The Entrepreneur

Matches can be subdivided into two broad categories. So called "safety matches" require that the match head be drawn along a special coating of red phosphorus. The coating of red phosphorus is found either on the edge of the matchbox or matchbook. These matches are referred to as safety matches because you need the reactive ingredients found on both the match head and the special coating in order to get ignition. "Strike anywhere" matches can be lit on any surface rough enough to provide the needed friction. Here, the match head contains white phosphorus on the match head. These matches are more dangerous because they could conceivably light accidentally, simply by rubbing the head of one match against the head of another. However, they are very convenient for camping because all you need is the match.

Our camp ran a small trading post. Really it was just a small store. The only trading that went on was trading dollars for goods worth substantially less than those dollars. Most of the business revolved around selling candy, soda and ice cream. However, the store stocked other items. One of these items was matches, both safety and strike anywhere. It quickly became apparent to the business manager that the strike anywhere matches were a run-away hit. Understandably, creating fire is awesome. It is even more awesome when you are a teenage boy. Strike Anywhere matches only added to the entire alchemy aspect of it all. No longer did you need a special striking plate. The world was your striking plate. Scouts absolutely loved striking matches off of rocks, off of other matches, off of other scouts etc. The problem was that a box of strike anywhere matches contained 250 matches and only cost a couple of bucks. 250 matches could last at least a couple of days, perhaps the week. Nevertheless, the business manager quickly saw that he would sell out of these matches as soon as he got another order in. So he came up with a devious plan.

Unlike most of us at camp, the business manager, Ed, was actually very qualified to do the job he was assigned. I believe he was a full time employee of the boy scouts so he had a vested interest in turning as big of a profit as possible from the trading post. He quickly realized that at couple of bucks per box of matches he was selling each match for about a penny. Now, one idea would be to increase the price of the box from $2 to $20. But very few scouts would be willing to pay $20 for a box of matches, at least knowingly. So, the business manager started selling the matches individually, for ten cents a piece. Amazingly, he still couldn't keep up with demand. I think at one point, he was selling them for a quarter a piece. This was equivalent to selling the 2$ box of 250 matches for more than $60! These matches quickly became known as Ed's gold tipped matches. He had the market cornered, the nearest place that sold these strike anywhere matches was all the way around the lake, at least 10 miles.

For whatever reason, it only lasted one summer though. Perhaps the leadership thought it wasn't right to make so much money off of the scouts. Perhaps they realized the absurdity of equipping hundreds of teenage boys with firestarters in a wooded area.