At the Bleecker Trading at 96 Christopher Street, c/o Elvert Barnes / Flickr
Bleecker Trading, a one-stop shop for trading cards and sports memorabilia, is planning to open its second location at 185 West 80th Street, between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues, in August, according to its founder. Its original location on Christopher Street in the West Village opened at the end of 2020.
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“Our shop will have a very similar local culture and feel to our West Village location,” said founder Mark Zablow. “We carry officially licensed trading card products from Topps, Panini, Pokémon, One Piece, Magic: The Gathering, Upper Deck, and more.” He added that their new location will host monthly trade nights, kids’ events, PSA grading events, Pokémon parties, celebrity and athlete events, and other collector-related promotions.
Bleecker Trading will also be available for rent for private and semi-private events, such as birthday parties, happy hours, or other unique gatherings. Zablow mentioned they have a partnership with Made in New York Pizza, located just around the corner at 421 Amsterdam Avenue, to handle their catering.
It seems safe to say that whether you’re a young collector or a seasoned veteran, Bleecker Trading caters to all audiences. You can sell your cards there; they’re primarily interested in items with a $30 market value or more, with a preference for numbered, graded, or autographed cards, according to their website. Additionally, Bleecker Trading offers assistance with item valuation and professional card grading.
Bleecker Trading’s Christopher Street location has received some polarizing reviews on Yelp, where they hold a 3.5-star rating out of 5 (based on 11 reviews). On Google, conversely, they score 4.9 stars out of 5 (based on 387 reviews).
One Yelp reviewer said, “If you want to be ignored and ripped off, this is the place to be. Pokémon raw and slabs I was interested in were twice the market price of TCGplayer.com. I asked them if they would budge at all on the prices. Their one-word answer was, ‘No.’ It’s pretty outrageous.”
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However, on Google, praise for Bleecker Trading is plentiful with one reviewer saying, “Amazing LCS (local card shop) with knowledgeable staff, great pricing, and a wide variety of sports cards, Pokémon cards, and much more. Quite frankly, one of the best spots in the city for all your card needs.”
“We have a few other surprises we can’t announce yet, and we look forward to hosting you in the next few weeks as we roll out for our soft opening,” said Zablow. “We are super excited to open next month and join the community.”
You can visit Bleecker Trading’s website here. Or follow them on Instagram.
Excited to have a mom and pop hobby shop back in the neighborhood instead of yet another CVS or Chase atm kiosk.