A couple of weeks ago I drove to the hardware store down the street for some painting supplies.
This hardware store is not a chain, it's one of those corner store local places, the kind that my dad took me to as a kid on one of his many home or car improvement projects that bored the urge to do the same right out of me. (When I was a teenager, there was this particularly dark hardware store near the shopping district with a grumpy elderly woman as the owner. I've forgotten her name but every teen boy knew it because she was always glowering in the shadows just waiting so she could accuse us of stealing nails because that's what teenage boys want).
I still have no desire to do things that require a trip to the hardware store, and am still somewhat intimidated when walking into this one, but this was easy -- just a paint roller and a couple rollers and I'd be on my way.
I approached the counter, which is high up and contains all kinds of doo-dad, impulse items off to one side. I don't even know what they all are. Key rings and toothpicks and such, I suppose. But what caught my eye this time was a bright, completely full box of 2024 Topps Series 1.
I was stunned. Remember, this is not a chain. Outside of various flea market finds, I can't really recall too many times when I have found current card product at anything that wasn't a large retail outlet since I returned to the hobby 18 years ago.
It totally reminded me of my childhood and also the junk wax era when you could find cards for sale at every turn. Sure, drug stores and department stores, but also grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, bike shops, record stores, delis, college book stores, you name it. Have I time-traveled to 1992?
I don't go to this store a lot so I assumed that the box had been sitting there since February. I figured there was a coat of dust on top. I left without buying any. But it stayed in my mind.
Two weeks went by and it was time to put another coat on the fence because that's how long it takes me to get back to one project. I realized I needed a couple of those disposable paint brushes so back to the hardware store I went.
When I got to the counter, the Series 1 box was closer to the front of the counter and all but around 8 packs had been taken from it! Also there was new full box in the old spot. People were buying them. And they were being replenished! THIS IS A REGULAR CARD SPOT.
I don't know why the place didn't have Series 2, maybe they get what they get, but I had to buy a pack this time, even though I didn't need hardly any Series 1 cards.
It's today now and I need even less Series 1 cards. In fact, I need one. Big shocker, it's Elly De La Cruz. Thanks a lot Topps for your collation shenanigans and for anyone who is hoarding this card. You are all fine examples.
So let's see if I find De La Cruz! And, uh, some insert or parallel that I don't care about.
The first four. I've received all of these cards recently in TCDB trades. In fact the Jazz Chisholm card arrived today -- before I opened this pack.
Nothing to talk about here. At least I know these guys a little better than I did at the start of the year.
There's my insert and parallel. I needed the Vlad Guerrero insert, not that I'm collecting that set. The royal blue Royal is a nice meta card.
That's the end. No Elly.
The important thing is I found cards at the hardware store! I know I am more enamored with this than I should be (someone will probably soon say they know a hair salon that has been selling Topps cards for the last 25 years). But after decades of making the trudge to Walmart/Target on the other side of town and rejoicing when the Rite-Aid -- which ain't here no more -- had cards or the Five Below had cards (they don't now), this is pretty cool.
And, honestly, a lot more interesting than just about everything in a hardware store.
Comments