Trade Show Tales Blog

For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 Things We Probably Shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #7. You probably already know this but will confirm it anyway. Not every exhibit design shown in Design Monday has been built (or in some cases even engineered). Heck, that’s why we called it “Design Monday,” not “Kits Monday.” Has it ever bit us in the tutu? Never, because we either design the exhibits to be built or we figure out how to build them. Sure we take risks . . . but we’re not stupid.

Plus 1. Classic Exhibits is located on International Way in Milwaukie, OR (a suburb of Portland). Now, we’re not sure our industrial park, which is a beautiful industrial park with trees, a stream, and a wetlands, qualifies as international, but our workforce may. In addition to the many native-born Oregonians and Washatonians, we have employees born in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, Bosnia, and Turkey. And then there’s Charlie Shivel, our Kentucky-born PM. You’d think there would be a temptation to pick on Charlie, but Mel White, the VP of Marketing, is a much easier target. Although born in Washington State, he’s live much of his life in West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, and North Dakota. Statistically, Mel wins by a landslide.

For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 things we probably shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #6. Good exhibit designers are different (and sometimes a little scary). By nature, they are creative, resourceful, efficient, inquisitive, and even petulant at times. They have the uncanny ability to envision complex solutions with minimal instructions. And while many of them are mentalists, like Kreskin, they are not psychics or mind-readers. They are good, just not that good. Want some practical advice on how to maximize a designer’s creative potential and minimize any peevishness (Hey, we’re human too), then we urge you to avoid the following “cotton candy” design descriptions:

Open and Airy
Contemporary but Classic
Clean not Cluttered
Modern Looking but No Metal
We’ll know what we want when we see it (Ugh?!!!!!!!)
Plus 1. Our production manager is Jim, but that isn’t his real name. Ten years ago, our former production manager couldn’t pronounce “Yevgenity,” so rather than learn to pronounce it, he simply decided that “Jim” was easier. He’s been Jim ever since. We share this because it illustrates how our production team accommodates distributor requests (sometimes to a fault). If you want a Yevgenity to be a Jim, then they’ll make it a Jim.

For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 things we probably shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #5. Classic markets two pop up displays — the Quadro S (square frame) and the Quadro EO (self-locking, economy option frame). We want to be sympathetic when you tell us that naming both pop up systems Quadro is confusing (we really do). But the evil side of us says, “This is the same person who could describe ‘at length’ the differences between the Oreo Sandwich Creme and the Oreo Double Stuff and why the Oreo Cakester is better than the Milk Chocolate Covered Oreo.”

Plus 1. Anyone who has ever visited Classic can confirm the following . . . Classic has no lobby, no showroom, no receptionist. When you enter our building, you step onto the manufacturing floor. There’s no better example of who we are and what we do than that. We are a designer and manufacturer of trade show exhibits whose products are sold through an independent network of professional distributors.

For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 things we probably shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #4. We often talk about being a transparent company to our distributors. We’ll discuss any aspect of Classic Exhibits Inc. except our financials (we’re privately held). We’ll break that rule just this once. On occasion, a distributor will ask us if we have enough aluminum extrusion to handle a large order. We always smile. Currently, we have over a million dollars in aluminum extrusion in our inventory. It would have to be a REALLY BIG ORDER to put a dent in our inventory. Bring it on baby!

Plus 1. Aside from Reid Sherwood’s obvious sales and people skills, not many people know that the third reason he was hired by Classic had a lot to do with Mel White’s obsession with Bigfoot!

For the only legitimate source of Bigfoot facts and sightings (according to Mel . . . and he’s serious), refer to the non-profit Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization(www.bfro.net).

For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 things we probably shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! #3. Yes, Sacagawea is an odd name for an exhibit system, but we wanted to continue the explorer theme (Magellan). Do you have any idea how hard it is to find an explorer whose reputation hasn’t taken a beating in recent history? Think Cortez, Columbus, Pizarro . . . basically any explorer in the “New World.” For anyone struggling with how to pronounce “Sacagawea” or for a quick history lesson about this remarkable woman, click here.

Plus 1. Despite our denials, we actually own an anti-gravity device. We only use it for our special customers since it requires Plutonium 286 to power the reactor.

For the next two weeks, we’ll share 10 things we probably shouldn’t — one each day. Actually one, plus another one. Enjoy! When you call and ask us a question . . . and then there’s a pause, it’s probably because we are checking Exhibit Design Search for the answer. We love chatting with you (we really do!), but about half the questions you ask are available in Exhibit Design Search online.

Plus 1. Combined, Reid Sherwood and Kevin Carty have one good liver. See them destroy what’s left next week at the 15th Annual Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic, October 12, 2009 at Berkeley Hills in Duluth, GA.