Hey Bob at Antec! Do you still sell plants?

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PHRAG

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I was just wondering if you were still selling any place but ebay. I know of a couple of forum members that would love to shop with you, but have had no luck getting you to respond to email. So what should I tell them?
 
Maybe you could make this exception, then go back to not selling any more plants. :)
 
Bob announced a few years ago at a DC Paph Forum that he was a virologist and working on setting up a lab to deal with the avian flu, which wasn't in the news at that point. I've heard secondhand that he's been insanely busy with that project and the orchids are being cared for mainly by Lynn.

I imagine this is a crazy amount of work and she's focusing on caring for the plants and occasionally selling a few on Ebay. This probably leaves almost no time for correspondence.

--Stephen
 
Having "almost no time for correspondence" leaves a little time left for correspondence doesn't it?

I know of three people who would buy plants from ebay if they would just put them up during the next round of auctions. I understand they are on a break from pursuing a retail orchid business. But they do seem to have enough time to release a few plants through ebay. I just thought maybe we had a chance at getting some, but if not that's fine. I just wish I could hear it straight from the Wellensteins.
 
PHRAG said:

I believe it was mentioned at some point that his wife operates the eBay business.

Personally, I feel work on avian flu is more pressing than selling plants.
 
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maybe they're just bored with selling plants or are getting even greater pleasure from growing them for themselves
 
Always loved perusing and buying from their sales site...such awesome plants--and at those prices! Busy or not, I can't believe we wouldn't all be buying and making it worth their while.

I feel like Kramer at the end of The Chicken Roast episode. "Kenny? Kenny?..."

I ought to lay off the Seinfeld reruns.
 
I talked to Bob a few months ago. They are simply busy. The virology work is Bob's first profession, it takes priority at times. (read: pays far better than the orchid business) Lynn has bee very busy with the Morgan horses. The Ebay is the easiest part of the business to start up and stop as time permits. The rest of the business will be re-activated when there is more time. I think for a while the offerings on Ebay will be the only place to find AnTec paphs.
Leo
 
Paph. Stone Addict

At the risk of sounding 'impatient', I guess I'll tell of my experience.
Around the end of June, I bid on an Antec plant on ebay and was sniped out of it at the last minute. So, I politely sent an email to Bob Wellenstein, who was a member here at the time, wondering if he had more available, and I received a reply that he'd look into it.

I never heard anything back.

So, in July, I happened to mention it in a thread here, and received the following public response:

Bob Wellenstein said:
Heather, you need to learn to be very patient if you are going to be a slipper grower. Lynn says she has more Paph. Stone Addicts, she just needs to get a few "emergencies" caught up to pull some out and then I will get back to you.

Lynn must really be up to her neck in emergencies, because I never heard from them again. So I emailed a polite request again last week and have again heard nothing. I even suggested just putting another up on eBay, so, it wouldn't be guaranteed to be sold to me. More auctions have been posted since.

I can understand some lag time, but I think I've been more than patient, 3 months later.
I can only assume at this point that Lynn and Bob Wellenstein simply do not want to sell this plant to me. I'm frustrated because I know they have them, and I cannot find one elsewhere. I'm also frustrated because I think it is impolite not to at least reply and say, "Heather, I'm never selling you that plant". :) I suppose that is their prerogative, but seeing as Bob has been here every day and read this ongoing thread, I would think he is not too busy for a quick response.
 
Spoken like a true addict, Heather!:poke:

Seriously, I kind of understand what Bob is going through. I had hopes of posting more plants for sale this summer and fall, but one of our managers was stricken with some type of bleeding in his brain and is out for the foreseeable future. My job went from a flexible 35 hours a week to an unpredictable 45-50 hours a week. With flasks coming in, plants needing repotting and dividing, even keeping a regular watering schedule has been near impossible. I've even had to cut back on the time I spend on Slippertalk *GASP*:eek:
 
Y'all are playin' with fire, here. I've seen the BW smackdown before and it ain't pretty....
 
We should fear a reprisal from Bob? I think not.

I appreciate that he is very busy with his primary work, which is of great importance. That is not in question here. What is in question, is his treatment of forum members who have politely asked for a plant which the Wellensteins obviously have time to sell on ebay. Telling someone you will sell to them, then making them wait four months while you ignore them is insulting and childish.

At this point, it is very obvious that he is snubbing certain members of this forum for some reason. As Heather pointed out, he visits this forum daily, and I have personally seen him reading this thread. If he wants to continue to ignore polite requests for plants, that is fine. But everyone needs to know what kind of treatment they might experience from him.

Saying that Bob and Lynne are just too busy with the lab and quarter horses is not a valid argument when they continue to post weekly auctions for plants.
 
No, of course not reprisal. That wouldn't be a word I would use.

Now I'm feeling creeped out that people can see which posts I look at on a site. Wooo wooooooooooo (making creepy ghosty sounds)

But then I can do the same thing almost with my blog and it really creeps me out when someone in a location where I know no-one finds it by googling my real name. *shiver*

But I'll continue to watch this thread. Patiently. :)
 

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