Antiques Philadelphia:Spring Show @ East Falls Cancelled for 2008 (Alexandria, VA) . . . Promoters Barry Cohen and Jim Burk have cancelled their Antiques Philadelphia: Spring Show at East Falls for 2008. The show, formerly named Antiques at Philadelphia’s Navy Pie
News-Antique.com - Apr 04,2008 - Antiques Philadelphia Show Cancelled for 2008
(Alexandria, VA) . . . Promoters Barry Cohen and Jim Burk have cancelled their Antiques Philadelphia: Spring Show at East Falls for 2008. The show, formerly named Antiques at Philadelphia’s Navy Pier, opened in 2006 after the duo successfully secured the cruise terminal at the Naval Business Center at the request of their dealers. For two years, the pair of promoters ran what quickly became the “It” show during Americana Week in Philadelphia.
All of that changed in April 2007, however. In a maneuver unprecedented in this business, the 45 year-old Philadelphia Antiques Show put an end to the Cohen/Burk show by financially undercutting Cohen’s relationship with the management of his venue. The prestigious charity show relocated to the Naval Business Center, displacing Cohen and Burk's successful event and its 70 vendors from around the country. “We did worry that our show dates were at the mercy of the annual cruise ship schedule, but were assured by management that all was fine for 2008,” said Cohen. Then, adding insult to injury, and reported in the Maine Antique Digest, "To cover all bases, the Philadelphia show committee also rented...its (own) former venue for five days in April so no other show could set up there (December, 2007, p. 26-A)."
After months of searching for a viable new location, Cohen discovered a new event rental space, just off the Schuylkill Expressway in the up-and-coming neighborhood of East Falls. Then he and his team attracted the prestigious Pennsylvania Ballet as charity beneficiary. However, even with extensive free parking nearby this splendid, sunny facility, the renamed and relocated Antiques Philadelphia show will not go on this year.
“Our dealers had every right to participate in Philadelphia's Antique Week," said Cohen. "But despite the dealer community’s anger at the Philadelphia Antique Show’s tactics, not enough of them were willing to risk the move to an untried facility,” Cohen continued. Burk added, “The Hospital Show committee wanted to push us out of town, and it looks like it has, for now.”
Jim Burk Antique Shows and b4rTIME, Inc. wish to thank their loyal exhibitors, collectors, and the antique-loving public for their support in Philadelphia during the past two years. As one seasoned customer commented at last year's event, "it was just like the great old days of Americana shows."
