Hobby Musings: Skybox Collectibles Gearing Up For Exciting Summer – While adventuring around the state of Connecticut, I had the chance to visit Skybox Collectibles for the first time. While there, I caught up with store production manager, Alex Judge, to find out a little more about the shop and their plans for the year.
Hobby Musings: Skybox Collectibles Gearing Up For Exciting Summer – Interview
Hobby Musings: Skybox Collectibles Gearing Up For Exciting Summer – Interview Transcript
Editor’s note: Interview was originally taped May 17. Some text has been altered from original audio for grammar and clarity.
KS: Can you give me a little bit of history about the shop?
AJ: Skybox Collectibles. We opened up in 2019. We didn’t move into this location until 2021. It is family-owned by Albert Cabral and his brother Steve, and I run the store. The goal was to just have an accessible place for all types of card products, and we carry all types of sports and TCG products. There really wasn’t a lot of other stores in Fairfield County. So, right now, we’ve really built a great customer base here, and we’re just continuing to grow and do more things for our customers and have just a huge variety of product for the customer.
KS: We’re in Connecticut, pretty close to New York. What is selling the best right now?
AJ: For us, Pokemon is really, really big as far as TCG-wise. Currently, Bowman 24 just came out, so we’re selling a ton of that. The blasters have been flying just because of how many autos people are pulling one-of-ones out of them. So it’s just a great value at around $30 a box. And this week, we have a bunch of soccer releases. We have Finest. Donruss Soccer, so you’re chasing Kabooms there. La Liga. So, this has been very popular for us this week as well. Optic Football retail came out ahead of hobby. So hobby will be coming out in June. This has been flying if we can get it. Unfortunately, we’ve been having to charge a little higher on these to obtain it, but this has been really popular. Downtown’s always a big chase. Right now that’s kind of this week, at least, what’s been going.
KS: Overall, what do you think is the state of the market right now?
AJ: I feel like we’re in a very good place. I think, obviously, in 2020 -21, there was a huge high. Obviously, it came down a little bit from that. But I think over the last year, calendar year, we’ve been in a really steady state of market. I think a lot of people that are in it are true collectors. You know, there are obviously always going to be the flippers. But I think right now, the market is very stable. Single cards are flying. People at shows buying at 90, 95%. So to me, that shows that the market is good. A lot of the products coming out are staying pretty stable as well as price.
KS: Overall, what big events do you have coming up for your shop soon?
AJ: As far as shows, we’re at Fenway Card Show this weekend, and then in a couple weeks we’re going to be going to Mohegan Sun for that card show. It’s the first time we’re doing those two, and then we do have in June kind of a kick off the summer event in the store. I can’t share a lot of details about it yet, but we should be releasing that very soon. By the time you watch this video, hopefully all the details will be out, but essentially we really want to do something for our customers. Kind of kick off summer before everyone kind of goes away and does things. We’ll do something fun here in the store.
KS: Overall, what do you think is going to be kind of an under-the-radar thing for the hobby this year in terms of popularity?
AJ: Well, I was just at the Topps conference, and they announced that they’re going to be releasing a lot of football and basketball products this year. They are essentially unlicensed still, at least for another year or so, but I think given the signers that they have, Wemby, Lebron, and then some of the football guys that just got drafted, they’re going all be signing in these Topps products, so I think Panini will still have theirs, but I think if you’re really looking for autographs for these top players, you’re going to have to go to Topps, and I think those products are going be pretty exciting for this year.
Kelsey’s ability to bring hobby coverage to the mainstream sports fan has been a true asset. GTS is happy to feature his thoughts on collecting in Hobby Musings. The opinions expressed are his and do not necessarily reflect those of GTS Distribution.
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