Monday, March 2, 2009

NAHBS 2010 Location

Mum's the word so far on the location of the North American Handmade Bicycle Show in 2010. Show organizer Don Walker says he is considering several potential venues and will announce the show location in April.

Olive the dog believes that discussions with Mellow Johnny's point to a show in Austin. Walker apparently is investigating potential venues in the downtown Austin area.

I've also heard that officials in San Jose, CA are considering enticements to return NAHBS to Silicon Valley. The San Jose city council adopted "Green Vision", a 15 year plan to transform Silicon Valley into a world center of Clean Technology innovation, promote cutting-edge sustainable practices, and demonstrate that the goals of economic growth, environmental stewardship and fiscal responsibility are inextricably linked. Leaders tasked to promote the Green Vision plan say they see bicycling as an essential part of that plan.

Some builders like the way the show has moved out of Silicon Valley over the past couple of years to become a roving consumer show. "We like the idea of NAHBS being in different markets each year," said Tom Rodi of Parlee last year in Portland. "We have seen great growth in our business in the Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest so we like the moving format for a consumer show to open up whole swaths of the country to bikes that lots of riders have only maybe heard of and have maybe never seen in the flesh."

Where do you think the next NAHBS should be? Should it return to Silicon Valley? Should it move south, perhaps to Austin? Does it need to move to the Northeast, perhaps to Boston, Philadelphia, or even New York City?

13 comments:

  1. I vote for another show on the best coast... sorry, I'm biased and need to save on airfare.

    San Jose would be nice. Austin, probably not too bad. Portland, always a great choice. San Diego would be cool.

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  2. Tom martin, velo orange:
    There are 75 MILLION people within 75 miles of nyc. I'd really like to see NAHBS in the northeast, say Philly or boston. The major issue w northeast venues will be the pass thru costs to exhibitors with union halls, and prolly a higher rate of theft. Do we need to hold it in a trade show complex? Can we find a warehouse arts space to work in?

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  3. Since I'm on the west coast I naturally would love to see it return to San Jose.

    My gut feel, though, is that the northeast would be best for the next show, and I personally think Phlly would be a great location.

    The San Jose Convention Center was pretty crummy like a warehouse -- dark, gray and not very attractive, IMO.

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  4. I live in S.F., so I would love to see it back in San Jose again. But I do agree that moving it around the country gives the builders better national exposure. Tough question.

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  5. ...i say maybe texas in 2010 (don walker is a texan), then the northeast, say nyc or philly in 2011 to expose builders & buyers to each other & then back to the left coast but up here in sf for 2012...

    ...nice "winners" blog, fritz & good coverage overall as i saw a few things on yer site that i didn't see on the "big guys" sites...

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  6. I'm thinkin' that if it's in Austin, Fritz, there just may be a road trip next year. That's assuming I can get a kitchen pass from She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed!

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  7. Durham, North Carolina has a big airport, train station and all the various highways, it's cheap to have conferences here and we have excellent food.

    Barring that I have to agree with NYC, philly or maybe Burlington, VT.

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  8. It would be great if Don Walker considered the Northeast for NAHBS 2010. I think we are ready to host the biggest ever for attendance. If price is a concern, Albany NY is a great central location for commuting from NYC, Boston, Philly, Montreal. NAHBS 2009 was my first and three days was not long enough!
    -mary lou

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  9. Has anyone considered St. Louis? Great bike culture there. Since I am in the Northwest, I would vote to bring it this way again, however I can see it having success close to NYC or Austin.

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  10. Toronto! It is in the north east of "North America". Maybe run it in conjunction with the International Toronto Bike Show. You would certainly have huge attendence.

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