Hi from new forum reader.....

[eurekaprince]

Just wanted to say hello and introduce myself. I have been enjoying your wonderful forum for about 2 years now, and finally got around to signing up to submit messages. I plan to become an official club member when my job situation improves.

I have been fascinated by vacuums ever since I was a young kid growing up in Montreal (I'll be 50 in April). Thanks for allowing me to come out of the vacuum closet! Because I grew up with a turquoise Eureka Automatic upright (Model 250, I think), I for some crazy reason became an avid fan of anything made by Eureka Williams from 1960 to 1990. Hence the nickname!

In Canada, I have had to "suffer" with department store versions of the American originals - Eaton's "Viking" brand and The Bay's "Baycrest" and "Beaumark" brands. Though specialty vacuum stores always carried original Eurekas made right here in Ontario by Kitchener's Onward Manufacturing Company. I used to love to see that the classic Eureka floor and wall brush had the words "Made in Canada" embossed inside!

I used to love exploring the vac displays of original Eureka's set up in department stores whenever visiting the USA. I don't know what it is, but I have always found the designs of Eurekas from those years to have a quiet, understated elegance that is hard to describe. I would love to find out the names of the industrial designers working at Eureka during those years - love the Vanguards, the Empresses, the Crown Princesses, the "Sweet Sixteens", the Ultras and even the stick vacs. Unfortunately, I have never had the time or the room to collect and repair old vacs, so I have to live vicariously through you guys!

So hello from freezing Toronto (minus 20 celsius today), and keep up the great work! Hope to meet you all one day at a convention.....

Brian in Canada

 

[petek]

Welcome Brian. It must be coming out of the broom closet for Canadians this past month LOL. That makes around 6 Ontarians here now.
First thing I want you to do is march on down to the Bay at Yonge/Queen and see if they still have the nice chromey Metropolitan vacuum on clearance LOL. They had two floor models on clearance, the small one without the power nozzle and the bigger model with the power nozzle. If the bigger one was still there I'd almost think about going to get it cause it was a deal for $239 iirc.

 

[eurekaprince]

Thanks for the welcome, Pete!

You know, the Bay had an amazing sale of new stainless steel Constellations last summer and I caved in and bought myself one! Though I know some club-members don't like Consumer Reports, I rely on their testing because I really could be sucked into buying anything by a good sales shpeel. Since I already have my trusty Eureka 1425 upright for the 3 square feet of carpeting I have in my tiny bachelor apartment, I only needed a good canister to clean everything else. My Mighty Mite II did not have good filtration, and so when I saw how great the Constellation did in the latest CR tests (for everything but carpets), I kept my eye out for a good deal on the unit. I could not believe my eyes when I saw that the Bay's website was selling the new silver Connie for CAD 165.00! With tax, it came to only CAD186.00! I bought two - one for me and one for my rabbi! But now, I see that the Bay does not carry them anymore - I guess they were clearing them out for some reason.....

 

[ohio_tuec]

Consumer Reports

In general, I despise CR, since personal experience and how their surveys are conducted cause me to question some of their practices. I worked for Remington electric shavers and Oreck vacuums. Time and time again CR would give each company poor ratings. When CR conducts a survey of say vacuum cleaners, they do not distribute an equal amount to panelists. They give out more of the less expensive models, and few of the high-end. People sometimes will ask me "what does Consumer Reports say about the Oreck?" My reply to them is "If Consumer Reports told you to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you do it....?" To most of them it doesn't even matter, they have a cleaning lady to do the work. I've come to find that the best way to find whether or not a product works for you is to test it yourself.

 

[petek]

Well I'm summizing Toronto bachelor pad = roughly 700 sq ft. In vacuum collecting parlance you should be able to fit approximately 23.5 vacuums in there and still be able to sit somewhere. More if you go chrome shelf crazy

Cripes I'd have bought one of those SS connies too for that. I was in town a few times this past summer while my sis was in the General but only the last stay in Sept did I even bother hitting any stores.

 

[countryguy]

Hello Brian,

Welcome from another vac collector from Ontario! I am from North Bay, ON. I looked at your profile and noticed we are only 4 days apart in age (I'm older LOL). It is freezing up here today even with the sun shining. It was -38 C this morning and we have reached our high for the day of -25 C.

Gary

 

[petek]

More Aries to love.. are you both grumpy like me sometimes LOL the 15th here

 

[luxg]

Welcome Brian,
I am glad that you joined us. You are really going to enjoy it. I hope that you decide to join the VCCC and are able to attend our convention in June. Terry

 

[eurekaprince]

What a nice warm welcome! It's even melting the ice on my windows!

Pete! I guess I'll have to try harder to squeeze in more machines....but I will have to be picky: only the Eurekas that I drool over (Empresses I and II, Ultras, Crown Princess, Upright models 250 and 2082), and maybe the GE cylinder Air-Flo that was in our house in the 1950's!

Right now I can only see me collecting those little shelf tzatzkehs like the GE swivel top tape measure and the Tristart salt and pepper shakers! Ooooo, and maybe that famous Eureka toy truck I once saw on eBay.......I could also use a nice Hoover doormat......

Hey Gary! We'll have to celebrate birthdays together with Pete from Blue water land! Never been to North Bay.....but where is bluewaterland? Are there ever any Ontario mini-meets?

I will try to stay away from the Consumer Reports topic. I know that this can be a sore spot. But I'm glad I won't be rejected here due to my subscription!

 

[countryguy]

I don't think that there have been any Ontario mini meets. Unfortunately distance is always the problem, especially in the winter time!

Petek, yes I can be very grumpy! LOL It is a running joke between a colleague and myself. When someone wants a 'yes' answer they go to my colleague; when they want a 'no' answer they come to me

Gary

 

[petek]

I'm in Sarnia to be precise. Definitely a mini meet once the weather clears up plus we've got Chad and Rusty and who knows else in close proximity on the Michigan side.

 

[normvac]

Welcome Brian
Glad to have you on board. Kirby and Lux are my favorites.
I do have a soft spot for Hoover and Eureka. I was a Eureka
Sales rep. 1979-83. Then I opened my own vacuum sales and
repair business here in Columbus. Liked to sell lots of Eureka ESP's and the New Self Propelled of 1979. Now I push
Mortgage paper work for a Corp Bank
If you ever get to the States and south of Cleveland. Columbus is only another 2 hours south. Your welcome to
stop by and see my 60 some(?) vacuums
Norm

 

[shag]

Hi Brian.
I too bought the Hoover Constellation this past summer.I would have liked the stainless, but Home Hardware just had the white.I love it.Great suction,tons of attachments and I love how long the cord is.I can do almost half the house without changing outlets.Did Eureke make all the vacuums for Eatons?
I can imagine how cold it is in Toronto. I worked for 2 years on Bloor Street.That wind tunnel effect with that cold damp air.It would chill you to the bone at 7 am.And yet you would see the window washer people whistling while they worked.
Hope to talk to you soon.
The other Brian in Ontario

 

[compactelectra]

Welcome Brian

From the Webmaster. You will find this a friendly place, with nice helpful people. The more the merrier. It is so nice to see us represented by so many places!

Fred

 

[petek]

Speaking of Eaton Viking (eurekas) here's my orange one

 

[petek]

Oh this reminded me speaking of toronto and my last trip in September when I was putzing around killing time.. In the electronics store a block or so north of Future Shop entrance on Yonge they had these neat little Sanyo vacuums, almost toy like. Can't remember the name of the store..one of those sells cameras and Japanese appliances/tvs etc and stuff in the window places.

 

[funvacfan]

Well,

a warm welcome from your neighbour in Hamilton! Work in Toronto though...across from Christie Pits.

Guy

 

[crevicetool]

It's been years since I took Canadian in school...

but I'll give it a try!

Brian, (pronounced Brian right?)

Hello, Welcome to the Forum and the VCCC. I am the only serious one in the group. If you ever need an interpreter - let me know. You will find experts in every aspect of vacuum cleaner collecting, history, and knowledge within this group. I will look forward to your posts. Chime in at anytime. It may be difficult for us to understand each other because of the whole language thing, but we'll get by! Vacuums are the UNIVERSAL* language. Again, glad you're here!

Rick


*OMG! I can't believe I let this become a commercial for Landers, Frary & Clark, Manufactures of quality home care products for over 125 years. Stop in to your local better retailer for a demonstration of the new Clean-air cleaner!
You'll be amazed at how easy it is to keep your home cleaner the UNIVERSAL way! Landers, Frary & Clark. New Britain Conn.

 

[rugmaster37]

Did someone mention Eureka Empresses?????

Oh my,

One of my prized canisters, and favorite vacuum cleaners. I too enjoy Eureka just about as much as can be imagined. I have a few shots to warm us Eurekaites during this cold winter blast....

Featured in Summer Sun-Glo, and cigarette cream ...LOL