Thinking about doing a show...what are your thoughts

[bbcard1]

I am not sure this is not an idea that's past its time and I don't need to make a lot of money, but for personal interest, I'd like to consider doing a vintage only show, probably in Richmond, Greensboro, Charlotte or Raleigh because of the relative proximity. Maybe 50 tables and a free autograph guest fairly low admission, a one day show. I used to kill it with this size show. I was thinking 1985 or before. Would it be a miserable failure or could it be fun and reasonably successful?

[Jay Wolt]

Sounds like a great idea
If I was closer, I'd go

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Do you set up at other shows in those areas? If your hope was to attract people not just from this forum and you'd like to get a better read on that sort of traffic, my thought would be to set up at a regional show closest to the area in which you had in mind. Talk to the people who come to your booth and get a tally of how many would be interested. Ask the interested parties for their contact info, and naturally flood any social media with a show announcement, to include non-hobby regional groups and both regional and national hobby groups. In this day and age, I could see it working out wonderfully, especially with a small setup as you're envisioning!

I recently attended a local show for the first time in nearly 35 years. There was zero pre-war and I could count the number of pre-1970 hockey cards on one hand. I'm in Canada, so no hope of any vintage baseball. Funny, there was tons of it back in the late 1980's when that era's card boom first hit these parts. Your idea likely wouldn't and couldn't work up here, but in the U.S., definitely!

For the sake of for attaining the best turnout for both local traffic and people who wanted to take a trip, my guess would be Charlotte or Raleigh. Agree? Disagree? I'd surmise that it's easier to get people from north of those areas to travel a little bit farther than those from all parts south, as there has always been a healthier concentration of hobby people in the northeast. Then again, a vintage show would be a real treat for those in the south.

[parkplace33]

My only recommendation is to not just limit it to vintage, but a show with all cards in an area that doesn't have a local show. Good luck!

[rand1com]

There are a few fairly large regional shows in the Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh area. Two hundred or so tables. Most tables are modern cards and pokemon.

There are very few vintage dealers only at either of those locations. I would say at most 10% of true vintage only cards/memorabilia and literally only a few with Pre War cards.

Richmond was good many years ago when it hosted the large SCD Tuff Stuff Shows at the raceway but that was 25 or more years ago. Marco Rol tried a few there with minimal success after the SCD show folded. I have no idea what the vintage market might be there now.

Obviously, the Strongsville show has been highly successful over the years catering to only vintage so it is certainly the exception to the rule but it has been well established for 30+ years.

Would any of the locations you mentioned work for a 50 table show eliminating modern? Possibly, but having lived in Charlotte for 20 years until 2012, I doubt you could find 50 dealers who would even fit the classification that would venture out for a one day show in any of the NC locations.

My guess is it would be a miserable failure but you never know until you try. I have been wrong before a few times. My wife will attest to that!

Good Luck!

[mortimer brewster]

Don't be surprised if before the show opens the other dealers zero in on your table. That may be where you make your most sales. This was the personal experience for me way back in the day at the very first show I set up at.