Upper Deck retail store

[LakersMC]

The first Upper Deck retail store is supposed to open next month. For those of you in SoCal, it will be in Huntington Beach at the Bella Terra shopping center. I read that they will be having autograph signings there. Of course, I'm sure they'll charge Upper Deck prices for those.

http://www.tuffstuff.com/default.asp...2&postid=38043

[meuandthelot]

Thanks Andy,
Interesting..I wonder what the local shops, or retail card shops in general think?

[doniceage]

Thanks Andy,
Interesting..I wonder what the local shops, or retail card shops in general think?

They had a meeting with local cardshops and only one repsonse from one of the card owners. As the article states there was a lot of criticism.

p.s. As Andy said can you imagine what they will be charging to sell their cards (OUCH). Perhaps the good point is you can take your REDEMPTION CODES WITH YA LOL to get the big discount!!

DON

[LakersMC]

Here is a press release on the grand opening. Free autographs; that's a nice surprise.

The Upper Deck Company Opens Retail Store at Bella Terra Shopping Center, Huntington Beach
Grand Opening Set for Feb. 22, 23 and 24!

Free autograph signings by Lakers fan favorite Luke Walton and Dodgers
baseball legend Steve Garvey.

Huntington Beach City Council Member Joe Carchio will MC Grand Opening
ribbon-cutting Friday evening!

What: The Upper Deck Company, the industry leader in sports and
entertainment trading cards and authentic signed memorabilia, will
be unveiling a 2,100-square-foot retail store in Orange County.
L.A. Lakers' star Luke Walton will be signing free autographs
Friday (6 to 7 p.m.). Steve Garvey will be signing free autographs
on Saturday (1 to 3 p.m.). Huntington Beach City Council Member Joe
Carchio will be on hand Friday evening for photographs and
ribbon-cutting duties!

When: Friday, February 22, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Ribbon-cutting set for 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 23, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, February 24, from 12 noon to 5 p.m.

Who: Celebrities from the local community will be in attendance
including:
-- Lakers star forward Luke Walton
-- Former Dodgers/Padres first baseman Steve Garvey
-- World of Warcraft(R) Trading Card Game artists
-- Huntington Beach City Council Member Joe Carchio


Where: The Upper Deck Store
c/o Terra Bella Shopping Center
7777 Edinger Ave., Suite D-150
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(714) 898-8000

Note: Interviews may be coordinated through Upper Deck's Public Relations
Manager Terry Melia.

Contact: Terry Melia
Manager, Public Relations
The Upper Deck Company
Phone: 760-929-3055
Cell: 760-420-3511

SOURCE The Upper Deck Company

[DaClyde]

What's the point? Now since they have to pay rent and staff the thing, they'll likely just end up charging more for all of their products than the other card shops normally do. It's like shopping at the mall...why pay retail?

[doniceage]

Well I think in the article they wanted to use this not so much to go GLOBAL but to do a lot of TEST MARKETING. Of course I will take the WAIT AND SEE APPROACH!!

DON

[LakersMC]

So I finally went to the UD store. It's a lot nicer than your local card store, and they have plenty of full boxes of UD cards - every brand, every sport, everything including high end like Exquisite. Part of the store is autographed memorabilia (mostly MJ, Kobe, and Lebron), and the other part of the store is TCG (Trading Card Games). The back part of the store is set up for TCG tournaments and/or autograph signings.

All in all, I wasn't that impressed. I think I was expecting a lot more. In fact you'll get more selection at a nice card shop where you can get Topps, Donruss, etc. If they start bringing in some top notch players for autograph signings, then that might set them apart from other card shops. But that hasn't happened yet.

[GotBrady12]

wish i lived near there !