Bandit Meets?

@Larry Mullen posted:

Really wish I could have seen them back in the heyday.

Me too.  I've heard so many stories from the guys in my club.  Driving around, they often point out where some of them were, and many of them had both indoors and outdoors vendors, like the Wyndham Garden does today.

I would love to hear more stories about them from "back in the day."  Things like how many of them there were, and where they were located, and what treasures people found there.

Andy

Twenty years ago the bandit meets were much more robust.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Twenty years ago the bandit meets were much more robust.

So very true! No comparison to what they are in recent years. I used to go to York on Tuesdays just to attend all the bandit meets that I possibly could over a couple of days, and at a leisurely pace. Found lots of good stuff at those meets, and it was a whole lot of fun if/when the weather was decent.

@Allan Miller posted:

So very true! No comparison to what they are in recent years. I used to go to York on Tuesdays just to attend all the bandit meets that I possibly could over a couple of days, and at a leisurely pace. Found lots of good stuff at those meets, and it was a whole lot of fun if/when the weather was decent.

This, and John's similar comment, begs the very important question "Are they worth still worth the trouble?", which is, perhaps, what the OP is getting at.

Any opinions?

Mike

To me, as just a shopper, they are worth the trouble for one day.

Andy

@Mellow Hudson Mike posted:

This, and John's similar comment, begs the very important question "Are they worth still worth the trouble?", which is, perhaps, what the OP is getting at.

Any opinions?

Mike

Yes, they are worth it

Not worth the cost an extra night of the hotel to me. I never saw them at their peak in the 90’s and early 2000s. 2007 was my first. You could now put all the sellers at the current meets inside the Wyndham.

Pete

I’ll check them out tomorrow!

Peter

Alan Miller is always NEGITIVE about the bandit meets. Between the Windham inside and outside, the Sheraton and the firehouse there must be well over 500 tables. THAT IS A FACT.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Twenty years ago the bandit meets were much more robust.

As were most of us...

@eddie g posted:

Alan Miller is always NEGITIVE about the bandit meets. Between the Windham inside and outside, the Sheraton and the firehouse there must be well over 500 tables. THAT IS A FACT.

a

nd the Sheraten,

I enjoy the bandit meets.  I wasn’t around years ago so I have nothing to compare them to.  They are fun, NOW.

I will be in York on Wednesday and plan on hitting all the bandit meets.  It's like any other meet in that you just never know what you will find, and sometimes you don't realize you need something until you see it on a dealers table at a show.  I have friends down there now, and some are complaining about high prices, but its day 1, of course that will be the case.

There are some dealers who do the bandit meets and York, there are some (and I know a few) that only do the bandit meets and pass on doing York.  To each their own.  As long as they are enjoying themselves and having fun, that is what it's about!!

Oh, and BTW, the boards seem a little quiet, guess a lot are heading there already.

I'll do the stroll also Peter....I miss the fun

The bandit meets are not what they once were but I still think they are well worth it.  Some folks set up at the bandit meet and do not sell at the fairgrounds.  Others will set up in both places but by then the good stuff was sold at the bandit meets.  I also like the bandit meets because you seem to find more "junk" (small stuff) there as opposed to the fairgrounds where people are selling better stuff,

I'll see you there Peter

@eddie g posted:

Alan Miller is always NEGITIVE about the bandit meets. Between the Windham inside and outside, the Sheraton and the firehouse there must be well over 500 tables. THAT IS A FACT.

Allan didn't post anything negative about them except that they weren't what they were 20 years ago. Sometimes I wonder where you get your "FACTS".

I have found some good deals at the Bandit meets over the past several years.  I would agree the selection is less than at the fairgrounds but there are still more trains than you can shake a stick at...

Wish I could have seen York in the heyday.  I've been to a colossal number of model train shows over the years (I was HO until 2010 about 40 years at that point).  Even if I were in O then I most likely would not have gone.  The "deals" may be great.  However, by the time I factor in: hotel, gas, food, incidental expenses, etc., I could buy $2000 worth of stuff and have it sent to my home for "FREE" knowing I got what I want.  I could go there and NOT find anything I'm interested in and be out $2G.

I envy you folks who are within "striking distance."  There are several PHENOMINAL train shows right here in Central Indiana within striking distance of my home that have more stuff than I could afford. The BEST train show in Indiana is growing EVERY year for the past ten years and is about 15 minutes away.  I'm counting my blessings.

Still, after hearing YORK stories for these past 13 years, I would have loved to have seen it even once for the experience.  :-)   

@Norton posted:

Not worth the cost an extra night of the hotel to me. I never saw them at their peak in the 90’s and early 2000s. 2007 was my first. You could now put all the sellers at the current meets inside the Wyndham.

I'd love to check them out, but the last time I did that, they weren't worth it to me.  As you say, the extra cost of a hotel has to be added into any "bargains" you might find.  Also, my viewpoint nowadays isn't what it was 20 years ago, I have too much stuff now, so attending the bandit meets would be me at a seller's table.