Saturday, February 17, 2024, Woodstock North High School, Woodstock, Il
The cold weather this morning was a shock to my system as I had grown comfortable with our mild winter. It was not fun loading in and out today with that cold and wind.
I brought out binders, my quarter box and one display case that I filled with graded vintage cards. I think I finally built a nice following of regular customers at this show which has been my goal since I first started setting up in Woodstock. Smaller shows like Woodstock only work for me when I have regular and dedicated customers.
While larger shows with a ton of tables and huge crowds are definitely great, there is something to be said for the small shows where you get to hang out with a regular group of guys and don’t have to really hustle all day long. Back in the day there used to be a ton of these small shows where it was more like an episode of “Cheers” than a card show. I miss those days. I think we may have recaptured it in Woodstock.
One thing I figured out here is that the regulars love the discount boxes. In January I brought out my dime, 50-cent and dollar boxes while today I brought out my quarter box. I had just started to set up when I had guys already at the quarter box.
I build discount boxes when I am working on my binder reloads. I always have excess cards for many players and will toss a lower grade card into a discount box. I don’t always bring out the discount boxes because I just have soooo much stuff and I can’t bring it all. So I usually rotate the boxes in and out which also gives me time to reload them.
Though I think I am going to bring discount boxes to Woodstock for every show. Guys were in that quarter box all day long. The quarter box does not take up much space and I was able to sell enough cards out of there to cover table fee which is a huge bonus.
My regular guys at this show almost all have their raggedy sheets of paper showing the card numbers they need to complete their vintage sets. I don’t know if I have ever said this before but I love vintage set builders! My people!
Angel contacted me before the show and wanted to make sure I brought out my 1961 Topps baseball and my 1972-73 Topps basketball. At the show he pulled some 1961s but I did not have many of the basketball. I am getting ready to reload my ‘72-73 basketball and should have it out soon. Angel did pull a nice stack of 1972 Fleer Harlem Globetrotters. Thanks Angel!
New binder for today was 1969 Topps baseball. Jim and Willie pulled some cards out of there. Thanks guys!
One of my regular customers at this show is working on 1953 Topps. He is a super nice guy and spends a lot of money with me but he kind of drives me nuts because he will pull out 20 or 30 cards from the binder then put 10 back, most in the wrong spot. So I have to go through the binder and pull cards that are in the wrong spot and place them in the correct spot. It just drives me nuts. For one, I never understand why some guys will pull out a number of cards from a binder then later decide they don’t want them and just place them back in any open spot — especially set builders who are looking for certain numbers. It makes no sense! Please keep the cards in numerical order!
I find it funny when I list my pet peeves here and guys throw them back at me during the show. One of my regularly listed pet peeves is having customers at my table before I complete set up in the morning. The problem with early arrivals is that it slows me down and I feel like a lose sales because I can’t get all my wares out in a timely manner. I just want to load into a show, not talk to anybody, and get my table properly set up before any customers come by.
Today, Jim ribbed me by saying he waited until I was completely set up before he came over to my table. Hahaha, thanks Jim!
I love talking to Jim because he is not only a great guy but he has some incredible vintage sports card knowledge. Today we talked about the 1969 Topps baseball set. Now, I was aware that Topps repeated many photos from previous years in the 1969 Topps set. I always thought it was just laziness on the part of Topps. However, Jim informed me that in 1969 Topps repeated the photos from previous years, zooming in on many of them, because MLB players’ rep Marvin Miller felt Topps was short changing the players on the fees they paid to use their image on the cards. So many of the players refused to sign a contract for 1969 and did not allow Topps to take a new photo.
I learned from Jim that the 1969 card of Tommie Aaron is the same image from his 1963 card. Jim also pointed out the 1969 Ernie Banks is just a zoomed in shot of his 1968 card. Neat stuff!
Jim also received an assist for my sale of a 1967 Topps Mickey Mantle checklist card. The customer, I think he said his name was Craig (I am so bad at remembering names), had some questions about a variation of that card. Jim had all the answers and a sale was made. Thanks Jim.
The Mantle was one of two sales out of my display case. The other was a 1969 Topps Hank Aaron that Phil purchased. Thanks Phil!
Phil is another interesting guy who is a regular at this show. While Phil loves sports cards, his entire essence is that of a guitar player. We always talk guitar and he always offers to teach me. Thing is, I have been playing guitar since I was 12 years old. I don’t need Phil to teach me. I already know how to play. I told Phil I played in bands when I was a teenager and performed in night clubs in Chicago.
Then we started talking about our favorite guitarists. While Jeff was sifting through the quarter box, he said Terry Kath was his favorite. I agreed. Phil said he does not like Terry Kath. As I told Phil, I don’t think anyone other than Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana could play a guitar like Kath back in 1970. Kath’s guitar playing was ground-breaking in my opinion. Phil doesn’t like the horn section in Kath’s band Chicago. I don’t mind the horns. To me, Kath was the man.
Overall, a really nice day in Woodstock. My sales were good. I purchased some 1929 Kashins from Willie. I love the Kashins, I haven’t had any in a while.
On the way home, I decided to stop at the Bull Valley Farm Country Store. The store stocks products made at the Bull Valley Farm and many surrounding farms. I purchased some homemade bratwurst, Canadian bacon and twice-baked potatoes. Oh my, that stuff was sooo good! I gotta get back there for more!
Anyway, a huge thank you to Curtis and everyone at the Woodstock show! There is no show in March because the school is closed for spring break. Next Woodstock show is April 20. Unfortunately, I can’t make that one because I will be at the Strongsville show. I should be at the May 18 Woodstock show. In the meantime, I have my third double-bill weekend in a row coming up with Madison on Saturday, February 24 and Racine on Sunday, February 25.
Next Oak Creek show is coming up fast on March 2. Once again, there will be 180 sold out tables! To the guy who messaged me and asked if he can still get into the show as a customer because I said the show was sold out — yes, you can still attend the show. Gotta love it!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine’s Day. Lisa and I decided to try the Boston Fish Market, a newer restaurant in Wheeling, Illinois. Oh my! That place is amazing! Check out the photo below.
The cold weather this morning was a shock to my system as I had grown comfortable with our mild winter. It was not fun loading in and out today with that cold and wind.
I brought out binders, my quarter box and one display case that I filled with graded vintage cards. I think I finally built a nice following of regular customers at this show which has been my goal since I first started setting up in Woodstock. Smaller shows like Woodstock only work for me when I have regular and dedicated customers.
While larger shows with a ton of tables and huge crowds are definitely great, there is something to be said for the small shows where you get to hang out with a regular group of guys and don’t have to really hustle all day long. Back in the day there used to be a ton of these small shows where it was more like an episode of “Cheers” than a card show. I miss those days. I think we may have recaptured it in Woodstock.
One thing I figured out here is that the regulars love the discount boxes. In January I brought out my dime, 50-cent and dollar boxes while today I brought out my quarter box. I had just started to set up when I had guys already at the quarter box.
I build discount boxes when I am working on my binder reloads. I always have excess cards for many players and will toss a lower grade card into a discount box. I don’t always bring out the discount boxes because I just have soooo much stuff and I can’t bring it all. So I usually rotate the boxes in and out which also gives me time to reload them.
Though I think I am going to bring discount boxes to Woodstock for every show. Guys were in that quarter box all day long. The quarter box does not take up much space and I was able to sell enough cards out of there to cover table fee which is a huge bonus.
My regular guys at this show almost all have their raggedy sheets of paper showing the card numbers they need to complete their vintage sets. I don’t know if I have ever said this before but I love vintage set builders! My people!
Angel contacted me before the show and wanted to make sure I brought out my 1961 Topps baseball and my 1972-73 Topps basketball. At the show he pulled some 1961s but I did not have many of the basketball. I am getting ready to reload my ‘72-73 basketball and should have it out soon. Angel did pull a nice stack of 1972 Fleer Harlem Globetrotters. Thanks Angel!
New binder for today was 1969 Topps baseball. Jim and Willie pulled some cards out of there. Thanks guys!
One of my regular customers at this show is working on 1953 Topps. He is a super nice guy and spends a lot of money with me but he kind of drives me nuts because he will pull out 20 or 30 cards from the binder then put 10 back, most in the wrong spot. So I have to go through the binder and pull cards that are in the wrong spot and place them in the correct spot. It just drives me nuts. For one, I never understand why some guys will pull out a number of cards from a binder then later decide they don’t want them and just place them back in any open spot — especially set builders who are looking for certain numbers. It makes no sense! Please keep the cards in numerical order!
I find it funny when I list my pet peeves here and guys throw them back at me during the show. One of my regularly listed pet peeves is having customers at my table before I complete set up in the morning. The problem with early arrivals is that it slows me down and I feel like a lose sales because I can’t get all my wares out in a timely manner. I just want to load into a show, not talk to anybody, and get my table properly set up before any customers come by.
Today, Jim ribbed me by saying he waited until I was completely set up before he came over to my table. Hahaha, thanks Jim!
I love talking to Jim because he is not only a great guy but he has some incredible vintage sports card knowledge. Today we talked about the 1969 Topps baseball set. Now, I was aware that Topps repeated many photos from previous years in the 1969 Topps set. I always thought it was just laziness on the part of Topps. However, Jim informed me that in 1969 Topps repeated the photos from previous years, zooming in on many of them, because MLB players’ rep Marvin Miller felt Topps was short changing the players on the fees they paid to use their image on the cards. So many of the players refused to sign a contract for 1969 and did not allow Topps to take a new photo.
I learned from Jim that the 1969 card of Tommie Aaron is the same image from his 1963 card. Jim also pointed out the 1969 Ernie Banks is just a zoomed in shot of his 1968 card. Neat stuff!
Jim also received an assist for my sale of a 1967 Topps Mickey Mantle checklist card. The customer, I think he said his name was Craig (I am so bad at remembering names), had some questions about a variation of that card. Jim had all the answers and a sale was made. Thanks Jim.
The Mantle was one of two sales out of my display case. The other was a 1969 Topps Hank Aaron that Phil purchased. Thanks Phil!
Phil is another interesting guy who is a regular at this show. While Phil loves sports cards, his entire essence is that of a guitar player. We always talk guitar and he always offers to teach me. Thing is, I have been playing guitar since I was 12 years old. I don’t need Phil to teach me. I already know how to play. I told Phil I played in bands when I was a teenager and performed in night clubs in Chicago.
Then we started talking about our favorite guitarists. While Jeff was sifting through the quarter box, he said Terry Kath was his favorite. I agreed. Phil said he does not like Terry Kath. As I told Phil, I don’t think anyone other than Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana could play a guitar like Kath back in 1970. Kath’s guitar playing was ground-breaking in my opinion. Phil doesn’t like the horn section in Kath’s band Chicago. I don’t mind the horns. To me, Kath was the man.
Overall, a really nice day in Woodstock. My sales were good. I purchased some 1929 Kashins from Willie. I love the Kashins, I haven’t had any in a while.
On the way home, I decided to stop at the Bull Valley Farm Country Store. The store stocks products made at the Bull Valley Farm and many surrounding farms. I purchased some homemade bratwurst, Canadian bacon and twice-baked potatoes. Oh my, that stuff was sooo good! I gotta get back there for more!
Anyway, a huge thank you to Curtis and everyone at the Woodstock show! There is no show in March because the school is closed for spring break. Next Woodstock show is April 20. Unfortunately, I can’t make that one because I will be at the Strongsville show. I should be at the May 18 Woodstock show. In the meantime, I have my third double-bill weekend in a row coming up with Madison on Saturday, February 24 and Racine on Sunday, February 25.
Next Oak Creek show is coming up fast on March 2. Once again, there will be 180 sold out tables! To the guy who messaged me and asked if he can still get into the show as a customer because I said the show was sold out — yes, you can still attend the show. Gotta love it!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine’s Day. Lisa and I decided to try the Boston Fish Market, a newer restaurant in Wheeling, Illinois. Oh my! That place is amazing! Check out the photo below.
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