Chicago Coin Op Show Recap

[SIGNGUY]

Figured I'd start a new thread on the Chicago Coin Op Show.. I just got back last night around 9pm after my 6 hour drive... Had a GREAT time as usual and was especially fun this year as many of us got to meet for the first time in person. Thursday Night We got together for dinner and a few beers. Present where Myself Signguy(John), Eric (Eric) and his wife, TomfromJersey(Tom),Mills400c(Larry) and his son,MattCarter(Matt),Harrison and Jay Brewer (not an SMC member, but big time collector. We had a good time and was just great to meet everyone in person. And too update from the other thread,,, No one got too drunk to the make it to the show
Friday Morning the Early Bird Award goes to ERIC who said he was in the lot at 3:30am, at least that's the earliest I've heard, I myself was in the lot by 4:30am and it was just getting going around then... Who'd a thunk it we'd be shopping for coin op stuff at 4:30am !! But it was a blast... Weather held ,and ran stoppped sometime before then, but no rain during the show on Friday.  Again Lots of great stuff to be seen, I took many photos and will post in the photo gallery as soon as I can find my transfer cable... We managed to get one shot of Larry(Mills400), Me (signguy),Eric (eric) and Tom (tomfromjersey) From Left to right. I think we all found something on Friday with the exception of Eric,,, No quickcolds to be found but he stayed till Saturday(today and I'm sure will find some great treasure we missed) I know Larry was going back today as well but Matt, Tom from jersey, Harrison headed home on Friday afternoon as well. Each of us found stuff, and I'm sure they'll post about it..
I myslf picked up another Stoner Jr. (actually not at the show, just on the way down) , but at the show got a U-select-it on original stand, Barber pole, Embossed RC Slider and a part for my Clevelond Neon Coke Clock... Photos to come.

I had a great time, and it was great together with and meet someother members, I hope more of you could make the trip next time!

 

[Larry]

John,

It was great to hook up with a few members, on Thursday night, to finally see the faces behind some of the names. 

I went Friday to cruise the parking lot and meet up with some old and new friends.  As usual, I didn't have enough money to buy the things that I would've liked too, but half the fun is window shopping.   You kind of feel like a bum staring into the window of a restaraunt watching someone eating a suculant meal.  You can look all you want, but you can't have it.   

I actaully saw two of three items that I wouldn't mind owning at the show.  On Friday someone had a Bally High Hand poker machine for $150.00, but it was sold.  That was a great price for a High Hand.  Then on Saturday, I saw a Rock-ola World Series pinball machine from the same era.  That was just a bit out of my price range......$1.500.00.  I forgot my camera, so I don't have any pictures.  Hopefully, one of the other members brought one.

Overall, it was the same stuff inside. 

I did happen to meet up with the new owners of Funtronics, and they seemed very nice.  I didn't have a chance to talk to the husband, he was busy with a customer, but his wife and I chatted for a while.  I was tryting to see if they had a Mills 400c manual.  So far this manual doesn't seem to exist.

I also saw Eric and his wife on Saturday.  He did end up with an item, but I'll let him fill you in on it.

Lastly, the most disapointing and disturbing thing at the show was that the vendor who use to sell the candy coated pecans and cashews no longer comes to the show... boy were my kids disapointed. 

Oh yeah, one more note. After looking at your picture, I realized that I look like an oriental gerbal.  It's a good thing that I don't have too many mirrors in my house.
 

[dr galaga]

I went this morning.  It was packed.  I had to park off in the gravel golf range parking lot  !
I thought that there was more variety of things there...except soda machines.  I hardly saw any soda machines (compared to in the past). 
I noticed that a lot of items did not have price tags on them.  I didn't ask the price since I was always told, "If you have to ask the price you can not afford it."
Now for the most disturbing thing I heard.  "Yes, this is NOS.  It's a new old style."  WTF!  I interpret this as a reproduction.  Unfortunately I heard this from another booth and I could not find the jackass who said it.
All I picked up were a few 45's.  There were a few interesting things there that I would have liked to have gotten, but I'm working on something else...but hopefully that is an upcoming story for the Other Coin-Op section. 

[SIGNGUY]

Sorry I missed you Brent, Hopefully another time..
I just uploaded a BUNCH of Photos to the photo gallery under Chicago show 2008, Should give everyone who couldn't make it a pretty good idea of what was there.

[loman4ec]

Thanks for the pics! It looks like it was a good turnout. Were the prices lower to reflect the economy? It seems everything is lower on ebay lately I am just curious if it was the same at the show.

[coke_and_stuff]

Looks like some nice machines popped up, who was the guy with the trailor load of roundtops? Looks like he had some killer stuff.

Joey

[Pat Pixley]

John Thanks for those great pictures  and it sound like you guys had a great time.

 Pat

[MCarter]

Well i would have to say it was nice to finally see people on smc. Me and Harrison came away with little things but it was things we were looking for. I have pictures but i have no idea how to add them to the photo gallary. Any help here would be great. I have a couple of questions for Curtis....On the stoner pictures there is a stoner Jr theater? Did it have that art deco metal on the bottom? Was there ever a stoner jr theater? The stoners at the show were CRAZY !! Prices were thur the roof for them. John you should have put yours out there and made a buck or two. I did not make it inside since i needed to get home but maybe next time. Thanks for the pictures.

[memorylane]

Hi Matt, There were no Stoner JR Theatres ever made, that is a piece the guy in CAlf. makes. Not orig. but very cool. Please add every photo anyone has of the show to the site. Were there any 6 or 3 selection Cigaromat machines that anyone saw. How about a Stoner Cafe Coffee Machine. I need these A.S.A.P SOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm on the hunt. Anyone out there have these two machines, please call me 301-991-3532. Thanks.

Curtis, Memory Lane Restorations

[memorylane]

P.S I need a Stoner Pastry Machine as well.

[Ltransam]

 Well Guys  

         After working late Friday brakeing down My Company show at McCormick place in Chicago .I did take the drive Saturday Morning to the show. I guess you have to be there on Friday ? Because I saw a Lot of cool stuff !! But Nothing in my life time i could afford . I did try to show i was a Member here By Wareing a make shift badge I had left over from my show .But I guess now one saw it .I also met the new owners of Fun-Tronic Really Really Great People !!!!! I can also say I will proabley not ? make another trip up there . It was Fun but I'm getting to the point I'd rather spend my extra $$$ on the GrandKids . Again There was some Cool Stuff !!!

On another note The People there were very nice .As I sat down for Breakfast at the resort & spoke with a couple of guys they had a voucher for $50.00 buck so they offered to cover my meal ( $11.00 ) so I took care of the tip Really nice people there .


                                                                                  Leonard    Ltransam

[dr galaga]

The stoners at the show were CRAZY !! Prices were thur the roof for them.

I think a lot of the prices were higher than normal.  These people need to get a reality check!  I didn't see too many people buying big ticket items this time.

[memorylane]

Was Fun-Tronics set up in the show or out side. Did they bring anything cool to the show for sale. Love to see more pics of the stuff inside.

[SIGNGUY]

Were the prices lower to reflect the economy? It seems everything is lower on ebay lately I am just curious if it was the same at the show.

I didn't think prices where lower, unrestored stoner Jr's where selling and sold on Friday Morning Earlier for 850-1000, every jr I saw was sold by 4:45 that morning for BIG $$$ I saw one 180 sitting for 550 but noone seemed interested in that.

[SIGNGUY]

here is another photo of the Fantasty Stoner Jr.
plus another pic of that peice on the lower front...

[Jim]

Thanks for postingthe photos John ! ! !
Seemed to be a variety of stuff...
Glad some of you got together!

[RC kid]

I have always wanted to attend the Chicago show, but from what I am hearing, it may not be worth the trip anymore. That's to bad.

Are the other shows, such as Hearshy, any better.

I want to go in order to buy, as well as meet the great folks in the hobby.

Also, what is the contact onfo for the Fun tronics guys. There web site is still being created and I need some parts.  Thanks

[memorylane]

FUN-TRONICS NEW PHONE NUMBER: 217-857-1759 JANNETT and ROD

[sodaman]

Matt and I had a great time and saw a lot of stuff, most overpriced but some good deals along the way.  I picked up a gum attachment for my Stoner Junior, a look at the unrestored juniors at $1200 each makes me glad I bought my 2 juniors at the last show for $60 each.  We enjoyed the Soda-machines.com meeting at Portillos on Thursday night, attending was myself, MATT, JOHN, LARRY, TOM, ERIC & WIFE NANCY AND SPECIAL GUEST JAY BOOHER who kept us entertained with his stories of the hunt.  Jay has one of the largest soda fountain and picnic cooler collections in the world, it is terrific!  The Kane County show was not that great but I saw some deals in the parking lot at Pheasant Run that I had trouble passing up!  Saw an extra nice Retro Popcorn machine complete for $500, someone might be interested in that........Great times, fair to good show.

[Larry]

Curtis,

No Stoner Cafes or cigaromets.

Funtronics was set up inside the second room all the way in the back.  They brought along plenty of parts, signs, cardboard displays, and a few very nicely restored Coke machines.  One was a Cav 72 and the other was a nice Vendo 81D with the changer.

By the way, I forgot the fellas name, but the guy from Homearcade was there and as always he had some neat games and was gracious enough to let me and my kids play them.  I was playing his golf game.  Not the Williams Mini Golf, or the Bromley.  It's the one with the not too attractive girl on the glass.  I forgot the name of the machine.

[TomFromJersey]

Hi All
   As always the Chicago Show was a fun trip. It was great to meet up with everyone at Portillo's Thursday evening, it was definetely the highlight of my trip. What a great bunch of people. A special thanks to Eric for the cap-catchers and signs for the coin changer. It was just really nice talking with everyone for awhile.
 
Here's my re-cap of the whole show......
  Left on Tuesday afternoon and arrived in Mentor,OH @ 11pm. Stayed the evening and picked up a Buckley Long-Shot horse racing themed gambling machine(like a slot-machine) @ 7am and was on my way. Got to see Lake Superior which was very cool. Arrived in Chicago by 2, and had to unload a juke I transported for a fee. And then meet up with my roomee for the show, Jay. Then I was off to deliver a Juke and Crane machine I pre-sold before the show. Next I was off to Carol Stream?, about 30 minutes or so from the show, to pickup a Grapette tall A1 cooler I had restored, a Grapette Superior Jr. cooler that was restored also, and the case for a vendo coin changer. Then back to the show, the calls started coming in and it was time to network before the show. Found a stool in the bar at Pheasant Run and spent the rest of my evening right there.
  Thursday morning we went to Kane County which was totally lame as usual, but you have to go because you never know what may show up. The rest of the day was spent networking and trying to find out about as much stuff as possible.
  Without giving out too much info.....the key to the whole show is to be the first person to have the oppurtunity to purchase an item you want. And making as many deals and contacts prior to the show.
  Myself and Jay actually beat Eric out into the parking lot by about 5 minutes, we were there before 3:30am. I only purchased 2 new treasures, a really nice origonal Stoner gum machine for $150, and a Coca Cola base plate pipe stand for $100, very happy with both. I had oppurtunities to purchase 3 very desireable Jukebox Speakers but none worked out. I picked up that biG Dugrenier Candy machine I purchased before the show.
  I did terrible trying to sell on Friday, I only sold a U-Select-It, and a small Salesman Sample piece. Everything else came home with me.
  Before I left I needed to deliver some Pork Roll(go ahead and ask me), to a good friend from Ohio at the show. Then it was time to load up all my stuff I didn't sell, and 2 Jukes and a big-ass speaker I had promised a friend I would transport before the show, and start the 15 hr trip home. It winds up being about 3 days of straight driving to have 2 complete days at the show. Basically trying to shove 10lbs of potatoes into a 5lb bag. I finally made it back home by 5pm on Saturday, just so glad to see my family and sleep in my own bed.
 
  The Show is always a great experience for me. Networking. Meeting up with a lot of friends, BS-ing about all sorts of stuff. Networking. You never know what you may find. I love seeing different parts of this beautiful Country during the drive. I highly reccomend it for everyone.

[sodaworks]

Sounds like a great time. I haven't heard much about Jay in the last couple of years. Is he still collecting machines and coolers? Last time I talked to him I believe he was moving to Georgia.

[Kilroy]

Okay, I'll ask, Pork rolls?
I'm hungry already so share Tom 

[Ltransam]

 Hey Guys ,
                     Like I said I had a Great Time at the show But If I had'nt allrady been in Chicago .I would not have driven from Cincinnati to see what I saw . Prices were High on what i did get to see as Many noted

Below is just 1 Example I could not stop laughing at right in the sellers booth . First Picture is of the Pepsi Light up in Booth Marked $195.00 But Willing to take $170.00

Second Picture is Of my Pepsi Light-up I got At a Local show for $30.00 I'll Take $100 fo it 


                                                                 Leonard

[bubba]

LOL at the pork roll.... My buddy that moved to NC from NJ has to buy some pork roll every time he comes to visit. I can't believe its only available in this area...

[TomFromJersey]

OK.......it's Pork Roll, not Pork Rolls. It's a pork by-product, kind of like Spam, but tastes a million times better. The main use out here is pork roll, egg, and cheese sandwiches. It's also sometimes called Taylor ham. Pork roll grilled by itself is great, and a slice on top of a burger is called a Jersey Burger. My friend from Ohio cuts it into small pieces and cooks it on top of his pizza, in place of pepperoni. Now and then you may see something on it on the Food Network, particularly with Jersey Diners.

[sodaman]

In my discussion about the Thursday night meeting I left out Larry's son, sorry about that, it's always good to see some younger people interested in collecting big boy's toys.

[Larry]

Harrison,

It was Kyle that talked me into buying my namesake, the Mills 400C.  I was looking at an infrared popcorn machine, similar to the U Pop It, and the Mills was next to it.  Kyle asked me if I could buy it and one day the both of us restore it.  I was hesitant, but a few months later I agreed to pick it up.  Hopefully, that would be next years project.

Kyle is my tag a long.  He likes tools and tinkering.  He's always there to assist me in a home project or a restoration.  He is more mechanically inclined than his brother Todd.  Todd is an X-box Halo, and a Wii type of guy, but that doesn't stop me and Todd from having a good time with our Evans Winterbook slot.  WE have our own game that we made up.  Actually, yesterday I did get a Winterbook!!  You probally don't know what that is, but it is a big deal around the game room, and it was cool!!

Both kids like to go to the show and see new and old things.

Thanks for mentioning him.  He'll get a kick out of this!

[Larry]

One other thing that I was really excited about, but saddened at the same time.  Did anyone check out the new Rock-ola jukeboxes???

The cool thing is that the sound is great and the juke box will store aprox. 3,800 CD's.  The bad thing is it's a glorified MP3 player with a hard drive.  Drag and drop technology.   NO MECHANICAL PARTS, boy is that sad.  This truly is the end of an era.  At least the CD players had moving mechanical parts.

Cool but uncool at the same time.

[BrianB]

Sounds like you guys had a great time this year!! It just wasn't my year to make it  I had way too much going on with family stuff, homecomings from Iraq/Afghanistan, my own military commitments and to top it off my 7 month boy old came down with Croup Thursday night!!

I have been talking to the wife about maybe checking out the Spring show. I know it isn't typically as good as the Fall show but I need my fix!!

[bubba]

Here is a link to another 90 or so pictures from the Chicagoland show. I found this link on KLOV...  http://www.tokensonly.com/2008/11/misc/chicagoland-show-fall-2008/

[sodaman]

Take heart Brian, I have seen several Spring shows that were better than the previous fall one.

[mrsoda]

Hi, Guys sorry i could not make the show, but this is my very busy time of year at work, spoke to tom , told me he had a good time , but not a lot to buy at a good price. I had a friend find me a grapette   quikold jr embossed, he will restore for me next year, also picked up a restored vmc 27 on a pipe stand, he chromed the front doors, should be very nice machine, will go saturday night to a guys house in york pa  to pick up, this guy was a friend of a friend and he brought it home for me  . jeff wolf

[GreginNM]

Great find on the Grapette Quikold, Jeff!  Post a picture when you can!

Sounds like the show would have been fun, regardless of how many great finds there were.  I'll have to make the trip sometime, for sure!

Greg

[Eric]

Well... I may not have found a cooler... but that was probably the best time I have had...
The absolute highlight for me was meeting with everyone Thursday night...
About an hour out of town John (Signguy) calls me and says everyone is meeting for a dinner/drinks.
As my wife Tonya and I step into the restaurant I just kinda guess and say “Matt & Harrison”
and sure enough there they are.. Then Larry and his son Kyle, then in comes John and then Tom
and Jay! So here I am sitting with my soda buddys and 2 legends of the ol' Club Soda magazine
Jay and Harrison!!!!! listening to Jay's stories of finds of yesterday and the magazine stories of he
and Harrison was awesome! Tonya was impressed with young Kyle being there and we talked
how it won't be long till our 10 and 7 year will be making the trip...(I HAD to find soda caps
as that's what they are wanting to collect and my oldest wanted something in Orange soda)
Then Tom and Jay start talking about all the trucks and stuff they seen.. I was so pumped!!!!!
I can only express my feeling as how I remember Christmas night and Santa coming... Not kidding
I didn't fall asleep till about 10:30 waking up at midnight and again around 3:00.. scared I would
fall back asleep and miss the alarm I got up, got dressed walked to the lot to find Tom & Jay!!.... We were ready!!!!!
Well I walked straight till 11:00am running into each other and saying in passing “Find anything yet?”
How funny to think all these years we've been running past each other...
Matt and I helped John spend his money wisely... I watched a few things slowly be picked off as I
was holding out for the Orange Crush Quikold I was sure was on a truck... well... at 11:00.... that Christmas feeling I had?....
I said to John... “It's like Christmas came and all I got was a pair of socks!”

So we went to another cool restaurant.. the “Filling Station” there in town WOW! pumps, globes and signs everywhere! Good food and hanging out with John! (And Thanks again for lunch John!)

I did go in on Saturday and found a Columbus M model gumball machine ran into Larry and Kyle again... then met with the New Fun-tronics gang! and found a few bottle caps for the kids...
then took the wife to the mall.. and she spent the money on the real kids for Christmas!

All in all a great time!!!! You guys are awesome!
Tonya was really impressed with you guys!...“My Penpals” she called you... she didn't know what to expect not meeting everyone other than John (and I believe Joey and his wife on a road trip in Springfield a while back!)

Also got to meet Neal, another great guy, collector, penpal & email friend.

[sodaman]

Thanks for all the kind words, It was a pleasure meeting you all.