Well, got the opportunity to visit the new gun & knife show in the Deltaplex, and was quite pleased. Parking was orderly, paid our $5 to get in, AND, most importantly, lawful carry was allowed.
Many well stocked booths, with something for everyone (unless you were looking for Pakistani incense or funnel cakes). Only a few booths selling toys I could have done without. Airsoft doesn't belong at a gun & knife show, in my opinion. You opinion may differ.
Everything was well laid out with generous aisles between rows, great lighting.
Only down point was a comment at the gate (which I did not hear about until after I went through the show) that lawfully carried sidearms must be concealed. Not only is that absurd, but potentially incorrect, as one may argue that the Deltaplex is an entertainment facility. If so, lawful carry would only be OC with a CPL, and no carry without. Nevertheless, no one said anything about my exposed weapon after I took my jacket off- it was getting a little tropical.
All in all, a fabulous first showing for J&J.
After we left there, Steel Magnolia suggested we trot down to Wyoming to check out the former tenants of the Deltaplex show.
Took a while to find it; got some bad info that it was in the old Studio 28 theater facility. Wrong. It was in the back of a little strip mall in an old fabric store. Parking was a zoo; people were literally parking in the driveways, choking the access down to one lane. I'm surprised that the Wyoming Fire Department didn't shut them down; no way they could get a fire truck or rescue unit anywhere near the front door. Parking in the aisles was also 3 deep; cars were literally trapped between other vehicles, and had no other recourse other then to wait for whoever blocked them to finish their shopping.
Outside the front door was a large sign claiming that the buying & selling of firearms in the parking lot was 'illegal'. I'd love to see a cite on that; I believe it to be an empty, bogus and childish attempt to interfere with free trade. I call BS, unless they can show a state law prohibiting it. A city ordinance does not cut it; preemption takes care of that.
Since there was no legitimate place to park, and I wasn't willing to take the risk of my vehicle getting trapped between two bozos, or worse, we decided to get out of the area as quickly as possible. It may have been gun nirvana in the old fabric store, but I wasn't taking any chances.
I recommend that next time they find a legitimate venue that can accommodate the inevitable crowds, instead of some old strip mall fabric store. I was embarrassed for them.
