Post by: BHMike on June 19, 2006, 12:39:23 PM
Oh... you will be talking.
Trust me. ;-)
(Those that know - SAY NOTHING yet please!)
Mike
Post by: Scramble on June 19, 2006, 12:50:26 PM
:shifty: - Bounty Hunter Mike himself!
:shock:
:chicken: - So say we all.
:timbits: - Oops. No spoiler tags...
Post by: Jon S. on June 19, 2006, 12:58:44 PM
Post by: General Hawk on June 19, 2006, 01:50:43 PM
Mike is becoming "Michelle" and opening an alternative body piercing shop...
Really.
Honest.
Justin
Post by: Pete The Greek on June 19, 2006, 02:02:07 PM
Post by: AlleyViper on June 19, 2006, 02:11:51 PM
Post by: BHMike on June 19, 2006, 02:42:52 PM
Quote from: ""AlleyViper""
What is this all about? When will we know?!?! :shock:
The second you read the update I 'just' posted.
Body piercing eh?
Post by: Pete The Greek on June 19, 2006, 02:53:42 PM
Post by: Scramble on June 19, 2006, 02:58:39 PM
Well Mike, good luck in your future ventures. It's safe to say the site and meets won't be directly affected by this, right?
Post by: Jon S. on June 19, 2006, 03:00:37 PM
Still, you gotta do what you gotta do... :|
Post by: AlleyViper on June 19, 2006, 03:09:20 PM
Any ideas of what you'll do now?
Post by: Pete The Greek on June 19, 2006, 03:19:08 PM
Well I guess all good things come to an end. Best of luck to your family. There really isn't any reason to go to Hamilton any more for me, unless work calls for it.
I will make a trip for the sale as I was planning on getting the vehicles I needed for my collection. This news just sped up the process.
Post by: BHMike on June 19, 2006, 03:19:25 PM
You have an idea on what type of person I am and such just by reading my updates online.
Yeah.... I know it's a shock, but as far as I'm concerned this has been a LONG time coming..... I just finally decided it was time.
Yes, I'll be taking a HUGE pay cut when I start working a 'real' job. ;-)
But I'll be more happy working for someone else than being responsible for EVERYTHING that happens.
As for this:
Quote from: ""Pete The Greek""
There really isn't any reason to go to Hamilton any more for me, unless work calls for it.
I will make a trip for the sale as I was planning on getting the vehicles I needed for my collection. This news just sped up the process.
The Joe Meet will STILL continue. So you'll be back in Hamilton I'm sure of it. :-)
I hope you do come down during July Pete - I have a 'surprise' waiting here for you (if you want it).
I'll post more later, apparently I just got a slew of emails in.
Mike
Post by: Jon S. on June 19, 2006, 03:33:07 PM
Post by: Pete The Greek on June 19, 2006, 03:42:02 PM
Quote from: ""BHT""
But I'll be more happy working for someone else than being responsible for EVERYTHING that happens.
Funny, one my brother's told me this weekend that he had enough of working for idiot owners (in the restaurant world) and was seriously thinking of getting his own.
I will be down in July but not the first week as I will be in N.O. I was in Hamilton last week for work but I had my senior engineer with me. If the Joe meets continue to happen, I will be there.
Post by: BHMike on June 19, 2006, 04:04:39 PM
Quote from: ""Jon S.""
What will happen to this site?
Guys, let me say this:
My 'news' does NOT effect my friendships with any of you or any of the other people I've met. I'm not vanishing from this I'hobby, the board will still be here, and the meet will still happen.
I'm seriously getting flooded with emails. I'm actually dreading tomorrow as I'll be open and I'm assuming my phone will be ringing alot.
- Mike
Post by: akpayne on June 19, 2006, 05:58:15 PM
My selfish first reaction was "What? You Can't!, What the hell am I going to do?"
Then the more I thought about it, the more I am actually really happy for Mike, I worked retail for many years, and was eventually the general manager of one of the largest computer shops in Canada - and I hated it.
It wasn't that I hated dealing with individual people, it was the fact that I had to deal with everyone who came through the door, good or bad. And the 5-6 day a week grind of being the "responsible, buck stops here guy" really wore on me, and I can only imagine it was only worse for Mike.
I really hope that whatever job you end up at works out great for you, but like Pete, I really won't have much reason to shop in Hamilton past the end of July.
Post by: Raptor on June 19, 2006, 06:19:26 PM
But it wasn't just the $2 bin. I remember the first time I walked into BHT. The store is the size of your dining room, maybe a little bigger. Packed in that place was wall to wall 80's toys. Everything that you loved and that your mom ever threw away was there somewhere. A giant star wars armada fought against rattler and conquest for dominance over the tile skies. Large cases of Joes and joe vehicles, a wall of transformers, He Man, Star Wars, including stuff in packages drew you back to Kmart or Toys R Us back in the good days of end caps and Christmas Catalogues.
The store changed a lot over the time that I had been there. Shelves and layouts changed, but the core of the store didn't Wrestling really took over one corner, but though the ratios of wrestling to starwars to startrek to Joe changed, there was always some wide eyed kid at 9 years or 30 agape at the walls and display cases.
And you don't hit a store 8 times a month without meeting the staff. I now count Mike among my friends, and have bitched to him about things more often than I do my wife. I would go to BHT to depressurize after a particularly bad day/week/month. I'd bitch about the government and so would he. ;-) I met his wife, and he introduced me to his other friends. I've never met a shopkeeper that counted so many of his customers among his friends.
It affects me deeply to have this part of my hobby gone. Canada is really bad for Joes, much worse than almost anywhere in the US. It was great to go to a place where being a joe geek wasn't only acceptable, it was the price of admission.
So, rather than crying in my beer (I'll leave that to Ed. He enjoys a good beer more than I do...) I want to be the first (or close to it) to officially wish Mike the best in his new life. The Canuck Meet will go on, and there will continue to be a Joe Community in Hamilton, it'll just no longer have it's headquarters just off upper Ottawa street.
Thanks Mike, and good luck with your future!
- Charles
Post by: gsmiley007 on June 19, 2006, 06:29:55 PM
Good luck in your future endevours Mike
Post by: Pete The Greek on June 19, 2006, 07:15:05 PM
Quote from: ""Raptor""
It affects me deeply to have this part of my hobby gone.
I second this.
And it's the stories and memories that will live on with me at Mike's. It's where I would shoot the shit with Mike for hours. It's where I used to met up with Ed to drop off his items from Prozac. It's where I saw the evolution of a certain 2 bin hoarder
to a collector. It's where Jon would tag along on a toy run when I was bored. Like I said all good things come to and end.
Post by: Jon S. on June 19, 2006, 08:49:57 PM
Quote
It's where Jon would tag along on a toy run when I was bored.
I knew I was good for something!
Post by: Raptor on June 19, 2006, 08:54:56 PM
Were it not for Pete I'd never have never gotten there.
-
Post by: Pete The Greek on June 20, 2006, 12:29:02 AM
Quote from: ""Raptor""
It was actually pete that introduced me to the place. I traded him a CAT mobat (plus some extra stuff...) for 75 figures. Little did I know but I'd done my first $2 bin raid. ;-)
Were it not for Pete I'd never have never gotten there.
-
Your wife better not read this or I will never get anything done through the MOE lol. Yet again, they work at snail pace any ways.
Post by: Agent_Loop on June 20, 2006, 12:54:44 AM
I remember first finding out about the store through a link on the Joecustoms. I remember seeing pictures of the store's interior, finding walls of vintage Joe vehicles still in their boxes, figures in their cards and I was blown away that this store was only a half an hour away from my place. The first time I entered the store and introduced myself to Mike, I had a hard time keeping a conversation and listening to what he was saying because I was just blown away in awe, staring at the stuff around me: a massive amount of GIJoes on one wall, a 90% complete USS Flagg on display at the front window, Terror DromeS, etc.
Further on my visits, Mike and I started to become friends. I'd make orders to be picked-up the next day, come by the store and chat with Mike about Joes, Star Wars, wrestling, whatever or even playing Smackdown. Sometimes, I would order something just for the sake of making a visit. It is a great place to hang out.
Since I have family in Hamilton and me visiting the store sometimes once a week (or at least once a month), it got me closer to my aunt and uncle, my cousin and nieces when I paid them a visit, after I paid Mike a visit.
It was great finding stuff at his store that I thought about getting on Ebay.
A place this great, I had to tell my friends about it, and they would sometimes make regular visits along with me. Back when I went to school at Sheridan in Oakville, me and one of my studiomates would skip life drawing class to visit Mike and his store.
I feel honoured and grateful for Mike to give me some involvement with his store/projects, like the drawing of Mike on his splash page and banners, the Joe Canuck design/sculpt, and the Black Ice drawing. He was also supportive by plugging my comics (it's funny at a convention when a person comes up to me and says 'I've heard about your comic on Mike's site') as well as sending prayers to me on his site when I had cancer.
Unlike other online toy stores, there is a face and a social personality in Bounty Hunter Toys.
I salute you, Mike, for you have also established a toy collector community that neither of us would have tapped into without you and your store.
Post by: Raptor on June 20, 2006, 08:37:31 AM
Quote from: ""Agent_Loop""
as well as sending prayers to me on his site when I had cancer.
Hezus on a pogo stick, I'd forgotten about that. Man, we have been through a lot together haven't we.
-
Post by: beav on June 20, 2006, 08:46:17 AM
Please? Heck, I've only been once and wanted to go at least one more time. :-(
Post by: morgardee on June 20, 2006, 09:22:01 AM
On the other hand, my baby is due in 9 weeks so yeah, I can understand if Mike is thinking about starting a family then running the shop and not having someone other than Denise to step in would be near impossible. I never realized how much prep work goes into having a kid (Ed, no laughing at me
).It's a shame that the store is going down but at least we had it for a while. You know there will be a time when we have more members join that never got to experience BHT and when we talk about it they are going to kick themselves for missing out.
Mike, I truly wish you the best. BTW, what is next for you?
Post by: sniper on June 20, 2006, 10:58:58 AM
I am not shocked after seeing another vintage store owner in Edmonton transition from a full time store operator to a part-time store operator while having a full time job on the side. My impression is that operating a toy store is somewhere between being a business owner and providing a public service.
Mike good luck to you in your future endeavour.
Post by: BHMike on June 20, 2006, 06:09:54 PM
You know, I've been printing off the emails people have sent me today - most of them I actually want to keep!
I wish there was some way to print off the posts on this board in an easy format.....
For those wondering, yes I do have a job waiting for me when I close. I can start today, or in September - it's working for a friend.
He said the job is mine until i find another one - OR if I like it I'm welcome to keep it.
I've applied at some toy places as well.... lord knows I'm qualified!
I'd hope to get in with one of them (Hasbro, Grand, Irwin, Bandai, Mattel, etc).
Don't worry, I'll keep you all posted. ;-)
In the meantime, I'm really digging these emails and stories on how people found out about me and the store/site.... keep them coming!
Mike
Mike
Post by: BludChylde on June 20, 2006, 07:36:22 PM
Post by: Redskull on June 20, 2006, 08:30:02 PM
Quote from: ""BludChylde""
Good luck Mike. I was hoping to get working so I could actually buy some stuff off of the BHT website, looks like that won't happen now :(
He has a good deal on right now, and I suggest you take advantage of it. I know I am.
Anyways I remember the first time I met Mike. That was in, I believe the Center Mall in Hamilton, where the Wal-Mart is located. He was running some toy show and I saw he had some super powers figures, this was when I was in grade 8. I got excited cause he had my favorite. DR. FATE!!! He made my a deal, and I got the figure. From then on I made deals with him, he would find a figure and what not and I would pick it up.
This was during my Star Wars phase, I imagine this being the beginnings of Bounty Hunter Toys, at least from Mikes end. I watched as his collection grew and finally became a store intself. I still have one of the original cards that he handed out with Boba Fett on it.
It sucks that its closing cause I loved the 2$ bin joes and the ability to purchase joes off the web. I don't know any other store in Hamilton that sells vintage joes on a regular basis.
Good luck Mike in your many endevors! :thumbsup:
Post by: Redmao on June 20, 2006, 08:51:17 PM
I wish you the best in your new carreer Mike.
I'm glad this site will still be operational, it would suck to lose what we have here. :thumbsup:
Post by: condor knight on June 21, 2006, 12:10:27 AM
i remember the first time i stepped foot into BHT store and actually talk to the man himself who in my eyes is a legend in the vintage toys. i made one mistake when i first talked to mike, i told him that i knew a guy and he told me not to use his name in this store or i can just get out. lol
i was never so scared in my life when he said that :(
the past three years that i have known mike, i would like to think of us as friends. i know for a fact that i will miss going to BHT just before the joe meet to see what mike had and what i wanted. i hope i will be able to make it out to the sale.
i know how you feel mike about raising a family and having a full time job other than the vintage toys. i have two boys and i have to work like a dog to make sure they have everything.
i wish you the best of luck with the new job and the family plans, just don't forget us here on this board and in person. thanks for everything mike
BHT will live forever in our hearts. :D :thumbsup:
Post by: BludChylde on June 21, 2006, 09:36:38 PM
Quote from: ""Redskull""
Quote from: ""BludChylde""Good luck Mike. I was hoping to get working so I could actually buy some stuff off of the BHT website, looks like that won't happen now :(
He has a good deal on right now, and I suggest you take advantage of it. I know I am.
Dude, no matter how good of a deal Mike has going right now, I have no money right now. So unless he is willing to institute a buy now, I'll hunt ya down and make ya pay later ploicy, I can't take advantage of any deals.
Trust me if I had the money, I would be getting ahold of friends who have credit cards and place an order.
Post by: Radio Guy on June 22, 2006, 09:08:36 PM
I first met Mike at one of the Sherwood toy shows. I was working a booth with a friend and Mike swung by to check out the wares. He ended up buying a Japanese Tranformers Constructicon rip-off from me (which i beleive is still in BHT on one of the higher shelves.) I just missed getting to the store on Gordon Drummond, and he was just moving into the new location when i first stopped in. I think in that first day I spent a couple of hours in the store and chatting with Mike. Personable. A story teller. A passion for the hobby and for all toys. A kindred spirit!
Between work and family, I wasn't always able to get to the shop, but when I did, it was like Cheers. Didin't always buy something, but catching up with Mike and sometimes Denise was reason enough to put in an appearance.
A couple of things that stand out:
A few years ago the window on my car was busted in two days before Christmas and I needed some quick cash to replace it. I gathered up a bunch of stuff I had picked up at shows and garage sales and went to BHT. Mike gave me $200 for what I brought in, which paid for my window, and I'm sure he didn't need all of it, but he was kind enough to hook me up. In fact, he talked me into holding on to a couple of items that were really worth something, including a die-cast Star Wars Landspeeder that I'd had since I was kid. "It's your childhood man, don't sell it"...or words to that effect. I still have it...thanks Mike.
Another stand out was after the Joe Meet two years ago (the infamous one). I helped Mike take all of the gear and whatnot back to the store afterwards, and we talked until well after Midnight about toys, the meet, GI Joe, and all kinds of other things. I t was my first meet, and it was a blast!
I also have the distinction of helping to pimp BHT to the general public. When Mike decided to advertise on the radio, he chose Y108 in Hamilton. At the time, I was a copy writer there and when I saw the contract come in, I volunteered to take the account. Mike's ads were fun because he wanted them to be honest, and I think that came across. "More fun than a poke in the eye" indeed!
Finally, my favourite connection to Mike is through marriage. After knowing him for about a year, I was in the store one day talking about stuff like where we grew up and where we went to school, and we discovered that Mike actually went to school with my wife and brother-in-law back in the day. He then told me a funny story of how him and a buddy once phoned my brother-in-law, and pretended to be radio dj's calling to award a pair of tickets to a Glass Tiger concert (which I thought odd, since Mike is a HUGE Northeern Pikes fan). My brother in law, not the sharpest knife in the drawer at the time, was ecstatic to have won and of course felt like a total knob when Mike let him off the hook.
There's more I could say, but at this point it's a novel. Suffice it to say that although I'm sad to see the doors close, I'm happy for Mike and Denise and what the future holds for them. Thanks for being there and helping people relive their childhoods.
That's something you can look back on with great pride.
Cheers!
Bryan
Post by: Madman on June 23, 2006, 11:00:10 PM
Post by: Realboss on June 24, 2006, 09:23:25 AM
I said it before in my email, all the best and I know you won't have any problems being successful in anything you do.
All the more reason to attend the meet!!!!
Post by: Colonel Abernathy on July 21, 2006, 10:53:09 AM
Mike , I think I gotta get another Dusty, the one I got yesterday has floppy legs and a loose neck...he's basically a bobblehead :) what's the trick for fixing loose joints...is it clear nailpolish?
Post by: BHMike on July 21, 2006, 07:11:37 PM
Quote from: ""Colonel Abernathy""
I was at BHT yesterday, and there's still a good selection of stuff so get there ASAP if u can.
Mike , I think I gotta get another Dusty, the one I got yesterday has floppy legs and a loose neck...he's basically a bobblehead :) what's the trick for fixing loose joints...is it clear nailpolish?
Usually a new rubber band does it.
Mike