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