RK Shows Gun Shows

[Guest justinbelcher13]

Has anyone had any problems with these RK shows here in Knoxville before? I had an issue with the guy running the place last time I went to one. I didn't know if poor customer service was a common practice with them or if the guy was just having a bad day. Thought I would try to get more info before I wrote off their shows alltogether.

[Guest Rugerman]

Can you be more specific and detail the problem you had with him?

[Guest justinbelcher13]

Well they had shows 2 months in a row at the expo center. I had been to the show in August and the entire expo center was being used. Im not sure if you are familiar with it, but the expo center can be partitioned off to have two shows going at once. But any way, the August show was ok but I wasnt planning on going back in September. Then I heard on the radio and the TV that the September show was the biggest show in Knoxville's history. So that got my attention, and I decided to go. I get there when the doors open and I am in the building less than 15 minutes before I leave. There was another show going on at the same time in the expo center too and the gun show was lucky if it was 2/3 of the show the month before. I was looking to buy an XD9. Obviously a pretty common gun, and there were 2 dealers with them and they were more than the local gun stores. So the radio and TV ads are obvious false advertisements so I go talk to the manager and see if he would be willing to refund our money or possibly a pass to another show since their ads were so misleading. He says that he is the only one who does shows in Knoxville and has been for at least 5 years and tells me I am wrong that this was their biggest show. I inform him he hasnt been the only one doing shows here in the last 5 years and he calls me a liar. I go on to tell him Mike Holloway just quit doing shows about a year or so ago and his shows were always much better. At this point I tell him I would like to be able to get ahold of his boss to report to him how rude his manager was. He tells me it is his uncle and they are a family business and he can complain all he wants it wont do any good. At this point the guy is pretty irate and he is tells me I have to leave. I tell him if he wont give me a refund, I am going to go back into the show. Finally, he tells me he'll give me my money if I leave and don't call his Uncle and complain. Also, this is all right in front of my wife and son.

[Jasongar8]

The R.K. Shows are always advertised here in Nashville as the "biggest in history" and stuff like that. There is one this weekend, I saw the ads in the paper yesterday. Its always the same stuff, priced way too high. I guess they run this scam at all of their shows.

-Jason G

[Guest Rugerman]

edited

Edited December 12, 2008 by Rugerman

[Guest justinbelcher13]

It looks like I am probably going to be done with these guys. I figured I would give the guy the benefit of the doubt and maybe he was having a bad day, but it looks like I'm going to have to head out of Knoxville a little to find a descent show.

[Will]

Bull!!it, The owner is a good guy and will care. Call the number on their website and

leave a message for Rex and only him to call you,he would like to hear about it.

He has bought out quite a few promoters lately and has grown to fast. As with

most family buisnesses the family are mostly flakes,but you have to hire them first.

[Guest Spuds]

Rex Kehrli does employ many family members, including 4 nephews as show managers. Likely the one you skirmished with was Dennis, the arse of the bunch. Waylon, Jeremy and Luke are all pretty even tempered guys. I wouldn't care if Dennis ever came back to TN again.

Edited December 13, 2008 by Spuds

[Guest Rugerman]

I have no agenda. I do have a source who provides me with information who is gonna get it though. I once considered him reliable. My apologies. I stand corrected.

[Guest justinbelcher13]

If i remember correctly it was Dennis. It was a while back so im not positive. He was definitly an "arse" as you stated. It seemed he might have had problems with his uncle before because the way he acted i dont think he really wanted me calling him to complain. Even family, you can only put up with for so long.

[Guest Rugerman]

Even family, you can only put up with for so long.

Truer words never spoken.

Regarding the NRA recruitment:

1. Free Table: That is a great benefit. Every promoter I work with does this. I think RK shows is very generous to do so. I would not do a gun show where a table was not provided.

2. Free admission: Yes, the consumer gets into the show free at RK shows if they join that day. No, it is not free. A discounted admission for each person to take advantage of the offer has to be paid by the recruiter at the end of the show. Still nice of them to do, but I do not take advantage of it. It's hard to come out of pocket for such large sums of money up front before receiving comission.

Once again, I was led to believe by some other people, who looking back I should have known they had an agenda being show promoters and all, some false things. Sorry to state them publically. That is out of character for me.

PS. Spuds, if you wouldn't mind removing my quote from your post I would appreciate it.

[Mike.357]

I don't get this either.

I was at both of those shows at the Expo Center and they both seemed fine to me. The last one at the Expo was fairly limited on gun sellers. I put that to be dwindling inventory at the gun shops who do the shows. Was it the biggest ever? I doubt it but I take advertisement with a grain of salt. I have never seen a show at the expo center that used the entire facility. It seemed cordoned off the same as always.

I did not feel cheated for the 9 bucks I paid to enter. Certainly not any reason to go raise a stink over the admission fee.

I thought every show I have been to at the Expo was better than at Chilhowee.

[Guest justinbelcher13]

The "stink" wasnt raised over the entrance fee necesarily. When I am unsatisfied with something I spend my hard earned money on, I do what I can to see if I can get it back. I would have been fine if he politely said he couldn't. Thats actually kind of what I expected. But to be told I am wrong and a liar in front of my wife and kid is something to raise a "stink" about. Someone who has that sort of customer service has no business being in that position if that is how he treats customers regularly. That is why I started the thread to see if this was routine behavior on their part and if anyone else had had similar problems before.

[Guest Spuds]

Rugerman--done. In the words of Ronald Wilson Reagan, "Trust, but verify."

Regarding "Biggest show in Knoxville's History", or for the Smyrna show "Largest Show Ever in Tennessee", gun show promoters are marketers, if nothing else. Bill Goodman is credited with originating the "Kentucky count" where 250 tables = 500 tables. Know going in that there's a touch of P.T. Barnum in every promoter's claims.

[Guest Rugerman]

Rugerman--done. In the words of Ronald Wilson Reagan, "Trust, but verify."

Regarding "Biggest show in Knoxville's History", or for the Smyrna show "Largest Show Ever in Tennessee", gun show promoters are marketers, if nothing else. Bill Goodman is credited with originating the "Kentucky count" where 250 tables = 500 tables. Know going in that there's a touch of P.T. Barnum in every promoter's claims.

I have been to a lot of "300 table" shows that looked a lot like 100 table shows. Many of the smaller promoters are bigtime guilty of this.

PS. Thanks, Spuds.

[Guest krater]

The R.K. Shows are always advertised here in Nashville as the "biggest in history" and stuff like that. There is one this weekend, I saw the ads in the paper yesterday. Its always the same stuff, priced way too high. I guess they run this scam at all of their shows.

-Jason G

When they first came to knoxville, RK posted 'biggest in knoxville history' all over the place (i would have gone anyway). I literally stood in line longer than it took me to thoroughly examine the guns and related products. I was able to do the entire show at a normal walking pace due to the almost total lack of actual gun and gunstuff. AND the # of tables wasnt that great.

Since I dont like being lied to, I wouldnt go to any RK shows for a couple of years until

1)Holloway managed to piss off most of his dealers and ruin his show;

2)friends convinced me that the RK show had greatly improved; &

3)there were no more shows being held in knoxville.

RK shows in knoxville are now much better (tho this statement is subject to the current insane buying frenzy climate).

[Guest johnmattwill]

I haven't been to a R.K. show. Going to go next time they are near Nashville..... One of the only shows Ive heard some good things about....