BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

i wish the swap could be accomplished on your $30 member dues

Yeah, really.

Setting up the swap for the two years it did happen was no easy feat.

Could I ask what parts of setting it up where the most difficult?

I may be interested in making it happen, but I also don't have a ton of time to spend on things like this.

i would say the promotional aspect of it, ie getting people on board to sell their wares. i should say, getting enough people selling higher quality stuff. getting people there to shop was easy enough, but getting people there that are willing to drop some cash isn't.

Eric, I'd be interested in helping out. My schedule is amendable to doing things like organization and promotion--stuff I can do from behind my computer (especially at work!).

Finding a suitable space is always a challenge.

I'm of the opinion that indoors is key to ensuring good turnout. It doesn't take much for people in this town to run out and buy bread and milk, just a hint of questionable weather and hours upon hours of work are flushed down the toilet. We were lucky the first two years we held the swap that the weather cooperated, but I'm weary of a three-peat. Especially considering the level of vendors we were attracting, I think Trek of Pgh was the only one with a pop-up at their disposal.

you know...the armory in shadyside was a great location for handmade arcade, and was super cheap to rent (i don't have figures). i also thought it would be a great space (potentially) for NAHBS, although it's not close to hotels.

Ah, I remember that space being brought up before.

Calling DMG. Come in DMG. Your wisdom is needed Mr Goldberg.

I may be able to pull some strings, too, to find a space.

I think the Amory might be a bit small for NAHBS, but it might be just big enough too. Never thought about that space.

Steelers' practice field is another location that was bandied about for NAHBS. I think UPMC controls that space, anyone here know anything about it?

Back to the topic, I'll look into the armory, good thinking, y'inz

Do you mean the Steelers field on the South Side? That building and field are jointly run by UPMC and the Steelers, I believe. The Panthers practice there, too, so Pitt may also have a hand in it.

IIRC, the MS 150 folks used the practice field a couple of years ago for their pre-Escape To the Lake shindig...they may know whom to bug on the subject.

The Armory was $850 for the whole space, $425 for half when Handmade Arcade rented it. Might be a little steep for a bike swap, but would be awesome for NAHBS as long as the vendors don't mind a little grime.

I like the idea of doing it outside, despite the threat of the weather mucking it up - that's what rain dates are for, right? Conversely, anyone have an in with a parking garage that's empty on weekends?

does that make handmade arcade a willing player in the military industrial complex?

Good question. It might have been an issue had McCain won what with the giant flags, but the national guard is pretty benign as far as arms of the system goes. Unless you're a hippy, and it's the 60s, I guess.