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Another BBC shop closure...

SportsCardMint in Bellevue, WA.

Geoff Holland is one of the good guys in the industry. He was always very gracious in allowing me to send in my raw cards alongside his PSA order. It's really a shame to see so many of these shops close, shops that used to be "the" hangout place for me when I was a teenager.

I know some of you have experienced the same thing in your area, sometimes firsthand. Every time I went in, I only saw kids playing/trading magic cards.

Nothing inconsistent with the direction of the industry or previous posts here, but a bummer nonetheless. image
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Comments

  • NowPanicNowPanic Posts: 128 ✭✭
    That's too bad. I would love to own a card shop one day. I actually plan on it, after I retire & will be drawing a pension.
    It is a tough business. Espicially when it is your only source of income.
  • same here, used to be dozens, all gone now image
  • IronmanfanIronmanfan Posts: 5,525 ✭✭✭✭
    tough for card shops to compete
    Successful dealings with Wcsportscards94558, EagleEyeKid, SamsGirl214, Volver, DwayneDrain, Oaksey25, Griffins, Cardfan07, Etc.
  • Bottom9thBottom9th Posts: 2,695 ✭✭
    I had one 1991-95. The strike in 1994-95 pretty much killed my business. It was fun while it lasted though! I can't imagine trying it now unless I didn't need the money!
  • NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

    This has been one of the few places I could always count on to find something I wanted.

    Always sorry to see any shops go, but especially this one. image
    "It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it."
    - John Wooden
  • lawnmowermanlawnmowerman Posts: 19,477 ✭✭✭✭
    I just found a new one here in Saint Petersburg. The owner is really good guy. I was looking for oversize toploaders and found them at a store on 66th street north.

    He was telling me they have box breaks and pack wars every Friday night. Sounds like a blast.
  • thunderdanthunderdan Posts: 3,036 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I just found a new one here in Saint Petersburg. The owner is really good guy. I was looking for oversize toploaders and found them at a store on 66th street north.

    He was telling me they have box breaks and pack wars every Friday night. Sounds like a blast. >>



    That sounds fun. None of the remaining shops left in Seattle seem to have much--if anything at all--in vintage (packs, raw, graded, etc). I'm sure they're just following demand which appears to be serving the kid clientele with modern packs and magic cards.

    Just not sure the next generation is really taking to card collecting like previous for reasons that have been stated before on the boards. Today's kids are so busy with so many different activities that sports card purchasing/collecting has to compete against so many alternate activities and sporting events. That today's kids aren't getting into collecting (or at least not that I can see out here in Washington) is also very sad to see given how much I've enjoyed it.
    image


  • Bottom9thBottom9th Posts: 2,695 ✭✭


    << <i>I just found a new one here in Saint Petersburg. The owner is really good guy. I was looking for oversize toploaders and found them at a store on 66th street north.

    He was telling me they have box breaks and pack wars every Friday night. Sounds like a blast. >>



    I had my shop on 9th street and 34th Avenue North. Back then there were no less than 5 shops. We actually all got along pretty well for the most part.
  • heritageheritage Posts: 2,662 ✭✭✭
    I have a friend who has his shop..But he is having a hard time keeping his doors open after 18 years!
  • lawnmowermanlawnmowerman Posts: 19,477 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>I just found a new one here in Saint Petersburg. The owner is really good guy. I was looking for oversize toploaders and found them at a store on 66th street north.

    He was telling me they have box breaks and pack wars every Friday night. Sounds like a blast. >>



    I had my shop on 9th street and 34th Avenue North. Back then there were no less than 5 shops. We actually all got along pretty well for the most part. >>



    Ah, close to the Publix grocery store? If I'm thinking correctly, it's in the same area.
  • fiveninerfiveniner Posts: 4,111 ✭✭✭
    I am on the verge of retiring from the work force and over the years I have accumalted a very diverse collection of sports related stuff to start a buisness but am looking to set up at some of the better shows in the country so I can still communicate and meet other collectors and see other parts of the country.After close to 45 years in the work force and 50 years collecting I can not see myself sitting home behind a computer or TV set I need to keep in touch with the hobby whether I am still actively collecting or not.In my opinion to start a buisness at this time from a store appears to be risky and costly.I traveled to many great card stores In the Michigan area since the mid 70s starting with Charlie Brooks store in NE Detroit and places like the Troy Coin And Stamps, Homeplate, Bullpen,Scoreboard,JRs,George Wallace and a few others whos names do not quite come back to me at the moment.There were always a great selection of vintage cards and memorabilia.
    Young and Old would frequent these stores at times we would talk baseball or any sport or even the buisness world and realize that it was midnight and the store had been closed since 8pm,Those were the days.
    Tony(AN ANGEL WATCHES OVER ME)
  • StingrayStingray Posts: 8,843 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I am on the verge of retiring from the work force and over the years I have accumalted a very diverse collection of sports related stuff to start a buisness but am looking to set up at some of the better shows in the country so I can still communicate and meet other collectors and see other parts of the country.After close to 45 years in the work force and 50 years collecting I can not see myself sitting home behind a computer or TV set I need to keep in touch with the hobby whether I am still actively collecting or not.In my opinion to start a buisness at this time from a store appears to be risky and costly.I traveled to many great card stores In the Michigan area since the mid 70s starting with Charlie Brooks store in NE Detroit and places like the Troy Coin And Stamps, Homeplate, Bullpen,Scoreboard,JRs,George Wallace and a few others whos names do not quite come back to me at the moment.There were always a great selection of vintage cards and memorabilia.
    Young and Old would frequent these stores at times we would talk baseball or any sport or even the buisness world and realize that it was midnight and the store had been closed since 8pm,Those were the days. >>



    Troy Stamp and Coin was a great place to buy cards as far as old commons. People there were not the friendliest, but back in the late 80s early 90s I was buying 1952 commons from them. They had a ton of older cards there. Are they still around??
  • RonBurgundyRonBurgundy Posts: 5,491 ✭✭✭
    I walked into one of our two remaining area shops the other day. It is the one I frequent the least.

    I walked out with a sweet '64 Drysdale and nice '64 Kaline.
    Ron Burgundy

    Buying Vintage, all sports.
    Buying Woody Hayes, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, and Jesse Owens autographed items
  • fiveninerfiveniner Posts: 4,111 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>I am on the verge of retiring from the work force and over the years I have accumalted a very diverse collection of sports related stuff to start a buisness but am looking to set up at some of the better shows in the country so I can still communicate and meet other collectors and see other parts of the country.After close to 45 years in the work force and 50 years collecting I can not see myself sitting home behind a computer or TV set I need to keep in touch with the hobby whether I am still actively collecting or not.In my opinion to start a buisness at this time from a store appears to be risky and costly.I traveled to many great card stores In the Michigan area since the mid 70s starting with Charlie Brooks store in NE Detroit and places like the Troy Coin And Stamps, Homeplate, Bullpen,Scoreboard,JRs,George Wallace and a few others whos names do not quite come back to me at the moment.There were always a great selection of vintage cards and memorabilia.
    Young and Old would frequent these stores at times we would talk baseball or any sport or even the buisness world and realize that it was midnight and the store had been closed since 8pm,Those were the days. >>



    Troy Stamp and Coin was a great place to buy cards as far as old commons. People there were not the friendliest, but back in the late 80s early 90s I was buying 1952 commons from them. They had a ton of older cards there. Are they still around?? >>



    I do not know what ever happened to Tom England but he sure had a boat load of cards.I bought tons of cards and some sets from him like the 63 Fleer for $100 a 58 Topps for $350 in the early 80s.Tom and his wife always treated me well however I quit going there because he was getting too big headed as time went on he put a couple kids behind the counter that had bad customer service skills.
    Tony(AN ANGEL WATCHES OVER ME)
  • Bottom9thBottom9th Posts: 2,695 ✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>I just found a new one here in Saint Petersburg. The owner is really good guy. I was looking for oversize toploaders and found them at a store on 66th street north.

    He was telling me they have box breaks and pack wars every Friday night. Sounds like a blast. >>



    I had my shop on 9th street and 34th Avenue North. Back then there were no less than 5 shops. We actually all got along pretty well for the most part. >>



    Ah, close to the Publix grocery store? If I'm thinking correctly, it's in the same area. >>



    Actually it's right across from what used to be Kash N Karry. I guess it's a Sweet Bay store now. There's a nice little restaurant too on the corner "The Casual Clam"

    Anyway it was fun while it lasted.
  • PowderedH2OPowderedH2O Posts: 2,443 ✭✭
    Sadly, this seems to be the trend. I rarely go to any shops anymore, because I see so much Magic the Gathering, and inserts, and refractors, and everything but vintage cards. When I lived in Florida I went to a store in a suburb of West Palm Beach for years in the 80's. It was great because he always had lots of great cards, but also a great atmosphere. The place wasn't pristine clean. The owner had a television set up so he could watch baseball. Usually there were four or five guys in the store that were debating baseball or baseball cards. It was nice just to hang out with other lovers of cards and baseball. Kind of like a barber shop, but with baseball cards. But alas, it closed around 1990. I've yet to find anything like it. I feel your pain.
    Successful dealings with shootybabitt, LarryP, Doctor K, thedutymon, billsgridirongreats, fattymacs, shagrotn77, pclpads, JMDVM, gumbyfan, itzagoner, rexvos, al032184, gregm13, californiacards3, mccardguy1, BigDaddyBowman, bigreddog, bobbyw8469, burke23, detroitfan2, drewsef, jeff8877, markmac, Goldlabels, swartz1, blee1, EarlsWorld, gseaman25, kcballboy, jimrad, leadoff4, weinhold, Mphilking, milbroco, msassin, meteoriteguy, rbeaton and gameusedhoop.
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