Nirvana

[Jack Hogoboom]

Had a great day today. Work has been unbelievably hectic lately, but I resolved to have the day off today.

Drove over to Allentown to walk through the new Woodcraft store. What a place!!! This will sound stupid, but I swear they had every single thing in the catalog in that store. I must've walked around for an hour and a half. The store clerks were all woodworkers, very nice and incredibly pleasant. They told me the store is performing above expectation which was good to hear given the fate of others such as Woodworkers Warehouse. I didn't really need anything, but managed to drop $100 on some wood for tool handles, a few trinkets for the lathe and roll for my chisels.

Lot's of Bill Grumbine on display. They were running his DVD and I overheard a clerk tell a customer he'd be doing a demo there on Super Bowl Sunday. Don't know Bill, might be tough sledding competing with the Big Game.

A client tracked me down on my cellphone and I ended up spending about a half hour on the phone, sitting at a table watching Bill. Good news is that the call will pay for the toys!!

Best thing about it, in my view, is that the store is right next to an Arby's!!! For my money, the best fast food there is!!

Happy New Year everybody.

Jack

[Jim Dunn]

No comment till I talk to my lawyer

[Jim Becker]

I'll have to get up to that store one of these days...only about 50 miles or so. As a new store, they are likely stocked pretty completely...there is no history yet to know what the local customer base will be wanting in detail. The nice thing is that franchisees have quite a bit of control over what they keep in the store and that's good.

BTW, I first me Bill at the Woodcraft that used to be in Bensalem, PA back when they had company-owned stores. (It was closed when a franchise opened up in Downingtown PA a few years ago) Bill was the instructor for a pen turning class I took back in about 1996 or so...hadn't started woodworking "for real" yet at that time and never used a lathe before the class. I still have that pen and will always treasure it, despite the fact that I very rarely turn them at this point! But it was a great introduction to both the "sport" and to Mr. Grumbine...someone I have a lot of respect and admiration for. I'm glad his wares and presence are being felt at the new Woodcraft in Allentown!