60 Years of the Long Beach Expo

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Meet the Long Beach Expo Team: Q&A with Taryn Warrecker

Q: What is your role with the Long Beach Expo team?
A: I’m the Show Coordinator with duties including coordinating the expo, which occurs three times per year, as well as expo sales.
Q: Why should the public attend the September 6-8, 2018 expo?
A: The Long Beach Expo is the largest collectibles show on the West Coast that captures an entirely different crowd than many other major shows in other parts of the Country — this is true for dealers and attendees alike. For attendees, this is a great opportunity to do some face-to-face networking with many of the companies they’ve been doing online business with over the years. Additionally, the expo provides an opportunity for some competitive pricing, hard to find if you’re simply shopping in a store with a single buyer or seller. For dealers, the expo offers a rare chance to connect with and capture new audiences, and provides a crop of new leads that cannot be captured anywhere else. We really are the best in the west!
Q: What September show attraction or collectible are you most excited to see? Why?
A: I am personally most excited for the next installation of the Tyrant Collection and our partnership with the International Association of Olympic Collectors. The Tyrant Collection is mind blowing…if you haven’t seen it, you must! And, who doesn’t love the Olympics? I can’t wait to see what vibe they add to the vibe of the show!
Q: How did you get into the rare collectibles business?
A: Completely by accident! I had worked for the Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts for years, but left my job to get married and take a break from the hospitality business. I was helping a friend open his candy store in Santa Barbara (September 2004) and met Ron Gillio, who is the former owner of the Long Beach Expo show. Ron offered me a job coordinating both the Long Beach and Santa Clara Expos. Later on, Collectors Universe purchased the business and I was lucky enough to be included in the package — the rest is history!
Q: If you could buy (or already own) any collectible, which item would this be?
A: I try to be pretty minimalistic, but I do like to collect little things here and there for my two sons to enjoy later in life. I purchase things that interest me and have created an eclectic little treasure box that would probably make serious collectors cringe. Maybe it will end up being their laundry money, but at least it’s something. 🙂
Q: Anything else to share?
A: I feel very lucky to have the job that I have. I’ve made so many friends through this business and have met so many special people. I hope that above all else, I have made my co-workers and clients feel valued. I’m humbled every day by the great responsibility we have to continue the unique tradition of trade shows. In a time where interpersonal contact sometimes plays second fiddle to online interaction, it is so wonderful to see such a large group of people connecting face-to-face, in such a meaningful way.
The September 2018 Long Beach Expo will be held in the Long Beach, California Convention Center located at 100 S. Pine Ave.
For additional information, including the schedule of events and a list of attending dealers, visit online at www.LongBeachExpo.com, call the Long Beach Expo at 888-743-9316 or email at [email protected].