Dave & Adam’s Baseball Cards: A History of the Iconic Card Shop
Dave & Adam’s Card World is an iconic baseball card shop located in Westwood, Massachusetts that has been a staple in the card collecting community for over 30 years. What started as a small hobby shop run by childhood friends Dave Cheney and Adam Maki has grown into a major destination and online retailer for all things sports cards. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at the history of Dave & Adam’s from its humble beginnings to its rise to prominence today.
Dave Cheney and Adam Maki had been friends since elementary school and their shared love of sports, especially baseball, bonded them. In their teenage years in the late 1970s, they began avidly collecting baseball cards together. They would spend hours poring over their collections, trading duplicates, and discussing the stats and histories of their favorite players. This hobby brought them immense joy and became an important part of their lives.
After graduating high school in the early 1980s, both Dave and Adam attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst where their interest in cards only grew. They joined the school’s baseball card club and volunteered at the local card shop in town on weekends. It was during this time that they began dreaming about one day opening their own shop dedicated to their passion.
In 1987, with graduation behind them, Dave and Adam decided to take the leap and turn their hobby into a business. They used their college savings and assistance from family to rent a small 900 square foot space in a strip mall in Westwood, just south of Boston. On March 15, 1987, Dave & Adam’s Card World opened its doors for the very first time.
The shop’s humble beginnings saw Dave and Adam working long hours seven days a week to build up inventory and attract customers. They purchased collections from locals and made buying trips to card shows across New England. Slowly but surely, word began to spread about the friendly local shop run by two guys who truly loved the hobby. Within its first year, Dave & Adam’s was turning a small profit and had built a solid customer base in the area.
Through the late 1980s and 1990s, Dave & Adam’s continued growing steadily by staying dedicated to excellent customer service and stocking the newest and most sought-after releases. Major milestones included moving to a 2,000 square foot space in 1990, hosting the area’s first official card show in their parking lot in 1992, and launching their first website in 1995. The shop became a true destination where collectors could buy, sell, and trade in person.
The rise of the internet in the late 1990s presented both opportunities and challenges for brick-and-mortar card shops. Dave & Adam’s embraced the digital age by expanding their online storefront, building an extensive inventory database, and offering secure nationwide shipping. Meanwhile, they continued drawing crowds to special in-person events like autograph signings from Red Sox legends. By the new millennium, Dave & Adam’s was a well-known name throughout the entire collecting community.
The early 2000s saw unprecedented growth in popularity for sports cards as the hobby expanded beyond its core audience. Dave & Adam’s was perfectly positioned to capitalize, moving to their current 10,000 square foot location in 2003. In addition to carrying all the latest releases, they began focusing on vintage inventory and rare higher-end cards. Notable milestones included a Barry Bonds rookie card sale for over $25,000 in 2004.
Today, Dave & Adam’s is run by the same ownership of Dave Cheney and Adam Maki, now with over 30 years of experience. The shop has grown to employ over 15 full-time staff and sees thousands of customers each month both in-store and online. In addition to carrying every major modern release, they have one of the largest vintage inventories in the country. Notable recent events include hosting Red Sox World Series championship celebrations in 2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018 right in their parking lot.
Dave & Adam’s incredible success over three decades can be attributed to their unwavering passion and dedication to their customers. Whether buying a pack of cards or a rare vintage treasure, everyone is treated like family. Their ability to evolve with the industry while staying true to their roots is admirable. For countless collectors around the world, Dave & Adam’s is synonymous with the hobby and will remain a pillar of the baseball card community for many years to come. Their story serves as an inspiration for any small business owners following their dreams.
