Getting ready to attend the Palms chip show In LV this weekend -- first time in LV in 18 months, so lots to catch up on around town, as well as seeing old friends at the chip show.

Was wondering if there are any retail chip stores in LV area anymore? It seems that, with the extra overhead of retail, it's tough to be competitive with eBay, internet chip sites, chip shows, and individual trading/selling. (Not complaining, but just stating reality.)

Here's the retail stores that I recall & status. Any others I should know about?

1. Manufacturers stores -- Paulson once had retail stores, first in lobby of office on Industrial Blvd., then moved to store in the Silver City casino complex, then moved to warehouse area behind HQ on Industrial. Status: no longer open to public?

Bud Jones -- used to have small display case at HQ location, where you could score a few sample chips sometimes. Status: no longer open to public?

2. Collectibles store adjacent to Casino Museum in Tropicana. Status: ??

3. Gamblers General Store -- still sells fantasy chips, but the Bill Akeman store-within-a-store closed up several years ago. Status: only non-casino fantasy chips now.

4. There's a retail coin collectibles shop downtown that had 1 display case of chips (push the button and the chips were on rotating trays). Status: ??

5. The downtown Neon Museum has ajacent gaming-oriented retail store. Any chips?

6. One of the antique stores (in vicinity of Arizona Charlies-Decatur ?) had one booth inside, operated by one of the club's members as I recall. It's been several years since I was last there. Still open??

7. The Primm Valley outlet stores at Primm, NV (California border on I-15) also had a gaming-oriented store with some casino chips for sale. Still open??

Going further back, Akeman had stand-alone store when he was publishing his magazine. Dean & Jodi had their outlet at the Reno antique mall, and Howdy Herz had a retail store inside Harveys - Tahoe for a number of years. And of course, for Atlantic City chippers, the famous Bob Mera store on the boardwalk pier was, in hindsight, perhaps the "golden age" of retail chip stores.

Any updates on new retail sites to hit in LV area would be appreciated. Hope to see a bunch of chippers at the Palms show!