If you’re of a certain age you probably remember the vending machines that doled out a few trading cards for the spare change in your pocket. While those relics may now be collectors items themselves, Joe Daley is putting a 21st century spin on the automated way to purchase cards.
The Bowling Green, KY man owns a growing business that specializes in state of the art vending machines that dispense packs and even full boxes of cards.
“The Fan Stand” offers a different, automated way to scratch the itch to open something. For collectors, it beats the heck out of machines with candy bars and potato chips.
“Back in 2020 when the hobby was really going through its boom, it hit me one day that we had an opportunity to develop a new channel for selling, automated retail for sports cards,” Daley told SC Daily at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. “We’re still a young company but it’s really grown fast.”
Today, he has machines in eight different states and on four Royal Caribbean cruise ships.
They come in multiple sizes, with the largest model holding about 70 slots for packs and different types of box configurations.
The concept is simple. Make your selection from dozens of different boxes and packs, add to your “cart,” make your payment (credit cards are a commonly used) and watch the machine grab your product and deliver it to the front of the machine where you grab it and go.
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The Fan Stand booth at the National was busy with a captive audience of intrigued collectors constantly stopping by to look or make a purchase. Kids were especially enthralled, which isn’t surprising.
Daley’s background is in mechanical engineering and he still works as a senior leader at a large manufacturing plant. A lifelong collector, creating vending machines with enough variety to keep collectors interested was a natural fit, but you can’t just plop a giant metal and glass machine anywhere you please. Daley has been working with a variety of potential homes for the machines, which carry a mix of new and newer sports and gaming products. Much like online shopping, automated retail has been growing.
“We’re always thinking about spots that would make a good space,” Daley said. “You want a high volume of foot traffic in spaces where people are going to be for a while or maybe a tourist element. We’ve done a lot of testing. Malls are some of our flagship locations. Youth sports complexes. We’ve done a pilot with Kroger (food stores) for machines in their grocery stores. We’ve learned a lot of lessons over the past couple of years so that’s been good.”
Shopping centers have been among his first targets and Daley says many have been receptive to using the machines to occupy what might otherwise be empty spaces.
“They’re always looking for something new. We’ve got really good partnerships with big mall property owners like Simon and Tanger Outlets and so we’re really focusing on those and some other centers for growth.”
Daley has begun giving others the chance to start their own business or expand an existing one. “We launched the second phase of the business in the second quarter of 2023, which was to license with clients that are starting their own locations and now we’ve grown to 15 additional through that with many more units on the way so that part has taken off.” Daley helps with location and product.
“This is a great business model for bringing sports cards to small towns or to high end properties in big cities at an affordable overhead structure,” Daley stated.
Another type of home for the machines are hobby shops. Daley says dealers who have brick-and-mortar stores sometimes look to add a different element or reach customers in other locations without hiring additional manpower or paying to operate another full service store so they’re interested in one of his machines. “Or even your avid collectors for whom running a hobby shop is out of reach but something like this is a dream come true for them to open something in the space.”
The machines are strictly for trading cards. Daley says so far sales are split about 50-50 between sports and Pokemon. Determining what to stock sometimes depends on a specific market where certain products might be popular. It’s an ongoing process with more testing ahead but Daley is happy he chose to take the leap.
“This is a great passion. I love it. Anytime you can make a job out of your hobby and something you love to do, it’s just wonderful.”
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