South Bay Baseball Cards Inc was founded in 1985 in Lomita, California by Mark and Linda Stein. The shop opened its doors as a hobby store focused on selling baseball cards and related collectibles to fans in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County. While baseball cards were the main product, the store also carried other sports and non-sports trading cards, as well as supplies like toploaders, plastic sheets, and binders needed to organize and store collections.

In the mid-1980s, the modern baseball card collecting hobby was still in its relative infancy. The 1979 release of Star Wars trading cards had helped spark new interest in collecting, but baseball remained the most popular sport for collecting cards. More and more kids in suburban Southern California neighborhoods were getting hooked on the thrill of the chase – the excitement of searching through newly opened wax packs hoping to find star players, rare cards, or even the elusive chase card advertised on the packaging. South Bay Baseball Cards aimed to satisfy this demand and serve as a gathering place for local collectors.

Those early years saw tremendous growth in the hobby. Upper Deck shook up the industry in 1988 with its premium baseball card product offering sharp color photos and quality card stock previously unseen. The baseball strike shortened the 1994 season and perhaps even further fueled kids’ interests in filling album pages and chase sets featuring their favorite players. By the late 80s and early 90s, the small shop in Lomita had thriving Friday night auctions, hosted local baseball card shows, and saw business boom as the sport’s popularity climbed to new heights.

While the baseball card industry experienced ups and downs through the 1990s, South Bay Baseball Cards managed to sustain consistent business. As the collecting demographic matured, the shop expanded its inventory of supplies and higher-end memorabilia to appeal to adult collectors. Wax boxes containing the newest baseball card releases continued moving off the shelves each season. Local collectors of all ages frequented the shop to browse, trade, purchase supplies, and stay up to date on the latest industry news with owner Mark Stein.

However, South Bay Baseball Cards faced new challenges in the 2000s. The MLB players’ strike in 1994-95 had begun to turn casual fans away from the sport and hobby. The rise of online shopping presented new competition, especially for supplies that could be sourced more cheaply in bulk. The Pokemon trading card game in 1999 also drew significant interest away from sportscards among younger potential customers. Despite these hurdles, the shop remained committed to serving its South Bay customer base through knowledgeable staff and a friendly, community-focused atmosphere.

By 2010, the baseball card industry was entering a transitional phase. Though still popular among core collectors and investors, values of even star rookie cards from the late 80s and early 90s boom years had declined significantly from their highs. The local shop likewise saw traffic drop off compared to its peak decades earlier. In response, South Bay Baseball Cards worked to cultivate specialty collecting niches within its customer base. The store emphasized high-end vintage inventory, authentic signed memorabilia, and supplies for collectors pursing non-sports areas like movies, television, and animation.

Throughout the 2010s, the baseball card and collectibles market stabilized at a lower level than its golden age. While the rush of opening wax packs lost some of its mainstream appeal, dedicated collectors continued to flock to South Bay Baseball Cards for its expertise and diverse offerings. In addition to carrying some of the rarest vintage finds in Southern California, such as unopened cases of 1955 and 1961 Topps, the store became renowned nationwide for its inventory of autographed photos and items from Hollywood memorabilia shows. Local collectors of all ages remained loyal patrons as well.

Now in its fourth decade in business, South Bay Baseball Cards Inc is still owned and operated by Mark Stein at its original Lomita location. In 2022, the store maintains its reputation as one of the highest regarded hobby shops in Southern California. While the sports card industry landscape has shifted dramatically since the store’s early years fueled by the baseball card boom, South Bay Baseball Cards has proven resilient by adapting its focus over time. Perhaps more than any other factor, it is the shop’s knowledgeable, passionate staff and welcoming community atmosphere that have kept collectors coming back year after year to discover the next memorable find. For collectors both local and abroad, South Bay Baseball Cards continues upholding its tradition as a Southern California hobby institution.