Okay, let me tell you about my recent trip trying to find some sports card shops around Seattle. It’s been a while since I really dug through cards, but I had some free time and thought, why not see what’s out there?
Getting Started
So, first thing I did was just a quick search on my phone, you know, “sports card shops Seattle area”. Got a few hits, some downtown, some a bit further out. Didn’t really have a solid plan, just figured I’d start with one that looked kinda interesting and see where the day took me. I wasn’t looking for anything super specific, maybe some old Mariners stuff, maybe some newer basketball cards if they caught my eye. Mostly just wanted to feel that excitement of flipping through boxes again.
First Stop: Downtown Vibe
I headed to a place I saw listed closer to the downtown area. Finding parking was a bit of a hassle, typical city stuff. Walked in, and it was pretty packed with stuff. Like, floor-to-ceiling shelves, display cases full of graded cards, boxes everywhere. The guy behind the counter seemed busy but gave me a nod. I just started wandering around. Lots of modern baseball and basketball, high-end single cards mostly. Spent a good while just looking through the glass cases. Saw some amazing cards, stuff way out of my price range, but cool to see up close. Didn’t find too many loose boxes to just dig through like I remembered from back in the day. It felt a bit more like a gallery, you know? Very professional, but maybe less of that dusty treasure hunt feel I was kinda hoping for.
Second Stop: A Bit More Old School
After grabbing some lunch, I decided to drive north a bit to check out another spot. This one was in a smaller strip mall, looked less flashy from the outside. When I went in, it felt totally different. Definitely smaller, but way more boxes of commons and unsorted stuff. The owner, an older guy, actually struck up a conversation, asked what I collected. We chatted for a bit about Griffey Jr. and the old Sonics days. This felt more like the shops I remembered. I spent probably an hour just sifting through boxes of baseball cards from the 80s and 90s. Found a few Ken Griffey Jr. cards I didn’t have, nothing crazy valuable, but just fun finds.
What I ended up with:
- A handful of early 90s Mariners cards
- One newer basketball pack (just for fun)
- A couple of cheap Ichiro cards
Wrapping Up the Day
Didn’t break the bank or find a hidden gem worth thousands, but that wasn’t really the point. It was just good to get out there and visit a couple of shops. Each one had its own feel. The first shop was impressive with its high-end inventory, very slick. The second shop was more my speed for just browsing and chatting. It’s cool that places like these still exist. Definitely scratched that itch to look through some cards. If you’re in Seattle and into cards, seems like there are options depending on what kind of experience you’re looking for. Just gotta get out there and look!
