After a awful night time’s sleep in our deluxe luxurious resort suite, Dave and I ventured towards Downtown Cleveland round 8 a.m. Our vacation spot — Slyman’s Deli. We now have been speaking about Slyman’s ever since we first arrange on the Strongsville present 15 years in the past. Properly, we lastly made it there and Slyman’s didn’t disappoint.
The deli was opened within the mid-1960’s in an outdated neighborhood lined with outdated, tall homes and dotted with Victorian warehouses and church buildings. Inside is the grill to the left, a cashier straight forward and a eating room to the suitable. The place felt and appeared like an vintage. The decor was a mix of church revival and Three Stooges memorabilia… type of bizarre decor for an outdated Jewish deli.
The menu had typical deli gadgets. Dave went with a pastrami sandwich whereas I had the corned beef. We took our sandwiches again to the I-X Heart and had been blown away. Every sandwich featured a plateau of rye bread in-between mountains of meat. Showgoers stopped of their tracks once they noticed Dave and I munching away on these sandwiches that type of resembled bricks. Superb. Scrumptious. Neither of us might end our sandwiches.
After ending my meal, I largely sat across the sales space for the subsequent a number of hours. I used to be stunned by the dearth of visitors within the constructing. In years previous, there was regular visitors on Wednesday morning, although the present doesn’t formally open till 3:30 p.m. I can solely guess that some rule adjustments carried out by the brand new administration group in control of the Nationwide resulted within the lack of buyer visitors.
Listed below are the rule adjustments. Sellers are actually given two badges, as an alternative of three. The price of extra badges elevated from $60 to $100 and limits had been positioned on the variety of badges every sales space holder might buy — finish outcome, hardly anyone was strolling the present within the morning.
As well as, everybody within the constructing previous to the opening bell was required to put on a badge. I noticed a safety officer escort of us out of the constructing who weren’t carrying badges.
With no prospects, I took a while to stroll the present — my first time strolling the present in years. I noticed fairly just a few classic sellers with costs all around the board. I additionally noticed a meals court docket with seven or eight food and drinks choices. I bought a cup of espresso from a espresso truck.
After acquiring my espresso, I bumped into Tom and Anita Daniels, who’ve arrange at each single Nationwide. Tom and Anita had been arrange by the entrance door. I really like viewing their Nationwide arrange which is so completely different from their Oak Creek arrange. In Oak Creek, they largely convey out wax. On the Nationwide, the large weapons are out like a 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson.
Not removed from Tom and Anita, I noticed Tony Schaefer’s sales space. I drooled in any respect of his T206s. Then I noticed Dell and Jeff again by the seller entrance.
Arrange close to me are the comedian e book guys from Detroit. Ash is down my aisle. I noticed Jeremy and Chase arrange down by the washroom. Lake Nation Playing cards was arrange close to Dell and Jeff.
Regardless that early gross sales had been gradual, this will likely have been probably the most nice first day of the Nationwide I’ve ever had. I used to be so relaxed and had nice vitality as a result of I had arrange on Tuesday when prior to now, I all the time arrange on Wednesday which might tire me out for that first day.
Lastly, at 3:30 p.m., the constructing began to replenish. Clients complained that vehicle visitors outdoors of the venue was jammed up. Some stated they waited an hour or so in visitors to enter the constructing’s parking zone then as soon as within the constructing there was one other lengthy wait in line to enter the present flooring.
I noticed loads of annoyed faces along with fairly just a few pleasant faces. A gradual stream of oldsters I knew stopped by like Eddie, Chris, Scott, Jim, Al, different Jim, Dan, Larry, Nelson and lots of others. After all, I discovered Willie wanting by a stack of Wackys.
I loved assembly Chris from Missouri, one of many many classic sports activities card vloggers I comply with on YouTube. What a pleasant man!
Gross sales had been a trickle up till 5 p.m. or so once they actually picked up. I used to be very busy late within the day. The truth is, I used to be busy up till the present ended at 8 p.m. I felt like I might proceed to promote playing cards for hours extra if the present was open later.
I had fairly just a few attention-grabbing conversations with showgoers. I met Tim from Naples, Florida, who instructed me he bought a 1974 Lauglin Negro League set from Larry Fritch again in 1974. Tim stated among the high-grade slabbed playing cards are at present promoting for $5.000 to $6,000. He requested for a advice on the right way to promote his set. I suggested he take the set over to Heritage Auctions, which was situated close to my sales space.
Tim later got here again to my sales space and stated he took my recommendation and took the set to Heritage and so they had been very excited to obtain it. I used to be pleased to assist out.
Then Steve from Lansing, Mich, got here by and nearly cleared out all of my hockey playing cards. Thanks Steve! I had loads of good gross sales. My first day on the 2024 Nationwide was significantly better than 2023. Dave had a superb day as properly.
Issues had been going so properly, I used to be upset when the present closed for the day. I might have gone all night time at this fee!
On the shopping for entrance, nada, nuttin’, zilch. No person supplied to promote me any playing cards. Although Tim stated he can be again on Thursday with some issues for me.
Dave and I left the constructing by the seller exit to the again parking zone. It was a zoo on the market. Visitors leaving the parking zone by the principle entrance was at a standstill. Dave and I made a decision to drive to the again exit which moved significantly better.
We went over to a sports activities bar simply minutes away from the I-X Heart. Dave stated that he ate there with PJ once they had been arrange on the Cleveland Nationwide in 2019. The bar was noisy. There was some type of music trivia recreation occurring with a DJ blaring music. Numerous TVs channeled to both the Guardians-Tigers recreation or the Yankees-Mets.
Dave and I made a decision to order wings. The beautiful waitress introduced out an enormous pile of tasty wings. We loved our meal.
Afterwards, it was again to the luxurious suite for an additional awful night time of sleep. Day one of many 2024 Nationwide was within the books.
Now for some photographs:
Pictured above is your hero with Anita and Tom Daniels.
Pictured above is a 1971 Bazooka Hockey panel — I by no means knew these existed, so cool!
Pictured above is certainly one of Tony Schaefer’s show instances.
In one other show case, Tony had all these autographed Mickey Mantle playing cards, pictured above.
I noticed this random Jerome Walton masks on a seller’s desk close to the entrance entrance. I additionally noticed fairly just a few seller tables with related stuff that was not definitely worth the worth of the sales space. Puzzling.
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