grand opening!
The night before opening, Edwin sat on the living room floor— stressed, sorting through boxes of bulk cards. The next morning, he was still running around town making last-minute stops at Hobby Lobby and Target still looking for supplies and furniture. The display cases and shelves were still empty. The tables and chairs were still folded up. It had only been two to three weeks since Edwin received the keys, and there was still so much left to do. But despite the unfinished shelves and the long checklist, he remained certain of one thing — opening the doors that day was the right decision.
“You’re never going to be ready. Nothing is ever going to be perfect. You just have to do it, and then figure things out.”
A couple of hours before the grand opening/first trade night of Collectors HQ Card Shop.
As the hour drew closer to opening, Edwin grew increasingly nervous about the turnout, convincing himself that not many people would show up. Then, at 5 PM, before he could even unlock the door, three people were already waiting outside.
The shop was quiet at first, and Edwin’s nerves were still evident. But within 15 minutes, the flow of attendees began to pick up rapidly. By 6 PM, the counter showed 70 people.
Caught off guard by the sheer volume of guests, Edwin and his wife, Sandra, began struggling to attend to everyone. Thankfully, so many friends from the TCG community stepped up to help behind the counter, including David, Trinity, Rudy, Alyanna, and two other vendors who preferred to remain unnamed.
New faces kept pouring in until nearly 8 PM, and for about another hour, around 25 people remained in the shop, trading and socializing with fellow TCG members. Three 8-foot tables were set up, dressed with tablecloths and accompanied by a total of 21 chairs. A fridge stocked with beverages and two racks filled with chips and chocolate kept everyone refreshed. Just off the main room, the spare office featured a cozy couch and TV running Mario Kart, giving guests a place to relax and play.
It was exactly the environment Edwin had been striving for—warm, welcoming, and alive with conversation. Laughter echoed across the room, a steady buzz of excitement filled the shop. It was more than just a place to shop, but a space for the community truly came together.
Team member, Rudy (LEFT), with customers at Collectors HQ Shop Grand Opening/Trade Night.
Attendees looking through bulk at the Collectors HQ Shop Grand Opening/Trade Night.
