As a shop owner, I thought I'd chime in...

Old Kentucky Shark · Nov 6, 2010

I'd love to be able to write a pages long manifesto, but I honestly just don't have the time.

I own a card shop.

I LOVE my job. I still can't believe I call it a job.

Are things super fantastic right now with the economy or hobby? Nope.

Am I blaming Topps or UD or Panini for killing the hobby? Nope.

These companies will make mistakes and ill-advised moves. So will I. In fact, I can tell you atleast five things I've done wrong since I opened my shop six months ago. Hopefully, I will learn and continue to learn to make my shop and my little corner of the hobby better.

I'm not going to openly complain about overproduction, scrub autographs, and quality control. I don't complain about slow days and the bad economy. My customers don't come in here to listen to someone bitch about how bad things are. They come to enjoy this hobby/business like I do.

So if you ever come by, don't expect a grumpy old, fat dude hiding behind a counter complaining about how such-and-such is ruining this hobby. Expect me to tell you about the big pull at Pack Wars or how I'm learning Magic The Gathering so I don't sound like an idiot when those customers come in.

Just wanted to get that out. Thanks for listening. Flame away.

zach · Nov 6, 2010

If you're passionate about what you do and your customers see that passion, then you will remain successful.

ThoseBackPages · Nov 6, 2010

YAY! a true throwback store owner!

MojoDan · Nov 6, 2010

Great to hear someone actually happy about the way things are going, and value their place in the hobby.

Congrats to you and your business. Hope you build a great customer base and have your shop for a long time.

gt2590 · Nov 6, 2010

Old Kentucky Shark said:
So if you ever come by, don't expect a grumpy old, fat dude hiding behind a counter complaining about how such-and-such is ruining this hobby.

But you'll dress up that way for the shows tho' right? And don't forget the matching 6 month old Beckett that must be quoted when asked for prices. :lol:

Just like any business, there are ups and downs, but either way the customers don't want to hear about it. Yes, they do want honesty in the product reviews, but they don't want to hear how the industry is crumbling, etc. They want a place where they can escape "real life" for a while. When I had a store to run, that's how I viewed it. We had a great TV in store which helped with the "escape" idea.

Also, keep up with the gaming, it's absolutely amazing how that business can help when the sports stuff is slow.

Keep up the positive attitude and you'll be fine!

uniquebaseballcards · Nov 6, 2010

ThoseBackPages said:
YAY! a true throwback store owner!

Yahoo! Every town should have one.

ThoseBackPages · Nov 6, 2010

uniquebaseballcards said:
ThoseBackPages said:

YAY! a true throwback store owner!

Click to expand...

Yahoo! Every town should have one.

wish mine did

cmixer · Nov 6, 2010

Old Kentucky Shark said:
In fact, I can tell you atleast five things I've done wrong since I opened my shop six months ago.

Thanks for your insight.
I'd love to learn from others if you care to share what mistakes to avoid.

schmidtfan20 · Nov 6, 2010

I can assure you that topps loves dealers who don't give a crap when products suck.

Im sorry, the time a pack of cards cost more than 6 dollars was the time this hobby stopped being a hobby.

An average box of cards cost 75 dollars, think what that can buy.....food for a week, diapers for a month
a third of a card payment........we take for granted the cost of these products, this is real money. I
agree there are guys who collect and this is a hobby, but those guys don't keep hobby shops open, it is
the other guys who buy lots and open lots. We are not happy with how product are coming out, mainly that
they are changing big time between the pre sale info and the final product. It would be nice to see that
hobby dealers are putting pressure on topps and panini to step it up, but the old "Im going to have fun
its just a hobby thing" just isn't working anymore. Baseball cards are a big business, if it wasn't
every pack would cost a few quarters. Big money equals big expectations. The success of a hobby shop
is directly tied to their customers. If your customers aren't happy, and I don't see how anyone who collected
topps baseball this year is, then you are going to fail.

Im not bashing your optimism, actually I like it, on the outside, but behind closed doors when the customers
are gone, it is your job to make sure the product is right.

This hobby didn't get this popular because the products were crap. Remember that and good luck

Kevin

BluesBroSJ · Nov 6, 2010

Magic? What a nerd.

On a more serious note. Schmidt fan is correct. The success of a hobby shop is directly tied to its customers. Part of what makes a shop is the EXPERIENCE. You walk in and everything is neat and organized and can find almost anything you want easily, your going to spend more in a shop like that. In contrast to a shop where you walk in and all you see is random 5000 ct boxes everywhere and ask "do you have any of player x" and the response is "yea somewhere in one of those boxes" while making pointing motion to half the store.

I drive an hour ONE WAY to get to the OPs shop. There are about 5 shops closer to me, but I go because of the experience. And its worth my time. I know I have spent more than I should in that store the few times I have gone. And I will tell you this much, I have opened very little current year baseball product. I was geared up to rip a case or two of topps chrome until the checklist doubled and I started seeing the breaks. I have had an absolute blast opening non-sport & hockey this year. Which before this year I had opened maybe 4 boxes total of those genres. Ever.

In closing, YOU HAVE TO ADAPT TO SURVIVE. Some people on this board I don't think understand that. Shop owners have to find ways to keep people coming in or they won't survive. This is why we have so few left in the first place. Internets serious business.

Pine Tar · Nov 6, 2010

So can we stop in and bitch then about the card companies and how we think so and so is ruining the hobby!

ThoseBackPages · Nov 6, 2010

Pine Tar said:
So can we stop in and bitch then about the card companies and how we think so and so is ruining the hobby!

didnt we do this in 2007?

blanning71 · Nov 6, 2010

schmidtfan20 said:
I can assure you that topps loves dealers who don't give a crap when products suck.

Im sorry, the time a pack of cards cost more than 6 dollars was the time this hobby stopped being a hobby.

An average box of cards cost 75 dollars, think what that can buy.....food for a week, diapers for a month
a third of a card payment........we take for granted the cost of these products, this is real money. I
agree there are guys who collect and this is a hobby, but those guys don't keep hobby shops open, it is
the other guys who buy lots and open lots. We are not happy with how product are coming out, mainly that
they are changing big time between the pre sale info and the final product. It would be nice to see that
hobby dealers are putting pressure on topps and panini to step it up, but the old "Im going to have fun
its just a hobby thing" just isn't working anymore. Baseball cards are a big business, if it wasn't
every pack would cost a few quarters. Big money equals big expectations. The success of a hobby shop
is directly tied to their customers. If your customers aren't happy, and I don't see how anyone who collected
topps baseball this year is, then you are going to fail.

Im not bashing your optimism, actually I like it, on the outside, but behind closed doors when the customers
are gone, it is your job to make sure the product is right.

This hobby didn't get this popular because the products were crap. Remember that and good luck

Kevin

Kevin, is there anything in this hobby that you DO LIKE? Damn, you seem to spout out more negatives than an Associated Press camera! This isn't about the OP not caring about a lackluster product........he just doesn't harp on it like some people do in this hobby. You take your lumps, you move on. We will not change what is coming out unless everyone stops buying.........and we ALL know what the odds are of that happening. Impossible. And prices have gone up in part due to inflation. Look at what gas, milk, eggs, cars, etc. cost ten years ago, and then twenty years ago. Prices across the board as a whole continue to increase so naturally card prices go up too. I agree that some pack prices are too high, but thats how the hobby has evolved. Its no longer a kids sport and most likely won't ever return to that.

JonDailey1982 · Nov 6, 2010

Overall as someone that has owned his store for roughly 8 months I say the same thing. The economy isnt great and Topps certainly didnt help baseball this year nor has Panini made people love basketball product. But overall we carry a little bit of everything that comes out and Im working on figuring out how to make it work while still being competitive and giving my customers a cool place to come to. We still get a new customer or two every week so we are having fun... And like Jeff, Ive learned plenty of things along the way...

schmidtfan20 · Nov 6, 2010

blanning71 said:
schmidtfan20 said:

I can assure you that topps loves dealers who don't give a crap when products suck.

Im sorry, the time a pack of cards cost more than 6 dollars was the time this hobby stopped being a hobby.

An average box of cards cost 75 dollars, think what that can buy.....food for a week, diapers for a month
a third of a card payment........we take for granted the cost of these products, this is real money. I
agree there are guys who collect and this is a hobby, but those guys don't keep hobby shops open, it is
the other guys who buy lots and open lots. We are not happy with how product are coming out, mainly that
they are changing big time between the pre sale info and the final product. It would be nice to see that
hobby dealers are putting pressure on topps and panini to step it up, but the old "Im going to have fun
its just a hobby thing" just isn't working anymore. Baseball cards are a big business, if it wasn't
every pack would cost a few quarters. Big money equals big expectations. The success of a hobby shop
is directly tied to their customers. If your customers aren't happy, and I don't see how anyone who collected
topps baseball this year is, then you are going to fail.

Im not bashing your optimism, actually I like it, on the outside, but behind closed doors when the customers
are gone, it is your job to make sure the product is right.

This hobby didn't get this popular because the products were crap. Remember that and good luck

Kevin

Click to expand...

Kevin, is there anything in this hobby that you DO LIKE? Damn, you seem to spout out more negatives than an Associated Press camera! This isn't about the OP not caring about a lackluster product........he just doesn't harp on it like some people do in this hobby. You take your lumps, you move on. We will not change what is coming out unless everyone stops buying.........and we ALL know what the odds are of that happening. Impossible. And prices have gone up in part due to inflation. Look at what gas, milk, eggs, cars, etc. cost ten years ago, and then twenty years ago. Prices across the board as a whole continue to increase so naturally card prices go up too. I agree that some pack prices are too high, but thats how the hobby has evolved. Its no longer a kids sport and most likely won't ever return to that.

Im sorry you missed my point, topps is hoping you would miss my point. Sit on your hands and see if the products
get any better!

blanning71 · Nov 6, 2010

schmidtfan20 said:
blanning71 said:

schmidtfan20 said:

I can assure you that topps loves dealers who don't give a crap when products suck.

Im sorry, the time a pack of cards cost more than 6 dollars was the time this hobby stopped being a hobby.

An average box of cards cost 75 dollars, think what that can buy.....food for a week, diapers for a month
a third of a card payment........we take for granted the cost of these products, this is real money. I
agree there are guys who collect and this is a hobby, but those guys don't keep hobby shops open, it is
the other guys who buy lots and open lots. We are not happy with how product are coming out, mainly that
they are changing big time between the pre sale info and the final product. It would be nice to see that
hobby dealers are putting pressure on topps and panini to step it up, but the old "Im going to have fun
its just a hobby thing" just isn't working anymore. Baseball cards are a big business, if it wasn't
every pack would cost a few quarters. Big money equals big expectations. The success of a hobby shop
is directly tied to their customers. If your customers aren't happy, and I don't see how anyone who collected
topps baseball this year is, then you are going to fail.

Im not bashing your optimism, actually I like it, on the outside, but behind closed doors when the customers
are gone, it is your job to make sure the product is right.

This hobby didn't get this popular because the products were crap. Remember that and good luck

Kevin

Click to expand...

Kevin, is there anything in this hobby that you DO LIKE? Damn, you seem to spout out more negatives than an Associated Press camera! This isn't about the OP not caring about a lackluster product........he just doesn't harp on it like some people do in this hobby. You take your lumps, you move on. We will not change what is coming out unless everyone stops buying.........and we ALL know what the odds are of that happening. Impossible. And prices have gone up in part due to inflation. Look at what gas, milk, eggs, cars, etc. cost ten years ago, and then twenty years ago. Prices across the board as a whole continue to increase so naturally card prices go up too. I agree that some pack prices are too high, but thats how the hobby has evolved. Its no longer a kids sport and most likely won't ever return to that.

Click to expand...

Im sorry you missed my point, topps is hoping you would miss my point. Sit on your hands and see if the products
get any better!

No I didn't miss it. You just didn't make one.

schmidtfan20 · Nov 6, 2010

blanning71 said:
schmidtfan20 said:

blanning71 said:

schmidtfan20 said:

I can assure you that topps loves dealers who don't give a crap when products suck.

Im sorry, the time a pack of cards cost more than 6 dollars was the time this hobby stopped being a hobby.

An average box of cards cost 75 dollars, think what that can buy.....food for a week, diapers for a month
a third of a card payment........we take for granted the cost of these products, this is real money. I
agree there are guys who collect and this is a hobby, but those guys don't keep hobby shops open, it is
the other guys who buy lots and open lots. We are not happy with how product are coming out, mainly that
they are changing big time between the pre sale info and the final product. It would be nice to see that
hobby dealers are putting pressure on topps and panini to step it up, but the old "Im going to have fun
its just a hobby thing" just isn't working anymore. Baseball cards are a big business, if it wasn't
every pack would cost a few quarters. Big money equals big expectations. The success of a hobby shop
is directly tied to their customers. If your customers aren't happy, and I don't see how anyone who collected
topps baseball this year is, then you are going to fail.

Im not bashing your optimism, actually I like it, on the outside, but behind closed doors when the customers
are gone, it is your job to make sure the product is right.

This hobby didn't get this popular because the products were crap. Remember that and good luck

Kevin

Click to expand...

Kevin, is there anything in this hobby that you DO LIKE? Damn, you seem to spout out more negatives than an Associated Press camera! This isn't about the OP not caring about a lackluster product........he just doesn't harp on it like some people do in this hobby. You take your lumps, you move on. We will not change what is coming out unless everyone stops buying.........and we ALL know what the odds are of that happening. Impossible. And prices have gone up in part due to inflation. Look at what gas, milk, eggs, cars, etc. cost ten years ago, and then twenty years ago. Prices across the board as a whole continue to increase so naturally card prices go up too. I agree that some pack prices are too high, but thats how the hobby has evolved. Its no longer a kids sport and most likely won't ever return to that.

Click to expand...

Im sorry you missed my point, topps is hoping you would miss my point. Sit on your hands and see if the products
get any better!

Click to expand...

No I didn't miss it. You just didn't make one.

I understand your position, if you were a true collector and had no other agenda you would see my point, but you
can't afford to, but dare I say even you would benifit if topps put in more effort.

blanning71 · Nov 6, 2010

i'm not a true collector? Really? How do you know what I am? You know nothing about me dude. I cant afford to? I don't buy stuff to flip. I collect because I WANT to. So, Cap'n, please explain. I can't wait to hear this.

schmidtfan20 · Nov 6, 2010

As long as these boards are sponsered by people who have to make a buck by blowing sunshine up topps
behind, there will ALWAYS be a conflict of intrest between those that take care of the board and collectors
like I.

I can see giving topps a pass every once in a while, but no collector, wether you buy 10 bucks a month or
10 grand a month, could be happy with what topps has done with their last several releases. I mean how
many times can you look the other way? Topps thinks they owe you nothing. Are you happy with that?
Do you not want to see topps chrome be MUCH better next year? We aren't asking for a cure for cancer
in every box, we are asking for cards cut pretty close to 50/50, cards that don't have dust on them and
cards that don't look like they were bent by a 2 year old AND we want honesty with what is in the
product. Is that so hard to understand?

If Im downing the boards by saying this then just say so and I will stop, but I think all that I have said is
valid.

Thanks
Kevin

blanning71 · Nov 6, 2010

Just so you know pal, I don't answer to anyone but Chris. I am allowed my own opinion on things and I do NOT cover for Topps in any way. I discuss my likes, dislikes, and whatever with them on any given day. I don't agree with some of the things they have done but I do NOT bow down to someone just because its PC. I feel that I have just as much of a voice on here as anyone of the regular folks that have signed up.

I just don't harp on every little thing OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. It just doesn't do any good. Topps reps read these boards daily and they see what is being discussed. I don't think anyone on here makes a "buck by blowing sunshine up Topps behind". We just try to offer a decent place for people to come voice their opinions both for and against a product or manufacturer and in doing so, do it tastefully.......not just letting someone say F U Topps OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN

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