The Card Collab – Issue #18
For Bunny and Patrick, Pokémon has always been about more than what’s inside a binder. What started as a shared childhood interest eventually became the foundation for Big Bun Center, a Jacksonville-based TCG business focused on buying, selling, trading, vending at shows, and creating spaces where collectors can come together.
Since getting back into Pokémon as adults, the couple has watched Big Bun Center grow from a simple idea into a familiar name within the Jacksonville TCG community. Along the way, they’ve built relationships with collectors, players, vendors, and families who continue to show up at their events and support what they’re creating.
But for Bunny and Patrick, the most rewarding part of the journey has little to do with selling cards.
Finding Their Way Back to Pokémon
Pokémon was something both Bunny and Patrick grew up loving. Returning to the hobby as adults brought back much of the excitement they remembered from childhood, but this time, they saw an opportunity to turn that passion into something of their own.
After selling their previous business, they wanted their next venture to be something they genuinely cared about. Pokémon felt like a natural fit.
“Turning our love for Pokémon into Big Bun Center felt like the perfect next step,” they shared.
That idea has remained at the heart of the business. While Big Bun Center deals in cards, the bigger goal has always been creating a place where people can meet, make deals, and enjoy the hobby together.
Growing Through the Jacksonville Community
Big Bun Center’s growth has been somewhat unexpected for the couple.
They started by vending at local shows, meeting people, and becoming more involved in the Jacksonville TCG scene. What began as a simple way to share their passion quickly turned into something much bigger.
“It’s been pretty surreal,” they said.
The support they’ve received from the local community has been one of the biggest surprises. Along the way, customers and fellow vendors have become friends, creating relationships that have become just as valuable as the business itself.
Big Bun Center with members of the Jacksonville TCG community at Taiyo’s TCG Pop Up event, bringing collectors and families together to enjoy the hobby.
That growth has also reinforced one of the biggest lessons Bunny and Patrick have learned: people come first.
Anyone can sell cards, but the way you treat people is what they remember. For Big Bun Center, that means being consistent, supporting other local events, and continuing to show up for the community.
The Stories Behind the Cards
Spend enough time around a card show and you quickly realize that no two collections are exactly alike. Every binder has a story, and that is one of the things Bunny and Patrick enjoy most.
Whether they’re vending at a show or hosting an event, they find themselves having conversations with players, collectors, and other vendors about everything from favorite cards to long-running collections.
“Everyone has a story behind what they collect, and we love hearing them,” they said.
Sometimes it’s helping someone finally find a card they’ve been searching for. Other times, it’s watching someone get excited about a trade. Those small interactions are what keep the hobby interesting for them.
And some of their favorite moments involve entire families.
Seeing parents and children enjoy Pokémon together has always stood out to Bunny and Patrick. Their Pokémon Pop-Ups have given them a chance to see familiar faces return, watch new friendships form, and experience the community growing in real time.
A Community with Room for Everyone
That sense of inclusion is also what they believe makes Jacksonville’s TCG scene special.
There are plenty of collectors, vendors, shops, and event organizers contributing to the hobby, but Bunny and Patrick don't see that variety as competition for space. They see it as an opportunity for more people to participate.
“Whether you collect $5 cards or $5,000 cards, we all share the same love for the hobby.”
That perspective is central to what Big Bun Center hopes to offer. You don't need an expensive collection or years of experience to have a place in the hobby.
For someone visiting Big Bun Center for the first time, Bunny and Patrick hope the most memorable part isn't necessarily what they purchased.
They want people to remember how they were treated.
Whether someone buys something or simply stops by to look around, the goal is for them to leave feeling welcomed, comfortable, and maybe even like they made a new friend.
What's Next for Big Bun Center
With the business continuing to grow, Bunny and Patrick aren't slowing down anytime soon.
They’re looking forward to creating more opportunities for the local community to come together, including their Big Bun Mini Card Show on September 27 and their two-day Big Bun Card Show on January 2–3, 2027.
And those are only the events they can talk about for now.
The couple also teased more projects currently in the works, including an upcoming event that will be something different from the traditional card show format.
Whatever comes next, their focus remains the same: creating experiences that give people another reason to get involved with the hobby and connect with one another.
More Than Pokémon
When asked what they would want to say to the Jacksonville TCG community, Bunny and Patrick kept the message simple: thank you.
They credit the community with helping Big Bun Center grow and encourage everyone to continue supporting the collectors, vendors, shops, and events that make the local hobby possible.
Because at the end of the day, Big Bun Center isn't just about Pokémon cards.
It’s about the conversations that happen across a vendor table. The excitement of finding a card you've been chasing. The families discovering the hobby together. The friendships that start with a trade.
Pokémon may bring people to the table, but it’s the people that make them want to stay.
Final Thoughts
Big Bun Center is a great example of how a shared love for Pokémon can grow into something much bigger than a card business. Bunny and Patrick have built their presence around the people they meet, the relationships they create, and their desire to make everyone feel welcome, whether they're making a trade or simply stopping by to say hello.
As the Jacksonville TCG community continues to grow, it's businesses like Big Bun Center that help give it its character. Their story is a reminder that the hobby isn't just about the cards we collect, but the people and memories we find along the way.
Be sure to check out Big Bun Center at their next card show or event, say hello to Bunny and Patrick, and see what they're building for yourself. You might even find that card you've been searching for.
[Photos: Big Bun Center]