The story
From childhood packs to card show tables.
I grew up opening the original Wizards of the Coast Pokemon sets. Packs were something I would get after gym practice, and trading cards followed me all the way through grade school. Like a lot of collectors, those early memories became part of the background of growing up: the artwork, the trades, the binder pages, and the feeling of hoping the next pack had something unforgettable inside.
During Covid, I found my old collection again. That moment brought back a wave of nostalgia and reminded me why Pokemon had meant so much in the first place. What started as revisiting old memories quickly turned into ripping modern booster boxes, especially sets like Evolving Skies, and chasing near complete runs of Blastoise and Snorlax: my original starter and my favorite Pokemon.
From there, the hobby kept evolving for me. I started grading pieces from my collection and displaying slabs around my house. Then my interests shifted toward trading slabs and singles into rarer, more meaningful items. After enough buying, trading, and meeting other collectors, I started vending at small local shows, then larger national shows. Rip Social grew out of that journey.
The best part has never been just the cards themselves. It has been the people, the conversations, and the collection stories that come with them.