Sunday, May 19, 2024, Civic Center, Orland Park, IL
I really hated to miss the April show in Orland but it seems to conflict every year with Strongsville. I don't think I have to miss any more Orland shows for the rest of the year.
The reason I hate to miss Orland is that it is always solid, always consistent. I almost always have a good show both buying and selling. This past show was business as usual.
I noticed the crowd was a little lighter than normal but my people were there. I love the vintage set builders. Guys were flipping through my binders as soon as I started to place them out. I had to shoo a couple guys away. As you know, I like to get completely set up before customers start going through my stuff. It always amazes me that other dealers regularly get in my way and try to look at my cards while I am trying to set up. I wish I could set up in a bubble!
Speaking of dealers, another pet peeve of mine occurs when dealers leave their tables, come over to mine and try to sell cards to customers who are in the middle of going through MY cards. Not cool! My blood starts to boil and I'm apt to knock somebody's teeth out. Stay at your f-ing table! The customer will make his way there eventually. Don't try and pull him from my table! This happened a couple of times at the Orland show on Sunday. Thankfully, the customers shoo-ed these bad dealers away and I did not have to get involved but it still pissed me off.
Other than a couple of bad dealers, it was generally a festive day. Like I said, my people were there!! New this month was 1971 Topps baseball. I also brought out two display cases. One had the Cubs cards from yesterday in Michigan City and in the second case I filled with White Sox cards. Unlike Michigan City, where nobody bought anything, quite a few guys pulled out some Cubs and Sox cards from my cases and my Cubs/Sox box.
My Orland day usually starts with Will and Joe bringing me some Mickey D's and coffee, then Andy is almost always the first guy at my table. Andy found some Sox cards in the display case. Thanks Andy! One of my regulars started to dig into the new '71 binder. Will worked on 1977 Topps baseball today.
Then there is my Deadhead friend, who pulled some cards. Tom pulled a bunch of cards out of my Cubs/Sox box. Gil purchased a bunch of stuff. Thanks Gil! Terry purchased my 1951 Bowman Nellie Fox rookie. Thanks Terry! I sold a bunch of hockey cards. I wonder if I have any Blackhawks left in my binders?
Rick pulled a few '71s. I am pretty sure Chris T. purchased some stuff. He also came back later to show me a signed photo of Steve Trout from Disco Demolition night. Trout was signing autographs by the front door today. He only charged $5 for the signed Disco Demolition photo. I went over and purchased one. See picture below. While I was there, he commented on the photo which shows him, Harry Caray and Steve Dahl. He said Harry was interviewing him about the previous night's game, which he won as starting pitcher. He said Harry then noticed Steve Dahl walking by with a couple of pretty ladies and Harry ditched him for Steve Dahl and the ladies.
Steve Trout is a really nice guy and it was fun talking to him. Back at my tables, I can't remember everything that sold but sales added up nicely. Thank you Orland Park!!
On the buying front, another dealer came by my table with a stack of Exhibits he said he picked up at a garage sale. I made an offer and he initially turned it down and shopped the cards around the room. Well, my offer must have been the top one because he came back and accepted. Included in the stack was a Mickey Mantle that had a 1961 Topps Stamp affixed to the front, kind of neat and unusual. See picture below.
Then a guy came by with a few cards. I have seen him before and he is always really high on his prices. He had a 1967 Topps Joe Namath that I was interested in. I looked up recent eBay sales which were around $50 to $60 in VG. The guy wanted $125. I don't know why I look at his cards. Tommy ended up purchasing the Namath. He is going to get it slabbed and is hoping to get a 5.
It is always great to see some of the regulars at this show like Mike S., Eddie, Chris and Milan.
It almost felt like football season with the show clearing out around noon. It is tough to compete with the weather this time of year. It was an absolutely beautiful day. I started to pack up early as there were hardly any customers in the room around 12:30. I closed up my Cubs/Sox box and my other discount box and had about half of the binders put away when a random guy opened up my boxes and started going through the cards. Weird!
Just like set up, I don't like people going through my cards while I am packing up. The guy had been in the room for a while. Why did he wait until I was almost completely packed up to come over. Also, I have never had anyone open up my boxes after I closed them. He spent a big $3.
A general rule about card shows -- get there early. Sometimes things end quickly. I start packing up after no one has been at my tables for a good hour or so. This month's Orland show was over quickly.
Even with a short day, it was another excellent show. Thanks Rich, Karen and crew for another great show. Also, thank you for bringing in Steve Trout!!
Next Orland show is June 23. I should have a bunch of new binders reloaded by then!
In the meantime, I am setting up in Madison on Saturday, May 25, 2024. I just finished up my 1971 Topps baseball high numbers binder. I am going to start working on 1972-73 Topps basketball. I am not sure if I will have it done by Saturday but I will try. Quite a few folks have been asking for the '72-'73 basketball. I expect that one to sell out as soon as I bring it out. Some binders I just cannot keep filled.
Oak Creek is approaching quickly. As usual, I am way behind on responding to all my messages. Everyone and their mother wants to set up in Oak Creek. Unfortunately, I way overbooked the June 1 show. I only have space for 185 tables but sold 192. I need some dealers to drop out or I am in trouble! I may be setting up in the parking lot!!
Pictured below are my purchases from the Orland show....
I really hated to miss the April show in Orland but it seems to conflict every year with Strongsville. I don't think I have to miss any more Orland shows for the rest of the year.
The reason I hate to miss Orland is that it is always solid, always consistent. I almost always have a good show both buying and selling. This past show was business as usual.
I noticed the crowd was a little lighter than normal but my people were there. I love the vintage set builders. Guys were flipping through my binders as soon as I started to place them out. I had to shoo a couple guys away. As you know, I like to get completely set up before customers start going through my stuff. It always amazes me that other dealers regularly get in my way and try to look at my cards while I am trying to set up. I wish I could set up in a bubble!
Speaking of dealers, another pet peeve of mine occurs when dealers leave their tables, come over to mine and try to sell cards to customers who are in the middle of going through MY cards. Not cool! My blood starts to boil and I'm apt to knock somebody's teeth out. Stay at your f-ing table! The customer will make his way there eventually. Don't try and pull him from my table! This happened a couple of times at the Orland show on Sunday. Thankfully, the customers shoo-ed these bad dealers away and I did not have to get involved but it still pissed me off.
Other than a couple of bad dealers, it was generally a festive day. Like I said, my people were there!! New this month was 1971 Topps baseball. I also brought out two display cases. One had the Cubs cards from yesterday in Michigan City and in the second case I filled with White Sox cards. Unlike Michigan City, where nobody bought anything, quite a few guys pulled out some Cubs and Sox cards from my cases and my Cubs/Sox box.
My Orland day usually starts with Will and Joe bringing me some Mickey D's and coffee, then Andy is almost always the first guy at my table. Andy found some Sox cards in the display case. Thanks Andy! One of my regulars started to dig into the new '71 binder. Will worked on 1977 Topps baseball today.
Then there is my Deadhead friend, who pulled some cards. Tom pulled a bunch of cards out of my Cubs/Sox box. Gil purchased a bunch of stuff. Thanks Gil! Terry purchased my 1951 Bowman Nellie Fox rookie. Thanks Terry! I sold a bunch of hockey cards. I wonder if I have any Blackhawks left in my binders?
Rick pulled a few '71s. I am pretty sure Chris T. purchased some stuff. He also came back later to show me a signed photo of Steve Trout from Disco Demolition night. Trout was signing autographs by the front door today. He only charged $5 for the signed Disco Demolition photo. I went over and purchased one. See picture below. While I was there, he commented on the photo which shows him, Harry Caray and Steve Dahl. He said Harry was interviewing him about the previous night's game, which he won as starting pitcher. He said Harry then noticed Steve Dahl walking by with a couple of pretty ladies and Harry ditched him for Steve Dahl and the ladies.
Steve Trout is a really nice guy and it was fun talking to him. Back at my tables, I can't remember everything that sold but sales added up nicely. Thank you Orland Park!!
On the buying front, another dealer came by my table with a stack of Exhibits he said he picked up at a garage sale. I made an offer and he initially turned it down and shopped the cards around the room. Well, my offer must have been the top one because he came back and accepted. Included in the stack was a Mickey Mantle that had a 1961 Topps Stamp affixed to the front, kind of neat and unusual. See picture below.
Then a guy came by with a few cards. I have seen him before and he is always really high on his prices. He had a 1967 Topps Joe Namath that I was interested in. I looked up recent eBay sales which were around $50 to $60 in VG. The guy wanted $125. I don't know why I look at his cards. Tommy ended up purchasing the Namath. He is going to get it slabbed and is hoping to get a 5.
It is always great to see some of the regulars at this show like Mike S., Eddie, Chris and Milan.
It almost felt like football season with the show clearing out around noon. It is tough to compete with the weather this time of year. It was an absolutely beautiful day. I started to pack up early as there were hardly any customers in the room around 12:30. I closed up my Cubs/Sox box and my other discount box and had about half of the binders put away when a random guy opened up my boxes and started going through the cards. Weird!
Just like set up, I don't like people going through my cards while I am packing up. The guy had been in the room for a while. Why did he wait until I was almost completely packed up to come over. Also, I have never had anyone open up my boxes after I closed them. He spent a big $3.
A general rule about card shows -- get there early. Sometimes things end quickly. I start packing up after no one has been at my tables for a good hour or so. This month's Orland show was over quickly.
Even with a short day, it was another excellent show. Thanks Rich, Karen and crew for another great show. Also, thank you for bringing in Steve Trout!!
Next Orland show is June 23. I should have a bunch of new binders reloaded by then!
In the meantime, I am setting up in Madison on Saturday, May 25, 2024. I just finished up my 1971 Topps baseball high numbers binder. I am going to start working on 1972-73 Topps basketball. I am not sure if I will have it done by Saturday but I will try. Quite a few folks have been asking for the '72-'73 basketball. I expect that one to sell out as soon as I bring it out. Some binders I just cannot keep filled.
Oak Creek is approaching quickly. As usual, I am way behind on responding to all my messages. Everyone and their mother wants to set up in Oak Creek. Unfortunately, I way overbooked the June 1 show. I only have space for 185 tables but sold 192. I need some dealers to drop out or I am in trouble! I may be setting up in the parking lot!!
Pictured below are my purchases from the Orland show....
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