Fell behind again. Sorry! Having trouble keeping up!!
My last blog was on the St. Louis show. The following Saturday, December 28, 2024, I was set up in Madison, WI. Kind of a crazy show because the ceiling in the upstairs ballroom was leaking water and half the room had to be shut off. I dealt with the same issue when the Oak Creek show was at the Clarion/Four Points Sheridan before moving to the Salvation Army, many moons ago.
My tables in Madison were located up against a temporary wall that shut off the back end of the room. The show was massively crowded which created a heat wave. Man, it was hot in there! With my diabetes and high blood pressure, the heat was tough to deal with. I was really jealous of big Mark, who brought a fan.
Adding insult to injury, a large number of my regulars were out of town for the holidays so I had my worst Madison show of the year. Crazy! Madison is usually solid.
Nothing to buy, as well. Tough day all around.
Pictured below is a photo from my table of the crowd at the December Madison show. Excellent turn out!
My last blog was on the St. Louis show. The following Saturday, December 28, 2024, I was set up in Madison, WI. Kind of a crazy show because the ceiling in the upstairs ballroom was leaking water and half the room had to be shut off. I dealt with the same issue when the Oak Creek show was at the Clarion/Four Points Sheridan before moving to the Salvation Army, many moons ago.
My tables in Madison were located up against a temporary wall that shut off the back end of the room. The show was massively crowded which created a heat wave. Man, it was hot in there! With my diabetes and high blood pressure, the heat was tough to deal with. I was really jealous of big Mark, who brought a fan.
Adding insult to injury, a large number of my regulars were out of town for the holidays so I had my worst Madison show of the year. Crazy! Madison is usually solid.
Nothing to buy, as well. Tough day all around.
Pictured below is a photo from my table of the crowd at the December Madison show. Excellent turn out!
Then on Sunday, December 29, 2024, I was set up at the Holiday Inn show in Joliet, IL. This was my second time at this show. Like Madison on Saturday, the Joliet show had a massive crowd on Sunday -- even more people than Madison, it was crazy!
You'd think with all those people it would have been hot at the Joliet show... but no, it was freezing cold! I kept my jacket on all day. I was sure I was going to catch pneumonia after boiling in Madison on Saturday then freezing in Joliet on Sunday. Thankfully, I was fine afterwards.
Now I knew the Joliet show would be tight because it was so on my last visit. This time, however, it was worse. There was no way for me to exit from behind my tables!! The promoter did not leave any space to get out! I had to climb under the table to get into the aisle which was difficult because the aisles are waaaayyy too small!!! On my hands and knees, I had to navigate a sea of legs in order to pop up from under my table. Once standing in the aisle, I could not move because of the small space and huge crowd. I thought I was going to pee my pants!!!
The guy who runs the Joliet show is super nice and I hate to criticize him but he needs to take out a row of tables, give dealers an out from their tables and provide customers some space in the aisles. That show is a cluster%$@#!! I probably won't attend that show again unless the promoter creates some more space.
Next up was Oak Creek on January 4, 2025. After the huge crowds in Madison and Joliet the previous weekend, I figured Oak Creek would have the same type of crowd -- I figured right! We broke our attendance record with 1,350 through the door!!
Card shows are crazy popular. The sports card hobby is hot. Pokémon is on another level -- that stuff is the hottest thing in town right now.
So the massive popularity of all this stuff is creating a huge problem for me in Oak Creek. I now have more than 150 people on my waiting list for Oak Creek. I am still trying to get tables for guys who signed up in July! Regular dealers, in general, are not leaving. My problem occurs when a regular dealer skips a show, I then replace him with someone off the waiting list and both guys want to set up the next month. I am giving the spot to the replacement and some regular dealers are just out of luck. I will get them back in at some point, but most likely not when they want to return. I don't know what to do. I am not going to kick the replacement out. Dealers have to just understand that when they skip a show, it is more than likely that they cannot return to the next show. I have a limited number of space and a huge number of guys who want to set up. It sucks but I don't know what else to do.
I did decide to run a huge show, the Wisconsin MegaShow, on April 19 at the Milwaukee Sports Complex, 6000 Ryan Road, Franklin, WI, so I can clear out my waiting list for at least one day. For info on dealer tables at the MegaShow, send me an email at [email protected]. We're going to have at least 400 tables at the MegaShow, maybe more.
Back to the January Oak Creek show where I was set up on the stage in the Chapel which is usually a bad spot but I actually had an excellent day. I also bought a bunch of stuff. I love buying vintage cards!!
Here are some photos from the January 4th, Oak Creek Show:
You'd think with all those people it would have been hot at the Joliet show... but no, it was freezing cold! I kept my jacket on all day. I was sure I was going to catch pneumonia after boiling in Madison on Saturday then freezing in Joliet on Sunday. Thankfully, I was fine afterwards.
Now I knew the Joliet show would be tight because it was so on my last visit. This time, however, it was worse. There was no way for me to exit from behind my tables!! The promoter did not leave any space to get out! I had to climb under the table to get into the aisle which was difficult because the aisles are waaaayyy too small!!! On my hands and knees, I had to navigate a sea of legs in order to pop up from under my table. Once standing in the aisle, I could not move because of the small space and huge crowd. I thought I was going to pee my pants!!!
The guy who runs the Joliet show is super nice and I hate to criticize him but he needs to take out a row of tables, give dealers an out from their tables and provide customers some space in the aisles. That show is a cluster%$@#!! I probably won't attend that show again unless the promoter creates some more space.
Next up was Oak Creek on January 4, 2025. After the huge crowds in Madison and Joliet the previous weekend, I figured Oak Creek would have the same type of crowd -- I figured right! We broke our attendance record with 1,350 through the door!!
Card shows are crazy popular. The sports card hobby is hot. Pokémon is on another level -- that stuff is the hottest thing in town right now.
So the massive popularity of all this stuff is creating a huge problem for me in Oak Creek. I now have more than 150 people on my waiting list for Oak Creek. I am still trying to get tables for guys who signed up in July! Regular dealers, in general, are not leaving. My problem occurs when a regular dealer skips a show, I then replace him with someone off the waiting list and both guys want to set up the next month. I am giving the spot to the replacement and some regular dealers are just out of luck. I will get them back in at some point, but most likely not when they want to return. I don't know what to do. I am not going to kick the replacement out. Dealers have to just understand that when they skip a show, it is more than likely that they cannot return to the next show. I have a limited number of space and a huge number of guys who want to set up. It sucks but I don't know what else to do.
I did decide to run a huge show, the Wisconsin MegaShow, on April 19 at the Milwaukee Sports Complex, 6000 Ryan Road, Franklin, WI, so I can clear out my waiting list for at least one day. For info on dealer tables at the MegaShow, send me an email at [email protected]. We're going to have at least 400 tables at the MegaShow, maybe more.
Back to the January Oak Creek show where I was set up on the stage in the Chapel which is usually a bad spot but I actually had an excellent day. I also bought a bunch of stuff. I love buying vintage cards!!
Here are some photos from the January 4th, Oak Creek Show:
The weekend after Oak Creek, I took a much needed respite from shows. I had a nice day on January 11, celebrating my daughter's birthday. Many folks remember her when she was a little girl and I would sell Girl Scout Cookies for her at shows. It may freak you out to learn she just turned 23!!! Crazy!!!
Anyway, I was back on the show circuit on Saturday, January 18, for the Woodstock show. I love this show. It is the most old-timey of the shows I do. I was slightly concerned prior to the show because there had not been a Woodstock show since October. I was worried no one would show up. I worried for nothing. We had a nice crowd.
The Woodstock show is my most consistent show. I seem to make the same amount of money at every show. Weird!
Though, my cheapy boxes did not do as well as they normally do. It is a lot of work maintaining those boxes. I think I will give them a rest at the next Woodstock show on February 15 and bring out basketball binders instead of the cheapy boxes.
I also bought some stuff which always makes me happy!
On Sunday, January 19, I was set up in Orland. I had a monster show in December and expected a decline for January. I ended up having another excellent Orland show! The cheapy boxes were wiped!! I sold my entire 50-cent box and the same buyer purchased my 1971 Topps football binder. Woot! Great, great day in Orland!!
My pal, Chris T., who I met at the Orland show 25 years ago, showed me his latest purchase, pictured below. Chris collects cards that were written on and he also collects cards that are extremely off center. Every once in a while, he'll have a little show and tell like the Jim Brown card pictured below.
Anyway, I was back on the show circuit on Saturday, January 18, for the Woodstock show. I love this show. It is the most old-timey of the shows I do. I was slightly concerned prior to the show because there had not been a Woodstock show since October. I was worried no one would show up. I worried for nothing. We had a nice crowd.
The Woodstock show is my most consistent show. I seem to make the same amount of money at every show. Weird!
Though, my cheapy boxes did not do as well as they normally do. It is a lot of work maintaining those boxes. I think I will give them a rest at the next Woodstock show on February 15 and bring out basketball binders instead of the cheapy boxes.
I also bought some stuff which always makes me happy!
On Sunday, January 19, I was set up in Orland. I had a monster show in December and expected a decline for January. I ended up having another excellent Orland show! The cheapy boxes were wiped!! I sold my entire 50-cent box and the same buyer purchased my 1971 Topps football binder. Woot! Great, great day in Orland!!
My pal, Chris T., who I met at the Orland show 25 years ago, showed me his latest purchase, pictured below. Chris collects cards that were written on and he also collects cards that are extremely off center. Every once in a while, he'll have a little show and tell like the Jim Brown card pictured below.
After Orland, I was back in Madison on January 25. I was better mentally prepared for the heat which was not nearly as bad as last month. Late in the day, I could even feel some cool air being piped in.
Nice crowd, once again. Madison always has a great crowd. Some of my regulars, who missed last month, were back, so sales were better. I also changed things up a bit. I did not bring out my basketball and hockey binders. Instead, I brought out two display cases and filled them with oversize stuff like Exhibits, National Chicle Fine Pens, Goudey Wide Pens, some Icee Bear postcards, some slabbed autographs, and some old baseball card wrappers. I sold a bunch of this stuff. Woot!
I also bought a stack of 1956 Topps lower grade commons. My main man Jim, came over from Milwaukee and sold me some Pirates from the 1960's. Thanks Jim!
Next up is Oak Creek on Saturday, February 1. Once again, I am expecting a big crowd. My friend Don August, who pitched for the Brewers in the late 1980s and early 1990s will be back signing copies of his new book along with anything anyone wants him to sign -- for free! Don and I will be set up on the stage in the Chapel. I'll also have free packs of cards.
Then on Sunday, I am setting up at the Bridgeview show with my pal Mark Smith. I can't remember the last time Mark was set up in the Chicago area. I can't wait. Should be a fun weekend!!
Nice crowd, once again. Madison always has a great crowd. Some of my regulars, who missed last month, were back, so sales were better. I also changed things up a bit. I did not bring out my basketball and hockey binders. Instead, I brought out two display cases and filled them with oversize stuff like Exhibits, National Chicle Fine Pens, Goudey Wide Pens, some Icee Bear postcards, some slabbed autographs, and some old baseball card wrappers. I sold a bunch of this stuff. Woot!
I also bought a stack of 1956 Topps lower grade commons. My main man Jim, came over from Milwaukee and sold me some Pirates from the 1960's. Thanks Jim!
Next up is Oak Creek on Saturday, February 1. Once again, I am expecting a big crowd. My friend Don August, who pitched for the Brewers in the late 1980s and early 1990s will be back signing copies of his new book along with anything anyone wants him to sign -- for free! Don and I will be set up on the stage in the Chapel. I'll also have free packs of cards.
Then on Sunday, I am setting up at the Bridgeview show with my pal Mark Smith. I can't remember the last time Mark was set up in the Chicago area. I can't wait. Should be a fun weekend!!
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