On July 19 and 20, Front Row Card Show, a traveling expo focused on trading-cards of all kinds, came through Portland. Fans, collectors and entrepreneurs alike gathered at the Oregon Convention Center. Some were there for the love of the hobby while others were on a clear mission to turn a profit.
Sports, Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering and all of the most recognizable franchises of trading cards were represented at the convention. It was a sea of booths, each with a unique collection of cards to offer. Most were buy,sell or trade, with patrons making offers on the spot either ending with a handshake or a disappointed scoff.
Major money was moved around the convention floor. Attendees could be seen pulling beefy wads of cash out of their pockets, ready to drop a couple thousand dollars on an ultra-rare mint condition Blastoise Pokemon card. Heckling could be heard in any direction.
Phrases such as, “I’ll throw in some of these foil cards if you cut me a deal, I’m being generous here!” were heard amongst the bustle of the convention.
The big ticket cards were usually kept in quarter-inch thick plastic cases, ones that you’d need pliers to open.
Many folks could be seen toting hard-shelled suitcases, acting as protective transportation for their cargo. If big enough, they were often used as seating during long-form transactions and card inspections.
While Pokemon cards were the primary goods sold at Front Row, there was a fair presence of other adjacent hobbies represented at multiple booths. Various merchandise like stuffed Pokemon characters and vinyl figurines were available for purchase. Sports cards and related memorabilia were abundant as well, drawing in an older crowd in contrast to the younger Pokemon crowd.
PokeRich was one of many vendors present at the convention, which is run by a pair of former Amazing Race contestants, Rich Kuo and Dom Jones. They had one of the largest booths at the convention, maintaining a continuous sea of people around their booth the whole day.
Commerce wasn’t the only activity to be done at the convention. Some booths provided appraisal services for trading cards of all kinds, sporting enormous lines of anxious attendees hoping they’ve got gold in their binders. Evaluators would sit down individually with each participant, often using magnifying glasses and intensive iPad research to determine a card’s value.
Upon leaving the convention floor, pods of happy fans could be seen comparing hauls, opening booster packs and enjoying a post-conference snack. Whether satisfied with their finds, or left hoping for more, investors in a niche interest found an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals at Front Row Card Show.
