BILLINGS, Mt. — What started with a single pack of baseball cards nearly four decades ago has grown into an unexpected weekend destination for sports fans in Billings.
See the rare and vintage card collection here:
Hidden inside a garage on Lynn Avenue, local collector Jeff Soelter has transformed his lifelong hobby into a community gathering spot where kids, families and collectors can browse hundreds of sports cards at affordable prices.
Soelter's passion for collecting began in 1987 while working as a bat boy for the Billings Mustangs.
"I got my first package of cards from them and it just kind of went from there," Soelter said.
That first pack eventually became a massive personal collection.
Today, cards line the shelves and tables of his garage, where customers can find everything from budget finds costing just a few dollars to high-end packs that usually retail for hundreds.
But Soelter says making a profit is not his main goal.
"I want the kids to collect," he said. "Some of these big dealers could probably come in here and buy my whole collection, but I'm not here for them. I'm here for the kiddos."
One of those young collectors is 12-year-old Tayin Harsha, who recently visited the garage shop after his father spotted it on Facebook.
"My dad saw it on Facebook and I'm really into card collecting, so we came here to see if we could find anything here," Harsha said.
He left with a one-of-one Dak Prescott card and a smile.
"I feel good about that. I'm happy. I hope I can come back," Harsha said.
The local hobby is part of a much larger industry.
Sports card collecting has surged in recent years, with a secondary market worth billions of dollars and online sales continuing to attract collectors around the country.
Soelter's longtime friend, Jason Gallus, joined the hobby only months ago but says the appeal goes beyond the value of the cards.
"Childhood memories," Gallus said, "Wishing that I would have done more of it when I was a kid myself. When their eyes light up, that's the enjoyment."
For both men, collecting provides a chance to disconnect and share a hobby with others.
"It's peaceful," Soelter said. "We're all just big kids."
The garage operation has already attracted buyers from neighboring states, including North Dakota, and the pair say a future storefront could be in their cards.
For now, though, they're focused on creating a welcoming space where collectors of all ages can stop by.
"I like to see the bicycles out here in the alley and that kind of stuff," Soelter said. "For us, that's what it's about."
The garage shop is currently open on weekends, and Soelter says everyone is welcome to stop in and take a look.
