Dean's Dugout

Naperville's longest-running sports-card institution, run by Dean and Marilyn since '91, with wax boxes, singles, memorabilia, and tabletop gaming.

Dean and Marilyn Bapes have been selling cardboard in the western suburbs since 1991, and their shop inside the Old Farm Marketplace on Washington Street is the kind of place where regulars get greeted by name. Dean's Dugout built its reputation on sports cards — boxes, packs, and a deep well of singles across baseball, football, and basketball — and the walls carry memorabilia and autographed pieces accumulated over three decades in the hobby.

The shop is more than a retail counter. Over the years it has hosted autograph signings, card shows, gaming tournaments, and even birthday parties, and that community bent still defines the space. Tabletop and RPG games share the floor with the card cases, so a family can grab a board game while a collector digs for a vintage rookie in the same visit.

Ask anyone in Naperville where to sell a sports collection and Dean's Dugout comes up first. The owners are known for honest guidance rather than hard sells, walking newer collectors through what their cards are actually worth and what's worth chasing next. That reputation is reflected in a 4.8-star average across more than 250 reviews.

Timing matters here: the shop is closed Mondays, runs noon to 8PM Tuesday through Friday, opens 11AM to 6PM Saturday, and keeps shorter noon-to-6PM Sunday hours. It sits in a strip plaza with easy parking off Washington Street on Naperville's south side. For a Naperville card shop with genuine longevity and a sports-first soul, this is the anchor of the local scene.