WE ARE AMERICA… and we had better start acting like it. We are small business and we are the backbone of the economy in our country. Small businesses and entrepreneurial endeavor are as American as apple pie, as patriotic as the flag, and more real and necessary as any members of, or decisions made by federal or state government. We have and should continue to be the largest job provider in the country.

Our government leaders talk about businesses that are “too big to fail” and bail them out right and left.

Friends, in my opinion, small business is “too big to fail” and must be treated with the same respect and consideration as “large business”. Our plight is mostly ignored by federal and state governments. We face financial pressure, unable to get loans, make payroll and remain viable as a business. We certainly face increases in taxes and added controls. All expenses are increasing; power, water, supplies, labor and from the looks of things, the federal government plans more increases in every area of cost.

We, in the main, are family owned and operated. We abide by the rules, pay our taxes (federal, state, county, city, etc. etc.) and satisfy niches in the marketplace.

We love our country, after all this is the America that provided the opportunity to make our dreams come true. A country that once celebrated the creativity and hard work of the individual over the collective.

An example of one such entrepreneur was George Cross, who in 1975 with an idea and a budget of one hundred dollars created the Pomona Swap Meet.

American Entrepreneurs

His idea was to pull together a group of auto enthusiasts and meet occasionally to buy, sell and exchange autos and auto parts. He felt that he could get a small turnout (a lot of friends) for each meet, and talk about cars and projects. Was his effort successful? He succeeded beyond his wildest expectations.

Today the Pomona Swap Meet is known worldwide as the West Coast’s Largest Antique Auto, Corvette, Porsche, Street Rod and Volkswagen Swap Meet and Car Show. Located at the Fairplex in Pomona, California, each year the meet draws thousands of auto enthusiasts from all around the world.

Growing from a small collection of auto lovers and cars, the meet draws more 3,000 show cars, many for sale, and has over 2,700 vendor spaces where American entrepreneurs are gathered selling items unique to the auto industry. In all there are 15 miles of cars and parts for the enjoyment and convenience of our visitors.

Prior to his passing, George handed the controls to his son, who with his son’s wife and a dedicated group of employees has kept the dream alive. They are America.

Like other small business owner/operators all over the country they work to overcome all the obstacles thrown in their paths, fiercely holding on hoping that government apathy and taxation won’t force more cuts and closings.
We do not need more rhetoric from our government officials; we need tax cuts and relaxation of stifling unreasonable environmental dictates. We want a green America, not a ridiculous America.

Give us the freedom we once had to operate and we will grow, hire more people and help save our economy.

Stand together small business, you are the past, present and future of the American job market.

This is our country, our sweet land of liberty and boundless opportunity, together WE ARE AMERICA.

-Citizen Wayne

Well, sort of. You certainly light up our cars. Albrico is the featured vendor in this issue of the Pomona Swap Meet Newsletter. Albrico, owned, founded and operated by Al Schioppi, is one of our valued long time vendors. For over 25 years Al has been at the swap meet featuring some unique, hard to get items for seasoned automobiles.

He has over 80,000 items in stock. In some instances, if you can’t find it here, you can’t find it at all. He features items mainly for autos from the late 1920′s to the 1970′s. Good used lenses, lamp assemblies, lamp bezels and lamp housings for both interior and exterior lights. He also has a good supply of new old stock and new reproduction lamps, lenses and bezels. He carries door handles, window cranks, emblems, script, headlamp doors, dash instruments, gauges, speedometers, clocks, horn buttons, horn rings, power accessory switches and many other hard to find items for seasoned vehicles.

Most businesses start with someone recognizing a need in the marketplace and filling that need. Al’s business really started when his dad passed away and left him an El Camino that needed fixing up. To obtain parts Al visited several auto wrecking yards in search of many items that were tough to find. When he completed the project he found that he had a lot of extra pieces left over. He decided to take them to the Pomona Swap Meet and sold them all in one day.

This was his “aha” moment. He started scouring wrecking yards from San Diego, CA to Shasta, CA to Phoenix, AZ. The wrecking yard owners were glad to see him because he bought in volume, and bought parts for older autos. His primary focus was on lighting and lighting fixtures.

Most of his time is spent on the road looking for those parts that you will need as you fix up and rebuild your car. During one of his trips, he was disappointed when the wrecking yard vendor told him that someone had “beat him to all the good parts” and bought them all. He asked the owner if he could just look around anyway for something that might have been missed. He spent the next five days at the wrecking yard and hauled away 30 large boxes of great parts dating from the 1930′s through 1970. That kind of success comes from knowing your market and your customers. Certainly Al understands both.

Currently, Al is working on placing his huge inventory online so he can better serve his customers in addition to selling at the swap meet. You can meet Al and see firsthand his extensive inventory at the December 6th Pomona Swap Meet on Road 16, Spaces 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 and Road 17, Spaces 58, 60, 62, and 64.

Al can also be reached at:

Phone/FAX (805) 482-9792, cell phone (805) 444-6020

ALBRICO AUTO AND TRUCK PARTS

PO BOX 3179, CAMARILLO CA 93011