Hopefully, those guys impersonating CMS will just take the cash and run and not bother putting thru all the credit card receipts
Bob--please don't take this as a knock, but if you came down via 495 you must have passed that Dunkin' Donuts about a mile south of the stadium on Rte 1. If someone had to make a piss call at 9:30, there was plenty of time to head back down, grab a coffee while your friend relieved himself, and get back in time for the doors to open. Also, if you didn't see CMS and thought the ceilings were too low, I'm thinking you missed half the show. The east side of the hall---where CMS was---had celings high enough for them to display 11' Arra rods with ceiling room to spare.
My only complaint is that the concession stands would not sell coffee to the vendors and their reps a second before 10
I've been going to, and occasionally working at, these shows since the Braintree Armory days. I think this was the best show yet for the number of vendors and the amount of goods.
As far as Gibbs not being there---they don't sell retail at the shows, and they haven't come up with new plug models in a couple of years. Charlie from CMS had all the Gibbs you'd ever want (no Canal Specials, however). Plus you had numerous smaller builders there---Habs, #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&, RI Popper, Bliz, afterhours, Al Gags, among others and Charlie even had some Beachmaster needlefish and Atom Jrs. I know guys from NY who are probably kicking themselves on reading this for not coming down and loading up on Beachmaster needles. Some booths had some nice looking plugs I've never seen before. Mike sold out of those Hogy rigged sluggo-type lures, and had some nicely priced stuff from a company called Rhode Island Lures. At times, the line at his register was 20 deep, so I think a lot of people enjoyed it. I wish I had the time to go back tomorrow.
I thought it was a great show. Just MHO.