A father and son’s shared passion for team memorabilia and trading cards just turned into a business for all sports aficionados.
It wasn’t until CAM’s Cards and Collectibles opened last Saturday that the Meyers family realized the collector community is alive and well on Whidbey Island. Like Chad Meyer, who co-owns the shop with his wife Abby, many have in fact had to drive as far as Bellingham and Marysville to procure their hobbyist goods.
Less than a week after debuting at 665 Southeast Pioneer Way in Oak Harbor, most customers have already returned for more, Chad said, describing the community’s support as “overwhelming.”
The shop is brought by the very family behind “The Seahawks House,” the home on Miller Road that every year turns into a Seattle Seahawks wonderland for Christmas. In the Island County Sheriff’s Office Holiday Lights Competition’s two years of existence, the Meyers have been crowned twice.
Upgrading his passion into a job brings Chad back to the 1990s, back when he was a regular at the local — and now closed — King’s Cards store in Oak Harbor.
Once an avid collector, he lost interest when he attended college, though the love for sports never went away.
While coaching Oak Harbor children in soccer, basketball and football, Chad rediscovered his love for collecting with his 11-year-old son Hunter, who plays football, soccer and basketball and dreams of becoming a professional basketball player.
Hunter has been having fun helping his parents by greeting customers and showing them cards. His older sister Tessa, who is a member of the Oak Harbor High School swim team, also gives a hand whenever she can.
While she was never into trading cards, Abby, another game enthusiast and former college basketball player, said she is slowly getting into it.
Shelves of boxed and “raw” — or unwrapped — cards, figurines, card binders and sleeves, as well as signed baseball bats, balls, pictures, jerseys and miniature and regular-sized helmets occupy the spaces not filled out by life-sized athlete wall stickers and mini pennants. Even the rugs on the floor, the clock on the wall and the cloth on the small table are sports-themed.
The majority of the items are handpicked by Chad, who described himself as a “die hard Seahawks fan, die hard Seattle sports fan.” Hence, most of CAM’s offerings pay homage to Seattle-area teams and athletes, such as the authentic Seahawks helmet signed by Steve Largent and Jim Zorn, and the Seattle Mariners jersey signed by Julio Rodríguez, while also providing options for the fans of the Lakers, the Dallas Cowboys and other non-local teams.
Living in a military community where new people from all over the country come and go all the time, Chad has fun bringing in basketball, hockey, baseball and soccer merch for all tastes.
Those not interested in sports may enjoy a wide collection of Pokémon cards, or could grab a snack while playing with the NBA Superstars arcade game.
The over 100 mini pennants on the wall are also part of a contest, with big prizes for the winners — like, most recently, a Dallas Cowboys signed jersey. For $5, visitors can lift one pennant. If they don’t see anything on the back of the pennant, they get to simply take it home. If there is a number on the back, then they get to win a prize.
The Meyers welcome community members to share their passion for sports and collectibles. For more information, visit CAM’s Cards and Collectibles on Facebook or call 360-672-9670.
Chad Meyer, a local coach and lifelong sports enthusiast, poses with some card boxes offered at CAM’s Cards and Collectibles. (Photo by Luisa Loi)
Hunter Meyer, an 11-year-old who dreams of becoming a professional basketball player, plays with the NBA Jam. (Photo by Luisa Loi)
At left, Emily Lamb, Taylor Puckett and Hunter Meyer look at cards. (Photo by Luisa Loi)