Anyone have an OG card store still around that you used to go to all of the time as a kid?
Every time I drive by mine I get some nostalgic feeling. Great memories buying Pokémon/Yugioh/MLB showdown there. I go in every few months to buy sleeves and it’s like taking a step back in time for a minute
All the amazing card shops we visited in California went broke because of high taxes and junk policys by their political leadership. As it was, they were operating on a very small margin, which got taxed down to nothing:(
Newbury Comics was always our go to and they still have some of the best stuff. Unfortunately they don’t do Singles or anything like that anymore as they’ve become a major chain. All of the other local stores closed down.
@dbmoney10, Man I wish that were the case. I drive by the old spot where the original card store was in my town but the owner closed up years ago (due to reasons beyond my knowing) and it still breaks my heart every time. I actually now have to drive an hour out from where I live just to play cards (pokemon) since its the only place that has a non toxic environment, but I really do miss my old store a ton. Nothing beats a good old vintage card shop.
@dizzle Yeah it’s been around for over 20 years I think. Same owner too, he holds magic tournaments that I’m guessing help the store stay alive. I remember seeing base unlimited boxes in the showcase for like $100… why couldn’t 6 year old me just drop a few thousand and sit on it for 20 years
Mr cards n comics is the name in Cleveland. Small but really cool inside, nostalgia to the max
The markets I went to for Pokemon cards as a Kid in 1999 used to be bustling with activity, like a beehive. These days its transformed into a much smaller market with predominately food stalls and people selling cheap-tacky new items. I still go every few months just to buy a pack from the guy who was there 20+ years ago during the original hype, I can’t believe he has stuck around, his stall has downsized dramatically and he is getting on in years, I will be heart broken when he finally calls it a day!
Was Shinders ever around where you guys are from? Do you guys remember that awesome store? Man that’s where it was always started for me. They were my Yu-Gi-Oh weekend tournament holders WAY back when when I used to play. That was such a fun time! I miss those good ol’ days. But now I’m going to a couple local stores called “Level up games; and dreamers vault”
In Columbia there’s this place called firefly games that’s the main card shop for the area that’s alive and kicking. They do more than just cards they also do DnD, have a large pinball/arcade area, and they have more board games for sale than any other place I’ve ever seen. While not super nostalgic for me since I just go to college here, it’s nice to see.
On the more nostalgic side I am trying to remember what card shop I would always beg my parents to go to in my hometown of Greenville. I think it started with a g… dang it this is going to kill me.
Me and my dad were just talking the other day about the one card store we had in town and how he used to take me and my brother there to get cards and packs. Sadly it closed down about 15 years ago but I’m glad I have those memories still.
Unfortunately, no.
There were two places I used to go to as a kid. One was in a mall that has been defunct for over a decade and was finally torn down a couple of years ago (they’re building a shopping center there now), and the other was on one of the main roads in my town.
They have both been gone for as long as I can remember (probably around 15 years or so).
I used to go to both of them with my mom as a kid and pick out Beanie Babies, Pokemon cards and those Hasbro Pokemon battle figures. One of my greatest memories as a child was going to the card shop on the main road and picking out a Jungle Pinsir holo, which is why that Pinsir card is one of my favorite artworks until this day.
Sadly, places like that just aren’t very common anymore, and the ones that are typically aren’t very good and generally have a bunch of beaten-up cards that they severely overprice.
Fortunately, there is a decent card shop about 15 minutes from where I live that has some good stuff once in a while, but it’s absolutely nothing like the older card stores.
As awesome as being able to conveniently buy cards online is, sites like eBay absolutely killed the good old-fashioned vintage card shop, and it’s sad.
Unfortunately, the card shop I had when I was a kid shut down a long, long time ago. Fortunately, however, the part of Ohio that I am currently in has about 5-6 card shops that sell WOTC singles and even some vintage sealed product every so often. I feel very fortunate to be able to pop into these stores every week.
There is a place here in Boise Idaho called Captain Comics that I’ve been going to since I was a kid. I literally just bought a bunch of base set singles from them last week. Pretty awesome to see a place be able to sustain for almost 30 years now.