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DJ's Sportcards owner making it his life's mission to preserve sports history

Don Joss, known as DJ, started his trading card business in Renton 35 years ago and remembers the boom in business the last time Seattle hosted All-Star Week.

SEATTLE — Just in time for All-Star Week to return to Seattle, a Renton trading card shop is expanding.

DJ’s Sportscards has been open for about 35 years. Don Joss, known by most as DJ, started the business and has kept it alive since then, prioritizing his brick-and-mortar shop over a move to completely online.

He estimates he has about four million cards of varying values in his store. He remembers when the All-Star Game came to Seattle in 2001 and what that did for business even after the event ended.

“It was historical, it was something that not just at the time was enjoyable but for years after that we had memorabilia and photos and things from that game and people still talk about it,” said DJ.

DJ said he is expecting the same this year. Simultaneous with the crowds picking up at the shop, the trading card shop is expanding to a larger space just a few blocks away.

DJ's goal is to open his new doors right in time for the All-Star rush on Monday. The new store location is in the old DMV building at 1314 Union Avenue NE, not far from the current location. 

"It brings a lot of people in from all over the country to watch this game. And a lot of sports fans, when they go to a new town they will find the card shops around. Because there are not many around the country anymore," said DJ.

He sells older memorabilia, plus new items for current players. With every card and novelty item sold, he knows he's keeping all eras of sports enthusiasm alive.

"They're tangible, they’re beautiful, they have an intrinsic value to them and they can help people remember the past or look forward to the future," said DJ.

He said that as of the start of All-Star Week, his most valuable item in the store is a full set of 1966 Topps baseball cards for $5,000. 

WATCH: 2023 MLB All-Star Week playlist on YouTube

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