Trading card scalpers are people who buy trading cards, whether they be baseball cards or something more modern, and resell the rarest ones online for prices that can sometimes be up to quadruple what was originally offered for it.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a practice that\u2019s unavoidable and often infuriating for both collectors and players. James \u201cJT\u201d Savage was inspired by a firsthand experience with it to open up a trading card store of his own.<\/p>\n
He and his son \u201cweren\u2019t able to find Pokemon cards anywhere because of people scalping them \u2026 I decided cutting out that middleman and starting my own shop would make things easier for us,\u201d Savage said.<\/p>\n
His store, Final Boss, has grown since then and opened up a second location in the Midvalley in addition to its original location in Hawley. Its original spot was on Route 6 in Dickson City, but shortly after opening in August, it moved into a much bigger space on Commerce Boulevard in December due to the sheer amount of business the store was getting.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe outgrew that space \u2026 this one\u2019s been empty for a while now, so it wasn\u2019t too hard to move into,\u201d said Savage.<\/p>\n
Final Boss primarily sells trading cards, from those based on already existing properties like Pok\u00e9mon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and One Piece, to ones that aren\u2019t, like Magic: The Gathering. They also sell board games and items related to the popular tabletop games Warhammer 40000 and Dungeons and Dragons, as well as a large assortment of the dice needed to play such games. If someone has interests that skew toward any of these things, chances are they\u2019ll find plenty of items related to that interest at the store.<\/p>\n
The store also holds a variety of events throughout the week, from card game tournaments to board game nights. Some tournaments have small entrance fees, while others don\u2019t. But there is always free tablespace for people to come in and play their own games, whether a tournament is going on or not.<\/p>\n
Final Boss also isn\u2019t limited to hardcore players: Newcomers are more than welcome, as are parents and kids who are just curious or trying to collect certain cards.<\/p>\n
Many of those who found the space shortly after it opened, such as Josh Zellers of Olyphant, were drawn to its friendly and inclusive atmosphere.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a nice place to come and relax after work,\u201d Zellers said. \u201cThere\u2019s no time limit for the tables, so there\u2019s no rush to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
The store and Savage are also more than willing to give back when those in the community are in need. They\u2019ve organized tournament fundraisers to benefit those who are going through hard times like house fires and flooding, with all of the entrance fees and more being given to the ones who are in need.<\/p>\n
They also honor those in the community who have passed away by raising money for their families. Recently, a fundraising and One Piece tournament night was held in memory of Jordan Lake, a frequent customer who loved playing and collecting the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe night was packed, and they raised so much money for his family,\u201d said Hunter Bowman, another regular customer and friend of Lake\u2019s. \u201cI don\u2019t know if I would ever go anywhere else; they have so much heart for their community.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen people walk in the door, it\u2019s never about pushing them to buy products and then sending them out. They can stay and look around for as long as they want,\u201d Savage said.<\/p>\n
Final Boss is located at 1029 Commerce Blvd., and is open from noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to midnight on Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.<\/p>\n
For up-to-date information about the latest events and newest products, check out the Final Boss Cards and Tabletop \u2013 Dickson City<\/a> Facebook page or go to finalbosscards.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Check it out<\/p>\n Final Boss is located at 1029 Commerce Blvd., Dickson City, and is open from noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to midnight on Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.<\/p>\n