Trading Cards & Collectibles Podcast

Episode: How Matty Rich is Transforming the Trading Card Hobby

Date: September 23, 2025

Host: Ryan Alford (Radcast Network)

Guest: Matty Rich (Owner, Brian Sports Cards & More)

Overview

This episode dives into the evolving landscape of the trading card and collectibles hobby through the lens of top South Carolina retailer Matty Rich. Host Ryan Alford explores how Matty is redefining what a local card shop can be—shifting from pure retail to an experience-driven community hub. They cover the business’s joys and demands, hobby culture, breaking, collecting trends, and the future of cards (physical and digital alike).

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Creating an Experience—Not Just a Store

• Matty Rich’s Vision: Matty didn’t set out just to open a shop; he created a welcoming experience for new and veteran collectors alike.
  • "I didn’t want to create a store. I wanted to create an experience..." (01:54, Matty Rich)
• Community Focus: From the beginning, he wanted Greenville to have a place where people could gather, connect, and savor the hobby outside of online spaces.

2. The Role of Customer Service and Inclusivity

• Changing the Narrative from the 'Old Guard': Matty emphasizes treating all customers with care, not just big spenders—a contrast to previous generations of card shops.
  • “I don’t care how much you come in and spend. I love every single kid... I’m going to treat you the same way as the guy that comes in and spends a thousand dollars.” (05:13, Matty Rich)
• Longtime Commitment: Matty’s customer service roots run deep, with 20 years’ experience before returning to cards full-time.

3. Building a Physical Community in a Digital Age

• The Store as an Escape: Matty’s shop intentionally avoids divisive topics, focusing on happiness and camaraderie.
  • “We want this to be an escape from the real world... make it a happy place.” (07:55, Matty Rich)
• In-Store Dynamics: Visitors become friends, average visits run over an hour, and spontaneous trades and connections happen daily.

4. The Surprise Diversity of Collectors

• Collectors span all demographics: “You can’t look at someone and tell they’re a collector... The guy you think will spend a dollar, spends $500.” (10:51, Matty Rich)
• Pokémon popularity reaches across all ages, even non-players collecting for art, nostalgia, and personal taste.

5. The Treasure Hunt & Nostalgia

• The Emotional Draw: The thrill of opening packs, hunting for hits, and reliving childhood memories anchors the hobby.
  • “Opening a pack of cards brings you right back to your childhood... It’s almost kind of like a treasure hunt.” (13:34, Matty Rich)

6. Business Mechanics and Sourcing Product

• Getting Stock Is Hard: Sourcing product is the toughest part, requiring networking, hustle, and relationships with distributors and other shop owners.
  • "The hardest part of the business is sourcing product." (16:09, Matty Rich)
• Earning Retailer Status: Becoming an official Topps dealer “represents excellence”—not every shop qualifies.

7. Breaking: The Rise of Live Stream Sales & Community

• Explaining Breaking: Matty shares how he started with live group breaks—selling slots in expensive boxes so more people could participate for less money.
  • “Breaking is an online show... one person can buy that thousand dollar box... or you can do a group break..." (16:50, Matty Rich)
• Community + Transparency: All cards are opened live on camera for transparency. It’s as much about the experience as the cards.
• Huge Market: The business is big—Matty knows breakers doing “over a million dollars a month in sales.” (21:02, Matty Rich)
• Live Shopping Evolution: Platforms like Whatnot and Fanatics Live gamify live sales, making it social, interactive, and fun.

8. Transitioning from Breaks to Retail

• Human Connection: Matty left full-time breaking for retail to reconnect face-to-face, valuing relationships over isolation.
  • “I wanted to be around people again. The only time I was around people was at a show...” (24:09, Matty Rich)

9. The Challenge of Expansion

• Scaling the Family Experience: The shop is family-owned/run, and Matty recognizes the difficulty of duplicating that intimate experience across locations.

10. The Future—Physical vs. Digital Collectibles

• Industry Growth: Projections see the market 5x in five years; Matty’s bullish as Topps and Fanatics innovate.
• Physical vs. Digital: The digital craze (NFTs, Top Shot) had its moment, but many want tangible cards in hand.
  • “A lot of guys... want to hold that physical asset... as opposed to pushing, playing a computer and watching LeBron make a layup and saying, I own that.” (29:31, Matty Rich)
• The Hybrid Approach: Some video games are introducing collectibles to a new generation; the digital-physical “and” is gaining traction.

11. Trade Nights & Youth Development

• Kids are major participants at trade nights, handling big trades and learning real-world business and social skills.
• Deeper Than Cards: Card shops impart real experiences—money management, negotiation, interpersonal skills—to kids.
  • “It’s so much bigger than cards, man. I love every aspect of the hobby, really do.” (33:08, Matty Rich)

12. Long-Term Ethics

• Matty credits his success to hard work, honesty, and “playing the long game,” sharing that newfound transparency and integrity are key to building trust.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Creating Community and Joy:
  • “We want everyone to feel at home... It’s an escape from the real world.” (07:55, Matty Rich)
• On the Joys of Collecting:
  • “If you’re not collecting nothing, you’re collecting dust, baby.” (13:23, Matty Rich)
• On The Power of Physical Cards:
  • "...when you look at a Pokémon card, it is like staring at a piece of art." (12:25, Ryan Alford)
• On Live Breaking as Business:
  • “I have a friend right now that makes over a million dollars a month breaking.” (21:05, Matty Rich)
• On Doing the Right Thing:
  • “It’s so easy to do the right thing when everyone’s watching, but what are you doing when no one's watching?” (33:22, Matty Rich)
• On Running a Family Business:
  • "It's really hard to duplicate... our store's personality, which consists of me and my family." (26:13, Matty Rich)
• On the Hobby’s Deeper Value:
  • “You’re teaching children the value of a tangible asset... learning interaction and social skills. That takes a lot for a 12-year-old to walk up to a man like you and say, 'Excuse me, sir, would you like to buy this card from me?'” (32:26, Matty Rich)

Key Timestamps

• 00:54 – Matty describes his goal to create an “experience,” not just a store
• 04:49 – Ryan and Matty contrast old shops with Matty’s inclusive approach
• 07:55 – Matty emphasizes the shop’s role as a joyful community escape
• 10:51 – The diversity and unpredictability of collectors’ backgrounds
• 13:23 – The essence of collecting and nostalgia
• 16:09 – The challenge of sourcing product and building supplier relationships
• 16:50-18:49 – Matty explains group breaking and its evolution
• 21:02 – Massive financial scale of breaking businesses
• 24:09 – Why Matty transitioned from breaking to retail for human connection
• 26:13 – Challenges of expansion and the importance of family in the business
• 28:11-29:43 – The future: industry growth, physical vs. digital collectibles, and market trends
• 32:26 – The educational and developmental benefits of the hobby for kids
• 33:22 – Importance of ethics, honesty, and long-term reputation in the business

The Hobby Lives Here—Conclusion

Matty Rich exemplifies the new wave of trading card entrepreneurship, focused as much on fostering empathy and community as chasing profit. His story spotlights how meaningful the card hobby can be: a place for nostalgia, learning, friendship, and personal connection. Whether you’re a veteran collector, a parent with kids, or curious about today’s booming scene, Rich’s approach and this episode offer both inspiration and tangible insight into why “the hobby lives here.”

Find Matty Rich and Brian Sports Cards on Instagram (@bryan_sports_cards), Facebook, and at their Greenville, SC location (500 Congaree Road, Unit 8102).

(Ad/Outro and non-content sections omitted as requested.)