Owner Steve Conery opened the store at 617 N. Stephenson Ave. in Iron Mountain on Feb. 1, 2023.

A year later, he expanded to provide an area that focuses on trading cards.

“The card market is booming again,” Conery said. “The extra room now allows me to display hundreds of graded cards — that stuff is big now.”

The long-time collector tries to offer things a little different than other sellers.

Conery Sports has been in business at 617 N. Stephenson Ave. in Iron Mountain since Feb. 1, 2023.

“I put together unique sets of graded cards — everyone can have that one same card,” he said. “This is something I have done for a long time.”

In today’s market, a perfect grade 10 card can go for thousands of dollars.

“People aren’t afraid to come in and spend $500 to $600. They look at it as an investment,” said Conery, adding individual packs and boxes are also graded.

Conery Sports carries a large variety of sports cards — baseball, football, basketball and hockey — by the single pack and box sets.

He has had customers pull $1,000 cards out of boxes sold at the store. “Card breaks are the luck of the draw,” he said. “It’s like playing the lottery.”

Vintage baseball cards, including those of Bob Feller and Ted Williams, are displayed at Conery Sports.

Many collectors seek out specific years in hopes to find that “rookie card” or “limited edition card.”

Tom Brady’s rookie year packs sell for $400, but if you are lucky enough to get one it can go for $100,000, Conery said.

Although the current single packages do not come with bubble gum anymore, young customers can still find some vintage gum packs in the shop.

Inventory is always changing with his continuous buying, selling and trading.

Some of the top rookie cards Conery has sold over the years include Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle and Aaron Rodgers.

One Conery wishes he still had in his possession was his 1952 Mickey Mantle rookie card that he sold 25 years ago for $10,000.

“That same card in that condition today would probably go for $100,000,” he said. “But I’m in the business to sell.”

Even “Monopoly” has broken into the card business, coming out with their own trading card game.

“No one plays the game — they are getting them for the cards,” he said.

Conery also offers grading services through PSA and SGC — Trading Card Authentication and Grading. Collectors can submit the cards through the store and they come back graded on a scale from 1 to 10.

He advised that anyone who is interested in the hobby go online to find out the guidelines on collecting.

In addition to attending national card shows, Conery has promoted several local events over the years. Some of his guests were Ray Nitschke, Kevin Tapani, Warren Spahn and Bob Feller.

“I passed up on chances to get Brett Favre and Derek Jeter — at the time, they were just coming out,” he said, noting he was trying to get someone more popular, which turned out to be a mistake.

Conery is currently working on getting a guest for an in-store or off-site card show.

The store sells non-sports collectible cards as well, including Pokemon.

When the card market died in the late 1980s, Conery expanded to include collectibles and apparel. “I had to change with the times,” he said.

Browsers also can find many autographed pieces, from jerseys, helmets, balls to game-worn shoes. Among those include Babe Ruth, Walter Payton, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Reggie White, Bart Starr and Muhammad Ali.

“I even have signs and pieces of turf from stadiums,” he said. “I also have several framed newspapers from big sporting events.”

He recently obtained a collection of several vintage bobbleheads and ticket stubs from the Yankees-Pirates World Series in 1927.

The shop has a wide selection of jerseys, hats, flags and apparel.

“I try to have a little bit of everything in stock,” he said.

Conery said a few of the hot sought-after athletes right now are Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy, Victor Wembanyama and Connor Bedard.

Jordan Love and Aiden Hutchenson merchandise continues to be one of his top sellers.

“It changes — athletes that are successful in their sport, it sells,” Conery said.

Popularity is also dictated by the sports season.

In addition he also carries non-sports collectibles such as comic books, stamps, coins … and Elvis signatures.

He’s always looking for something different. “It’s a crazy business,” he said, adding if he doesn’t have it in the store, he will get it for his customers.

Conery has been selling online since 1999, with many repeat customers from all over the world, including Switzerland, Australia, Germany and Egypt.

He also will do some consignment. “It depends on what it is — it would need to be of higher value,” he said.

The 40-plus-years collector sold his first card in 1978, at age 18. “I let go of a few cards to generate money to buy more cards — that’s how it took off,” he said. Initially he focused on baseball cards.

He started his card-trading business in his basement about 1981. “I had millions of cards at one point,” he said.

His 90-year-old grandmother would sort through boxes of cards to make sets for him, Conery said. “She enjoyed it — she would tell everyone not to touch her table,” he said.

He eventually started doing trade and vendor shows and now a storefront. Conery credits his girlfriend, Keri Carlson, for the push to open the shop.

Conery retired from his full-time job at Louisiana-Pacific in November 2019 after 32 years. “I retired to work six days a week, but I love it,” he said. “I will probably never get out of it, because it’s my passion.”

Grandson Caleb Conery, who is almost 17, works at the store and is knowledgeable in cards. His sister, Lynn Conery, also helps out at the store when needed.

Conery added that he didn’t pass down his passion for collecting to his two sons, Jason and Ryan. “They would joke they would have a free sale,” he said.

His personal collection has items from Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees and Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears.

“But if the price is right, it goes,” he said. “I’m not sentimental about items.”

Conery Sports is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

His motto is “if the phone rings, he’s open.”

For more information or questions, call 906-396-1597 or go to the Conery Sports Facebook page.

Terri Castelaz can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 241, or tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com.

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