"Greed is good." - Gordon Gekko "It's only worth what you can sell it for." - Paul Fruitman "I'm sorry." - Mike Fruitman Hello fellow card peeps, I can safely say I have not wrestled with writing a story this much since I began sharing my thoughts with Sports Collectors Daily several years ago, but I am sorry for where the market has gone in the past few years and … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: COVID Not Stopping Collectors
I want to start off this edition of What's Hot by sharing my hopes that you, your families and your friends are all doing as well as possible. I know that we are experiencing weird times together and while I'm looking forward to one day enjoying it, I don't know when "normal" will return. I do know that my store got closer to that level of normal this past Monday when … [Read more...]
Hot List: Lending a Hand, Trying Something New
Hello fellow card maniacs, I hope you are all doing well and that your family and friends are also healthy and getting through current days as well as possible. Clearly we are experiencing something we have never faced. before and prior to yammering about sports cards and dishing the list of 5 hottest products, I wanted to share that sentiment. In the past few … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: It’s a Baseball, Basketball…Heck, Everything’s Hot World
I'm just chilling after the Nuggets dropped a game at home against the Warriors. It is a little more frustrating since they were favored by 15 or so points. I'm not angry, but it reminded me that there are no sure things in life. Well, perhaps no sure things other than the constant interest in any 2019-20 basketball releases thanks to Mr. Zion, Mr. Ja and a … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: Top 5 Sellers and the Awkward Aftermath of a Player’s Death
I wanted to start things off with my thoughts that I shared with my collectors on social media right after Kobe Bryant had passed. It gives you some insight to what it is like to own a card store at the time when there is no official right or wrong answer and making the wrong move can have long-lasting effects. Sure there is the usual hot list to follow, but since … [Read more...]
2019 Mikey Awards: Hot Stuff, Cool Stuff, Weird Stuff, Good Stuff
Hello fellow card maniacs, We survived another year in the hobby and man was it one to remember. We experienced Acunamania, Lukamania, Lamarmania and sadly the absence of any real hockeymania, but the NHL season isn't over yet fortunately. We also experienced Zionmania, but perhaps he should play a regular season game before we start voting him into the … [Read more...]
Box Bonanza: Prizm Basketball Heads the Hot List
Hello, fellow card maniacs! Welcome to the December installment of What's Hot In The Shop, at least one particular shop in Colorado. Mine to be specific :) Looking back at November, we enjoyed a trifecta of manufacturer support programs like Upper Deck Singles Day, the Topps Holiday Pack giveaway and Panini's Black Friday. Most recently, shops enjoyed National Hobby Shop … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: Panini Black Friday is Back
Some collectors will be doing their Black Friday sports card shopping online but for collectors lucky enough to have a card shop nearby, it's a weekend to mark on your calendar. 2019 Panini Black Friday is here and live (unless your city got 14" of snow from Monday night until Tuesday and you're still waiting for your packs to arrive like one certain card shop owner and … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: The Cup Runneth Over
Hello fellow card peeps, I'm somewhere near 36,000 feet paying $8 for Southwest Airlines wifi to allow me to cook up this hot list as I return from sunny Miami where it was warm, but not hot. I went there for my cousin's wedding and the hitching fortunately went off without a hitch. We're entering an interesting time of the year in hobby shops, with baseball just … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: When Seasons Mix, it’s a Sports Card Buffet
Hello fellow card maniacs, Welcome to my monthly share of what products are rocking at Colorado's Best Card Shop. Along with nearly 100 other hobby shop owners, I recently attended the 2019 Industry Summit in Las Vegas. Also on hand were league and player representatives, manufacturers like Leaf, Panini, Tristar and Ultra Pro along with other hobby movers and … [Read more...]