Trading Card Headquarters: Austin man opens Rail Yard Sports Cards
Released Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.
Mike Cunningham recently opened Rail Yard Sports Cards near Todd Park. Photo by Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Mike Cunningham of Austin has long been an avid sports card collector and now makes his collection available to the public through Railyard Sports Cards, a store where people can buy, sell and trade sports cards and memorabilia.
RYSC is scheduled to open in July 2024 and will host a trading event on August 30 from 3pm to 7pm.
“This is just the beginning,” Cunningham said. “We’re just getting the word out and getting people online to find out.”
The store is located at 2205 NE 11th Ave., along the railroad tracks near Todd Park. The place was owned by Cunningham’s father, who worked for the railroad for nearly 40 years. Before that, it was a tavern.
“This was my father’s retreat, but he passed away two years ago,” Cunningham says, “so when I received it as an inheritance, I thought I should do something with it.”
Cunningham created a cozy environment with a brightly lit display case out front, autographed jerseys from Deion Sanders and Justin Jefferson line the walls and old-school sports memorabilia lines the shelves.
It’s a setup Cunningham never dreamed of as a boy growing up in Austin, hunting down and buying cards.
“I’ve built up a good collection,” Cunningham said, “and all the cards in here are mine, and we buy, sell and trade cards.”
Austin has been without a sports card store for a long time, and Cunningham was excited to fill that void.
Cunningham graduated from Austin High School in 2000 after a decorated wrestling career that included placing second and third at the state tournament twice and being selected as a two-time state representative.
He also played football for the Packers and then wrestled at Augustana and RCTC, where he was named an All-American.
Cunningham has always been involved in sports, currently working as a trainer for HUSH, coaching children, teens and Bruins players. He has also acquired cards of Bruins players who have gone pro, and is currently following the career of former Bruin player Sutter Muzzatti, who was drafted by the Nashville Predators in 2023.
“I’ve collected some Bruins cards in the past, but I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on a Sutter card soon,” Cunningham said, “I’ve worked with him personally, so that’ll be pretty cool.”
Cunningham said the store will be open from 4pm to 7pm on Thursdays while it tries to maximise the impact of the story online, and will continue to host shows in the future.
For more information about the store, check out their Facebook page.