Oasis Sports Cards is one of the newest additions to outstate Minnesota’s growing hobby scene, opening its doors last November inside Alexandria’s Viking Plaza Mall. In less than a year, it’s already become a lively stop for locals, tourists, and collectors passing throug town — and it’s clear the shop is building momentum fast.
Oasis is gearing up for a two‑day card show in Alexandria at the end of August, a major step for a shop that’s still in its first year. The owner, Preston Waldoch, has the kind of genuine hobby passion that makes you want to pull up a chair and talk cards for an hour. We ended up deep in a basketball conversation — and you can tell instantly he’s not just running a store; he’s living the hobby.
The shop itself is clean, bright, and built for browsing, with slat walls and shelves packed full of sealed wax across baseball, football, basketball, UFC, WWE, and more. Sealed TCG is available too, though Oasis doesn’t deal in TCG singles. Six traditional display cases showcase a wide range of sports singles and wax, while a vertical center display highlights higher‑end slabs and singles, including some genuinely sharp vintage baseball pieces that stand out immediately.
It’s a shop where you can hunt for a $5 rookie, a mid‑tier slab, or a vintage gem — all without feeling crowded or overwhelmed. For me, one of the most interesting parts of visiting shops across Minnesota is seeing how tastes shift from town to town. At Oasis, the trends are clear:
- Hockey is huge — no surprise in this part of the state.
- Kids ages 9–15 are all about football.
- Basketball is the sweet spot for collectors in their 40s.
- Ages 15–20 lean heavily into Pokémon.
It’s a snapshot of outstate Minnesota’s collecting culture — familiar in some ways, totally unique in others. Alexandria is a summer destination, and Oasis sees a steady wave of tourist traffic from families spending time at the lakes. It gives the shop a fun mix of regulars and new faces every week. For collectors who can’t make the trip, Oasis also runs breaks on Whatnot, keeping their community connected year‑round. Oasis Sports Cards is exactly the kind of shop Cardsota loves highlighting — locally rooted, hobby‑driven, and growing fast. Whether you’re in Alexandria for a weekend at the cabin or passing through on I‑94, it’s absolutely worth a stop.
