LOUPE LAUNCHES SEARCH FOR AMERICA’S BEST CARD SHOP

Even as technology continues to change the industry and how we collect, the hobby shop remains the cornerstone where cards, collecting and community come together. Loupe is launching a competition to find the best card shop in the United States.

“One of Loupe’s founding principles is to help the local card shops around America that serve as the backbone of this entire hobby,” said Eric Doty, Loupe’s founder and CEO. “It’s an objective that we take very seriously, but we also want to have some fun with it.”

e winning store will receive a prize package that includes:

• $25,000 towards store improvements

• $2,000 Best Buy gi card

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• 1,000 VistaPrint gi card

• An exclusive deal on Loupe’s streaming platform

• A new iOS device to stream on

• Professionally produced branding for logo and video

• Loupe-sponsored trade night

• In-store athlete appearance

Loupe has partnered with several other companies for America’s Best Hobby Shop including Topps, the Miami Marlins and Blowout Cards.

To be considered, shops must be primarily sports card and memorabilia focused. Because it’s America’s Best Hobby Shop, only stores located in the United States are eligible. Among the criteria is how welcoming and inclusive the store is, being an active part of the community and that the store is a place where new collectors can go and learn about the hobby.

A er entries are gathered, the selection panel will narrow the field down to four finalists. at panel includes Doty, AJ Dillon of the Green Bay Packers, Women of the Hobby co-founder Susan Lulgjuraj, Topps Project70 artists and music artist DJ Skee, and Kevin O’Neil, Hobby Sales Director at Topps.

Once the four finalists are announced, the community will vote for the winner.

America’s Best Card Shop will be named in the summer at the National Sports Collectors Convention, which runs July 27-31 in Atlantic City.