Topps baseball cards have been a staple collectible for generations of fans and are some of the most iconic trading cards in existence. While many hobby shops and card stores carry baseball cards and serve as the traditional retailers for collectors, in recent decades big box stores like Target have also begun stocking Topps packs and boxes. This has helped expose new audiences to the hobby and make cards more accessible to casual collectors.
Target started carrying baseball cards more prominently in their stores in the 1990s and 2000s as the collectibles category expanded. They recognized the growing interest among both kids and adults in opening packs as a fun experience even if they weren’t diehard collectors. Having Topps options on shelves alongside other toys, books, movies and games made the cards a more impulse buy for customers doing their regular shopping. It also helped Target draw in baseball fans who might purchase other team merchandise while checking out the latest card releases.
In terms of product assortment, Target tries to offer packs, boxes, blasters and variety packs from the current Topps flagship Series 1, 2 and Update sets that are out each season. These contain the typical assortment of base cards, inserts and prospects spread across the various rarity levels. Target buyers need to balance what moves quickly off shelves versus what has longer shelf life or appeal to dedicated collectors who prefer sealed and unsearched product.
Another factor is available space on crowded retail aisles. Target stores carry the biggest name brand cards but may not have specialized subsets, high-end inserts or complete team or player sets that box stores don’t have room to merchandise individually. But opening day of a new Topps series release you can usually find the typical jumbo packs, blasters and fat packs at Target to share the excitement of the new season with casual fans.
While you may not find exhaustive checklists or rare hits at Target like you would diving into a fresh case at a local card shop, there are still opportunities for discover and affordable fun. Casual collectors, kids and even some investors have enjoyed finds like autographed rookie cards, refractors, and popular parallels among the odds inside Target packs over the years.
For dedicated collectors, Target also aims to cater around major milestones and anniversaries when their buyer orders special product much like a hobby shop would. For example, when Topps celebrated its iconic design and released retro styled cards for the brand’s 60th and 70th anniversaries, Target received exclusives like a blaster containing 60th anniversary packs which was popular.
Another example was for Topps Archives releases commemorating the 50th anniversaries of 1968 Topps and 1972 Topps – Target received their own Archives box exclusive containing a guaranteed hit card. Archives having the vintage aesthetic and retro designs transcend generation gaps and proved popular at Target beyond hobby shops for these anniversary products celebrating baseball card history.
While you won’t find the largest singles selection at Target versus a dedicated card shop, they do try to stay stocked with value packs containing stacks of common base cards that are fun for sets builders. Something like a 50-card value pack of the current Topps series containing a mix of players from all 30 MLB clubs for only a few dollars allows collectors on any budget to make progress and is appealing to casual customers as well.
Topps remains committed to distribution through big box retailers like Target not only as an important sales channel but to also grow interest in the hobby beyond shops. In some areas, Target and similar stores may actually be kids’ and newcomers’ main access point to discover Topps baseball cards versus being intimidated going to hard to find specialty hobby stores. Topps and Target have found ways to keep the products and experience fresh for both avid collectors and impulse buyers through the years.
Target continues adjusting to trends too – as interest grows in digital platforms and innovations like Topps NOW online, Target has started carrying QR coded packs containing digital and physical card redemptions. Meanwhile box stores still make physical wax boxes feel attainable for all ages and budgets versus pricier high-end case breaks online. While Target may not replace hobby shops for diehards, they play an important complementary role in sustaining Topps’ popularity reaching new customer segments. Both retailers serve crucial missions fueling the fun, nostalgia, and chase in the baseball card categories that Topps helped pioneer.
