Saturday, February 11, 2023, IBEW Local 364, Rockford, IL
What a difference two weeks makes! Last month, we had a nasty snowstorm during the show. This month we had temps in the upper 40's, lots of sun. The drive to and from the show was easy, unlike last month where the drive home was a near-death experience.
My tables were located in-between dealers Gary George and Jeff Talamantez. Behind me was Dave Kania, who I have known forever, and Matt Skaggs, who just happened to no-show me the week before in Oak Creek. Matt will not be setting up in Oak Creek anymore.
Steady crowd all day long, though it seemed like more people attended the last show during a snowstorm -- go figure. Also, at last show, I brought out all display cases. I went with the binders this time around and sold more stuff with the binders than the display cases! Lot's of set builders. I was definitely busier with the binders than the display cases. Seemed like most of my sales were to guys who did not attend the last show. I tried to keep track of the cards I sold but got too busy to jot everything down.
Let's see what I can remember... I had a few guys at my table well before I finished setting up which is always a bummer. Show starts at 9 a.m. and I really don't like guys at my table prior. I need all the time I can get to set up.
The one guy who got angry at me at the last show because I was on the phone, was the first customer, way too early, at this show. I think I only had about half the binders layed out when he started going through them. He was in a much better mood, though, and found a few cards for his 1980 Topps set.
My next customer was one of two Terry's who visited my tables on this day. Oddly enough, both Terrys, live in Janesville. The first Terry trucked out to my show the previous week in Oak Creek, which was much appreciated. First Terry purchased some 1963 Topps football in Rockford. Terry said he was just starting the set.
Later in the show, first Terry had a hypoglycemic episode which I can relate. As I told him, I deal with hypoglycemia at least once a month, usually more. We're both diabetics and sometimes the intake of insulin leads to hypoglycemia which can be deadly. Thankfully, Gary had a granola bar which saved Terry. Hypoglycemia absolutely sucks and I hate when it hits me. I normally keep some candy or glucose tabs with me just in case but did not have any at the time. I hope Terry is feeling better.
Second Terry arrived near the end of the show, as usual, and he had some returns for me, which I absolutely hate. Second Terry is one of the few customers that returns cards. I feel like all sales are final at a card show. You have plenty of time to sit at my table and analyze the cards before purchase. I noticed that the three 1958 Topps baseball cards that Terry returned to me were all way off center. My guess is Terry upgraded the cards and no longer wanted the off-center ones and returned them to me. The right thing to do in this situation is go sell the cards you no longer want, don't return them to the vendor!
Second Terry always has some cards to sell to me. He could have thrown those '58s into the group he was selling and I would have been none the wiser. Regardless, I did purchase a nice group of cards from Second Terry that included some really nice 1963 Topps baseball high numbers.
Any number of the other customers today could have been named Terry as well but I just cannot seem to remember most names. One customer, who I have seen before, purchased a huge pile of 1975 Topps baseball cards, some '74 Topps baseball and some '78 Topps baseball. He said he works most Saturdays and has a tough time attending Saturday shows. He was wearing a cap that stated "Desert Storm Veteran." I appreciate his service and his purchases!
Big Mike purchased a nice pile of stuff. His buddy Kevin also purchased some cards. Prior to the show, I thought Kevin would be interested in my newly reloaded 1950 Bowman baseball but he told me he already completed the set. I was impressed. What a cool set! Thanks for your purchases guys!
A new customer purchased all sorts of stuff, including football, hockey and baseball cards. My one buddy from Berwyn purchased some 1950 Bowman baseball. Sean, who I last saw at the November Sports Spectacular, purchased some cards. Jeremy, a new customer, also purchased a nice pile of cards. Funny, some guys I'll remember their names but won't remember their purchases. Other guys, I'll remember their purchases but not their names. What's that about?
The big winner today was the customer I originally met at the Madison show last year who just about cleaned out my 1975 Topps baseball binder and a large chunk of my 1962 Topps baseball binder.
Like I said, it was a real nice day selling cards. I know I sold more cards but I just can't remember what or to whom. My total sales surpassed last month, which was real nice. I really appreciate all the purchases!
I enjoyed chatting with Dave K., who told me he grew up on a farm in Franklin, WI. I only know Franklin from the Root River card show and I can't see where there are any farms in that town. Franklin seems like a fully developed suburb of Milwaukee. I gotta ask Dave exactly where that farm was located because it is probably a housing development or strip mall today.
On the buying front, I purchased those cards from Second Terry along with another group from a long-time customer that included a 1960 Topps Al Kaline All Star. I went home with a nice pile of stuff. Thanks guys!
Overall, an excellent day! I love the Rockford show! The promoters John and Mike are awesome. I like the new venue, though I got a little lost on the way there. The hall is on Mill Road which is not a major thoroughfare so if you blink, you miss the street sign.
The next Rockford show is March 11. I cannot attend that one because I previously committed to Bridgeview. Though, I encourage all who live in the area to attend the Rockford show because it is an excellent show and far enough away from Bridgeview where neither compete with each other. Though, I have to say, I did see one customer in Rockford, who I originally met at the Bridgeview show. He told me that he lives by Midway Airport. Man, he had a nice drive to Rockford!
Please note that I will be at the April 8 Rockford show. I might bring binders again in April because they did so well at the February show.
In the meantime, next Oak Creek show is March 4. Once again, I am sold out of dealer space. You can send me an email at [email protected] to be added to the wait list.
Next up is a double bill weekend with Woodstock on Saturday, February 18, then I will be set up at the Roma Lodge in Racine on Sunday, February 19. I am reverting back to display cases for those shows because my binders got cleaned out in Rockford. I desperately need to reload. I'll probably bring out binders to the February 26 Oland show. I should have 1978 and 1952 Topps baseball reloaded for the Orland show.
Hope to see you this weekend! A big thank you to everyone in Rockford, that was a lot of fun!!
The photo up top I swiped off the Premier Card Shows Facebook page. The bottom photo is one I took.
What a difference two weeks makes! Last month, we had a nasty snowstorm during the show. This month we had temps in the upper 40's, lots of sun. The drive to and from the show was easy, unlike last month where the drive home was a near-death experience.
My tables were located in-between dealers Gary George and Jeff Talamantez. Behind me was Dave Kania, who I have known forever, and Matt Skaggs, who just happened to no-show me the week before in Oak Creek. Matt will not be setting up in Oak Creek anymore.
Steady crowd all day long, though it seemed like more people attended the last show during a snowstorm -- go figure. Also, at last show, I brought out all display cases. I went with the binders this time around and sold more stuff with the binders than the display cases! Lot's of set builders. I was definitely busier with the binders than the display cases. Seemed like most of my sales were to guys who did not attend the last show. I tried to keep track of the cards I sold but got too busy to jot everything down.
Let's see what I can remember... I had a few guys at my table well before I finished setting up which is always a bummer. Show starts at 9 a.m. and I really don't like guys at my table prior. I need all the time I can get to set up.
The one guy who got angry at me at the last show because I was on the phone, was the first customer, way too early, at this show. I think I only had about half the binders layed out when he started going through them. He was in a much better mood, though, and found a few cards for his 1980 Topps set.
My next customer was one of two Terry's who visited my tables on this day. Oddly enough, both Terrys, live in Janesville. The first Terry trucked out to my show the previous week in Oak Creek, which was much appreciated. First Terry purchased some 1963 Topps football in Rockford. Terry said he was just starting the set.
Later in the show, first Terry had a hypoglycemic episode which I can relate. As I told him, I deal with hypoglycemia at least once a month, usually more. We're both diabetics and sometimes the intake of insulin leads to hypoglycemia which can be deadly. Thankfully, Gary had a granola bar which saved Terry. Hypoglycemia absolutely sucks and I hate when it hits me. I normally keep some candy or glucose tabs with me just in case but did not have any at the time. I hope Terry is feeling better.
Second Terry arrived near the end of the show, as usual, and he had some returns for me, which I absolutely hate. Second Terry is one of the few customers that returns cards. I feel like all sales are final at a card show. You have plenty of time to sit at my table and analyze the cards before purchase. I noticed that the three 1958 Topps baseball cards that Terry returned to me were all way off center. My guess is Terry upgraded the cards and no longer wanted the off-center ones and returned them to me. The right thing to do in this situation is go sell the cards you no longer want, don't return them to the vendor!
Second Terry always has some cards to sell to me. He could have thrown those '58s into the group he was selling and I would have been none the wiser. Regardless, I did purchase a nice group of cards from Second Terry that included some really nice 1963 Topps baseball high numbers.
Any number of the other customers today could have been named Terry as well but I just cannot seem to remember most names. One customer, who I have seen before, purchased a huge pile of 1975 Topps baseball cards, some '74 Topps baseball and some '78 Topps baseball. He said he works most Saturdays and has a tough time attending Saturday shows. He was wearing a cap that stated "Desert Storm Veteran." I appreciate his service and his purchases!
Big Mike purchased a nice pile of stuff. His buddy Kevin also purchased some cards. Prior to the show, I thought Kevin would be interested in my newly reloaded 1950 Bowman baseball but he told me he already completed the set. I was impressed. What a cool set! Thanks for your purchases guys!
A new customer purchased all sorts of stuff, including football, hockey and baseball cards. My one buddy from Berwyn purchased some 1950 Bowman baseball. Sean, who I last saw at the November Sports Spectacular, purchased some cards. Jeremy, a new customer, also purchased a nice pile of cards. Funny, some guys I'll remember their names but won't remember their purchases. Other guys, I'll remember their purchases but not their names. What's that about?
The big winner today was the customer I originally met at the Madison show last year who just about cleaned out my 1975 Topps baseball binder and a large chunk of my 1962 Topps baseball binder.
Like I said, it was a real nice day selling cards. I know I sold more cards but I just can't remember what or to whom. My total sales surpassed last month, which was real nice. I really appreciate all the purchases!
I enjoyed chatting with Dave K., who told me he grew up on a farm in Franklin, WI. I only know Franklin from the Root River card show and I can't see where there are any farms in that town. Franklin seems like a fully developed suburb of Milwaukee. I gotta ask Dave exactly where that farm was located because it is probably a housing development or strip mall today.
On the buying front, I purchased those cards from Second Terry along with another group from a long-time customer that included a 1960 Topps Al Kaline All Star. I went home with a nice pile of stuff. Thanks guys!
Overall, an excellent day! I love the Rockford show! The promoters John and Mike are awesome. I like the new venue, though I got a little lost on the way there. The hall is on Mill Road which is not a major thoroughfare so if you blink, you miss the street sign.
The next Rockford show is March 11. I cannot attend that one because I previously committed to Bridgeview. Though, I encourage all who live in the area to attend the Rockford show because it is an excellent show and far enough away from Bridgeview where neither compete with each other. Though, I have to say, I did see one customer in Rockford, who I originally met at the Bridgeview show. He told me that he lives by Midway Airport. Man, he had a nice drive to Rockford!
Please note that I will be at the April 8 Rockford show. I might bring binders again in April because they did so well at the February show.
In the meantime, next Oak Creek show is March 4. Once again, I am sold out of dealer space. You can send me an email at [email protected] to be added to the wait list.
Next up is a double bill weekend with Woodstock on Saturday, February 18, then I will be set up at the Roma Lodge in Racine on Sunday, February 19. I am reverting back to display cases for those shows because my binders got cleaned out in Rockford. I desperately need to reload. I'll probably bring out binders to the February 26 Oland show. I should have 1978 and 1952 Topps baseball reloaded for the Orland show.
Hope to see you this weekend! A big thank you to everyone in Rockford, that was a lot of fun!!
The photo up top I swiped off the Premier Card Shows Facebook page. The bottom photo is one I took.
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