BY JOVANNA AGUILAR
Solomon Alam, the co-owner of Cardboard Heroes, said he has been an avid sports card collector since he was 7 years old, and once sold a football card for $144,000. However, he empha- sized that nding cards like that is extremely rare. Alam said while sports card trading can be an expensive hobby, his goal is to help others build their collections while creating a community centered on sports, with cards starting at $3. The background Co-owners Alam and Brent Shook opened Card- board Heroes in August 2023 to oer a space for collectors to relive their childhood days of buying and trading baseball cards with aordable cards that could some day hold more value, Alam said. Alam said in 1960, hundreds of unsold cards were dumped into the Atlantic Ocean because they were clogging the company warehouse. Amongst those cards was one featuring Mickey Mantle, a rare card that is now considered the most desirable card, and it is worth thousands of dollars depending on the condition, he said. “There’s probably not as much of a chance to hit as valuable of a card as that, but that’s what we see a lot of people here doing, is hoping to nd the next treasure or the next big card,” Alam said. Today, sports card collecting is a hobby that family members, such as fathers who collected cards back in the day, can share with their children and future generations, Alam said. What they oer Cardboard Heroes buys, sells and trades various sports cards, including cards for baseball, basket- ball, football, soccer and hockey. The business also oers PSA, or Professional Sport Authenticator, grading to determine the value of a card. Aside from the in-store oerings, Courtney Roark, Cardboard Heroes’ manager, said the busi- ness often holds community events where families can gather, trade cards and share a common interest. Other events Cardboard Heroes participates in include local sports card shows, Little League events and small-business event gatherings. Alam said in the near future the store is having a mystery professional athlete visit Cardboard Heroes to hold a meet and greet with attendees. Cardboard Heroes brings people together through sports card trading
Cardboard Heroes employee Gabriel Garcia (left) stands besides store manager Courtney Roark and owner Solomon Alam.
Cardboard Heroes displays signed Houston Astros baseball bats.
Cardboard Heroes customers camped outside the shop prior to an event.
Collecting cards Sports cards oered include: • Baseball • Basketball • Football • Soccer • Hockey Card value can depend on: • The player on the card • The year it was made • Whether there is an autograph
KUYKENDAHL CT.
1488
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3776 FM 1488, Ste. B, Conroe www.shopcardboardheroes.com
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THE WOODLANDS EDITION
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