When the announcement filtered out after this season that Myers International Midways was giving up its route, liquidating its equipment, at the show's own pace, and, basically, going out of business, there were shock waves throughout much of the industry.

Rumors abounded. And with throngs ready to descend on Gibsonton for the Feb. 4-8 46^th annual trade show & extravaganza of the International Independent Showmen's Association, Gloria Myers, president of the club, and her son, Bobby, realize they are going to be hit by questions from all sides, even more than they have already fielded.

So I called Bobby to get his take. After all, Christine and I have been around that show from its early beginnings. It always felt like home for us every time we visited, going back to before Danny Royal was concession manager. David and Dee Dee Starkey, Harold and Debbie Case, James Roy and Petrina Pope, Ricky Starkey, Ernie Adams, Scotty McCarthy, Paul Lynn, Judy Richards, Wesley Burnett, and a host of others not to mention Bill and Gloria, and Bobby and Kelly Myers always made us feel welcome.

Since they played around Nashville a lot, we probably got to see them more than some of the other great carnival people, and there are many great ones, in my book. When I called Bobby today, he admitted he wasn't ready to talk openly about what was taking place immediately after a tough season. I kind of figured that, and that's why I waited this long to give him a call. It would have been a different scenario if I were still editor of AB and on the heels of a hot scoop. You can bet his first call would have been from me.

"It was the toughest decision I ever had to make in my life. It was not due to a rainy year. We're getting older. I'm 56 and was not comfortable with what I thought was coming along. The business has changed so much. It boiled down to expenses overcoming grosses every spring. I felt, that except for a few spots, they had all peaked as far as gross revenues, and I didn't see any future. Every time you turn around, committees want more, and I got tired of it, working for everybody but myself. Costs were increasing every year and foreign labor was getting harder to find and when you did, it was for a higher price.

"Nobody is coming along in this business. We're part of a dying breed. If things can't be done on a computer or by texting, the new generation doesn't want to do the hard labor."

Myers added, "I'm taking control of my life back, instead of the business controlling me. Now I can do what I want when I want. Gloria is as happy as she can be. She can do what she always wanted to do and that's travel around all summer. I want to do a lot of things, as well. I've been in this business my entire life, and up to now, everything has revolved around the business." He still owns two nightclubs in Jackson, Tenn., and 50 duplexes.

Myers will continue to build and rebuild in his shop, where he stays busy. The late Bud Gilmore of Smokey's Greater Shows, always said he was the best in the business. I was at a Kentucky meeting of ride inspectors who were asking Bobby to interpret some of the rules and regulations. "We'll always consider the people we've been with as family and will always be there if they need us. We've made a lot of good friends over the years.

"We'll probably keep six, seven, maybe 10 pieces and book independently. We'll play the winter route with Charles Panacek (Belle City Amusements), and my nephew, Joey Weaver, will head up the independent part. My son, Robbie, will be going with Deggeller Attractions and handle some pieces for them. Arnold Amusements got some of the dates, and David (Starkey) will probably go over there." I pointed out to Bobby that Starkey would be an asset to any carnival. He's one of those guys who can do everything. And Harold Case is a concession manager in the ilk of his step father-in-law, Danny Royal. He knows the ropes, and together he and David made one helluva team.

Before talking to Bobby, I had a conversation with James Roy Pope, who is an elected alderman in his home town of Greenville, Tenn. While he said Bobby and Gloria did not want to influence their committees on deciding who to get to replace them, Pope was pretty instrumental in doing that during the Tennessee and Kentucky fair conventions.

While the Popes spent most of their time with Myers, they also had an independent route. He said he helped Billy and Stacy Tucker of Dixieland Amusements obtain four Kentucky fairs-Adair County, in Columbia; Nelson County, Bardstown, Pulaski County, Somerset, and Southern Kentucky, Bowling Green. He helped the Tuckers get Tennessee dates at the Henry County Fair, Paris, and Obion County, Union City.

Pope also helped Amusement Attractions get Benton County in Camden, Tenn., and Carroll County in Huntingdon, Tenn. That show is owned by Willie Purdy, grandson of Joe Harper, former show owner of Harper Amusements, and his wife, Lisa Vinson, daughter of Richard, who used to own Golden Empire Shows.

Pope said he also aided Murray Brothers of Cincinnati get a couple of the old Myers spots in Kentucky; Freddie Miller's Spectacular Attractions, seven or eight in Kentucky, and Tony Lowery of Lowery Carnival Company, a couple in Tennessee-Cheatham County, Ashland City, and Robertson County, Springfield. According to Pope, Arnold Amusements has four spots, for sure, that Harold Case will be working as a concessionaire. They include Henderson County Lexington, Tenn.; Baldwin County, Robertson, Ala.; Northwest Florida, Fort Walton Beach, and Central Panhandle, Panama City, Fla. Pope estimated that more then 20 shows called him regarding information.

Pope's independent route still includes the Wilson County Fair, Lebanon, Tenn., where Amusements of America provides the midway, and Middle Tennessee Fair, Lawrenceburg, where Frank Zaitshik's Wade Shows provides the midway. His season begins with the Fiddlestick Festival in his home town of Greenville, April 16-19.

Ron Burback of Funtastic Shows, Portland, Oregon, who was OABA chair in 2005, called to tell me that Mary Christine Smith of Allied Specialty Insurance had been named Show Person of the year by the Northwest Showmen's Club. "That's our highest award. It's harder to get that than to be elected president," said Burback. Congratulations for all she does for the industry, carrying on the tradition of her late husband, David Smith, and late father-in-law, Paul (Duke) Smith, who founded the company.

Ron's daughter, Tracy Burback-Munoz, treasurer of the organization, sent along some other information about the club's banquet, honoring 2014 President Jim Wolfe of Davis Amusements Cascadia, which drew 150 people and was held Jan. 18 in Seattle.

Other officers are Jim Parks, Parks Concessions, first vice president; Morris Haworth Prime Pacific Concessions, second VP; Sheila Tuttle, Meeker Concessions, recording secretary; Theresa Spronberg, secretary; Paul Meeker, Meeker Photo Button, parliamentarian, and Maxine Haworth, Davis Amusements Cascadia, chaplain.

Kathy (Mrs. Terry Swyear of Swyear Amusements, is compiling a 50-year history of the St. Louis Chapter of the Showmen's League of America. For anybody with some stories or photos that can help her out, she may be reached at 954 415-1160.

And one final note, a Memorial Service will be held Saturday, Feb. 1, in Gibtown for Walter Meredith, owner of Walt's Lounge on Nebraska Avenue in Tampa, which was a favorite watering hole for many carnival people in the 1980s. His mom was Helen McKoy and his step father, Bill McKoy. Walter's sister was Jo Ellen Erickson, who was married to The Viking, Terry Erickson. Walter always stopped by to say hello during the trade show, and his winning smile and friendly manner are two more things that I'm going to miss. My wife, Christine, managed that bar for several years.

By the time I get to Gibtown, I'm hoping to be counting my winnings from the Super Bowl, which I will be doing if Peyton Manning and Denver beat the Seattle Seahawks.

Please send news to tomp@oaba.org, or call 615 319-1258. Have all great days, God Bless, and as the old saying goes, see ya in Gibtown!