General Forum

Cool.  It sounds like a well thought out plan for the future, not a whim, like when my uncle decided to promote a card show 7 days a week (yes that was attempted).  Unlike you, he didn't have his wife's blessing.  Now he doesn't have a wife.  That answers the question of why you buy full boxes when you only collect one player, plus one team's rookies.  Makes sense now!

Good luck Darrell! If you weren't so far away I'd come visit. If my health let me drive I'd probably come anyway. 

I have a pretty good local shop. (I know others here disagree, namely Dan) but it's under new ownership now. The stock isn't as full as it once was, but the new owner is actively trying to make it better. And he's started carrying single cards now, which is something the previous owner never did other than one small valise-sized display case. 

I've always- well, since I discovered the concept- secretly wanted to own/operate an antique shop, but I don't currently have the capability, and I don't think I ever will. I already have a name and logo design picked out. My biggest problem is letting stuff go. Even stuff I don't need and know I will probably never think about again, it all goes to my storage unit. 

I have a comic book store in town that has a display case with single cards and a few shelves with packs.  If I want to goto a real card shop it is about an hour and half drive to Texas to get to a real and amazing baseball card shop in Longview.  It worries me because every time I go, there is nobody in there and the owner is a very old lady.  If she decides to retire, I will be stuck with Wal-Mart, Target and the internet as my only options.

The best card shop for me is 1,400 miles away - when I'm home, that is. Mr. D's in NJ (the address is incorrect on the TCDB Card Shop page, by the way). I've bought tons of stuff there, but sadly I haven't been since 2019 began and since my regular trips here will soon end in May, I'll probably not go there anymore.

In Houston's west side we have one that was reopened after the owner died last November, but have only been there once to make a trade with a TCDB member, not to buy anything. It looks generally as it did previously with a few additions, but the guy manning the counter said something about having to apply for Topps to get them product - not sure how that works but apparently it's more than just ordering from them so you can sell. Maybe I didn't understand what was being talked about since I was just a bystander in the conversation. There's supposedly another shop on our side of the city, but I've never been.

Good Luck Darrell, maybe in the future me and Mrs Gunny can venture up North and visit your shop, I think that would be great fun.

My preferred LCS is going through an ownership change so when I go there this weekend I am going to surprised no matter what I find.  The previous owner gave the store name and space over to my friend who is the manager.  The previous owner supposedly struck a separate deal with another party to sell the existing inventory.

We have four card stores here. The ones which host gaming events usually have a bunch of people playing (as you saw), but I'm usually the only person actually shopping whenever I'm in one.

my local one is a 20 min drive for me.. always thrives.. always keeping people coming in and even hold Magic tournaments on Saturdays for those who are into that. Many other ppl just go in and hang out on the weekends to talk in general. Lot of in house case breaks and other things as well. 

We have one true LCS in San Diego that I know of and I like it very much. Lots of inventory and decent prices.

Every local card shop in my area shut it's door for good. I figure online buying or trading replaces the shops adequately. I do miss the comraderie of going into a shop, pour a cup of coffee, BS with whomever and look through boxes of cards. I guess for that, I'm my own cardshop with 4 rooms of cards to shuffle through. LOL, ~BOB~

In my area there are I believe 4 card shops, all but one I wonder how they stay open Very little inventory and horible customer service. The biggest one in the area and the one I visit most for supplies. Tried to have a few conversations with the workers but they alway seem to be more interested in the gaming cards. I asked who I believe is the owner what is the best sellers in the store and he said gaming cards, baseball, Football, Basketball and then hockey. But the majority of his sales are gaming. I miss the old days when you could go into a store and just talk cards. 

Oh well I will still visit because the supplies prices are better than online. 

Good luck with your idea Darrell