Another Oak Creek Show, Another Record Day for Attendance

The Oak Creek present has grow to be an enormous behemoth with 1,525 by the door Saturday together with 192 vendor tables. As I write this weblog on Sunday, I’m drained!

It’s a big effort to tug this factor off every month and I’m at all times worn out afterwards. No relaxation for the weary, time to work on the April present!

Again on Saturday, we had 1,000 by the door by 10 a.m. I actually advocate that people begin to arrive after 11 a.m. Parking will likely be tight. You simply gotta take care of it. You’ll have to park throughout the road within the Goal car parking zone and stroll to the venue. There can even be components of the constructing that will likely be tight — sorry, that’s simply the best way it’s. Come later within the day if you happen to do not like crowds.

Most each vendor within the constructing was more than happy with the crowds and their gross sales. All the shoppers I talked to appeared very proud of the present. 

We needed to toss out some youngsters who have been recognized as thieves by one in every of our sellers. So far as we all know, they didn’t steal something in Oak Creek however have been caught stealing on the Rockford present final week. Initially, we kicked two out however couldn’t discover a third teen within the group. Certainly one of my good prospects, a retired police officer, noticed them sneaking again into the constructing by a again door. This time we discovered the third teen and kicked all of them out with a warning that they are going to be arrested for trespassing in the event that they return. These teenagers are not welcome on the Oak Creek present and I’ll have them arrested if I ever see them within the constructing once more.

One vendor reported that he had a $2K card stolen on the February present. He had the cardboard out on his desk. I’m amazed that some sellers is not going to place costly playing cards in locked show instances. The fact of the scenario is that thieves, like the teenagers we kicked out, are at each present. Sellers should take some primary precautions like locking costly playing cards in a locked show case. There are a lot of various kinds of show instances out there today. You will discover their web sites simply with a Google search. It’s also possible to purchase them on eBay or Amazon. There are at all times a number of firms arrange on the Sports activities Spectacular promoting show instances. They’re straightforward to acquire. Sellers! Please acquire a locking show case and defend your playing cards!!!

Whereas we’re with reference to sellers, I had a pair points with sellers this month, as ordinary. One vendor received indignant at me after he instructed me he would miss the April present and I responded that I am unable to assure his spot for Could. I am unable to assure area to anybody anymore as this present has grow to be a juggernaut with 163 sellers on my ready record. I’m working the MegaShow on April 19 on the Milwaukee County Sports activities Complicated in Franklin to offer the ready record sellers an opportunity to arrange. Within the meantime, any vendor that skips Oak Creek, isn’t assured a spot on the subsequent present.

Having stated that, I’ll do my finest to get them a spot however area solely opens up when registered sellers cancel. If I’ve to carry them out of a present, I’ll put them to the highest of the ready record. I’ve needed to maintain a number of sellers again lately however was in a position to get them again in at a unique spot the following month. They can not anticipate to return to their outdated spot. Which brings me to the knucklehead vendor on Saturday who refused to maneuver to a brand new spot after lacking February and arrange in his outdated location which was designated for another person. I instructed that vendor that if he does that once more I’m kicking him out of the present. Each vendor location within the constructing has a reputation tag and every vendor should arrange within the spot the place their identify tag is situated. Nothing irritates me extra when a vendor switches identify tags. What makes them suppose that’s okay?

Clearly, I used to be a bit aggravated on the present Saturday. It sucks that I’ve to take care of idiots when all I need to do is sit behind my tables and purchase and promote playing cards.

Really, issues have been nice over by my tables situated on the stage within the Chapel right this moment, together with sellers Tom Kummer and Omar Torrez. The stage within the Chapel is the final place I’ve room so as to add any sellers. 

I introduced out six show instances and saved the binders at house as a result of I used to be unable to load any previous to the present. I did effectively with the show instances and bought a whole lot of playing cards. The most effective a part of the day, although, was my common shopping for frenzy at my tables. I purchased a ton of stuff! I picked up baseball and soccer workforce playing cards from the early Nineteen Sixties. A pleasant stack of playing cards from the Fifties that included a 1958 Topps Willie Mays All Star. I bought a field of 1967 Topps baseball. A close to set of 1980 Topps soccer. A stack of slabbed T206s. A 1960 Chicago White Sox program and to prime it off, a 1964 phantom Chicago White Sox World Sequence ticket. Cool stuff! I purchase such nice stuff in Oak Creek each month!! Find it irresistible!!

Making this present successful is an actual workforce effort. An enormous thanks to all my sellers of which 99 p.c are superior, one p.c, not a lot. The large crowds. Thanks for attending!! Mark on the Salvation Military. Love that man! Vanessa, the Salvation Military volunteer who works the entrance door. Ken, who makes the superb Sloppy Joe for the concession stand together with all the opposite volunteers within the concession stand. Thanks guys! My set-up crew George and Kristy. Together with my bride of 27 years — Lisa, who braves the wild card present frontier to gather desk price. Thanks all people!!

We’re again at it on April 5. The massive stream of messages began yesterday. Give me a while to relaxation. I’ll reply finally. Now for some sleep!!!

A few fast notes — thanks Jeremy for the tales of dangerous breadth and butt cracks. Somebody left a big tray of salad on the stage within the Chapel. It’s nonetheless there if you wish to go decide it up.

Now for some images from the present that Lisa and I took in the course of the occasion: