Saturday, September 5, 2026 is an all-day Magic: The Gathering Casual Commander session at CJ Sports and Collectibles inside Cottonwood Mall, with tables open from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM Mountain Time. Falling in the middle of Labor Day weekend, this is likely to be one of the busiest Saturdays on the store's calendar — more pods, more turnover, and a good mix of regulars and people who only get out to play when there is a long weekend. Expect a full room by early afternoon.
Play is open pod, no strings attached. Build or bring a hundred-card singleton Commander deck, find three other players, and start a game. There is no registration desk, no pairing sheet, no round timer, and no prize support, and that absence is the point — the games breathe. Players talk through interactions, explain their decks, and let newer folks take back an obvious misplay. Precons straight from the box are entirely normal here. So are upgraded precons, thirty-dollar budget brews, and decks somebody has been tinkering with since a decade ago. A thirty-second conversation about what each deck is trying to do, before anyone shuffles, is all it takes to build a fun pod.
CJ Sports is a collector's store first and a play space second, which is a big part of its character. The shop carries a deep sports card inventory across MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL — vintage singles, modern Panini and Topps, sealed wax, graded slabs in locked cases, autographed pieces, and memorabilia — and runs box breaks on a regular schedule. Early September means football product is front and center. The trading card game side stocks Magic, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece, and Riftbound. Plenty of people come for one side of the store and leave having bought from the other.
The location is 10000 Coors Bypass NW, Suite C-204, Cottonwood Mall, Albuquerque, NM 87114. That is the far northwest side, minutes from Rio Rancho and convenient to Corrales, Paradise Hills, and the west mesa. Parking is free, abundant, and covered by the mall lot rather than any paid garage. Playing inside a mall means air conditioning through a warm September afternoon, restrooms nearby, and a food court within a couple of minutes' walk — worth knowing when a single Commander game can eat ninety minutes. Store hours are 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Saturday. Reach the shop at 505-832-7499.
This is a strong pick for families, kids, complete beginners, returning players, and anybody looking for a low-commitment Saturday activity that is not another movie. Bring a deck, sleeves, dice, a playmat if you own one, and cash or a card for singles. Arrive between noon and 3:00 PM for the most pods forming, or come in the evening if you prefer a smaller, slower table. Say what your deck does before the game begins — the pods that do this are consistently the ones everybody enjoys. Entry pricing was not published on the store's calendar at the time of writing, so call if it matters. Follow @cjsportsabq on Instagram or CJSports33 on Facebook for updates.
