Saturday, June 19, 2021, St. John's Lutheran Church, Woodstock, IL

I had heard good things about this show so in May I went to check it out. I do not know Woodstock very well. I have been to the court house but not much else. I relied on Siri to get me there. Wow! What a drive! Siri took me through winding rural roads most of the way -- an absolutely beautiful drive.

The church is located in the middle of a neighborhood. I would have never found it without Siri. In May, I observed a good crowd and a smattering of vintage on the dealer tables. I knew I would be taking a chance because it seems like vintage collecting is getting more and more of a specialized or niche area in the hobby. Modern cards are more popular than I have ever seen them.

I lucked out when I contacted Curtis, the friendly promoter of the Woodstock show, because a regular dealer had just cancelled and I was able to secure one 8-foot table. I decided to bring out all of my baseball binders. I actually know Curtis from the Midwest Sports Card Shows Facebook Page. Our good friend Ted Lee created the page maybe 10 years ago and made us administrators. Sadly, the great Ted Lee died several years ago. Man, I miss that guy! But Curtis and I have been managing the page in Ted's honor. Curtis actually does the bulk of the managing and does a tremendous job.

So, I woke up too early on Saturday morning. I thought the show started at 9 a.m. but the start is actually 9:30 a.m. I also wanted to give myself extra time to get there. Travel time is about 45 minutes from my house to the church. Again, I really enjoyed the drive through the countryside. McHenry County in Illinois is just a beautiful place.

I stopped off at Mickey D's on the way in and munched on my food during the drive. Load in was simple. Curtis gave me the first table by the front door. He also provided muffins for all the dealers. Set up was quick with just the binders to layout. The room slowly filled up with dealers. 

I went and talked to old friend Tom, who is a regular dealer at this show. I ended up purchasing a bunch of cards from Tom including a 1933 Goudey Mickey Cochrane. Thanks Tom! I recognized the dealer up against the stage from Corky's old show in Elgin. Then behind me was Nick K., who has been setting up at my show in Oak Creek for quite a while. To my right, was a dealer I recognized from Corky's show as well but I forgot his name. He had a bunch of non-sports cards and a few hockey sets from the 1970s but his prices were a little high.

I did not know any of the other dealers. They were all modern dealers. I absolutely loved the father and son dealer team set up to my left. The son was 11 years old and was so enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and wheeling and dealing the whole show. See picture below.

There was a real nice crowd with a steady flow from early morning into the afternoon. I had a few sales. An older guy purchased a bunch of 1951 Bowmans. Ron, who I have known for a long time, found a bunch of cards. Then a couple who I know I have met in the past, maybe at Corky's show or quite possibly at one of Fred Copp's old shows purchased a bunch of Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers cards. Good old Larry and Carol found a large amount of cards for Larry's sets. See bottom photo. I've known these two since the dawn of time but this was the first time I was set up in their home town. A couple of other guys dinked around and purchased a handful of cards.

I received a lot of nice complements for my set up. I take a lot of time to price my cards and place them in numerical order in the binders. Not many dealers take the same time. The dealer by the stage told me I was too organized.

A couple of guys recognized me from my Oak Creek show. I saw others that I knew like Chris and Big Tim.

Overall sales were slow but I had a really good time. I thought attendance was excellent and would like to continue to do this show. I think I could develop a regular following if I could set up regularly. Unfortunately, there are just 20 tables at this show and Curtis could not tell me when he could get me back in -- which I totally understand.

At the end of the show Curtis asked me my thoughts on the show and what I thought he could do better. Honestly, I thought the show was perfect. I really liked the room. All the dealers were friendly and had great stuff. I thought it was really cool how Curtis gave away a pile of stuff. He had a few bins and a table by the front door where he was giving away cards and publications. I saw the dealer by the stage grab most of the publications. He made four or five trips to the free table to grab stuff. Most everyone who attended the show stopped and grabbed some of the free items. I also liked the large number of kids at the show and they all seemed to be having a great time. This is an excellent show, well run.

Obviously, if the space was larger, I think it would be easy to get more dealers. However, Curtis said he lives up the street and likes having the venue so close to home. I can't argue with that. I wish there was a show close to my house. Well, I will be waiting for Curtis's call because I'd like to set up at this show again.

In the meantime, I will be setting up at the Orland Park Civic Center on Sunday, June 27, 2021. I am going to bring out all of my baseball, basketball and hockey binders along with three display cases. Hope to see you Sunday in Orland!

Sunday, June 13, 2021, Wilmot Flea Market, Wilmot, WI

Went back to my roots Sunday and set up at the Wilmot Flea Market. It has been several years since I last set up at a flea market. While I love flea markets, the hardest part of setting up at them is getting up so early in the morning. I woke up at 4 a.m. Sunday and made it to Wilmot around 5:30 a.m.

I lucked out when one of the regulars in a reserved spot did not show up. I was given prime real estate by the front gate. I have never been located so close to the front! Thank you amazing people who run the Wilmot Flea Market. 

I never know what to bring out to the flea market because there are so many factors to consider before making a final decision on inventory. For one, the sun. I can't let cards bake out in the sun. Also, plastic. Anything in plastic will melt in the heat. Then there is the lack of serious sports collectors at the flea market. I need to bring out items for the casual sports collector.

My usual flea market inventory consists of junk wax, junk sets, cheapy boxes, and publications. I also bring out typical flea market items like CDs, DVDs, VHSs, kids toys, kids books, stuffed animals, children's clothes, and random antiques.

The key to flea market survival is a tent. It sucks baking out in the sun and heat.  I loaded my car Saturday night, including my trusty tent. I was able to fit eight tables and as many bins and boxes as my car would hold. I ran out of space and could not fit a few bins and boxes that I wanted to take with me. Turns out I needed those extra bins and boxes because I had empty table space.

While I love setting up at the flea market, one thing that has always bugs me -- other flea market vendors. I find that my neighbors always pinch my space. I was set up next to a middle aged couple that had a truck load of stuff and two spaces, which was not enough for them as they pinched the area behind my tables. I let it go but was aggravated. Why can't flea market vendors stay within the clearly marked boundaries?

Another thing I have observed over the past decade is that there are far less sports collectors at flea markets than there used to be. Back when I first started setting up at flea markets in the late 1970's, there were a ton of sports collectors coming out... probably because there were not a while lot of card shows and card shops back then. Selling sports collectibles at flea markets has never been quite as good as it was in the 1970's. 

I had a lot of people walk by and check out my booth on this sunny, warm and humid day. I saw a couple of guys I figured would be there in Don and Bill. Thanks for stopping guys! Bill actually found some cards he needed in my cheapy boxes. Years ago, I had some regulars at this flea market but did not see them on this day. One guy recognized me from the Gonzaga show. I was able to let folks know about my July 3 show at the Salvation Army in Oak Creek. Several others, I learned, regularly visit my monthly show, which was nice to hear.

My first customers were buying stuff for their son. He had texted them a list of modern players he wanted like Mike Trout and Fernando Tatis, Jr., but I normally do not carry any modern cards. Vintage is my thing and at flea markets it is usually all junk years for me. Really nice folks and they ended up buying a whole mess of wax.

A fellow caked in tattoos bought a dozen or so packs of 1991 Pro Set football. Quite a lot of tattoos on this fine day. My favorite tattoo of the day was a large portrait of Dr. Teeth, the Muppet with the gold teeth that plays keyboards in the Muppet rock band. Another guy, no tattoo, bought a bunch of wax and a binder of 1994 Topps. A Cubs fan went through my cheapy boxes and pulled out all of the Cubs. I saw a ton of people wearing Cubs gear, which was surprising, I thought I would see a lot more Brewers gear. I am going to have to load up on more Cubs stuff next time.

That was about it for the sports stuff. The rest of my sales were Beanie Babies and children's books. Overall, sales were okay. I was hoping for more but I'll take it. I'd like to do the flea market again but with different stuff. The sun and the heat are such a problem and really limit the sports items I can bring out. Top loaders and binder pages just melt out there.

The middle aged vendors next to me did not seem to do all that well. The guy on the other side seemed to have a really good day. He had a wide variety of stuff from boat oars to armor to a giant Hulk Hogan doll which is the set up you really need at a flea market. I did not sell any of my CDs, DVDs and VHSs, I'm going to leave those at home next time. I sold a few items of children's clothing but I think I'll leave that stuff behind next time as well.

I have tons of toys that my kids have long since outgrown. I think I'll bring that stuff out. My son is also past his Funkopop craze. I blew a ton of dough on those things and will bring some out. I will see what else I can muster up. I've got more junk wax I can bring.

I am terribly sunburned today. I forgot to bring a hat! I had some sun tan lotion but it did not work very well. Overall, I had a good time. There is nothing like people-watching at the flea market. One thing I noticed was a lack of metal heads. What happened to all the metal heads? You know, the long-haired guys that walk around with Scorpions T-shirts. Where are those guys? I saw a lot of biker types. Dudes with really long beards. Also, a lot of really old folks. One older couple was screaming at each other in front of my booth. Great entertainment!

​I am setting up Saturday June 19, 2021, at St. John's Lutheran Church, 401 St. John's Street, in Woodstock, Illinois. This will be my first time setting up at this show. I'm bringing out all of my baseball binders. Come on out!

Sunday, June 6, 2021, Buenavista Banquets, Milwaukee WI

So after years of setting up at the Gonzaga Show, I was a little worried about my first foray to the new location. My initial worry was that I would not be able to find the place. I actually had kind of an idea where it was because I know Oklahoma Avenue from setting up at the old Serb Hall show. I thought about heading toward Serb Hall, getting on Oklahoma and heading west, figuring I would run into it but it is 2021 and we have this wonderful GPS technology. I just asked Siri and she took me safely there.

It was about an hour drive, not bad. Traffic was not too bad as well. The banquet hall is tucked away in a strip mall on the corner of Oklahoma and 76th Street. It was a really simple drive as Siri took me to the 76th Street exit from the highway then a mile north and I was there. I knew I was in the right place when I saw J.R. loading in.

It was great to see all the familiar faces. I haven't seen Keith since February of 2020. Keith placed me on three eight footers by the front door. I was very happy. Load in was a little tight but I have done shows in rooms very similar to this one and did not have any problems.

There is a really nice bar area with large flat screens leading into the hall. I took note of the bathrooms because my diabetes leads me to the urinal far more often than I like. I always have to know where the bathrooms are located.

Last night, after the Sal show, I drove home and switched out just about all of the stuff I took to that show for new items for the Buenavista show. I have not had 24-feet of space since the last Gonzaga show in February 2020. I brought out six display cases which take up 12 feet. I brought out all of my football, most of my basketball binders, I forgot one bin, and all of my hockey binders. I figured I still had three or four feet of space I needed to still fill up so I brought my oldest baseball binders. After setting everything up, I realized I could have either brought one more display case or a second bin of baseball binders. After this first run through, I'll be ready for the July show and fill the entire 24 feet.

I was warned prior to the show that space was tight behind the tables which was true. However, I knew the dealers behind me, Nelson and Dennis and we made it work. I also liked being next to Larry Larsen and Tom Jahn. This was the first time I had an opportunity to talk with Tom, who I learned is very entertaining. I was also across from Roger and his granddaughter. I am so impressed as to how knowledgeable Roger's granddaughter is about cards. 

There was a nice steady flow of customers in the morning. My first customer of the day wanted to trade an old Milwaukee Braves program for some cards. We were able to work out a deal and he came back and bought some cards. The dealer across the way, next to Roger, who I have known for years and am having a senior moment and can't remember his name, ended up buying a few hockey cards. He told me he collects players from the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.

I observed that I was conveniently located across from the concession stand, which is a window into the bar. I thought about ordering a Bloody Mary but went with a cup of coffee instead.

When I walked back to my table, one of the friendliest guys you'll ever meet, Robert, was flipping through a binder, as he did yesterday at the Sal show. Robert found a bunch of football cards to purchase. Thanks Robert! Then Andy arrived and started out looking at my display cases. I was seated at the opposite end of the tables and had some obstacles getting over to the display cases. Andy and I exchanged some hand signals and he was able to help himself to the display cases. I don't mind allowing guys I know well and trust to have free access to the display cases. Andy was able to find some cards for his sets. I'll next see Andy at the National. Have a safe trip home Andy!

I then saw another long-time customer who, like many others, I have not seen since February 2020. I was having a brain-fart and could not remember his name. He found some cards for his sets and told me about an interesting book he was reading about the 1948 Cleveland Indians.

Yesterday Jim told me he lived right near Buenavista Banquets and would be at the show. It is always great to see Jim and he purchased a Joe Adcock Exhibit Card. Another favorite, Eric, stopped in and purchased some cards, including a 1960 Topps Willie McCovey All Star. Thanks Eric!

I sold a bunch of star cards, including a 1960 Topps Sandy Koufax and a 1961 Topps Carl Yastrzemski, to Herb. I know I have sold a few cards to Herb in the past. I really appreciated the purchases and good conversation.

Herb was very patient with me as I was stuffing my face with steak tacos while helping him. Man, those tacos were good! I ate five of them and probably could have eaten five more!! There is nothing like tacos in a fresh corn tortilla, warm and fluffy. Delicious! 

Scott was the big winner today with the most purchases. Thank you Scott! Scott is working on a bunch of sets and found stacks of cards at my tables today including 1954 Bowman baseball and 1965 Topps football.

I was pretty happy with my sales today but unhappy with a lack of things to buy. Nobody brought me anything. I came prepared with cash to buy but nothing, nada, zip. I will be setting up at all of the WSCA/Buenavista shows in the future -- sell me some stuff!! While selling cards is great, I enjoy buying cards so much more. It is really a two-part job as a sports card dealers, both selling and buying. Oh well.

I was pleased that my location was away from the auction. I could not even hear the auction at my tables. Seemed like the auction was real quick today. Guys started packing up and going home before noon -- much too soon! If you are going to take the time to set up at a show, might as well stick it out until the end. My largest sale came at the end.

Just like old times, I was the last dealer to leave. I brought out a lot of stuff and it took a while to pack it all up and load it out into my car. I had an easy drive home and took a long nap once home. I am looking forward to the next show at Buenavista on July 11.

My next scheduled show is Orland on June 27. I had so much fun this weekend at the Sal and Buenavista that I am looking for some other shows to set up at prior to June 27. I'll let you know if I end up anywhere. 

I had a great weekend! It was the first time I set up at two shows in one weekend in quite a long time. A big thank you to everyone who bought cards from me this weekend. Let's do it again soon!!

Saturday, June 5, 2021, Salvation Army Community Center, Oak Creek, WI

Now that I am not spending Friday nights in Milwaukee, Saturday mornings have become a race between getting to the Sal and placing all the dealer nameplates on 100 tables before the dealers arrive itching to get in and set up. I have been doing fairly well and winning the race, though, I know one of these days I am going to be late and lose out.

On this morning, I woke up at 4 a.m. and was on the road to Oak Creek by 5 a.m. About twenty minutes into the drive I realized I forgot my card tables at home. I thought about heading back home for the tables but was worried I would lose the race to get the nameplates out. I figured there might be some extra tables at the Sal or I would have a dealer not show up and could move into that table.

I arrived at the Sal around 6 a.m. and realized I forgot to tell my man at the Sal, Mark, how many tables I needed paired up and how many singles. Luckily, Mark and his great group of volunteers placed most of the tables in pairs, like I need them. I only had to move around a few tables. It took me about 45 minutes to get all the nameplates out and rearrange some tables. I then worked on taping up signs to alert customers that there are four rooms of dealers at the show.

I opened some doors for the dealers around 7 a.m. as I knew a bunch of them would be there already, even though set up time is 8 a.m. The dealers started to trickle in and I finished up taping up my signs.

Luckily, there were some extra tables in the Game Room that I was able to use and I loaded in and worked on setting up my tables. This was the second show for the Game Room and set up in there went much smoother than last month. Mark opened up some more space which was very helpful.

After set up, I went outside to place a sign on Howell to alert passerbys that we have a card show going on in this fine building. Outside, I was greeted by Cody, who I met several months ago when he randomly showed up ready to set up and sell some cards. At that time, I tried to explain to Cody that he needs to reserve a table prior to the show. This time, like last time, Cody randomly showed up expecting to set up. I once again explained to him that he needs to reserve a table prior to the show.

Last time, I allowed Cody to create a make-shift table and set up in the gym. He wanted to do the same thing this time but space was tighter in the gym and I did not allow him to do so. However, Mark had created that extra space in the Game Room so I had room for him there. I advised that he go across the street to Target and buy some real tables. He actually followed my instructions and bought some tables and then set them up in the Game Room.

I observed that customers started to come in around 7:45-8:00. I am not going to make anyone wait outside but I recommend that customers arrive after 9 a.m. when the dealers are set up and ready. It does not make much sense to me to roam the rooms as a customer when nobody is set up. I even heard one father tell his boys around 8:30 a.m. that they needed to be ready to leave by 9:15. Most of the dealers were not finished setting up at 8:30 and many hadn't even arrived yet. It makes absolutely no sense to me to come to the show at 8 a.m. and leave by 9:15 a.m. There are 100 tables now at this show, don't you want to see them filled with cards instead of empty?

Masks are still required by the Salvation Army. I am fully vaccinated but am happy to comply with the rules. Quite a few guys throughout the day did not comply. I am not going to make a big deal about it but it would be nice for folks to follow the rules. We are guests at the Salvation Army and I urge everyone to have some respect for the organization and their venue and follow the rules. They have every right to kick us out. We have such a good thing going, I would hate to see it end because of a few numbnuts.

I donned my mask after set up. I brought out all of my baseball binders this month and one display case that I filled up mostly with Hank Aaron, Warren Spahn and Eddie Matthews cards. I have been doing these sort of themes lately which I find fun to do. I think folks liked my Braves theme as I sold many more cards out of the display case this month than I did last month when I filled it with early Bowman baseball and some 1952 Topps.

I think Bruce was the first customer at my table around 9 a.m. Bruce is working on several vintage baseball sets and he found a bunch of cards this morning. Thanks Bruce! Then Gary came by early and purchased a few Hank Aaron cards out of the display case. Thanks Gary!

Doreen and Craig were there working on some sets. Doreen kindly brought me a delicious sloppy Joe breakfast sandwich from the Sal concession stand. Thank you Doreen! 

Jack was there early as well. Jack normally buys cards that he plans to get signed by the players. This morning, however, he bought some older cards of players that are no longer living, so he couldn't get those signed. I was surprised and appreciative.

Scott was also there early filling his sets. Thanks Scott! A new customer wearing a Brewers shirt bought a bunch of cards and told me some entertaining stories. Business was brisk early on and I was much appreciative.

My superstar helpers Jason and Rachel arrived around 11 a.m., enabling me to visit all 100 tables and collect table fee. I always enjoy getting out and talking to all of the dealers. My first stop was Gary George, who informed me he was having a great day selling a number of pricey graded vintage cards. Graded vintage cards are super hot right now, the hottest I have ever seen them. Last time I brought out graded, I just about sold all the cards. I am working on pricing more graded vintage to bring out at a future show. 

Next I stopped at Tim Fritz's table, which I have to admit is my favorite table in the show with so much drool-worthy pre-War cards. Next to Tim was Bill Nest, who rounded out a great row of vintage cards.

Once again Jeremy and I were talking about farts. He said the air around his table was a little better this month. We decided we need to place "Fart Free Zone" signs around the building.

So, on and on, I went through the room, chatting with all the dealers. It is always nice to catch up with these folks. Great people all of them and I am so thankful they set up at my show!

I see a huge difference between the dealers that have been doing this for a while than the newer dealers. The thing about the long-time dealers is that they don't really complain about anything. Some of the newer dealers just complain and complain. They never like their location.  They all want to be in the gym, none of them seem to like the three other rooms. I place the long-time dealers in the gym and when one drops out, I'll add one of the newer dealers to the gym. I think it is the fairest way to do it.

Like I have said many times before, I don't care where I am in the building. I was in the Game Room again and had a really nice show, better than last month. Many of the Game Room dealers had complaints. I am sorry guys, I wish I could place everybody exactly where you want to be but it is impossible. Be patient, when there are some openings, I'll move you to the gym.

While I do find these complaints about location a little annoying, I am thankful that these guys do show up. I had five or six no-shows today. No shows are the worst. I have no patience for dealers who reserve a spot then do not bother to show up. I am in a lucky position now where I can ban these no show dealers from future shows and pluck guys off my waiting list who will be happy to set up in ANY room in the show.

Some jerky on Facebook asked why I have empty dealer tables and don't bother to fill them up. Well, Mr. Jerky, every table is reserved prior to the show. If you see an empty table it is because some lame ass guy who reserved the spot did not bother to show up. Really all I can do is ban that dealer from future shows and try to get someone in who will actually show up.

Sometimes you get hit from all directions as a show promoter and all I can do is try to manage this thing the best I can. I have a lot of patience and am able to block out some of the annoyances and have a really good time. I had nothing but fun at this show. There are far more awesome people at the show than jerkys and numbnuts.

Last month I talked about a new dealer who canceled the day before the show. I can't believe how many guys figured out who I was talking about. I did not think anyone would know who it was. I hate to call anyone out publicly but it can be frustrating sometimes to deal with so many people and this blog allows me to vent and do it in an entertaining manner. What I want to know is what gave it away? How did you guys know? One dealer even offered to pay for the guy's spot which shows I have far more quality dealers than numbnuts.

It took me more than two hours to visit all 100 tables. I am always beat afterwards and my aging back begins to hurt. So it was nice to be back at my tables around 1:15 p.m. A huge thank you to Jason and Rachel who did another great job!

It was business as usual at my tables. Dave found quite a few 1968 Topps for his set. I met his nephew, who seems to have an interest in graded cards. Robert purchased a large pile of 1958 and 1960 Topps. Thanks Robert! My pal Andy was in town from Orlando and found a few cards. Thanks Andy!

A bunch of regulars and new customers bought cards from me. One customer, who I met last month for the first time, was really angry that I did not bring out my football binders. I just have so many binders and very limited space, so I rotate them from month to month. This guy, however, was really pissed off, like I just insulted his mother. Come on now! This is just for fun! No reason to get angry at me because I brought out different stuff than last month? Several others were disappointed that I did not have the football binders but at least they did not have child-like melt downs. I am perplexed.

For the most part, everyone who came by my table was as pleasant as can be and very appreciated.

On the buying front, I went hog wild, as usual. I have been buying up Todd's overflow cards for most of the year and I think I bought the last of them at this show. Thanks Todd! Then my pal Jim drove up from Indiana and had a tremendous display of vintage cards and a bunch of modern cards. Jim sold me a nice group. Thanks Jim! Then I had been talking to Bill about some 1953 Topps baseball for quite a while. We finally made the deal. Thanks Bill! Once again, I went home with more cards than I brought to the show. 

All in all, a pretty great day. My sales were up from last month and I took home quite a haul of cards. I enjoyed myself thoroughly and can't wait to do it again at the next Salvation Army show on July 3.

In the meantime, I am coming back to Milwaukee tomorrow June 6 for the Buenavista Banquets show. See you guys tomorrow. Hey angry football guy! I'll have the football binders at the Buenavista show. Come on out!! 

Sunday, May 23, 2021, Orland Park Civic Center, Orland Park, IL

The old saying lightning cannot strike the same spot twice is apropos for this past Sunday's Orland show. After having my best show ever at the April Orland show, I was back to my pre-pandemic average Orland show. I can't help but be disappointed.

The show was jam-packed but it seemed like it was a modern-card crowd. I had brought out just about all of my binders but the legions of set-builders were noticeably absent. Though, I did have a few nice sales and appreciate Will, Chuck, Rich, Derek, Andy, and the others guys, whose names escape me, and who bought cards. There were several new customers as well.

Once again, I brought out one display case. I thought it would be fun to fill the case with vintage White Sox. I recently purchased a White Sox collection and spent weeks pricing the cards. Unfortunately, the White Sox case did not do as well as I had planned. I only sold a handful of cards out of the display case

So it is back to the drawing board as I prepare for the June 27th Orland show. I did not sell much football, so I am not going to bring those binders out next month. I also did not sell a single card out of my dime box -- which has never happened before. So, no dime box in June.

I had a lot of requests for star cards, mostly stars from the 1970's, so I will definitely bring out my 1970's stars on June 27th. Maybe I'll bring 1970's football stars as well. There was one guy at the show looking for some Bears from the 1970's. He said he works for the Bears but I did not believe him. I am probably jaded from my real job and really don't believe anything anybody says without seeing some evidence to back it up.

I also had a lot of requests for baseball inserts and oddballs. I have been working on a new insert/oddball binder and will hustle to get it done for the June show.

I keep forgetting to bring some cards that a long-time customer has requested repeatedly. I just have a terrible memory. I really need you guys to text, email or message me before the show with a reminder.  

On the buying front, I went hog wild. I have not seen Jim since February of 2020 and he had all sorts of stuff for me. Thanks Jim! I purchased some old White Sox scorecards from Pat Quinn. I bought a bunch of stuff from Junior, as usual. Terry had some cards for me. I also bought some stuff from Tom and Walt. Thanks guys! I really need to stop buying cards. I don't need any more cards and am running out of room to store them. This addiction is a terrible thing!

Late in the show, three young guys came by with two large binders filled with 1956 Topps baseball and 1955 Bowman baseball. I took a good look at the '56 Topps. Unfortunately, most of the cards had water damage. I really couldn't offer much for cards in that kind of condition. Maybe we can make a deal down the road.

Even though I was disappointed with my sales, I was pretty happy with my purchases and ended up having a really good time. After the show, me, Will, Joe and Derek went to the sub shop. I love hanging out with these guys.

Next up is a double-bill weekend with my Salvation Army Show on Saturday, June 5, and the Wisconsin Sports Collectors Show on Sunday, June 6. I am leaning towards spending the entire weekend in Milwaukee, seems silly to drive all the way home on Saturday then back up on Sunday. The only reason I may head home on Saturday is that I would like to bring out an entirely different inventory for the show Sunday. I am bringing out my baseball binders on Saturday and am thinking of bringing the football, basketball, and hockey binders on Sunday along with three or four display cases. Though, if I spend the night, the easiest thing might be just to bring display cases both days. I need to figure this one out.

I am getting a lot of phone calls, texts, and messages about the Salvation Army show which is a sign that it is going to be a very good show. Once again, there will be 100 tables. My waiting list for dealer tables is heading back into the stratosphere. Please be patient with me, I will eventually return all these calls, texts and messages.

I really enjoyed seeing everybody on Sunday in Orland. It is nice that things are getting back to normal. I am fully vaccinated and did not wear a mask on Sunday. I need to check with the Sal to see if we still need masks. It will probably be very difficult to enforce. Anyway, it is nice to start putting this pandemic in the rearview mirror. Below are some photos from the show.

It is never a good sign when when there are a bunch of people in front of your tables and they are all looking the other way!

I may have had a slow day selling cards but I had an excellent day buying cards. These are just some of my purchases from the May Orland show. 

When I first started to attend card shows in the late 1970's, the shows were always held in hotels. As the hobby began to boom in the 1980's, card show locations expanded to include shopping malls, VFW Posts, schools, convention centers, banquet halls, flea markets, bowling alleys, community centers, colleges, churches, synagogues, taverns... just about any place where a dozen or so tables could be set up and people could roam.

I have set up at them all. My favorite locations have always been old schools. There is just something so right about a show at an old-time school. Maybe it is because of my affection for vintage cards that I like to be at a show in a vintage school, or maybe it is because I am old school (see what I did there?).

My all-time favorite show and my all-time favorite location has been the Wisconsin Sports Collectors Association's show at Gonzaga Hall, located in the basement of an old Catholic school.

Gonzaga Hall felt like my grandmother's basement. I think grandma had the same tile, walls and windows in her basement. I loved being in grandma's basement. She was a hoarder and there was lots to explore down there. Gonzaga, like grandma's basement, always had a lot to explore. It felt like home.

I loved how the sound system for the auction never seemed to work. I loved how the hall was hot in both summer and winter. Then there was poor Keith always struggling to try and get the air conditioning to work. I never minded the heat because it was part of the the atmosphere. 

Then there is the concession stand with the smallish window leading into a large kitchen with huge sinks. That kitchen reminded me of the one I had to clean at my first job in 1979 as a janitor at a day camp.

I must mention the bathrooms with the urinals that go down to the floor and the air dryers that never really dry anything.

Put Gonzaga Hall together with the Wisconsin Sports Collectors Association, a non-profit group that began in 1975, and you have a match made in heaven. I love the fact that original members of the WSCA still set up and visit the show. I was lucky enough to meet and to get to know some of the founders like Leroy Kilps and Mike Rodell, who were such great characters and gone way too soon.

These guys, and now Leroy's son Keith, have made the Gonzaga Hall show feel like a family event. Keith treats me so well. His mom used to bake the most wonderful cake and sell slices at the concession stand. I miss her too. Another gone too soon.

The guys who run the auction do a tremendous job and nobody gets paid. The purpose of the WSCA show is to raise money for charity. These good folks have been doing good deeds for a long, long time.

While the WSCA is in good hands with Keith, turns out the last Gonzaga Hall show was the one held in February of 2020, as the WSCA show shut down in March of 2020 because of the pandemic and is finally reopening on May 23, 2021, at Buenavista Banquets & Restaurant, 7507 W. Oklahoma Ave., Milwaukee. The church that owns Gonzaga Hall sold the building.

Man, am I going to miss Gonzaga Hall! I have so many good memories and have had so many good times and so many good shows at Gonzaga Hall. I first learned about the Gonzaga Hall show about 20-something years ago while setting up at some Chicago area shows. People were always talking about it, so I decided to give it a shot, having never been there and with no idea on how to even get there.

I found Leroy's phone number in Beckett, called and booked a table. I wanted two but he only had one available. I don't remember if I used Mapquest or a GPS to get to that first show. Being from Illinois, I don't know my way around Milwaukee, even though I have been regularly going to Milwaukee my whole life. My folks always took me to the Zoo and Brewers games growing up. In high school, I could drink legally in Wisconsin while I was underage in Illinois. I ended up driving to Milwaukee every weekend during my senior year of high school. I have a long history of having good times in Milwaukee.

That first table at my very first Gonzaga show some 20 years ago was located in the back, near the men's restroom. You would have thought I had the plague or something that day. Practically nobody came to my table while the room was jam packed with customers. I think I brought out one display case and some of my baseball binders for that first show. I did not have a whole lot of space, just one six-foot table. I remember feeling handicapped with such a small amount of space.

Just three people stopped at my table during my first Gonzaga show 20 years ago. PJ was the first one. He made some offers on some of my cards that I turned down. I was setting up every weekend in the Chicago area at the time and did not want to dump my inventory. PJ and I have since become friends and we set up together at the National.

Then came Mark Skladowski (I'm probably misspelling your name, Mark, sorry!) showed up as my very first customer. Mark treated me like an old friend on that very first day and has done so ever since. Thank you Mark!

Then came Jim Ziegert who also treated me like an old friend on that first day. The thing I love about Jim is that he always looks out for me. Over the next few shows, Jim hooked me up with all sorts of people selling cards. I owe Jim for life for all the great deals he set me up with over the years.

I might not have made many sales at that first show but I made life-long friends in Mark, Jim and PJ.

I never had the same table location at the first several Gonzaga shows I attended. Leroy would give me spot when a regular dealer could not make it. There were many times where I could not get a table at all because none of the regular dealers cancelled. I thought Leroy was joking when he told me I couldn't get a table until someone died. I learned he wasn't joking when he had no table for me during the next four shows. 

I was about to give up when Leroy called and said he had a permanent spot for me. Then my sales really picked up. Folks got to know me and I had quite a few regulars before long. At the same time, I was also setting up in Orland Park and the Fred Copp shows in Illinois. Gonzaga soon became my best show for both buying and selling.

With Jim, Mike Rodell and Keith regularly sending sellers my way, I took home a huge haul after each Gonzaga show. I started to find cards for Mike. If you remember, Mike used to sell Brewers team sets. He always needed 1972 high number Brewers. I would pick them up at the other shows and sell them to Mike for about what I paid for them. Mike was appreciative and sent many vintage customers my way.

Then there was this one time Mike wanted me to pull out all of my Ken Aspromonte cards. Mike was close friends with all the old Milwaukee Braves players and his buddy Ken had just lost all of his cards in a fire. I regret not digging up the cards for Mike. At the time, I knew it would take me a while to find all of the cards and I was pressed for time pricing my new inventory for the shows between setting up every weekend, working all week and keeping my wife and kids happy. I am actually the worst when people want me to dig out cards for them, I just never seem to have the time to get it done. I should have done that for Mike and I feel bad about it to this day. 

Then there is Keith, an absolute superstar. No show promoter has taken better care of me than Keith.  First off, Keith let me move from my one table in the back of the room to four tables by the front door.  I have been in that location for years now and it has been so great to have all that space and to be one of the first dealers customers see when they come in the door.

Keith also has sent so many sellers over to me over the years that I am forever in his debt. A couple of note include the lady who was rehabbing her kitchen and found 40 or 50 1955 Bowman baseball card wrappers in the wall. I think I sold most of those wrappers as soon as I got them to Mark Skladowski. Then there was the lady who inherited complete sets from her father of 1933, 1934 and 1938 Goudey. I drove out to Madison to see the cards -- one of the best card experiences of my life. I had so much fun going through those cards. The lady, Erica, was very patient with me. I think she got bored after a while and left me alone with those cards as I spent hours marveling at the Ruths, Gehrigs and Dimaggios.

I did not have the money to purchase the cards myself but offered to help Erica sell them. I contacted one of the large auction houses on her behalf and set up a meeting between Erica and a rep from the auction house. The auction house had some of the cards graded and placed the sets individually up for auction. Erica took home a nice sum of money. After the auction, Erica offered to pay me for setting her up with the auction house. I declined because the auction house paid me a finder's fee and I just had so much fun handling the cards. Plus, Erica is a super nice person and I am still in contact with her. 

I have made so many friends at the Gonzaga show, too many to mention. I am so disappointed that we cannot have another show there. I am sure the new location will be great but nothing can replace Gonzaga Hall. I am going to miss that place terribly.

I can't make the first show at the new location because I already committed to the Orland Park show but I should be at all of the rest of them this year. I do look forward to this new chapter of the WSCA show and am glad to be a part of it. I am also looking forward to shoveling tacos and burritos down my gullet at each show. I absolutely love Mexican food and plan to gain a few pounds from the new location.

In the meantime, I would love to hear your memories of the Gonzaga show. I know there were many great finds at the show. Please use the comment section below. Let's take a walk down memory lane.  

Now for some pictures....

First photo up top is my tables at the November 2011 show.

Pictured above is my regular view of the auction from my table. This photo is from November 2011.

Pictured above are the guys who were set up behind me in December of 2011.

Pictured above is the live auction from January of 2012.

Pictured here is my son Kolby at the January 2012 show. That picture brings a tear to my eye, Kolby is a man now. I miss that little boy!

Pictured here is the crowd at my tables at the January 2012 show.

Here is the auction at the October 2012 show.

Pictured here is smiling Dave Horshack at the December 2012 show. I have been lucky enough to have Dave as my neighbor at the Gonzaga show for years.

Pictured here is the Cobb I purchased at the December 2012 show. I should have NEVER sold that card!!!

There I am with hair at the December 2012 Gonzaga show. Please post your memories of the Gonzaga show below!

Mike Rodell's table at the February 2011 show.

l was very busy at the February 2011 show. Pictured here is my good friend Jim Kaiser on the left, the guy next to him flew in from Phoenix for the show and purchased my 1952 Bowman Mickey Mantle. The guy, third from left, was a great customer and I forget his name but sadly he died quite a while ago. The guy at the end, wearing the blue coat, is Jeff who was at one time my best customer. I haven't seen Jeff in years. Come back Jeff!

These are my pals Jim and Scott Ziegert at the October 2012 show.

Saturday, May 1, 2021, Salvation Army Community Center, Oak Creek, WI

As my waiting list for dealer tables has grown, I have been looking for options to get more dealers into the show. I thought maybe I could do a second show at a larger venue but was unable to get any response from the venues I contacted. My guy at the Sal,  Mark, has been offering more space in the Salvation Army Community Center but the venue is out of tables and dealers would have to bring in their own tables. I saw a lot of problems with this option but after seeing the Game Room last month and having my waiting list top out at 70 people, I decided to give the new room a shot.

I was surprised at the number of people I contacted on the waiting list who did not bother to respond to me. It took much longer than I figured to line up the new dealers. Mark and I estimated we could fit 24 tables in the Game Room. I initially had 17 new dealers but there was one numbnut who would throw things off. When I contacted numbnut and told him he would have to bring his own table, he wanted to negotiate the table fee. Problem is, I had to pay full price for the room, thus, I had to charge full price for the table -- a measly 25 bucks. I am probably the only 100-table show in the country that charges just $25 for table space. If you can't pay $25 for space at a card show, you probably should not set up.

Initially, numbnut told me he could not set up at the May 1 show because he was going to set up at a flea market. Now, I know from experience, that flea markets do not provide you with tables and charge more than $25 for the space. So I was a little aggravated when he asked for a reduced table fee. I told him I was going to move on down my wait list and offer the space to someone else willing to pay the $25 and who won't be a hassle. He responded that he would pay the $25. Fine, I thought we were good.

Then he texts the morning before the show stating he can't make it because he has a doctor's appointment Saturday morning and he forgot about. Ugh! I contacted four more people from the waiting list, but none could do the show with such short notice. So I am pissed off at numbnut.

Luckily, it worked out because 23 tables in the Game Room proved to be awfully tight. I knew it was going to be a crazy morning in the Game Room with 16 dealers bringing in their own tables. As I predicted, some took too much space and others took too little space. One of my new dealers didn't bring a table. Prior to the show, I told him that he could only set up if he brought his own table. Ugh!

Luckily, the Sal put out more than the 73 tables I requested and I was able to put this new guy in the hallway. He sold all of his cards around 10 a.m., paid me and left. Then another dealer, who arrived way late, took the table in the hallway. I also screwed up in the gym and forgot to print a nameplate for a couple of long-time dealers. Luckily, they arrived early enough and we were able to switch things around and get them their regular spot in the gym. Sorry guys!

It was a crazy morning. I got there around 6:15 a.m. and saw that my guys at the Sal did a tremendous job setting up the rooms the day before. I just had to get those name plates out as soon as I could because the dealers were starting to arrive. Once again, no one pays attention to my official set up time of 8 a.m.

I placed myself in the Game Room so I could monitor the placement of the dealer tables as they arrived. However, I found myself running all over the building dealing with my goof ups and dealers who wanted to switch around so I could not keep track of the Game Room. One dealer in the Game Room took up way too much space and created a bottleneck in the room. Thankfully there was the numbnut who cancelled because there wasn't any space for him. I now know I can only fit 23 tables in the Game Room. Mark worked with several of the dealers to clear up the bottleneck. Afterwards, I thought the Game Room looked pretty cool. I loved having all those new dealers in there! 100 tables! My largest show to date!

Mark said we could even expand to another room. I still have a ton of people on the waiting list but I want to get that Game Room under control before I add another room where dealers have to bring in their own tables. This is becoming the labyrinth show with all these rooms. I just need some knights and dwarfs roaming around for full labyrinth effect.

So the Game Room is a fairly large room and I think it sucked out customers from the other rooms. Some dealers commented that they thought there were less customers than last month. I disagree, there is just a lot more space for the customers to roam. Look at that photo up top. Sure looks like a lot of customers came out to the show!

Business was brisk at my tables in the Game Room early on. I brought out one display case that I filled mostly with 1951 Bowman baseball. I also brought out all of my football, basketball and hockey binders. I know some regular customers were disappointed that I did not bring out the baseball binders but with just two tables, I have to rotate my inventory each month. Last month, quite a few guys were disappointed I did not bring out the football and basketball.

Mark S. was one of my early customers and he picked up a bunch of stuff including some 1965 Topps tall-boy football. Robin was there as well, filling in some basketball sets and 1978 Topps football. Robin sold me some cards as well. Thanks Robin. I actually had a bit of a buying frenzy early on. Todd was there with some football binders to sell. We negotiated a deal and I took the binders. Thanks for working with me Todd. Then Tom came by with two amazingly cool posters from the early 1950s that were essentially schedules for the White Sox and Cubs. I paid more than I would have liked but I have never seen these items before. Looks like they were posted on passenger trains. Normally, I buy for resale but these puppies are going up in the card bunker. To top out my buying was a new guy who had a variety of stuff including five or six Johnny Unitas cards and a 1960 Topps Duke Snider. He came by twice with cards to sell and I bought them all each time. I ended up with a nice haul and dropped a pretty penny in the first hour of the show!

I am so thankful for Craig and Doreen. Craig always buys a pile of cards from me and Doreen snags me a sloppy Joe sandwich. Nothing better than one of Ken's Sloppy Joe's for breakfast. Thank you Doreen!! I actually was able to get away from my table late in the show to snag a second sloppy Joe. I also took some home and dined happily on it all weekend. My wife is a big fan of the sloppy Joe as well. My kids are picky and missed out!

Some other regulars purchased cards like George and Kristy. We hope to get together soon and take in a White Sox game. I had a bunch more regulars purchase cards whose names escape me. Then I had a ton of new customers. One guy complained that I had my 1970 Len Dawson cards priced at 10 bucks a pop. Well, the cards are Minty, book at $20 and would probably go for $40-plus once graded. I just let the guy talk. I know my cards are priced reasonably. He did buy a few cards.

I had two autograph hounds that I had not seen before. One of them told me he was just a few cards away from completing an entire autographed set of 1958 Topps. Pretty cool I thought.

I chatted with quite a few folks at my table which is one of the aspects I love about the show. I sell vintage cards because I flat out love them. I love the history of sports and the history of collecting. I also love hearing stories. One guy was telling me about buying 1958 Topps at the store when he was a kid. He said he pulled so many Mantles that he got sick of them and threw most of them away. Wow!

My helpers Jason and Rachel arrived at 11 a.m. so I could get out there and collect table fees from the dealers. I started my rounds with Harry by the front door in the gym. When I got there, I observed a guy at the corner of the stage with boxes of cards spread out and selling them. I kind of felt that he should pay me a table fee! I asked Harry if he had a problem with the guy basically selling cards right in front of his table. Harry seemed to be okay with it and didn't want me to tell the guy to move on. I still didn't like it and asked a few other nearby dealers what they thought about this guy setting up  on the corner of the stage and selling cards.

Jeremy didn't seem to mind and said the guy came to him first and offered him the cards, which is the right thing to do. I have no problem with folks offering cards to dealer but when they start selling to customers at the show, I feel they need to get on my waiting list for tables and wait to purchase a dealer table before selling cards at the show. It is not fair to me. I spend a great deal of time and money to bring these people to the show. It is also not fair to the dealers who pay me for the right to sell at the show. More and more, I think I need to hire someone, maybe a retired or off-duty police officer, to police the show.

Jeremy also commented that the guy selling cards, who was rather large, was rather stinky. I've noticed this for years, not just at my show, but all card shows. There seems to be some hygiene issues with a segment of the card show public. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for spending a day, sitting at home, watching TV, eating food, and not bathing or having a care in the world, but, when you are in public, I think it is a common courtesy that you bathe before leaving home and avoid stinking up the joint. 

Then Jeremy told me about another recent Sal show where someone either at his table or nearby had some gas issues. Jeremy learned of the gas when he took off his mask to take a drink and almost passed out when he inhaled a snout full of some heavy doody putrid magma. Jeremy said a customer at his table complained he could smell it through his mask. He also said that before the gas attack, his table was full of customers but when the putrid air encompassed the table, the folks viewing his cards fled for cleaner air. 

Attention all! Please do not fart in my show!! If you have some gas, take it outside! Nobody wants to deal with your farts!! Along those same lines, nobody wants to deal with your BO. Please bathe before attending the show!

Getting back to the guy set up on the edge of the stage, much later in the show, I saw that Jason's dad purchased all the cards. I warned Jason that the cards may be stinky.

As for the ongoing theft issue at the show, a dealer reported that he observed a kid, about 8 years old, shove a pack of cards into his coat pocket without paying. The dealer was kind of pissed off but figured he only lost about $4 and did not make a big deal about it. I think the dealer should have told the boy's parents what he witnessed.

As for the ongoing of issues of other show promoters preying upon my show, they were at it again. PJ asked if I was talking about him in last month's blog. No, I was not talking about PJ, who has been passing out flyers at my show for the past four years. I know PJ is going to pass out flyers at my show and I appreciate that he always offers to take some of my flyers and place them out at his shows -- which is the right thing to do. I handed my flyers to at least two show promoters who came up to me asking if I was going to attend their shows. You folks need to check in with me before you promote your show at my show. 

I have never walked around a show going table to table harassing people about my show. When I am set up at another show, I'll place some flyers on my table. I just don't think it is right to harass people at other shows with my flyers. This is another reason I need to start policing this show. I think the thing I am going to do is put out a table for other show promoters to place their flyers and forbid them from walking around. I hate when people try to take advantage of my good nature and my hard work.

Another thing that bugged me about these show promoters (not PJ), is that at the April show, I saw dealers with stacks of flyers for these other shows on their tables at MY show. Not cool! I sent a note to each dealer at my May show and asked them to come see me for flyers to place out at other shows where they set up. Only two guys bothered to see me -- Josh Brothers and Scotty P. I appreciate  you two guys, thank you!

Which leads me to another thing I want to talk about which is how to be a good dealer. Josh and Scotty are good dealers while many others are not. In my 40 years of setting up at shows, I've learned a thing or two. Every once in a while, I feel a need to share my experience with the general card dealer public. Especially, after the May show where I had so many new dealers.

Some dealers complained to me that their sales were not very good at the May show. On the other hand, most dealers reported excellent sales with one dealer running up to me to point out a guy who dropped $10,000 at his table. So this part of the blog is directed at those dealers who reported poor sales.

In those 40 years of setting up at shows and flea markets, I've rarely had poor sales because of the work I put in PRIOR to the show. You can't just put out your cards at a show and expect them all to sell. It takes work to sell cards and much of that work is done before the show.

(1) Market Yourself. You must get the word out about your inventory and where and when you are selling. Before the advent of social media, I used to make up small flyers that would list all the shows I was setting up at for the next several months. The flyers were great and helped me gain regular customers who would follow me around from show to show and buy cards from me at each show.

Now with social media and the internet, it is sooooo easy to market yourself. You are all sucked into my marketing right now by reading this blog. The main reason I write this blog regularly is to lure people to come see me at the show and buy some cards. It works! Every show, folks buy cards from me and discuss this blog. And not just at the Sal show. Folks from all over the country read this blog and when I set up in their town, they come out to see me and buy cards and discuss the blog.

Now you can't write just anything and expect folks to read the blog and visit you at shows. You must make it interesting. I have a journalism degree and am a former newspaper reporter and editor so I am able to incorporate the things I learned from my journalism career into this blog. Generally, I write a blog that I myself would like to read.

I also get customers from my social media posts. I post all over social media and get a tremendous response. Social media is the best! I don't know how the world functioned without it!!

It takes effort to do these things but if you want a regular cadre of customers, you must put in the work before the show.

(2) Inventory. All the marketing in the world won't do a thing if you have crappy inventory. One of my newer dealers at the show Saturday had nothing but late 1980's and early 1990's baseball out on his table. Well, this is about the worst inventory you could possibly have at a card show. Nobody wants this stuff! Everybody already has it... by the truckload. 

If you are not a collector of cards, it is going to be hard for you to be a dealer. I love vintage cards. I collect vintage cards, so I sell vintage cards. They sell well. They have always sold well, even back when I started out selling in the late 1970's.

That dealer who had the $10K sale at the show Saturday sells modern cards. He understands his cards and his customers. You must learn and know what is going to sell and what is not going to sell and bring out inventory that you KNOW will sell. If you do not collect, you are going to have to learn from trial and error and it may take awhile before you figure it out. 

(3) Pricing. If you have a good inventory and are still not selling any cards then you are priced too high. It is that simple. Lower your prices.

(4) Sourpuss. Don't be a sourpuss. Nobody wants to approach a table where the dealer looks stressed, upset, angry, or bored. Card shows are fun! Have some fun!!

(5) Don't Complain About Your Location In the Room. I prove it show after show, your location in the building means diddly poop. I purposely take the supposedly worst tables at the show. I had a pretty good show on Saturday in the Game Room. I didn't come near my record-breaking show in April but it was still one of my better Sal shows. I am not even at my tables most of the day and people are still buying cards from Jason and Rachel when I am not there. Why? Because I have properly marketed myself, I have excellent inventory, I am priced reasonably and Jason and Rachel are extremely pleasant people.

Several dealers complained that customers told them they were out of money. These dealers complained that since their tables weren't located in the first room, the gym, customers spent all their money before they arrived at these dealers' tables. 

Poppycock!

The statement "I don't have any more money" from a customer is code for "your prices are too high." If you lower your prices, you will no longer hear people say that they are out of money.

I know every dealer wants to be in the gym but, obviously, I cannot fit 100 tables in the gym. Frankly, it does not matter where you are in the building. My sales are pretty dang good and I am never in the gym. If your sales are bad in the gym, Fellowship Hall, the Game Room or the Hallway, YOU are the problem, not your location! Practice the above, and you will be amazed at how your sales increase.

End of sermon.

I had a great time at the show Saturday. It was great to see Eric S. and Rich who waited to get fully vaccinated before attending the show. I love seeing more and more regulars return to the show. Get vaccinated and get out to the show!

A big "Welcome Back" goes out to dealer Larry Larsen who returned to his rightful place behind a dealer table after more than a year out due to the pandemic.

Did you guys like the new room? I just loved the new room. It was so fun to be in a room of all new dealers. Set up across from me was a group of high school kids. I don't know if they made any money but they had a ball. They did some live breaks and cheered the breakers on. It was fun.

I love seeing that we get folks from all ages and all walks of life at this show. I am a big fan of people, ALL people, and I love to see everyone at the show getting along and having a good time. My show is the only show where I consistently see lots and lots of kids. I loved going to shows when I was a kid and find it so satisfying to see kids at my show.

One father contacted me prior to the show to see if there would be anything his young son could buy. I told him there would be plenty for him to buy and he would have fun. I saw quite a few 10-cent boxes out on dealers' tables on Saturday.

All in all, a great day. I sold a ton of cards. I bought a ton of cards. I ate sloppy Joe and talked about cards all day long. Thank you everybody for making this so much fun!

One final note on the show, someone left a bag of bobblesheads. Please contact me at abrandongordon@hotmail.com.

                                                      Farewell Brian Mayne

As you know, I just love card shows. There was a time when I traveled the Midwest and would set up at a show or two every single weekend. One of the shows I regularly set up at was the Fort Wayne, Indiana, show run by Brian Mayne. Brian's show is monthly on a Saturday. Generally, all of the Indiana shows are on a Saturday.

Back in the day, I pretty much had to drive to Indiana if I wanted to set up on a Saturday because there were none in Wisconsin and very few in Illinois. I actually started my own show because I was tired of driving to Indiana or Ohio for a Saturday show.

Though, one of the Saturday shows I really enjoyed was the Fort Wayne show. I always meant to get back there but every time I thought about doing it, the drive was always a deterrent. When I was younger, I used to love to drive. In my old age, I hate driving and want to stick closer to home.

Man, I wish I made it to Fort Wayne one more time because my friend Brian Mayne just passed away from complications due to parkinson's disease. Brian was one of the best card show promoters in the country. He put on an excellent show and recently expanded to a larger venue and added a second show in Michigan.

One of the things I really liked about his shows was that a waitress from the hotel restaurant would walk around the room and take food orders from the dealers. As my regular readers know, I like to eat and I just loved having that waitress take my order and bring my food to my dealer table. Brian's show was the only one I ever set up at where a waitress would come around and take food orders.

Brian was a wax dealer and he was the first person I ever saw conduct a live break. It was always one of the high points of the show and drew customers in and created a lot of excitement in the room.

He also attracted a wide variety of dealers. There was always a nice mix of modern and vintage dealers at the show. I would often see my pal Mark Smith set up at this show and I made many other friends at the show.

Then there was the time I had to call Brian from the road to let him know I was going to be late because I got pulled over for speeding. I thought about driving back to Indiana to fight the ticket but ended up paying it off to save myself from wasting an entire day.

Brian was as friendly as can be. It was always a pleasure to chat with him. He almost lured me to moving to Indiana when he told me how cheap his property taxes are. Property taxes in Indiana are crazy cheap when compared to Illinois and Wisconsin. 

Then I learned so much from Brian on how to be a show promoter. He was the one that introduced me to promoting my show via social media. He explained to me how he created several card show pages and received a tremendous response and turn out from those pages. I copied him with my social media pages. If you like those pages, you have Brian Mayne to thank for them!

Even though, I haven't set up at his shows in years, he always checked in with me to see how I was doing. I am going to miss that and I am going to miss Brian Mayne. What a good guy and gone way too soon. RIP Brian.

Thankfully, Brian's brother Greg is going to continue on with the shows, so Brian's legacy will continue and his excellent shows will go on.

Next up for me is the Orland Park show on May 23. I had a great show in Orland last month and am looking forward to the May 23rd show. I'm thinking I am going to do a display case of 1950's White Sox cards and a second display case of White Sox memorabilia -- just to do something a little different. I am also going to bring out most of my binders. I have been feverishly working on my 1970 Topps baseball binder and hope to have that one done by May 23rd.

Again, thank you to every one who came at the Salvation Army Show on May 1. My next show at the Sal is June 5.

Hope to see you soon!
​Tony

Pictured below are some cards on dealer Nick K's table at the May 1 Salvation Army show.

Sunday, April 18, 2021, Orland Park Civic Center, Orland Park, IL

Man, it was strange waking up early Sunday morning for the Orland show. The show has been shuttered for more than a year due to COVID. But there I was, the sun barely out, bins of cards being loaded into the car. 

Not much traffic this Sunday morning which was nice. One thing has not changed, road construction on the I294 Tollway. Seems like I drove on the shoulder, a makeshift lane, the whole way down.

I observed that the former Hackney's restaurant in Palos, one of my favorite places, is being reconstructed into a Japanese restaurant -- that made me a little sad. I'm sure the Japanese restaurant will be great but I have been eating at Hackney's my whole life and there are just a couple left when there used to be six or seven of them. I hope the two remaining restaurants stick around!

Anyway, not as many cars as usual in the Civic Center parking lot when I got there around 8 a.m. I was able to nab the coveted green cart so I could bring in my stuff in one trip.

Rich did not recognize me in my mask. I was happy to learn that I had my usual spot. I observed the dealer tables were wayyyy spread out. Set up was easy. Customers were let in at 9 a.m. and they seemed to run into the room. My sales were slow early on. A few $2 and $4 sales. I had cancelled my Pop-up Shop to set up in Orland and began to wonder if I made a mistake.

After an hour of tumbleweeds in front of my tables, things started to happen around 10 a.m. I had brought out all of my binders and was able to put most of them out. I also brought out just one display case and thought it would be cool to fill it with 1933 Goudey commons. Eddie bought all the Goudeys. Show went from bad to good in a matter of minutes.

I was then mobbed for the next couple of hours. I had brought enough cards to replace the Goudeys. I placed 1934-36 Diamond Stars, 1939 Play Ball, 1948 Leaf and 1948 Bowman baseball in the case. Terry bought them all! I have never sold an entire case of cards before let alone two! My, oh my!

Then there is this superstar buyer who started coming to my Pop-up Shop. His girlfriend called last week to see if I was having another Pop-up Shop. I told her I would be in Orland. Well, Superstar came out and spent all day at my tables. Needless to say, my baseball binders from 1957 through 1962 are about empty. My, oh my!

Then I had all sorts of guys buy cards, like Will, Scott, Milan and many others. I have a lot of reloading to do. What a day!!! My best ever in Orland!!

I have been setting up in Orland for more than 20 years and find it amazing that I could have such a tremendous day. The card biz is having its biggest boom I have ever seen. I have never sold so many cards! 

I need to add more shows to ride out this wave. I am thinking of setting up at the Wilmot Flea Market next Sunday. 

Back to Orland. I bought a large number of cards as well including a 1950 Bowman Pee Wee Reese, a bunch of Aarons from the 1960s, several Nellie Fox cards, and some 1971-72 basketball.

I capped a great day by having lunch with my pals Will, Joe and Charlie. See photo below. I didn't even mind the crappy drive home on the crappy 294.

Next up is my Salvation Army show on May 1st. Get ready for this one! I've added another room, the Game Room, located at the end of the hallway. There will be 24 tables in the game room bringing a total of 100 tables of cards in the whole building. I'll be set up in the Game Room along with 15 new dealers. Make sure to check it out!

A huge thank you to everyone who bought cards from me in Orland. It was so great to see everybody. I am looking forward to the next Orland show on May 23rd!

Saturday, April 3, 2021, Salvation Army, Oak Creek, WI

This was a tough one for me. Work has been crazy busy and I had to work late Friday before the show when I usually drive up and set up the room. Mark and his great volunteers set up the room for me and they did a tremendous job. I showed up very early on Saturday and only had to rearrange a few tables. I was able to get the nameplates out right as the first early-bird dealers arrived.

I think I got there at 6:30 a.m. Dealers, don't get used to it, I don't plan on getting there that early in May. Official set up time is 8 a.m. for dealers and I would appreciate it if everyone arrived closer to 8 a.m.

Speaking of arrivals, man, quite a few dealers arrived late, some well past 9 a.m. At first I thought I had five or six no shows but thankfully most everybody arrived. Derrick's cat had kittens the night before and he emailed me early in the morning to let me know. I think that was an excused absence. Bill Brown texted early and said the guy he thought was going to take his tables did not show up. Dealers, you do not need to find a replacement for your tables if you can't make it. Just let me know and I can pluck someone from the waiting list, which is what I prefer.

So many people called, texted, emailed before the show asking for tables. Sorry! Once again, I could not respond to everybody. Also, again, there was nothing I could do. I was mobbed at the show by people wanting tables. I am feeling a lot of pressure from all these folks that want dealer tables. My waiting list is up to 57 people!! Mark and I talked after the show and we decided to open up a fourth room for the May show. Only issue is that we do not have additional tables for that room so dealers are going to have to bring in their own tables. I am going to start contacting folks on the waiting list. I hope to get 12 to 15 new dealers into the game room next month. I did not realize how large that room is. That May show is going to be quite a spectacle with probably more than 100 tables. Anyone at the June 2015 show when I only had 12 dealer tables? Man, things have changed... for the better!

A ton of people called, texted and emailed about Pokemon cards. What's the deal? I cannot believe how popular those things are. I observed more Pokemon cards on dealer tables than ever before. One Facebook message questioned me about calling it a Sports Card Show, he thought it was a Pokemon show.

I also observed that more dealers are selling wax than ever before. I did buy one box of 2021 Topps Heritage baseball with the 1972 design. I love the Heritage. I pulled a Gleyber Torres red ink autograph variation!

As far as my tables go, I brought out one display case for my graded cards and all of my baseball binders. Unfortunately, we were short a table and I did not have enough space to put out all the binders. I think I'll bring a card table next month to make sure I have enough space. Next month I plan on bringing out all of my football, basketball and hockey binders. I may do a display case of Exhibits.

So I started setting up my tables around 8 a.m. and already had customers there which made set up difficult. Customers! I would appreciate it if you arrived at the show at 9 a.m. to give us time to set up our tables. It is really difficult to set up with customers already at the table digging through cards.

One of the things I don't like when I bring out the binders is that they get moved around. I like to keep them in order by year but they were a mess as soon as I put them out at this show. I kept thinking I would have some down time and could rearrange the binders but I was busy the whole show and never got to them. By the end of the show, I think all of the binders were in three or four stacks.

Early on I tried to sneak away here in there to see if all the dealers had arrived. I observed that we had a late-arriving crowd this month. Usually the place is mobbed by 9 a.m. but on this day, the mobs didn't show up until 10 a.m. I was a little worried at the beginning but it ended up being pretty crowded for most of the day. We had to ask some guys to leave who were lingering around well past closing time of 3 p.m.

Mark told me that he walked around the parking lot and saw license plates from Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Michigan. I think it is pretty cool folks are coming in from all over. In the past, I've had calls from guys coming in from Pennsylvania and Colorado, just for the show! At this show in particular, I recognized a lot of folks from the Orland Park, Illinois show. One customer, who is an Illinois State Trooper, told me he made up from the Orland Park area in about an hour and fifteen minutes! 

                                                              Monthly Rant
I don't mind other show promoters leaving a stack of flyers at my show but I have to admit that I don't like when they walk around my show and harass customers and dealers about their show. I've never done that. If I set up at another show, I'll place some of my flyers out on my tables but I won't walk around and harass people. Also, I am kind of bothered because I spend a lot of time and money to get this crowd into my show. At the very least these other promoters could ask my permission and take some of my flyers and leave them at their show. Am I wrong? It just leaves as bad taste in my mouth.

Another problem, especially at this past show, is the mass amount of sellers who don't have tables but walk around selling cards. It is okay to offer cards to the dealers but stopping folks while they are at dealer tables and offering to sell them cards is a no, no. One dealer reported that a guy actually placed his cards on the dealer's table and started selling them to customers! The dealers pay for the right to sell at the show and use those tables. It is bad form to come into the show and essentially take money out of the dealer's hands. I might have to start policing this and kick some people out of the show. Dealers! You have every right to tell these people to get out of the building! If you want to sell at the show, get on my waiting list for dealer tables!

Thankfully, I had no reports of thefts which had been an issue the past several months. I even put a note on all the dealer tables to urge them to be on the look out for thieves. One dealer told me that at the February show he was set up when a father-and-son theft outfit approached his table and the sketchy son distracted him while the father took some cards and took off. The dealer told me his own son saw what happened and ran after the thief and got the cards back. Man, alive! Everyone please continue to be vigilant and keep an eye out for thieves. I really want to prosecute these folks and give them some jail time and a criminal record.

Then I have this annoying guy who is militant anti-mask. I also get some anti-mask postings on my Facebook page. WTF? What is the big deal? I don't like wearing a mask either but the Salvation Army requires that everyone wear a mask or there is no show. I would much rather wear a mask then not have the show. 

So this one numbnut approaches my table with no mask and declares masks are not required because the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the governor's mask mandate. I attempted to explain to him that the Salvation Army has a mask mandate for their building and they have every right to do so. We argued for a while. He thinks those that attend the show may file a lawsuit against the Salvation Army for making people wear a mask when there is not statewide law requiring masks.

I tried to explain to him that I am a lawyer and know from Law School 101 that a private business has a Constitutional right to require all who enter to wear a mask, wear clothes, not use foul language and so on and so forth. I further explained that under the law, you cannot sue the Salvation Army for their mask mandate. Your legal remedy is to stay home and not attend the show. No one is forcing you to attend the show. I wish this guy would stay home and not attend the show! End of Rant!

Numbnuts aside, it was another great show. I, once again, had record-breaking sales. I sold almost all of the graded cards in my display case and a TON of cards out of the binders. My helpers for this show were Jason and Rachel who were great! Thanks guys! Their help allowed me to be away from my table for a few hours and manage the show.

I was toying with the idea of not setting up because I was tired, I knew I had to be away from my tables, and there were not enough tables for me to get two. There are a lot of dealers complaining about this or that but you know, I am the lone dealer that really suffers at this show, you guys need to can it! I take the tables furthest away from the front door. If there are not enough tables to go around, I take away my own tables. When, I do have tables, I make sure I have the smallest ones. A ton of guys were asking for 8-foot tables before the show. There are only a handful of them and I allow Mark and his crew to place them wherever, except for my spot. I don't think it is fair for me to knowingly give one dealer an 8-foot and another a 6-foot. I think the fairest way is the luck of the draw. Plus, I really don't have the time or energy to rework the tables to give certain guys 8-footers. So, please, do me a favor, and don't ask for 8-footers! Oops, sorry, I snuck in another rant.

Non-rant: I have to thank Doreen again for getting me a Sloppy Joe sandwich. I would not have been able to eat if she didn't get that sandwich for me. I don't know if I would have made it very long without food! Thanks Doreen!

On the buying front, I purchased a ton of stuff. Normally, I have a pile of cash on me but some guys have been regularly stopping in my office to sell me cards and my pockets were bare Saturday. I thought about bringing my check book but for some reason that I don't remember, I left it at home.

Anyway, guys were offering me cards early on. I made three substantial purchases and asked the guys to wait until I made some money before I paid them. I also turned some stuff down because I did not have any funds. Luckily, sales were fast and furious after, say, 10 a.m. and I was able to pay everybody and take a substantial sum home as well. It was awesome!

Unfortunately, my binders are now bare. The one binder I reloaded for the show, my 1969 binder, I forgot at home! So I guess I have one binder filled with cards. I have plenty of cards to use to refill the binders but I just don't have the time to focus on it. I have been slowly reloading my 1974 Topps football binder and should have that one ready to go for the May 1st show. Some of the football binders and hockey binders are well stocked. Once again, I just cannot keep up with the demand.

All in all, a pretty great day. I had a lot of fun. It was nice to see some more folks attending the show who I have not seen in a while like Mark S., who, like many others, now feels more comfortable attending the show after getting vaccinated. It was great to see Larry Larsen who will be setting up at my expanded May show. Larry, who for years has been one of my top dealers, has not been able to set up for more than a year due to health issues. I am thankful he is on the mend!

So the May show should have 60 dealers and 100 tables -- my largest show to date! In the meantime, I cancelled my April 18th Pop-Up Shop because I got word the Orland show is back and running on that day. I opted to set up at Orland instead of running another Pop-Up shop. The Pop-Up Shop has been great but it is tough to convert my office into a card shop then back into an office every month. I may do it again somewhere down the road. The main benefit for me in doing the Pop-Up Shop is that it is the only way I can present my entire inventory. I am just so limited for space at the card shows and it is really difficult to decide what to bring out for just two tables when I have 20 tables of stuff!

Anyway, I huge thank you to everyone who came out to the show and to all the dealers. I am just one person and I learned early on that I cannot have such a successful large scale show without everyone who participates. You guys are amazing! I love hearing all the comments on this blog. I probably would not write it if everyone wasn't telling me how much they enjoy it. Thanks so much!!!

​See you guys in Orland on April 18th!! 

Photo, above, of Yours Truly before the mad rush hit on Saturday. Photo by Mark Lewis.

Pictured above is one of my favorite dealers Roger and his granddaughter, the best helper at the show! Roger has been with me since I started the show in 2014. He's the best!

Pictured here is some of the wax available for purchase at Roger's table. This is where I bought my box and pulled the Gleyber Torres auto.

Sunday, March 14, 2021, Pop-Up Shop, Palatine, IL

I am falling into a routine with the Pop-Up Shop after having completed four of them. During the week leading up, I normally try to organize my office and put everything out of view and pull out all the tables and display cases. I am up to 19 display cases. I could probably fill up one more.

I have one card table by the entrance that I rotate every month. This month I placed my quarter box on there along with some junk wax boxes and a 1997 Donruss rack pack. I sold the rack pack but did not sell any of the boxes. The quarter box saw a lot of action. I'll probably bring out some dollar boxes next month and some programs.

I had a real busy week of work leading up to the Pop-Up Shop and was only able to clean the place and organize my files. I had big plans for Saturday and was hoping to set up quickly and get back home and finish pricing my 1969 baseball binder. Well, I had a client come in along with some early birds for the Pop-Up Shop and was only able to set up all the binders and put out all the display cases. Which was fine because I really didn't want to leave 19 display cases filled with cards unprotected over night. So I woke crazy early on Sunday and made it to the office by 6 a.m. and spent two hours filling up the display cases.

At 8 a.m. I went out to place some signs in the parking lot and saw my first customer of the day, Scott, who purchased a ton of stuff including my 1954 Topps Ted Williams. Thanks Scott! Craig and Doreen arrived around 8:30 a.m. and purchased a ton of stuff as well. Thank you!

Big Tim arrived shortly after and purchased some nice stuff including my Gordie Howe autograph. Thanks Tim! Bill from Antioch was an early entry as well we did a cash and trade deal for my 1973 Mike Schmidt rookie. Several other regulars arrived and made some purchases, like Angel, who bought some 1960 Topps.

I had several new customers attend and make purchases. One couple drove in from Janesville to work on their sets. J.R. came down from Milwaukee and purchased a bunch of stuff. Thank you everyone! I had two guys named Larry at the show and they both purchased some cards. Thanks guys!

I was really happy to see T.J., who have not seen in a few years. T.J. purchased some cards and I learned he grew up on the South Side of Chicago. I always thought he was from the Northwest Suburbs. It was a weekend of southsiders at the my office. A group came in Saturday, including Will, who purchased a stack of 1970 Topps baseball. Then there was T.J. and Paul at the Pop-Up Shop along with my brother who is the track and cross country coach at Marist High School down south.

I had four new guys attend but oddly, they did not purchase anything, which is a first for the Pop-Up Shop. I don't see how you can walk out without purchasing anything. I've got so much stuff!! A couple of new guys came after I closed up. I let them dig through some cards and they purchased my 1957 Luis Aparicio and my 1952 White Sox program. There were quite a few other new customers that made purchases. Thanks everybody! 

Another new aspect was guys bringing in stuff to sell to me, which I really appreciate. My main man Junior stopped by Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday! Thanks Junior! Paul P. brought me several football sets. Thanks Paul!

I seemed to have the right amount of people at the Pop-Up. It never felt crowded. I think I had many more people at the February Pop-Up. As a result, sales were down but not bad.

Next Pop-Up Shop is slated for April 18. There is a rumor that the Orland show is coming back on that day but I do not have it confirmed. If Orland does resume on April 18, I will not be able to attend because of the Pop-Up Shop and will shoot to set up at the May show... if there is one.

In the meantime, my next card show at the Salvation Army, 8853 S. Howell, in Oak Creek, WI, is scheduled for April 3. I plan on bringing out all of my baseball binders. Dealer tables are sold out! See you April 3rd!