A lot of you understand my good buddy Mark Smith from Michigan. Mark used to arrange everywhere in the Midwest however has narrowed it all the way down to largely the month-to-month Taylor and Grand Rapids, Michigan, reveals these previous few years.
He had a uncommon enterprise into the Chicago space for the Bridgeview present on February 2. As you could recall, Mark was my companion after I first began the Oak Creek present. We used to hang around on the previous Gonzaga Corridor present in Milwaukee which is the place we deliberate to create the Oak Creek present again in September of 2014.
Mark lasted the primary 5 reveals earlier than he uninterested in driving to Milwaukee from Michigan twice a month — cannot blame him. Although, we had been a reasonably good staff. As promoters, I used to be the nice cop, he was the dangerous cop. He would get pissed off if a supplier no-showed or cancelled proper earlier than the present. I, then again, was simply grateful for any supplier prepared to arrange at our new present and gave rather a lot a leeway.
We had been speaking about these early days on Sunday in Bridgeview and Mark commented that once we began the present he thought I used to be too good. He was proper, I used to be too good. I let the sellers actually slide. Mark had some expertise selling card reveals and I realized rather a lot from him. He was so useful beginning the present. One of many classes from Professor Mark was that you may’t be too good. Mark was glad to study that I’ve been hardened after greater than 10 years of working the present. I knowledgeable Mark that I’m kicking sellers out left and proper nowadays and never taking any guff from anyone.
I appear to get in some form of altercation with a supplier or two each month and must kick them out of the present — which actually boggles my thoughts as a result of I’ve the most affordable tables round and herald an enormous crowd. Why struggle with me? As well as, there are few issues in life simpler than being a sports activities card/Pokémon supplier. All it’s important to do is reserve the desk, pay for the desk, arrange your stuff, promote stuff, pack it up and go residence. There isn’t a must complain to me or demand something from me. You’ll be shocked on the fixed complaints and calls for. I do not take kindly to complainers and demanding sellers. Fortunately, it’s not 2014 and I do not want these demanding sellers. With greater than 150 sellers on my Oak Creek ready listing, I’ve a fast fuse nowadays and have been recurrently tossing out drawback sellers.
My drawback supplier this month advised me he cannot make the Oak Creek present on the evening earlier than the present. He had a great excuse. He stated he his spouse went into labor and was within the hospital. The issue started after I congratulated him after which commented that I am unable to assure a spot for him the next month as a result of I needed to exchange him with somebody off the ready listing this month and most probably the brand new particular person would need to return. As well as, I positioned a e-newsletter on each supplier’s desk the earlier month letting them know that in the event that they missed a present for any purpose, I am unable to assure them a spot the following present. Within the e-newsletter and in particular person, I advised this supplier that I’ll attempt my greatest to get him in subsequent month, however it’s arithmetic, there won’t be area… and if I am unable to get him in, he would go to the highest of the ready listing and get again in quickly.
The man went nuts. We spent hours going forwards and backwards in emails which made me marvel if his spouse actually was in labor. Why would you struggle with me all day over a $30 desk at a card present in case you are on the hospital together with your spouse who’s in labor?
The man referred to as me names, insulted me, threatened me, and was in the end kicked out of the present. Good riddance!
This occurs each single month, particularly these days after I simply haven’t got area for guys who miss reveals. So entitled! I’ve a four-letter phrase for them. In consequence, I’m not good. Mark is so pleased with me!!
Having stated that, I do not assume I’m overly imply. I arrange at a ton of reveals and know that I bend for sellers greater than every other promoter on the planet. I solely cost 30 bucks for a desk when most promoters cost $50 or extra. I make a concerted effort to arrange the constructing so sellers have area to get out from behind their desk and go to the lavatory. I make a concerted effort to have respectable dimension aisles all through the constructing, whereas different reveals have miniscule aisle area, i.e. Joliet. Admittedly, there are a couple of tight spots within the constructing however general there may be rather more area behind your desk in Oak Creek and within the aisles than most every other present, once more, see Joliet. I truly kicked out a supplier on the January present, who complained that he didn’t have sufficient area — but he had sufficient area to put out two tables, when he solely paid for one and I mapped out his area for only one desk. The audacity of a few of these individuals! I’ve a four-letter phrase for them!
Alongside these traces, the period of time I’m placing into the present has elevated ten-fold and I’m going to barely increase desk charge to $35 for the April present. Hoping the elevated charge will ease my ache from coping with knuckleheads.
Knuckleheads apart, 99-percent of the Oak Creek sellers are superior! Superb individuals, who in contrast to the few knuckleheads, are a pleasure to be round and I’ve an amazing appreciation for them.
There have been no knuckleheads on the February 1 Oak Creek present (I kicked out the phony child man on the day earlier than). I had a good time and actually loved hanging out with all people.
All of it begins with my set-up crew: Lisa, Christy and George. With out these guys, there can be no Oak Creek present. The present has grown a lot too massive for me to set it up on my own. I’m so grateful for the crew! Plus, they at all times lighten my day, particularly after combating with some entitled fool.
On Saturday, Lisa and I truly arrived a bit of early. I used to be capable of arrange my tables a lot faster than regular and had extra time to talk with the nice sellers. Our pal Don August was again with extra books and extra free autographs. Don August is such an amazing man and a lot enjoyable to be round. Sadly, with baseball season beginning quickly, we cannot see Don till the autumn. I will attempt to get some further autograph company this yr.
Now let’s speak concerning the crowd — WOW!!! Sure, it’s not 2014 once we would generally get simply 15 or 20 individuals on the present. We had 1,419 individuals on the present on Saturday!! New report. Woot! We additionally had 191 tables, one other report.
It was a sea of individuals all morning. I’m beginning to assume that perhaps we’re getting too many individuals. The present is simply loopy crowded within the morning. I counsel that folk take into consideration arriving after 11 a.m. when the group begins to die down a bit of. It was tight within the constructing.
My tables had been crowded all day and gross sales had been fairly good, oddly not fairly pretty much as good as final month however nonetheless fairly good. Buys, then again, had been wonderful! Oak Creek has change into my greatest shopping for present by far. I picked up a bunch of previous baseball and soccer packages from the 1950’s and 1960’s. I additionally bought some previous wax wrappers together with a 1951 Bowman baseball wrapper. I bought an entire set of 1971 Kellogg’s baseball. I’ve solely had a smattering of the Kellogg’s baseball playing cards through the years, by no means an entire set as a result of the 1971 difficulty is probably the most tough to acquire and it has many variations within the set. Then I bought Cubs staff units from the late 1960’s into the early 1970’s with many duplicates. I believe I obtained a minimum of 10 or 12 1972 Topps Jose Cardenal traded excessive numbers alone!! Robust card!! I spent some coin and got here residence with a pleasant haul!!!
This was a very, actually satisfying day. Every part went easily. My solely remorse is I did not get again to the concession stand earlier than it closed. I had a Sloppy Joe early and actually wished a brat late within the day. I gotta get my brat subsequent month!!
An enormous thanks to my crew, the volunteers from the Salvation Military, my most important man Mark, all of the sellers and all the shoppers. You guys rule! Thanks, thanks, thanks!!! What a day!!!!
We’ll tee it up as soon as once more in Oak Creek on March 1. Cannot wait to see everybody subsequent month… knuckleheads needn’t apply!!!
Now for some pictures:
Weblog from the Bridgeview present coming quickly. FYI — I’m taking subsequent weekend off from reveals. I will be again at in on February 15 for the Woodstock, Illinois, present.
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