I think I'm gonna cry...

[pinballdude]

Their admission fees were NOT that expensive.  I think around $6, maybe less. So that's less than 100 grand.
Figure some had senior discount, then children are discounted. It takes ALOT to run a climate controlled museum.  I heard that this is the first year they went "into the red". I'm sure its the economy. Still an amazing place. I also read it will take a few years to sell it all. So evidently it will not be a three ring auction! LOL. Talking over 80 THOUSAND pieces!!  I was once told the museum only held about 1/10 of the entire collection.  Bill Schmidt used to make a point to attend the Septemberfest convention and would pay big $$ if you had a piece he wanted. Probably a tax write off.
Damn, sure wish I had won Powerball or MegaMillions!!

[ciawarrior]

If I can just win the damn Lotto

[BrianS]

Haven't been there but it looks unbelievable.  Just curious what you others guys experience regarding the next generation.  My kids love this stuff and are already joking about who gets what when I'm "out of the picture".  They actually like to go antique malls and search for cool old stuff.  Hate to see such a great collection broken up, but I have to think that it will only lead to more interest from future generations as this great stuff is passed on to new owners.

[Funtronics]

Wow what a sad thing to see get parted out. Surely someone will step up to the plate and buy it as a whole and try and keep it open. How many members are on this sight, and how much would that be apiece. 10 million divided by ?

[msanborn]

  10000000/1075= $9302.32  per person

[Ltransam]

I'm in For $10.000 

[Pat Pixley]

Darn       I just checked my Lotto Numbers I only got four numbers and there all ondifferent lines 

[loman4ec]

Here are a few more pictures. It is well worth going to see this collection. In the first pic is a cooler I have never seen. It is Porcelain and the green fading to white is so nice. I have never seen anything like it. Also in the second pic is the same model cooler that Glen (Moondawg) did a while ago. Its bigger than I thought it was. They also have a sign collection that is amazing. Check out the neon sign/clock in the third pic. I think it is one of the best signs I have seen. I bet it goes for big $$$. The 4th pic is of an original soda fountain that they got out of an old drug store. Its amazing. Its in a room that you can rent for functions and the fountain is fully operational and they have a soda jerk there when you rent the room to serve your guests.

[loman4ec]

sorry about the cooler pic being on its side. I keep truning it but it goes right back when I attach it??

This is something that was really cool to. Its an original very early bottler that was for the straight sided bottles.

Check out the huge signs in the third pic. I have never seen some of these and its amazing that they survived since they are so big. Its easy t put a small sign away in storage and forget about it for 40 years but not a 10' or bigger sign

The 4th is of a machine I have never seen. It looks like an old GE or Frigidaire fridge. Has anyone ever seen one?

[dr galaga]

Wow! Looks like a cool place!
Blair Mattews, the editor of Spda Spectrum, posted this yesterday, "Without a doubt, Jan Schmidt was my favorite person to interview. She gave 2 hours of her time so that I could write the most detailed story ever compiled for a magazine about the Schmidt Family."
I wonder which publication he will put this in (he has a few).