Sunday, September 11, 2022, Woodfield Hyatt, Schaumburg, IL
I have several regular customers at this show that want to see my binders, so after bringing showcases last month, I brought out the binders. Of course, as soon as I was set up, many folks asked for the showcases.
Joe, the excellent promoter of the Schaumburg show, placed me in the larger room today which was much appreciated. Thanks Joe! The tables behind me were open all day. I am guessing that the dealer slated for those tables did not bother to show up. Joe was kind enough to allow me to place some binders on those tables.
With it being the first Sunday of the NFL season, attendance was noticeably down which is usually the case during football season. I can usually sneak out of shows around noon during football season but I had a few customers after noon and did not get out until 2 p.m.
My one autograph hound was happy to see my binders but disappointed that I did not have a 1976 Topps Ed Crosby. I probably had the Crosby in one of my '76 binders, I don't think this guy looked very hard. I wasn't going to dig through the binders to find a 25-cent card. I spend a TON of time sorting cards and placing them in numerical order so it is easy to find a card if you know the number. I'm guessing my autograph guy did not know the card number.
I had a new customer come back three or four times and buy a few cards each time. Then another customer who I remember from the July show pulled a nice stack of cards. Randy found some 1955 Topps baseball. He asked that I bring star cards from 1957 Topps baseball next month. I will probably bring out the showcases next month. My old friend Chuck stopped by and pulled some cards. Thanks Chuck! A new customer pulled some 1978 Topps football.
Like Rockford on yesterday, sales in Schaumburg were slower than last month. A couple of guys who spent decent money with me last month, did not even look at the binders. It is weird how some guys only want to look at showcase stuff and other just want to see the binders. I suppose I could reserve four tables and bring out both the showcases and binders but it is a lot of work carting all that stuff in and out of the building along with keeping watch over that many tables. I could do it when I was younger and before the onset of diabetes but not in my old age and as a raging diabetic, my energy is really limited.
So I will continue to field complaints each show and mix up my display at each show. Sorry guys! On the plus side, I can see first-hand that I provide some unique vintage cards at each show. I have stuff you won't find on anyone else's table no matter if I am bringing binders or showcases. I generally feel pretty good with my display. If I could just get those freakin' binders loaded up! I have some great stuff waiting at home to see the light of day. My inventory is probably at its largest point ever. I have so much stuff. Every day I go through a box or two in my card bunker and am always surprised as to what I discover. New stuff is coming out soon!
On the food front, I sat down and tried the hotel breakfast for the first time. The breakfast buffet cost 20 bucks and I was very disappointed. There was a big pot of scrambled eggs that I can't eat because I assume they are made with milk which does not agree with me. Then I took a few sausages that looked pretty good but when I took a bite, they were cold. They also had a big pot of steamed bacon. I really hate steamed bacon. I like my bacon cooked on a grill.
They had some steamed potatoes that were very tasty but I can't eat too many of those due to my diabetes. Then there was some fruit and cereal and a few rolls and such. I was not impressed. I felt the hotel breakfast buffet would have been better for 20 bucks. I will skip it in the future.
On the buying front, I purchased a few cards from Junior including a 1974 Topps Dave Winfield rookie, a 1960 Topps Eddie Mathews and a Ted Kluzewski. Junior also had a random T206 common that I purchased as well. Nothing else was offered.
On the new car front, I learned this morning that the windshield wipers on my new car need to be replaced. They barely work. Rain was light in the morning while at an utter downpour when I was loading out. I got soaked! I also could not drive on Route 53 with those lousy windshield wipers and had to take the long way home so I could see out of the windshield. Overall, the new car is great. Runs like I dream. I should not have a repeat of a breakdown on my way to Green Bay this coming Saturday, September 17.
I am really looking forward to the Green Bay show since I missed that first one due to my old car breaking down. I am not sure what to bring out. Initially, I wanted to bring out binders but after having a slow weekend with the binders in Rockford and Schaumburg, I am leaning toward showcases. I gotta figure this out soon! I also need to figure out whether I am going to drive up Friday night after work. I am usually too tired after work to do much and will most likely wake up before dawn on Saturday and drive up.
On Sunday, September 18, I will be back at the Orland Park show. I am going to have a hybrid set up in Orland with binders and showcases. I am looking forward to Orland where I always do well, no matter what I bring out. The Orland Park show is just a phenomenal show. Though, it will probably die after noon because everyone will take off to watch the NFL.
I have scheduled a Pop-Up Vintage Card Shop for Sunday, September 25, at my law office, 201 E. Dundee Road, Suite 2, Palatine, IL. New this time around is that dealers Tim Fritz and Mike Slinkman are setting up as well. I'll have out all of my binders and some display cases. I may bring out some cheapy boxes as well.
Next Oak Creek show is October 1, 2022. Tables are sold out. I am getting a TON of requests for tables. Sorry guys. All I can do is place you on my lengthy wait list. I should be able to clear off the wait list at the November 5 Oak Creek show when I will be adding another room. All new dealers must bring their own tables. The venue only has about half the amount of tables I need. I could rent tables but then I could not keep my dirt cheap table fee. Speaking of dirt cheap table fee, my Oak Creek table fee is going up from $25 to $30 with that November show because the new room is going to cost a bundle. Thirty bucks is still crazy cheap when compared to table fee at all of the other shows around.
That's all for now. Hope to see you this weekend in Green Bay and Orland Park!!
I have several regular customers at this show that want to see my binders, so after bringing showcases last month, I brought out the binders. Of course, as soon as I was set up, many folks asked for the showcases.
Joe, the excellent promoter of the Schaumburg show, placed me in the larger room today which was much appreciated. Thanks Joe! The tables behind me were open all day. I am guessing that the dealer slated for those tables did not bother to show up. Joe was kind enough to allow me to place some binders on those tables.
With it being the first Sunday of the NFL season, attendance was noticeably down which is usually the case during football season. I can usually sneak out of shows around noon during football season but I had a few customers after noon and did not get out until 2 p.m.
My one autograph hound was happy to see my binders but disappointed that I did not have a 1976 Topps Ed Crosby. I probably had the Crosby in one of my '76 binders, I don't think this guy looked very hard. I wasn't going to dig through the binders to find a 25-cent card. I spend a TON of time sorting cards and placing them in numerical order so it is easy to find a card if you know the number. I'm guessing my autograph guy did not know the card number.
I had a new customer come back three or four times and buy a few cards each time. Then another customer who I remember from the July show pulled a nice stack of cards. Randy found some 1955 Topps baseball. He asked that I bring star cards from 1957 Topps baseball next month. I will probably bring out the showcases next month. My old friend Chuck stopped by and pulled some cards. Thanks Chuck! A new customer pulled some 1978 Topps football.
Like Rockford on yesterday, sales in Schaumburg were slower than last month. A couple of guys who spent decent money with me last month, did not even look at the binders. It is weird how some guys only want to look at showcase stuff and other just want to see the binders. I suppose I could reserve four tables and bring out both the showcases and binders but it is a lot of work carting all that stuff in and out of the building along with keeping watch over that many tables. I could do it when I was younger and before the onset of diabetes but not in my old age and as a raging diabetic, my energy is really limited.
So I will continue to field complaints each show and mix up my display at each show. Sorry guys! On the plus side, I can see first-hand that I provide some unique vintage cards at each show. I have stuff you won't find on anyone else's table no matter if I am bringing binders or showcases. I generally feel pretty good with my display. If I could just get those freakin' binders loaded up! I have some great stuff waiting at home to see the light of day. My inventory is probably at its largest point ever. I have so much stuff. Every day I go through a box or two in my card bunker and am always surprised as to what I discover. New stuff is coming out soon!
On the food front, I sat down and tried the hotel breakfast for the first time. The breakfast buffet cost 20 bucks and I was very disappointed. There was a big pot of scrambled eggs that I can't eat because I assume they are made with milk which does not agree with me. Then I took a few sausages that looked pretty good but when I took a bite, they were cold. They also had a big pot of steamed bacon. I really hate steamed bacon. I like my bacon cooked on a grill.
They had some steamed potatoes that were very tasty but I can't eat too many of those due to my diabetes. Then there was some fruit and cereal and a few rolls and such. I was not impressed. I felt the hotel breakfast buffet would have been better for 20 bucks. I will skip it in the future.
On the buying front, I purchased a few cards from Junior including a 1974 Topps Dave Winfield rookie, a 1960 Topps Eddie Mathews and a Ted Kluzewski. Junior also had a random T206 common that I purchased as well. Nothing else was offered.
On the new car front, I learned this morning that the windshield wipers on my new car need to be replaced. They barely work. Rain was light in the morning while at an utter downpour when I was loading out. I got soaked! I also could not drive on Route 53 with those lousy windshield wipers and had to take the long way home so I could see out of the windshield. Overall, the new car is great. Runs like I dream. I should not have a repeat of a breakdown on my way to Green Bay this coming Saturday, September 17.
I am really looking forward to the Green Bay show since I missed that first one due to my old car breaking down. I am not sure what to bring out. Initially, I wanted to bring out binders but after having a slow weekend with the binders in Rockford and Schaumburg, I am leaning toward showcases. I gotta figure this out soon! I also need to figure out whether I am going to drive up Friday night after work. I am usually too tired after work to do much and will most likely wake up before dawn on Saturday and drive up.
On Sunday, September 18, I will be back at the Orland Park show. I am going to have a hybrid set up in Orland with binders and showcases. I am looking forward to Orland where I always do well, no matter what I bring out. The Orland Park show is just a phenomenal show. Though, it will probably die after noon because everyone will take off to watch the NFL.
I have scheduled a Pop-Up Vintage Card Shop for Sunday, September 25, at my law office, 201 E. Dundee Road, Suite 2, Palatine, IL. New this time around is that dealers Tim Fritz and Mike Slinkman are setting up as well. I'll have out all of my binders and some display cases. I may bring out some cheapy boxes as well.
Next Oak Creek show is October 1, 2022. Tables are sold out. I am getting a TON of requests for tables. Sorry guys. All I can do is place you on my lengthy wait list. I should be able to clear off the wait list at the November 5 Oak Creek show when I will be adding another room. All new dealers must bring their own tables. The venue only has about half the amount of tables I need. I could rent tables but then I could not keep my dirt cheap table fee. Speaking of dirt cheap table fee, my Oak Creek table fee is going up from $25 to $30 with that November show because the new room is going to cost a bundle. Thirty bucks is still crazy cheap when compared to table fee at all of the other shows around.
That's all for now. Hope to see you this weekend in Green Bay and Orland Park!!
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