Recently, I had the privilege of speaking with Vault X Ambassador Chloe Webb – TCG influencer and co-owner of Collector’s Cardhouse, a thriving card store based in Rickmansworth, UK.
What started as a hobby has led Chloe to become a self-made businesswoman and one of the leading British female faces of the TCG world. Despite having only been open for two years, Chloe’s store has attracted thousands of collectors and is on the bucket list for many all over the world.
I met with Chloe to discuss everything from running Collector’s Cardhouse to her experience as a woman in a largely male-dominated hobby.
From hobby to business
How long have you been collecting cards?
“So as an adult, it’s been about five and a half, six years now. I got back into it pre-COVID, which is when it all started blowing up and doing really well. The collecting turned into a business and then it just grew from there basically.”
Did you always imagine going down the business route?
“No, never. I worked a normal 9-5 prior to this and collecting was just something on the side. It was just a hobby but then the hobby turned into a small business in the evenings on the weekends and then that turned into a full-time online business. The online business still exists but we’ve obviously got the physical card shop now. So it just kind of very slowly progressed and got bigger and bigger.”
Collector’s Cardhouse
What’s your favourite part of having your own TCG business?
“I think my favourite part of it is getting to meet people from every walk of life. You never know who’s going to walk into the shop and everyone’s got their own story as to how they’ve got to where they are with their collection, why they’re coming in to see us.”
“I’ve met so many people online through buying and selling and I get to meet them in person all over the world. So that’s the crazy part to me.”
What kind of people visit your store?
“We get a lot of families coming with kids and we get loads of young girls coming in with their little collections as well, which I love to see. It really is an even split of adults and kids that do it and then you get the parents that do it with their kids as well. We also get a lot of people my sort of age and also people older as well, which sometimes surprises me because I was about eight when Pokémon came out!”
Breaking Stereotypes
What has your experience been like as a female TCG collector?
“I feel like I’ve been very lucky. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very male-dominated industry and sometimes that comes with issues. People will say you only do this because of your looks or because you’re a girl or this, that, and the other. But in general, I have been really lucky. A lot of the people I meet are really nice. What’s great is there are definitely more girls that do it now, which is a good thing.”
How did you deal with hateful comments?
“There’s always going to be online comments and negativity. In the beginning, that sort of stuff used to affect me. Now, I just remember you can’t control what other people are going to say and think about you. So, you kind of just have to accept they’re there.”
What would you say to girls and women who want to get into the hobby but are afraid of being judged?
“I would say if you enjoy it, just do it. You’re always going to get the people that are going to say something. But if you enjoy it and you can do it with your friends and you can meet other people through it, there’s no reason not to do it.”
Looking Ahead
Where do you see Collector’s Cardhouse in five years?
“A lot of people always ask when we’re going to open another shop. I’m like, one shop is enough at the moment, haha! My plan is to make our current Collector’s Cardhouse as big and as successful as possible. Maybe we open other stores down the line. Maybe we expand online a bit more. It’s really hard to tell, but I want to grow it. I just don’t know what that looks like, whether that means a bigger main store or a few smaller stores at some point in the future.”
Have you got a favourite card you’ve collected?
“So, someone asked me this the other week. A lot of my favourite cards are ones that I’ve got from friends or traded with them, just because there’s a bit more of a story behind them. I have a sample Chansey card, which is a fairly rare card in itself that a friend of mine gave me when I bought a large collection from them. So, that’s something that stays in my collection that I’ll never sell.”
Why Vault X?
What is it about Vault X that stands out to you?
“I love the Vault X team! They’re some of my favourite people in the hobby. They do pastel pink and purple binders, my favourite of all time. They’re just always on point with everything and I’ve loved them since I’ve known them. So, it’s always going to be Vault X for me for a very long time.”
To Conclude…
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
“People who are just starting to get into the hobby ask where’s the best place to start and that’s an impossible question because there’s so many places to start. You just have to pick something you like and stick with it because if you try and do everything and you try and do everything that everyone else is doing, you’re never going to achieve much, to be honest.”
“So focus on one thing at a time and just enjoy it basically. That would be my best advice.”
You can check out Chloe’s website, shop, and social media here!