Quote:
Originally Posted by JoMar
I know several people who still live here, in their 80's, who knew Mr. Schwartz, and they schooled me on yes, he was interested in the well being and happiness because that was the attraction which fulfilled his business plan. It was a win win. There isn't a lot of difference in today's direction, what is different is the number of people here who have issues and that's directly related to the growth. I can't believe the number of people who buy here without doing their due diligence and then complain. People make uninformed decisions and then want to find a way to change things to validate their decision. I know the overused flippant response is "then move" and I also know that there are those that either financially or physically can't, but for those that made a bad decision and can, step up and try to correct it. Mr. Schwartz was an astute business man.
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From what I have read as above mentioned Harold Schwartz sold land by mail until that became unlawful, sold zipper wallets by mail order, and I have heard kitchen gadgets at state fairs and the like. His out of US FCC control very powerful radio stations across the Mexican (border blasters) got Wolfman Jack started. He was all huckster/salesman. He and Al Tarrson bought a mobile home park in a watermelon patch and sold only a few lots so Harold bought out Al and invited his son, Gary Morse, down and that is when The Villages took off. Harold was personable and no doubt genuinely liked people but he was essentially conducting marketing studies when he chatted up folks in the community to find out what they liked, what they did not like, what they would like to see and so on. The bottom line is things have worked out fabulously for both his family and Villagers through good business planning, years of very hard work and the "free golf for life" and "live like a millionaire" advertising slogans which are what really got customers down to buy. The Villages is incredibly beautiful, well planned and maintained and IMHO, the best active adult 55 and over community in the world!