I went between looking at prices on the
Internet and calling hobby shops for prices. Online, I could get a
hobby box of Topps Chrome for $65. At the hobby shop, it was $75.
I thought about it. Do I want to
purchase a hobby box, pay for shipping, then wait two days to get a
box? Or drive to shop, talk to the nice guy who owns the place and
open my cards immediately.
It actually didn't take that long to
make the decision. Since the BF had never been to the hobby shop –
that Marie and I found during one of our escapades – we drove about
45 minutes. Yes, so there was gas money involved as well.
But nothing beats the shop experience.
It was worth the extra $4 (that includes shipping from the Internet)
and gas money.
I walk into the shop and the owner
recognized me immediately. This may have only been the third or
fourth time I have been there. We talked about cards for a bit. We
talked about Topps Chrome. Then grabbed some supplies, which you
don't really think about when buying a box online.
Then, the BF and I headed to a great
little grill around the corner where we opened his spanking brand new
box of hobby cards.
I shared some of hits on Twitter. He
had a really great box of cards, which I will post when I get back
from the mini-vacation we're on.
However, I just wanted to point out
that great experience. It didn't last more than 10 minutes, but
that's what is special about great hobby shops and why New Concept
III in Medford, NJ is still around. The owner makes the experience
worth it for the customer.
There was a place that literally one
mile from my home that had baseball cards and Topps Chrome for the
same price, but the BF and I both thought how the other place is not
a hobby shop, but a sports store that just happens to have baseball
cards on its shelves. They don't talk about cards or even know enough
about them to have a meaningful conversation.
Even though the hobby shop we enjoyed
is 45 minutes away, we'll continue to go there when there is a hobby
box of something we want to buy.
Support your local hobby shop!
Damn straight.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to support a local card shop. If only we had one...
ReplyDeleteBut we don't, so I have to read about yours... lol. We do get a little 15-20 table show every few months, so that's fun.
I would have liked to buy wax regularly from my local shop (now closed after 30 years), but the price swing was always more than $25 a box on flagship products. (Online = $50, shop = 75)
ReplyDeleteYour shop apparently has bargain prices!
This card shop isn't that close. It was about 45 minutes away, but I enjoy driving so much. Plus, like I said, the guy who owns the place is great.
ReplyDeleteIf the box was more than $80, we wouldn't have bought it. I thought $10 was a good enough difference for me to go there and get it.