Two Tampa Men Successful Star Gazers
When Greg Albach looks to the stars, he sees his mortgage getting paid, his table being topped with food and his education being funded.
Owner of Sign Here Autographs, Albach is in the business of acquiring the signatures of Hollywood’s finest stars, most beautiful people, the elite of the American dream and he’s been doing it for more than 25 years.
The first came at age seven when he saw Rick Flair, a professional wrestler, at a restaurant in South Carolina, his home state. Slowly, the process of finding and procuring autographs became his calling and he pursued them anywhere he could find them.
When he was old enough to drive he went out on the road for them and when he could afford to fly, he flew for them, which he and his partner Craig Moore now do at least 15 times a year --- to L.A. and back.
Their shop is along the Regency 20 movie theater in Tampa/Brandon; Albach said he’s been waiting for this exact location, just west of the theater’s main entrance.
There’s no better place he said, with the theater as his next-door neighbor and the proximity to Tampa.
The walls are lined with the glossy photos with the signatures of hundreds of stars, much like a museum to the famous, and from his spot behind the counter at the back of the store, he watches as admirers of all ages enter, peruse, awe and ogle, smile; some scratch their heads at how he is able to get all of them signed.
Whispers and hushed exuberant voices will call out their favorite when they discover the star hanging there for all to see. Other, such as Rose Morrison think the place is just cool. “Pretty neat,” she said, “it’s a pretty neat place to be.”
But still of more intrigue to many who enter is all the stars he’s posed with, many of which are embossed with kind greetings to him and personal message such as “It’s good to see you again.” In the photos, he stands next to hundreds of famous people.
Albach said he’s very good friends with Angelina Jolie. “She’s an extremely caring person,” he said. He usually sees her when he goes to town; sometimes they’ll sit for a while shoot the breeze while she signs photos he’s brought. He claims to have known about her wedding plans with Billie Bob Thornton before anyone else.
Ben Affleck once told him that selling his signature as a way to pay for his education was a great idea and had no problem with it.
“I know quite few very celebrities well,” he said, “a good many become friends.”
Being around the celebrities so much, it’s no wonder they start to recognize him and take a moment to sign a few photos.
He said it’s part of their job, part of their $20 million paychecks.
He also knows about their personal lives; who are dating who, which rumors are true and what couples are posed for the media to sell their current Blockbuster projects, but he’s careful not to say too much, he has his business interests to protect, he said.
Both Albach and co-owner Craig Moore have their favorites to work with.
Albach fancies Jolie and John Travolta. He thinks Travolta is one of the nicest guys he’s ever met.
Moore thought meeting former First Lady Nancy Reagan was a wonderful experience; she was pleasant and gracious, he said. The worst to deal with: Paul Reiser and Barbara Streisand.
Because he and Moore have been doing this so long, they have developed support network of people who help them find celebrities when they are in L.A. The network usually includes waiters, valets and drivers who contact them with information for a fee.
The policy of Sign Here is that every autograph they sell must be singed in either Albach or Moore’s presence. Those received in the mail are rarely real, Albach warned. Also, they don’t carry sports figures, focusing on movies and television.
Albach said opening the store is the best thing he’s ever done; the partners have operated an online site over 11 years.
Movie stars are just people they say, people who have a few fans and like to be treated like they are normal, but Albach is quick to acknowledge most of them are at least partially insane, but they get put through a lot with people chasing them all the time and demanding things of them.
In this business, Albach said, it’s all about respect for each other. Both he and the stars are just trying to do their jobs.
And for these two, gazing at the stars is just a way of life, albeit a fun, exciting celebrity-filled life.
Sigh Here Autographs is next to the AMC Regency 20 movie theater in the Regency Mall.
Call: 813-654-8122 for more information or go to www.autographdealer.com.
