 
NEWS FROM 2011 SEPTEMBER SHOWS:
Silver of course is crazy high for those of us who've been buying over the last decade. ABD fears even greater "sticker shock" at the February shows. At the G & LW show, most vendors were sympathetic to the higher prices, but you will see that all of your favorite chains and beads are considerably higher--by a third to double--and certainly up by at least 10 to 20% even from February.
September 8 - 11, G&LW Wholesale buyer/Tax License show at Holiday Inn Paloverde! Grant location has been absorbed into a tent "Pavilion" just outside the ballroom. Many vendors, low turnout on opening day, although the foot traffic seemed steady. ABD found close parking. Two registration/badge areas--one in the main lobby and one in the Pavilion. It was hot in the Pavilion tent mainly due to inadequate and inconsistent air. Must be brutal for the vendors, but it was difficult for buyers--AS ALWAYS, TAKE WATER AND SIP THROUGHOUT THE DAY!! The temps were much better on the 10th. Prices were not phenomenally cheap and ABD did not see a lot of new inventory (always some new things!), but still, this is ALWAYS a great show to get last-minute necessities for the holidays.
September 8 - 11, J.O.G.S. Wholesale buyer show at the Tucson Expo Center 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. "Visitors" may register; ABD got to the show around 2:30 p.m.; no lines. Very few customers but again, a good number of vendors. ABD talked to a few buyers who visited on the 9th, and they enjoyed thed show. If you're looking for amber, turquoise, and even some nice mineral specimens and Morrocan fossils, this is the show!
September 9 - 11, Best Bead Show. Always a public show at the Kino Veteran's Memorial Center (directly north of TEP Park on Ajo). Hours 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sunday closes at 5 p.m. ABD ALWAYS finds some great strands at this show--public yes, but most vendors are selling at the wholesale price to the public. A few aren't.
News from the 2011 February Gem Show:
SHOW UPDATES: 02/09 (Wednesday) Holidome was not very crowded, but way busier than this time last year. So great time to go and browse your favorite vendors. Good Indian & Vietnamese food. Slightly fewer vendors, a few switched places, and a bit less finished jewelry than in past years. Also, not quite as much on "sale" as last year, although Ands Silver was selling a limited selection of silver for .89/gram!
SHOW UPDATES: 02/07 (Monday) ABD had forgotten what a lovely show the Whole Bead Show is--today was its last day in town, but ABD got some nice pics & will be updating the review page soon. It's one of the few shows offering highly unique beads, findings, & fiber to the public as well as tax-licensed buyers. As for the Grant Inn, it seems that G & LW may put up another tent at its Gem Mall location and move the Grant Inn vendors there. Village Originals at TEP is a show that seems to be open early (9 a.m. or so) so you can browse there first, then go elsewhere!
SHOW UPDATES: 02/06 (Sunday): Arizona Bead Dog is down with the flu! But the field report from Thelma M. says that she found Bali silver at the TEP show for .90/gm! Try to see the Madagascar Mineral discussion at the Westward Look show tonight!
SHOW UPDATES: 02/05 (Saturday): People are buying!! From the field, Thelma M. reports that Holidome & Gem Mall are PACKED. ABD went to Grant Inn and heard the rumor that that show may not be there next year--so if you like a vendor, get their name so you can find them whereever they may relocate to!! American Indian Exposition is a very nice show again this year. Paul Staber & the vendors along "Mineral Alley" (okay, ABD's name for Main Street Mineral Fair) seem all to be doing well. Maybe ABD missed something, but the Executive Inn Mineral & Fossil show wasn't where they said they would be (except for the tent portion on Speedway & Main--it's there and people were shopping).
SHOW UPDATES: 02/03 (Thursday): J.O.G.S. again; easy to browse, friendly vendors. TEP Village Originals--good time to go in freezing weather--short lines and not crowded!
SHOW UPDATES: 02/02 (Wednesday): Visited the Arizona Global Gem & Jewelry Show (tax-license only) at the Hotel Arizona--this show's first year here. Only 7 vendors w/3 more on the way. What ABD wonders about is whether vendors from Starr Pass will defect back to the downtown location next year. As you may know, GLDA (Starr Pass) originally held the Hotel Arizona location, then moved to its present Starr Pass. It's a show to watch. Also visited the open-to-public Simpson Street Show today--a good show to visit if you think you're bah-humbug about the gem show. It's relatively small, ample free parking, cheery & clean interior, with a good mix of vendors--from rocks & minerals to fine jewelery, bead strands, some findings, Native American jewelry, costume jewelry, and other assorted items.
SHOW UPDATES: 02/01 (Tuesday): J.O.G.S.--seemed a bit livelier than last year; perhaps it's slightly smaller. Waited less than 5 mins. to register. A nice combo of minerals, fine jewelry, sterling silver jewelry, Tibetan art & jewelry, a ton of beads [especially for Southwest, but lots of others, too], & loose gems. ABD is liking this show more every year. Starr Pass was quiet and it too, seemed smaller--fewer vendors in the second-floor ballroom--lots of fine jewelry, and, as always, the German Group brought exciting, wearable, stunning pieces.
SHOW UPDATES: 01/30 (Sunday) To Bead True Blue is consistent with last year; a few shift of vendors but it had the same feel--lots of glass, vintage, Victorian-style, all metals available here, plus seed beads. Kathe M. said "lots of variety, friendly vendors." One vendor in the tent was selling sterling silver for .90 gram. Grant Inn seemed slow in terms of number of people, but one vendor said that those who were there were buying. TEP was busy!
SHOW UPDATES: 01/29 (Saturday) Get ready for sterling silver sticker shock: It's doubled since last year. Last year it was around .55 to .65 per gram. Now, it's at $1.10 to $1.45 a gram (Bali), and Hill Tribe starts at $1.55. Earlier in the morning at Gem Mall, it'd been $1.00/gram--then ABD went to Grant Inn and it was $1.10--went back to Gem Mall, and the price had increased to $1.10! Gem Mall update: LOTS of cars this year; unlike last year--BUT! slightly fewer vendors. Perhaps that's no surprise. Grant Inn update: Again, fewer vendors in the tents and some rooms were vacant--you might have a hard time finding your favorites; still, the place was busy, although we managed to find parking after noon. J.O.G.S. update from Shari J.: Not crowded, but tons of vendors as in years past; Shari liked one vendor with spooled gemstone beads on sterling for $7 to $8 per foot. Thank you Shari for the field report!!
01/28 (Friday) ABD visited the 22nd St. show. It's a combo between TEP & Simpson Street: minerals & fossils, finished costume jewelry, fine jewelry, object d'art, and beads. If you're a seasoned gem-show goer, visit it to see it for yourself. If you can only make one show this year, I still like TEP. But the 22nd St. show is one to watch.
Get this: The Village Originals at the TEP Park was open Weds. through Fri. to those with resale tax licenses. I personally saw vendors at the 22nd St. show who were buying from Village Originals. In other words--go to Village Originals for wholesale prices directly to the public!!
News from the 2010 February Gem Show:
2/11/10: ABD hopes most of you found your silver at .55/gm, which is what some Gem Mall and Grant Inn (and probably others) were selling it at, although many were selling at .65/gm. Tomorrow is the last day for these two shows and Holidome, although they are all slow, and some vendors are packing early. Also visited Mineral and Fossil Marketplace, Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show (Inn Suites), and generally drove along Main Ave. Like the gem shows, these mineral shows were slow, despite the great weather today. But if you want a mineral, now's a good time to buy! Despite things being a bit slow, people who were attending were buying.
Arizona Bead Dog's advice helped Lucy W. buy a new kilim! ABD also gives advice about buying sterling, or anything gem-show related!
2/7/10: J.O.G.S. was slow today, although it was raining when the show started. Good prices on amethyst cathedrals.
2/5/10 & 2/6/10: Holidome seemed to have a steady crowd going today, which was good news for the vendors. Hill Tribe silver, .95/gm. G&LW show shuttles were frequent, so no waiting to get between their three shows: Gem Mall, Holidome, & Grant Inn.
For additional shuttle service info, click on link:http://www.visittucson.org
2/4/10: The Best Bead Show is alive and well, although it seemed slower this year as are the other shows. Good beads and bargains, as always. A great public show. No free magazines by late in the day. Don't know if they'll put more out tomorrow morning (yes, they did--but not as many magazine choices as in previous years).
India sterling prices hovered around .55-.65/gram--but it seems that most vendors have settled on .65; vermeil was .65-.75/gram--occasional vendors were asking .85; and Hill Tribe was higher, as always.
2/3/10: Starr Pass is slow, and there are fewer vendors there than last year. As always, the German Group is worth the visit--their jewelry is powerful, unique, and beautiful. Forgot to mention that this is the first year that several Grant Inn courtyard rooms were not filled.
2/2/10 (Tues.): To Bead True Blue looks to be a slightly smaller show than last year, but some very interesting vendors you won't find anywhere else. Not as many strollers along the Frontage Road shows this year as last year. I feel sorry for the vendors at the Pueblo Inn that are directly south of the main hotel--they are in rooms, not the outside tents that are also there. I don't believe many folks are walking in that area. For one thing, it's hard to see, although the hotel has signage. The African Village is wonderful as always, and the food is fantastic, if a bit pricey--$11 gets you a combo, drink is extra. Bargain with the vendors; they're anxious to sell you African art!
2/1/10 (Mon.): Just a reminder--To Bead True Blue is a public show--even though everyone must register! I spoke with someone in line at TEP and they were disappointed--but even if a few showrooms are wholesale only, the show is mostly public, so stop by!!
Sun., 1/31/10: Gem Mall was the slowest I've seen it in a decade. Perhaps buyers will show up as other shows open. Simpson Street was slow also. TEP was a bit slow today, but I'm hoping it was due to the Arizona Wildcats' home game.
BTW, the Globe-X shows (3 now along the Frontage, La Quinta, Howard Johnson, and the Days Inn), promise expanded parking--what they mean is $5-parking--I was hoping for free expanded parking.
Sat., 1/30/10: I hope the wholesale-only shows pick up. I attended Gem Mall and Grant Inn today--both were slow, although the show organizers seemed to be doing a good job of shuttling people to and from, and plenty of parking guides. Good deals to be had. I learned one of my favorite sterling silver vendors has given up the business. And this may sound crazy, but there seemed to be fewer bead strands. I also attended TEP park--very busy!!!
The Manning House Bead Show, which had been new for 2009, has been cancelled for 2010. This is not too surprising (see ABD review), but expect the vendors to crowd into the other shows, most likely the To Bead True Blue Show, where most of the vendors originally were. Besides To Bead True Blue, don't forget to check out the Tucson Bead Show, which appears to be expanded this year (probably taking in some vendors from Manning as well as Bead Renaissance, which also cancelled this year).
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