General Forum

When I go to my local card shop I feel like a second class citizen because I'm not one of those guys who plops down hundreds of dollars for cases of cards looking for that autographed Kris Bryant rookie card that I can immediately put up for auction on eBay.  I buy cards because I actually like them.  I'll peruse the store, look through their merchandise, and usually leave having spent ten or twenty dollars.  I feel like an outsider at the card shop though because I'm not a high roller.  It seems all anyone there is concerned with is if anybody got any "hits" on the last pack they tore open.  Does anybody out there still collect cards just for the fun of it?

I know what you feel Kirk. Not at my LHS but on online forums. (not this one) I'm quite proud of the fact that I've been collecting since 1988 and I've never sold a single card.

Ditto, Billy.  I cannot part with the cards I have.  Trading is different but even then, my star players are still hard to part with even when I have multiples.  This site has helped with that in being able to trade for some I doon't have.

I haven't been into a card shop in at least 5 years or more for the same reason Kirk posted. I collect for the fun of it. I mostly build older sets. I've never sold a card. If I need hobby supplies, I go to the comic book store when I go to vist my parents every few weeks. The people that work at the store are real nice. The customers are decent too.

yep collecting lower end stuff is fun as well..

that is what the hobby is all about...having fun...whatever kind of stuff you like

mark z

I've never felt that way at my LCS, but like Billy I have felt that way on many an online forum. I collect for fun, but I do occasionally sell some cards. I trade some away and I also commit what I call "Random Acts of Cardness". You know host a contest or give-away or just plain giveaway cards just for the fun of it.

 Oh, I have been there. $20 in hand but the dealer continues to talk his buddies.

That was my experience at one shop I visited in Edmonton a while back, I posted a thread about a father and son dropping $1100 in about 15 minutes, I couldnt get much attention from anybody and when I fianlly did, yup second class citizen, funny thing though was it was this dingy little hole of a place with about 15 guys all doing the " what you'd pull Frank" that you mentioned above. It was my first visit to one in probably ten years and it made me shake my head. The other shop over by West Edmonton Mall on the other hand, top notch and pleasent as pie. So it truely is hit and miss I guess. For me its fun first, but dont get me wrong I have been tempted to put some of my surplus on eBay or where ever but for me its all about having the time to do it ........... lol barely have time to open what I got which by the way when I do get some extra time will post about my big investment wifey let me make!! Won my hockey draft and she let me spend it on my hobby!! Not groceries!! I really DO love her.

Unfortunatelty, it's been this way for years. I used to get a table at a small card show when I lived in Florida (1990-1992), and the kids had a heck of a time trying to get the "big guys' " attention. Since I was basically running my "shop" out of my bedroom, I had no overhead of a store anywhere and I had gotten a large part of my inventory for very little. I put up a sign, "Trade for ..." and what I would trade for. I'd get these kids, 8, 9, 10 years old, some a little older, and they'd hand me their stack of cards, I'd be honest with them about what I could use in my collection, what I could sell, and what would go in the big box of commons. I'd give them a fair amount in trade from my table, and we'd both be happy. After the first kid came to my table and I traded with him, I was swarmed by kids wanting to trade. I actually had a couple of the "big guys" swing by my table to see why I had so much traffic. :) I treated everyone the same. Well, except Mark Carreon's little brother* - I used to give him Mark's cards (he was a really nice kid, who offered money for the cards, but I could never take it). And Rusty Meacham's mom. She was local, and when he got called up by the Tigers, she came by looking for his cards. 

* - The first time I met Mark's brother, he came to each table asking for Mark Carreon cards. I asked him, "I have to ask, why Mark Carreon?" He said, "He's my brother." It was fun opening packs of cards back then to stock my show supply - Griffey, Ryan, Ripken, Mattingly, Carreon, Justice, Clemens, Gooden, Strawberry, etc.

I must say I just found this site this evening and am absolutly in love with it will make life so much easier to track what I do have.

I personally do it for the fun, Hadnt been to a card shop in years though mostly get small finds at the swap meets Fleamarkets what ever you may call them.... I mostly collect football with a few exceptions....I have sold in the past but only to expand on my own collection. Started collecting after my uncle gave me the remainder of his collection after a house fire destroyed the majority of the collection in 1995 and enjoyed it ever since. My passion is for the old cards 81' and back would love to complete the 1950 Topps felt back set just and interesting set I think.

As far as people spending rediculous stacks of cash in shops, I havent seen any mistreatment of the smaller spenders at least not with my local shop. The man that runs it is exstreamly nice and will dig out anything if asked no mater the worth of the card...many cards just given to myself to complete sets... I don't agree with any mistreatment of the smaller spenders you do have to rememeber the card shops are there to make a profit as well...but they should try to treat each customer equaly