Original Nut store rebrands to save their business during COVID
Carl Piper, co-owner of Regina’s Nut Man & Card Man store, wanted to use his brain to make money so he hung up his hard hat to get into the trading card business.
“I have buddies and family members who’ve done labour all their lives, and it takes a toll on you,” he said. “Whether that’s physically or mentally, it will affect you down the road.”
Piper said because the people who were closet to him were all in the trades, that it influenced his decision to also follow the same path. However, as time went on, he added that eventually his desire to keep working as a tradesman diminished.
Once Piper knew he wanted to go down another path, he explored a few avenues such as a clothing brand before eventually finding himself in the card’s business.
His decision was met with a welcoming reception from the rest of his family, as their already existing shop was rebranded in 2020.
In 1983, the Pipers opened their shop Nut Man which exclusively sold snacks back in the 1980s. The store was rebranded – at the very beginning of the Covid-19 virus back in 2020 – and renamed it to what it is now Nut Man & Card Man.
“(Covid was a game changer) and we agreed that selling nuts wasn’t sustainable especially when many businesses’ (had) closed down,” he said.
Once the decision was made to get into the trading card business, Piper became overwhelmed at first with how much needed to be done.
“There was definitely a lot of learning, and it was a little harder than it should have been because there’s so many intricate things when it comes to things such as (sports or Pokémon cards),” he said.
Despite the challenges faced in the beginning, Piper said he wished he would’ve discovered cards earlier in his life.
“Once I found out what sports cards were, I (realized) how much I love this, as weird as it is, I love it,” he said.
Piper’s father – Darian Piper who alongside his wife had been running the original nut store – said his children’s proposal was a good one that has worked out well.
“When Carl and my eldest son Tanner wanted to get into the cards business, I didn’t think it would work out in the way that it has, but I’m certainly happy that it has,” Darian said.
Since rebranding the shop into both a snacks and cards shop, Piper said their customer base has expanded and that he enjoys engaging with his customers.
“I think the best part is putting smiles on kids’ faces and giving them a core memory at a card shop” he said.
Piper said It’s nice when he sees kids being introduced to cards as he never got into them when he was a kid.
“I (once saw) a kid pull a card out and it was his favourite Pokémon, and even though it was only worth 10 cents, he was just over the moon for it,” he said.
Watching kids get into trading cards and seeing their expressions is his favourite part of working at the store, he added.
One customer who has been going since they started selling cards, said Piper has always been warm and welcoming and that he helped introduce him into cards.
“I had some time to kill, and I so happened to walk into the card store one day, and although I knew nothing about cards, Carl introduced me to what they were, and ever since then I’ve been hooked,” said Owen Rogers.
Rogers added that Piper and his other family members make the card shop a vibrant place that people want to come in and support.
From working in the trades to co-owning a trading card shop, Piper said he doesn’t regret his decision to get into the business and that he would do it over again.
“All it takes is passion — and because I was not only passionate but dedicated to learning and making money in the cards business — I knew I could be successful,” he said.
