3 Best Tips To Find Baseball Card Shops Nearby

One of the questions I often receive from readers is: "How can I easily find baseball card shops near me?"

After all, it is a bit more difficult these days to find them than it once was.

During the card collecting boom of the late 1980's and 1990's there were card shops all over the place.

Heck, even the small town of about 15,000 people where I grew up had TWO of them.

One was called "The Strike Zone" and the other was "The Dugout".

So many good memories hanging out in both of those shops...

But sadly they and many others of that era are now long gone.

Nowadays you'll typically only find local card shops in bigger cities.

So, the bad news is that you may have to drive a bit to get to one but the good news is they are still out there.

And in this guide, I'll show you three quick and easy ways to find the best local baseball card shops nearby.

Let's jump right in!

2. Research The Local Shop Before You Go 

The great thing about using the Google Maps tool above is that you can also do some quick research within it.

For example, if you're wanting to buy vintage cards, some stores will carry more than others (or not at all).

Or if you're looking for a certain product, then some stores may have them and others may not.

After finding a shop you think looks promising, simply click on the red marker and a panel of information will open on the left of your screen:

There you can find information about the shop such as:

• Address
• Phone Number
• Hours of Operation
• Website (If they have one)
• Reviews of Other Visitors

That last one is highly dependent on the quantity and quality of previous reviews from others.

But it's still useful in helping you choose which store or stores to visit first.

And if they have a website listed then that's a huge help and easy way for you to click to learn more about them.

Beckett also came up with a really nice series where they feature a "Card Shop Of The Week" so that collectors can get to know more about the store:

These short interviews with the store owner are a great way to learn more about what that particular shop offers.

And you also get a better feel for the owner, too, who is a key part of your experience as a customer.

You can follow the series here.

3. Find Additional "Shops" At Card Shows

Sometimes it's not so much a physical store that you need but rather just a dealer or card buyer with whom you can meet in person.

For many dealers, it doesn't make financial sense to maintain a physical store location.

But, it does make sense for them to attend local card shows.

And there are still card shows all over the country.

If you're looking to buy or sell cards then shows can be a great way to feel out multiple dealers in one spot.

Talk to multiple people before you make a decision to buy or sell.

When you're comfortable and have found a dealer that you trust then you can start discussing transactions.

Below is a look at a calendar that Beckett maintains for shows across the country.

Simply type in your city and state location at the bottom and any local shows nearby will be filtered.

You can find the calendar here.

Summary

Despite the perception that there are no longer many baseball card shops nearby, you'd be surprised at what you can find with a bit of digging.

No matter how you find a shop, be sure and do some research and investigating before you transact.

Some may try and lowball you if you're selling but there are many who will offer you a fair deal.

And as always, if you need more help don't hesitate to reach out to me!