He started his brick-and-mortar business at the height of the sports card boom of the early 1990s, opening a 500-square-foot shop. Twenty-nine years later, Joe Davis is still at it. J&J Sports Cards, his Atlanta area hobby shop and Got Baseball Cards, his online business, are thriving, better now even than in those crazy days of the latter part of the junk wax … [Read more...]
Shop Owner Hopes to Help Customers Avoid Fakes
About a year ago, Chris Tinder took over The Sportsroom, a hobby shop in Beaverton, OR, buying the store and everything in it. Like every store owner, he answers questions from area residents who have items to sell. Sometimes the news that the autographed item they bought online and want to sell is likely a forgery. In fact, long before he became a business … [Read more...]
Hobby Shop Owner with MD in Running for eBay’s Small Business of the Year Award
A hobby shop owner from Blaine, MN is in the running for eBay's Small Business of the Year award. Todd Hallada owns 2Bros Sports, one of eBay's largest sports collectibles sellers and also owns a brick-and-mortar shop, located just north of Minneapolis. Hallada and his brother Tom were born with muscular dystrophy but that hasn't stopped either of them. At age 16, … [Read more...]
Autograph Signings a Long-Running Hit for Philly Area Shop
Man cannot live by bread alone. And card shop owners usually can’t live on selling cardboard alone. Unless they have a strong base of card-a-holics, most successful shops usually have some degree of diversification. For Carl Henderson, the long-time owner of Carl’s Cards & Collectibles in Havertown, PA, bringing in autograph guests has proven to be … [Read more...]
Notes: Taking the Card Shop Plunge; Dow Jones vs. Card Market; Kirk Gibson Fundraiser
A lot of people dream about opening a card shop. Lifelong collector Aaron Bertram of Traverse City, MI decided to stop thinking about it and start doing it. On Friday, the former sales manager at a local auto dealership is opening the doors to The Vault Sports Cards and Collectibles. It’ll be mostly sports cards, but he’ll also try to appeal to gamers and … [Read more...]
Indianapolis Shop Inspired by Young Cancer Victim’s Story
Conrad Brunner, who spent decades covering Indiana sports for the Indianapolis Star and hosted a radio sports talk show in the city, has a new job. He’s the owner of a new vintage-oriented sports card and memorabilia shop in suburban Noblesville. A long-time collector, Brunner had been setting up at shows in the area but has now expanded into a brick-and-mortar business … [Read more...]
Card Shop Q&A: American Legends is 25 Years Old and Counting
George H.W. Bush was president. Tiger Woods was playing in his first PGA Tour event--at age 16. Joe Gibbs and Marv Levy were your opposing Super Bowl coaches. It was 1992 and a young collector named Mark Rubin decided to open his own sports card and memorabilia shop. The name has changed since then, but Mark and his wife Donna are still buying and … [Read more...]
Q&A: Fond Memories Spur New Florida Hobby Shop
Collectors on the east coast of Florida have a new hangout. Long-time collector Ron Gustafson has opened a new shop in Sebastian, between Vero Beach and Melbourne. Originally from Brooklyn, Gustafson opened MVP Sports Cards and Collectibles this fall. In the latest of our ongoing series of Q&A sessions with sports card store owners, he discussed his … [Read more...]
Notes: Upper Deck’s Trick or Trade Program; Rare Cubs Jersey Sells
Upper Deck once again gave out thousands of packs of cards to San Diego area police, fire, highway patrol and border patrol agencies this year. The bags of packs were then distributed to local youngsters on Halloween. The program dates back several years with officers and other law enforcement officers joining firefighters at the company’s offices for some snacks, … [Read more...]
Notes: Indy Shop “a Safe Place”; New Store in NH; Beckett Moves, Joe O Q&A
You may buy the bulk of your cards online but one thing the internet can’t duplicate well is the sense of community that a good hobby shop can offer. Whether it’s sharing information, participating in a trade night or special event, playing in a fantasy league or just talking with other collectors, shops can make collecting a more personal experience. The Dugout in … [Read more...]