Baseball cards have been a staple in stores for over a century, entertaining and educating fans of America’s pastime along the way. Originally included as an additional bonus or promotional item inside cigarette packs in the late 1800s, baseball cards soon took on a life of their own and found their way into a variety of retail locations over the decades.
Some of the earliest stores to sell baseball cards included general merchandise stores and drug stores in the early 1900s. As the tobacco companies like American Tobacco and Goodwin & Company began inserting baseball cards as incentives to buy more of their products like cigarettes and chewing tobacco through the 1880s and 1890s, the popularity of collecting these cardboard pieces of memorabilia grew tremendously. By the early 20th century, many general stores found they could make additional profits through the sale of loose packs of baseball cards that had been removed from tobacco products, or full sets of cards that had been assembled.
Drug stores also got in on the baseball card sales during this time period. In addition to their medical supplies and sundries, drug stores offered local residents a place to purchase the newest series of baseball cards as the seasons progressed. Many early baseball card collectors have fond memories of perusing the baseball card racks at their neighborhood drug store, hoping to find cards of their favorite players to add to their collections.
The first dedicated baseball card shops began emerging in the 1930s and 1940s. As interest in collecting cards increased exponentially through the middle of the 20th century, specialized hobby shops catering specifically to collectors opened their doors. These early baseball card shops were usually small independently owned stores that purchased wax packs of cards directly from the manufacturers like Topps to sell individually or in complete sets. Browsing long boxes filled with cards sorted by year and team became a beloved pastime for generations of collectors in these dedicated baseball card stores.
In the post-World War II era from the late 1940s through the 1950s, general merchandise stores found yet another way to profit from the booming baseball card craze – by selling complete factory sets in sealed display boxes. Stores like Woolworth’s and Kresge’s offered collectors a one-stop-shop to purchase unopened sets from recent years, appealing to both casual and serious collectors. These retail stores helped grow interest in collecting by exposing new audiences to the allure of owning pristine, investment-grade sets.
The 1960s saw the rise of discount department stores like K-Mart and Target which carved out dedicated trading card aisles among their toy offerings. Baseball cards were consistently strong sellers that required little floor space but generated steady revenue. The large retail chains could afford to purchase cards directly from Topps and other manufacturers in massive bulk quantities. This enabled them to sell loose packs and complete sets to local customers more cheaply than smaller specialty shops or drug stores.
In the 1970s, mass merchandisers like Walmart and supermarket chains like Safeway got into the baseball card business. Their immense purchasing power and shelf space allowed these retailers to practically give cards away as loss leaders, further fueling the red-hot collecting craze of the era. By stocking a wide array of years in penny sleeves already organized by team and player, these stores streamlined the shopping experience for the explosion of new collectors.
As the baseball card market peaked in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the retail landscape had shifted dramatically. Specialty card shops still thrived but now found competition from big box discount stores as well as the new kid on the block – the comic book store. Places like Comics Etc. allocated significant real estate to organized rows of long boxes stuffed with thousands of duplicate cards available for trade. Meanwhile, dedicated card conventions hosted by companies like Sportscard Operators of America were drawing tens of thousands of attendees each year.
In the internet age, the rise of online retailers has significantly disrupted the brick and mortar baseball card business model. While a dedicated local card shop may still exist in many communities, the majority of collecting now occurs through online marketplaces like eBay, COMC, and individual company websites. Mega-retailers have also scaled back their card offerings to make room for higher margin products. The passion for baseball cards continues as strong as ever, finding new generations of fans wherever the cards can still be found – whether in stores old and new, or across the worldwide web.
Through its over 100 year history, baseball cards have maintained a home in stores both large and small. From general merchandise shops to drug stores, hobby shops to department stores, supermarkets to online outlets – the marketplace for these beloved collectibles has evolved alongside generations of fans. Wherever they have been sold, baseball cards have brought people together through their shared love of the national pastime preserved on cardboard.
