Today we’d like to introduce you to Khoa To.
Hi Khoa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
It actually started pretty simply. When our kids were younger, every time we shopped we would purchase a few Pokémon packs for the kids to open. It was fun seeing the kids packs battling and traded with each other, but as the kids got older, we eventually moved on to other things and stopped collecting for a while.
Then one day, our son was going through his old LEGO box and found his Pokémon binder tucked away inside. He brought it out, and looking through those cards brought back a lot of memories for all of us. We started talking about the cards again, and before we knew it, we were buying packs and collecting again.
This was during COVID, when Pokémon was bigger than ever and finding packs was incredibly difficult. We started looking everywhere we could, learning more about the hobby, and meeting other collectors along the way. What started as our family getting back into something we enjoyed slowly turned into something much bigger.
We never really set out with the plan to open a card shop. It just kept growing, one step at a time, until one day we realized this had become a big part of our lives. And that’s really how T2 came to be.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Every business has its own obstacles and struggles, and ours is no different. One of our biggest challenges has been getting enough product, especially with limited allocations, a high-demand resale market, and competition from card shows. Through all of that, we’ve stayed committed to our goal of building a strong community and earning the trust of our customers.
It’s taken time, consistency, and a lot of learning along the way, but we’ve kept moving forward. For us, building a community and creating a place where people feel welcomed has become just as important as having products on the shelves.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about T2 Trading Cards & Collectibles?
T2 Trading Cards & Collectibles started from our family’s love of Pokémon and collecting. What started as something we enjoyed doing together eventually grew into a business and a community that we’re really proud of.
We specialize in Pokémon and other trading card games, offering sealed products, singles, graded cards, accessories, and a place for collectors and players to come together. But we’ve always wanted T2 to be more than just a store where people come in, buy something, and leave. We wanted to create a place where people feel comfortable, whether they’re a longtime collector, a competitive player, or someone who is just getting into the hobby.
What sets us apart is really our community. We’ve built T2 around being welcoming, honest, and treating people the way we would want to be treated. We’re proud of the relationships we’ve built with our customers and the fact that many of them have become friends and continue to support us along the way.
At the end of the day, we’re still collectors and fans ourselves. We understand the excitement of opening a pack, finding a card you’ve been looking for, or sharing the hobby with your family. That’s the experience we want to keep creating at T2—a place where people can enjoy the hobby, meet others who share the same passion, and hopefully make some good memories along the way.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My biggest advice is to be patient and don’t expect everything to happen overnight. There’s a lot more that goes into running a card shop than just buying and selling cards. You have to learn the market, manage inventory, build relationships, and most importantly, build trust with your customers.
I also wish I knew earlier how important the community would be. Your customers are more than just customers—they’re the people who will support you, give you feedback, and help your business grow. Take care of them and be genuine with people.
There will be good days and bad days, and there will definitely be times when you question whether you’re doing the right thing. Just keep learning, stay consistent, and don’t lose sight of why you started in the first place. For us, it started with collecting Pokémon cards as a family, and remembering that has helped us stay grounded as the business has grown.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @t2tradingcardsandcollectibles
- Facebook: T2 Trading Cards & Collectibles
