Cards R Us

A low-key Mangrove Avenue counter run for Magic and Pokemon traders who want fair cash offers without the big-shop markup.

Cards R Us runs out of a corner spot on Mangrove Avenue, sharing space with the Chico iStore in a setup that keeps overhead lean and prices lower than some of the bigger trading cards Chico storefronts. The shop's self-description says it plainly: a fun spot for Magic and Pokemon with low prices and a genuine passion for MTG above everything else on the shelves.

Buying is as much a part of the business here as selling — the shop actively purchases Magic: The Gathering collections for cash or store credit, which makes it a natural first stop for anyone in Chico looking to offload a binder of old cards rather than list them piecemeal online. That buy-focused approach means the sealed product and singles on hand shift based on what collectors bring in, so the case looks a little different on any given week.

Hours run weekdays only, noon to 6pm Monday through Friday, with the shop closed entirely on weekends — a schedule that sets it apart from most Chico card shop competitors and rewards a lunch-break or after-work visit over a Saturday trip. Because it's a smaller operation, the person behind the counter tends to be the same familiar face visit after visit.

Pokemon cards Chico shoppers looking for a no-frills, straightforward buy-sell-trade experience tend to gravitate here over the larger inventory shops, since the smaller footprint means less digging and more direct conversation about what you're looking for or looking to sell.