Sunday, July 16, 2023, Civic Center, Orland Park, IL
Woke up in Michigan at 6 a.m. By 7 a.m. I had stopped for gas and paid $3.59 a gallon, a little cheaper than Woodman's in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, my regular spot. I arrived at the Civic Center at 8:15 a.m. I was surprised at the traffic the whole way on this Sunday morning. Why so much traffic?
I loaded in the same stuff I brought out yesterday to the Michigan City show. Though, I have more space in Orland, so I brought in more binders I had stored in the car. Sparse crowd early on which seems to be the trend in Orland. The crowd picked up significantly as the day went on.
I observed that Terry moved down to Jim's tables, as Jim is no longer setting up. Though he did attend and it was nice to see him. Set up next to me was Tommy Larson, who pretty much has the best cards out of anyone in Illinois. Tommy does not set up regularly but if you happen to catch him, you must stop to check out his stuff -- it is just awesome!
My pal Paul was there early. We had talked on Friday and I knew he was coming. Then Will and Joe showed up and it was like old times. Paul, Will, Joe and I have been hanging out together at the Orland show for a good 25 years. Paul doesn't always come out these days, so I appreciate the times he does attend.
Will brought me a sausage McMuffin and some coffee. The kind lady that operates the concession stand brought me some diet sodas. Man, all was right in the world Sunday at the Orland Park Card Show!
A nice crowd of the usual suspects soon arrived and pulled out their lists and started paging through the binders. A couple of guys, whose names escape me, purchased some cards. Andy bought some cards. Mike purchased cards and also gave me some money to have lunch with my son when I take him out to Michigan State University. Thanks Mike! Turns out Mike is a Michigan State Alumni. How cool is that! My wife and I are bringing my son out to Michigan State next month.
Oh, it is going to be tough to see him go. He is such a good kid. I am so lucky. He just learned that he is sharing a dorm room with three other guys. He showed me photos of the dorm room online. It looks really nice. Each guy has a bunk bed with a desk under it. They also have a bathroom, closet, dresser and a separate room with a couch, TV, minifridge and microwave. Looks like a nice set up for a group of 18 year-olds. I told my son he better keep that bathroom clean. I know from experience how those college bathrooms can get nasty in a hurry.
Back at the Orland show, I was busy all day long, unlike yesterday in Michigan City where I just sat around and priced cards all day. Now, if I could only remember who else purchased cards. Let's see... Chris was the first to crack open my newly reloaded 1964 Topps baseball binder. Chris is another Orland regular who I have known for a good 25 years. He always has something interesting for me. Today, he told me about the "Immaculate Grid," which is an online game from baseball reference. So with Immaculate Grid, each morning there is a new grid with 9 open spaces. You have to guess which players played on multiple teams throughout the history of MLB. I just popped it up on my screen and today it starts with a player that played for both the Yankees and the Phillies. Didn't Oscar Gamble play on both those teams? I'll type his name in the grid. Woot! I was right. Then it shows you how many people chose your guy. Just 2% chose Gamble. Pretty cool!
That one couple that has been working on the 1977 Topps baseball set started on the 1978 Topps set and purchased a few cards today. Will started working on the 1971-72 Topps basketball set and pulled a pile. Thanks Will! A new customer purchased a 1987 Topps wax box along with a dozen or so unopened packs from the 1980's. I had a few young guys come by throughout the day and purchase some of my packs.
The one guy who has been buying 1972 Topps baseball from me for the past several years, pulled some more today. There is one guy who keeps asking for 1969 Topps baseball. I sold the whole binder a while ago. I really need to start on a new one. He did find some other cards to purchase. A new customer purchased some Exhibit cards. I have not seen Minnanette in a while. She was today's big winner and purchased piles of stuff. Thanks Minnanette!
I know a bunch more folks purchased cards but I can't seem to remember. I appreciate you all. Thank you!
On the buying front, I was not really looking to buy because I want to have some cash in my pockets at the National in a couple of weeks. A few things came by but were priced too high. My old friend Joe brought me three large boxes of cards from the early 1990's. While I don't normally like cards from this era, I took these ones because the price was right -- FREE! Thanks Joe!
It was nice to see Mike Johnson at the end of the day. Mike lives up north in Wisconsin but was in Aurora, Illinois, this weekend fixing up his uncle's condo and decided to come out to the show. Thanks for hanging out Mike!
Once again, I had a really nice day at the Orland Park card show. I just love this show. Great folks operate the show. The other dealers are awesome and all the customers are terrific.
Thank you everybody for just a wonderful day!
It was nice to cap things off with Will and Joe at the sub shop after the show. I went with the shrimp this time. Will did a meatball sandwich and Joe went with a cheesy beef. Props to the sub shop which is always solid.
Next Orland Park show is slated for August 20, 2023. I will be there!
In the meantime, it is my favorite time of the year -- NATTY TIME! I will be in booths 2716 and 2617. I am pricing cards like crazy for the show. I'm bringing out display cases. Hope to have room for seven to 10 of them. I won't really know until I set up. Show goes from July 26 through July 30 at the Stephens Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Hope to see you there.
Also, the next Oak Creek show is slated from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Salvation Army Community Center, 8853 S. Howell, in beautiful Oak Creek, Wisconsin. I have currently sold 178 tables and expect to sell out shortly at 180 tables. I am not sure if any of my newer dealers read this blog but if you do, could you please confirm for the August 5 show? I have a lot of dealer interest. Should be a good one.
Happy collecting my fellow card addicts!
Woke up in Michigan at 6 a.m. By 7 a.m. I had stopped for gas and paid $3.59 a gallon, a little cheaper than Woodman's in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, my regular spot. I arrived at the Civic Center at 8:15 a.m. I was surprised at the traffic the whole way on this Sunday morning. Why so much traffic?
I loaded in the same stuff I brought out yesterday to the Michigan City show. Though, I have more space in Orland, so I brought in more binders I had stored in the car. Sparse crowd early on which seems to be the trend in Orland. The crowd picked up significantly as the day went on.
I observed that Terry moved down to Jim's tables, as Jim is no longer setting up. Though he did attend and it was nice to see him. Set up next to me was Tommy Larson, who pretty much has the best cards out of anyone in Illinois. Tommy does not set up regularly but if you happen to catch him, you must stop to check out his stuff -- it is just awesome!
My pal Paul was there early. We had talked on Friday and I knew he was coming. Then Will and Joe showed up and it was like old times. Paul, Will, Joe and I have been hanging out together at the Orland show for a good 25 years. Paul doesn't always come out these days, so I appreciate the times he does attend.
Will brought me a sausage McMuffin and some coffee. The kind lady that operates the concession stand brought me some diet sodas. Man, all was right in the world Sunday at the Orland Park Card Show!
A nice crowd of the usual suspects soon arrived and pulled out their lists and started paging through the binders. A couple of guys, whose names escape me, purchased some cards. Andy bought some cards. Mike purchased cards and also gave me some money to have lunch with my son when I take him out to Michigan State University. Thanks Mike! Turns out Mike is a Michigan State Alumni. How cool is that! My wife and I are bringing my son out to Michigan State next month.
Oh, it is going to be tough to see him go. He is such a good kid. I am so lucky. He just learned that he is sharing a dorm room with three other guys. He showed me photos of the dorm room online. It looks really nice. Each guy has a bunk bed with a desk under it. They also have a bathroom, closet, dresser and a separate room with a couch, TV, minifridge and microwave. Looks like a nice set up for a group of 18 year-olds. I told my son he better keep that bathroom clean. I know from experience how those college bathrooms can get nasty in a hurry.
Back at the Orland show, I was busy all day long, unlike yesterday in Michigan City where I just sat around and priced cards all day. Now, if I could only remember who else purchased cards. Let's see... Chris was the first to crack open my newly reloaded 1964 Topps baseball binder. Chris is another Orland regular who I have known for a good 25 years. He always has something interesting for me. Today, he told me about the "Immaculate Grid," which is an online game from baseball reference. So with Immaculate Grid, each morning there is a new grid with 9 open spaces. You have to guess which players played on multiple teams throughout the history of MLB. I just popped it up on my screen and today it starts with a player that played for both the Yankees and the Phillies. Didn't Oscar Gamble play on both those teams? I'll type his name in the grid. Woot! I was right. Then it shows you how many people chose your guy. Just 2% chose Gamble. Pretty cool!
That one couple that has been working on the 1977 Topps baseball set started on the 1978 Topps set and purchased a few cards today. Will started working on the 1971-72 Topps basketball set and pulled a pile. Thanks Will! A new customer purchased a 1987 Topps wax box along with a dozen or so unopened packs from the 1980's. I had a few young guys come by throughout the day and purchase some of my packs.
The one guy who has been buying 1972 Topps baseball from me for the past several years, pulled some more today. There is one guy who keeps asking for 1969 Topps baseball. I sold the whole binder a while ago. I really need to start on a new one. He did find some other cards to purchase. A new customer purchased some Exhibit cards. I have not seen Minnanette in a while. She was today's big winner and purchased piles of stuff. Thanks Minnanette!
I know a bunch more folks purchased cards but I can't seem to remember. I appreciate you all. Thank you!
On the buying front, I was not really looking to buy because I want to have some cash in my pockets at the National in a couple of weeks. A few things came by but were priced too high. My old friend Joe brought me three large boxes of cards from the early 1990's. While I don't normally like cards from this era, I took these ones because the price was right -- FREE! Thanks Joe!
It was nice to see Mike Johnson at the end of the day. Mike lives up north in Wisconsin but was in Aurora, Illinois, this weekend fixing up his uncle's condo and decided to come out to the show. Thanks for hanging out Mike!
Once again, I had a really nice day at the Orland Park card show. I just love this show. Great folks operate the show. The other dealers are awesome and all the customers are terrific.
Thank you everybody for just a wonderful day!
It was nice to cap things off with Will and Joe at the sub shop after the show. I went with the shrimp this time. Will did a meatball sandwich and Joe went with a cheesy beef. Props to the sub shop which is always solid.
Next Orland Park show is slated for August 20, 2023. I will be there!
In the meantime, it is my favorite time of the year -- NATTY TIME! I will be in booths 2716 and 2617. I am pricing cards like crazy for the show. I'm bringing out display cases. Hope to have room for seven to 10 of them. I won't really know until I set up. Show goes from July 26 through July 30 at the Stephens Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Hope to see you there.
Also, the next Oak Creek show is slated from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Salvation Army Community Center, 8853 S. Howell, in beautiful Oak Creek, Wisconsin. I have currently sold 178 tables and expect to sell out shortly at 180 tables. I am not sure if any of my newer dealers read this blog but if you do, could you please confirm for the August 5 show? I have a lot of dealer interest. Should be a good one.
Happy collecting my fellow card addicts!
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