McEnery of Slab Strong joins The Chase

By David Yarger

Co Host The Chase

Happy Monday and thanks for waking up to another episode of The Chase! We started the week with a loaded show, including our guest Tim McEnery of Slab Strong. 

If you don’t know Slab Strong, their bumper sleeves defend your slabs from accidental drops, scratching and other damage, while adding an awesome pop of color. Additionally, if you don’t know McEnery, you’ve actually probably seen him before at some card show – he’s the guy that wears the big hat. 

McEnery gave us an in depth look at how his idea for Slab Strong came about, in addition to some relationships he’s made as his business has grown since 2021. 

First and foremost, McEnery said his business started after he was laid off during the COVID pandemic as a restaurant manager. 

“I got lucky to where I always had my cards. I left them at my mom’s house, and they’ve been there the whole time. So, I started looking through them, started seeing how much the prices were increasing and thought to myself I wanted to make slabs look cooler, then the process of using stickers or using 3D printing, it just became what it was through trial and error,” he said. 

As Slab Strong continued to progress, McEnery said he saw an advertisement on Facebook for a company “Show Your Slabs.” Becoming intrigued, he said he messaged the company looking to possibly show off his product. The owner of SYS, Corey Fick, got back to McEnery, and eventually met in Baltimore, where McEnery tested his product for Fick by throwing a Slab Strong slab off the second floor of Fick’s office and onto the concrete below. 

Once it was noticed how effective the bumpers were, Fick and McEnery had created not just a partnership, but also a friendship. 

Fick and McEnery also have a plethora of funny stories during their friendship, including Fick creating a nine-piece slab chain for McEnery, which he wore around at card shows before the weight of it became too much.

And as McEnery’s business continues to expand, he said, over the last couple of years, he’s actually grown as a person. 

“It’s really been me that’s grown the most, just learning how to network, deal with people and not worry about looking like a fool – like rock a big hat, rock a big chain. The product itself is just normal business. It is going up, but it’s really me getting more tight with my wholesale accounts, making sure I’m at shows to be seen, and understanding the progression of where the hobby is,” he said.

To see the full interview with McEnery, check out the full YouTube replay.

For more on Slab Strong, visit their website, Instagram and Twitter. 

Also on The Chase

After the interview with McEnery, the crew ripped a box of 2022 Chronicles WWE and had some stellar hits. The autos included Giovanni Vinci and also a rated rookie of Solo Sikoa. On top of that, there were several numbered cards in the box. 

To win all the cards, comment on the YouTube video who you feel will win the upcoming WWE Royal Rumble. A winner will be announced on Wednesday’s episode of The Chase.