Your journey to find the “collector’s dream” will commence in a typical industrial park complex. The complex is not unlike any other that you’ve seen. Even when you find your self in front of Frank and Son Collectibles show you’ll think that “this is just another warehouse”.
But you will start thinking that “something is wonderfully different about this place” when you notice the hustle of people and cars searching for a way to enter this show. The parking lot and any other parking spaces for blocks around are full. Regular visitors make their pilgrimage here twice a week every Wednesday and Saturday all year long! New comers make their way from vendor to vendor in awe of all the die cast in the room and convinced that they will return soon!
In 1989 Frank visited many collector shows with his young children. During that time he compiled a huge Mc Donald's racing die cast collection, that can still be seen at “Frank and Son”. After seeing those local shows Frank often thought that there could and should be a bigger and better show somewhere! And since Frank owned a trucking company along with a trucking warehouse it made perfect sense for him to place a show in the unused space of his warehouse. And so Frank’s show was virtually an instant success!
Frank and Son started their now famous show at that location near by in 1989.That building held about 100 vendors with-in 25,000 square feet of space. The show out grew its original location and moved to 19649 San Jose Ave. in the City of Industry, 25 miles East of down town Los Angeles. This show is presently situated in a 70,000 square foot building with over 200 vendors. I asked the manager Johnny how the vendors were doing here and told me “Everyone’s very busy”. “It seems there are more manufactures entering the die cast business today” says Johnny “And that has made all the more famous die cast brands step their game”. And I think that makes for a larger and better selection for us collectors. Frank and Sons could possibly be the longest running die cast show in Los Angeles area. The owners (Frank and Janet) proudly proclaim that “they are the largest collectibles show in the U.S.”
The vendors here are not only helpful with information about their own die cast merchandise but, are more than happy to direct you to someone in the building that has what they don’t. Now that’s a plus that you won’t find in your typical sales pitch! Another thing that separates this show from others is the sheer number of die cast vehicles here. There are vendors with hundreds of cars in a 10’ x 10’ space and then there are the guys with thousands of cars in a 10’ x 30’ “super showroom”! The lucky visitor can buy anything from packaged vintage Hot Wheels “Red Lines” and Mattel Toy Fair cars to the latest releases from Jada Toys, Muscle Machines, Maisto products and cars from just about every other die cast company in the business. Probably the biggest draw for return visitors is that you can usually get the newest releases here, sometimes even before they hit mass retail stores. So for serious die cast collectors this really is a “one-stop set up”. Not to mention that most people here love talking die cast just as much as you do!
Now I know you’ve most likely created a wonderful image of this collector’s dream in your own mind. But the “hype” doesn’t end just yet! The run of the mill die cast show usually consists of mostly guys right? And if your wife or girl is like mine they want nothing to do with your “die cast travels ”! That situation couldn’t be further from the truth here. The management seems to takes great pride in providing a family experience at this collectibles show. Along with some of the best die cast vendors around you find other vendors with collectibles such as Beanie Babies, sports memorabilia, sports trading cards, kids trading and game cards, comic books and TV, and film memorabilia too. There’s even a wrestling ring here! Where occasionally a professional TV. Wrestler can be found in the crowd.
STOP! I know things are just a blur now and you can barely breath! Catch your breath. Ready? Okay here’s something you might expect for a show only one hour away from Hollywood, California. On any given Saturday you will find a long line waiting to get an autograph from a famous sports legend, a comic book artist or even a show biz celebrity. I have seen celebrities like baseball greats Ron Cey, and Reggie Jackson along with Raiders legend Greg Townsend here. Actors Lorenzo Lamas and Kathryn (Dukes of Hazard) Bach have been seen happily signing photos. And finally for us frugal (that means cheap) guys there is never an admission fee!!!
I myself drive about thirty minutes to arrive here but I know many folks drive as much as two hours to check out all the die cast treasures. And I’ve met people from out of state that made sure their vacation included a trip to “Frank and Sons”.
So if you’re a die-hard collector like me this mild mannered warehouse might be your “Collectors Dream”. If you would like more info feel free to contact the Johnny at
(909) 444-7955 and on-line at frankandsonshow.com. Who knows maybe you’ll bump into me spending some of my hard-earned cash there? That would be great but please, please don’t tell my wife!!!!
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