They will give me a customer's phone number if they desire to speak to me. They send me a bi- weekly computer printout of sold items and a check minus credit card charges. The owner is on the premises most of the time. He keeps his eye on trends and is willing to change shop hours if the trade demands. He makes sure that a decent quality of merchandise is shown.
Theft can be a problem, but that can also occur at shows.
I feel that my dignity as a person and as an experienced dealer has been restored. Yes, the writer of the unsigned letter in November's issue misses the dealer interaction, brain picking and haggling. The antique business seems to be evolving to multi-dealer shops and Internet sales. Perhaps my disillusionment with shows has something to do with this change.