Sailboat show is no time to rest for local merchants

Biz Snyder brought 1,700 pairs of shoes to the United States Sailboat Show for today's opening.

Yesterday, Mr. Snyder and his wife, Cindy, stood at their booth inside an exhibition tent, arranging 74 styles of deck shoes, boots and sandals in a rainbow of browns, blues, pinks and blacks.

Mr. Snyder, who owns Snyder's Bootery on Main Street, has seen it all in his 30 years as part of the show. He remembered one in the mid-1970s when it started snowing.

"I couldn't believe it. I'll never forget it. I sold boots like I was giving them away," Mr. Snyder said.

The nearly 600 exhibitors for the showcase event in...