Waite Park Gets A New Trading Card And Collectibles Shop

WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- Trading Card Game fans will soon have a new place to pick up their favorite game. Rip City Trading Cards and Collectibles will open its doors in Waite Park on Saturday. The store will focus on Pokémon but will carry a variety of TCGs, collectibles, and clothing.

Popular TCGs include Disney Lorcana, Magic: The Gathering, and Flesh and Blood.

The store is the passion project of Sauk Rapids-Rice graduates Hunter Branson and Ben Kotula. Branson says it's hard to believe they are business owners:

"Just kind of looking back a few years ago or back in the day in middle school, high school, and somebody's like, what are you going to do when you're an adult or grown up, and I just, I'll be honest, I never imagined that I'd be a business owner (laughs), and I think that in itself is really cool."

The two owners have been hosting conventions over the last few years and say things came together quicker than they expected to be able to open their own store.

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The worldwide TCG market is valued over $13 billion annually.

They say the card community has been really supportive, and Kotula says the hobby is fun for all ages:

"I think that was one of the things that surprised me a bit when we were first starting to kind of get into vending, vending at card shows and things like that, just seeing the age ranges of these people coming in and looking for cards, so it spans across all generations."

Branson says it is really cool to see the age range and how the hobby has grown into something for everyone. Rip City Trading Cards and Collectibles is located at 26 2nd Avenue South in Waite Park and is open Tuesday through Sunday.

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