Wow, just wow! The Pop-up Shop has become my most successful sports card venture to date -- and that's saying something since I began selling cards in the late 1970's. I never imagined the Pop-up Shop would do so well. I was just looking to fill the void from the cancelled Schaumburg and Orland Park shows. Now I am just going to ride this wave and keep it going indefinitely.

I appreciate everybody who came out and bought cards. I sold a TON of stuff. I don't even remember what I sold. It was a frenzy. Big Tim was the first one to arrive. Tim bought a pile of stuff, and for the life of me, I can't remember what cards he purchased but thank you! Next was Scott, who needed a wheel barrel to cart out all the stuff he purchased. Thanks Scott!

Then there is the Mantle guy I know from Orland. If he reads the blog, please tell me your name next time. You have probably told me it in the past but I am so bad at remembering names. Well, the Mantle guy purchased my 1958 Mantle base card and the all-star along with a 1965 Topps Mantle. Thank you!

Then there is another collector I know from both Orland and Schaumburg whose name I forgot as well. He is always finding cards in my binders and cheapy boxes for his sets. Thank you! Then there is that nice couple from Des Plaines, who I know read this blog. Please let me know your names. I really appreciate you guys and thank you for following me for so long!! Of course, thank you for your purchases!!

Big Bill from Antioch purchased my 1959 Bob Gibson rookie, which is an absolute beauty. Thanks Bill! Then there was Will and Joe, who made my day. I have met so many great people over the decades of setting up at card shows. Will and Joe have become family. Love those guys! I have not seen them since I last set up in Orland back in February. Will purchased a huge pile of 1969 Topps including stars and commons. Joe purchased my graded 1968 Roger Maris and 1970 Rod Carew. Thanks guys! We're all hoping our pal Paul reads this and comes out to the February 21 Pop-up Shop.

Then I had some new customers. One guy purchased a bunch of 1962 Topps baseball, including Yogi Berra, a Babe Ruth commemorative card, and a bunch of league leaders. I did not get his name but I really appreciate the purchases.

Another new customer, Rich, came with his young son. Rich completed his 1976 Topps baseball set and made some headway on his 1970 Topps baseball set. Thanks Rich!

There was another new customer, who told me his name and of course, I forgot it already. He bought a pile of cards which I really appreciate! Then there was long-time customer Angel who purchased a large pile of 1958 and 1959 Topps baseball. Thank you Angel!

A couple of other good pals made some long drives like Jim from Wisconsin. The roads were really slushy in the morning and I really appreciate the effort and purchases! Thanks Jim! Gary came in from Rockford. It was good to see Gary out and about and recovered from his recent surgery. Thanks for coming Gary and thanks for the purchases! 

Ricky, who I met a few years ago in Orland, is working on the T206 set, among others. I did not obtain any new T206's this time around but Ricky found a bunch of 1954 Topps including my Jackie Robinson.

I might have forgot some others, sorry, I have no short-term memory. I really appreciate everyone who came out on Sunday. It is a bit of work converting my law office into a sports card shop for a day but well worth it. I spent all day today converting the Pop-up Shop back into a law office. It is kind of sad in a way, I much prefer to be surrounded by vintage sports cards than legal files.

Anyway, my next Pop-Up Shop will be on Sunday, February 21, 2021. I should have my 1973 Topps Football binder reloaded by then and possibly a few other binders. I plan to have a bunch of new stuff for my display cases as well. I was able to bring out a bunch of different items from the December to January Pop-up Shops and hope to have a great deal of new items for February. Hope to see some new faces at the February 21st Pop-up Shop. In the meantime, my Sports Card Show at the Salvation Army Community Center, 8853 S. Howell, in Oak Creek, WI, is scheduled for February 6, 2021. I have 43 dealers and 73 tables slated for the show -- should be my largest one to date. My waiting list is getting crazy. I am still taking names but it will probably be a few months before I get those people into the show. Hope to see everybody in a few weeks at the Sal!

Vintage Sports Card Pop-Up Shop slated for Sunday, January 17, 2021, at the Law Office of Anthony B. Gordon, 201 E. Dundee Road, Suite 2, Palatine, IL.

The December event went so well that I decided to run it monthly until the Gonzaga and the Orland Park card shows return. 

New for January, I plan to have hundreds more football cards for my display cases. I am also going to bring out my pre-War sports card binder, quarter box, some media guides from the 1970s, and some other goodies. The layout will be the same as December with 16 display cases in the main room and all of my binders will be in the back room.

This should be fun. I will be set up from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hope to see you there. 

January 2, 2021, Salvation Army Community Center, Oak Creek, WI

Several weeks ago, my guy Mark, who is in charge of events at the Salvation Army, sent me an email to confirm the January 2nd show. He asked if I wanted to move it to a different date because the Salvation Army would be closed on January 1 and there was no one to set up the show.

I blindly volunteered to come in on January 1 and set up the show myself. Mark said that was okay but asked me to think about it knowing what a beast it is to set up 67 tables, 100 chairs, and place wall signs all in three rooms.

Well, I had already been promoting the January 2nd date for months and felt I did not have a choice.

I was not up too late on New Year's Eve but it was tough to fall asleep due to all the knuckleheads in my neighborhood lighting off fireworks into the wee hours of the morning. I ended up getting a much later start than I wanted. I threw some clothes into a backpack, in case I wanted to spend the night in Milwaukee. I did not bring any of my cards because:

   (1) I was not sure if there were any tables available for me, due to the massive influx dealers.

   (2) it would have been a real hassle to deal with the cards if I was to spend the night. I am never comfortable leaving cards in my car over night. I am always worried about thieves. So if I brought the cards, I would have had to unload them into the hotel room.

   (3) Lastly, it has become too difficult to manage both my tables and the show.

As a result, I hit the road for Milwaukee at about 11:45 a.m. on New Year's Day with no cards in my car. I had heard reports about snow. Thankfully, the roads were clear when I started out. However, I was greeted by snow and blustery winds when I hit the Wisconsin border.

Around Kenosha, I took a peak in my rearview mirror just in time to watch an SUV spin out and slam into the center median. Boy was I spooked. I thought about pulling over but the roads were so messy, I was afraid I would spin out at the exit. So I stayed in the slow lane.

It wasn't long before I had to move to the left lane to avoid another spin out that I could see in my lane up ahead. Luckily, I did not spin out when I switched lanes. I was also able to get back into the slow lane once I passed the carnage. Man, was I nervous. Then I observed an accident in the southbound lanes involving two trucks and some cars. Southbound traffic was at a standstill for miles.

I was on pins and needles. The roads were bad. It was tough to even see the road and I was never sure that I was actually in a lane. Then you get the morons who haul ass or the morons who tailgate. I had to deal with both of those types. I just held my breath until I hit Ryan Road.

Thankfully the Ryan Road exit had been plowed and I was able to get away from some numbnut practically on my bumper. Didn't he see all the spin outs?

So the exit was plowed but Ryan Road itself was a mess. I kind of slid into the far left lane and slowly drove east toward Howell. A few MadMax types blew by me but I was not speeding up because I was not getting much traction. I almost slid into the intersection at Howell. 

Somehow I made it to the Salvation Army in one piece. Mark left me a key and I was able to get into the building. It was kind of spooky being in that place all by myself. I found the light switch in the gym and just stared at the vast space not really sure how to begin setting it up for the show.

I walked into the Fellowship Hall, the smaller room next to the gym, turned on the lights, then walked into the Hallway by the Chapel, turned on the lights and observed five or six carts filled with tables. I grabbed the nearest cart and tried to roll it into the gym. My back went out. Ugh!

I had to walk it off then was able to roll the carts of tables into the gym. Unfortunately, the gym was blocked by netting used for batting cages. I sent Mark a text asking for instructions to take down the netting. The instructions never came so I figured it out. I found a large ladder and forced my shaky diabetic legs up the rings, near the top, and reached for one of three hooks holding the netting to the wall, about 14 feet up. Back went out again. I climbed down and walked it off again.

Somehow I was able to get the three hooks unlocked and was able to get the netting and myself, safely to the ground. Then Mr. Shaky Diabetic Legs and Achy Back was able to roll the carts of tables into the gym.

My first inclination in the gym was to ditch the carts and shoot some baskets but I figured that would kill all of my arm strength and I would not have anything left to set up the tables.  I was really feeling old and out of shape.

I set to the task of pulling the tables off the carts, pulling out the legs and flipping them over and placing them in rows. I wanted to set up the room the same way Mark usually does it. I know that distancing the tables six-feet from one another was required. I also remembered that Mark places these large plastic dividers, I think of them as hockey boards. I remember when I was a kid in the 1970's, we used them to outline our floor hockey games at the local YMCA.

I did not know they were so heavy! They were stacked up in the hallway between the gym and the Fellowship Hall. It was tough to unstack them then drag them into the gym. They also fit together like puzzle pieces -- very heavy puzzle pieces. It took me a while to put them together but I felt sweet victory when the task was completed.

I then slowly built the rows of tables in the gym. I then had to figure out how I wanted to seat each dealer in the room then place name-plates on each table. Making sure each table was spaced out from each other by six feet. It took a long while to get all the tables in the gym set just right. Then I went about the huge task of placing a chair behind all the tables.

I was delirious and in much pain when the gym set up was completed. Somehow Mr. Shaky Diabetic Legs and Achy Back found some reserves and pushed the remaining carts of tables into the Fellowship Hall.

I had some old photos of the gym set up to use as a guide but had nothing to guide me for the Fellowship Hall. I also observed that there was a divider in the room that had not been there last month. Behind the divider was the remnants of the Salvation Army's Christmas gift distribution. 

I knew that Mark wanted the room to have one-way traffic, so I figured I would need four aisle to make the one-way traffic work. As I went about setting up the tables, I realized there was only space for three aisles. I spent a lot of time rearranging the tables but every way I went only gave three aisles. So I set up three rows of tables and three aisles. I was actually pleased with how it looked in the end. The room was much tighter than the gym due to space limitations. Social distancing would, and turned out to be, very difficult in the Fellowship Hall. Thankfully, nobody complained.

Up went all the chairs in the Fellowship Hall then Mr. Shaky Diabetic Legs and Achy Back was able to finish setting up the back hallway with the remaining tables. I actually felt pretty good at this point. I was sort of charged up and had a second wind which was spent placing signs all over the building, directing people for one-way traffic and from the gym to the Fellowship Hall and into the back hallway.

All in all I was able to blow through set up, it only took me five hours. I was in desperate need of a couch but none was to be had. I shut off all the lights, locked up then removed all the snow that covered my car. I really wanted to go home and get my cards but the roads were horrible. I slid out of the Salvation Army parking lot, slid onto Centennial Drive, then slid onto Howell and back to Ryan. It was a scary drive. I thought there was a hotel on Ryan by the highway but could not find one. I would like to thank the guy tailgaiting me on Ryan while my car slid from lane to lane. Thanks buddy! You're a credit to humanity!!

I turned around at the highway and headed back to Howell. I approached Howell very slowly to avoid sliding into the intersection and getting killed. I asked Siri for directions to the nearest hotel and she directed me to a Marriott on Drexel, just down the road. The hotel had a vacancy and I got a room with a king bed for a hundred bucks.

The Marriott parking lot was a mess and I had trouble getting into a parking space. I sort of figured I would not be able to pull out of the space in the morning but was too tired to put much thought into it.

My room was swanky! It had a full kitchen! The cabinets were stocked with pots and pans. If I would have known, I would have bought some groceries instead of settling for a sandwich at Panera. I had my choice between two different TV trays to use while I sat on the couch, ate and watched TV. I opted to use both trays. I then watched the Bucks beat up the Bulls.

Morning came with a thud. I thought about sleeping in, figuring the card show was set up and name plates were on all the tables. Did I really even need to go? That king-size bed was so comfortable and it was a rare opportunity for me to sleep without fighting my golden retriever for space. I think I hit the snooze three times before I pulled myself out of that comfy bed.

It was pitch black out when I left the hotel around 6:45 a.m. My car was covered in ice and it took awhile the scrape it off. The parking lot was still a mess but I was able to get my car out. I was pleasantly surprised when I got back onto Howell and it was well plowed. I hit Mickey D's then the Sal and was greeted by early bird dealers Roger and Steve. They both sell wax. Are all wax dealers early birds?

So normally I am running around rearranging tables and placing name plates while dealers are breathing down my neck. It was so nice to not have to do anything but eat my egg mcmuffin.

Without tables of my own and cards to sell, I did not really know what to do with myself. A bunch of dealers needed extra chairs and found myself fetching chairs early on. Then there are the guys who were not happy with their location and wanted to switch out. So I had three guys move from the Fellowship Hall and into the back hallway.

I received a bunch of texts from guys informing that they were arriving late. Understandable with the weather. I found myself monitoring set up, making sure all the dealers showed up. I ended up with just one no-show -- Ryan Dragoon. No call, no text. Nothing. Ryan, you are welcome to attend the show in the future but I will not be giving you a table ever again.

In the weeks leading up to the show I was overrun with guys wanting to set up. My dealer waiting list has 30 or so guys now. The largest it has ever been. I felt bad that I could not get more of them into the show. Next month, I'll take someone off the waiting list and give them Ryan's tables.

A bunch of dealers were late but everybody showed up except for Ryan. I had three no-shows last month, it was nice to be down to just one. 

When the doors officially opened to the public, the gym was filled with people at 9 a.m. By 10 a.m. the place was packed and it stayed that way all day! Huge turn out!! 

I enjoyed walking around, shopping, chatting. I received more names for my waiting list. Oh my!

I think this was the first show I ever ran that ALL the dealers reported excellent sales. I think this was my first January show as well. I normally go on vacation in January. I think January vacations are out now and I will run the show each year. It was a phenomenal show!

There were a couple of minor hiccups. A few guys got angry at me before the show because I could not get them tables. What can I do? I have limited space and limited tables. Don't get angry at me! You are welcome to set up in the parking lot at no charge with your own tables.

Speaking of the parking lot, we had a few numbnuts block the driveway to the senior housing that is located behind the gym. WTF? Why would anyone do that? It is clearly a driveway. We could have had a real problem if a medical emergency arose at the senior housing and ambulances were not able to go up the driveway. Please don't block the driveway to the senior housing. I can't believe I even have to say that! Overflow parking is available at Target across the street. Please park in the Target lot if the Sal lot is full.

Then we had a theft at one of the dealer tables. Someone stole some 2020 Prizm basketball rookies which totally sucked.

We had a really big crowd and I guess with big crowds comes trouble. Some guys were getting chippy. This is a card show. It is supposed to be fun. Chill out! If I ever catch any thieves, I will make sure they are prosecuted. These guys will be calling for their mommies once I have them locked up. I have to go to jail to visit clients. It is a nasty place!

Then there were the handful of guys who wore their masks around their necks and gave me serious attitude when I asked them to cover their faces with their masks. Hey! We have a great thing going at the Salvation Army. The whole thing ends if people don't wear their masks. I really need some help with this. If you see anyone at the show with their mask down, please ask them to cover up.

Also, I want to mention that someone left an 11x14 autograph photo on a dealer's table. I have the photo. You can come pick it up at my office in Palatine or I can bring it to the Feb. 6 show. Shoot me an email at abrandongordon@hotmail.com.

​Also, dealers, please do not place card tables or your carts in the aisles. Thank you!

Minor hiccups aside, it was a pretty great day. There was some money exchanged! Several dealers reported sales well into the thousands. Wow!

No sales for me. My cards were snugly at home with the golden retriever. But I did buy a bunch of stuff! See the pictures of my purchases below.

Thankfully, I did not have to take down the rooms. Mark and two helpers had it down in a tenth of the time it took me to put it up. Next month, I am going to come up the Friday before the show again. I won't have to set it up by myself but I will help out. It was nice to have it set up exactly how I want it. I will probably spend the night again but this time I am bringing some cards. I will have some tables. A bunch of guys were disappointed that I wasn't set up.  I'll have cards next month for sure! Though, I think I will take some months off again from selling. It is so much easier on me to just manage the show and not worry about selling cards.

This show has really morphed into something I never imagined but I am adaptable and am just going with it. The next show is February 6. Dealer tables are sold out. You can send me an email at abrandongordon@hotmail.com to be added to the very lengthy waiting list.

In the meantime, I am setting up again at my office in Palatine, Illinois, on January 17. My pop-up shop is really my best opportunity to sell cards these days. The Sal show is just too big now for me to sell. I really need to be a manager there now. I don't know when Gonzaga and Orland are coming back but until they do, I will sell cards monthly at my office.

Thank you to everybody who came out to the Salvation Army today. You folks are my motivation to bust my tail to put this thing on. I know I regularly complain but I do really enjoy it. I hope to see you next month!

Pop-up Vintage Card Shop, Sunday, December 27, 2020, Palatine, IL

So, as most of you know, I work as an attorney in real life while selling sports cards is my hobby. When I moved my law firm into a new office in September, I had in mind that I would use part of the office as a show room for sports cards. Around the same time, I put the word out to see if there was any interest in coming to my office to purchase cards. The response was poor so I shelved the idea for a few months until the Schaumburg, Illinois, show was cancelled, leaving me with just my Salvation Army show as my only outlet to sell cards.

Well, actually, the Sal show has not been much of an outlet for me as I have given up my tables because I am overrun with dealers. Tables for the January 2nd show were pretty much sold out after the December show. I still had a waiting list of dealers left over from December and am now up to 30 or so guys that I have no room for at the show. It is crazy! So, I will bring some stuff Saturday in case there is a no-show but most likely won't be able to set up. 

Essentially, I have no place to set up my wares -- not even at my own show! So back to the show-room idea. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to turn my office into a pop-up vintage sports card shop for one day on December 27th. I posted my plan here and on Facebook. I spent weeks organizing the office and stuffing files away in a closet. My office desks became tables for cards.

I brought in eight card tables from home that I have left over from my flea market days. Then I went out and purchased three 6-footers.

My office consists of two rooms with the front room slightly larger than the back. I had 11 tables in the front room and five tables in the back room. I placed publications and cheapy boxes on my co-workers desk. I brought out some complete sets including 1969 Topps Football, 1975-76 Topps Basketball, and baseball sets from 1975, 1977, 1978 and a dozen or so boxes of lots from various years and sports, and placed all that stuff next to the cheapy boxes. 

I then brought in 15 display cases, three of which are new. So this was the first time I have ever put out 15 display cases. I then proceeded to fill the cases, worried that I would not be able to fill them all. Well, I have purchased a ton of new inventory in 2020 and have priced much of it. Needless to say, I worried for naught because I could have filled up another three or four cases of stuff.

I had a case and a half of graded cards. It has probably been a year or so since I last brought out graded. I think it was at Orland and I sold most of it. However, I have since restocked and had a whole bunch of good stuff. In the other half of the graded case, I placed basketball and hockey cards.  

I filled two cases with pre-war then 10 cases with post-war baseball, lots of stars, high numbers and some odd-ball stuff. I was only able to do one case with football, mostly 1948 Bowmans. I have a ton of other football that I just was not able to get out. I also was not able to put out my Exhibits which I have a ton of right now as well. I have a ton of everything right now! My inventory is the strongest it has ever been!! So now I realize I need to purchase more display cases!!

In the back room, I placed out all my binders. The entire room was filled with binders. It was quite a sight to see. In fact, the whole deal was quite a site to see. I did not realize that I have so much stuff! Maybe I need to stop buying cards... not!!

I spent all day Saturday setting this crazy thing up. My pal Willie came by for an early-bird perusal. It was nice to have the company and great to see Willie who I have not seen since March. Thanks for the purchases Willie!

The office looked pretty cool once I finished setting every thing up. I was like a little kid and could not sleep Saturday night. I arrived at my office around 7 a.m. Doors opened at 9 a.m. I worked on drawing up some signs for the parking lot. My office is in a weird spot at the end of the building and can be tough to find. 

I had some time to kill so I went to Mickey D's and Walgreens. I cleaned the bathroom and thought about taking a nap but there was no place to lie down. After some caffeine, I worked on cleaning the glass on my display cases. I started to get nervous that no one would show up because there are usually a lot of early arrivals at a card show but not at my pop-up shop. I decided to take video of the cards in the display cases. I got through five or six cases when I heard the door and shut off the camera phone. It was my brother, who volunteered to help out and display some stuff on a table. I had no idea what he was bringing out. The last time we set up together was in 1989 and he was hawking Jerome Walton rookies. I was surprised to see a bunch of graded T206s and T205s. He also had four or five graded Johnny Unitas cards along with six or so Christian McCaffery rookies.

It was about 8:45 a.m. when my brother began to set up. At about 9 a.m., customers began to trickle in. Thankfully, everybody was good about wearing their masks. Big Tim was the first to arrive and he purchased a whole bunch of stuff, including my 1969 Topps football set. Thanks Tim!

Bill showed up bearing gifts, including three boxes of publications and a box of 1973 Topps baseball high numbers which were exchanged in a cash and trade deal. Thanks Bill. Then Bill's buddy Phil showed up and just about cleaned me out of Mantles. Thanks Phil!

Ricky, who I know from Orland, came by and purchased a bunch of T206s and T205s. Thanks Rickey! My main man Angel came by and purchased a stack of 1958 Topps baseball. New customer Ed, who said he lives down the street, purchased a whole bunch of stuff, including several Sandy Koufax cards and a 1950 Bowman George Connor football card. Donny came by and purchased publication. Thanks Don!

I have known the rest of the guys, who attended the pop-up shop, for years but I am so bad with names. You guys gotta come back and let me know your names and I will do my best to finally memorize them. The name disease has been a life-long affliction.

Anyway, these guys purchased a ton of stuff, quite a bit of cards out of the cheapy boxes, binders and display cases. Once again, I just about sold out of my graded cards. Man, what a great day! Actually, one of my best days ever selling cards!! I can't thank you guys enough!!

My final customer left around 1:30 p.m. My brother raced out and grabbed us some Taco Bell. I spent a few hours putting all the cards away. I was dead tired when I got home. I have a lot of work to do now pricing more cards and getting ready for my next pop-up shop on Sunday, January 17, 2021, at my office, 201 E. Dundee Road, Suite 2, Palatine, IL. 

The next one should be easier to do because I left all the tables and most of my display cases at the office. I am going to change some things up so I can have a large number of new items out. I have a ton of cards to price for the display cases. I probably won't bring out any graded cards this time. Instead, I would like to get out all of my football cards but will need some additional display cases. I probably won't bring out the publications, cheapy boxes and sets. I am going to bring out some new binders that I have been working on that include vintage post cards, wrappers, autographs, and team-issued photos.

On Monday morning, after my pop-up shop, I met a long-time collector at my office who is selling out. I spent several thousand dollars with him and picked up some great stuff for the next pop-up shop like 1952 Topps high numbers, some 1948 Leafs, 1955 Bowman baseball, 1952 Bowman Large Football and some 1955 Topps All-Americans. I should also have several of my regular binders reloaded by Jan. 17. Hopefully the weather cooperates and the next pop-up shop is as successful as the first one.

In the meantime, my Salvation Army Show, 8853 S. Howell, in Oak Creek, WI, is coming up this Saturday, January 2, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Once again, I will have 40 dealers on 65 sold-out tables. I am overwhelmed with calls for tables. Sorry guys, I just don't have any more space.

Hope everyone had a great Hanukkah and Christmas. Have a healthy and safe New Year and see you January 2nd at the Salvation Army and January 17 at my pop-up shop!!

​Pictured above and below are a sampling of some of the cards I had for sale at the pop-up shop.

With so few shows in 2020 and few opportunities to sell, I decided to create an event at my office where I can  show off and sell the huge amount of cards I purchased this year. I just have not had an opportunity to bring everything out. I have a tremendous inventory right now. I had a banner year for card purchases. A large amount of collections came my way in 2020. Now I need to raise funds for 2021 so I can make more purchases!

I will be setting up from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 27, 2020, at my office, 201 E. Dundee Road, Suite 2, Palatine, IL 60074. My office is located on the west end of the building, along Dundee Road, one block west of Hicks Road.

I am going to bring out my full complement of cards and memorabilia. So I will have all of my binders, baseball, football, basketball and hockey, display cases, publications and cheapy boxes.

I will probably have 12 tables or so of stuff. Everyone must wear a mask!

Saturday, December 5, 2020, Salvation Army Community Center, Oak Creek, WI

These are challenging times. Operating a card show in 2020 is an extreme challenge. I had one dealer cancel because he contracted Covid. I had three dealers that did not show up, did not call. I had 12 dealers on my waiting list, I could have plucked three off the waiting list if the absent dealers would have called to let me know they were not coming.

Thankfully, I did not have the mad rush of cancellations that I had the previous two months. I wish I could offer tables to everyone who wants them but with Covid, we are spacing out the tables and I cannot fit more than 67 tables in the building. Once we get through this mess, I can add more tables and dealers. But for now, I am just stuck.

I am getting more calls for dealer tables than ever before. I am kind of flabbergasted. It is a bit overwhelming. Anyone remember when the show was at the Clarion Hotel and I had just eight to ten dealers? Now I have 40 plus setting up and another dozen on the waiting list. Still no staff to help. It is just me to manage all the dealers plus take on mass amounts of calls from customers.

I also need dealers to stop requesting certain spots in the building. I just can't accommodate you. With such a large waiting list, just know you are lucky to even be set up at the show!

I try my best, I even gave up my tables so someone from the waiting list could set up. Then I had a cancellation the night before the show and ended up with one table. 

More rant: I am thinking of hiring a bouncer to deal with the knuckleheads who refuse to wear a mask or take it off once they enter the building. The show is only allowed to run thanks to the kindness of the folks at the Salvation Army. They have made it clear that the show ends if folks don't wear their masks. I think we're treading on water right now. One or two selfish A-holes are going to ruin it for the rest of us. I can't believe how selfish some people are!

Rant is over. Thankfully no one has reported contracting Covid from the show. Most people are pretty good about wearing their masks. I really appreciate everyone who sets up, attends the show, and wears their masks. 

For the most part, we have a very safe and successful event. I appreciate all the kind words and compliments I receive at the show. It is you good folks that keep me motivated to take on this beast and keep it going every month. It is a huge job and a TON of work.

One dealer told me I am going to have some competition because he is going to start his own show. Well, all I can say is good luck and more power to you! I don't consider any other show competition and I will never discourage anyone from operating their own show. As you know, I had some real trouble with the promoter from the Orland Park show when I started my show in 2014. I felt and still feel that Milwaukee is far enough away from Orland Park, Illinois, that there really was no conflict. I have also been really lucky because Keith at Gonzaga Hall has been really supportive of my show. I will offer that same support to anyone else who wants to run a show. Just be respectful and don't run it the same day as mine nearby. You can pass out fliers at my show and I will encourage folks to set up and attend your show as well. The bottom line for me is this is my hobby, I do this for fun. I never wanted to be a show promoter. I only created this show because I wanted to set up somewhere in Milwaukee on a Saturday. There were no Saturday Milwaukee shows at the time. I like to buy and sell cards. Running a show, not so much.

After this past show, I am hankering to set up again soon. Unfortunately, there is nothing else happening locally. I do not feel like driving three to five-plus hours to set up in some foreign burg. I welcome another local show!

I did indeed have some fun at the show on Saturday. I bought a ton of stuff from Bart Taylor. Thanks Bart! He also watched my table so I could go out and collect table fee from the dealers which was a huge help!

I appreciate everyone who stopped at my table and purchased some cards. Sales were down for me from November. I plan on bringing out my showcases for January and hopefully spur some better sales. I had brought out mostly football binders and was surprised I did not have better sales. I had some really good stuff. Oh well.

It is always fun talking cards. It is great fun buying cards. But I do have other interests. I am a huge classic rock music fan. I have been a big fan of The Who since I was a kid. I worshipped Pete Townsend and many childhood friends called me "Pete." So it was only natural that another huge Who fan was set up across from me at this show in the person of Bob Smith. Early on, I observed a tattoo on his arm that looked like The Who's mod insignia. Bob and I got to talking and indeed he had the mod insignia tattoo. Bob told me he has seen The Who 30 times! I am not worthy! I saw The Who twice in 1982 but did not get to see Keith Moon. Bob sold me a cool photo collage he created of Pete Townsend. Thanks Bob! It was fun hearing about Bob's concert experiences.

At the show Saturday, we did not have quite the crowd that attends a Who concert. Seemed like the crowd was a little down from last month which is understandable because we are in the middle of a freakin' pandemic! So I did have extra time to talk and stick by my table which made the day more fun for me.

I already have a dealer waiting list for next month which I suppose is a good problem to have. The calls requesting tables for the January show started on Sunday, just one day after the December show. Dealers! If you can't make the show for any reason, please call, text or email!!!! Let's allow others to enjoy setting up at the show!!

I hope everyone has a terrific holiday season! See you next year!

Tony

Saturday, November 7, 2020, Salvation Army Community Center, Oak Creek, WI

All of these daily COVID news reports are starting to scare the daylights out of me. I was very worried that the Salvation Army would cancel the show because the Wisconsin COVID numbers are skyrocketing. Many others felt the same way based on the large number of inquiries I received leading up to the show.

Adding to my fear was one dealer cancelling because he had contracted COVID. Three other dealers cancelled because they were sick but did not know whether they had COVID. Two more dealers cancelled because they had been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID. One dealer cancelled because he was watching the numbers, like me, and got spooked.

Thankfully, I never got that call from the Salvation Army. However, this particular show was especially difficult to do. I had all those COVID-related dealer cancellations then a number of other dealers cancelled in the days leading up to the show for other reasons. Ugh!

The COVID-related cancellations appear to be the new norm. The non-COVID related cancellations just suck. I need to be able to turn in an accurate table count to the Salvation Army early in the week so they can properly set up the tables before Saturday. It is just impossible to do with so many cancellations. Thankfully, I seem to have an endless waiting list of dealers so I can plug folks in shortly after receiving a cancellation... but it still sucks and is a ton of extra work.

I am tossing around some ideas to stem the dealer cancellations. One is I make everybody pay in advance and you lose your table fee if you cancel. Two, those that cancel without a legitimate reason, can't reserve a table again, they may opt for the waiting list but I will never again allow them to reserve a table a head of time.

Option one is tough because it creates  lot of extra accounting work for me. Option two, may just work out. So for now on, any dealer that cancels without a legitimate reason, will not be allowed to reserve a table ahead of time and can only be on the waiting list. Repeat offenders will just be banned.

I have the luxury of being somewhat harsh because I am overwhelmed with dealers. It is a rare show where I can get everyone who calls for a table into the show. I am amazed and appreciative of the popularity of the show which continues to grow, even during the pandemic. It boggles my mind at the number of dealers that are out there. Where were you guys in 2015 when I was struggling to find dealers?

It is a new era,  the December 5 show is already sold out of dealer tables. So anyone that wants to get on the waiting list needs send me an email at abrandongordon@hotmail.com. I was able to get everybody on the November waiting list into the show. I am hopeful that I don't have the same number of cancellations for December as I did for November. Man alive! But if you want your name on the waiting list, let me know, I will most likely be able to get you into the show.

Would you mind if I complain some more? Thanks! Cancellations aside, these dealers are so needy! In four decades of setting up at shows, I rarely asked a promoter for a certain location in the room. I don't care where my tables are located. Just give me a couple of tables, I'll set up my stuff and I'm good. Not so with my Salvation Army dealers. Gee whiz! I am overwhelmed with dealers requesting certain locations within the building. I just can't do it. For one, I don't set up the room. The staff at the Salvation Army sets it up on Thursday before the show. They never set it up quite the same. Often, I have to rearrange many of the tables to match my constantly fluctuating dealer list on the morning of the show. Then there are the number of dealers who arrive early, hindering my ability to arrange the room. Dealers! Please don't show up before 8 a.m. I need some time to properly arrange the tables and to place the dealer nameplates on the tables.

Anyway, the rooms are set up differently each month, so when dealers ask for the same spot, I don't know if that spot will actually be there for the next show. Plus, there is no way for me to chart the rooms because they are set up differently every month. It is just too hard for me to commit to giving anyone the same spot each month. All I can do is try. 

Along those lines, everybody wants to be in the gym. I don't have enough space to place all the dealers in the gym. I figure the fairest way to do it is to give the gym to the dealers that set up every single month. So, if you are a new dealer, you are most likely going to be placed in the meeting room or the hallway. When one of the gym dealers drops out, I can move you into the gym.

Regardless, I think many dealers place far too much emphasis on location. I have been selling cards since the late 1970's, and have probably set up at thousands of shows at this point, and not once did I feel my location made any difference in my sales. My sales depend on the number of customers at the show, the quality of my merchandise and my pricing. Also, being friendly goes a long way. Nobody wants to stop at a table manned by the Grinch.

For the November show, I gave myself, what most would consider, the worst tables at the show, which were the tables located furthest from the front door and the last two tables anyone who attended the show viewed as they left the building. You know what? I had a phenomenal day selling cards. I had five or more guys pulling cards out of my binders all day long. I don't need to be in the gym and I am really tired of guys asking for specific locations because it is a real hassle for me and I do not believe it will improve sales one bit. Plus, I am just one person who is trying to sell cards along with managing 40 needy dealers and 500-plus customers. I can only do so much. Rant over.

While it was stressful at times, I really had a great day and overall really enjoyed myself at the November show. I was too busy selling cards at my tables to walk around the show, so I do not have a whole lot of observations as to what occurred. We seemed to have a nice flow of traffic in the hallway where I was set up.

Seemed like we had more people at the November show than we had in October. Dealer reports on sales varied. Some dealers reported outstanding sales while others reported average. A few guys reported that their November sales were down from October. My sales were up and a big thank you to the multitudes of guys that bought cards from me. Also, a big thank you to my helpers, my daughter Tabitha and my friend Jason. I would not have been able to have a table then manage the show without Tabitha and Jason. Thanks guys!

With my pockets brimming with cash, I was not shy when it came to buying. I bought just about everything folks brought to me at my tables. I picked up some vintage Pittsburgh Pirates from Jim. I got some 1969 Topps Decals from Bruce. A new customer sold me some 1951 Topps Red Backs, and I picked up some 1957 mid-series from Terry. Thanks guys.

At noon at every show, I go from table to table collecting table fee. Well, my collections process turned into a buying spree at the November show. I purchased a binder of 1960's commons from Eric, a box with all sorts of stuff from Jeff, including 1962 Topps football, and the piece de resistance -- a 1954 Bowman Mickey Mantle and a 1954 Bowman Willie Mays from Bill, with an assist from Tim.

If you recall, back in March, when shows were shut down, I decided to fill the time building a 1954 Bowman set via eBay. Wow! It turned out to be a really frustrating process. I have been down to just two cards to complete the set for months, the Mantle and Mays. I was consistently outbid on eBay for the cards. Earlier I ended up purchasing a Yogi Berra from Tim on eBay and asked if he had the Mantle and Mays, which he didn't. But on this day, Tim saw the cards in Bill's case and even brought over the Mantle. I eventually went over to Bill's table and purchased both cards at a nice price and my set is now complete!!! I never thought I would complete that thing. Wow!

This little pandemic set build taught me a lot about eBay and card shows. I learned that card shows are a superior place to purchase cards over eBay. While the selection may not be the same, the pricing and ability to view and hold the card in person can't be overstated. Plus, no sniping!! Man, it felt good to complete that '54 Bowman set!!

Overall, I had a really great day, one that seemed to fly by (though if you ask my daughter, it went very slowly). I am looking forward to the December 5th show. I already have 40 dealers lined up on 65 tables. Dealers from November who did not confirm and want in on December, you need to confirm quickly. I will start to give away your tables as I build a waiting list.

I recently created a Frequently Asked Questions section on this site. Click on FAQ tab above. I'm hopeful the FAQ will help limit the multitudes of calls, texts and messages in the week leading up to the show. See you December 5th!

On a final note, I received a request from collector Wayne Villarrubia, who lives in New Orleans, for help completing his 1962 Jello set. Wayne informed me that the 1962 Jello set was a regional set, only distributed in Wisconsin and Illinois. He is seeking the following short-printed cards: 

1 Skowron, 13 Stafford, 63 Pagliaroni, 69 Keough, 70 Tasby, 95 Stephens, 112 Gilliam, 113 Larker, 115 Williams, 116 Coleman, 179 Law, 180 Haddix, and 181 Hal Smith.
​
"I am also interested in the other 8, if any pop up. Here are the other 8 SPs : 2 Richardson, 117 Freese, 118 Blasingame, 156 Maye, 157 Spangler, 166 Flood, 167 Simmons, and 168 Grammas. These 2 are not quite as rare, but still tough : 84 Martin and 143 Miller."

Wayne can be reached at the following emails: 
cannonballsun@msn.com or cannonballsun@gmail.com.

Sunday, November 1, 2020, Woodfield Hyatt, Schaumburg, IL

In the weeks leading up to the show, the Illinois governor upped his COVID restrictions. First the restaurants and bars were shut down in DuPage and Kane counties, then Cook, then Lake and McHenry. Stores and the like were limited to 25% capacity. I figured the show would be cancelled but I never received a call from the promotor, and others I talked to said the show was a go.

After a night of dishing out candy for Halloween and a surprising number of trick-or-treaters in my little burg, I struggled to wake up and get to the show. I made it there around 8 a.m. and thankfully observed that the show was indeed a go. I may be one of the few that happens to support the Illinois governor and his COVID restrictions. We are in a pandemic, people are dying. I've had two clients die. This thing is real no matter what the Looney Tune deniers say or do.

But while I do support the governor, I, like many others, am having a tough time adhering to the mandated restrictions, even though I know better. This pandemic has made me realize that I am incapable of going cold turkey when it comes to certain things. Big Gov. P needs to enforce his mandate so people like me, who just can't help themselves, will adhere to the restrictions. I admire folks with self-control. I struggle with diabetes because of a lack of self control. For example, I know that foods like potatoes increase my blood sugar more than candy bars but I just can't stop eating potatoes. I love the freakin' things and I have been eating them my whole life. Diabetes and this pandemic have given me a lot of insight into addiction, self-control and my own failings.

Yes, I am addicted to card shows. Somehow I made it six months without going to a show. I don't know if I can do that again. Thankfully, it looks like the Schaumburg show and my Salvation Army show can run during the pandemic.

I find it easier to attend these shows knowing there are precautions in place. Everyone generally wears a mask. There is hand sanitizer available and I use it. The tables are spread out. I did not have any issues Sunday breathing with the mask on all day but the straps did start to hurt my ears around noon and the last hour was a struggle.

Achy ears aside, I had such a nice day hanging out with Lou and Don at the Schaumburg show. The crowd was down from last month and we had a lot of extra time to chat. Lou has so many good stories from the old days of card shows going to back to the old Chicagoland Sports Collectors Association from the 1970's. It is really fun to reminisce. While chatting, I observed that we were more than six-feet apart and wearing masks. I feel fine now and hopefully none of us catch the COVID!

I want to talk about my friend Lou a little more. Like me, he suffers from diabetes and has been to hell and back the past few years. Diabetes is just an awful disease and Lou has been hit hard by it. I am so thankful that he is back setting up at shows after a long hiatus due to his diabetes.

Lou is good people, a rare character that I am so lucky to know. While we were sitting at the show Sunday talking, I came to realize just what a great friend Lou is and how he's always watching out for me. Case in point -- that hub bub with John Leary. Back when John Leary came after me, out of the blue, when Mark Smith and I started what is now my Salvation Army show, Lou was one of the few guys that came to our defense and told John that he was in the wrong and should leave us alone.

In case you haven't read my old blogs, here is the abbreviated version of what happened: shortly after Mark and I started the show in 2014, John Leary, the promoter of the Orland show, started telling everyone who would listen that we were stealing the dealers from his show in Orland Park for our Milwaukee show. According to quite a few folks, John talked all sorts of trash about us. None of this made sense to me because nothing could have been further from the truth. Mark and I started the Milwaukee show simply because we wanted to attend a Saturday show in Milwaukee which did not have a regular Saturday show at the time. However, all the while we were still setting up at John's show in Orland Park. There were a few dates that conflicted and we skipped Orland for our show on those dates but we never had any intention to sabotage the Orland show or stop setting up there. In our wildest dreams we never figured our show in Milwaukee, which is a good 100 miles or so north of Orland Park and in another state completely, would have any effect on John's show.

So Mark and I confronted John and rather forcibly told him to stop talking trash about us and to stop spreading lies. John's response was that we had no right to promote our own show in another state, 100 miles away, and should have asked for his permission before creating our show. He honestly said we had no right to create our own show and had to ask for his permission! I hate to speak ill of the dead, but John Leary was an asshole to the ninth degree who thought he was the king of the card shows and the rest of us were his lowly subjects. I was not about to kiss that SOB's ring. He had no right!

As a result, Mark and I stopped setting up at the Orland show where I had been a dealer for 15 years and rarely missed a show. On the few occasions I had to miss an Orland show, John was an ass about it. When I told him I wanted to take my family on vacation to South Dakota and miss one of his summer shows, he told me not to go because South Dakota was not on his bucket list!! I ignored him and had a great time seeing Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills and the Badlands. South Dakota should be on everyone's bucket list!!

Back to the hub bub... there were some emails exchanged. I basically told John to go fuck himself. He then called up everyone he knew and tried to show them the emails. Lou told John he did not want to see the emails and should stop attacking Mark and I. John obviously did not listen to Lou so I took a four-year hiatus from the Orland show.

Eventually, John died and a new owner bought the show from his estate. My main man Lou, told the new owner Rich, that he should call Mark and I and get us back in the show. Thanks to Lou, Rich called me and asked me to set up. So now I am back at the Orland show, happy as a clam. Plus, since I moved my show to the first Saturday of the month, it does not seem to ever conflict with the Orland show and all is good. Even better is that Rich, the new promoter, does not care that I run a show 100 miles away and in another state... and why should he? My show is 100 miles away and in another state!!! It does not have any effect on the Orland show!!! For some reason, my show drove King John crazy. It will never make sense to me. But I am so thankful for Lou standing up for me and for getting me back into the Orland show. 

Ah, lads, Lou's work was not done after Orland. After COVID hit and the Schaumburg show started up this past July, Lou called and said I should set up at that show. I was hesitant, being a vintage dealer at a show with a reputation for modern cards. In the end, I was desperate for a show and took Lou's advice and have really enjoyed the Schaumburg show these past few months and plan on continuing being a dealer there for the foreseeable future. The best part of the Schaumburg show is that I get to hang out with my pal Lou. I am so lucky to have Lou as a friend and to have him looking out for me!! Thanks buddy!!

Did I say that Lou always looks out for me? Well, Lou made my day Sunday when he brought in a guy selling his vintage collection. The seller showed his cards to Lou, who bought a bunch of them. Lou then sent the seller over to me and I bought a really nice group of 1933 Goudeys, 1934 Goudeys and 1948 Leaf. If I didn't run out of money, I would have bought more stuff!

Even though my sales were way down from last month, I had a really great day between hanging out with Lou and Don and purchasing some great cards. As usual, I also bought a bunch of cards from Junior. I am looking forward to the next Schaumburg show on December 6. I am going to have to change up some things for that show to spur some sales. My binders did not do well at the November show. I will probably go back to the display cases which worked out well in October. If you plan on attending the December Schaumburg show, please let me know what you would like me to bring out. A few guys asked for 1957 Topps baseball, which I did not bring out to the November show figuring wrong that I would do better with my football binders. I will have that '57 binder at the December show.

If you collect anything hockey, be sure to come to the December Schaumburg show and see Lou!! Also don't miss Lou's tablemate Don, who has some one-of-a-kind items as well. Good people make good times... which is probably why I am addicted to card shows. John Leary aside, I have met so many amazing people at the card shows. Makes me feel like George Bailey from "It's A Wonderful Life" some times. Zuzu petals!

October 4, 2020, Hyatt Woodfield, Schaumburg, IL

Back in August, my pals Donny and Lou told me they were setting up at the Hyatt Woodfield show and encouraged me to attend. On the morning of the August show, I just couldn't get out of bed. With the diabetes, I have a lot of sleep issues. After the show, Donny told me how he sold Junior a bunch of Hank Aaron cards really cheap -- that was all I needed to hear, not even diabetes could stop me from attending the September show.

I still had a tough time waking up for the September show and got there close to noon. Thankfully, all the dealers were still set up. I was impressed that all the dealers and customers were wearing masks. I was also impressed that all the dealer tables were spread out between two rooms and a hallway, all socially distanced.

It was so great to see Donny, Lou, Tom, Dell, Skip, Karl, Cigar and the host of other people I knew at the show. I love these guys and had missed them while isolating the past six months.

I ended up buying a box of 1957 Topps baseball from Tom and a box of 1960's Cubs and Sox from Eric. Tom introduced me to the promoter Joe and I booked two tables for the October show, not knowing the Salvation Army was about to allow my show to start up again.

I was concerned about booking tables at this show being a vintage dealer. I had never been to the show before September, thinking it was just a modern-card show. I really struggled with what to bring.

Then, when the Salvation Army called, I was stuck doing two shows that weekend. In my younger days, two shows were not a problem, but as I've aged, lost my hair, sport a beer belly and suffer from diabetes, two shows in one weekend is very difficult for me to handle. However, there has to be some honor amongst dealers. I booked the show and it is my responsibility to attend! And attend I did!!

I was placed in the first room with Tom, Lou and Donny. After posting a blog that I was going to bring out my vintage baseball mitts, cheapy boxes and smattering of display cases, which I brought out to Oak Creek, the day before, I called an audible and decided to bring out six display cases, because I knew from experience that six would fit on two 6-foot tables. I could have done eight if I placed the cases on their side but it is difficult to deal with that type of set up. So I opted for an easy set up with just six display cases and nothing else. As most of you know, I have 70 or 80 binders stuffed with vintage cards on top of 15 display cases filled with stuff when I am at my max display.

I am amazed at how many people read this blog. I had a bunch of guys ask about my 1954 Bowman set that I started in March and have been blogging about. Then a bunch of guys at the Hyatt show called me out for not bringing out the cheapy boxes and the mitts. You know, sometimes when I write these blogs, it is just me talking to myself and I forget that thousands of folks all over the country are reading these musings. I have to be more careful!

And wow! My blog followers showed up for me at the Hyatt show. I am so thankful that so many guys came out to the show just to see me!! You guys rule!! Prior to the show, I felt I would be lucky to make table fee but I had table fee and more after the first hour of the show. Then the sales kept coming. Thank you guys!! I had a tremendous show. I booked tables for the November 1 show. Now what to bring out November 1st? I'm thinking binders but don't hold me to it, I may change my mind!!

​I can't believe I've never set up at this show! I am looking forward to the November 1st show.

October 3, 2020, Salvation Army, Oak Creek, WI

I never expected such a long lay off with my last show being March 7, 2020. Seven months later with a lot of planning and a lot of work, I was able to make it happen with a lot of help from the kind folks at the Salvation Army.

COVID has made this the craziest of times, not to mention all the other events occurring in the U.S., making this not only the craziest of times but also the most trying of times. I really want to get back to some sort of normalcy. In July, I started bothering the Salvation Army and was told they would not allow the show to occur in August and September.

Just when I was ready to give up on 2020, I was contacted by the Salvation Army in early September and told that they had an administrative meeting about the show, they came up with a plan and I could hold the October show. Woot! They had the whole thing mapped and charted out. I was impressed. Their plan called for one entrance to the gym and a separate exit. They also decided on one-way traffic through three rooms, with dealer tables separated by at least six feet. Everyone had to wear a mask. Hand sanitizing stations would be placed throughout the show.

I quickly agreed and set about the momentous task of determining the dealers for the show. I had been in sporadic contact with my regular dealers over the past seven months and had received a lot of inquiries from new dealers. I decided to start with all the dealers that confirmed for the April show, which was cancelled. I found that I did not have contact information for everyone and did my best to get in touch with as many as I could. If I never contacted you and you would like to set up at the November 7 show, send me an email at abrandongordon@hotmail.com. 

Several guys expressed a concern for COVID and did not want to set up, decisions I totally respect. I think it is a wise move for anyone with pre-existing conditions that would make them susceptible to COVID to stay away. For me, I am pretty sure I had COVID back in March but was unable to get tested at that time. As you may recall, tests were not widely available back in March. It took months for tests to be available for the general public at large. I am hopeful that I have some sort of immunity but I am also confident in the restrictions in place. I really don't see a big difference between going to a show and going to a grocery store. 

As for my mental health, I really needed to attend a show. Actually not only just my mental health but I needed to attend a show for my soul. I can't deal with being cooped up for so long!!

I had to really put the pedal to the medal to get this thing together. I had to contact 40 guys that booked for April than another 25 or so more that had asked for tables. It was crazy. Guys would commit one day than drop out the next. I had all of these back and forth phone calls, texts, emails and Facebook messages. Ugh! On top of it, I'm extremely busy at work. I almost lost it when a bunch of guys cancelled at the last minute and I had to contact a bunch of people on my waiting list the night before the show when I was burnt out from a rough day at work. This affair did not help my diabetes.

Then I had to deal with endless phone calls, texts, emails and Facebook messages from folks that wanted to attend the show but had all sorts of questions. There is one question that I regularly receive and I really hate to answer: Are any of the grading companies going to be grading cards at the show? NOOOO!! The grading companies have never, ever, never, ever, been to Wisconsin. I don't ever foresee them coming to Wisconsin in the future. You have to contact them and submit your cards, through the mail, directly to them in California, Texas or Florida. They aren't in Wisconsin! Unless Joe Orlando gets wind of our amazing Sloppy Joe, he is not coming to the Salvation Army in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

I totally understand folks that contacted me to confirm the show and don't mind those inquiries. It is the stupid questions that drive me nuts. How many dealers? How many tables? Do they have toilets in the building? Can I bring my dozens of 1988 Topps sets and try to sell them to the dealers?

I am just one person and I can't answer all these questions. I try my best but I can't get back to everybody. Just come out to the show and see it for yourself! This is a tremendous show with tremendous dealers. If you collect cards and sports memorabilia, you are missing out by not attending this show. I am in awe at how the show has grown and increased in quality. We had some dealers on October 3 with inventories that rival any dealer at the National. Did you guys see Tommy Larsen's table? Oh my! I think he had 15 Gehrigs, 30 Cobbs, five or six Ruths, Christy Mathewson, Shoeless Joe -- Amazing!!

Amazing cards aside, if you have never run a card show, or run one with 40-plus dealers, you have no idea what a cluster@$%# it is to do. The worst part is the no-shows. I had two no-shows on the day of the show which drives me absolutely nuts because once someone commits to setting up, I expect them to set up. I also turn dozens of people away each show because I don't have enough dealer space for everybody. It just sucks that someone who wants to set up can't because some jerkoff reserved a table then doesn't even bother to show up. 

I might have to start making every dealer sign a contract, pay in advance then file a lawsuit against these people that don't show up. It is just not right. These folks need to take an iota of responsibility and call me if they can't make it. Give me a chance to fill the space. Don't blow off the show if you registered to set up!

I apologize to all the guys that wanted to set up but could not get a table because I thought I was sold out. I wish I could have everyone set up who would like to but I just don't have the space... especially now that we are social distancing all the dealers. I thought about moving the show to a larger venue but then I would have to double or triple table fee and most importantly I would lose the best partners in the world -- the Salvation Army. I can't say enough about Mark and everyone at the Sal. They really went the extra mile. They had to set up three rooms, place arrows on the walls and the floor, and make sure everyone wore a mask.

For the most part, the crowd was pretty good at keeping their masks on. I had a few complaints from dealers and customers who observed other dealers and customers not wearing their masks. I asked a couple of guys to put their masks on. They said they could not breath with the mask. I get it, I have trouble breathing with it on as well but I find that the longer I wear it, the easier it is to breath. 

Then there was one dealer that was militant about not wearing his mask. I told him before the show that he had to wear a mask and he did not protest. I then put a list of rules on every dealer table, including the one about everybody wearing a mask. He was fully informed that he was required to wear a mask. Why be a dick and not wear one?

Here is my main issue with the guys who won't wear a mask at the show -- the Salvation Army will shut down the show if everybody is not mask compliant. I, for one, want the show to continue every month. I think it would just suck if the Salvation Army shuts it down because one or two guys are absolute jerk-offs. Don't set up and don't attend if you have a problem wearing a mask!

Also, attendees who observe folks not wearing a mask, please ask them kindly to put on their mask. Making your complaints to me requires me to leave by tables to enforce the mask rule. I would prefer to be able to stay at my tables during the show.

More about masks. I don't care about the politics regarding masks. I just want to have the show! So wear your freaking masks so we can have the show!!! My card show is not the place to protest the mask edict. Do it somewhere else!!

Despite that one jerkoff, I had a really great day. Turn out was tremendous. It was so great to see everybody after such a long lay off. A few guys brought some cards over to my tables to sell. I bought a bunch of hockey with several Bobby Orr cards.

My sales were much better than expected. I had paired down my set up because I only had two 6-foot tables. Plus, I had some cards stolen at the March show so I did not want to leave anything high-dollar out on my tables as I can't man them the whole show. Little "fires" erupt during the show and I have to leave my tables to put them out. I also have to collect table fee from all 40 dealers and keeps me away from my tables for part of the show.

As a result, I kind of had a junky set up while the show was filled with some superstar dealers. Did you guys see all the Mantles in Mike Slinkman's case? Wow! You modern dealers and collectors are going to have to tell me the cool stuff on the modern tables. I have no knowledge about that stuff other than what I have read about concerning exploding prices for modern cards.

As far as vintage goes, this was by far the best vintage show I have had since I started the show in September of 2014. If I wasn't so busy, I probably would have dropped some serious coin.

So everyone who attended had to enter through the west door, go into the gym, into the back meeting room, then into the chapel. While I wanted to give myself the best tables in the house, the ones facing the entrance, I thought the right thing to do was to take the tables closest to the exit. I observed that it took awhile for folks to venture through the gym, meeting room and into the chapel where I was set up. We had some amazing stuff in the chapel and it filled up by late morning.

I brought out my cheapy boxes and they saw quite a bit of action. I brought out three display cases and sold quite a few cards. I have 15 display cases total and can fill them all up with cards, so three was a huge reduction for me. I did not have a whole lot of room for binders and just put out my 1970's binders for baseball. Surprisingly, the binders saw a lot of action. I also brought out a few sets and Bruce was kind enough to purchase my 1976 Topps baseball set. Thanks Bruce!

I was surprised I was even able to set up. I initially gave my tables away to another dealer who ended up cancelling at the last minute. I'd be surprised if there are extra tables for me at the November show. If there are, I don't know what to bring out. As I said, I suffered a theft at the March show. Someone took out all the Milwaukee Braves from my 1962 Topps baseball binder and did not pay for them. It was only around 30 bucks, but still, the fact someone would steal from me, really dims my enthusiasm for setting up when I can't be there to watch for thieves. There are some kind folks who have offered to watch my tables for me but I really need an experienced dealer who has an eagle-eye for thieves. It is amazing how bold some of these thieves are.

Another bummer about the show was no Sloppy Joe. The folks at the Sal felt with COVID, they shouldn't serve anything other than bags of chips and soda. I understand but was really hopeful that I'd get a few Sloppy Joes.

I stopped off at some place called the Charcoal Grill after the show on Howell. Decent place. I had a Rueben which was pretty good. I was also able to watch some college football on a big screen.

I did not get home until 5:15 p.m. It was a long day. I know I complain. I like to complain. I think I am very skilled at complaining. But despite my complaints, I had a great day and am looking forward to the November 7th show. Since I was stuck in the chapel for most of the show (is someone trying to tell me something?), I would love to hear your stories about the show. Most every dealer reported excellent sales. What did you guys do or see at the show? Let me know!

Pictured above is new dealer Maria Kuhn at the October 3, 2020, Salvation Army show. Maria's table was located in the Chapel, one of three large rooms with dealers at the show.