Chicago

Growing up, the only business trips I remember my dad taking were to Chicago. Later learned that they were for visits to UL for fire testing of doors. Only recently however, I figured out that he never went to downtown Chicago, but to the outskirts in a different direction. (Which may be why my presents were always from the airport).


When I joined Karpen Steel in 1986, my first business trip was to Chicago for the annual Door and Hardware trade show, with my dad. It was Karpen Steel's first time exhibiting at the show. It was windy, rainy, and not a nice introduction to the city. Now, it turns out I go to Chicago 1 to 2 times a year for meetings and so forth, and I have grown to love the city. The city of today is so much nicer than it was 25 years ago. Great restaurants, friendly staffs, and so forth. So, now I present to you just a few pictures of my most recent trip to Chicago (and third time there for the door and hardware show).

This was taken from Navy Pier where the convention was held.

This was the original entrance into the Palmer House Hotel - no longer used.

 

 

If you know who these look a likes are, you watch professional football. And, if you don't, you won't care.

Making a presentation during one of the educational sessions.

Karpen Steel trade show booth. It plays off of our advertising. We like to keep it clean, and bright.

DHI Show Photos and Show Wrapup

Nothing like traveling to make a person tired, and the best laid plans of updating my blog on Friday just don't work out. The second day of the show was similar to the first. Lots of presenters telling us how to run our companies better, what to do when the economy recovers, and way too many pie charts as to what distributors and manufacturers think of how things are being run in the industry.

We then returned to the trade show floor for more walking and talking. We took a little time out in-between events to shoot some photos around the hotel and convention center. I found out that the facility is about 4-5 years old.

The convention center was opulent with beautiful decorations.

One part of the hotel atrium was called Key West and featured this "scenery" complete with a fish restaurant. The food was very good, but over priced, even for a hotel.

What a welcoming site as you walk into the main part of the convention center.

The hotel atrium even had an area full of alligators!

Todd, from Karpen Steel, and myself at the Hollow Metal Manufacturer's Show Booth.

So, with my eternal optimism, I did sign up to exhibit at next year's show in Chicago.

Once the show ended, we took a cab ride over to Disney Downtown and ate dinner at Wolfgang Pucks (very good), walked and walked around, and then desert at Planet Hollywood. I was surprised to see that the Virgin Megastore is closed down. The whole area was very busy, and the restaurants were certainly busy, but the stores not as busy. We had a good trip home on Friday and in the end felt that the trip was worth making, but also knowing that we were correct in not exhibiting this year.