Elite Sports Cards And Comics #2

Elite's Harlem Avenue sister shop in Dunning, stocking basketball, hockey and baseball hobby boxes, loose packs, singles and comics for Northwest Side collectors.

Elite Sports Cards and Comics has been part of Chicago's hobby scene since 1992, when lifelong collector Ronnie Holloway opened the first shop. This second location on North Harlem Avenue serves the Northwest Side and nearby suburbs, so collectors in Dunning, Montclare and Elmwood Park don't have to cross the city to reach the original Montrose store.

Sports cards come first. Reviewers mention ripping basketball boxes, buying loose packs and singles, and getting into hockey with a hobby box and a few packs of Upper Deck Allure. Staff, Gary among them, come up for real sports knowledge and fair pricing. Several customers say the counter knocked a few dollars off an already fair price.

Comics are the second pillar, with both recent issues and older back issues in stock. Visitors describe a large and varied inventory with some standout pieces. Gaming cards, supplies and sports memorabilia round out the shelves, and the Elite brand also offers buy, sell and trade services plus custom framing for displaying items.

Out-of-town collectors make the trip too. One family on a road trip stopped in after their son found the shop online. They left impressed by the quality of what was in the cases and by a small discount on an already fair price. For a Chicago card shop with sports depth and a comics counter under one roof, the Harlem location is a reliable choice.

Hours are shorter than many shops, so plan ahead. The store is open Monday 9AM to 5PM and Tuesday through Saturday 11AM to 4:30PM, and closed Sunday. It's a daytime stop rather than an evening hangout.

The shop is on Harlem Avenue a few blocks south of Addison, on the city's western edge. Street parking is easy along Harlem's commercial strip. Regulars often recommend visiting both Elite locations, since inventory differs between the two.