The Market: Antiques, Crafts, and Collectibles
Laurel Mall - Hazleton, PA
This store opened in the Laurel Mall in October 2024, but this was my first time stopping by. It's sort of like Black Diamond or the Slatington Marketplace, but on a much smaller scale. It's made up of vendors who rent space to display their merchandise, all of which you pay for at a single cash register in the middle of the store.
One of the things that I'm always on the lookout for in places like this are Garbage Pail Kids; specifically the ones that came out when I was a kid in the mid to late 80's. These are getting pretty hard to find these days. Topps brought the product line back in 2003, and they've produced dozens of different series over the past twenty years. The new ones are alright, but I really don't have much interest in collecting these sets other than to buy the occasional sticker, like the ones that spoofed Bryce Harper and Joe Bob Briggs.
Not only did they have a good selection of Garbage Pail Kids from the 80's, but many of them were from Series 1 and 2 which I almost never find outside of a card show. And right there in the center of the first page of the binder of cards was the holy grail: Sticker #8a - Adam Bomb. It wasn't in gem mint condition, but I've never been picky about that sort of thing. As long as the card isn't wrecked and the price is fair for the shape that the card is in, I'm in. This one checked both of those boxes, so for the first time since the six year old me foolishly peeled this sticker and stuck it on the swing set in my grandparents back yard, I am the proud owner of the flagship card in the Garbage Pail Kids series.
I ended up getting these four cards from Series One and about a half dozen others from Series Two. None of them are in fantastic condition, but you really couldn't beat the price. The Geeky Gary card was 99 cents. There are ones on eBay right now in worse shape than this one that are selling for over ten bucks. I don't think I'd ever pay collectors prices for these, but it's kind of fun to try to put together a full set just on what happens to pop up at yard sales, flea markets, and places like this store in the Laurel Mall.
One of the vendors had a sign to announce to customers that they had Garbage Pail Kids for sale. They were kept in three-ring binders in a locked case so I couldn't immediately see what they were, but based on the Funko Pop toys and other merchandise near the sign, I thought that the cards they had were probably from the 2000's. But, I thought "what the hell" and asked the man at the cash register to unlock the case so that I could take a look at what they had, and I'm very glad that I did.
Not only did they have a good selection of Garbage Pail Kids from the 80's, but many of them were from Series 1 and 2 which I almost never find outside of a card show. And right there in the center of the first page of the binder of cards was the holy grail: Sticker #8a - Adam Bomb. It wasn't in gem mint condition, but I've never been picky about that sort of thing. As long as the card isn't wrecked and the price is fair for the shape that the card is in, I'm in. This one checked both of those boxes, so for the first time since the six year old me foolishly peeled this sticker and stuck it on the swing set in my grandparents back yard, I am the proud owner of the flagship card in the Garbage Pail Kids series.
