IT WAS SUMMERTIME IN 1987 AND OREGON WAS IN A DEEP RECESSION....
For those of you too young to remember, recessions are not a new thing. Times were hard then--job loss, foreclosures, tight money,budget cutbacks.....
And like today, the antique collectors and creative people in Oregon just kept on going. There were exciting events put on in private homes, empty storefronts, barns, church halls, garages, and sales were fairly brisk out at Don Wirfs' Expo Antique Shows (if prices were marked down accordingly). If you were a part of this, you know who you are.
There was no internet then, no websites, no blogs, no Facebook, and heaven forbid--no cell phones. Communication was done by US mail, TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines.
But a whole bunch of us knew that Country Living magazine had been doing shoots in Oregon the previous summer. Scores of antique dealers, artisans, foodies, wineries, gardeners, had participated joyfully in showing off Oregon's bounty to this popular national shelter magazine. But when the August issue hit the newsstands in 1987, our breath was taken away by the cover....
Over thirty pages showing off the beauty, talents, gardens, fine foods and wines of Oregon. Never before had our state received such attention in a popular national publication.
Enter Darwin Otto, Brent Heeb, the late Marie Hickey and me. The four of us had been meeting for months talking about starting a "Really Big Antique and Lifestyle Show". We knew the hype from the magazine could be our launching pad."
We all had other full time jobs at the time, but somehow we did it. Leased the exhibition hall at Montgomery Park, came up with a floor plan, worked on publicity, paid for advertising but also sent out copies of the magazine to TV and radio stations and newspapers, printed out flyers, ordered banners, rented tables and linens, planned an appetizer buffet for a preview night (admission $10). We signed up dealers, artisans, clothing shops, gourmet food producers to participate.
Everyone was busy but wanted to be a part of it....
Finally in September 1987, the show magically came to life--and what was it called? What else....The Magic of Oregon......
Luckily, the lines at the entrance were long--our publicity had paid off. We had to charge an entrance fee to cover our expenses--tickets were $3.
The enthusiasm was electric, we called our dealers our "Stars"and they pulled out all the stops, the displays were lovely, sales were brisk....
The success of this first show led to years of "show biz" for the four of us--Country by Design in at the Tacoma Dome, and the Magic of Christmas in Portland, Salem and Tacoma. The four of us worked well together and and liked our work on the shows a whole lot better than our other full time jobs.
We LOVED doing the window display ourselves (see photo below for one example)....
And then in 1990, opportunity came knocking.....
to be continued.....
and I sign off awash in fabulous memories....
Gayle@starsantique.com
