Four Points Sheraton, Milwaukee, July 7, 2018

We were back in our regular room for the July 7th show. No problems with the hotel to report other than they shortchanged me by one table. I went into a store room and helped myself to a table. I have to remember to contact the hotel prior to the August show to make sure they give me the appropriate number of tables.

I had a lot of great stuff for my customer giveaway. Prior to the show, I picked up 2016 Panini Baseball, 2016-17 Panini Basketball, 2015-16 Panini Basketball, 2016 Absolute Football, 2015 Contenders Football, 2015 Score Football, 2015/2016 UD Hockey, and 2018 Topps Series I baseball. For the July show I allowed all customers to choose three packs of cards. Unlike previous months, most customers went for the baseball. Usually, customers seem to like the basketball cards. During the show I purchased a box of 2017 Topps Heritage baseball to add to the pot. I will pick up additional boxes of wax for the August 4th show where I will again allow all customers to choose three free packs of cards.

On a side note, I stopped at a relatively new card shop in Illinois to try and get some wax for my giveaway. The shop did not have much wax and what he did have was priced extremely high. I think the shop opened in January or maybe last fall. I have driven by it a ton of times and did not have a chance to stop until recently. Well, I'm surprised the shop is still open. There is not much inventory. Very little vintage and prices are not marked. I told the owner that I was looking to buy wax to giveaway but I did not want to pay $100 a box. He went on a rant on how certain large wax dealers are cornering the market and inflating prices. I told him about one large wax dealer that has very reasonable prices. His response was that he is going to buy them out. Needless to say, I felt this guy was a little off and I won't be stopping there again. I'd be surprised if he stays open much longer.

I plan to stop in a couple other card shops, that are a little more friendly, before the show to pick up some wax for the giveaway. Just a heads up, for the September show, in honor of my four-year anniversary of running the show, I am going to change up my giveaway. At the September show only, I will provide a prize table where everyone who attends the show will pick a slip of paper out of a hat that will identify a prize from the prize table. I am still gathering prizes but so far I have several autographed items including a Warren Spahn autographed postcard, bobbleheads, modern and vintage cards and there will be an option for customers to choose four packs of cards.

Back to the July show, I had a full house of dealers and had to turn some away. Normally, I will bump up the show to a larger room in the hotel when I get a rush of dealers. This time, however, I was unable to get a larger room because guys were calling me the night before the show requesting tables. I can't get a larger room the night before the show. So -- Attention all dealers! Please call at least a week before the show if you want to secure a spot in the room!!

As usual, before the show, I had given out a large number of fliers, posted the show all over the internet and purchased an ad on Facebook. The result was a tremendous crowd. Thank you everybody!!

The large crowd turned into large sales for me. Jerome was there early, as usual, and he pulled a nice stack of 1978 Topps baseball. Paul pulled some 1975s. A father and son team spent most of the day going through my football binders and purchased stacks and stacks of cards.

Andy was in from Orlando and purchased a bunch of cards including some 1933 Goudeys. Bill came up from Illinois and found some Post Cereal cards. One of my regular customers just about cleaned out my 1969 Topps baseball binder. Quite a few other guys pulled cards from my binders. I also sold quite a few cards from my display cases.

On the buying front, I picked up a large group of 1964 Topps baseball cards and a stack of 1965 Philadelphia football cards.

When there was a break in the action, I went around the room to see how the other dealers had fared. I was surprised to learn that several guys reported slow sales while others reported excellent sales. I feel that my job as a promoter is to get customers to attend the show, which I regular achieve with great success. It is the job of the dealers to sell their items. When there is a large crowd, like there was at the July show, and you as a dealer don't sell much, that means it is time for you to reevaluate. 

I have been selling cards since the late 1970's and here is my advice to increase sales:
          (1) Review your inventory.
                 a.  You need to ask customers as they walk by what they collect and what are                             they interested in purchasing. If those items are not on your table, you need                         to start the process of obtaining inventory that will draw more interest.
                  b. Pay attention to what customers are purchasing at other dealer tables and                             obtain similar inventory.
           (2) Lower your prices.
                   a. If  your items are not selling, there is a good chance you have priced them                             too high. 
           (3) Place price tags on all of your items.
                     a. The vast majority of customers want to see a price tag. As much as they may want a card, the price is always the deciding factor. Many customers will not ask you for a price. You must have your items clearly marked.
           (4) Have fun and be friendly.
                   a. Nobody wants to stop at a table where the dealer is visibly distressed. People can sense these things. Chill out! Start up a conversation. Make a joke. Try and enjoy yourself. We're dealing with sports memorabilia -- it's inherently fun!
           (5) Change  your inventory from show to show.
                            a. If you bring the same stuff out to each show, you are wasting your time. You need to have a large enough inventory where you can rotate items in and out. I make sure I bring a reloaded binder or two to each show and add a large number of cards into my display cases. I also rotate stuff in and out like publications and autographs. I converse with all of my customers to learn what they are collecting. I have all sorts of sales before the show even begins by bringing in specific items for specific customers. 
                           b. Buy, buy, buy. You gotta spend money to make money. I probably go a little overboard and spend between $500 to $1,000 at every show. At the very least you need to drop $100 at each show on new inventory. You must have new items on your table at each show. If you can't buy at a show, buy online. The key is to buy, buy, buy. You need to keep adding new stuff to your table!
           (6) Self promote.
                             a. The show promoter can only do so much for you. You need to get the word out whether it be letting folks know you will be at a particular show, items you have on sale, or start a blog. This blog you are reading has resulted in a TON of sales. 

As I have said many times before, anyone can be a dealer. There is no licensing involved. All you need to do is call a promoter like me and reserve a table. You never stop learning. I am always trying new things to increase sales. If you have a lousy show, just change things up for the next. If you have never set up at a show, give it a try! It is fun!

My next show at the Four Points Sheraton is on August 4, 2018. I have a really great group of dealers lined up. The smart dealers will have new items on their tables. I will have a ton of new stuff on my tables like recently reloaded 1950 and 1951 Bowman baseball cards, 1981 Topps Football, and tons of new stuff in my display cases. I am currently working on 1982 Topps Football cards and plan to have those ready for the August show.

One final item, I really appreciate all the recommendations for new venues to host my show. I have recently been in contact with many places and hope to have a new venue lined up shortly. With all the great support for this show from customers and dealers alike, I definitely will continue the show into 2019 and beyond. Stay tuned for updates on the new venue. In the meantime, I hope to see everyone on August 4th!!
        

I attempted to attend a Cubs-Dodgers game at Wrigley Field at the end of June with my sister, who was in town from Colorado and her fiance. I got there extra early to make sure I picked up a Jason Heyward bobblehead. It may have been the first time I watched batting practice since the late 1970s. Oddly enough, I remember it was a Cubs-Dodgers game as well back then and I was at the game with my sister. The memory is clear because Steve Yeager came over and started hitting on my sister, who was in high school at the time. This time around, no Steve Yeager but I did get a glimpse of Tommy Lasorda, pictured above (Tommy is in the middle of the crowd), while waiting to get into Wrigley Field. We ended up sitting at Wrigley for two hours before the game was called due to rain. 

My sister and her fiance took a train in from the suburbs. I offered to drive them back. I had parked a few miles away, like I normally do, to avoid spending a hundred bucks to park near Wrigley. I used to work and live near Wrigley, so I always enjoy walking around the area. I had a really pleasant walk to the game. I stopped in one of my old haunts for a hot dog. The owner remembered me, which was cool.

The walk back to my car was not as pleasant. My sister's fiance was freaked out, thinking we were going to get shot. So here is some insider information from a fourth-generation Chicagoan. As I told my sister's fiance, who didn't believe me, you are NOT going to get shot anywhere near Wrigley Field. The neighborhood that contains Wrigley is called Lake View, it is one of the nicest neighborhoods in Chicago and is very expensive to live in. While there are some trouble spots due to the large number of taverns in the area, shootings are rare. If you stumble out of a bar at 3 a.m. and are one step away from losing your cookies, yes, you may get conked on your head and lose your wallet. But if you are walking around at 4 p.m., you may just pass a local family or two out for a stroll. There are no gangs in Lake View. Shootings are rare. It is a really nice place. Over the years I lived in two different apartments in Lake View and rented an office there. The only problems I ever had were with Cub fans who couldn't handle their liquor.

I know Chicago is regularly in the national news for violence and shootings but these things are largely confined to parts of the South and West sides of the city where poverty is high and gangs are rampant. Chicago is a very large city and Wrigley Field is located on the North Side, well away from the violence that regularly takes place on the South and West sides. So rest assured, you will NOT be shot near Wrigley Field. 

Note to self, never offer to give sister and her fiance a ride.

​Anyway, I took my family on a little vacation around the Fourth of July. We decided to go to Mackinac Island in Michigan, to recreate a trip my wife and I took shortly after we were married 20 years ago. We started out in the New Buffalo area and spent the night with my folks, who have a cottage there.

For as long as my family has been in Chicago, well over a hundred years, my family has been spending summers in southwest Michigan. Somewhere there is a photo of my grandmother on the beach in the 1920s. In the late 1800's, there was a wealthy lady in Chicago named Jane Adams who assisted immigrants with her settlement house called Hull House. Jane Adams assisted my great-grandparents by getting them a farm in the town of South Haven, Michigan. 

We had lunch in South Haven which is quite the tourist town these days. We wanted to go to the beach but it was too crowded, there was no place to park. We stopped in St. Joseph as well and had ice cream. My dad recommended Saugatuck. We stopped there and tried to find a place for dinner but the town was jammed. We walked around then continued north.

We settled down for the night in Holland, Michigan. I've actually done card shows in Holland but never had a chance to explore. We spent the morning touring a Victorian Dutch windmill, pictured above. We then continued our drive north along Route 31 and made our way to Traverse City. The scenery along Route 31 is something else -- rich, dark green forests, golden bluffs with tremendous views of Lake Michigan.

In Traverse City, we arrived during the Cherry Festival. This part of Michigan is known for its cherries. There was an art fest and carnival in the center of town. My kids enjoyed the carnival. Below is a picture of my daughter at the carnival. I really like Traverse City, it is a beautiful old-timey town on a bay along Lake Michigan. The only downer is a restaurant called The Towne Plaza where we made the mistake of dining. The hostess was snooty and rude. After we left, I realized the waitress short-changed me by five bucks. Avoid the Towne Plaza restaurant in Traverse City at all costs.

The best part of Traverse City is actually a short drive away in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. Here we found some beautiful beach front and spent the day swimming in Lake Michigan.

​After a few days in Traverse City, we were off to Mackinac. Before the trip, my wife reserved a room at the Bavarian House, a resort in St. Ignace, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula, along Lake Huron. From Traverse City, we continued north on Route 31 and drove across the Mackinac Bridge, the dividing line between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The bridge is something else. It was the largest of its kind when constructed in the 1950s.

Our room at the Bavarian House was scented with mold which was a bummer. Though, out the back door was our own private beach on Lake Huron with a view of Mackinac Island across the bay.

I have been lucky enough to have traveled to Mackinac Island many times. It never gets old. I love it. If you have never been to Mackinac Island, you must go! The center piece of the island is an old fort that dates back to the Revolutionary War. There are actors that give tours and shoot off muskets and cannons.

The most unique aspect of Mackinac Island is that motors are not allowed. There are no automobiles there. The only modes of transport on the island are bicycles and horses. Also, the only way to get to Mackinac Island is by boat. There are two ferry companies in St. Ignace -- Shepler's and Star Line. Shepler's is nice because parking is free and it is only a 15 minute ride to the island. Star Lines charges extra to park and is slightly more expensive than Shepler's. The nice thing about Star Lines is that it is a longer ride and takes you under the Mackinac Bridge.

So the whole island is on the National Register of Historic Places. It became a tourist designation in the 1800's. There is the famous Grand Hotel where the movie "Somewhere in Time" with Christopher Reeve was filmed in 1980. We arrived at the Grand Hotel on the Fourth of July where the hotel was hosting a carnival. My son enjoyed playing games at the carnival and he spent the day attempting to win a silly hat, which he won after several hours of play, pictured below.

While my son was playing games, my wife, daughter and I sat on the amazing front porch of the hotel. The wife and I drank a few cocktails and enjoyed the old-time jazz band performing below at the carnival. We then took a horse and buggy tour across the island. The tour would have been enjoyable except for a large group of folks sitting behind us with a ton of small kids. The group was so loud that we could not hear the tour guide. I was a little peeved because I dropped 80 bucks to take my family on the tour. We hopped off the tour by the fort and headed for fudge shops.

​
Mackinac Island features dozens of fudge shops and for some reason fudge tastes better on Mackinac Island than any other place in the world. We brought a bunch of fudge home. I'm a stickler for the traditional chocolate fudge. My wife likes blueberry and my son like mint chocolate chip.

When the sun went down on the fourth of July, we were able to watch the St. Ignace fire works from the beach behind our hotel. We could also see fireworks being shot off the island.

On the way home, we thought we would explore central Michigan. Ugh! Big mistake! There is nothing in central Michigan except farms and run-down towns like Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. Next time, I will stick to the coasts. I would really like to explore the Lake Huron coast on the east side of Michigan. That will be a trip for another time.

In the meantime, I recommend a trip along the west coast of Michigan. It is amazingly beautiful and the towns are wonderful.

Orland Park Civic Center, June 24, 2018, Orland Park, IL

I had to miss the May show because it was scheduled the same day as the Gonzaga show. So I was really looking forward to the June show. I had reloaded all of my 1970s baseball binders and added some neat stuff to my display cases like 1948 Bowman basketball.

It is a long meandering drive from my house in Lake County, Illinois, to Orland Park which is in the southern end of Cook County. If you have never been to the Chicago area, Cook County holds Chicago and a large chunk of the surrounding suburbs. More than five million people live in Cook County. It is massive and to drive from one end to the other is at least an hour drive on the highway on a Sunday morning. Heading back in the afternoon is an hour and a half or longer. So I am always relieved when I arrive at the Civic Center after that long drive.

However, as long as my drive may be, others travel much further than I do for this show. There's Walt that drives a couple hours up from central Indiana. I saw Jim from Michigan at this show. I also met another dealer from Michigan as well. There are usually a few guys that make the trip from Wisconsin. I saw a dealer from Iowa at the show, though he wasn't set up, he came as a customer.

Needless to say, the Orland show is pretty good and getting better under the leadership of promoter Rich Troy. My only complaint is that Rich slightly moved my tables for the April and June shows. I take three tables up against the west wall. The room has a goofy design where every 20 feet there is a doorway. The walls jet inward at each doorway. So my middle table is at a doorway with the walls that jet inward. The result is that there is a degree of difficulty walking behind my three tables because of the doorway walls that block the middle table. I have to put my display cases on the far left and far right ends of my set up which really drives me crazy. I like my display cases to be in a row. This is causing me a real problem. As, I've stated before, I set up at shows for fun, not to be aggravated. This set up is driving me nuts. For the next show, I am going to pull my tables way out into the aisle. I don't know what else to do. I am going to have to figure this one out because I can't keep setting up this way.

Another problem with the Orland show is thieves. This has nothing to do with the promoter. For whatever reason, this show attracts middle-aged men who don't look like criminals but have dancing hands and swipe cards. There is one guy in particular who usually wears some sort of Hawaiian shirt. He looks to be 65 years old or so, he swipes cards from me every show. The problem is that I never catch him in the act but I know he's taking cards. I enlisted my pal Will to keep tabs on the thief at this show. This thief is well schooled. He was able to take a handful of cards out of my 50-cent box without me or Will seeing him. Will's son Joe saw the thief in the back hallway pull a handful of cards out of his pocket. The cards were in my holders. So maybe he stole three or four bucks worth of cards. Not a big loss but it still sucks that this guy is at every show swiping cards from me and other dealers. To all my regular customers, please help me keep an eye on this guy. I want to catch him in the act and have him arrested. 

The June show itself was excellent. I was mobbed as usual. Dave, Rick, Will, Chris, Larry and Paul bought a bunch of stuff. Like I said in my last Gonzaga blog, I'm horrible with names. Please give me a reminder and I'll list you here in the blog. I really appreciate everyone. There is a great group of guys that regularly buy from me at this show and we have such a good time.

I made the mistake of talking politics which never goes over well. I think we would all be better served if we stick to discussing cards and sports at the shows. There is a huge political divide in this country right now and I am not going to be able to convince anyone to think like me and no one is going to be able to convince me to think like them. Cards and sports are a happy medium and we can usually agree. I respect everyone and you have the right to think in any manner that you please, as well as do I. Let's just agree to disagree.

So, I ended up selling a ton of cards this show. One guy spent a few hours at my table amassing huge piles of cards from my 1970's binders. A huge thank you to everyone who bought cards!

I also bought a TON of stuff. Junior came around a few times. I can't remember what I bought from him. I few other guys sold me some odds and ends. One customer sold me a large box of old football cards along with two large boxes of publications. I was concerned I would not be able to fit everything into my car but I was able to make it work.

After the show, Will, Joe, Paul and I went over to City Barbecue up the street. Paul had recommended the place and he was spot on. I had an amazing BBQ turkey sandwich with a side of BBQ beans that had chunks of brisket in it. A few days letter, I saw that a City Barbecue had opened up closer to home in Deerfield. I went there and bought a sample platter that had everything on it like turkey, chicken, ribs, and brisket. Oh my, that was awesome! 

I will be set up at the July Orland show this Sunday, July 22. I'm hopeful I get my old set up back. It will be another frustrating day if I have to battle that doorway again. Ugh! Though, if I can hit City Barbecue again after the show, all will be right in the world.

Four Points Sheraton, Milwaukee, June 2, 2018

In case you have not been following my blog, I have been locked in a battle with the management of the Four Points Sheraton. They wanted to cancel my June show and I basically threw a fit. 

After a tense couple of months, we came to an agreement at the April show where we planned to move the June show into the hotel's restaurant. All was quiet leading up the June Four Points show. A little too quiet. I was worried that I would show up at the hotel, the door would be locked and the room would not be set up. 

To my surprise, the back door was open and the restaurant was set up for the show! Not only was the restaurant set up but the set up was awesome! The hotel lined up the restaurant tables for us to use, brought in more tables, gave us tables in the hallway and in the bar!! We had a ton of space!! Needless to say, I was pleased.

Normally, before the show, I draw up a little map of the room and figure out where to place all the dealers. For this show, I did not know how the hotel was going to set up the room so I winged it that morning and let the dealers choose their spots. We had so many tables that I was able to give most all the dealers a free table in addition to their regular tables.

Roger was there waiting for me when I arrived. I let Roger pick his tables. As each dealer arrived, I did the same thing and let them pick out their spots. Once everybody was set up, I thought the place looked great. I even had room to let in a random dealer, who was in town for a couple of days from Dallas. Of course, I've already forgotten his name. He was a nice guy who had some nice modern cards. The only drawback that day was the dim lighting in the bar. If we ever have this set up again, we need extra lamps for the bar.

Now if you have been to my show in the past, you know that the lower level of the hotel is just about all banquet rooms. On this day, a gaming convention had taken all of the banquet rooms. I was a little worried that the sports card crowd would not find us back in the restaurant so I placed flyers all over the hotel. Also, the folks operating the gaming convention were very kind and directed folks back to the restaurant. In return, I directed quite a few of the gaming crowd to their registration area. Then many gamers came into the show and purchased cards. Woot! I love when that happens!!

I was happy to see that our regular crowd found us in the restaurant. We had a steady flow of customers in the morning. I gave out three free packs of sports cards. I picked up some really nice wax from Roger to give away like 2018 Allen & Ginter. I really appreciate everyone who attends my show and I want to show that appreciation with some nice giveaways.

Like always, we had a lot of new customers to go along with the regulars. I love when new customers bring cards in to sell to the dealers -- something I really encourage. All the dealers buy cards both new and old. My show is a great place to lighten your load of cards. I purchased a box filled with 1964 and 1965 Topps baseball.

My sales were once again excellent. There were quite a few set builders at this show who found cards in my binders for their sets. It was nice to see Mark back after a long absence. Mark picked up some oddball cards and some old football cards. Thanks Mark! John purchased a Billy Williams autograph. Jerome spent some time in all of my binders and found quite  few cards. Many other guys went through my binders. I'm so bad with names. Please remind me of your name and I'll get you into the blog.

Another thing I have to add about this show is that the main hotel antagonist was not present. The hotel staff that was there was super friendly and helpful which was much appreciated. After the show, I didn't get charged for the room and assumed the hotel was trying to make good by giving me the room for free. No such luck. Nearly a month later, on June 28, my credit card was charged for the room. 

Anyway, I'm glad that mess is seemingly behind me. Moving on, I'm setting up tomorrow, July 15, at Gonzaga Hall in Milwaukee. I'll be at the Orland Park (Illinois) Civic Center on July 22, and then back at the Four Points Sheraton in Milwaukee on August 4. We will be in the Rembrandt Room for the August 4th show. Lots of dealers are signing up! Woot!

May 20, 2018, Gonzaga Hall, Milwaukee

I know, I know, I've fallen behind again on the blog. As they say, no rest for the weary, I just have been too busy to get it done. One of the problems with being late is that I forget what occurred at the show and have trouble offering up a report.

Sadly, I don't remember the May 20th show much. I know the crowd was down from April but my sales were up. As I've learned over the years, a large crowd does not necessarily mean big sales. Sometimes it just takes the right guys to be at the show and sales soar -- this was one of those shows.

With this early onset of Alzheimer's, I can't remember what I sold or who was at the show. I do remember purchasing a large pile of 1955 Bowman baseball cards.

June 10, 2018, Gonzaga Hall, Milwaukee

Foggy recollection once again. I do remember the crowd was up from May but my sales were down. Of course, I can't remember what I sold or who was there. I bought a box of Coca Cola football bottle caps from the 1960s and 1970s.

The next Gonzaga show is coming up this Sunday, July 15, 2018. Maybe I'll take some notes this time so I can give a proper show report.​

Orland Park Civic Center, Orland Park, Illinois, April 22, 2018

Upon arrival around 8 a.m., I observed that my neighbor Phil had purchased an extra table which resulted in my normal three tables being pushed down one. I was thrown off and not sure how to do my normal set up. Normally I start by placing my display cases on my first table next to Phil's last table. I noticed that the first table today, normally my second table, would not work with the display cases because there is a little wall that jets out and would block my access to the display cases. I was a little dumbfounded for a while. 

I decided that instead of putting my five display cases in a row like normal, I placed two next to Phil's last table and three on my last table. I have three tables total. I did not really like this set up but I could not put all the display cases in a row because the wall blocked my access to them. I filled up the  rest of the space with binders. I did not bring out the majority of my football binders because I knew I would not have the space for them. Well, during set up, I realized I did not have enough space for all of my baseball, basketball, and hockey binders. I also brought out some cheapy boxes. I was dumbfounded again by the lack of space.

It did not look like anyone was taking the open table to my left (Phil is set up to my right). I asked the promoter Rich if I could purchase the open table. Rich is a superstar and said he had someone scheduled for that table but would move him elsewhere and give me the table. After a while, I was able to put out all my wares.

Before long, my four tables were mobbed with customers. I normally don't get concerned manning my tables but I was a little overwhelmed dealing with four tables surrounded by an onslaught of customers. It was a little hairy there for a few hours. I had customers in front and behind the tables. I was trying to help eight to 10 people at once. Thankfully, everyone was patient with me. I don't think I've ever been so overwhelmed at a show before.

I was selling cards, trading cards, and buying cards all at once in the middle of this mob scene. It all happened so quickly, I don't know if I can even recall exactly what occurred but I will try. There was my long-time regular customer Larry, one of many customers of mine named Larry. Larry used to live in Berwyn but I think he moved out to Plainfield. He has a funky last name which I have no idea how to spell. When he says it, it sounds like Boo-Shawn. French, I think.

Larry always brings me a stack of cards. I usually trade him some cards and give him a little cash for his stack. I can't even remember what he brought me this time. We did our deal and had a conversation while I was working with several other customers on transactions. Whew, it was tough.

Rick was there as usual and dug through my 1972-73 Topps basketball. Dave F. was there! I hadn't seen Dave in a year or so then I see him twice in one month!! Dave pulled out quite a few cards from my 1975 Topps minis. Thanks Dave!

Another customer named Larry, spent some time in my 1973 Topps baseball binder. This Larry is a retired Chicago firefighter and lives nearby.  Hopefully, I can remember to bring out my entire backstock of '73s for Larry to go through at the June show.

Along with dealing with multiple guys name Larry, I had multiple guys named Chris at my tables today. Chris from Lombard and Chris from Orland. Both guys purchased a bunch of cards. Thanks guys! 

Will purchased just about all of my 1973-74 Topps hockey. Gil purchased some 1958 Topps. I had many, many, more sales but it was such I frenzy that I can't remember who purchased what. Quite a few regulars purchased cards along with some new customers. It was crazy! I had a great show!!

On the buying front, I bought some stuff from Junior, as usual. A good customer named Neil offered me some graded cards at the price he paid for them. Unfortunately, he paid too much for the cards. I could not make the purchase because I would not be able to sell them at that price or above. Neil is such a good guy that I felt bad not buying the cards but I got to be able to turn my purchases into profit. Sorry Neil!

I was so busy that I forgot that there was a political button show on the opposite end of the building and that my dad was set up there. As I was loading out, I saw my dad in the other room. When I finished loading up, I went to help my dad load out. 

After loading up my dad's car with buttons, I went to meet Will and Joe at the Sub shop to cap off a perfect day.

A huge thank you to everyone at Orland Park, from Rich to all the great folks that mobbed my tables. That was fun!

​Come see me at the next Orland show on June 24th! Also, my next Four Points show is July 7th!!

Four Points Sheraton, Milwaukee, May 5, 2018

Prior to the show, I figured the May 5th show would be my last show at the Four Points Sheraton. I had gone back and forth with hotel manager Stefanie Wilcott who would not agree to allow me to hold my June 2nd show as originally contracted back in November. I played phone tag with another manager who suggested in his messages that he had an alternative for my June 2nd show. I responded to him in a message that if I can't hold my show at the hotel on June 2nd as I had been promoting for months and months that there was no alternative that would satisfy me.

I started to get the word out that the May 5th show would be the last one. I was so fed up at that point that I did not want to look for a new location and was ready to let the show die. Folks were very supportive on Facebook and on various sports card message boards creating a dilemma -- I did not want to go on with the show if it was going to be stressful. I have enough stress at my day job and do cards for stress relief. But the outpouring of support was a motivator to start looking for a new location. 

Leading up to the May 5th show, I was steaming mad. I had a lawsuit prepared and was just waiting for my damages to vest after June 2nd then I was going to file a lawsuit against the hotel in Lake County Illinois Circuit Court in Waukegan. I also prepared a press release to announce the end of the show due to the hotel's breach of contract. As a former newspaper reporter and currently an Illinois lawyer, you get a double whammy when you mess with me.

Once at the hotel on May 5th, load in and set up was easy. We were the only event in the hotel that morning, as usual. As the dealers arrived, I made sure they all knew this would be the last show. Most guys had seen my internet posts and were aware of the situation.

We had a nice crowd early and I was busy with customers when Stefanie asked me to meet with her in a neighboring conference room. Dave agreed to watch my tables while I met with Stefanie. Once in the conference room, there was another manager who I had met earlier that morning. This hotel has so many dang managers. It seems like every employee is some sort of manager. 

Stefanie informed me that she removed the stack of press releases I had placed on a table in the show. I responded that I would use her illegal act to add another count in my lawsuit. My damages were increasing.

She then suggested we hold the June show in the hotel's restaurant -- which was my original suggestion to her when she first told me back in April that I can't hold the June show!  She said she needed to confirm it with upper management and would get back to me by the end of the day. I went back into the show and announced that the show just may go on.

Back at my tables, I was busy. Sales were good. I also bought a stack of Bowman baseball cards from 1949 through 1955.

Later, Stefanie came back and asked that I return to the conference room. Again, the other manager was seated at the conference table and Stefanie put the regional manager on speaker phone. He started off by saying the hotel never cancelled my June show. I asked if he was willing to make that bullshit statement under oath. He offered the hotel's restaurant for the June show. I agreed. Some small talk ensued, he suggested we have lunch sometime. I thought maybe this nonsense was over.

Back in the show, I announced the show was back on. Seemed everyone was happy. An hour or so later, Stefanie brought me a new contract. Wow! The contract gives the hotel the right to cancel my show for any reason at any time. It also makes me responsible for anything that could possibly go wrong in the hotel or in the parking lot during my show. 

I already have a contract, the one I signed in November. I was not going to agree to ANYTHING in this piece of trash Stefanie gave me. Based on this so-called new contract, I do not believe my troubles with the Four Points Sheraton are over. It is obvious that I need a new location to host the show next year. I have started the hunt. If anyone belongs to a local group, association or church that has space to host the show, please let me know.

In the meantime, I held the June 2nd show which will be the subject of a future blog. The rest of my 2018 shows will go on as planned on the first Saturday of every month. The hunt for a new location continues. Come see me June 24th in Orland Park!

Ohio Sports Collectors Convention, Strongsville, Ohio, April 13 -15, 2018

Work responsibilities have kept me from traveling out of town for card shows these past two years. The only out-of-town show I regularly attend these days is the yearly Ohio Sports Collectors Convention held every April in Strongsville, Ohio. I flat out love this show. As you all know, I am addicted to vintage sports cards and this show is my Mecca because only vintage sports card dealers are allowed to set up. 

The April 2018 show was my second time as a dealer. My pal Dave McDonald and I were better prepared for the show this time around having one under out belts. Last year, we had issues renting a car. No car rental issues this year! We were on the road to Strongsville from the Chicago area around lunchtime on Thursday, April 12, 2018. It was a beautiful spring day! Blue sky and temperatures in the 70s.

Last year, I was having some issues with my diabetes and needed to stop fairly regularly. This year, new meds, no problems, was able to drive for hours without stopping. The drive seemed to fly by with Dave and I catching up. I hadn't seen Dave since the November Sun-Times show. 

After about five hours, we arrived at the Strongsville Holiday Inn, site for the show, with some daylight left and time to set up. Load in and set up were pretty simple. Dave and I each had a six-foot table for this show. Not a lot of space so not much time needed to set up. I put out four display cases. I had priced a bunch of new inventory for the show. Dave had picked up all sorts of new stuff as well. 

We had the pleasure of being set up next to Payne Sports again. This husband and wife team are absolute superstars. In my opinion, they had the best selection of cards at the show, from tobacco cards to vintage Topps high numbers, most any year. They are so friendly and easy to work with. I purchased some 1966 Topps highs for my set. Tim gave me a nice deal. Thanks Tim! I also watched Tim make some amazing purchases all weekend long. He has the golden touch.

Another family was set up on the other side of us and they could not have been nicer. All of the dealers in our little corner of the room were real friendly which made the weekend that much more pleasurable.

After set up on Thursday night, Dave and I went out to find some food in Strongsville. We settled on a Mexican restaurant. Dave forgot to bring his reading glasses and could not read the menu. I offered to read it to him but he had his mind already made up. It was an impressive menu. I settled on a shrimp dish that was oh, so good. Dave ordered tamales and bean dip. His tamales came covered in a brown sauce. The bean dip looked like soup. 

Back at the hotel, I thought I'd sleep well after the drive, set up, and dinner. I think I was a little too excited for the show to begin and did not sleep well. Morning came like a thud. We had hotel breakfast which was not nearly as good as last year.

​Once in the show, the morning was a little slow for me but active for Dave. I set out to explore the room. Large show staples were nearby like Uncle Dick, Art Smith, SGC, and Heritage Auctions. I was hoping to see the guy from last year that had some inexpensive oddball pre-War but unfortunately he wasn't there.

Back home, I am happy to report that I will be set up at the June and July Orland Park shows. I have been an infrequent dealer at Orland Park because the show conflicts with Gonzaga. I am looking forward to the June 24th Orland show. Also, my next Four Points Sheraton show is July 7th. Don't forget to come see me at the June 10th Gonzaga show!!

Buying, selling, collecting sports memorabilia is a tremendous hobby that has brought me years of joy. Unfortunately, dealing with management at the Four Points Sheraton in Milwaukee has put a damper on that joy. Now that the June 2nd show is back on, I am hopeful there will be no more issues with the hotel and I can move on and get back to the hobby I love so much.

While I have been reporting on my issues with the hotel, I have failed to discuss the great shows that have occurred there despite management's efforts to the contrary. Below is a recap of the April 7th Four Points Sheraton show. 

Four Points Sheraton, Milwaukee, April 7, 2018

Just days before the show, I realized I over-booked the room and tried to bump up to a larger room. The hotel manager told me all the larger rooms were already booked. I then asked to add a second room which worked. So I had 26 tables in the Rembrandt Room and 8 tables in the next door Monet Room. Fifteen dealers total, which is a lot for me. My normal dealer count is eight to 10.

I have observed over time that when there is increased dealer interest in a particular show there is always increased customer interest. I had tremendous customer attendance at this show all day long. I placed myself in the smaller Monet Room and I could hear the larger crowd in the Rembrandt Room. Another indicator for the large crowd are my giveaways. I normally give away three boxes of cards (at two packs for each customer). At this show, I gave away seven boxes of cards! 

I almost blew the giveaway because I forgot to load the boxes of cards into my car. I was beside myself in the morning when I realized I forgot the boxes of cards. My wife's car is not running so she couldn't bring them to me. I then thought of Big Tim who lives nearby and normally attends the show. I gave him a call and he just happened to be near my house on his way to the show. He was kind enough to stop at my house and pick up the boxes of cards. Thank you Tim!!!! Crisis averted. Note to self, buy a lot more boxes of cards for future shows!

The show opens at 9 a.m. but customers started to trickle in at 8 a.m. I had trouble setting up because I had to settle in all the dealers and then had early customers. I did not finish setting up until 9:45 a.m. The worst part was that I missed the hotel breakfast buffet. They had shut it down before 10 a.m. I thought it was open until 10:30 a.m.

I was busy most of the day. While the Monet Room did not have the same buzz as the Rembrandt Room, I still had a steady flow of customers all day long. A regular customer brought in an unopened 1966 Topps Rack Pack to show me, pictured below. It was so cool! I have never seen one before. 

My sales on this day were excellent. I was steadily busy most of the day. The only drawback was I did not have the time I wanted to check out all the new dealers in the Rembrandt Room. It was not until noon that I was able to spend a little time in the other room. I was blown away by new dealer Harry Lambrecht's tables. He had some amazing vintage cards! He gave me a nice deal on a stack of 1976-77 Topps Basketball Cards. I also picked up a 1953 Topps Yogi Berra from Jerry. From new dealer Jeff Talamantez, I picked up a 1959 Topps Mickey Mantle.

Several customers tried to sell me cards but their prices were too high. One guy was a little ridiculous, asking $350 for a raw Pete Maravich Rookie. I mean the card was nice but if you are going to ask for a graded price, you have to get the card graded. There is no guarantee the card would be an 8 or a 9. In addition, I am a dealer, I only buy cards that I can make some money on. I can't make any money at $350 for the Maravich. Why not get it graded and sell it online?

Another customer was just a little too high on some vintage football cards. He offered them to me at the same price I would sell them for. Again, as a dealer, I only pull the trigger if there is potential profit down the road. He had both the Beckett and SMR guides printed, circled and highlighted -- which is great for a collector, but a dealer, I can't pay these prices and expect a profit. I recommend that everyone get their feet wet selling cards either on eBay or at a show. This sort of practical experience will create a better picture on pricing for selling cards to dealers.

It is starting to seem like no one is a straight collector anymore. Most everybody both buys and sells cards. Please consider getting a table at my show. For just $25 for an eight-foot table, you will have a lot of space to display your wares and very little overhead. Anyone can be a sports card dealer and it is a lot of fun setting up.

I had fun at the April 7th Four Points Sheraton show. It was fun having so many dealers set up at my show and it was doubly fun having such a large crowd. A huge thank you to everyone who attended the show!

A reminder is that the Four Points Show is on for the rest of the year, on the first Saturday of every month. The next show is June 2nd and will be held in the hotel's restaurant. I'm on the hunt for a new location for 2019. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Obviously, I am looking for a room where the rent won't break the bank.

After a three-week battle, management agreed to allow the June 2nd show at the Four Points Sheraton, 5311 S. Howell, in Milwaukee, to go on as originally planned.

​Here's a run down of what has occurred these past three weeks: this all started when manager Stefanie Wilcott called me and said the June 2nd show is cancelled because another group needs the room. I responded that I contracted for that room in November of 2017 and I am a lawyer and will file a lawsuit for breach of contract. Ms. Wilcott was unfazed. She offered to move the show to the Best Western which is also owned by the Sheraton. I responded that I have been promoting the show as occurring on June 2 at the Four Points Sheraton. I spent money on advertising and have listed it all over the internet and have given out hundreds of flyers. I said I cannot move the show to the Best Western because people are going to show up at the Sheraton, not the Best Western.

​She again said I cannot hold the show at the Sheraton. I suggested we move the show into the restaurant at the Sheraton. She said they will not move the show into the restaurant because they need to serve breakfast. Now I have been at that hotel every month for the last four years and have never observed more than five people in that restaurant and informed Ms. Wilcott of my observation. She again said the restaurant is not available. She suggested we move the show into the bar. No go. In November, we set my June show in the Mitchell room and I was planning on 34 8-foot tables. Well, you can fit maybe 10 tables in the bar. I told her the bar would not work. She suggested we could put additional tables in a back hallway. I responded that I wanted the Mitchell Room as originally contracted back in November. She said no.

​Well, now I was pissed off. I have been running shows at the hotel for four years. When it was under the Clarion management, I never had a problem. These Sheraton people, the new owners, have been nothing but a problem.

​So after litigating another case in court all day. I went home and drafted a breach of contract complaint that I was going to file in the Lake County, Illinois, circuit court. I sent Ms. Wilcott a copy of my draft complaint. She was unfazed. No response.

​A few days later, another manager calls, leaves a message stating he wants to chat about alternatives for my June 2nd show. I called back, got his voicemail, left a message stating there is nothing to chat about, I want my show to go on in the Mitchell Room as is written in our contract. He sent an email asking me to call. I did not respond to the email because I did not believe he would offer a viable alternative.

​I did not hear from the hotel again. So I started posting on Facebook and various sports collectible websites that the May 5 show will be my last at the Four Points Sheraton, fully believing this was the last show.

​On May 4, I drafted a press release, outlining the above and warning others to avoid the Four Points Sheraton. On the morning of May 5, as I am setting up the room at the Sheraton for the show, I placed a stack of my press releases in the entry way to the room. Ms. Wilcott swiped my press releases. She asked to discuss the situation. I met with her and another manager in a conference room. She said I cannot have my press releases in the room. I told her I will add that as another count to my lawsuit, knowing she cannot legally come into my room and take anything out of there. We argue. Eventually, she tells me she has a solution and suggests I move the show into the restaurant on June 2nd -- which is not HER solution, this was MY solution I suggested three weeks ago. She says she just has to confirm with higher management that the restaurant is available.

​An hour or so goes by, she comes back, we go back to the conference room with the other manager, who was silent the whole time. She gets the regional manager on speaker phone. He started in on me with all sorts of BS, trying to save face and claim they never cancelled my show. I told him he is going to need to make that statement under oath in a court of law. 

​He then tells me we can move the show into the restaurant. I agree. Problem solved... or so I thought. An hour or so later, Ms. Wilcott brings me a new contract which basically states that I am liable for anything and everything that could go wrong in the hotel on the day of my shows, including the parking lot, and that the hotel has the authority to cancel my show at any time. I did not sign the new contract and have not spoken to Ms. Wilcott since.

​At this point, I believe the show is back on. We will be in the restaurant on June 2nd as I await for Ms. Wilcott to put up new obstacles. There is something very, very wrong with these folks. I don't understand how the show could go so smoothly for three years with the old management and now have nothing but problems with this new group. Obviously, they don't want my show at the hotel. My guess is that I don't spend enough money with them. They want events that will spend tens of thousands of dollars. I get that but at the same time, as I've said, I've been at that hotel every month for nearly four years and rarely has there been another event running in any of the other five banquet rooms at the same time as my sports card show. I'm the only thing happening at that hotel, why treat me so poorly?

​I've gotten the message loud and clear -- I need to move the show to a new venue. I have already started the search for a new venue. In the meantime, we will still be at the Four Points Sheraton on the first Saturday of every month through December of 2018. So come on out! It is still an excellent show despite the hotel's efforts to the contrary. The continued success of the show will piss off the folks at the Four Points Sheraton. Come on out June 2nd and piss these people off!!