Bleecker Trading opened its doors last week at 185 West 80th Street (between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues). The store is currently in its soft-opening phase.
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The trading card shop, which originally opened in 2020 in the West Village, offers something for all ages and budgets, ranging from high-end Sandy Koufax baseball cards to the newly-released One Piece Card Game, based on the anime television show of the same name. ILTUWS took a trip over on Sunday to check out the shop and chat with the staff.
Bleecker was bustling when we stopped by at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Kids were combing through the single-pack offerings while their moms relaxed in the back booth. Some adults dropped in to pick up card orders they had placed. For a shop that’s been open for less than a week, it seemed the staff was already friendly with the local clientele—as high fives and first-name familiarity were on display as patrons of all ages came through the door.
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“Our ethos as a business is that we don’t want to just be a sports card shop,” said Matt Winkelried, head of operations. “We offer a hobby collector experience and cater to everybody’s tastes.” Winkelreid emphasized the importance of community at Bleecker. Whether you’re into baseball, Disney, Pokémon, or football, the team shares niche expertise and ensures that everyone feels welcome.
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Winkelreid told us he thinks collecting brings out the kid in everybody. “It’s a generational hobby,” said Winkelreid, who expects it to continue, explaining that it teaches kids valuable lessons about protecting their assets, investing in something, and the inherent risks of buying packs of cards. Not everything is worth something, but sometimes you strike something special. He also discussed how the card-collecting hobby “exploded” during the pandemic as people were bored and had more disposable income while stuck inside looking for something to do. He noted that the hobby will have its ebbs and flows, but card collecting is growing as a lucrative investment, and parents have told him they love how it keeps kids off their phones.
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Visitors will find the option to buy boxes of cards or single cards that have been pulled and stored properly. During our visit, some of the options we saw included Magic: The Gathering set boosters, Donruss 1994 baseball cards, Fleer Football from ‘93, and NBA Hoops Series 1 from the 1991-1992 season, to name a few. Some high-end cards are displayed under protective glass up front, but the team will take them out if you want a closer look.
Matt Winkelried (left) and Ryan Breslin
Bleecker staffers Ryan Jake Kreger and Ryan Breslin shared details about an exciting event for kids on Columbus Day, October 14 from noon to 5 p.m. Bleecker is hosting a Pokémon party featuring free pizza, promotions, pack battles and more, with additional details to be announced soon. All ages are welcome.
An official grand opening date is still being worked out, but the shop appears to be figuring things out just fine. Bleecker is open Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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