown.

 

David

No animosity whatsoever.  Charlie had been cutting back on shows all along.  Years ago he'd go to even smaller shows like Hamburg and Gilbertsville in PA and Dover and some smaller shows in NJ.  I understand it that those involved were growing tired of the travel and losing weekends away from home.  Can't say that I blame them.  His business is established and obviously does very well.  I believe the only ones he does now are the York and Springfield shows.