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Rob Ansalone turned his childhood hobby into a side business. Now he’s opening a card shop in his hometown.
Rob Ansalone grew up going to sports card shows with his father and friends. He drifted away from collecting as he got older, spending 15 years as an insurance broker while also working in fitness.
Now his childhood hobby is about to become his full-time job. Ansalone is opening Replay Sports Cards at 2156 Bellmore Ave. in Bellmore. The national chain’s first Long Island shop will hold its grand opening Saturday, Nov. 21.
Ansalone got back into collecting while working from home during the pandemic. He browsed eBay, bought rookie cards of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady, and learned about grading.
“I really got into it and had a side business where I was moving a lot of cards,” Ansalone said.
Replay Sports Cards is a full-service card shop that buys, sells, trades, and grades cards. They are a national chain with franchises currently located across the U.S., including North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas and Tennessee.
A family hobby
When his older son, Dominic, started collecting at age 7, the two would head to Ansalone’s parents’ house to go through his old cards. His younger son, Vincent, is 4½ and loves opening packs of WWE cards.
“Although we drive my wife Nikki crazy constantly talking about cards and overtaking the dining room table, she fully supports the hobby and family bonding,” Ansalone said.
The passion for sports and the hobby growth led him to start searching for a sports card store franchise with great support. As it turns out, one of Replay’s founders, Mike Martin, is originally from Bellmore.
“I loved that Mike knows the area so well and we share a lot of the same visions,” said Ansalone. “The other founders are great guys as well and all share the same outlook in connecting, families, cards and community.”
And the expectation is that the community will embrace the new destination point for card collectors and that it will bring family and friends together.
“I want Replay to be the local spot that kids are excited to ride their bikes to and meet up with their friends and a place where parents and grandparents can enjoy opening packs together with their kids and grandkids,” Ansalone said.
What to expect at Replay
The shop will buy, sell and trade cards and offer grading services. Collectors will find sealed boxes, graded cards and high-end singles, along with $1 and $5 bins.
Ansalone plans to host trade nights, team nights and birthday parties. The shop’s TVs will show live sports and stream card breaks from Replay’s Charlotte location. Customers can scan a QR code to buy into the live box openings.
Ansalone also wants to help young collectors learn how to assess a card’s condition, look up its value and negotiate a trade. He plans to work with local youth leagues, PTAs and charities. Through the company’s Replay Gives Back program, he hopes to help more kids start or build their collections.
“Children who may not otherwise have the opportunity to access cards or start a collection can experience the joy of opening cards or getting a cool card of their favorite team or
player,” said Ansalone. “It’s all about giving back and helping kids start or add to their collection.”
And don’t be surprised if there are some days or nights when a current or former athlete makes an appearance at the store.
“Definitely would love to have them visit,” said Ansalone. “It’s amazing how many athletes are collectors or are getting into cards. It would be great to give someone a rare card of themselves, memorabilia or even something of theirs that they didn’t even know existed.”
Follow Replay Sports Cards in Bellmore on Facebook and Instagram at @ReplayBellmore.
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