I want to thank Chris Jensen for helping me solve a major problem. For the last two years I've gone on some TOR road trips with Chris and he has seen me drag around the plastic containers with
Best Hobby Pages. It was an accident waiting to happen. After Indy he asked for the measurements so he could get his handyman employee Steve to build me some custom sized traveling boxes (with handles) that these could live in. Chris delivered them this weekend and they are perfect! We need more people like Chris Jensen in this hobby always willing to help a friend.
Vintage Scouting Memorabilia On eBay
Another plug for building relationships going to TORs. This weekend I connected someone from NC looking for some really vintage stuff. I sent him to Woody Woodruff who specializes in the really good old stuff. Afterwards the collector said thanks Woody told him that's the kind of stuff that doesn't show up for sale on eBay but you have to ask about and get people to dig it out. The TOR is the place to have those conversations and build some rapport.
The other neat pick up for me was getting 3 of the really large RM3 display cases that Streamwood made years ago. Matthew Delk had some he wanted to part with and it was a great deal for me. Then in turn I sold 1/2 dozen cases I had to another collector who plans on using them to display Native American artifacts. Needless to say none of these deals would have gone done over eBay.
So while I'll never knock buying/selling/trading on Facebook or the Internet my philosophy is nothing can replace the face-to-face interaction you get at TORs. We had a Scout leader bring his whole troop out on Saturday. While I was profusely thanking him for doing that he gave me a new patch from his OA chapter to thank me for all my efforts online. That's a heck of a lot more powerful than "liking" my post on FB.
I am taking advantage of relists Sunday to bump my total live auctions to 416 listings right now. With my store subscription I get 1,000 free auctions every month and sometimes that's a challenge to burn through.
This weekend I may end up going on the first backpacking trip of my life. I know right! Growing up my troop did trailer/car camping. As a SM for 5 years I kinda followed that tradition. But my daughter's new troop has some different DNA and this weekend they have to carry everything in for 1 mile to the campsite at Crowder's Mountain. Philmont here I come! LOL
Keep Calm And Scout On,
Jason Spangler Hot Finds Newsletter
In Charlotte, North Carolina I have an antique mall booth that is filled with nothing but Scouting stuff. I call this location my clearance center because I've marked down everything to move. A lot of what you will find there are items that are too bulky to easily ship from an Internet store. The booth is located in The Sleepy Poet which is a well established antique mall on South Blvd in Charlotte. The mall is open 7-days/week year round. So the next time you are in the area come check it out.
I want to thank Chris Jensen for helping me solve a major problem. For the last two years I've gone on some TOR road trips with Chris and he has seen me drag around the plastic containers with
