Sunday, July 13, 2025, Concorde Banquets, Kildeer, IL
When promoter Costa Sampras contacted me and asked that I set up at this show, I initially said yes, even though the show was scheduled for the day after Oak Creek and I knew I'd be very tired. However, I live just 10 miles away and was kind of excited for a show close to home.
Then I learned that table fee was $75 for a six-footer and I quickly soured on the show. Other negatives I thought of was that this was Costa's first show and it was on the same day as the nearby Schaumburg show that is very popular and has been going on in various iterations since the 1980's. I also thought the $5 admission fee would be a deterrent.
Yet, Costa was persistent and I relented and booked just one table because I was concerned whether I would sell $75 at this show.
When my alarm went off on Sunday morning, oh, I so desperately wanted to hit snooze but knew I needed to get my butt out of bed and go to the show. It was so nice to drive a mere 20 minutes to a show -- that hasn't happened in years. Upon approaching the venue, I realized I knew the place and had driven by it many times in the past as I explored Route 12 for lunch spots, as it is very close to my office.
I arrived around 8 a.m., parked in back, as instructed and loaded in through the kitchen. All the tables had the dealer's names on them -- thank you! So it was very easy finding my table.
Nice room. Probably more suited for a wedding than a card show.
I was pleasantly surprised that I was located between two sports card dealers. I thought I would be stuck between two Pokémon dealers. While I have nothing against Pokémon dealers, per se, I have had some bad experiences in the past being stuck in the middle of Poke-land and having their customers stand in front of my tables all day, blocking it from view from potential vintage sports card buyers.
None of my neighbor's customers stood in front of my table blocking it from view from potential customers today. Thank you! If anything, my customers blocked their tables. Sorry!
The dealer on my left was old friend Chicagoland Sports Card Shop located in nearby Buffalo Grove. I've known owners Les and Mark for years. No Les today but Mark was there with his kids. I don't think Les has set up at a show since Gonzaga shut down. Too bad. He would always bring doughnuts to share when he would set up at Gonzaga or Orland back in the day.
Mark did not have any doughnuts but he showed me some amazingly cool cards that walked into the shop recently including four 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth cards, a 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig, a 1934 Goudey Lou Gehrig and a 1933 Delong Lou Gehrig. So cool!
Mark was asking a little over $100K for the cards. Tony D. offered $80K. Mark is firm at $100K. Wish I had $100K to drop on the cards! Who wants to loan me some money?
It was so nice being set up next to Mark all day. Also, the young guy from the shop who largely covered the tables was super friendly.
On the other side was a dealer from Huntley, Illinois, and he had two tables of modern sports. Nice guy, as well.
The show had two rooms. I think around 150 tables or so in total. A couple autograph guests were there as well. I know Dennis McKinnon was one. Not sure who the other was. The autographs were located on the second floor.
I brought out just three display cases and one discount box. I've done so many shows that I know only three cases comfortably fit on a six-foot table with some room leftover for a shoe box.
I had just two display cases out in Oak Creek on the day prior so I knew if some of my Oak Creek customers came to the show they would see a lot of new cards in my third case along with the discount box which was new for this show.
My fastest set up ever! I've done shows with just one six-foot table in the past. I used to get one six-footer in Strongsville and was able to jam five display cases on there by bringing a small table to put behind the six-footer and placing four cases on their side, leaning off the table. One small case would also fit on the end. That old Strongsville set up was tough and I don't particularly like it, so I went with the easier three-case set up and one discount box.
I finished setting up at 8:20 a.m. and dealers were still arriving. I tried to find some coffee but the concession stand had not opened and I observed that coffee was not even on the menu.
I recalled seeing a Starbucks on my previous travels down Route 12. I locked up my cases, placed the discount box on my chair behind the table and alerted the young guy from Chicagoland Sports that I would be gone for 15 or 20 minutes.
There was a Starbucks real close by on Lake Cook Road. I got an extra-large iced coffee and returned to the show quickly.
Not much doing at the show early on, so I just caffeinated for a while. Not too many people took advantage of the early VIP entry that cost $10. The place started to fill up at 10 a.m. By 11 a.m. there was quite a crowd and I was impressed.
Steve from Jim and Steve's Card Shop in Waukegan was my first customer. Steve purchased my 1969 Topps autographed Billy Williams card along with a few other things to start my day right. Thanks Steve!!
Then I had a steady stream of guys for the next few hours. Most of them I had never seen before. I love new customers! I was surprised how busy I was at this show. My old pal Chuck stopped by to see me and purchased some cards. Thanks Chuck!
A young guy who lives nearby in Vernon Hills who I first met him in Oak Creek stopped by. Young Eric who lives in nearby Libertyville and who helped me at the National last time it was in Chicago stopped by. A new customer pulled out just about all of my 1959 Topps from my discount box and at least half of the '59s I had in my case. Woot! Derek came out to see me and purchased some cards. Thanks Derek!
I ended up having a really good day! I was shocked. Shows you what I know.
Along with good sales, excellent attendance, I really liked the fact that this show had waiters walking around. I put one of the waiters to work bringing me diet Cokes all day. I also ordered a hamburger which was delicious.
On the buying front, nothing, nada, zilch. There was the requisite kids offering me crappy modern cards. One guy showed me some vintage cards, mid 1960's stuff, lots of stars but they all had paste marks on the back. I told him I would be interested in purchasing the cards but I don't pay much when they have paste on the back of them. I think he thought he had gold and declined to sell me the cards. Good luck with those!
Regardless, I really want to set up here again. However, the next show scheduled is a three-day show in the middle of December. Not sure I can do that one. Also, I don't really want to set up here for three days but after having such a good show, I just might do it.
Up next for me is the Peewaukee show on Saturday, July 26, and Orland on Sunday, July 27. I will have a near set of 1962 Topps football available next weekend. I am still working on reloading my 1961 Topps baseball and don't think I'll have it done by next weekend.
Next Oak Creek show is on August 9, the second Saturday of August due to the National being on the first Saturday.
Come find me and my pal Scott Ziegert at the National from July 30 to August 3 at the Stephens Center in Rosemont, IL. We will be in booths 3816 and 3717. I have been pricing a ton of cards for the National and should have some really neat stuff at the show.
Then on Saturday, August 23, 2025, I am running an all-vintage show in Oak Creek. Vintage cut-off is 1986 Fleer basketball. No dealers should have anything newer on their tables. Tables are cheap and can be reserved by contacting me at [email protected].
The next MegaShow is September 20 at the Milwaukee Sports Complex in Franklin, WI, and will feature 450 tables. Tables are available and interested dealers can contact me at the above email.
I have some other stuff in the works and will announce more shows soon!
A big thank you to Costa for running an excellent show!! I also appreciate everyone who purchased cards from me at the Kildeer show. Thank you!
Hope to see you this weekend in Peewaukee and Orland!!
When promoter Costa Sampras contacted me and asked that I set up at this show, I initially said yes, even though the show was scheduled for the day after Oak Creek and I knew I'd be very tired. However, I live just 10 miles away and was kind of excited for a show close to home.
Then I learned that table fee was $75 for a six-footer and I quickly soured on the show. Other negatives I thought of was that this was Costa's first show and it was on the same day as the nearby Schaumburg show that is very popular and has been going on in various iterations since the 1980's. I also thought the $5 admission fee would be a deterrent.
Yet, Costa was persistent and I relented and booked just one table because I was concerned whether I would sell $75 at this show.
When my alarm went off on Sunday morning, oh, I so desperately wanted to hit snooze but knew I needed to get my butt out of bed and go to the show. It was so nice to drive a mere 20 minutes to a show -- that hasn't happened in years. Upon approaching the venue, I realized I knew the place and had driven by it many times in the past as I explored Route 12 for lunch spots, as it is very close to my office.
I arrived around 8 a.m., parked in back, as instructed and loaded in through the kitchen. All the tables had the dealer's names on them -- thank you! So it was very easy finding my table.
Nice room. Probably more suited for a wedding than a card show.
I was pleasantly surprised that I was located between two sports card dealers. I thought I would be stuck between two Pokémon dealers. While I have nothing against Pokémon dealers, per se, I have had some bad experiences in the past being stuck in the middle of Poke-land and having their customers stand in front of my tables all day, blocking it from view from potential vintage sports card buyers.
None of my neighbor's customers stood in front of my table blocking it from view from potential customers today. Thank you! If anything, my customers blocked their tables. Sorry!
The dealer on my left was old friend Chicagoland Sports Card Shop located in nearby Buffalo Grove. I've known owners Les and Mark for years. No Les today but Mark was there with his kids. I don't think Les has set up at a show since Gonzaga shut down. Too bad. He would always bring doughnuts to share when he would set up at Gonzaga or Orland back in the day.
Mark did not have any doughnuts but he showed me some amazingly cool cards that walked into the shop recently including four 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth cards, a 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig, a 1934 Goudey Lou Gehrig and a 1933 Delong Lou Gehrig. So cool!
Mark was asking a little over $100K for the cards. Tony D. offered $80K. Mark is firm at $100K. Wish I had $100K to drop on the cards! Who wants to loan me some money?
It was so nice being set up next to Mark all day. Also, the young guy from the shop who largely covered the tables was super friendly.
On the other side was a dealer from Huntley, Illinois, and he had two tables of modern sports. Nice guy, as well.
The show had two rooms. I think around 150 tables or so in total. A couple autograph guests were there as well. I know Dennis McKinnon was one. Not sure who the other was. The autographs were located on the second floor.
I brought out just three display cases and one discount box. I've done so many shows that I know only three cases comfortably fit on a six-foot table with some room leftover for a shoe box.
I had just two display cases out in Oak Creek on the day prior so I knew if some of my Oak Creek customers came to the show they would see a lot of new cards in my third case along with the discount box which was new for this show.
My fastest set up ever! I've done shows with just one six-foot table in the past. I used to get one six-footer in Strongsville and was able to jam five display cases on there by bringing a small table to put behind the six-footer and placing four cases on their side, leaning off the table. One small case would also fit on the end. That old Strongsville set up was tough and I don't particularly like it, so I went with the easier three-case set up and one discount box.
I finished setting up at 8:20 a.m. and dealers were still arriving. I tried to find some coffee but the concession stand had not opened and I observed that coffee was not even on the menu.
I recalled seeing a Starbucks on my previous travels down Route 12. I locked up my cases, placed the discount box on my chair behind the table and alerted the young guy from Chicagoland Sports that I would be gone for 15 or 20 minutes.
There was a Starbucks real close by on Lake Cook Road. I got an extra-large iced coffee and returned to the show quickly.
Not much doing at the show early on, so I just caffeinated for a while. Not too many people took advantage of the early VIP entry that cost $10. The place started to fill up at 10 a.m. By 11 a.m. there was quite a crowd and I was impressed.
Steve from Jim and Steve's Card Shop in Waukegan was my first customer. Steve purchased my 1969 Topps autographed Billy Williams card along with a few other things to start my day right. Thanks Steve!!
Then I had a steady stream of guys for the next few hours. Most of them I had never seen before. I love new customers! I was surprised how busy I was at this show. My old pal Chuck stopped by to see me and purchased some cards. Thanks Chuck!
A young guy who lives nearby in Vernon Hills who I first met him in Oak Creek stopped by. Young Eric who lives in nearby Libertyville and who helped me at the National last time it was in Chicago stopped by. A new customer pulled out just about all of my 1959 Topps from my discount box and at least half of the '59s I had in my case. Woot! Derek came out to see me and purchased some cards. Thanks Derek!
I ended up having a really good day! I was shocked. Shows you what I know.
Along with good sales, excellent attendance, I really liked the fact that this show had waiters walking around. I put one of the waiters to work bringing me diet Cokes all day. I also ordered a hamburger which was delicious.
On the buying front, nothing, nada, zilch. There was the requisite kids offering me crappy modern cards. One guy showed me some vintage cards, mid 1960's stuff, lots of stars but they all had paste marks on the back. I told him I would be interested in purchasing the cards but I don't pay much when they have paste on the back of them. I think he thought he had gold and declined to sell me the cards. Good luck with those!
Regardless, I really want to set up here again. However, the next show scheduled is a three-day show in the middle of December. Not sure I can do that one. Also, I don't really want to set up here for three days but after having such a good show, I just might do it.
Up next for me is the Peewaukee show on Saturday, July 26, and Orland on Sunday, July 27. I will have a near set of 1962 Topps football available next weekend. I am still working on reloading my 1961 Topps baseball and don't think I'll have it done by next weekend.
Next Oak Creek show is on August 9, the second Saturday of August due to the National being on the first Saturday.
Come find me and my pal Scott Ziegert at the National from July 30 to August 3 at the Stephens Center in Rosemont, IL. We will be in booths 3816 and 3717. I have been pricing a ton of cards for the National and should have some really neat stuff at the show.
Then on Saturday, August 23, 2025, I am running an all-vintage show in Oak Creek. Vintage cut-off is 1986 Fleer basketball. No dealers should have anything newer on their tables. Tables are cheap and can be reserved by contacting me at [email protected].
The next MegaShow is September 20 at the Milwaukee Sports Complex in Franklin, WI, and will feature 450 tables. Tables are available and interested dealers can contact me at the above email.
I have some other stuff in the works and will announce more shows soon!
A big thank you to Costa for running an excellent show!! I also appreciate everyone who purchased cards from me at the Kildeer show. Thank you!
Hope to see you this weekend in Peewaukee and Orland!!
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