On Wednesday, May 10, at 9 am, the gates will swing open for the 75th time at Heart-O-The-Mart’s opening. Once again, a crowd of thousands of buyers who have been gathering at both front and back gates to the 17-acre field – as well as at a brand new gate in Heart-O-The-Mart’s new customer parking lot – will be poised to respond to the ritualistic clarion “Open the Gates.” Inside, exhibitors of antiques and antique collectibles will anticipate the buying that follows. “It’s been an exciting and rewarding 25 years for Heart-O-The-Mart staff,” said Pam Moriarty, show promoter. “We’ve made countless friends whom we look forward to seeing again each spring. Providing a clean, comfortable venue where our dealers can do business has always been important to us, and we know our dealers appreciate it.” Heart-O-The Mart joined the Brimfield Antique & Collectible experience in July 1982, a full 22 years after the late Gordon Reid initiated a small gathering of 100 antiques exhibitors on his Brimfield field for a one-day, outdoor, station-wagon show. By the mid-1980s, Brimfield had grown to more than 2,000 exhibitors. Reid’s show, now called J&J Promotions and under the management of his daughters Jill Lukesh and Judy Mathieu, had reached international recognition as a high-quality, 750-exhibitor antiques and collectibles show where discriminating buyers pick and barter in an exciting outdoor atmosphere that still exists today. Six exhibitors chose to set up at Heart-O-The Mart’s choice Route 20 frontage spots in July 1982 as a handmade “Dealer Space Available” sign alerted passersby that yet another field would be opening. From this modest beginning in 1982 emerged today’s 600-exhibitor show, which is Brimfield’s third largest – regularly sold out of exhibitor spaces up to a year in advance – and the destination of thousands of buyers each May, July and September. Moriarty said that Heart-O-The Mart prides itself in being a high quality show that tries very hard to meet exhibitors’ needs so their experience is “profitable, comfortable and fun.” For information, 413-245-9556 or www.brimfield-hotm.com.
18 Apr 2006 / 0 Comment
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