Check out Neighborhood Card Shop’s Rip Night from Lodi, California
Repping Northern California, Teejay Johnson (@natureluvzyou on Instagram) hosted the 2024 Topps Hobby Rip Night at Neighborhood Card Shop in Lodi, California. Collectors came out in force, and Teejay ensured Bay Area energy was felt throughout the night. From epic pulls to big reactions, the shop was buzzing as Teejay led the event with his usual flair. We sat down with him to hear all about the best rips and favorite moments.
What was your favorite moment from the 2024 Topps Hobby Rip Night at Neighborhood Card Show?
My favorite moment has to be connecting with the people of The Hobby. It’s always fun hanging out with the people, the family, that you already know, but meeting the new faces has to be my favorite. Seeing the joy of kids and adults was truly a wholesome experience. I didn’t see a frown in sight. The energy was lit!
What are some exciting cards you saw ripped during Rip Night?
I may be biased here, but I got to see a Joe Montana Black Geometric /2 out of Topps Composite get pulled WHILE I WAS WEARING MY JOE MONTANA JERSEY. Told the homie he owes me since I wore that jersey to give him the energy to pull a Montana /2! But there were multiple Anthony Richardson autos, Bryce Young autos, and even a Star Wars Phantom Menace Sapphire hit /10.
How would you describe the energy and atmosphere at Neighborhood Card Shop?
The people of Lodi, and the whole surrounding areas of Stockton to Tracy, are truly amazing. I help the shop with their content, so I’ll randomly stop by and hang out on certain days. I can tell you, the energy at the Neighborhood Card Shop is like that on a weekly basis. And when you add a Topps Hobby Rip Night to the equation, you get MAGIC. I didn’t want it to end! You know you have a great community when most of the people who stop in to buy boxes stay to rip them in the shop!
Did you rip any packs yourself? If so, what did you pull?
I actually did! I opened up a 2024 Bowman Chrome Hobby box. I hit a Leo De Vries Gladiators of the Diamond (one of the case hits), a Yordanny Monegro Refractor auto /499, and a Bobby Witt Jr. My 1st Bowman Mini Diamond insert /150. Nothing TOO CRAZY, but I love me some Bowman!
How does hosting a Rip Night compare to being a participant? Any memorable interactions with collectors that stood out?
Hosting definitely is a whole different vibe. It’s like when you host a party with your family and friends, you just insert yourself in all these different conversations asking if everyone is doing ok and seeing what cards they’ve pulled. The shop provided food, so we also had to make sure people ate some pizza, before I ended up eating it all! I also brought a ton of my Nature merchandise and gave them out for free to the people who stopped by. Most of the memorable interactions had to be meeting the people who support my content and the work I put in. They told me they enjoy my videos and how they see me trying to shine a light on the entire Northern California Hobby scene. That is the most rewarding thing I can hear. And if we’re talking solely about cards, seeing the kids open packs is always awesome. That’s how we grow this thing that we love – called The Hobby
