Atlanta Woodworking Show

[Yonak Hawkins]

It's pretty small. Probably 2/3 of the floor space is Peachtree Woodworking.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Same happened here, at Chantilly show last month.
Ed.

[Jim Becker]

A number of years ago, these touring shows had many vendors and many participants. That changed when the economy slowed and has never recovered. Additionally, technology and buying patterns have made "every day a show day" as folks hunt for sales and bargains from online retailers which have largely replaced brick and mortar businesses. And it's not just the woodworking shows...every industry was affected and shows really struggle.

[Marc Burt]

I decided to sit it out. I was on the fence anyway but the interstate collapse sealed the deal for me. (Even though it wasn't on my direct route, I lived there long enough to know nothing happens in a vacuum for ATL traffic)
Guess I'll hit up IWF next time and check out the really cool toys.

[Joe Adams]

They didn't even bother coming to Houston, Texas this year.

[Lewis Justis]

I was there yesterday. Yes, venue was smaller, parking limited, and fewer vendors. But it seemed to me that the crowd was pretty good. Hammer (Felder) was there with a combo machine and a bandsaw. Never saw them before at The Woodworking Shows. It was definitely Peachtree dominated, but there were some other, quality vendors. Nothing against them, but there was only one guy there that tried to sell me gutter gaurding, and none selling copper frying pans. We hit the Rockler store and Highland Hardware while in town, so overall, a fun day for a couple of woodworking friends and myself.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Going to the show is about having a good time with friends. FYI, Peachtree owns the show, if memory serves me correct. You can't blame vendors for skipping the show circuit. Booth rent, carpet rent, power charges, set up / tear down charges, sales persons transportation/ lodging/food, and salary, along with transportation charges for goods. The customer stands right in front of them with smart phone and finds Amazon to be a couple pennies cheaper. Plus a crazy schedule, here this year, but not next. Chantilly wasn't on the schedule till about a month in advance. By then I had made other plans. No wonder the show is going down hill. Still love to go, just to buy trinkets (items that cost more to ship than purchase.) Pick up ideas for use in my shop, especially from free seminars.

[glenn bradley]

They didn't even bother coming to Houston, Texas this year.

They've abandoned the left coast as well. I believe if attendance and evidence of dividends for their investment been greater things may have been different. I have no empirical data for this feeling, and it probably is just a cost versus return issue but, I just miss the shows. It was a great opportunity to hang out with like-minded individuals and rub elbows with folks who are pretty darn good at what they do.

[Yonak Hawkins]

...rub elbows with folks....

At the show I was on the lookout for a woodworker to take over for me with my main customer, so I looked for T-shirts with what looked like woodworkers with named shops. Nearly everyone with such a T-shirt was a U-Tube woodworker, which really surprised me. I never realized there were so many. I'll bet there were 40 .. of course none of them were interested in a real woodworking job.

[Mason Truelove]

I love goin such one,where aside from knowing some ideas you can get along with friends that have the same interest of you.

[David Edinger]

I still believe the New Yankee Workshop tv series helped sell a lot of ww equipment back when it was on. I know it got me _more_ interested in ww and I bought thousands of $ of equipment at the Florida shows trying to keep up with Norm.

[Jim Becker]

David, I agree that shows like NYW had a major effect on many woodworkers choices for equipment and techniques.