It started with a pack of cards
Like a lot of kids in the '90s, I got hooked on ripping packs and trading with friends. That hobby landed me a job behind the counter of a local card shop, Dave & Adam's Card World, and that job turned into a career that's now lasted more than 30 years.
In 2005, I founded Miniature Market, an online hobby game store selling board games, miniatures, trading card games, and role-playing games. Over 16 years, it grew into one of the largest online retailers in the hobby game industry, with two stores in the St. Louis area. But cards were always my first love, so in 2021, I sold the business and came home to the hobby.
How we got here
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1990s
Hooked on cards
Steven starts collecting as a kid, which leads to a job behind the counter of a local card shop, Dave & Adam's Card World.
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2005
Miniature Market is founded
An online hobby game store that grows into one of the largest in its industry, with two St. Louis stores.
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2021
Back to cards
Steven sells Miniature Market to return to his first love.
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2022January 2022
Sports Card Market opens
A shop up front and shipping in the back, in Manchester, Missouri.
3,200 sq ft -
2024Spring 2024
Trading card games join the shelves
Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece, and Lorcana arrive.
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2024Summer 2024
A new name and a bigger home
We become Trading Card Market and move around the corner, with room for a bigger shop and warehouse.
5,000 sq ft -
2026January 2026
A dedicated warehouse in Fenton
Shipping moves to its own building, and the Manchester shop takes over all 5,000 sq ft.
25,000 sq ft -
2026October 2026
Our second store opens in Arnold
Two shops in the St. Louis area, plus the Fenton warehouse.
- Top Quality StoreRated 4.8 stars on Google
- 4.9 stars10,000+ product reviews on the Shop app
- 10,000+Products
- 50+ countriesand all 50 states shipped to
The trucks tell the story
In the early days, the same UPS and USPS drivers who stopped at every business on the block picked up our packages each afternoon, scanning them one at a time as they loaded up. Now a USPS semi and a UPS freight truck back up to our dock every day, and orders roll out on pallets. Tens of thousands of them every year.
Every online order runs through Fenton, including buy online, pick up in store, with our own driver making the run to both shops daily. Those packages have reached every state, more than 50 countries, and service members at
military bases overseas. Being in the middle of the country helps, too: a box heading to New York gets there about as fast as one headed to California.
Behind it all is a team of 25 people. We are a Topps Authorized Direct Partner, and an authorized retailer for the other brands we carry. For older and hard-to-find items, we work with carefully vetted third-party sources.
For all that growth, this is still an entrepreneur-built, locally owned business, not a faceless marketplace. Every order supports a St. Louis team that loves this hobby as much as you do.
Big hits happen here
Sometimes the best moments show up after the box ships. One customer ordered a 2022-23 Bowman Chrome University Basketball Hobby Box online, cracked it open, and pulled a Caitlin Clark 1/1 Superfractor Auto, the only one in existence. He reached out to share it, and honestly, we were just as excited as he was.
More than a store
Got cards to sell? Bring them by. Our stores buy singles and collections, both raw and graded. You'll also find singles for sale, open play, tournaments, and pre-release and release events. We're also proud to have supported local schools and community sports teams over the years. Have a cause in the St. Louis area? Let us know.
Stay connected
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for new releases, giveaways, and hobby news. Have a question? Chat with us online, email support@tradingcardmarket.com, or call 314-706-1404. We'd love to hear from you.
Thanks for supporting a small business that grew up in this hobby. Whether you're chasing your first rookie or your next 1/1, we're glad you're here.
Steven Lucinski, Founder & CEO