D’IBERVILLE, Miss. (WLOX) — From sports legends to rare Pokémon favorites, deal after deal was closed at the C2 Show.
A packed gym of 80 vendors gave co-founders Justin Coulter and Tony Tran the ultimate reward: watching people connect over a shared passion.
“It’s one of the best feelings just seeing everybody from all the local areas — New Orleans, Mobile, Biloxi, D’Iberville, especially — just come together and enjoy the show,” Tran said.
Vendor Edward Carranza’s began his journey at just five years old, playing the very same games he now sells.
“I played all the games, so I got to meet kids all across the Coast and play. And just for me, it was somewhere I could just escape sometimes, too,” Carranza said.
Carranza says putting a card in a child’s hand is more than making a sale; it plants the seed for a lifetime of memories and connections.
“These cards and these collectibles and all this, it’s nothing without the kids,” Carranza said. “If the kids can’t get it in their hands, it’s never going to be able to grow and keep going.”
Hayden Songy made the drive from Mandeville, chasing the ultimate thrill of the hunt, finding cards to finish a set or unlock a childhood memory.
“Yes, there is some competition. Like, all right, I want to try to sell it here, make some money and all that. But at the heart of it, people want to see your collections grow,” Songy said.
He showed off a prize collection of his own, anchored by cards featuring newly inducted Hall of Famer Drew Brees.
“Brees was like a hero watching back in the day, so it’s cool to just kind of collect and curate that kind of collection,” Songy said.
As each show grows larger, organizers are focused on their main goal: keeping the hobby accessible and connected to everyone.
“Seeing like a dad or a mom with their kid coming by and like, oh, the dad was like, ‘Oh, I collected that back 25 years ago.’ And then the son or the daughter is also into it. That’s what’s really special to me. Like one of our main principal goals is a family environment,” Justin Coulter said.
Organizers say they plan to return to D’Iberville High School following the success of the event.
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