Airshack Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 (edited) That guys listings always bug me. Zach is actually a pretty nice guy. I called him once and ordered the new A/E binder. After a disk failed he replaced it without question which involved opening another NIB package. He's sitting on a mountain of TI equipment and software which he discovered after bidding on and winning a real estate auction. Extremely random as the shuddered hardware store he purchased was FULL of TI-99/4 related products. Apparently --in the early 1980s-- the hardware store was also being used as a storehouse for a regional (Midwest) TI-99/4 distribution center. Zach admitted to me: a. I have no idea what this stuff is worth. b. I have a "mountain" of stuff here. I've been selling for a few years and I still haven't even touched 80% of the sealed boxes I have on site. So...look forward to his listings for the next decade probably! He's looking for someone to go up there and help him sort things out. To tell him what everything is and what it's all worth...ballpark prices. I considered helping out because I'm really curious. Maybe he has a pallet full of NIB Geneve's or original TI-99/4s? Who knows? Main Problem: He's located in and around BF Egypt which places this warehouse between Minneapolis and Des Moines. The closest major airport is a three hour car drive. Deal killer for me. So weird how all this TI stock ended up in such a remote location. There's a really good story here... Edited February 17, 2019 by Airshack 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 The stuff came out of a Dhein's True Value hardware store. They were a MAJOR reseller of TI things BITD. They advertised everywhere. I bought quite a few things from them back then--and even had a few phone conversations with the owner when I was looking for odd items (he usually had them--or would get them for me when he didn't). It will be interesting to see if he turns up with a stash of Exceltek cartridges, as he did have quite a few of their Extended BASIC cartridges that came out as part of the stuff he sold near the beginning of this adventure. . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitkraft Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 I think he’s probably great for those of you looking for those rare items and willing to pay for them. For people like me who can only buy at the budget level it can be frustrating when he has somewhat common items at inflated prices. It gives is no hope of finding a deal on less common stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LASooner Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 Zach is actually a pretty nice guy. I called him once and ordered the new A/E binder. After a disk failed he replaced it without question which involved opening another NIB package. He's sitting on a mountain of TI equipment and software which he discovered after bidding on and winning a real estate auction. Extremely random as the shuddered hardware store he purchased was FULL of TI-99/4 related products. Apparently --in the early 1980s-- the hardware store was also being used as a storehouse for a regional (Midwest) TI-99/4 distribution center. Zach admitted to me: a. I have no idea what this stuff is worth. b. I have a "mountain" of stuff here. I've been selling for a few years and I still haven't even touched 80% of the sealed boxes I have on site. So...look forward to his listings for the next decade probably! He's looking for someone to go up there and help him sort things out. To tell him what everything is and what it's all worth...ballpark prices. I considered helping out because I'm really curious. Maybe he has a pallet full of NIB Geneve's or original TI-99/4s? Who knows? Main Problem: He's located in and around BF Egypt which places this warehouse between Minneapolis and Des Moines. The closest major airport is a three hour car drive. Deal killer for me. So weird how all this TI stock ended up in such a remote location. There's a really good story here... I bought a NIB PEB from him, it was amazing to open TI equipment that hadn't seen the light since the factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 I might give him another call. I offered once before to help out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+FarmerPotato Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) Coincidentally, I've recall driving through there (Waterloo, IA is what his eBay address says) going from Council Bluffs IA to the SPAM museum in Austin, MN. It's close to Des Moines, I-35, I-80, and I-90 which makes some sense as a distribution center. That area is chock full of Roadside America. The SPAM museum is really worth a stop, totally fun. Disclaimer: I also found the Great Twine Ball of Minnesota highly amusing, and seen the albino squirrels. Weird Al soundtrack all the way. Your mileage may vary. Edited February 18, 2019 by FarmerPotato 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 I *might* snag a PEB from him if he has more listed in the future. The price was a bit steep, but it was NIB and I got some other things from him in the past that were exactly as he said they'd be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airshack Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 Four hour round trip from Des Moines! Seems remote. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brain Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) I'm not the most knowledgeable TI guy, but Waterloo is not a big deal for me (It's two hours for me as well, but my son goes to college in Cedar Rapids, which is halfway, so I am certain my wife would enjoy being ferried up to see the son). If you all are looking for a local person to go up, and can arrange a way to be on Discord or Slack or something real-time so I can have a lifeline for the stuff that stumps me, I'm happy to drive up (yes, alterior motive, I need to grab some more TI stuff in order to design and sell products for the platform). Let me know (PM, or email) Jim Brain RETRO Innovations Edited February 18, 2019 by brain 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Steve Jones Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 I guess he's not too concerned about selling those mountains of stuff or he would price it more reasonably, at this rate his kids will be trying to sell it to an audience that will also be gone by then. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 I guess he's not too concerned about selling those mountains of stuff or he would price it more reasonably, at this rate his kids will be trying to sell it to an audience that will also be gone by then. Cannot disagree there. I know during one of my conversations with him I pointed him here. So far as I know he never showed up in the forum. I also invited him to the Chicago Faire. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrewmacattack Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Cannot disagree there. I know during one of my conversations with him I pointed him here. So far as I know he never showed up in the forum. I also invited him to the Chicago Faire. Zach must have listen to you, as he made a post on the TI TRACKBALL thread. I've bought few items from him, most of his stock are ridiculously overpriced. Shame because he has so much more, I would buy from him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Oh, I will have to go check that out, then. If he is here we can help him out for everyone's benefit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+acadiel Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Cannot disagree there. I know during one of my conversations with him I pointed him here. So far as I know he never showed up in the forum. I also invited him to the Chicago Faire. Yeah, his prices are way out of the ballpark. Being that he likely has quantity of this stuff, and it’s already been out forever in circulation, the market is really die hard collectors at those prices. And, there are only so many of them in our community. Now, take a one of a kind cartridge and auction it, and I guarantee the price will shoot up on its own. It’s what the market will bear. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airshack Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 (edited) Oh, I will have to go check that out, then. If he is here we can help him out for everyone's benefit.That would be a great service to all. I suspect he’s selling some of his stuff at those “ridiculous” prices so there’s little incentive to come down. I believe he bid on the building without realizing there was a TI goldmine inside, so anything he makes off the stuff is gravy. Pretty sure I remember him saying it was a locked-up warehouse situation with a kind of mystery bid deal that he won. I’m sure if he was made aware of advances such as the FinalGROM he’d be more likely to part with the cartridges at a reasonable price. NOS is nice for PEBs and such but there’s really no practical reason to buy $40 single game common cartridges anymore. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Edited February 21, 2019 by Airshack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 He's aware. He knows what it's all worth and is happy to piece it out on ebay. Before anyone gets too excited. The size of what he has is more than you or i could manage and the cost for it all plus moving it is well beyond hobby level investment.. Greg Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atrax27407 Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 So - he made a bad business decision and wants the TI community to bail him out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitkraft Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 So - he made a bad business decision and wants the TI community to bail him out. Not sure how you got that from the discussion. Sounds to me like we are the ones with the wants and he’s perfectly fine selling things the way he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airshack Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 (edited) Not sure how you got that from the discussion. Sounds to me like we are the ones with the wants and he’s perfectly fine selling things the way he is. Compared to buying an empty warehouse or one filled with early 80s TV antennas, or CB radio gear, I'd say he did quite well. The whole story is rather interesting as it makes me wonder what happened to the other TI regional distribution centers? Where were they? Probably liquidation in the mid-80s followed by moving everything to the landfill for tax advantages. It is pretty cool that this stuff was protected for all these years. So much new old stock...kind of interesting. He claims there's pallets of stuff he hasn't even examined. His prices will eventually come down when the purchases slow. Surely he's not just re-listing the same old items at the same high prices over-and-over without making any sales. Edited February 21, 2019 by Airshack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Maybe a team of TI consultants need to make a visit 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+acadiel Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Maybe a team of TI consultants need to make a visit I volunteer. Seriously, I did inventory Joy Electronics for Mr. deCordova way back when. Helped him adjust some of his pricing too before he sold it all to Mike D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digdugnate Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 it's all speculation, but i wonder 1) how much TI stuff Zach moves and 2) how receptive he is to offers? I'm an idealist, but it seems it's a shame that there's a ton of stuff out there it looks like on eBay but out-of-reach for 'regular' customers. I totally get wanting to sell the stuff and make money off of it, but on the other hand personally I'd like to see the stuff get into the hands of folks that are collectors or will use it. YMMV, though. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+acadiel Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Joy Electronics, July 2001: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+eebuckeye Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 I talked with him a few times - seemed like a very nice guy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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