You may buy the bulk of your cards online but one thing the internet can’t duplicate well is the sense of community that a good hobby shop can offer. Whether it’s sharing information, participating in a trade night or special event, playing in a fantasy league or just talking with other collectors, shops can make collecting a more personal experience. The Dugout in … [Read more...]
Astros Success a Boost for Houston Shop
If you were a Houston Astros fan at the beginning of the decade, you knew you were going to need some patience. The once-proud franchise suffered through six straight losing seasons, capped by an “unforgettable” 51-111 campaign in 2013. It was a rebuilding effort that never seemed to end, but the improvement was evident by 2015 and this year, the Astros won 101 … [Read more...]
Notes: Device Helps Blind Collector; Jumbo Wagner History; Ichiro Signing; Cal Cards
You may have read our story last year on Denver area collector Jake Cohen, a youngster with a passion for sports, sports cards and music. Jake lost his sight a few years ago but has continued to collect. Now, a scanning device is helping him identify cards without having to see them. The i.d. mate Galaxy is a portable “all-in-one” talking bar code scanner that aids … [Read more...]
Notes: Maris MVP Award Also Stolen from Mall
Fargo, North Dakota police have released surveillance pictures of the person believed to have stolen Roger Maris’ 1960 American League MVP award and 1961 Hickok belt. Both were taken during a smash-and-grab burglary early Tuesday morning. Early media reports indicated only the belt had been taken but police now say the MVP plaque was also taken by someone who broke … [Read more...]
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...]
Thief Breaks Into Iowa Card Shop in Daytime
An Iowa sports card shop lost thousands of dollars to a burglar Saturday afternoon—a crime that happened in broad daylight. Des Moines Police say a man wearing a black coat and blue jeans kicked and pried open the locked door to Chuck’s Sports Cards around 4:30 PM, raced inside grabbed numerous valuable cards before running out. A witness saw it happen and called … [Read more...]
Owner of Small Oregon Shop Maintains Even Keel
Bill Clews opened his sports card shop in Salem, OR about the time the hobby was beginning its “correction phase”. He must have done something right. Twenty years later, the shop is still going strong. Clews opened “The New Hobby” in 1996 and despite a burglary that cost him $20,000 in inventory, he’s managed to thrive. The 70-year-old retired military recruiter … [Read more...]
Big Card Dealer in a Small City
The third largest eBay store for sports cards and memorabilia is located in…Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Not being located in a major population center or a city that houses professional sports doesn’t matter these days, with the internet putting just about everyone on a level playing field. Owner Dennis Worden also sells on the Beckett Marketplace, but he’s not online … [Read more...]
Notes: Media Coverage for the Hobby, USPS Rate Hike Coming?
Some hobby attention from a couple of newspapers…and one magazine. The Richmond (KY) Register stopped by one of only about a half dozen sports card shops left in the Commonwealth. Colonel Sports Cards is located in the city that’s home to Eastern Kentucky University. Owner Donald Foster has been in business for five years. He told the paper his shop is sort of a … [Read more...]
Online Generosity Nets Young Collector a Windfall
A trip to a sports card shop turned into an afternoon to remember for a young collector in Wilmington, North Carolina. Chris Justice, who has been running daily box breaks through his Cards Infinity site for eight years, was doing his usual 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. live session on Tuesday when David Hawa walked into the store with his 11-year-old son, Alec. “They were looking … [Read more...]