Mark Fugate, owner of a Cincinnati area card and memorabilia shop, didn’t wait to close his Sports Gallery. Days before the state of Ohio ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses, Fugate locked the doors on his store. “Nobody wants to close,” he said. “It’s very tough. But baseballs and bobbleheads are not essential at this point in time.” The Sports … [Read more...] about Shops Deal with COVID Closures
hobby shop owner
Autograph Signings a Long-Running Hit for Philly Area Shop
Man cannot live by bread alone. And card shop owners usually can’t live on selling cardboard alone. Unless they have a strong base of card-a-holics, most successful shops usually have some degree of diversification. For Carl Henderson, the long-time owner of Carl’s Cards & Collectibles in Havertown, PA, bringing in autograph guests has proven to be … [Read more...] about Autograph Signings a Long-Running Hit for Philly Area Shop
Notes: Topps Conference; Ted’s Letters to Mistress; NY Native’s KS Card Shop Turns 40
Topps is holding its own “Industry Conference” next month in Arizona. Few details have been released, but it’ll be held February 18-20 at Crooked Stick Resort in Scottsdale. Designed for hobby shops and other collecting-related businesses, the conference includes guest speakers, breakout panels, receptions and other events “to share ideas and help businesses … [Read more...] about Notes: Topps Conference; Ted’s Letters to Mistress; NY Native’s KS Card Shop Turns 40
Notes: TN Shop Owner Profiled; Packages Galore for Young Fire Victim; Judge Jersey Auction
Nathan Burns had the collecting bug from an early age. The Tennessee resident had it bad enough that he long harbored the thought of opening his own sports memorabilia store. His dream became a reality last year and Grand Slam Collectables in Murfreesboro (south of Nashville) was born. “Every card I owned was sold or put into our opening inventory,” Burns told a … [Read more...] about Notes: TN Shop Owner Profiled; Packages Galore for Young Fire Victim; Judge Jersey Auction
Card Shop Q&A: Dugout Dreams Finds Success with Old and New
In the latest of an ongoing series of Q&A sessions with sports card shop owners, we catch up with Sean O'Rourke of Dugout Dreams at 45 Padanaram Road in Danbury, CT. Tell us a little about the history of your store. I have been here since 1996 over 21 years at a brick and mortar location. We’re on a main road in a small strip mall with ten other … [Read more...] about Card Shop Q&A: Dugout Dreams Finds Success with Old and New
‘Sweet Old Lady’s’ Card Shop Kept Alive By Her Children
She was known as the sweet old lady who ran the baseball card shop in a small West Virginia town that hugs the Ohio River. But Shirley Ann DeQuasie did more than sell cards and supplies for 29 years in Ravenswood. Her store, S&S Baseball Cards & Collectibles, was a gathering place for friends. Shirley would bring homemade “dessert things” to her shop, … [Read more...] about ‘Sweet Old Lady’s’ Card Shop Kept Alive By Her Children
Card Shop Q&A with ‘The Rookie’
There may not be as many sports card shops as there were in the "boom" period of the late 1980s and early 90s but as a recent Facebook thread revealed, there are still plenty of successful stores and collectors who spend time in them. As part of our ongoing series of Q&A sessions with card shops around the country, we connected with Tony Kirby of The Rookie, a … [Read more...] about Card Shop Q&A with ‘The Rookie’
Connecting with Kids Part of Shop’s Game Plan
The new sports card market was at its peak when Dean and Marilyn Bapes opened Dean’s dugout in the Chicago suburb of Naperville. They've moved a couple of times but in October, they’ll celebrate 25 years in business; one of a limited number of hobby shops that have survived the ups and downs of the sports collectibles market. Over the weekend, Dean’s Dugout was the subject … [Read more...] about Connecting with Kids Part of Shop’s Game Plan
Notes: Case, Set Breaks at NSCC; ’55 Koufax Giveaway; Shop Owner Profile
The National Sports Collectors Convention will have a Case Break Pavilion again this year, this time keeping some longer hours and including an area for vintage set breaks. Show organizers say the area will open for a “Preview Night” on Tuesday, August 2 from 6:30 PM -12:30 AM. Attendees interested in joining breaks or there to watch and/or learn will be admitted free. The … [Read more...] about Notes: Case, Set Breaks at NSCC; ’55 Koufax Giveaway; Shop Owner Profile
Louisville Sports Cards Fills Void With New, Old
Chris Buckler of Buckler Sports Cards has been a fixture behind the tables at some of the hobby’s major shows. He’s a regular at the National Sports Collectors Convention. He also buys and sells online through eBay and his own established website. Over the winter, though, he took on a new venture: co-owner of a card shop near his home in Louisville, … [Read more...] about Louisville Sports Cards Fills Void With New, Old