Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 7, 1994                   TAG: 9404070192
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: E-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: NANCY BELL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

VINTON COUPLE SEES THEIR FUTURE IN THE CARDS

That was November 1993, and in just a few months, the Kernans' shop, Rookies Sports Cards, has attracted quite a following. Located near Winn Dixie at Riverpark Shopping Center in Vinton, the shop carries a complete line of baseball, football, basketball, hockey, racing and nonsports cards.

Frank Kernan believes their business philosophy has served them well.

"We discount everything 20-50 percent right from the start. We opened the shop to put the fun back into collecting."

Each new customer also receives a free pack of cards, just to get started.

Kernan, a USAir pilot, said many card shops discourage trading among customers. But, Rookies has Saturday night pizza parties for customers.

Collectors come in, snack on free pizza and soda and trade among themselves. The Kernans are there to buy and sell cards if customers need help completing collections.

"We told our customers from day one that we were new at this, and to tell us what they need," said Michele Kernan, who runs the shop in Frank's absence. "Some customers come in every day."

The Kernans admit they knew very little about running a business before opening Rookies. But they have approached it with an open mind.

Rookies' biggest competitors are department stores because cards are purchased in bulk and sold for less than what the Kernans can buy them for from the manufacturers.

But, because some card companies reserve certain cards exclusively for hobby shops, his true competitors are other shops like his own, Frank Kernan said.

He said card collecting is like playing the stock market.

"If the card companies print more of a certain card, the price of each collector's card goes down. Some things turn into junk."

But, he said, "a true collector won't hesitate to pay more if he knows it won't be in Wal-Mart or Revco."

Kernan's advice is free, and many collectors linger to talk cards with him.

"Customers are loyal to a good card shop," said Michele Kernan. "We have customers from West Virginia, who say there isn't a decent card shop between here and there."

Because Rookies projects the image of a neighborhood card shop, the Kernans say most of their customers are kids, especially after school and on trade night.

"To me, that's the best part. We love working with the kids," Frank Kernan said.

But many parents are getting hooked on trading cards, too. "We had a mom come in here with her kid on Saturday night, and before you knew it, she was saying, `Give me three packs of those, five packs of these . . .' " said Michele Kernan.

Meanwhile, some of the mothers share Michele Kernan's interest in crafts and bring in items to sell on consignment at Rookies.

A combination trading card/craft shop is not exactly the couple's idea of marketing genius, but Kernan said she has met many talented crafts people who bring a variety of items, from baskets to quilts, cross stitch to homemade afghans.

Rookies Crafts & Sports Cards is in Riverpark Shopping Center, near U.S. 24 and Washington Avenue in Vinton. The telephone number is (703) 342-CARDS.