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Mineral ShowsSainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2012 a success

26th Jun 2012 08:18 UTCUdo Behner

I am just back from the Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines show and I am glad that I favored SMAM over Colmar.

The mineral word knew, knows and will know SMAM, but where the hell is Colmar ?

I arrived Tuesday morning and was only waiting in a short line for my passes because the organisation just relied on the good old paper lists instead of the computer system breaking down as usualy.

Waiting in the line you got offered free french rolls, coffee, coke etc. and there was a bathroom handy for those in need.

Getting in and setting up was less stressfull then in the years before.

Alleys with cobblestone had been covered with a fresh layer of asphalt and got a new system to get rid of the rainwater.

It seemed that the new show management did everything to please the exhibitors who had shown their loyality for the good old place.

With the weather we have been lucky. It started raining on Sunday evening. Thunderstorms have been at other places but SMAM was safe. (I dont know which priest, rabbi or imam they bribed)

On Thursday evening they had the reception for the exhibitors and friends. No not only a glass of wine and some pretzels but food and drinks up to the gazoo and a show program with life actors singers and dancers you have never seen before like that in this little town.

So I do not know what they will do to top that for the 50th anniversary.

People came as usual may be even more as advertising was plentyfull even across the border in Germany in papers, radio and television.

The staff for parking etc. was very friendly there was more parking then the year before, of course the traffic jam was still there but for example the big exhibitors parking lot had been served by a little shuttle train.

There are always things you could do better next year and the show organisation is very interested to hear your proposals.

I do not know how the sales have been all over all, I have been doing OK.

What will you expect with all this EURO crisis and one country after the other beeing in jeopardy to go bankrupt ?

So I am looking forward to SMAM 2013, the story will go on.

26th Jun 2012 10:22 UTCMichel Ambroise

> It seemed that the new show management did

> everything to please the exhibitors who had shown

> their loyality for the good old place.

I don't understand this sentence!!!!!!! because it can imply a lot of things.

It look and sounds strange to me and for my point of view, NONE of the staff and/or organisation has made a difference between the dealer who want to move to Colmar and "loyal" dealer who want to stay in Sainte Marie.....

A sentence a little bit TOO MUCH and not appropriate.... it's really not necessary to notice that.

I was interesting to move to Colmar and they done everything to make sure that it will be smooth and less stressfull for ALL the dealer with NO difference at all between "loyal" dealer and Others.....

Great organisation, when i managed to get into the show to set up my tables , Great organisation the sunday when packing up..

A small example: 4 peoples with talky/walky to organised the truck/car who come in for VE1.

This was great, no traffic jam, no stress.

All the staff was listening carefully when we have a question, i got a very quick answer and solution.

I can only say thanks to all the people who have been working to make the events a success, they have done a great job with a lot of efforts...

I can only wish a much better success for the 50 anniversary and for sure we will have more improvement at that time.

Good luck to all.

Michel

26th Jun 2012 10:44 UTCJean-Marie Claude Expert

Hello all

Great success for the municipal team of WBW. The public and the weather was with you and it seems that much effort has been made to the organization and comfort of the exhibitors and the public. Expanded walkways, tarmac nine, evening entertainment, a lot of staff for service and safety, etc., etc.. Congratulations to the team and big thank you to exhibitors who have maintained their confidence in the city of Val d'Argent. Appointment for the 50th anniversary next year!! cordially

Jean Marie CLAUDE

Bonjour à tous,

Joli succès pour l'équipe municipale de SMAM. Le public et le temps était au rendez vous et il semble bien que beaucoup d'efforts aient été fait pour l'organisation et le confort des exposants et du public. Allées élargies , macadam neuf, animation le soir ,beaucoup de personnel pour le service et la sécurité , etc,etc. Bravo à toute l'équipe et grand merci aux exposants qui ont maintenus leur confiance à la cité du Val d'Argent.

Rendez vous pour le 50 éme anniversaire l'année prochaine !!!! Cordialement

Jean Marie CLAUDE

26th Jun 2012 11:57 UTCUdo Behner

@Michel

Sorry that I may have caused some missunderstanding. I did not mean that some dealers enjoyed a "very special" treatment because they opted for SMAM from the very beginning.

As I wrote in another thread for many dealers there may have been good and rational arguments moving to Colmar.

So far as I know only a few if any of them who opted for Colmar did not come back to SMAM and also so far as I know they have not been treated shitty in any way.

However as the vast majority of dealers opted for SMAM as soon as it showed up that a show in SMAM run and hosted by the city is a real option this "loyality" of the dealers was very warm welcomed by the whole staff.

BTW I have been told that as soon as it came out that the show would move to Colmar the citizens started a petition with signatures and contributions to encourage the city to hold this event in SMAM.

The fabulous evening event on Thursday with the "Hollywood in Concert" show was a big THANK YOU to the citizens for their loyality and patience from the show and the dealers.

26th Jun 2012 12:34 UTCMichel Ambroise

Udo Behner écrivait:

-------------------------------------------------------

> @Michel

>

> Sorry that I may have caused some

> missunderstanding. I did not mean that some

> dealers enjoyed a "very special" treatment because

> they opted for SMAM from the very beginning.

> As I wrote in another thread for many dealers

> there may have been good and rational arguments

> moving to Colmar.

> So far as I know only a few if any of them who

> opted for Colmar did not come back to SMAM and

> also so far as I know they have not been treated

> shitty in any way.

> However as the vast majority of dealers opted for

> SMAM as soon as it showed up that a show in SMAM

> run and hosted by the city is a real option this

> "loyality" of the dealers was very warm welcomed

> by the whole staff.

> BTW I have been told that as soon as it came out

> that the show would move to Colmar the citizens

> started a petition with signatures and

> contributions to encourage the city to hold this

> event in SMAM.

> The fabulous evening event on Thursday with the

> "Hollywood in Concert" show was a big THANK YOU to

> the citizens for their loyality and patience from

> the show and the dealers.

You have understand my means... let's talk again about the good organisation and improvement this year without the "loyal" "loyalty" terms.....

Sorry i still don't understand ;-)

The old story is over, let's prepare for the 50 anniversary , just for the pleasure to be at smam 2013.:)-D

27th Jun 2012 10:58 UTCRainer Bode

For more information about see our reports on

www.mineralien-welt.de

27th Jun 2012 23:51 UTCRobert Simonoff

We went to Ste Marie Aux Mines 2 years ago and then again this year, neither time as dealers. Most of the show and operations, from my perspective looked and felt the same except for a few differences: The major one was PARKING. 2 years ago, parking and getting to the show from the lots was a nightmare. The distance between the show and the parking were very long - and we never did discover transportation from the lots to the show, if there was any, in 2010. This year, however, the parking situation was wonderful! Many lots all well organized and several shuttles (between 1 and 3 depending on the time of day) were running regularly. On the days that we left the show at closing and didn't eat dinner in Ste Marie Aux Mines, we had to wait for the buses for 10-15 minutes, but that was not a problem.

The other difference I saw was that they sold tickets to the show at the parking lots this year. This made entry very fast (since there was a ticket booth for every parking lot). This was much faster than buying tickets at the entrances, like we did in 2010.

Some things I would like to see changed (but were the same between 2010 and 2012)

1) More crepe sellers. At times the lines for crepes were a bit long and we only ever found 1 place that sold them.

2) It would have been nice to have had the grounds divided up between decorative arts, beading supplies, lapidary supplies, and mineral dealers. You can't divide things up into too small a category or you make it impossible for the dealers. I understand that some dealers handle several of these interests at once and that would then be a hardship on them, but at the same time, having everything (minus gem sales) all bunched together makes it impossible to know if you actually found 5%, 20% or 75% of the dealers selling things you are interested in.

3) Kind of associated with number 2 above is the layout of the show. I have not been to Munich or the Tokyo show, but many of the United States shows I have attended have a layout that is easy to follow. You go to all the rooms of the hotel or you go up and down the aisles of a grid. But Ste Marie, maybe because of the layout of the city streets seems almost haphazard or random. You will sometimes turn a corner and find a 5 way intersection of alley ways to explore. At times you almost feel like a mouse in a maze (which can be fun I admit). But this layout can make one completely unsure what areas one has explored and what areas are still left. Some of my favorite dealers were tucked away in an alley off of an alley. As a matter of fact, in 2010, we discovered the Val Expo (2 large rooms of a building full of dealers) completely by accident on the last day of our visit. We almost missed it completely!

But that said, Ste Marie Aux Mines (both 2010 and 2012) is a very fun show, unlike any other I have been to. It has a bit of the feeling of a mineral show mixed with a carnival - you can even buy popcorn and cotton candy. There were street performers strolling about! And the food is MUCH MUCH better than the TGMS show's indoor food :-) LOLOL

Bob

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