Hello Phil,
My name is Ted Baer and I live about 20 miles south of the Cow Palace in Pa lo Alto, CA. I am writing to you because I sure hope a show coupled with a swap meet can be arranged and held at the Cow Palace.
The Concourse in San Francisco is too small of a venue for this event in my opinion. The one year the Swap Meet/show was held at the Cow Palace was the BEST one. There were tons of vendors and I bought a lot of stuff.
Then the event was moved to the Concourse where the inside was divided into three areas. All of the vintage road bike vendors (complete with hot dog stand) were crammed into a small strip (on the left) as you walked inside. Then there was a huge section in the center (part two of three) that had about fifteen bicycles or so to be judged later on for various awards. Use of the center section was completely wasted as I saw it. No one was even looking at the bicycles. Sadly, the right side (section 3 of 3) was devoted to mountain bikes, chartreuse fenders, sh ock absorbers from the days of yore, and a bunch of new "assembly-line" fat welded mountain bike frames. You had guys wearing wrap-around sunglasses (indoors) and Bozos blasting heavy metal music right and left. Long story short, the mountain bike crowd should be removed from the event.
So here is what I suggest: Call the Cow Palace, rent out the same two "wings" (that are to the right and left of the arena) and set up up a massive vintage bike show and swap meet.
Lastly, (and I am not joking) try to get some of those electric scooters that us heavy-set people can use to get around it. I would prefer one with a cup holder, but don't stress over it. I would have spent a LOT MORE MONEY had I had scooter last time. This is because many sellers find it more worth their while to chat about nonsense with old friends than to actually tend to their booths. And given my weight issue I simpl y cannot stand there all day. In some instances sellers would be away from their booths for 20 to 30 minutes or so; I did not understand this at all. All I wanted to do was spend money.
Yours in wheeling and dealing,
Ted E. Baer
Palo Alto, CA