Will Card shows and Card Shop make a comeback? - Page 2

LVDan · 10-10-2020, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIONS RULE!

My LCS, Bullpen 2.0 in Los Angeles, had a Card Show once a month before Covid. At the last one, you could barely fit in the door. It was a great mixture of selling, ripping & trading. So much money was trading hands, it was crazy. Their next step is to have one in their parking lot - in set up tents. I have been going to the shop for years & years and have seen the momentum they have gathered. The store is located by LAX, they have customers stop by after flying in from China, Japan, Australia etc. These guys drop around 10,000 a visit. It doesn't hurt they have more wax to bust that just about anybody. They had over 75 cases of BC after the current release. Basically Mitch, the owner - has it figured out and he is killing it!

There is a lot of card money on the west coast. Mitch should think big and start a regular regional show once large gatherings are ok’d again.

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oldgoldy97 · 10-10-2020, 04:58 PM

People will choose to deal primarily on the internet because they can be hardasses there opposed to real life where they try not to make eye contact.

LIONS RULE! · 10-10-2020, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LVDan

There is a lot of card money on the west coast. Mitch should think big and start a regular regional show once large gatherings are ok’d again.

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He has been trying to get the National to come back to LA. I guess it is hard to get them to play ball. Steve Aoki just opened a shop in Hollywood with that Vee guy as a backer. And another big one has opened just recently, can't remember much about it. Throw in Burbank Sportscards, Frank & Sons, Jaspy's etc. Los Angeles has a huge market for cards...

sabrgeek · 10-10-2020, 05:16 PM

The 3 LCS I got to in the North Dallas area are all kicking butt and taking names. They do good business and also have on-line presence.

Plus it gives them buying opportunities and more

Rich

Morgoth · 10-10-2020, 05:33 PM

Cards shows will be a bigger deal as you can sell and not get a return request 2 months later and as a buyer you can actually see the cards in hand

EBCollectibles · 10-10-2020, 05:45 PM

The few card shows around here are packed from opening to closing.

ewokpelts · 10-10-2020, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jw8

That's what the internet is for

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Not the same at all.

MoreToppsPlease · 10-10-2020, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LVDan

Help in some cases? Stores with no online presence are handicapped by their own unwillingness to get with the times. We’re almost 25 years into cards being primarily an online thing. I don’t think that is ever going to change. Having to sell enough singles or product to pay rent, employees, etc without supplemental cash flow from eBay or breaks may as well be a death sentence.

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Then your answer to the OP is that cards are primarily an online thing.

mfw13 · 10-10-2020, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coachnip13

No. It's too easy to see everything you want to see online.

IF you are looking for something specific.

For me, part of the joy of going to card shows was always discovering something new that you didn't even know existed before.

And with the amount of products being released nowadays and the number of inserts/parallels, I'm sure there are numerous cards/sets that I'd enjoy collecting that I don't even know exist.

creasecollector · 10-10-2020, 07:01 PM

I think card shows will be booming once they are all okay to start up again.

LVDan · 10-10-2020, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfw13

IF you are looking for something specific.

For me, part of the joy of going to card shows was always discovering something new that you didn't even know existed before.

And with the amount of products being released nowadays and the number of inserts/parallels, I'm sure there are numerous cards/sets that I'd enjoy collecting that I don't even know exist.

No question this is true. How many times have we all made a list for a show only to find nothing on your list but still come home with stacks of stuff and a blown budget?
Plus I honestly really miss having real life card friends. Probably why I’m always posting here. I crave interpersonal card intimacy. There I said it.

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13goyankees13 · 10-10-2020, 08:16 PM

There is a card shop 5 minutes away from me that's open 7 days a week and a monthly show with 40 tables (there were more before but they reduced it to allow for distance between the tables) 15 minutes away from me. Both seem to be doing well.

It's not what it once was and will never go back to that but there's room for well-run shops and stores and I don't see that changing soon.

bryanscs · 10-10-2020, 08:24 PM

Today was my 7th show in as many weekends, as a dealer.

The shows here in Kentucky/West Virginia have been killing it, as far as customers coming in, the amount of dealers present, and the amount of money exchanging hands!

kidfan9 · 10-10-2020, 08:39 PM

I went to Frank and Sons today for supplies only and the wait to get it was two hours. I did a quick walk around just to look and it seemed like lots of folks were eager to spend cash.

LVDan · 10-10-2020, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoreToppsPlease

Then your answer to the OP is that cards are primarily an online thing.

No. My answer is the same as it was 15 years ago when I had a shop.
We need to have an online presence so that we can continue our dream of owning a brick and mortar.
Shops with considerable costs like good location and well trained/paid staff understand this and continually adapt on the fly to stay profitable. Podunk flea market stands and folks with owned property can continue to rock like its 1983 forever, and many happily still do.

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MoreToppsPlease · 10-10-2020, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LVDan

No. My answer is the same as it was 15 years ago when I had a shop.
We need to have an online presence so that we can continue our dream of owning a brick and mortar.
Shops with considerable costs like good location and well trained/paid staff understand this and continually adapt on the fly to stay profitable. Podunk flea market stands and folks with owned property can continue to rock like its 1983 forever, and many happily still do.

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You said already in this thread: “We’re almost 25 years into cards being primarily an online thing. I don’t think that is ever going to change.”

Not sure what you’re trying to say, then.

LVDan · 10-10-2020, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoreToppsPlease

You said already in this thread: “We’re almost 25 years into cards being primarily an online thing. I don’t think that is ever going to change.”

Not sure what you’re trying to say, then.

The same thing you just glossed over above. Both can and do coexist with just of bit of willingness to adapt to a changing market landscape. Yes, a vast majority of card transactions are now done digitally. That doesn’t mean you can succeed in both realms.

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davidantx · 10-11-2020, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alohasports

With the new generation of collectors and investors and the hobby popularity sky rocketing, once COVID-19 passes, do you think card shows and card ships will make a comeback? I would love to see it reach the levels of the 1980’s-1990’s Or more again!!! Your thoughts?

No ....

Archangel1775 · 10-11-2020, 04:44 AM

Card shows should do ok. The shops that exist should do well too. Opening a new shop might cost you$500K-$1 mil now.

ken161 · 10-11-2020, 10:01 AM

Both of my local card shops go back to the early 90s. Although the owners have not told me this, I get the impression this is the best business has been in at least 10 years.

ewokpelts · 10-11-2020, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archangel1775

Card shows should do ok. The shops that exist should do well too. Opening a new shop might cost you$500K-$1 mil now.

Unless you buy one out. One store near me the owner bought in last year. The previous owner was ready to retire, and sold the business and inventory and the new owner rolled his stuff in. And the old guy still comes in to help out here and there.

creasecollector · 10-11-2020, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archangel1775

Card shows should do ok. The shops that exist should do well too. Opening a new shop might cost you$500K-$1 mil now.

i feel the same way about the shops. For those that have adapted, I think they are doing really, really well. But starting up your own with all of the overhead costs involved getting your name out there, etc, would be really tough right now in this market.

speedyjg13 · 10-11-2020, 12:12 PM

I don't see it happening. Much easier to just browse and buy cards from your phone wherever you are.

No need to drive anywhere or pay admission fees.

You see it, you like the price, you buy it. All done in 10 seconds.

This is exactly how I have purchased all of my cards, literally ALL my cards are purchased this way.

Carrbeaz · 10-11-2020, 12:34 PM

One thing a lot of you are missing is how does a new card shop starting up get allocated ANY product at wholesale prices?

Distributors don't want to take on any new stores now as they are cutting long established clients to very few boxes, if any.

I used to get 5-8 cases of things like Prizm and Contenders, and now I am lucky to get 5-7 boxes.

jataman2612 · 10-11-2020, 12:39 PM

Card shows have been pretty good so far in Ohio. Way more people at the shows and crazy money being exchanged.

10-10-2020, 04:58 PM	#27
oldgoldy97 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 51,823	People will choose to deal primarily on the internet because they can be hardasses there opposed to real life where they try not to make eye contact. __________________ Truly riveting discussion: that’s what your wife/girlfriend/sheep said.

10-10-2020, 05:16 PM	#29
sabrgeek Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Plano TX Posts: 872 RichK Sabrgeek	The 3 LCS I got to in the North Dallas area are all kicking butt and taking names. They do good business and also have on-line presence. Plus it gives them buying opportunities and more Rich __________________ Plano, Tx. #7, Sunday March 5, 2017 at Adat Chaverim (Northeast Corner Independence and Spring Creek) in Plano Tx from 9 AM to 4 PM

10-10-2020, 05:33 PM	#30
Morgoth Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 3,924	Cards shows will be a bigger deal as you can sell and not get a return request 2 months later and as a buyer you can actually see the cards in hand __________________ https://youtube.com/channel/UC8WpXwdUosn3uzJMt7oMQ0w

10-10-2020, 07:01 PM	#35
creasecollector Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,601 creasecollector	I think card shows will be booming once they are all okay to start up again. __________________ Collecting: Jhonas Enroth View my Collections, Traders & Wantlist: creasecollector.weebly.com Co-Host of the Center Ice Card Cast - A Hockey Card Podcast Instagram/Twitter: @creasecollector

10-10-2020, 08:16 PM	#37
13goyankees13 Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 1,521 13goyankees13	There is a card shop 5 minutes away from me that's open 7 days a week and a monthly show with 40 tables (there were more before but they reduced it to allow for distance between the tables) 15 minutes away from me. Both seem to be doing well. It's not what it once was and will never go back to that but there's room for well-run shops and stores and I don't see that changing soon. __________________ Currently collecting TTM/IP autos and Minnesota Golden Gophers alumni of all sports.

10-10-2020, 05:45 PM	#31
EBCollectibles Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Posts: 5,010	The few card shows around here are packed from opening to closing.

10-10-2020, 08:24 PM	#38
bryanscs Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elizabethtown, KY Posts: 1,788 elizabethtownsportscards ElizabethtownSportsCards	Today was my 7th show in as many weekends, as a dealer. The shows here in Kentucky/West Virginia have been killing it, as far as customers coming in, the amount of dealers present, and the amount of money exchanging hands! __________________ Looking to sell your COMC port? I'm buying!

10-10-2020, 08:39 PM	#39
kidfan9 Member Join Date: May 2018 Location: Tennessee Posts: 2,634	I went to Frank and Sons today for supplies only and the wait to get it was two hours. I did a quick walk around just to look and it seemed like lots of folks were eager to spend cash. __________________ Ted Williams-Baseball's last .400 hitter

10-11-2020, 04:44 AM	#44
Archangel1775 Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Cali baby! Posts: 21,909	Card shows should do ok. The shops that exist should do well too. Opening a new shop might cost you$500K-$1 mil now. __________________ *There are the intangibles that set someone apart from the pack.So the blur isn't your inability to see his greatness, it's merely the inability to measure it.*

10-11-2020, 10:01 AM	#45
ken161 Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 417	Both of my local card shops go back to the early 90s. Although the owners have not told me this, I get the impression this is the best business has been in at least 10 years.

10-11-2020, 12:12 PM	#48
speedyjg13 Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 17,268	I don't see it happening. Much easier to just browse and buy cards from your phone wherever you are. No need to drive anywhere or pay admission fees. You see it, you like the price, you buy it. All done in 10 seconds. This is exactly how I have purchased all of my cards, literally ALL my cards are purchased this way. __________________ Current PC: Mike Trout Prior PC: David Fletcher & Jered Weaver https://www.flickr.com/photos/speedyjg13/albums

10-11-2020, 12:34 PM	#49
Carrbeaz Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 8,809	One thing a lot of you are missing is how does a new card shop starting up get allocated ANY product at wholesale prices? Distributors don't want to take on any new stores now as they are cutting long established clients to very few boxes, if any. I used to get 5-8 cases of things like Prizm and Contenders, and now I am lucky to get 5-7 boxes. __________________ If you ask me what is the least I will take, then I am going to respond with, "What is the most you are willing to pay?"

10-11-2020, 12:39 PM	#50
jataman2612 Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 2,339 jata_sportscards_and_memorabilia jataman2612	Card shows have been pretty good so far in Ohio. Way more people at the shows and crazy money being exchanged. __________________ Always looking for Cleveland sports memorabilia. Looking for rare late 90's Cleveland Indians cards- if price is right. Also possibly interested in current Indians (Not crazy about current card designs though)