On Saturday, March 21, 2015, I arrived at Day 2 of the Fan Fanatic Show around 8 a.m. The show did not open until 9 a.m. With time to kill, I thought I would get some breakfast at the Expoteria but the place was closed. I then went to the Starbucks in the Stephens Center, it was closed as well. I was in dire need of caffeine and food. I took the tarps off of my binders and display cases, sat around and chatted with Bob, Bill and Dave -- my boothmates.
A short while later, my friend Derek called and informed me that the Starbucks was open and he volunteered to wait in line. Yes! I am a big fan of Starbucks coffee. I don't know what they do to their coffee but it tastes so much better than any other coffee around. The coffee at the concession stand was absolutely terrible. I am not quite sure how it is possible to brew such bad tasting coffee, but the folks at the concession stand seem to nail it every show. Anyway, I met Derek at the Starbucks. We were in line behind a very nice lady who told me she was helping out at the Chicagoland Sports Cards booth this weekend. She said her pop is Les, the owner of Chicagoland Sports Cards.
Derek kindly sprung for my coffee and a blueberry muffin. Thanks Derek! I was ready to begin my day. My first customer of the day was a dealer who purchased a bunch of 1972 Topps baseball cards. The next customer hit my 25-cent box which drew sales all weekend long.
For the most part, the morning was kind of dead. The place did not fill up until 11 a.m. I did not get a chance to walk around at all last night. I decided to walk the row next to ours and observed a great many vintage autographs.
A short while later, my friend Derek called and informed me that the Starbucks was open and he volunteered to wait in line. Yes! I am a big fan of Starbucks coffee. I don't know what they do to their coffee but it tastes so much better than any other coffee around. The coffee at the concession stand was absolutely terrible. I am not quite sure how it is possible to brew such bad tasting coffee, but the folks at the concession stand seem to nail it every show. Anyway, I met Derek at the Starbucks. We were in line behind a very nice lady who told me she was helping out at the Chicagoland Sports Cards booth this weekend. She said her pop is Les, the owner of Chicagoland Sports Cards.
Derek kindly sprung for my coffee and a blueberry muffin. Thanks Derek! I was ready to begin my day. My first customer of the day was a dealer who purchased a bunch of 1972 Topps baseball cards. The next customer hit my 25-cent box which drew sales all weekend long.
For the most part, the morning was kind of dead. The place did not fill up until 11 a.m. I did not get a chance to walk around at all last night. I decided to walk the row next to ours and observed a great many vintage autographs.
Once back at my booth, I made more sales out of the 25-cent box. I did not have the 25-cent box out at the November show. I may have to bring out several 25-cent boxes for the November 2015 show. It seems like customers at this show really like the cheapy boxes. I'm always trying to figure out how to increase sales and end up changing my display around for each show. My tablemate Bob does a tremendous job at changing his set up for each of Fan Fanatic/Sun-Times shows. I really think that at this show, more than any other show, I need to change up my display. A dealer booth can get stale in a hurry at this show and then it can be a very long weekend.
My day brightened up when my long-time friend Ross Foreman came by. We have been friends since we were 12 years old. In the spring of 1979, we took jobs together as janitors at a nearby day camp to earn money to buy baseball cards. I also remember riding my bike with Ross to the Convenient Food Mart near our houses to buy packs of 1980 Topps baseball cards. It took me all summer to complete that 1980 set.
Ross is a freelance journalist and is a regular contributor to a host of sports related magazines and newspapers. He always gets a quote from me for his articles in SCD. I really appreciate the exposure. This time around, Ross seemed to be doing a story on oddball sports memorabilia. I showed him some oddball items on my table like the 1959 Fleer Ted Williams cards. He took some photos. Hopefully, I make it into his next SCD article.
My conversation with Ross was cut short when I had a little rush of customers. I sold some Exhibits to one guy. Another purchased some 1964 Philadelphia football cards. Paul and his son, who I know from the Orland show came by. It has been a year or so since I've seen Paul. He is still working on that high grade 1975 Topps baseball set. He found a few at my table. He also started a 1974 Topps baseball set and purchased a nice pile from me.
A customer wearing a Cleveland Indians hat and jersey purchased some cards from my 25-cent and 50-cent boxes. A customer wearing a Kansas City Chiefs hat purchased a 1972-73 Fleer Globetrotters Meadowlark Lemon. Another customer purchased some 1973 and 1974 Topps baseball cards. Then a customer pulled a 10-cent card from one of my binders, gave me a dollar and told me to keep the change. Thanks! My next customer purchased 50 cents worth of cards from my binders. I was hoping for a second tip but no luck this time.
Another good friend, Tony Shaefer, showed up at my table. Most people who read my blog know Tony. He sets up monthly at the St. Louis show and occasionally appears in Orland. Tony purchased a bunch of cards from my display cases. Thanks Tony! He was staying near Trump Tower in Downtown Chicago and told me he was planning to go bar hopping that night with his college buddy Nate. From his Facebook posts, it sounds like they had a good time. I know they hit one of my favorite bars called Fado', a tremendous little pub located just over the Chicago River from Downtown Chicago.
My next customer is a long-time member of the OBC club. A forget his name but he is a good customer and purchased some Exhibits, 1969 Citgo Coins, and Fleer Globetrotters. Both the Exhibits and Globetrotters were new for this show and saw a lot of action. My next customer was a collector from Jackson, Michigan, who has to work next Saturday and can't make the show there where I am setting up. He purchased some cards out of the 25-cent box along with some 1972 Topps baseball.
Next up, a customer purchased some 1969 Topps baseball cards. A customer wearing a Chicago White Sox jacket purchased some 1973-74 Topps Hockey cards, which I also reloaded just before the show. A customer wearing a Chicago Bears jacket purchased some 1973 Topps baseball cards. A customer I know from both the Orland and Fred Copp shows purchased some 1974 Topps baseball cards. Then some dealers from Wisconsin, a couple of super nice guys whose names escape me, purchased a bunch of cards from my display cases. Thanks guys!!!
I ended up having a really nice day, much better than November. It costs $375 to set up at this show so it is always a nice moment when I make table and well beyond. With my pockets flushed with cash, I paid Bob, who fronted the table fee money and I also paid Joe for some cards I purchased a few months ago. I always seem to have some baseball card debts. I then purchased a nice pile of 1956 Topps football cards from a customer who came in with his son from Souix Falls, South Dakota.
After the show, Mark, Craig and I went over to Toby Keith's Bar and Grill, a new restaurant in Rosemont located just west of the Stephens Center parking lot. The restaurant is huge. We sat at a booth. Mark shockingly ordered a salad. I thought Mark only ate ribs. I think Craig had the pulled pork. I went with the smoked turkey. The food was okay. Nothing special. I think the real draw here are the pretty waitresses who wear short shorts and low cut T-shirts.
Mark and Craig reported good sales. It seems like most of the dealers I talked to had real nice days. I was home by 7 p.m. and hung out with the wife and kids. My report from Day 3 is on its way. In the meantime, below are a few more photos from Day 2.
My day brightened up when my long-time friend Ross Foreman came by. We have been friends since we were 12 years old. In the spring of 1979, we took jobs together as janitors at a nearby day camp to earn money to buy baseball cards. I also remember riding my bike with Ross to the Convenient Food Mart near our houses to buy packs of 1980 Topps baseball cards. It took me all summer to complete that 1980 set.
Ross is a freelance journalist and is a regular contributor to a host of sports related magazines and newspapers. He always gets a quote from me for his articles in SCD. I really appreciate the exposure. This time around, Ross seemed to be doing a story on oddball sports memorabilia. I showed him some oddball items on my table like the 1959 Fleer Ted Williams cards. He took some photos. Hopefully, I make it into his next SCD article.
My conversation with Ross was cut short when I had a little rush of customers. I sold some Exhibits to one guy. Another purchased some 1964 Philadelphia football cards. Paul and his son, who I know from the Orland show came by. It has been a year or so since I've seen Paul. He is still working on that high grade 1975 Topps baseball set. He found a few at my table. He also started a 1974 Topps baseball set and purchased a nice pile from me.
A customer wearing a Cleveland Indians hat and jersey purchased some cards from my 25-cent and 50-cent boxes. A customer wearing a Kansas City Chiefs hat purchased a 1972-73 Fleer Globetrotters Meadowlark Lemon. Another customer purchased some 1973 and 1974 Topps baseball cards. Then a customer pulled a 10-cent card from one of my binders, gave me a dollar and told me to keep the change. Thanks! My next customer purchased 50 cents worth of cards from my binders. I was hoping for a second tip but no luck this time.
Another good friend, Tony Shaefer, showed up at my table. Most people who read my blog know Tony. He sets up monthly at the St. Louis show and occasionally appears in Orland. Tony purchased a bunch of cards from my display cases. Thanks Tony! He was staying near Trump Tower in Downtown Chicago and told me he was planning to go bar hopping that night with his college buddy Nate. From his Facebook posts, it sounds like they had a good time. I know they hit one of my favorite bars called Fado', a tremendous little pub located just over the Chicago River from Downtown Chicago.
My next customer is a long-time member of the OBC club. A forget his name but he is a good customer and purchased some Exhibits, 1969 Citgo Coins, and Fleer Globetrotters. Both the Exhibits and Globetrotters were new for this show and saw a lot of action. My next customer was a collector from Jackson, Michigan, who has to work next Saturday and can't make the show there where I am setting up. He purchased some cards out of the 25-cent box along with some 1972 Topps baseball.
Next up, a customer purchased some 1969 Topps baseball cards. A customer wearing a Chicago White Sox jacket purchased some 1973-74 Topps Hockey cards, which I also reloaded just before the show. A customer wearing a Chicago Bears jacket purchased some 1973 Topps baseball cards. A customer I know from both the Orland and Fred Copp shows purchased some 1974 Topps baseball cards. Then some dealers from Wisconsin, a couple of super nice guys whose names escape me, purchased a bunch of cards from my display cases. Thanks guys!!!
I ended up having a really nice day, much better than November. It costs $375 to set up at this show so it is always a nice moment when I make table and well beyond. With my pockets flushed with cash, I paid Bob, who fronted the table fee money and I also paid Joe for some cards I purchased a few months ago. I always seem to have some baseball card debts. I then purchased a nice pile of 1956 Topps football cards from a customer who came in with his son from Souix Falls, South Dakota.
After the show, Mark, Craig and I went over to Toby Keith's Bar and Grill, a new restaurant in Rosemont located just west of the Stephens Center parking lot. The restaurant is huge. We sat at a booth. Mark shockingly ordered a salad. I thought Mark only ate ribs. I think Craig had the pulled pork. I went with the smoked turkey. The food was okay. Nothing special. I think the real draw here are the pretty waitresses who wear short shorts and low cut T-shirts.
Mark and Craig reported good sales. It seems like most of the dealers I talked to had real nice days. I was home by 7 p.m. and hung out with the wife and kids. My report from Day 3 is on its way. In the meantime, below are a few more photos from Day 2.
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