Sunday, November 10, 2019, Gonzaga Hall, Milwaukee
Interstate 94 between Kenosha and Milwaukee is in perpetual construction hell. It seems like there are deadly crashes on I94 on a daily basis because of the hazardous conditions created by this construction. The construction lanes are too small and there is no shoulder, just concrete wall. Mac trucks stray from their lanes and you have to deal with nut jobs tailgating and speeding.
So my commute from Illinois to card shows in Milwaukee has been terrifying. I've resorted to taking back roads home because the afternoon drive is far more frightening than the morning drive.
I observed on my drive to Gonzaga on November 10 that the Ryan Road Exit is closed. Ryan is the Exit for my card show at the Salvation Army in Oak Creek, WI. The next open exit is Drexel, a few miles north.
I arrived at Gonzaga Hall around 8:05 a.m., thankfully in one piece. I decided to just bring out display cases this time around. I had my show at the Sal a week earlier and figured everyone in Milwaukee just saw my binders. I currently have 11 display cases. I
usually only bring out three to five cases. This is the first show that I have brought out all 11 cases. I wasn't sure if I had enough cards to fill all the cases but learned I could probably fill up two or three more cases.
The display cases took up most of my table space. I had a small amount of space where I was able to place my dime box and some publications. Quite a few folks asked for the binders. I will bring them out next month. Chuck from Fond Du Lac is working on building a 1958 Topps baseball set. He just about cleaned out all of my stars from the display case. At the start of the show he needed about 40 cards. When he stopped back at my table by the end of the show he needed just 7 cards.
Bill cleaned out most of my oddball cards and my 1958 Topps Mickey Mantle. A new customer purchased some T206s. Another new customer purchased several Ernie Banks cards. Terry picked up my 1964 Topps Mickey Mantle and 1969 Topps Nolan Ryan. He also returned several cards purchased in September.
Then there was a guy who I always considered a mope. I have seen him for years at all of the Milwaukee shows and he has never purchased anything from me. Today, however, I removed his mope status because he purchased several Willie Mays cards.
George purchased one of my publications with Eddie Mathews on the cover. My dime box got quite a work out. Larry found some cards. A few new customers pulled some cards. Then there was a guy who sat at the box for three hours, yes THREE hours. He pulled 150 cards.
I had many other sales and ended up having a very good day. Prior to the show I was worried that my sales would be poor because I did not bring any binders. Now I am thinking that I may have to scrap the binders and just bring out display case stuff because sales were up.
On the buying front, I took home quite a haul. I picked up a large pile of 1958 Topps commons and some 1959 Commons and stars including Duke Snider, Ernie Banks and Harmon Killebrew. I purchased some 1976-77 Topps hockey along with some 1951 Bowman football. The Bowmans are in bad shape but there are some big names in there. I also picked up a grouping of 1961 and 1962 Topps football. Then some random star cards like a 1966 Topps Fergie Jenkins rookie, a 1962 Topps Willie Mays, a 1973 Topps Hank Aaron, a 1966 Topps Yaz, and a 1957 Topps Tony Kubek rookie.
All in all it was a very good day. There was a real nice crowd. Keith said over 200 people. I am not quite sure what to bring out to the next Gonzaga show. Should I do display cases again or binders or both? I guess I have a month to figure it out.
In the meantime, I am setting up in Orland Park on Sunday, November 17, 2019. I am going to bring out a mix of binders and display cases. I should have my 1976 Topps baseball binder updated by then. I also realized I have an additional 1976 Topps baseball complete set, if anyone is interested.
It should be a fun time in Orland on Sunday. See you there!
Interstate 94 between Kenosha and Milwaukee is in perpetual construction hell. It seems like there are deadly crashes on I94 on a daily basis because of the hazardous conditions created by this construction. The construction lanes are too small and there is no shoulder, just concrete wall. Mac trucks stray from their lanes and you have to deal with nut jobs tailgating and speeding.
So my commute from Illinois to card shows in Milwaukee has been terrifying. I've resorted to taking back roads home because the afternoon drive is far more frightening than the morning drive.
I observed on my drive to Gonzaga on November 10 that the Ryan Road Exit is closed. Ryan is the Exit for my card show at the Salvation Army in Oak Creek, WI. The next open exit is Drexel, a few miles north.
I arrived at Gonzaga Hall around 8:05 a.m., thankfully in one piece. I decided to just bring out display cases this time around. I had my show at the Sal a week earlier and figured everyone in Milwaukee just saw my binders. I currently have 11 display cases. I
usually only bring out three to five cases. This is the first show that I have brought out all 11 cases. I wasn't sure if I had enough cards to fill all the cases but learned I could probably fill up two or three more cases.
The display cases took up most of my table space. I had a small amount of space where I was able to place my dime box and some publications. Quite a few folks asked for the binders. I will bring them out next month. Chuck from Fond Du Lac is working on building a 1958 Topps baseball set. He just about cleaned out all of my stars from the display case. At the start of the show he needed about 40 cards. When he stopped back at my table by the end of the show he needed just 7 cards.
Bill cleaned out most of my oddball cards and my 1958 Topps Mickey Mantle. A new customer purchased some T206s. Another new customer purchased several Ernie Banks cards. Terry picked up my 1964 Topps Mickey Mantle and 1969 Topps Nolan Ryan. He also returned several cards purchased in September.
Then there was a guy who I always considered a mope. I have seen him for years at all of the Milwaukee shows and he has never purchased anything from me. Today, however, I removed his mope status because he purchased several Willie Mays cards.
George purchased one of my publications with Eddie Mathews on the cover. My dime box got quite a work out. Larry found some cards. A few new customers pulled some cards. Then there was a guy who sat at the box for three hours, yes THREE hours. He pulled 150 cards.
I had many other sales and ended up having a very good day. Prior to the show I was worried that my sales would be poor because I did not bring any binders. Now I am thinking that I may have to scrap the binders and just bring out display case stuff because sales were up.
On the buying front, I took home quite a haul. I picked up a large pile of 1958 Topps commons and some 1959 Commons and stars including Duke Snider, Ernie Banks and Harmon Killebrew. I purchased some 1976-77 Topps hockey along with some 1951 Bowman football. The Bowmans are in bad shape but there are some big names in there. I also picked up a grouping of 1961 and 1962 Topps football. Then some random star cards like a 1966 Topps Fergie Jenkins rookie, a 1962 Topps Willie Mays, a 1973 Topps Hank Aaron, a 1966 Topps Yaz, and a 1957 Topps Tony Kubek rookie.
All in all it was a very good day. There was a real nice crowd. Keith said over 200 people. I am not quite sure what to bring out to the next Gonzaga show. Should I do display cases again or binders or both? I guess I have a month to figure it out.
In the meantime, I am setting up in Orland Park on Sunday, November 17, 2019. I am going to bring out a mix of binders and display cases. I should have my 1976 Topps baseball binder updated by then. I also realized I have an additional 1976 Topps baseball complete set, if anyone is interested.
It should be a fun time in Orland on Sunday. See you there!
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