ANSOM

It is with great sadness and a profound sense of personal loss that we report that Ethelyn Schreck Hirsch passed away on Friday, 25 January at the age of 56 after a short illness. Ethelyn, the daughter of industry pioneers Sol and Pauline Schreck, co-owned Schreck Wholesale in Chicago. Ethelyn was one of the finest people in our industry - warm, intelligent, outgoing and a respected businesswoman. It is particularly tragic that such a young woman - both chronologically and in the manner in which she lived - should leave us so soon. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to her husband, Ken, their sons Scott and Adam, brother in law Harold Hirsch and to their loved ones.

The family is requesting donations to be made to the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Skokie, Illinois. More information here.

In our February issue, we will be introducing the inaugural inductees of the ANSOM Hall of Fame. Dedicated initially to pioneers, movers and shakers in the military surplus (and related) marketplace, the Hall will be updated every six months for a couple of years, then on a yearly basis thereafter. Our web site (which is where you are right this moment) will contain a permanent archive of members and an opportunity for visitors to add reminiscences and tributes.
We welcome your nominations for the Hall - there are currently two categories, Supplier and Retailer. In theory, a nominee can be inducted into both.

In an industry with a rich heritage and fascinating history such as ours, it is fitting to honor those who helped lead so many on the road to success.

Those wishing to nominate potential inductees may do so by posting a comment to this blog, or by contacting me directly via email or phone.

Suddenly, without warning, it was 2008. Trying to get a feel for how 2007 will be remembered - good, bad, “eh.”

For our industry, I’d go with “eh.” We didn’t push the envelope, and in fact most things remained station(e)ry.

Already, though, things are percolating in the new year. We’ve got the SHOT Show in Las Vegas in early February, followed exactly one month later with the ASD/AMD/MTO Trade Show (Mandalay Bay edition) and the Army Navy Military Expo, which suddenly decided not to render unto Caesar’s and moved to the South Point Hotel on the outskirts of Vegas.

The late timing of the move and the choice of new venue are interesting, at the very least. My own opinion - I’m not seeing it as an upgrade, or as a beneficial to their cause. What do you think? Will the relocation affect your plans to attend or exhibit?

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Jack Rubenstein, former CEO of Academy Broadway Company. Mr. Rubenstein passed away on Tuesday, November 13 at the age of 90, according to his daughter Helen Rubenstein. We will provide further commentary in an upcoming issue of ANSOM. We encourage those of you who knew him to offer your remembrances by posting to this blog, by emailing us at mark.hawver@ansomonline.com or by calling us at 631-963-6247

For those planning to exhibit at or attend the ASD/AMD Military Outdoor Tactical Show and/or the Army Navy Military Expo in Las Vegas in early March, please note that we are once again in direct conflict with NASCAR nation that week (March 2-5), and hotels will not only reflect that in higher prices, they will also sell out early.

So, book ‘em, Dan-o.

Got a call from David Crouch of Military Outdoor Clothing today, informing us of the passing of Bill Hoffmann at the age of 67. Bill was a long time military surplus industry presence, for many years as a buyer for The Sportsman’s Guide, later as an independent manufacturer’s representative.
“Bill was a great man, like a father to me, and will be remembered for his passion for his work, for fishing and for hunting,” said David Crouch.

Crouch and his wife, Patty, were with Hoffmann for his final days, and they will miss him greatly.

We will provide more coverage of the passing of Bill Hoffmann in our November issue. In the meantime, we invite readers of this blog to post their rememberances of Bill in order to honor his contributions to the industry and to our lives.

Wednesday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, there were telltale signs that the proceedings have reached their peak, as is customary at the summer show. A quiet calm settled over the show floor late in the afternoon. Overall, a summer show in every way, according to a plurality of exhibitors, who nonetheless were very pleased with the launch of the MTO concept and saw all of the changes as a positive sign for the future of the show. Glitches, there were a few, but then again, too few to mention (Hey, c’mon, I can channel Sinatra here - it’s Vegas, baby).

Over at the ANM Expo - the final curtain. As they say in Vegas, the theater has gone dark.

At the ASD/AMD MTO Show On Thursday, the fat lady sings at noon - and homeward bound we shall be.

It was getaway-day at the Army Navy Military Expo. A quiet day on the show floor, giving exhibitors time to reflect on the show’s inaugural run. The general consensus: Satisfaction with results, and plans to participate in the next show (March 2008).

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the ASD/AMD MTO Show settled into a buying groove. Most exhibitors noted that the Monday-Tuesday arc yielded excellent returns. Also opined - near universal approval of the new layout, and happiness over the announced change in show hours (cutting back to four days from the current five) for the March 2008 show at Mandalay Bay. MTO exhibitors also noted that despite a couple of hiccups, that new show management was off to a very good start with reforming the ASD/AMD experience into something more productive for them.

The confluence of two industry-centric shows is creating tension and a feeling of divisiveness between the pro-MTO and upstart ANME camps. One thing is certain; Two competing shows operating concurrently is, in the long run, not good for this industry. We’ll have to see how this all shakes out. What do you think? Please let us know. And have an above-average day.

Day two in trade show city started off with an excellent and informative seminar on Merchandising the Army/Navy Store in the 21st Century, given by John Ottaviano of Rothco. ASD/AMD is hosting several free seminars for buyers and exhibitors, a first for the ASD/AMD Trade Show. The new layout at the ASD/AMD MTO Show continues to receive favorable reviews from exhibitors and buyers. Exhibitors are now reporting good results sales-wise. The afternoon was spent at the Army Navy Military Expo at Caesar’s Palace. Held in one of the hotel’s ballrooms, the show is small yet has the look and feel of the old Hilton ballroom days of the ASD/AMD show. But man, the walk from the hotel entrance to the ballroom will certainly build up those leg muscles. It may take longer to walk to and from the show than to walk the show floor. Okay, that’s an exaggeration. Maybe.

Exhibitors seemed mostly pleased with the proceedings so far, citing in particular the quality of the buyers they’ve seen and the lack of off-target “time-wasters.”

And yes, it’s honkin’ hot here. Hotter than…. well, you can fill that one in with the simile of your choice.

Day one at the ASD/AMD Military Tactical Outdoor Show revealed a fresh new show layout and fostered a guarded optimism about improvements in the show experience and the upgrading of the traditionally slower summer show. The new layout created an airy, open feel with much easier access to the show floor for buyers, and even a nice view of the Las Vegas skyline for exhibitors located in the front of the hall. Aisles were wider and the decorative scheme of black and green gave the military theme more impact, while adding a soothing yet business-like atmosphere to the show floor. Many exhibitors noted a more cooperative attitude from the show decorators and greater interaction with show management personnel on the show floor. About the only negative for day one was an underwhelming amount of traffic, especially for an opening day. Stay tuned - tomorrow, we report on both the ASD/AMD MTO show and the brandy-new Army Navy Military Expo.