Baseball cards have been a classic American pastime for over 150 years. From the earliest tobacco cards of the late 1800s to the ultra-modern digital cards of today, generations of fans have cherished collecting and trading these miniature pieces of the national pastime. In northeastern Minnesota, a thriving community of baseball card collectors and hobby shop owners have been keeping this tradition alive for decades. Here is an in-depth look at the rich history of baseball cards and collectibles in the Northland region.
Some of the earliest organized baseball card collecting in Minnesota can be traced back to the 1970s, during the sport’s vintage era. It was a time when stars like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Sandy Koufax still dominated the national consciousness. Brothers Dan and Steve Johnson opened North Star Sportscards in Duluth in 1973, dealing primarily in used vintage cards from the post-war 1940s-1960s period. They had accumulated their initial inventory by personally buying collections from estates and retirees around the region. Their shop helped foster the growth of a local collecting scene, as area kids would trade and shop for cards there on the weekends.
In the following decade, the modern baseball card boom truly took off. Both the rise of massive card manufacturers like Topps and Donruss producing hundreds of new player issues each year, as well as heightened collector demand, led to an explosion of hobby shop openings across the country. In 1987, brothers Eric and Ryan Olson spotted this opportunity and launched Northland Sportscards in their hometown of Babbitt, located about 45 miles northwest of Duluth along Highway 37. They acquired inventory directly from the major card companies and brought in the latest basketball, football, and hockey issues as well. Their well-stocked retail store soon became a northern Minnesota destination for collectors far and wide.
The early 1990s marked the peak of the modern collecting frenzy, as sports memorabilia of all kinds skyrocketed in value. Iconic rookie cards for young superstars like Ken Griffey Jr., Chipper Jones, and Derek Jeter sent passionate collectors into a pricing frenzy. In 1993, Gary and Wayne Pearson opened Grandpa’s Attic in the Iron Range city of Gilbert. Specializing solely in vintage baseball cards from the pre-1980 period, their inventory of rare tobacco era relics and unopened wax packs proved an instant hit. Meanwhile, smaller specialized shops opened in spots like Eveleth, Chisholm, and Virginia, helping spread the baseball card bug across the entire region.
The Northland remained a hotbed for the hobby well into the late 90s, even as the national collecting fervor began to cool. While the boom had busted, a solid core audience of devoted local collectors persisted. In 1997, Tony Grewe took over the Babbitt Northland Sportscards location from Eric and Ryan Olson, who had since moved on to other ventures. He committed to keeping the storied shop serving the area fans. That same year, Kevin Lano opened North Shore Sports Cards in Two Harbors, becoming the premier shop on Minnesota’s scenic North Shore. Both shops thrived by hosting regular buy/sell/trade nights and product release parties that drew collectors from surrounding towns for hours of lively swapping and chatter about the sport.
As the new millennium arrived, a changing collector demographic began to take shape. While vintage enthusiasts still reigned supreme, a new generation of younger fans entering the hobby focused more on affordable insert sets, parallels, and autograph rookies from the modern player pool. Shops adapted by expanding their selection of brands like Upper Deck, Leaf, and Score which catered to these evolving preferences. During this period, some of the more niche vintage specialty stores unfortunately went out of business due to declining interest in pre-1960 tobacco era material. Mainstream shops like Northland and North Shore Sports Cards managed to keep their doors open through adjustments.
A major shift came in 2001, when online selling platforms like eBay made it possible for collectors across the globe to buy and sell cards directly. While this challenged the viability of brick-and-mortar hobby shops to some extent, the smart stores recognized it as an opportunity rather than a threat. Both Northland and North Shore integrated online components, listing common inventories for sale to a worldwide audience on eBay while still retaining popular walk-in business. This dual retail strategy helped insulate them from being completely displaced during a time of industrywide upheaval. Other Northland shops like Grandpa’s Attic survived by focusing more intensely on offer rare and valuable vintage stock that demanded in-person examination.
During the 2010s, the Minnesota baseball card scene stabilized around this hybrid model of local shop retail supplemented by online global sales. Technology continued bringing new ways for collectors to connect and trade as well. With the rise of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook collector groups, it became easier than ever to organize regional meetups, road trips to shop openings, and large multifamily garage sale clearouts. Some of the biggest annual celebrations on the Northland calendar included Northland Sportscard’s “National Baseball Card Day” each August, which saw hundreds descend upon the Babbitt storefront. Meanwhile the annual “North Shore Sports Card Jamboree” held every November in Two Harbors’ Finnish Fest hall was not to be missed for serious collectors in the area.
As we move into the 2020s and beyond, physical baseball card stores remain proudly positioned as hubs of their communities across northern Minnesota. On any given Friday night, you’ll still find groups of enthusiasts mingling amid the organized long boxes at Northland and North Shore, picking through discounts commons in search of future keys to add to their personal collections. Whether you’re looking for that vintage 1953 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie to place in a graded holder or the hottest 2020 Bowman Chrome Vladimir Guerrero Jr. parallel to rip from a fresh pack, the friendly faces and riches of the local hobby scene ensure the timeless tradition of baseball card collecting stays alive for generations to come in the Northland region. With dedicated operators and an passionate collector base, this unique pocket of sports history seems destined to keep dealing, trading, and reminiscing about America’s favorite pastime for many years ahead.
