Dateline Dayton – A week ago Wednesday, my cash register- collecting buddy, Howard, and I made our semi-annual trip to St. Charles, IL, for the Cash Register Collectors Club meeting and swap meet.
We went a little out of our way to give another collector, Dan, the opportunity to attend the event. Dan lives in Michigan. We met him at an antique mall in Maumee, Ohio, next to an entrance to the Ohio Turnpike.
The weather was perfect, a great day to travel. Unfortunately, I had to take an insurance physical first thing that morning. We did not get started until 10:30. With the late start and the extra time to pick up Dan, along with food stops and our necessary stops, we reached Chicago at rush hour. Not only did we deal with rush hour, my navigator somehow got me on the wrong highway.
Dayton, It Isn’t
With patience and my skilled driving in traffic I don’t like, we made it to St. Charles. There we met up with other members of the Cash Register Collectors Club and spent the evening talking about, of all things, cash registers while checking on our East Coast members surviving Superstorm Sandy. Most of the Easterners made it through with little or no damage.
By now I was tired after the day of driving, so I didn’t stay long in the lobby get-together.
The next morning our swap meet was to start at 11. However, when going down to breakfast at 7 o’clock, I noticed activity in the parking lot. After breakfast I went on out to see a fair number of individuals were already set up. By 8, the swap meet was in full swing. It was, by far, our largest gathering, which attracted the attention of the St. Charles fire marshal. He informed us that we needed a permit and must maintain a 20-foot aisle. The fire marshal and his assistant were very nice. After we made table adjustments and paid the $60 permit fee, both left.
Since there was no charge for setting up at our swap meet, it had attracted attention. Other persons were in town for the coin-op show at Pheasant Run, in St. Charles, and they participated in our show. The hotel allows us to use the parking lot free. Since coin-op people were staying at the hotel, there was no way to limit their participation. Our show ended two hours early.
Yearning for Original Concept
At our 3 o’clock meeting, the swap meet was the subject of a long discussion. The consensus was that the club needed to get the hotel involved, in how to limit the event to its original concept, a cash register swap meet. Our president would meet with the hotel and discuss how that could be accomplished.
Then 24 of us went across the street for a pizza party, the first time that we ate together as a group. It was wonderful that we were able to get this large of group together for a meal in St. Charles. I wonder if the size had anything to do with the fact that the club was picking up the tab.
On Friday morning the three of us had breakfast together at the hotel and then we headed over to Pheasant Run to check out the parking. A lot of selling takes place in the parking lot before the merchandise is moved into the show. Some vendors opt for only setting up in the parking lot. There are always many interesting item to be found. After an hour, we were on our way back home.
It’s really enjoyable to be with people who share your interests.
Mr. Hennessey may be contacted at pmhenn@sbcglobal.net
