Cards and Coffee hosts its September Trade Night on Friday, September 18, 2026 at its shop at 1500 Auto Mall Dr in Santa Ana. This is one of the few recurring card events held inside Santa Ana city limits, and it is exactly what it sounds like: a free, after-work evening where collectors bring binders and boxes, trade across the shop's tables, and get discounts at the shop counter for showing their free ticket.
Cards and Coffee is a sports card shop first, so the trade night skews toward sports: MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL rookies and parallels, vintage cards, graded slabs and current-year hobby product. UFC, boxing and soccer cards show up regularly, and because the Orange County crowd is heavily into trading card games, Pokemon and One Piece binders are welcome and common at the tables too. The shop itself sells sealed wax, singles and supplies, and staff can talk you through grading submissions.
The event runs 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Friday. Admission is free, but the shop lists free tickets through Eventbrite and asks attendees to grab one; showing the ticket at the counter unlocks trade-night discounts on shop inventory. Food and drinks are available, and the space is wheelchair accessible.
The shop is at 1500 Auto Mall Dr, Santa Ana, CA 92705, in the Santa Ana Auto Mall district off Edinger Avenue near the 55 Freeway. Parking is free on site. It is a quick drive from anywhere in central Orange County and an easy stop on the way home from work on a Friday.
Who it suits: sports card collectors of every level, from kids working on a Dodgers or Angels team set to serious investors comparing graded rookies; Pokemon and One Piece traders who want a weekday outlet; and newcomers who want to meet local collectors in a small, friendly room rather than a convention hall. If you have never traded in person before, this is a good place to start, because the shop staff are on hand to help with values and etiquette.
Tips: bring your cards sleeved and sorted, and bring a want list so you can trade with purpose. Cash is useful for small deals between collectors, though the shop takes cards. Arrive close to 5 PM if you want the widest selection of trade partners, and stay late if you want the best deals, since collectors often loosen up as closing approaches. Show your free ticket at the counter before you buy anything from the shop to get the discount. Ask about the shop's next box breaks and grading submission windows while you are there.
For details, follow @cardsandcollectors on Instagram or visit cardscoffee.com. The trade night runs monthly, so later dates will be posted as they are announced.