I think it has been about seven months since I last attended a card show. Well, Lou and Don have been urging me to attend the show at the Hyatt Hotel in Woodfield, Illinois. So this past Sunday, September 6, 2020, I dragged myself out of bed and ventured out to the show.
Now this show has been going on for years at several different locations. Most people remember it as the Rolling Meadows show that was held for decades at the Holiday Inn, which is currently being torn down. I think the show moved to the Hyatt about a year ago.
The Hyatt is snazzy. I made sure to wear my mask and observed that everyone at the show, both customers and dealers, were all wearing mask. I saw one guy wearing gloves. The show was spread out between two rooms and a large hallway. All the dealer tables were social distanced apart.
I was impressed with both the number of dealers and customers. It was also great to catch up with everybody. Lou and Don had the first tables in the first room. It was great to see those guys. Next to Lou and Don on one side was Eric Unglaub and on the other side was Jeff P. Across the way was vintage Tom. There was one other dealer in the room who I did not know, he was selling reprint pre-War. It was nice to see everyone in that room after such a long lay off. I purchased some cards from Tom and Eric.
In the hallway, Del had the space to himself. It is always great to see Del, whom I've known forever. In the second room, which is much larger than the first room, there were a dozen or so dealers. I only knew a handful of them like the Zeigerts, Karl, Skip, and Nick. It was great to catch up with everybody.
Everybody seems to be waiting for my show, Gonzaga and Orland to return to action. Well, it does not look like these shows are returning any time soon. Jeff was saying there is a limit to 50 people in a room in Illinois. We agreed that there is no way to keep Orland at just 50 people in the room.
There was some chatter about some other shows. Some had set up at the last Schererville show in Indiana over the summer and said it was tremendous and they are waiting for the promoter to announce another one. I saw that one listed and I just wasn't ready to brave the pandemic yet to go to a show.
Others mentioned the Madison show with mixed results. I used to set up at that show regularly and it was always hit or miss. The promoter Darin is a great guy and if you are near Madison, I recommend that show. I thought about going but Madison is more than a two-hour drive for me. I just don't have the patience to sit in the car that long.
I know there is a show this coming weekend at the Cherry Vale Mall in Rockford, Illinois. That show is also a long drive for me. I probably won't go. Then there is a show coming up in Woodstock that a lot of people were talking about. I need to check with the promoter to see if there are tables.
A few mentioned a show in New Berlin, Wisconsin, but this show seems to be geared toward bobble collectors. There just isn't much happening right now between the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor. I have mentioned the flea market at the Kenosha County Fairgrounds in Wisconsin. I haven't made it out there yet. Maybe I'll check it out next weekend.
Boy it sure was fun going to that show at the Hyatt. There was not a whole lot of vintage there but I did manage to buy some stuff. The Hyatt show is well-known as a modern show -- which is why I blindly reserved two tables for the October 4th show. I don't expect a whole lot of sales but I will enjoy the company and just being at a card show, any show!
I don't plan to bring my usual set up on October 4 because I did not see a whole lot of vintage buyers. There seemed to be a lot of dime boxes at this show so I'll bring out my vintage cheapy boxes. I have been growing my vintage baseball glove collection these past few years and would like to bring out some gloves.
Other than Don's cool WHA programs, I did not see a whole lot of publications at the Hyatt show, so I'm thinking about bringing out a couple boxes of publications. I have a smattering of modern cards I need to dig out. It will freak people out seeing that stuff on my table but I need to make some sales!
I will bring out three display cases and have a limited display of vintage stars. I just don't want to bring out the regular stuff because I don't think it will sell. I think I'll bring out some vintage lots. I also have some 1990's lots and sets that I may bring out. With the tables being just 6-footers, I don't think I'll have space for much else.
I don't expect there to be any vintage set builders at the show. If you are a vintage set builder and are planning to attend, shoot me a line and let me know what years you want me to bring out.
It will be a weird show and I'll have a weird set up because this is a modern show. I think I only saw two vintage dealers when I was at the show last weekend. Traditionally, this show only gets one or two vintage dealers, unlike other shows where vintage dealers are plentiful.
Some guys relish being the only vintage dealer in the room. I do not. I always like there to be many vintage dealers because with more vintage dealers you get more vintage collectors/customers. Looking around the rooms on Sunday, I only saw two guys tops who have purchased vintage cards from me in the past.
I am going to bring some money to spend, so if you are selling vintage (1969 and older), stop by my tables!!
I am looking forward to setting up at the show. It has been way too long!!
Now this show has been going on for years at several different locations. Most people remember it as the Rolling Meadows show that was held for decades at the Holiday Inn, which is currently being torn down. I think the show moved to the Hyatt about a year ago.
The Hyatt is snazzy. I made sure to wear my mask and observed that everyone at the show, both customers and dealers, were all wearing mask. I saw one guy wearing gloves. The show was spread out between two rooms and a large hallway. All the dealer tables were social distanced apart.
I was impressed with both the number of dealers and customers. It was also great to catch up with everybody. Lou and Don had the first tables in the first room. It was great to see those guys. Next to Lou and Don on one side was Eric Unglaub and on the other side was Jeff P. Across the way was vintage Tom. There was one other dealer in the room who I did not know, he was selling reprint pre-War. It was nice to see everyone in that room after such a long lay off. I purchased some cards from Tom and Eric.
In the hallway, Del had the space to himself. It is always great to see Del, whom I've known forever. In the second room, which is much larger than the first room, there were a dozen or so dealers. I only knew a handful of them like the Zeigerts, Karl, Skip, and Nick. It was great to catch up with everybody.
Everybody seems to be waiting for my show, Gonzaga and Orland to return to action. Well, it does not look like these shows are returning any time soon. Jeff was saying there is a limit to 50 people in a room in Illinois. We agreed that there is no way to keep Orland at just 50 people in the room.
There was some chatter about some other shows. Some had set up at the last Schererville show in Indiana over the summer and said it was tremendous and they are waiting for the promoter to announce another one. I saw that one listed and I just wasn't ready to brave the pandemic yet to go to a show.
Others mentioned the Madison show with mixed results. I used to set up at that show regularly and it was always hit or miss. The promoter Darin is a great guy and if you are near Madison, I recommend that show. I thought about going but Madison is more than a two-hour drive for me. I just don't have the patience to sit in the car that long.
I know there is a show this coming weekend at the Cherry Vale Mall in Rockford, Illinois. That show is also a long drive for me. I probably won't go. Then there is a show coming up in Woodstock that a lot of people were talking about. I need to check with the promoter to see if there are tables.
A few mentioned a show in New Berlin, Wisconsin, but this show seems to be geared toward bobble collectors. There just isn't much happening right now between the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor. I have mentioned the flea market at the Kenosha County Fairgrounds in Wisconsin. I haven't made it out there yet. Maybe I'll check it out next weekend.
Boy it sure was fun going to that show at the Hyatt. There was not a whole lot of vintage there but I did manage to buy some stuff. The Hyatt show is well-known as a modern show -- which is why I blindly reserved two tables for the October 4th show. I don't expect a whole lot of sales but I will enjoy the company and just being at a card show, any show!
I don't plan to bring my usual set up on October 4 because I did not see a whole lot of vintage buyers. There seemed to be a lot of dime boxes at this show so I'll bring out my vintage cheapy boxes. I have been growing my vintage baseball glove collection these past few years and would like to bring out some gloves.
Other than Don's cool WHA programs, I did not see a whole lot of publications at the Hyatt show, so I'm thinking about bringing out a couple boxes of publications. I have a smattering of modern cards I need to dig out. It will freak people out seeing that stuff on my table but I need to make some sales!
I will bring out three display cases and have a limited display of vintage stars. I just don't want to bring out the regular stuff because I don't think it will sell. I think I'll bring out some vintage lots. I also have some 1990's lots and sets that I may bring out. With the tables being just 6-footers, I don't think I'll have space for much else.
I don't expect there to be any vintage set builders at the show. If you are a vintage set builder and are planning to attend, shoot me a line and let me know what years you want me to bring out.
It will be a weird show and I'll have a weird set up because this is a modern show. I think I only saw two vintage dealers when I was at the show last weekend. Traditionally, this show only gets one or two vintage dealers, unlike other shows where vintage dealers are plentiful.
Some guys relish being the only vintage dealer in the room. I do not. I always like there to be many vintage dealers because with more vintage dealers you get more vintage collectors/customers. Looking around the rooms on Sunday, I only saw two guys tops who have purchased vintage cards from me in the past.
I am going to bring some money to spend, so if you are selling vintage (1969 and older), stop by my tables!!
I am looking forward to setting up at the show. It has been way too long!!
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