An Evening of Passion and Unbridled Fun at the Nukem Ranch

[Just Duke]

Were almost back on our feet and again pursuing our venture.

[collyer]

WOW!!!! That is awesome work!!!! WOW!!!

[Pinsnscrews]

Glad to hear Duke.

[6bg6ga]

Duke I sent an email about a week ago to Helix.

[Just Duke]

Got it! I'm still waiting for your call.

[6bg6ga]

Got it! I'm still waiting for your call.

702-?

[woodbutcher]

Hi Duke.Thanks for a great thread.That has to be just about the BEST leather crafting that I have ever seen.Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[CLAYPOOL]

I've had to quit cows here in Southern Illinois, bad knees killing me. I now here this great state is going for new water laws on run off, etc. There is (NOW) going to be a cut off of 1000 head or bigger operation. About 40 or so Cow - Calf operations currently in Illinois is that large. Now this law is fluid right now, but as all ways, just you wait and see. All the very little operations of under 100 Cow - Calf's like me and my sister will get the shaft. And gentlemen mark my words beef has been going up slowly for the past 12 years I was in business. Now hogs is going way up too. We will see some high meat prices. Hang on Duke and Barbie....!

[CLAYPOOL]

I've had to quit cows here in Southern Illinois, bad knees killing me. I now here this great state is going for new water laws on run off, etc. There is (NOW) going to be a cut off of 1000 head or bigger operation. About 40 or so Cow - Calf operations currently in Illinois is that large. Now this law is fluid right now, but as all ways, just you wait and see. All the very little operations of under 100 Cow - Calf's like me and my sister will get the shaft. And gentlemen mark my words beef has been going up slowly for the past 12 years I was in business. Now hogs is going way up too. We will see some high meat prices. Hang on Duke and Barbie....!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Adam: been cogitating since our last conversation about being able to sell your Hi Art Crafts.

Since then I have been to Vegas a couple of times and my Wife and her Sister who lives there always manages to drag me thru Casinos and a bunch different Shopping areas.

I have seen numerous hi end restos of antique machines of various types for sale done by Rick's Resto's as seen on the History Channel. I saw a Meat Slicer in Caesar's Palace that had a $20,000+ price tag on it! and the next time thru it was sold.

I went in a shop there that catered to the Cowboy Set with $500 hats, boots, belts, buckles and some tack. A perfect place for your saddles and other leather products.

Also the Silverado Ranch just hosted a big Rodeo Crowd right after Thanksgiving and they had all kinds of vendors on the Main Casino Floor selling everything from belt buckles to pickup trucks. Your leather work would have sold out in two days easily.

My point is that it is all about finding the correct market place for your products. And that place is, exactly where the money is. Like Casinos?

I watched a episode of the American Pickers show on Christmas Day and the Lady who works for those guys bought a basket case 1935 Indian Chief for $8K! It was about 30-40% complete.

They sent the bike off to Rick's Resto's in Vegas and managed to piece it back together in short order in time for Sturgis.

It was the best looking Indian Resto I have seen!!!!!

They had $30K in it, Were asking $40K for it, and ended up selling it at Sturgis for $35K. I was shocked as one of my closest friends recently sold his 1948 Chief with a 30 year old Restoration for $52,000! and had no problem at all getting that much for it, and had multiple offers too boot.

The 1935 Chief was spectacular! Black with Gold Leaf trim! 100% complete!

My point is that they didn't take that bike to the right place to sell it. There is no money at the Sturgis Rally despite what anyone thinks, it is all about regular people getting together to party like hell and nobody is carrying around big money. Sure some rich people show up but the market for any specific type of bike is pretty narrow.

The bike should have gone to a big auction where it would have brought $50K + easily. In other words they left $15-20 or more on the table just to make a quick sale.

IMHO this is not good business. IN fact IMHO it is down right stupid!

My whole point is that your products are that good, it is just a matter of getting them in front of the right people in the right venue. Once you find these places, you'll be raking it in.

Suggestions:
Caesars Palace, and all of the hotels with shopping malls with high end stuff in them in Vegas first.

High End Catalogs like Orvis, Sundance, Filson. Don't laugh on the catalogs, I saw a restored Type II Land Rover for sale for $110 grand in the Orvis Catalog a year or so ago. Rich people get those catalogs in the mail just like the rest of us, and for a movie star to buy a friggin' Land Rover for her boyfriend for a birthday present is not unlikely. All Orvis had to do was sell one, mainly because that's the only one they had to sell!

My whole point of this lengthy dissertation is that selling your stuff is all about exposure to the right buyers. Seems obvious,,, but I know exactly how hard it is to find that venue or more properly Venue's.

Sitting down with Barb one night at the kitchen table and brainstorming places and "writing them down," for future execution would be my best suggestion. You have a wealth of possibilities in Vegas, and I would even talk to Danny of Counting Cars or Rick's Restos for ideas. I'm pretty sure after they see your work that they would help and may even have direct leads to give you.

I want to see you succeed at this, as do we all, and I hope some of my suggestions will help you out.

Randy

[6bg6ga]

I don't know what your financials are right now Adam but I think Randy has some sound ideas in his post. I hope you don't take offense but if it were me and I was needing some $$$ I would chance a car ride and see if there was interest in the tack. The pictures of your wear seem to indicate that the quality is certainly there. In my humble opinion I think the quality of other products out there will not hold up to yours. If I were in the market I would certainly purchase yours.