Dallas meetings, Hard8 vs. Papps, etc........

[JasonH]

Attendance to meetings for the last few months has been pretty poor. I had kind of chalked it up to a temporary lull in enthusiasm or maybe the economy.

However, it's been opined that the new meeting location has something to do with it. In some ways I agree. To me, it lays out like this:

Pappas: more conducive to meetings, free reign of the parking lot, mediocre food.

Hard8: Better food, maintain link to TTR, I don't have to drive to Dallas However, the heart of the meeting itself has changed since we moved. It was easier for us to have a group conversation at Pappas.

I didn't know if distance was a problem. The two are 10 miles apart. Hard8 is easier for me to get to, but I know it's longer for others.

Discuss.

 

[cbmontgo]

I always greatly preferred Pappa's over the new place. No offense to anyone, but we got outnumbered and overshadowed by TTR at Hard8 the last few meetings I made. LSLC lost some of its culture due to this if ya ask me...

 

[Panzer]

Probably 70% of the time the meeting is held on a day that I work. I work til 9pm.
At pappa's when I got over to the meeting, usually around 9:15 there were still a lot of LSLC folks kicking tires in the parking lot.
Now at H8 when I get there around 9:30ish there is rarely any LSLC around. The TTR gang usually hangs out til they kick them out but our herd is long gone.

At H8 the food is WAY better, the management is more friendly to our groups. One downside is the parking lot is not as conducive to tire kicking, too small area out front.

At Pappas-the food sucks and the manager is a tool but I think Pappas may have been the better location. Better lighting, more central location.

I am not voting for one location over the other at this point, just making observations.

Is the change due to the location or is the change in attendance due to changes in our group. Perhaps complacency or perhaps changing interests?

One advantage TTR has over us is they are continuing to aquire members via the FJC and new truck owners, and they wheel...a lot!

 

[MFerren]

I do not think that it is the location.

Not sure what it is but even the last few meetings at Papa's attendance had dropped off.

Myself I prefer Hard 8 it is a lot nicer place, better food and there is a bigger parking lot on the front side of the building if we need it.

If moving it back to Papa's gets people to come out I am all for it but if not I prefer hanging out with the TTR guys and eating good food.

 

[40's rock]

The whole idea of a car club, which is really what we are, is the car or Landcruiser....Papas, despite the bad food and all was a better place to hang with the cruisers. Maybe when the weather warms, the side curtains come down at Hard8, the "hanging with the cruisers" will be better. Another thought, a little membership development might be in order. The TTR guys seem to have the ball rolling...any thoughts on putting someone in charge of reaching out to members who have for one reason or another fallen by the wayside and encouraging new members? Didn't I read something about flyers on windshields way back "in the day?"
Along those lines.....Papas is a more visible location.

 

[spaldam]

I've mostly just been busy with the new twins... Either location is a bit out of my way, and I'm not a picky eater.

 

[fj40charles]

I have not been to a meeting in over 1 year. It is has nothing to do with location for me. I'm just busy with other stuff.

TTR guys probably will be like ht LSLC guys in the next 10-15 years as they get older, get married, get jobs that require lots of time, etc.,

I don't care where the meeting is as long as you can hang out and visit. I'll eat before I go so I don't have to eat the crap they serve at Pappas.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Karen and I were not the best members.However the new location is to far for us.Food was just average, location was well laid out for looking at the rigs. Sometimes in Little Rock,Arkansas we would meet in a park and bring our own food and picnic. That was neet,people would come up to look at the cruisers ,ask ?s, and we might pick up a new member. Mike

 

[valkyrie610]

TTR guys probably will be like ht LSLC guys in the next 10-15 years as they get older, get married, get jobs that require lots of time, etc.

LOL! It has been a while since you've been around... FYI- everyone is out of school now, and I'll be on social security in the next 15 years!

the new location is to far for us.

H8 is closer to Plano than Pappas.

Besides, Nick makes it from Ft. Worth, Butch makes every meeting from Bonham, as well do several folks from Whitewright.... just sayin'.

 

[Michael Hanson]

I did not mean to cause a problem.Might be fun to meet at different places and work on each others cruisers. Rebuild knuckles etc.

 

[valkyrie610]

LOL! No problem, just pokin fun atcha (and Charles)!

 

[Michael Hanson]

Charles really misses the meetings being up in ARKANSAS.

 

[JasonH]

I think that a main reason for (some of) us wanting to move in the first place - besides the food - was that we had been going there once a month for 10 years and were just plain tired of it. Looking back, I think it was a better place for us.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Got a better place? Mike

 

[iaintscared1969]

I liked Pappa's because of the parking for the cruiser's. Last 2 meet's I went to at Hard 8 were in conjunction with something going on there and it was PACKED! Not to mention being able to have your own section was cool too.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Parking and not to crowed was nice at old place. Mike

 

[lucky 13]

H8 is closer to Plano than Pappas.

Besides, Nick makes it from Ft. Worth, Butch makes every meeting from Bonham, as well do several folks from Whitewright.... just sayin'.

I drive there all the way from Aledo to enjoy the people the food, and glareing at the rigs.

Jason, Butch, and Chris King give me advise and their opinions on different land cruiser subjects. I dont see a problem with the place or location, just maybe there is a lack of motivation.

 

[chris777]

I like Pappas a lot better. Just a better layout for meetings, and for tire kicking. I know Travis quit coming when it moved to Hard 8. So did Lance.

I kinda felt like I was going to TTR meetings when I went to Hard 8, and not to LSLC meetings. It was kinda nice when both met at the same place, same night, but at separate ends of the same building. But I realize that TTR will be staying at Hard 8.

I for one, don't think the food is any better at Hard 8. I don't think it is bad at either place. But I wouldn't put either on my list of favorite Bar B Que restaurants, no way. But the food isn't bad at either place. I think the hamburger and fries at Pappas is better than most hamburger and fries. Bottom line, my first two reason are a lot more important than the food reason. At Hard 8, that meat line was usually way too long. The best thing at Hard 8 is the free beans.

I always used to get the free Toyota Trails magazines from Nick at meetings, when he offered them, carry them around with me, and whenever I saw a Land Cruiser, I would be sure and either give one to the owner, or put it under his windshield wiper with a note about our meetings. Everyone knows where Pappas is. Not Hard 8.

I bet if LSLC moved back to Pappas, they would even let Tinstar shoot off signal flares!

 

[TinStar]

I bet if LSLC moved back to Pappas, they would even let Tinstar shoot off signal flares!

While I am not opposed to a good signal flare shooting, I can not take credit for that incident. I was in Vegas at the time. You can put that one on Texaslawman......not I.

 

[chris777]

ooops sorry! my mistake.