My IRL Shop!

*disclaimer I am in no way trying to sell any product I would like to just share my story and my success*

As the title of this says, I would like to share my story of how I've now opened / I'm opening my own shop!

*backstory* Back in about 2009 I started collecting football cards because I enjoyed football and my dad had small collection of sports cards from the late 80's early 90's. My love has grown so much towards this hobby in the past (almost) decade of collecting!

*fast forward to sophomore year of highschool* At this point in my life I had been through lots and realized I would probably never be able to work a full-time job due to anxiety issues. So I decided I would start me own small business (and oh boy has it grown).

*fast forward 3 years to Senior year of highschool* I decide to drop out of highschool due to not intellectual issues but the fact of bullying and the school not doing anything about it. So I drop out and get my GED which is now the HSE (Highschool Equivalency) I now am able to pursue my dream of running my own business! (after years of people telling my dream is stupid and Sports cards will never support me)

I've now been out of school for 2 years this September and will be expanding my business from a dealer to a "shop" owner! For the past 5 years I've been dealing with sports cards at flea markets and antique stores... I had a display case at an Antique store near me but they were only open 5 hours a day and 6 days a week so not enough for customers to use it frequently. I saved up my money and took out a small loan from my parents and have now got a 8 foot by 10 foot space at a Flea Market that is open almost 365 days a year and 8 hours a day! I will be able to sit in there from ~1 P.M. to 7 P.M. and sell card there and then They will will sell the cards for me the rest of the time. I will be paying ~5x as much for rent compared to the 5 foot display case I had at the antique store and I will be able to actually meet most of my customers!

I also just got my first 6 foot display case today for only $100!!! They normall retail at ~$400 brand new! It had a LOT of cleaning that came with it ~2 hours worth with help from my dad! I am putting it in the "store" tomorrow and will be filling it with my cards! I will also be having a table next to it in an L shape for my quarter boxes and dollar boxes where each card is only $0.25 and $1 each! I will also be able to have shelves which I hope to eventually have Sealed Boxes of cards (Hobby Boxes)

This is my first update of this so I figured I'd share it! I will hopefully posting pictures tomorrow of my setup

Hope you guys enjoyed my "story"!

Love it - can't wait for pics

Looking forward to seeing those pictures! I'm glad that you are pursuing your dream.

So happy you decided to put a thread about this!

So cool, I just have a question. Where do you get more cards?

Congrats man! Have fun pursuing your dreams and goals

I typically purchase cards from sellers (for cheaper then I can sell) I then resell them for more, or I purchase bulk lots online and piece them out, I also have a "slight" addiction to cracking a pack or two (meaning I open packs)

I remember I had a big deck of Yugioh cards but I forgot where they ended up after so many years XD

Just wanted to thank everyone for the responses and likes! I'm currently packing everything up and will have pictures up probably later tonight!

i love that you are pursouing your dream and i have a question whats the most valuble card you have ever sold?

I recently sold a Bryce Harper signed card for almost $200, I also had an Andrew Luck signed card limited to 5 copies I sold for just over $100. My main sellers are my $5 and below cards so I very rarely have expensive cards . At the moment my most expensive is a $25 card . "ramble" over

Nothing feels more special than that moment when you first seriously start up your own business. I still remember that moment when I finally turned in all the paperwork and things became official (Postbox, address, the works).

Thanks for sharing, I really hope this is going to pick up for you!

Wow! This is amazing! Congratulations on pursuing your dreams!

Congrats Sefl51/yt/evilelfin/MoreYT/Browney/crazyhorse/anything i forgot!

Very cool, thanks for sharing!

This is the view from across the isle for right now, Thats my display case, I'll have shelves on the peg board behind it and have boxes there soon.



Couldn't quite get the photo right through the glass of the display case, these are my higher end cards $15-$25 each and yes those cards are signed by the athletes!

oh boy, what a crazy *does math* 19 days *I think*
Just had my first sale! *figured I'd update this when it happened*
It was a only $1 but it has put me back in the groove of attempting to sell stuff! and yes ik $1 in 19 days is terrible but I've been planning some other stuff aswell to help boost my sales and I do online sales aswell which help me out a ton.

Welp figured I'd give this a bump seeing as there was a big bump in the road with the shop
Some... *insert worst possible EMC appropriate term for scum* decided it would be a "wonderful" idea to go behind the counter at the flea market which there was a table in the way... and steal about $250-$300 in stuff from me!

They went through a big box that had multiple smaller boxes in it that was under a table in my booth and had gone through them and left cards and the boxes all over the place (while the flea market was open) and took 6-8 smaller boxes of cards valued as I said earlier of $250-$300 in cards it was a ton of $1 cards in them nothing super valuable individually but together totaled a "hefty" sum of money for me.

So I'm unfortunately am going to be closing up shop and going to online sales and be a "traveling" salesman type deal going to card shows in my area which there are a few in the counties surrounding me and around my state. I will basically set up a table with my cards and stand there for a day or two even three at some shows (if you've never heard of a card show they're quit amazing).

As much fun as this was I just can't afford another big loss at this establishment cause this place apparently has quite a rough theft rate which I was not aware of going into it. (I learned from talking to other vendors there)