Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Cavazos.
Hi Paul, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
House of Cards and Collectibles started as a small sports card and comic shop between two friends in 2014 who were semi-retired and time on their hands. Having been competitors in the industry in the early 90’s to mid 90’s we were both familiar with the ins and outs of the business. So why not do something fun in our spare time. So, we jumped in. And viola House of Cards and Collectibles was born.
The first couple of years were iffy. There were days we didn’t make a sale but since our inventory included cards and comics from when we were both in business in the 90’s we weren’t too concerned. Our rent was cheap which was helpful and we kept plugging away. Slowly but surely business turned in our favor and in year three our business changed drastically. That’s when a property manager from a nearby shopping center walked in and offered us a deal of a lifetime. Apparently, a business had shut down and the owners of the shopping center wanted to liquidate their inventory to pay what they owed. So, for pennies on the dollar we bought it all.
The inventory consisted of sports cards, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic the Gathering and last but not least Pokemon. A lot of Magic and a lot of Pokemon. Within six months of acquiring this massive collection our ROI exceeded expectations by a large margin. We began buying more and more MTG, Pokemon and sports from our distributors and customers and we didn’t look back.
By 2019, our little hole-in-the wall shop was getting too small for our inventory, parking for customers was an issue and walking space inside was cramped. Something had to be done. Decisions, decisions. My partner didn’t want to move, there was no room for expansion and we started seeing a decline in traffic and sales. The only reasonable alternative was to buy out my partner and find a new location. And that’s what we did.
In September 2019, my wife Rachel and I took over. We bought out our partner and found a new location with much more room, plenty of parking and reasonable rent. We were able to keep the name and in October of the same year, House of Cards and Collectibles, LLC was born.
We were excited to start this new venture and we hit the road running. The first few months were very positive. With social media and radio commercials we got the word out. We were well on our way and then in early 2020 Covid-19 hit and our world personally and business wise was turned upside down. What do we do? Well, we persevere and hope for the best. After being shut down by state and local mandates we waited until we could open our doors again. It was six to seven long weeks before we could do just that under some strict guidelines. But when we did, we saw an influx of business and it was nonstop. People kept buying Pokemon and more Pokemon and even more Pokemon. The stimulus checks played a huge part, I mean we couldn’t eat at restaurants, couldn’t go to sporting events, concerts or theaters. So, with this new found money people were buying sports cards, Pokemon cards and other collectibles and we had them. We were definitely the beneficiaries of this new craze. And it continued through the remainder of 2020. But our success didn’t end there. In November 2020 we were approached by a reporter with MarketPlace.org and they wanted to do an article on Pokemon and asked us if we would like to be part of it and we accepted. The link to the article is here… https://www.marketplace.org/2020/11/20/why-are-pokemon-card-prices-rising/
Within a couple of weeks after the article was published, we received a phone call from a producer with Vice News who read the article. They were planning to produce a Pokemon segment and asked us if we would like to be the lead story. They sent an entire team of producers, audio and video techs, lighting and camera personnel, the whole shebang. They spent an entire day in December filming and interviewing. After all was said and done the segment aired in February 2021 to a worldwide audience.
The link is attached here for you to view. https://youtu.be/AdY3wvi_zRI?si=CVOdGdODM6l_Z6yE
After the segment aired, we were bombarded with requests to purchase collections and to sell individual Pokemon cards from people across the globe. Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Germany, the UK, Japan and of course from here in the USA. And the crazy thing is that we still have relationships with some of them. Needless to say, the segment was a huge hit.
Fast forward to today. A lot has changed in the industry. Whereas there were only a handful of us here in town back during the pandemic, there are many more today. New stores are opening left and right. The TCG (Tournament Card Game) industry has seen new expansions. Back in the day there was Pokemon, Magic the Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, MetaZoo, and My Hero Academia. Today, you can add Star Wars Unlimited, Disney Lorcana, Gundam, Riftbound and One Piece.
Competition is healthy for all involved. It keeps everyone honest to a certain degree. We as a small minority and family-owned business, we have been fortunate to have a great customer base. Our patrons have stuck with us because we offer a great selection of products, great service and great prices. Our customers can count on us to have the latest releases. We surely have been blessed.
Come by and visit us at our location at 2105 Vance Jackson Rd. in the Dell Village Shopping Center. Come and say hello to our daughter Savannah who is our manager. If you or your kids have any questions regarding Pokemon, she will share her knowledge and expertise.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My career has been mainly in media as a sales executive with the San Antonio Light newspaper and as a publisher for multiple shopping center/mall publications with the Simon Group based in Indianapolis.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Playing golf with my father
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sahouseofcards.com
- Instagram: @sahouseofcards
- Facebook: House of Cards and Collectibles
