Saturday, November 16, 2024, Grant County 4-H Center, Marion, IN

I get a lot of comments that I am nuts for driving all over the country for shows. In my view, you are all nuts for NOT driving all over the country for shows because it is fun!

It is definitely more fun when I sell a lot of cards and/or make a nice buy at a show. The Marion show was not all that fun but you live and learn.

The promoter Jerry Hoss is a super nice guy who treated me very well but this show just does not draw much. I don't think more than 30 or 40 people attended the show. I can actually do well at these shows sometimes but I have to do them every month and build a customer base. Marion is too far of a drive to set up monthly.

I decided to set up at the Marion show after seeing it listed regularly on Facebook. A few years ago, Wisconsin dealer Eric Unglaub told me he had set up at this show and did not do very well. I am the kind of person who generally has to try a show out for myself.

Marion is around a four-hour drive from my house in Northern Illinois, so I decided to break it up and spend Friday night at my folks' place in New Buffalo, MI. My GPS read that Marion is about two hours from New Buffalo. Man, it sure seemed like it was closer to a three-hour drive.

Long drive aside, the hardest part of doing shows east of Chicago is that I lose an hour due to the time change. So, I had to wake up at 4 a.m. Central Time, 5 a.m. Eastern Time, to make it to Marion before the show opened.

I arrived at the show at 8:45 a.m. Eastern Time. The show opened at 9 a.m. I was worried that I was late but observed quite a few empty tables. Problem was that none of the tables had my name on it.

Jerry saw me wandering around. I gave him my name and he apologized for failing to leave me a table. I wasn't worried. As a show veteran, I figured that someone would not show up. 

Jerry rearranged some tables and sort of made me a spot. I was appreciative.

Load in was tough. There is no ramp for the front step. Someone hanging out front told me to go to the side. I found a side door labeled restroom. Then went around back and saw an open door and carted in. Not much space to get in because it was blocked by some other dealer tables.

Later, I noticed a garage door and wondered why it was not open for load in. At the end of the show, I loaded out that side door which was tough because people and tables were in the way.

After loading in and setting up, I walked the room and observed a really great group of dealers. I was surprised at the amount of vintage on some of these tables. At least five tables had solid vintage inventories while many others had a smattering. One dealer had some drool-worthy 1957-58 Topps basketball cards but nothing was priced. I have learned over the years that if a card is not priced that means it will cost way too much. While, I loved seeing all the vintage, it was all priced too high for me. 

One of the vintage dealers was my best customer. What a nice guy. Unfortunately, he had a fake 1964 Topps Mickey Mantle in his display case. I don't think he was trying to scam anyone. I think he actually got scammed and has no idea the card is fake. I didn't have the heart to tell him. I see fake vintage cards in dealers' cases on occasion, I am never sure what to do. I don't want to start any fights with anybody but it is a bummer to see the fakes.

I recognized several dealers from the Fort Wayne show. My only other customer of the day recognized me from the Fort Wayne show and purchased some 1960 Topps baseball.

Best part of the show was the free coffee (which I promptly spilled) and the free doughnuts. Thanks Jerry!

Prior to partaking in the free coffee and doughnuts, I had an interesting drive to Marion. I went through a town called Wabash which looked like it was out of a Charles Dickens novel. I love Victorian towns and plan on heading back to explore. Marion, on the other hand, was kind of dumpy and run down. Though, I did see a sign for James Dean's birthplace. I might head back some time to check that out.

I am not sure what Jerry can do to get more people to attend this show. Marion seems like it is in the middle of nowhere but I don't think it is all that far from Indianapolis. Props to Jerry for not charging me for my tables -- much appreciated. I also observed him going around the room and purchasing cards that I am sure he did not need or want but was just trying to help the dealers out.

Even though my sales were lousy and I did not buy anything, I still had a good time. Everyone was extremely friendly. I love talking cards. A lot of folks had never seen Goudeys and I enjoyed explaining a few things about them. I think if you live anywhere near Marion, this show is a good option because there is an excellent inventory of cards there from vintage, modern and Pokémon. As an out-of-town dealer, not worth it because of the small crowd. 

On Sunday, I was back on home turf at the Orland show. I'll try and get a blog done about Orland.

Next up for me is the Sports Spectacular at the Stephens Center in Rosemont, IL, from Friday through Sunday, November 22 to 24, 2024. I have a new booth location this time around. I am closer to the middle of the room in Booth No. 45. I am bringing out display cases to the Spectacular. If you want to see any binders, let me know and I will bring them. I will have lots of new inventory in my display cases. Should be fun!

Next Oak Creek show is coming up fast on December 7. As usual, I am sold out of table space. My waiting list is getting crazy. For new folks on the list, it will be months and months before I can get them space at the show. Sorry!

I have some interesting news to report -- my good friend Mark Smith contacted me and asked if I knew of any shows on February 2, 2025. We both saw the Bridgeview show and decided to set up together. Folks in both Milwaukee and Chicago have been asking me about Mark, well here is your chance to see him! Come out to the show at the Bridgeview Community Center, 7900 S. Oketo Ave., in Bridgeview, IL, on February 2nd. Should be a fun!!

​In the meantime, hope to see you this weekend in Rosemont!! 

Saturday-Sunday, November 9-10, 2025, Eastgate Mall, Cincinnati, OH

I have been to Cincinnati many times and have set up at the Moeller show, Sharonville, and Dayton. So I have become familiar with the city and its sports card collectors -- I even bring out a binder of Reds cards whenever I set up in the area.

I have come to realize that I really like Cincinnati and by the most part, the collectors there treat me like family. This was my first time set up at the Eastgate Mall and I had a very pleasant weekend.

I booked the Eastgate Mall show a month or so ago and began communicating with promoter Dan Acosta, who hails from Illinois and the town of Westmont. Dan is a super guy who runs an excellent show.

I initially booked two tables but saw an empty one next to mine so I took that one as well. Glad I did because that is where I placed my Reds binder and it took a beating on Saturday. Sales were excellent on Saturday.

John, who remembered me from the Xenia show this past August, spent all day at my tables working on his sets. What a nice guy and a pleasure to talk to. Thanks John! Quite a few set builders found me amongst the 200 tables at this show. One collector just about cleaned out my 1967 Topps baseball.

I also brought out a couple of discount boxes. My newly reloaded 50-cent box took a beating. It is about empty now.

Then a kid, about 12, showed me photos of a 1959 Topps football set he had up on eBay. I saw that the cards were mid-grade and made an offer which the young guy accepted. His dad brought the cards from home. I am pretty happy with the purchase. I didn't low-ball the little guy, I paid strong. He was delighted.

I also met a couple of teenage girls who purchased vintage Cincinnati Bengal cards for their dads -- wish my daughter would purchase me some cards!!

I was busy all day Saturday and had some really great conversations about cards and Pete Rose. I learned his wake was this weekend. I thought about attending but I would have had to leave my cards in my car and was worried about theft, so I didn't go.

I initially booked the Eastgate Mall show for just Saturday and told Dan that if I did well, I would stick around for Sunday. I did well and on Dan's advice I packed up and took my cards with me for the night.

My tables on Saturday were located near the Food Court and I dined on some wonderful Teriyaki Chicken for lunch. After the show, I found a Chinese Buffet called Kings near my hotel and stuffed my face well.

The show on Sunday did not start until noon, so I slept in then found a nearby Waffle House for breakfast. We don't have Waffle House in Illinois. I freakin' love Waffle House and was in heaven.

Dan moved my spot for Sunday which was fine with me. Though, the new spot had poor lighting. Once again, I had three tables and shared an empty with my neighbor -- a nice guy selling Pokemon.

On the other side was an extremely loud guy, who I did not like initially. He set part of his display behind one of my tables which pissed me off. See photo below. The space behind my tables is mine -- bad form for other dealers to pinch it. He also blocked my way out from behind my tables. So I moved an empty table behind me so I could get out but turd boy kept moving it back. Ugh!

As the day went on, we got to talking and I ended up enjoying our conversations and decided he was okay, even if he was loud space pincher and exit blocker.

Sales were down on Sunday and I had one lowballer, who I did not like. Lesson here is to only set up at this show on Saturday.

I was on the road by 4:15 p.m. and had an easy drive home.

Next week is a double bill weekend. I am trucking down to Marion, Indiana, on Saturday. I have never been to this show, so I am looking forward to it. Sunday is the mighty Orland show. I am feverishly working on reloading my 1959 Topps baseball binder. Not sure if I will have it done by the weekend.

Sorry for the lack of blogs. I kind of lost my blog mojo. I have photos from the all the shows I attended since August but failed to blog about. You wanna see some photos?

​Next Oak Creek show is December 7 -- as usual, tables are sold out and the waiting list is just insane at this point. Ugh!

​Here are a few photos from Cincinnati:

Pictured above here is my table on top with turd boy's sign and bench placed behind my table and blocking my way out.