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Post by jamesw on Oct 27, 2016 3:10:38 GMT
Ok, I admit it. I'm guilty of bragging. I've talked here of the eccentric guy around the corner from my office who sells stamp supplies really really cheap, and with no tax! I've also mentioned my local dealer (stamps!) who is just a short subway ride away from work, and I can go and enjoy my lunch hour occasionally fingering through boxes of cinderellas or covers. Or checking out his selection of philatelic books.
Well it's happening! I went to eccentric guy's store today, and it was all changed around. The coin guy he shared the space with had spread out to fill the space. My supply guy HAS RETIRED. He's gone. And so are all his supplies.
To make matters worse, my dealer, a couple of subway stops away, moved his store a week or so ago, because the area he was in is going to be developed next year - condos, what else! Now he's too far away from the office for me to pop out for a short lunch hour phil-atle!
What am I going to do? The Toronto stamp scene is drying up, as I know it is in most cities.
It's a sad day. A sad, sad day.
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Jerry B
Departed
Rest in Peace
Marietta, Georgia USA
Posts: 1,485 
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Post by Jerry B on Oct 27, 2016 9:58:49 GMT
Hi James I know the feeling. My friend, who owns a stamp store, says he may retire. Because I help in breaking down collections, I get supplies at wholesale and for shipping my friend comes to the house for a visit. If he retires I guess I'll have to get my supplies from Subway again. Ec-c-ch, retail and shipping  Jerry B |
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Ron
Member 
Inactive
Posts: 317
What I collect: Collecting US, Canada, Poland, Liechtenstein and a boat load of topical themes.
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Post by Ron on Oct 27, 2016 13:30:05 GMT
As a fellow collector I'm saddened at the retirement of your supply guy (though I wish him all the very best) and also saddened to hear of your dealer moving away. Yes, the stamp world is shrinking and I'm a bit envious you had such a ready supply so nearby. Toronto is a much larger city than where I live and outside of a small annual show there's nothing... zero, zilch, nadda... to be had here in Baton Rouge for a stamp collector. I began collecting 22 years ago and my entire collection has been built online by one means or another. The worst part for me isn't the lack of supply stores or stamp dealers it's that I am the one and only single stamp collector I know personally. I had a friend some while back who was a casual collector but he's since moved to Colorado several years ago.
It's very much been a solo experience this stamp collecting thing.
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Jerry B
Departed
Rest in Peace
Marietta, Georgia USA
Posts: 1,485
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Post by Jerry B on Oct 27, 2016 13:47:39 GMT
Hi Ron
Fortunately my friend isn't retiring soon.
I only collect 3 countries, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. In Atlanta there are Brazil and Argentina collector(s?) but when it comes to my 3 countries, nada. I stopped going to the shows here as the dealers have no material that I am interested in or have material I already have. Even at the one APS show I attended here in Atlanta, I only bought about $5 worth of modern Colombia that I needed from
A-Z.
I know it is a drive, but there is nothing in New Orleans?
Jerry B
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Ron
Member
Inactive
Posts: 317
What I collect: Collecting US, Canada, Poland, Liechtenstein and a boat load of topical themes.
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Post by Ron on Oct 27, 2016 13:54:57 GMT
Hi Ron Fortunately my friend isn't retiring soon. I only collect 3 countries, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. In Atlanta there are Brazil and Argentina collector(s?) but when it comes to my 3 countries, nada. I stopped going to the shows here as the dealers have no material that I am interested in or have material I already have. Even at the one APS show I attended here in Atlanta, I only bought about $5 worth of modern Colombia that I needed from A-Z. I know it is a drive, but there is nothing in New Orleans? Jerry B New Orleans is a very easy drive and compound that with the fact the "New Orleans" stamp show is actually held in Kenner, Louisiana which given the direction I drive to get to New Orleans makes for an ever shorter drive - an hour, maybe seventy minutes but not at all a bad drive. The problem with New Orleans is the same as everywhere else in this part of the world - little to nothing in the way of stamp dealers and a lone, single stamp show in Kenner. The only good part about there being only two shows anywhere nearby is they are thankfully spaced apart by five or six months so they don't happen almost back to back. My main collecting interests are United States, Canada & Poland. Canada and Poland are sitting dormant mostly because of the mountain of US kiloware I've still yet to sort. Just keeping up with the US is a job unto itself. That said, I can usually expand any of those collections more economically by way of online purchases and trades. As for the US my want lists no longer contain many items that are going to come my way via trade or bargain I'm afraid. |
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firstfrog2013
Member
Posts: 3,276
What I collect: BNA Liberia St Pierre U.S. Bolivia Turkey
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Post by firstfrog2013 on Oct 27, 2016 15:04:16 GMT
Well at one time there were at least five full time stamp dealers in Albany,about an hour away.Now just one or two part time shops with more supplies than stamps.There is a stamp show monthly close to there but sadly what I'm missing is not in my budget even if it was available.I really miss the shop I grew up with,I used to give him my duplicates to add to cigar box lots for his shop auctions.Nothing like sitting down with another collector just passing time and talking stamp talk.Thanks to Jack and our moderators we at least have this forum to spend time doing that. I have one advantage right now I get to visit Mom who is a true stamp person.I do miss the local auctions they were great fun even if I didn't get much from them.Time marches on,and I tag along.
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Londonbus1
Moderator 
Cinderella Stamp Club Member 3059
Posts: 4,885
What I collect: Cinderellas and some Ephemera from Great Britain, France and Israel plus a few beautiful bits from elsewhere !! Topical interests include Flags & Judaica, the latter with an emphasis on the Jewish National Fund.
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Post by Londonbus1 on Oct 27, 2016 19:29:33 GMT
There were 11 stamp shops in Tel Aviv when I came to live here. Now there are 10.  So 1 has closed in 25 years....something good must be happening here. On top of that there are twice weekly collectors markets with lots of Stamp and Ephemera sellers. Supplies are expensive as they are all imported and I buy on my UK visits where it's cheaper. But always plenty to see here.  |
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Post by ChrisW on Dec 10, 2016 0:01:40 GMT
I live in the Washington DC area and thankfully there are several decent-sized local shows in the area each year. Plus it was close enough that I could take the train to NYC for the 'big show' earlier in the year.
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Post by stamps1962 on Feb 9, 2017 19:07:33 GMT
I live in a large city. I moved here in 1973,there were perhaps six or so dealers. Now just one and he sells coins and sports cards to keep afloat. When he retires I will need to get my stuff online. we have an active local club with maybe 20 or so members at most meetings. Probably this all is typical of most places.
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tomiseksj
Moderator
Woodbridge, Virginia, USA
Posts: 6,269
What I collect: Worldwide stamps/covers, Cinderellas, Ohio Prepaid Sales Tax Receipts, U.S. WWII Ration ephemera
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Post by tomiseksj on Feb 9, 2017 22:58:45 GMT
@stamps 1962,
A few years ago I was glad to see a sign go up for a stamp and coin dealer relatively close to my home but the shop was primarily coin with little if any stamp related supplies and no stamps.
I'd recommend that you start looking at online suppliers before your dealer retires so that you're not left scrambling for sources of supply.
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Post by tridentcrazy on Feb 10, 2017 1:18:15 GMT
I feel for those whose stamp world is shrinking. By my own choice being a specialist in one country (not a popular one at that) my world is quite small. Regardless, I live in Seattle were I have seen many stamp stores and hobby shops close. We are down to just two stores! Worse they specialize in coins and look down their noses at stamp collectors. I feel for those whose collecting choices are much larger, theirs must be a hard road to travel. mounts and supplies alone are hard to get in the area already. Luckily we do have an active show and bourse scene, which makes me thankful for small victories.
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