Today we’d like to introduce you to Landon Shelpman.
Hi Landon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
From a young age I always had a vision for service to others and an entrepreneurial spirit. I realized early on that everything around us was created from an individual’s vision; the cars we drive, the houses we live in, the smartphone we use, the events we enjoy all came from the visions and aspirations of another and that’s what made a calling to be an entrepreneur so easy to me. I started off my journey Freshman year of High School by going down to a local outlet of candy, buying chocolates, sour worms, and all the other sweets I could get my hands on then returning to school on monday with a bookbag, lunchbox, and drawstring bag full to the brim. It got to a scale where our classes were being interrupted by almost a revolving door of students grabbing their daily orders of my newfound candy enterprise. Months after, COVID-19 struck and shut our school down and the candy operation followed suit. That’s a story I’ll cherish forever because I believe it’s what set me into who I am today.
From the time I was three years old, my Dad would take me and my brother to a Diecast(Mostly Hot Wheels) show in Dayton, Ohio. This show was the mix of cool and unique items I would find every time mixed with vendors filling my bags with free cars as I passed. I am lucky enough that I never took my first car I bought out of the package and still have my 1994 Collector’s Choice Model “A” Hot Rod on my shelf today. As collectors, we know how much that first purchase means to us because it sets us on a journey like no other.
It was August of 2023, I realized there was a gap in our hometown of Springfield, Ohio for a large Toy and Comic Show so I did what any 18 year old with a checkbook does, I wrote a check to reserve a date in late December for the Springfield Toy & Comic Show and from there my life of an event promoter began! This is a profession and industry that was never on my radar until it found me and I am so happy that it did.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
If I was to describe our journey as a smooth road there would be no truth to that claim! I would describe it in the early stages as one of those gravel roads you’re on in the country and you say, “how long until I can turn off this thing!” We’ve had countless struggles but that was by design. We wanted to look from the ground up and define what a good toy show was. We struggled in the early stages with promotion because in recent years Ohio has expanded incredibly for Toy and Comic Shows(which is great for the industry but challenging for a new show) so we had to find a way to stand out- to add value compared to the others.
One major fail we had at our first show was running out of tables AND chairs! We were allocated tables and chairs from the venue but we simply didn’t have enough. Vendors were mostly new to the idea of the ‘By-The Space’ model that we offer, a 10 foot by 10 foot space that you fill as much or as little as you’d like. They, and us for the matter, had no idea just how many tables would be needed so we ran out of tables late into the night at Friday setup.
As we have expanded to new venues and have more shows under our belts, everything now runs like a well oiled machine where vendors can reserve in two minutes, we have internal processes that mark their spaces, automated emails go out telling them all the info they need, and tables and chairs are waiting on them when they arrive for setup. We’ve also learned the human touch is essential to any successful event. We love to attend other shows and hear directly from vendors and attendees who tell us the good, bad, and the ugly of our events so when they attend next time their experience is enhanced. All of this makes a seamless event that is enjoyable to our attendees, customers, and ourselves.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Western Ohio Toy Show is a growing, dynamic, and impactful experience for anyone shopping or selling vintage and modern toys, comics, games, pop culture, and so much more! We currently have three shows scheduled for 2025 which are: Western Ohio Toy Show(Spring- Eaton, Ohio), Western Ohio Toy Show(Fall- Eaton, Ohio), and the Springfield Toy and Comic Show(Winter- Springfield, Ohio).
Our shows are known for massive amounts of toys, comics, games, and pop culture all under one roof! We pride ourselves in the flat rate general admission at only $5(the lowest of Ohio’s major shows) and the ‘By-The-Space’ model for our vendors allowing them to set up how they would like. Our venue in Eaton is 51,000+ square feet all in one building(think Hobby Lobby size- it’s massive!)
As the owner of the Western Ohio Toy Show(WOTS) brand, I can say every decision myself and others make on the WOTS behalf, our one filtering question is, “does this decision benefit our visitors'(Attendees & Vendors) experience?” If yes, we know we are making a call that will benefit those we serve.
How do you think about happiness?
There’s nothing like seeing smiling faces at an event you’ve spent months organizing. I have talks all the time with my Dad who has been a great mentor in this process that if our vendors and attendees are happy, that’s all I want out of being an event promoter. I believe creating impactful experiences is first and foremost, and the rest will follow.
We hear stories of how vendors were able to take their family on vacation and how attendees found the grail items they’d been searching for. As we expand, we hope to multiply this excitement to as many who will lend a few hours of their Saturday to join our awesome community of buyers, sellers, enthusiasts, collectors, and creators. As long as I hear the success stories of those we service, I will be infinitely happy and grateful.
Pricing:
- $5 General Admission (9a-3p)
- $10 Early Admission (8a-9a)
- $40 Vendor Space (10′ x 10′)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.westernohiotoyshow.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550580950645
