Everybody says support your LCS, here’s my experience.
 

I’ve gotten back into the hobby, so I don’t know everything. This may be the new norm, but in my opinion, it sucks. I’ve been to this shop 3 times. Every single time the owner is sitting by a computer, not 10’ from me and doesn’t even look up from it, because he’s doing a live break. He either has his wife running the counter, or another guy. None of those 2 knows the price on anything and can barely answer any of my questions. They have to ask the owner, who huffs and puffs and tells them that they we are gonna have to just wait a minute. I’ve seen people say that you can negotiate deals with local shops, but I have not found this to be true. I also always wonder if they search cases and boxes, because it would be really easy for them to do. So, what am I missing here? Why support LCS if they act like you are a hassle to be in their store? I’ve bought stuff and he’s literally 3 feet from register and no acknowledgement to me, no thanks, come back nothing...but on his live break it’s thanks man, what else can I help u with. This live break stuff seems to have ruined the hobby to me. And probably the reason why everything is so high in price.

I have to ask since you’re in N Georgia as well...which shop? I hate that you’ve had this experience. I miss the old days

[QUOTE=BraveAtlanta;16079779]I have to ask since you’re in N Georgia as well...which shop? I hate that you’ve had this experience. I miss the old days[/QUOTE]

It’s in Chattanooga, TN. All Star Cards

Shop where you want to shop. Keep it simple.

[QUOTE=Toppsdude;16079742]I’ve gotten back into the hobby, so I don’t know everything. This may be the new norm, but in my opinion, it sucks. I’ve been to this shop 3 times. Every single time the owner is sitting by a computer, not 10’ from me and doesn’t even look up from it, because he’s doing a live break. He either has his wife running the counter, or another guy. None of those 2 knows the price on anything and can barely answer any of my questions. They have to ask the owner, who huffs and puffs and tells them that they we are gonna have to just wait a minute. I’ve seen people say that you can negotiate deals with local shops, but I have not found this to be true. I also always wonder if they search cases and boxes, because it would be really easy for them to do. So, what am I missing here? Why support LCS if they act like you are a hassle to be in their store? I’ve bought stuff and he’s literally 3 feet from register and no acknowledgement to me, no thanks, come back nothing...but on his live break it’s thanks man, what else can I help u with.[/QUOTE]There are always some bad seeds. This is unfortunate.

Same, growing up going to the LCS to buy packs or going to flea markets - those were the days. Unfortunately Atlanta and surrounding is pretty barren on good LCS's. There are decent ones but nothing that even rises to the level of good.

I remember in the small town of Gainesville GA (about an hour north of ATL), there were three of four shops back in the 90s. Shows every weekend in Lilburn and Gwinnett Place. I wish it were still like that.

[QUOTE=Toppsdude;16079742]Every single time the owner is sitting by a computer, not 10’ from me and doesn’t even look up from it, because he’s doing a live break. [/QUOTE]

If the owner is the only knowledgeable person that works there, he should be letting someone else break on-line while he supervises. He's got it all mixed up.

[QUOTE=BraveAtlanta;16079868]I remember in the small town of Gainesville GA (about an hour north of ATL), there were three of four shops back in the 90s. Shows every weekend in Lilburn and Gwinnett Place. I wish it were still like that.[/QUOTE]

I’m originally from Gainesville. Are you from there? I loved West Hall Sports and the Lilburn show! (It was never the same when it downsized to Ventura Mall...what a shame)

Had a similar experience locally here in NW Florida. I gave them another chance and it has been great since. Maybe just a bad day?

[QUOTE=Toppsdude;16079742]I’ve gotten back into the hobby, so I don’t know everything. This may be the new norm, but in my opinion, it sucks. I’ve been to this shop 3 times. Every single time the owner is sitting by a computer, not 10’ from me and doesn’t even look up from it, because he’s doing a live break. He either has his wife running the counter, or another guy. None of those 2 knows the price on anything and can barely answer any of my questions. They have to ask the owner, who huffs and puffs and tells them that they we are gonna have to just wait a minute. I’ve seen people say that you can negotiate deals with local shops, but I have not found this to be true. I also always wonder if they search cases and boxes, because it would be really easy for them to do. So, what am I missing here? Why support LCS if they act like you are a hassle to be in their store? I’ve bought stuff and he’s literally 3 feet from register and no acknowledgement to me, no thanks, come back nothing...but on his live break it’s thanks man, what else can I help u with. This live break stuff seems to have ruined the hobby to me. And probably the reason why everything is so high in price.[/QUOTE]

He shouldnt be huffing and puffing, but as a LCS owner it is tough.

90-95% of the business is online these days and you have to cater to your money base, but that does not mean be rude to others.

He has the other employees to help and some of the frustration may have been directed at them and not at you when he huff and puffed.

We had someone come in our shop Saturday, they sent an employee searching for $1 cards in our eBay boxes and then walked when we wouldnt come down from $180 to 25. Now our employee spent an hour and half that they were not listing and no sale happened.

We didnt huff and puff though. Just went about our day and next customer we helped the same way and will continue to do so as a shop.

Burton's in Frederick, MD closed (I think, ten years ago) but no store will ever replace it in my heart. If Robbie is on these boards, hello!

[QUOTE=DevonMPalmer;16080280]Burton's in Frederick, MD closed (I think, ten years ago) but no store will ever replace it in my heart. If Robbie is on these boards, hello![/QUOTE]

My grandfather used to always take me there!

[QUOTE=Cavaliercards;16080062]He should be huffing and puffing, but as a LCS owner it is tough.

90-95% of the business is online these days and you have to cater to your money base, but that does not mean be rude to others.

[/QUOTE]

this is true with my LCS, which Ive grown to know by first name. every time I walk in its either him or his mom running the shop and they are very attentive.its a more rural area of NJ but they definitely get traffic. usually, he's on the computer managing their ebay account. he also runs silent auctions in house in the back, which is a huge money maker for him and he's got alot of room for inventory and does private signings.

I know the values of what he's got in stock and I usually won't buy singles because of his prices. but I have in the past and he won't beat me up and I won't beat him up and sometimes ill cave when I can personally inspect my purchases. I try to frequent him when I can. he's easy to work with and I dont mind spending a few extra vs online supporting his business. just sucks he's so locked into "book value" and goes by Beckett vs online pricing. some of his stuff is grossly overpriced. but for supplies, ill go back here and there.

You’ll unfortunately have bad card shops, but at the same time, you’ll find wonderful & friendly card shops. In my area, there is one card shop I really dislike going to because the owner is pretty annoying. The other 4 or 5 shops are great. Don’t base your opinion about all card shops or the hobby on one bad card shop. I hope you have more card shops around.

[QUOTE=Toppsdude;16079742]I’ve gotten back into the hobby, so I don’t know everything. This may be the new norm, but in my opinion, it sucks. I’ve been to this shop 3 times. Every single time the owner is sitting by a computer, not 10’ from me and doesn’t even look up from it, because he’s doing a live break. He either has his wife running the counter, or another guy. None of those 2 knows the price on anything and can barely answer any of my questions. They have to ask the owner, who huffs and puffs and tells them that they we are gonna have to just wait a minute. I’ve seen people say that you can negotiate deals with local shops, but I have not found this to be true. I also always wonder if they search cases and boxes, because it would be really easy for them to do. So, what am I missing here? Why support LCS if they act like you are a hassle to be in their store? I’ve bought stuff and he’s literally 3 feet from register and no acknowledgement to me, no thanks, come back nothing...but on his live break it’s thanks man, what else can I help u with. This live break stuff seems to have ruined the hobby to me. And probably the reason why everything is so high in price.[/QUOTE]

that sucks dude, honestly.

my local card shop is in South Texas, and they are awesome. It's a son and pop shop, and both dudes are really cool, they remember everybody's name so as soon as you walk in, they immediately greet you, which is really cool.

the dad is cool, but caters more to the big hitters in the shop, especially if they walk in right after i walk in, so i deal more with the son, but still, overall, it's a great shop.

what i like, is that the son is a smart guy and you can literally carry an hour long conversation about cards or whatever, kind of reminds me of the movie The Barbershop. I've gone in before and all of a sudden, two hours have passed before i even made a purchase.

[QUOTE=oplum29;16080419]that sucks dude, honestly.

my local card shop is in South Texas, and they are awesome. It's a son and pop shop, and both dudes are really cool, they remember everybody's name so as soon as you walk in, they immediately greet you, which is really cool.

the dad is cool, but caters more to the big hitters in the shop, especially if they walk in right after i walk in, so i deal more with the son, but still, overall, it's a great shop.

what i like, is that the son is a smart guy and you can literally carry an hour long conversation about cards or whatever, kind of reminds me of the movie The Barbershop. I've gone in before and all of a sudden, two hours have passed before i even made a purchase.[/QUOTE]

Being from Texas you would have appreciated our recent conversation about Texas Pete or Tabasco by time it was over one of our regulars was on his Mike Trout is overrated speech.

[QUOTE=Cavaliercards;16080422]Being from Texas you would have appreciated our recent conversation about Texas Pete or Tabasco by time it was over one of our regulars was on his Mike Trout is overrated speech.[/QUOTE]

LOL epic wish i had been a part of that gem of a conversation :)!

Go to Don’s in Portland, Maine.

Nicest LCS operator in the world.

Great shop too.

[QUOTE=DevonMPalmer;16080280]Burton's in Frederick, MD closed (I think, ten years ago) but no store will ever replace it in my heart. If Robbie is on these boards, hello![/QUOTE]

hey I live in Frederick, what store would you recommend?

Growing up in Central Jersey, as I kid, I remember the LCS's to have that barbershop feel. You'd look at the same shelves over and over again, finally buy some packs and rip them right there. All the while, the dad's would be chatting it up about everything going on in the world. The owner would be involved in every conversation all the while, keeping the kids entertained too.

These were small shops too, but we'd easily stay for an hour, one dad would go buy coffee for everyone and there was never a rush to leave.

Great memories, unfortunately it was during the late 80's and I don't have too much to show for it!

Sorry for the bad experience OP. LCS are going to be hit and miss based on the owner fo that shop. The shop that is close to me is good and the owner is fair and easy to talk to you. I guess I am lucky that way, I don't know of any other shops close to me.

As far as you last comment, yes breakers are one of the biggest issues in the hobby right now and are the leading driver of increased prices on wax. Allocations for LCS suffer as well. They end up paying more and getting less.

Had a scummy LCS owner locally for awhile. He went out of business. Total crook who bragged about pulling hits from cases and selling them on ebay. Soured me on lcs's.

Don’s in Portland really puts the emphasis on kids.

It’s almost heartbreaking to see it live in person.

Because, in the real world, #@#@#@#@ ain’t like that.

I've been to All Star before...the breaker is the dad. The son runs the store and was super helpful every time I've been in there (around 3 to 5 times). They "break" all day, every day. He goes live on YouTube and stays there soliciting breaks from their followers all day. I don't like their business model, but I guess it pays the bills.

Have you tried Marty's in Chattanooga...he's a good guy, but I think he's closed right now due to the virus. There's also Sugar Bear's, but he's a small shop with not a whole lot of inventory. Scenic City is another good one too...I like this guy the best, but he doesn't have a huge store.

Also, Dalton Stamp & Coin has some inventory...if you have the time to wade through it...he's not very well organized, and it's hit or miss whether he's in the shop that day (he runs a very successful construction business as well).

[QUOTE=val47;16080529]hey I live in Frederick, what store would you recommend?[/QUOTE]

Wow, I live in Frederick too. Didn’t know so many of us were on the boards

[QUOTE=val47;16080529]hey I live in Frederick, what store would you recommend?[/QUOTE]

I live in the area and recommend DugoutZone in Ellicott City

Primetime sports cards is the one actually in Frederick.

[QUOTE=OldReignman;16080728]I live in the area and recommend DugoutZone in Ellicott City[/QUOTE]

Yeah, they’re good guys there. They used to be overpriced, but with the price explosion, they’re pretty reasonable these days.

[QUOTE=oplum29;16080419]that sucks dude, honestly.

my local card shop is in South Texas, and they are awesome. It's a son and pop shop, and both dudes are really cool, they remember everybody's name so as soon as you walk in, they immediately greet you, which is really cool.

the dad is cool, but caters more to the big hitters in the shop, especially if they walk in right after i walk in, so i deal more with the son, but still, overall, it's a great shop.

what i like, is that the son is a smart guy and you can literally carry an hour long conversation about cards or whatever, kind of reminds me of the movie The Barbershop. I've gone in before and all of a sudden, two hours have passed before i even made a purchase.[/QUOTE]

Definitely sounds like SCP in San Antonio. That was the first shop I visited when I got back into the hobby after a 20 year hiatus. The dad didn’t say but a couple words to me and that was no problem at all because the son answered all my questions and even asked me a ton of questions about what’s sports/players I was interested in. I was in there for about 2 hours having a great time. I’ll always spend money with them because of that. Same goes for Kenny’s in Austin. He’s extremely welcoming and helpful.

[QUOTE=OldReignman;16080728]I live in the area and recommend DugoutZone in Ellicott City[/QUOTE]

Nice people there but overpriced and tons of junk. Reminds me
of a place that’s stuck in 1997.

Make the drive to bel air sports cards.

There used to be one in Westminster also, but I don't remember the name. I want to say it was Memory something, or something Memories. It was next to the Big Lots on 140. I don't even know if it's still there, as I don't drive to that area much now.



[QUOTE=OldReignman;16080728]I live in the area and recommend DugoutZone in Ellicott City[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Stech36;16080723]Wow, I live in Frederick too. Didn’t know so many of us were on the boards[/QUOTE]

I guess we are! I know before the Pandemic the Frederick mall and the Westminster mall used to do a couple of cards and collectibles events with a pretty decent amount of tables.

I'll have to check out Primetime sports, I remember a collectible type store next to the Regal cinemas but went out of business.

For this smalls new shops if you don't do live breaks you can't survived with rent prices now a days

[QUOTE=Toppsdude;16079831]It’s in Chattanooga, TN. All Star Cards[/QUOTE]

Steve @ All Star seems to be a pretty good dude.

You can watch from his live stream that he is pretty involved with most customers in the shop while breaking.

[url]https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfInCeQHKjC2Fk0tqaYP4xQ[/url]

You may even be able to find yourself talking in the live feed, since they record each day.

[QUOTE=JKernea;16080712]I've been to All Star before...the breaker is the dad. The son runs the store and was super helpful every time I've been in there (around 3 to 5 times). They "break" all day, every day. He goes live on YouTube and stays there soliciting breaks from their followers all day. I don't like their business model, but I guess it pays the bills.

Have you tried Marty's in Chattanooga...he's a good guy, but I think he's closed right now due to the virus. There's also Sugar Bear's, but he's a small shop with not a whole lot of inventory. Scenic City is another good one too...I like this guy the best, but he doesn't have a huge store.

Also, Dalton Stamp & Coin has some inventory...if you have the time to wade through it...he's not very well organized, and it's hit or miss whether he's in the shop that day (he runs a very successful construction business as well).[/QUOTE]

Man, great info! When I google local card shops, Scenic City didn’t show up and I also didn’t realize that the place in Dalton had cards either. You are correct about the son, he’s knowledgeable, just not about the prices. Small world and thanks again for the heads up. You aren’t the guy that raids my local Walmart before I get there, are u? Lol

[QUOTE=bradical;16080828]Steve @ All Star seems to be a pretty good dude.

You can watch from his live stream that he is pretty involved with most customers in the shop while breaking.

[url]https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfInCeQHKjC2Fk0tqaYP4xQ[/url]

You may even be able to find yourself talking in the live feed, since they record each day.[/QUOTE]

Yes sir, I have seen all the above. I must say, out of the few times I’ve been in there this last time was the worst of the 3. The other times were just ok. It just always feels like I’m a hassle. I’ve got questions to ask, but usually don’t because it feels like I’m distracting him or something. The son is cool, he just didn’t know the prices.

It was/is the same in many shops without live breaking streams going, too.

[QUOTE=OldReignman;16080728]I live in the area and recommend DugoutZone in Ellicott City[/QUOTE]

I second that and I live in Canada but go to Dugout Zone every summer (except this summer it looks like :( )

[QUOTE=Toppsdude;16079742]I’ve gotten back into the hobby, so I don’t know everything. This may be the new norm, but in my opinion, it sucks. I’ve been to this shop 3 times. Every single time the owner is sitting by a computer, not 10’ from me and doesn’t even look up from it, because he’s doing a live break. He either has his wife running the counter, or another guy. None of those 2 knows the price on anything and can barely answer any of my questions. They have to ask the owner, who huffs and puffs and tells them that they we are gonna have to just wait a minute. I’ve seen people say that you can negotiate deals with local shops, but I have not found this to be true. I also always wonder if they search cases and boxes, because it would be really easy for them to do. So, what am I missing here? Why support LCS if they act like you are a hassle to be in their store? I’ve bought stuff and he’s literally 3 feet from register and no acknowledgement to me, no thanks, come back nothing...but on his live break it’s thanks man, what else can I help u with. This live break stuff seems to have ruined the hobby to me. And probably the reason why everything is so high in price.[/QUOTE]


Sounds like the owner is an absolute POS/fraud. Spend hard earned money elsewhere...when they are going out of business let them wonder why nobody supported them.

[QUOTE=ga5150;16080794]There used to be one in Westminster also, but I don't remember the name. I want to say it was Memory something, or something Memories. It was next to the Big Lots on 140. I don't even know if it's still there, as I don't drive to that area much now.[/QUOTE]

Great Moments

The way the market has gone over the last 20 years, the internet is the driving force for successful shops. For the last decade or so, box breaks have become an increasingly important tool for building a dealership, and it's becoming almost essential. Breaks draw eyeballs, which draw sales.

That should not interfere with customer service, though. When I worked retail, and even in internal tech support, a live person standing in front of me was more important than someone who wasn't, and I can't imagine that's changed. Especially a new customer, you never know what they'll be looking for or what they might walk out of the store with. If they break in the middle of the day and don't have competent, or just friendly, staff, covering things, that's their failing. In a niche market like cards, I guess being one of just one or two fish in the ocean lets them do that.

I also recommend Kenny's Collectibles in Austin. Kenny's really into sports and cards, all day every day. He knows and remembers his customers. I've been one for over 10 years and he gives me really good deals, but even from the start he's been willing to give generous discounts the more you buy. I haven't watched, breaks aren't really my thing, but I think he's been building up a pretty good audience on "Bat City Breaks."

[QUOTE=fitefanSHO;16080456]Go to Don’s in Portland, Maine.

Nicest LCS operator in the world.

Great shop too.[/QUOTE]

This.

[QUOTE=jayjones82;16080031]I’m originally from Gainesville. Are you from there? I loved West Hall Sports and the Lilburn show! (It was never the same when it downsized to Ventura Mall...what a shame)[/QUOTE]

Wow that is funny man, small world! I was a regular at the Lilburn show and I agree it wasn't the same at the Venture Mall. Yes I grew up in Oakwood (I went to West Hall High School in the mid 90s) and my dad had a pharmacy downtown Gainesville for 30 years. I went to West Hall sports cards all the time. The owner was Don Waldrip if I remember correctly. This town has changed quite a bit since those days.

There was also another card shop inside a convenience store on Atlanta Hwy. Another one was K&R Cards around the corner from the downtown Gainesville area. Another one across from WalMart (Mr. Cauthen owned this one). Gainesville was definitely a great place to be for card collectors back then. The closest shop to me is now in Loganville.

[QUOTE=fitefanSHO;16080456]Go to Don’s in Portland, Maine.

Nicest LCS operator in the world.

Great shop too.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=fitefanSHO;16080694]Don’s in Portland really puts the emphasis on kids.

It’s almost heartbreaking to see it live in person.

Because, in the real world, #@#@#@#@ ain’t like that.[/QUOTE]

Paul is one of the best. I live a mile away and have been going there for years, back when Don actually ran and owned it. I’m really happy to have a good shop so close. Really the only one left in the area.

My other favorite is Diamond King in Greenland,NH. I make regular trips down to visit Jeff. He’s another great guy, and his emphasis on the kids is amazing. It is really heartwarming to see the number of schoolkids in there with their parents every time I visit.

[QUOTE=LALeakers;16080899]Sounds like the owner is an absolute POS/fraud. Spend hard earned money elsewhere...when they are going out of business let them wonder why nobody supported them.[/QUOTE]

I break with them online. Trust me, they're far from going out of business. They've got 100's of followers on their livestream. Steve is a great guy and probably the most trustworthy breaker out there. I would guess he makes 75-90% of his money online, so that's where his attention goes.

I will say when he gets overwhelmed with orders online, he can get frazzled. I'm guessing this is where the huff and puff came from, but I don't know.

I've never been to the shop though, so I can't comment on how it would be as a customer. Not having prices on boxes does annoy me I will admit.

Be happy you have a local card shop, there used to be 3 in my town alone and now there are zero.

The only show I go to these days is The National and you run into the same stuff there...
Some dealers won't give you the time of day, some say hello as soon as you walk up...

[QUOTE=fitefanSHO;16080456]Go to Don’s in Portland, Maine.

Nicest LCS operator in the world.

Great shop too.[/QUOTE]

Probably the most singles inventory I've seen in the state but the one time I went, the prices were high on everything.

Not sure that the owner was there when I went, if he was, I never spoke to him. The one person who approached us was a young guy who seemed to be working on listing items online.

Maybe once things get closer to normal again I'll give it another shot though.

I have same problems with some in Ohio!! Walk in and no one greets you within 10 mins, I went to 3 of them and same thing so after 15 mins I walked out. I finally found a great Shop. I seen so many in Ohio I just said to myself ill start my own and set an example so thats what I am in process of doing lol

I can’t remember the old guy’s name.

But he’s white haired and treats his customers good.

I think I’ve seen him negotiate on price with people.

[QUOTE=Toppsdude;16080836]Man, great info! When I google local card shops, Scenic City didn’t show up and I also didn’t realize that the place in Dalton had cards either. You are correct about the son, he’s knowledgeable, just not about the prices. Small world and thanks again for the heads up. You aren’t the guy that raids my local Walmart before I get there, are u? Lol[/QUOTE]

Not me! I haven't bought retail in years...other than some Walgreens stuff when they had the Yellow parallels going on! I try to stay out of Walmart & Target.

Where in Ohio?

[QUOTE=TrikeeSports;16081058]I have same problems with some in Ohio!! Walk in and no one greets you within 10 mins, I went to 3 of them and same thing so after 15 mins I walked out. I finally found a great Shop. I seen so many in Ohio I just said to myself ill start my own and set an example so thats what I am in process of doing lol[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=DevonMPalmer;16080280]Burton's in Frederick, MD closed (I think, ten years ago) but no store will ever replace it in my heart. If Robbie is on these boards, hello![/QUOTE]

I grew up going to Burtons every weekend and spending the weekly allowance on the bargain table. Sure do miss the bid board. Saw Robbie years ago at the Frederick Coin Exchange. When asked about baseball cards he said they were looking into selling vintage, never saw any the next few times going in but he’s still around at least. Frederick local myself.

that really sucks that is your experience at your LCS. a bad owner who doesn't care about his customers really ruins the experience. I have not ran across this from the different LCS I have been too lately and would imagine this is not the norm.

I see that you are in Georgia and if you ever in Gwinnett County there are two good LCS shops that I would recommend visiting (On Deck Sports Cards in Lawrenceville and J&J's Sports Cards in Loganville)

[QUOTE=DylanPowers92;16081360]that really sucks that is your experience at your LCS. a bad owner who doesn't care about his customers really ruins the experience. I have not ran across this from the different LCS I have been too lately and would imagine this is not the norm.

I see that you are in Georgia and if you ever in Gwinnett County there are two good LCS shops that I would recommend visiting (On Deck Sports Cards in Lawrenceville and J&J's Sports Cards in Loganville)[/QUOTE]

Thank u sir. I’ll keep that place in mind.

[QUOTE=Cardinals;16081262]I grew up going to Burtons every weekend and spending the weekly allowance on the bargain table. Sure do miss the bid board. Saw Robbie years ago at the Frederick Coin Exchange. When asked about baseball cards he said they were looking into selling vintage, never saw any the next few times going in but he’s still around at least. Frederick local myself.[/QUOTE]

I din't know we are so many from Frederick in here, that explains why target is always cleaned out ;)

Hobby has changed a lot, dude. Keep at it, look online for buying, you'll find a niche, no doubt about it. There are some kick butt cards to be had these days. Yee Hoo!!!!

[QUOTE=DylanPowers92;16081360]that really sucks that is your experience at your LCS. a bad owner who doesn't care about his customers really ruins the experience. I have not ran across this from the different LCS I have been too lately and would imagine this is not the norm.

I see that you are in Georgia and if you ever in Gwinnett County there are two good LCS shops that I would recommend visiting [B](On Deck Sports Cards in Lawrenceville and J&J's Sports Cards in Loganville)[/B][/QUOTE]

I second this. I've been to both shops and had good experiences.

Sorry to hear about your experience!

Love my LCS in Northern California. Jim at 10th Inning is super knowledgeable about absolutely everything, has proven to be fair on LCS etiquette and price and is always attentive and ready to share a great baseball story.

If you have other options, you should explore them!

[QUOTE=oplum29;16080419]that sucks dude, honestly.

my local card shop is in South Texas, and they are awesome. It's a son and pop shop, and both dudes are really cool, they remember everybody's name so as soon as you walk in, they immediately greet you, which is really cool.

the dad is cool, but caters more to the big hitters in the shop, especially if they walk in right after i walk in, so i deal more with the son, but still, overall, it's a great shop.

what i like, is that the son is a smart guy and you can literally carry an hour long conversation about cards or whatever, kind of reminds me of the movie The Barbershop. I've gone in before and all of a sudden, two hours have passed before i even made a purchase.[/QUOTE]

Slightly off topic, I used to live in the Dallas area and would mostly visit Chirs's. Around the time I moved to Denver, he and his wife sold the shop (to a customer I believe). Wondering if you and any Dallas folks still go to Chris's and if its still has good as it was with Chris.

Delete.

[QUOTE=gmoney328;16080037]Had a similar experience locally here in NW Florida. I gave them another chance and it has been great since. Maybe just a bad day?[/QUOTE]

I'm originally from NW Florida. FWB to be specific. What LCS are you referring to as I visit often and would like to grab some cards while down there and support them!

[QUOTE=Cardinals;16081262]I grew up going to Burtons every weekend and spending the weekly allowance on the bargain table. Sure do miss the bid board. Saw Robbie years ago at the Frederick Coin Exchange. When asked about baseball cards he said they were looking into selling vintage, never saw any the next few times going in but he’s still around at least. Frederick local myself.[/QUOTE]

Same here, I grew up collecting there and honestly, their hospitality had so much to do with my interest in the hobby. It all started with a complete set of 2002 Topps and some packs of Donruss Best of Fan Club (got a Barry Bonds game used bat and Barry Zito auto - which was AMAZING back then). Curious if we knew each other back then. I graduated from TJ in 09. Robbie is still at the Fredrick Coin Exchange, I spoke with him about a year ago. Do you remember that amazing car he had? I'd love to look it up, it was awe inspiring to a teen.

[QUOTE=val47;16081532]I din't know we are so many from Frederick in here, that explains why target is always cleaned out ;)[/QUOTE]

Welp, I've been in NY for a decade now, surely Target always was filled when I lived there. I think they had retail of 08 Sweet Spot in 09, for instance. Times have changed. I can only imagine how emptied it must be now.

[QUOTE=CubsFanInTX;16081720]Slightly off topic, I used to live in the Dallas area and would mostly visit Chirs's. Around the time I moved to Denver, he and his wife sold the shop (to a customer I believe). Wondering if you and any Dallas folks still go to Chris's and if its still has good as it was with Chris.[/QUOTE]

I'm betting you mean Nick's and not Chris's. And it's different but still very good with Dean owning the shop and the people running it.

Nick and Debbie are doing just fine BTW

Regards
Rich

Thank you! That's it. Been a while since I was over there.



[QUOTE=CdnOsFan;16080900]Great Moments[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=sabrgeek;16082082]I'm betting you mean Nick's and not Chris's. And it's different but still very good with Dean owning the shop and the people running it.

Nick and Debbie are doing just fine BTW

Regards
Rich[/QUOTE]


Nick's and SMP in the Dallas area are both solid to hit up. I cannot remember the older gentleman that works at Nick's but he is super nice. I haven't been in there for a year or two so he may not be there any longer. I think he had retired from being an engineer in the St Louis area and was Nick's brother in law.

Scott over at SMP has always been good to deal with, especially on sealed wax.

I used to hit up the other in the area, I think it was Duane's in Arlington or something along those lines but I think it is closed now.

I understand where the OP is coming from though as the group breaking has essentially taken over the hobby. It has trickled in to the way shops run their business. It is annoying that you can't go in and talk shop anymore the way we used to. But things change and we all have to adjust. There are still some great shops out there though :)!

[QUOTE=Gatorsmld;16082013]I'm originally from NW Florida. FWB to be specific. What LCS are you referring to as I visit often and would like to grab some cards while down there and support them![/QUOTE]

Haven't really been in since early March (Covid)

Coins, Sportscards and Racing Collectibles
3271 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563

A little hike from FWB, as you know, but I have been pleased with them since my initial visit didn't go well. Nice guys and a gal working there.

Decent priced singles, and they give small discounts for cash and bulk purchases. First Saturday of every month is some kind of a group trading thing. I work Saturdays so I haven't gone to that, but they have food and drinks and stuff. Seems like it would be a good time.

[QUOTE=BdotHobbs;16080747]Definitely sounds like SCP in San Antonio. That was the first shop I visited when I got back into the hobby after a 20 year hiatus. The dad didn’t say but a couple words to me and that was no problem at all because the son answered all my questions and even asked me a ton of questions about what’s sports/players I was interested in. I was in there for about 2 hours having a great time. I’ll always spend money with them because of that. Same goes for Kenny’s in Austin. He’s extremely welcoming and helpful.[/QUOTE]

it is SCP! the only card shop i go to because of how they treat you. the moment you walk in, "hey (your name), how's it going? you back in town?" or whatever or however they remember you.

that's awesome. true customer service that you rarely see nowadays.

my hometown at one point, had 4 card/comic shops when i was a kid.

then it went down to 3, 2....1...and now ZERO. there isn't a single card/comic shop in my hometown.

the one that used to be here was really cool though. The dude that owned it worked for the Govt, so he was rarely around, but he hired this dude who was really chill, i used to go to the shop and hang with him for a while before i made my purchases. he used to hold 49er cards for me to check out too.

SCP in San Antonio is the closest shop i've ever found to that one that was in my hometown. it's a great shop, honestly. they even set up tables for you to open packs or boxes if you want, kind of like those live breaks, but it's just inhouse for you.

[QUOTE=JKernea;16080712]I've been to All Star before...the breaker is the dad. The son runs the store and was super helpful every time I've been in there (around 3 to 5 times). They "break" all day, every day. He goes live on YouTube and stays there soliciting breaks from their followers all day. I don't like their business model, but I guess it pays the bills.

Have you tried Marty's in Chattanooga...he's a good guy, but I think he's closed right now due to the virus. There's also Sugar Bear's, but he's a small shop with not a whole lot of inventory. Scenic City is another good one too...I like this guy the best, but he doesn't have a huge store.

Also, Dalton Stamp & Coin has some inventory...if you have the time to wade through it...he's not very well organized, and it's hit or miss whether he's in the shop that day (he runs a very successful construction business as well).[/QUOTE]

Can't speak to Dalton or Sugar Bear's or Scenic City (though now I have new places to check out when I'm in the area) but I wholly back going to Marty's shop. Probably one of the best shops we have in the southeast. I make it a point to stop in when we are in the area.

[QUOTE=mainerunr;16081041]Probably the most singles inventory I've seen in the state but the one time I went, the prices were high on everything.

Not sure that the owner was there when I went, if he was, I never spoke to him. The one person who approached us was a young guy who seemed to be working on listing items online.

Maybe once things get closer to normal again I'll give it another shot though.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=fitefanSHO;16081060]I can’t remember the old guy’s name.

But he’s white haired and treats his customers good.

I think I’ve seen him negotiate on price with people.[/QUOTE]

Paul

Don’t worry about the sticker prices...he doesn’t update them enough, he’ll work with you. He’ll occasionally have a couple of people help out here and there, but it’s generally just him.

OP - I’ve had the exact opposite experience with the Indy Card Exchange near me. And I’ve never been a customer of any significant volume until this year. Good experience now and in the past.

[QUOTE=BraveAtlanta;16079868]I remember in the small town of Gainesville GA (about an hour north of ATL), there were three of four shops back in the 90s. Shows every weekend in Lilburn and Gwinnett Place. I wish it were still like that.[/QUOTE]


I grew up in Lilburn, although the shows your referencing might've been a bit before my time. Do you remember where they were? I do remember going to the shows at the outlet mall across Pleasant Hill from Gwinnett Place as a kid!

[QUOTE=kyleuk21;16082614]OP - I’ve had the exact opposite experience with the Indy Card Exchange near me. And I’ve never been a customer of any significant volume until this year. Good experience now and in the past.[/QUOTE]

Indy Card Exchange is hands down the best card shop in the midwest. Andy (the owner) and Jake (the gm) are the nicest guys around and super knowledgeable about the hobby.

My LCS guy is nice but he’s pretty barren on singles and is stupid high on boxes/cases. Like for instance he was selling 2020 Topps Archives Signature Series for $89 a box around release. Sorry man I’m all for supporting small business but not at over double the price.