He started his brick-and-mortar business at the height of the sports card boom of the early 1990s, opening a 500-square-foot shop. Twenty-nine years later, Joe Davis is still at it. J&J Sports Cards, his Atlanta area hobby shop and Got Baseball Cards, his online business, are thriving, better now even than in those crazy days of the latter part of the junk wax … [Read more...]
Sports Card Buying Trips Yield Inventory
"Buying trips" have been a way of life for some dealers as far back as the 1970s and 80s where shoeboxes full of sports cards were carried into conference rooms at hotels across North America. Dealers built their show inventory by advertising their presence in local newspapers and on radio. Closets and attics emptied, dealers forked over a few bucks and … [Read more...]
Preparation, Organization, Attitude…and Money: Keys to Selling at the National
If setting up a booth at the National Sports Collectors Convention sounds like fun, Jameel Mohammed has a message for you. It is. It’s also a lot of work, very expensive and requires a serious commitment to treating your booth like the business it is. The dealer who owns The Meelypops Shop in Gainesville, FL, in made his fourth trip to the National as a seller this … [Read more...]
Stocking Up to Meet Vintage Sports Card Demand at the National
If you collect vintage sports cards, filling your want list at the National Sports Collectors Convention is usually faster than buying on eBay. Name a set and there are likely at least a few dealers who have those cards in their inventory. Collectors from across the country are spending plenty of money this week. Some are filling sets. Others are buying in hopes … [Read more...]
Tips for Successful Selling at Local Sports Card Shows
Once upon a time, you were all but guaranteed to make a profit if you set up at a local or regional sports card show. Before eBay came along in the mid-1990s, you could probably find one within driving distance. Make sure you had enough hot product or a nice stock of vintage cards and you would likely come away with money in your pocket. It was a … [Read more...]
Jeff Fritsch Dies at 58
Jeff Fritsch, who assumed the leadership role of what's believed to be the hobby's first full-time sports card business following the 2007 death of his father Larry, died Monday at age 58. Based in Stevens Point, WI, Larry Fritsch Cards launched in 1970 and Jeff worked alongside his father for many years. Both were avid collectors. They not only ran the business but also … [Read more...]
Ramblings: My National Experience
The good news for dealers at this year’s National Sports Collectors Convention was this show appeared to be more crowded than any I have attended in the past 10 years or so. I kept bumping into people and that was because yes the floor was constantly busy. Most dealers did report very good sales and at least one reported actually selling everything he brought. Every year I … [Read more...]
Ramblings: Quarter Boxes, Dealers and Promoters
As a person who has been involved with shows for nearly four decades now as a collector, a customer, a dealer and now a promoter the whole process interests me very much. However, I recently saw a thread on one of the hobby message boards which was a subject we have never discussed. The thread involved a promoter receiving a complaint from one of his dealers. The gist of the … [Read more...]
Ramblings: When Collectors Expect Too Much for Their Stuff
Like many of you, I often receive offers to purchase cards. However, unlike many businesses, I don't go out and solicit a lot of collectors to buy their cards as that should be in the purview of those dealers who really want to do this for a living rather than just as a side venture. I recently received a couple of offers that illustrate one of the common issues between … [Read more...]
Editor’s Blog: NSCC Wrap News and Notes
Dealers and collectors have made their way out of Cleveland--or will be leaving shortly--as the 2014 National Sports Collectors Convention comes to an end. The show's five-day run ended late Sunday afternoon at the I-X Center. Some final notes and observations from the weekend: Traffic on the show floor seemed strongest on Thursday and Friday. No matter where it’s … [Read more...]