Medical device executive to open Tampa sports card shop

Sports card shop Replay Sports Cards has signed a new franchise agreement for a shop in Tampa. 

Plans for the store are still in development and an opening date and location have yet to be announced, according to a release. 

The Tampa location will be run by franchiser Matt Thomas and will be Replay’s second Florida location, along with Boca Raton. 

“Matt brings a unique combination of operational leadership and authentic enthusiasm for collecting, which is exactly what we look for in franchise owners,” Brent Schepel, co-founder of Replay Sports Cards, says in the release. “We’re excited to support him as he builds a destination for collectors in the Tampa community.” 

Thomas joins Replay Sports Cards after building a career in engineering and operations leadership across multiple industries, including aviation, nuclear energy, oil and gas and medical device manufacturing. He recently relocated to the Tampa area to lead operations for a medical device company, the release says. 

Thomas rediscovered his passion for trading sports cards while exploring opportunities to own his own business, he says in the release. 

“I started selling some of my old cards and quickly fell back in love with the hobby,” Thomas says in the release. “Replay stood out because of the team’s transparency, experience, and the way they’re modernizing the card shop while keeping the community aspect at the center.” 

Thomas says his vision for the Tampa location is to create a welcoming, community-driven environment where collectors of all ages can connect. The Tampa shop is expected to host trade nights and community events designed to bring collectors together. 

Replay Sports Cards was founded in 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina and has since grown into a national full-service trading card franchise buying, selling, trading and grading sports cards. The brand offers both local retail storefronts and has a major presence on live-streaming platforms, according to its website.