Reflections on 30 years of the Philly Show

[Bobsbats]

My grandparents live in Willow Grove, so it is a safe bet to say that I didn't miss a show at the GW Motor Lodge. One of my earliest memories going to that show with my dad and seeing the Fire Marshall standing outside the front door ( that had a plywood ramp over the step ) with his "counter" letting him know how many people he has let in so far. The aisles were so narrow that you couldn't squeeze by some of them. The lighting was so poor at some tables, I remember taking cards to Levi Bleem's table to see condition because he had every light this side of the Mississippi on. That being said, the material that you saw at that particular show was unbelieveable....every show I saw a Wagner, N173 Cabinets...you name it, it was there. It's funny, when I take my son to the "new" Willow Grove show ( Valley Forge ) I have dealers that say to me and my father, that they remember me, when I was his age at the George Washington Motor Lodge.