Just got back from paradise

[racerx45]

Quote (MoonDawg @ April 23 2006,10:18)

He has every original picnic cooler ever made, we discused this before. He bought the whole collection from Scott Burid.   He reluctantly just sold the two most valuable picnic coolers from his collection because he was offered $9000.00 for the pair.  One was a mint stainless steel airline cooler and the other was an airline cooler stamped and dedicated to Elenor Roosevelt, with photo and certificate.         Here are a few dispensers

Wow I like what I see any more dispenser pictures? I would love to know what the blue and the green dispensers are on the top of that rack.

[racerx45]

nm

[MoonDawg]

Thought the top coolers were Multiplex.  Dave...if you get this far west, I'll make sure you get a tour.  Maybe we can meet some others from the group there too

[sodaworks]

Glen-
 Mike's building up quite the collection. I tried to hook up with him a couple of years ago but our schedules didn't match up. I seen the cooler collection that he bought when it was owned by my buddy Scott Burud. It was quite impressive. I am hoping to meet up with Mike next month for a tour when I'm at Pismo. '>

[Creighton]

If possible I would make the trip south. Please let me know, I'll never have such a collection but would like to see it :-)
Thanks!!
Creighton

I am fortunate enough to have seen this collection a few times as I have restored about 6 machines for Mike. I think the most impressive thing about this collection is the owner. For those of you who don't know Mike he is really a great guy who just loves this stuff. I've seen this collection grow over the past 10 years or so that I've known Mike. I usually go visit him about once a year to both see him and see what's new. Well worth the trip every time and would travel much farther then my 2 hour trip for the visit.

He only collects restored stuff, mainly soda stuff including many machines and like Glenn said the past few years he has been doing Jukeboxes as he already has every collectible soda machine ever made.

Someone asked about the value of fantasy machines. I really don't have the answer but to Mike it really doesn't matter. It's not that he's not a wise investor but the passion comes before the dollar. He collects what he likes rather then what is the better investment. When you ask Mike what his favorite piece in his collection is he'll answer you with " it's the last thing I bought." Isn't that the way it should be?

[sodaworks]

Welcome aboard Mygoose101

[MoonDawg]

Yes welcome to the board Mygoose!   (he travelled with me this trip and took more pic.'s than I did)  
         Hey, post some pictures of stuff that I didn't get Ray.