Heroes Sports Cards to Host UFC Signing Event and Champions Release Party – Ask owner Chuck Wedick what he likes best about his store, Heroes Sports Cards in North Riverside, IL., and he’ll tell you it’s the customer interaction. The west-side suburb of Chicago is home to a mix of working, middle class residents who are passionate about their sports teams.
Many customers, not surprisingly, are Cubs fans and are obviously a bit dejected after last night’s NLCS defeat to the New York Mets. Baseball card products are the number one seller at his store. However, the store has an event planned for this Saturday that will put everybody in a good mood.
Wedick’s store was the winner of the Topps UFC Champions promotion. As a result, the store will play host to UFC fighter Anthony Pettis for an autograph signing session and pre-release box-break party. Pettis is a resident from nearby Milwaukee, WI., and is the number one ranked UFC lightweight fighter. He is also the former WEC Lightweight Champion before the promotion merged with UFC.
This is the store’s first in-store autograph signing in the businesses’ eighteen year history. Wedick said he and his customers are “very excited”.
Details of the event are as follows:
Location: Heroes Sports Cards
Address: 8919 W. Cermak, North Riverside, IL.
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2015
Time: 11AM CST
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When prompted further to discuss what he’s most proud of about his business he quickly answered, “The personable interaction and intimate feel, kind of like a local barbershop, I’d say bar, but we have a lot of kids that come into the shop.” Weddick went on to say that part of the success of his business has been “by treating every customer, young or older, the way I’d want to be treated. We treat kids the same way we treat adults.” As a result, he has adults in their 20s and 30s who have been customers for as long as he has been in business.
Wedick says that while baseball is still the number one selling product in his store, that the success of the Chicago Blackhawks has bumped hockey up to a clear number two. “We still sell a lot of basketball and football, but hockey sales have been great.”
He too is also a huge Blackhawks fan and had the opportunity to attend an event at the home of team owner, Rocky Wirtz and have his picture taken with the prestigious Stanley Cup.
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- Chuck Wedick and Chicago Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz
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- Wedick Poses With the Stanley Cup
Wedick’s personable nature and passion for the hobby were clearly evident in my discussion with him. Area collectors are lucky to have a dedicated owner who is as big a fan as they are.
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