Austin, TX — Former University of Texas basketball standout and NBA player Mo Bamba is returning to his Longhorn roots with the opening of Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles, a new destination for sports cards, Pokémon and other trading card games, and memorabilia opening Friday, September 11 at 2350 Guadalupe Street, directly across from The University of Texas at Austin campus.
Photo courtesy: Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles
Designed to be as much a collector clubhouse as a retail store, Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles pairs the nostalgia and sense of discovery of the neighborhood card shops many collectors grew up visiting with a modern, elevated experience built around today’s booming collectibles culture. Welcoming both seasoned collectors and newcomers alike, the store encourages customers to stay awhile with lounge seating, communal tables for trading, game play and opening boxes, and a large TV wall streaming sporting events and collector-focused programming.
The store arrives amid a resurgence in trading cards and collectibles, as a longtime hobby continues to expand across sports, entertainment and gaming and attract a new generation of collectors. Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles is designed for both sides of the hobby, offering high-end “1 of 1” cards for experienced collectors while remaining approachable and value-priced for someone walking into a card shop or opening a pack for the first time.
Photo courtesy: Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles
For Bamba, bringing the concept to Guadalupe Street marks a full-circle return to the neighborhood where his own basketball career took off. Bamba played for the Texas Longhorns during the 2017–18 season, earning Big 12 All-Defensive Team and All-Newcomer Team honors before being selected No. 6 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. Now, just steps from the Forty Acres, he is creating a new gathering place for Austin collectors, sports fans, students and families.
“Austin is where a lot of things really started for me, so we were very intentional in selecting a location that was right across from UT and accessible to the students,” said Bamba. “I wanted to create the kind of card shop I’d actually want to hang out in — a place where you can come in looking for a specific card, rip a pack, watch a game, make a trade or just talk sports with people who are into the same things you are. There’s nothing like that feeling of not knowing what you’re going to find, and I want people to have that here. I also want to tell stories and give customers a museum-like experience when they come in. The artwork and displays are all connected to meaningful things in my life, but also designed to resonate with collectors.”
The store’s carefully curated inventory spans major sports including football, baseball, basketball, soccer and hockey, alongside entertainment and trading card games including Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece, Magic: The Gathering and more. A museum-inspired display area will showcase rare and limited-edition cards with an art-gallery-inspired presentation, while an organized “wax wall” offers sealed packs and boxes across a range of interests and price points.
Bamba’s own story is also woven throughout the space, from autographed jerseys and memorabilia from his basketball career, to custom artwork celebrating his Ivorian-American roots. An interactive photo opportunity invites visitors to measure up against a mural of Bamba’s famed 7-foot-10-inch wingspan, adding a playful, personal element to the store experience.
For collectors looking to buy, sell or better understand their collections, Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles will offer consignment opportunities, grading services and expert collector guidance. Staff will help customers assess card rarity and market value, determine whether a card may warrant professional grading and how to make more informed decisions about their collections in an increasingly sophisticated collectibles marketplace. Subscription and loyalty programs will offer added benefits for frequent collectors and hobbyists.
Community programming will further extend the experience beyond the shelves. Monthly trade nights, VIP collector events, and in-store live breaks will give Austin collectors recurring opportunities to meet, trade and connect. Topps TV and major sporting events will regularly stream across the store’s TV wall, and the space will also be available for private parties and collector gatherings.
The result is a modern take on the neighborhood card shop many collectors remember from childhood — a place where collectors can chase a rare card or belly-up to the bargain bin and sift through in search of hidden gems with potential upside. More than a place to shop, Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles is a space to make a trade, talk sports and spend time with people who share the same enthusiasm for collecting.
Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles officially opens on Friday, September 11 at 2350 Guadalupe Street. Public Grand Opening festivities will kick off at 10 a.m. with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mo Bamba, followed by the opportunity for Austinites to shop the new store, meet Bamba and enter-to-win exclusive giveaways throughout the day. The store will be open Friday, September 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with celebrations continuing Saturday, September 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Regular store hours will begin Sunday, September 13, with the store open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information, visit mobambacollects.com and follow on social media @mobambacollects.
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About Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles
Founded by former Texas Longhorn and NBA player Mo Bamba, Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles is an Austin destination for sports cards, trading card games, memorabilia and collector culture. Located at 2350 Guadalupe Street across from The University of Texas at Austin, the store reimagines the neighborhood card shop as an elevated, welcoming place to shop, trade, play and connect. Its offerings span sports and entertainment collectibles, sealed products, singles, autographed memorabilia, resale and consignment, grading services and expert collector guidance, alongside year-round trade nights, gaming events, watch parties and collector gatherings. For more information, visit mobambacollects.com and follow on social media @mobambacollects.
Photo courtesy: Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles