Local brothers open trading card shop in Sheboygan

Chris Rugowski

Contributor

July 27, 2026

SHEBOYGAN – It’s game on for trading card fans in Sheboygan.

Brothers Nick and Lucas Wilson said they opened Wilson Trading Card Co. last month (923 Michigan Ave.) to give collectors a new place to shop, trade and connect.

Nick said the store currently specializes in Pokémon, with plans to expand into sports cards and host Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering leagues. 

Lifelong interest

The brothers said their passion for trading cards started at an early age, inspired by their dad’s collection.

“Our dad wasn’t fond of the Pokémon at first, so we’d get sports cards, [too],” he said. “But as we got older, we got more into Pokémon. We’d battle and play the game.”

Growing up, Nick said he spent his paper route earnings on first-edition Pokémon cards at HobbyTown or chasing the next card for his collection at Ken’s Corner.

Though his interest in collecting never disappeared, Nick said it took a back seat as he built a career and started a family.

“When my kids were born, it gave me a good excuse to get back into Pokémon,” he laughed. “I’d always say it was for them, but really, it was for me.”

Nick said he never imagined the childhood hobby would eventually become his business.

Opening a store

Like many big ideas, Nick said opening a card shop started as a joke.

Spending years collecting and holding onto cards, the brothers said they often talked about what it would be like to have a store of their own.

But eventually, Nick said the idea shifted from a conversation to a goal.

Rather than just dreaming about it, he said they decided to take action and quickly realized it was the right move.

The Wilson brothers said the idea continued to evolve as they searched for a location and began building their inventory.

Finding the right space, Nick said, was one of the easier pieces of the puzzle.

However, the brothers said they envisioned more than a place to buy cards.

From the start, Nick said they wanted to create a gathering spot where players could meet, compete and connect through weekend leagues and events. 

“We didn’t want to be too large to begin with, because we didn’t know what kind of inventory we’d get, and we didn’t want to go totally in where we didn’t have a fallback,” Nick said. “Right now, we’re sticking primarily to Pokémon, and that’s why we’re starting with selling a lot of singles. Then with time, we’re going to expand more into other card games, sports and board games.”

Though they knew the hobby inside and out as collectors, Nick said they quickly learned running a card shop required a different skill set. 

Sourcing cards and products, Nick said, has been one of the biggest lessons in moving from collector to retailer.

He said they also learned that collectors and sellers often have different goals. 

For Wilson Trading Card Co., Nick said the priority is finding a balance – keeping the hobby welcoming and accessible for collectors of all ages and budgets.

“When you’re in the process of starting a store, the card companies take you through the process – they inform you that you won’t get the most popular products right away compared to the shops that have been around for years,” he said. “We’ll have to work our way up. A lot of small distributors are countering their prices to the market already – meaning sometimes you’ll have to pay more at a small store than you would at a big-box retailer, and that’s simply because we as the small stores have to pay more.”

Nick said the community response to the store has been the clearest sign that there was a need for Wilson Trading Card Co.

He said the excitement and eagerness from customers reflect the lack of dedicated trading card shops in the Sheboygan area in recent years.

Nick said the nostalgia that shaped his and Luke’s own collecting journeys was reflected during the store’s opening weekend, as customers shared memories of the card shops they grew up visiting and the collections they built along the way. 

As Wilson Trading Card Co. grows, Nick said expanding into sports cards will be a gradual process.

Building a brand and earning customer trust, he said, is something he knows well. 

“At the time when we started, we didn’t know what would happen, or what we’d get for products for sports – [so] we’re going to expand into that in due time,” he said.

The Wilson brothers said their long-term goal extends beyond the shop itself – which Nick said includes helping grow the local collecting community by partnering with other businesses and shops to bring card shows back to Sheboygan.

Those events, he said, have become more common in areas such as Milwaukee and Oshkosh, leaving an opportunity to create a new gathering place for collectors closer to home.

“We’d love to create a local community event and bring a card show back to our town, putting us back on the map,” he said.

Long-term growth starts locally

Looking at long-term growth and industry trends, Nick said from his perspective, the trading card market is similar to the stock market – some cards and sets increase significantly in value, while others see less demand. 

He said market fluctuations can also be influenced by buyouts, where collectors or investors purchase large quantities of a specific card to drive up demand and increase its perceived value. 

As longtime collectors, Nick and Lucas said they understand the trading card market will have its ups and downs, with trends and demand constantly shifting.

With customers embracing the shop’s atmosphere and experience, Nick said the focus is on continuing to build from that foundation. 

A major focus moving forward will be expanding the shop’s selection of single cards, which he said is one of the biggest differences between trading card shops and other game stores.

Still in its early days of operation, Nick said they are focused on establishing the shop and building their inventory before expanding into buying and trading.

That will come with time, he said, as the shop continues to grow.

Looking ahead, Nick said growth in the trading card world means creating a wider selection that keeps collectors coming back. 

“We want to be able to have the popular sets, most recently those like One Piece, Lorcana and Pokémon,” he said. “At the same time, we want to have niche specialty sets where there’s a variety for everyone who stops in.”

Nick said for him, building trust with customers is one of the most important parts of Wilson Trading Card Co.

He said he wants parents who may be unfamiliar with the hobby to feel confident they have a trusted resource, especially when navigating a market where online searches can often lead to confusing or overwhelming information.

That connection with the community, Nick said, is exactly what they hope to build.

That trust-building, he said, has already started – recently working with a parent who was unsure about card prices, taking the time to explain values and help them better understand the hobby. 

For Nick, keeping it local means more than serving the community – it also means keeping the business within the family.

One of the unexpected benefits of opening the shop, he said, has been bringing his two sons into the business and teaching them how to check out customers, interact with visitors and become part of the community the shop is building.

“For me, being able to teach them and see this side of it, that’s special,” he said. “It’s a growth moment both personally and in business that I didn’t expect.”

Community connection

Trading cards and games, Nick said, have a unique ability to bring people together.

Regardless of age, he said they have seen a growing sense of community around the hobby. 

From longtime collectors in their 40s and 50s to younger players in their 20s, Nick said each group brings its own level of passion and knowledge.

He said the shop also provides a place for new players to learn the games, connect with others and become part of the community.

“I’m not an expert on Magic: The Gathering, so having [people who are] here at the store and [having] them teaching me and others about the different strategies, you can just see the energy in them,” he said. “They want to speak their passion to anyone who will listen, and that’s special when it comes to a place like this. It was a great example on the first day of business, and we learned an incredible amount of knowledge.”

Nick said opening Wilson Trading Card Co. provided them with an opportunity to reconnect with the community they grew up in. 

Opening day, he said, was met with plenty of familiar faces, including people they had not seen in years. 

Nick said customers arrived “thrilled and happy,” and within the first few days of business, some had already returned to offer encouragement and wish them success.

“It’s all been really positive,” he said. “I know sometimes trading card companies can get that cut-throat reputation, but that’s not how we view it. I advocate, ‘If we don’t have it, go to the other shops – hopefully they have it.’ I want the community to support the community.”

Nick said Wilson Trading Card Co. occupies a unique space in the market.

While there are other game shops in the area, he said many focus on a broader mix of board games, card sets and sealed products rather than individual cards – allowing Wilson Trading Card Co. to carve out a more specialized niche for collectors.

Above all, Nick said the shop is designed to be a no-pressure environment for both new and experienced collectors.

Whether someone is buying, browsing or simply learning more about the hobby, he said everyone is welcome.

As the store grows, the brothers said they are also working to establish weekend leagues and events, with updates on new products and activities shared through the shop’s social media platforms.

“Obviously, the adults are the ones spending money on the cards and games, but we want to have a place for kids to come ride their bikes to like we did, and buy a card for $2,” Nick said. “This kind of gaming is fun, community-based and something everyone can involve themselves in, regardless of level of understanding.”

Find Wilson Trading Card Co. on Facebook for more details.