Endangered Hobbies is more than a board game, Magic store. The owner emphasizes community

NATICK — Cutting a new corner of turf inside the Natick Mall, Ricardo "Richie" Escobar has created a space for children, adults, Japanofiles, board game geeks and others to socialize.

"My favorite thing is seeing someone who has never been to a shop like this, and seeing something that they were really, really passionate about — and they are able to find someone else that likes that thing," said Escobar, proprietor of Endangered Hobbies. "Just watching those interactions brings so much joy. You can see two people becoming friends."

Previously on the upper level beside Bath & Body Works, Endangered Hobbies has moved to a spot across from Forever 21 and next to the former Neiman Marcus (and incoming Bosse Pickleball courts).

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The business specializes in selling various collectibles, including trading card games such as Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic: The Gathering; Funko Pops and other collectible items; board games; and various forms of anime and manga merchandise.

Endangered Hobbies also hosts game nights, welcoming gamers of all ages to participate in Pokemon, Dungeons and Dragons, Yu-Gi-Oh! and other games in a social setting.

"It's super important for me to have this social aspect of the game," Escobar said. "I think it brings a lot of people together that would normally not be together. Especially with a younger generation, kids can feel very unsocialized because their online interactions can be limited, and they aren't all meeting up a park. Here, kids can meet each other and discover that they're both into Pokemon cards, or Magic, and have a conversation about that."

Escobar worked at card shop, realized he wanted his own store

Escobar launched his first store in Holyoke in 2020, with the Natick Mall location being his second. A lifelong collector and competitive Pokemon player, he said he started the business after working at a card shop and realizing he wanted to have his own store that featured his interests.

"When I was younger, I used to go to a card shop — it was a cool place to hang out and I made a lot of my long-term friends there," Escobar said. "I worked for a shop while I was in college, and I ended up in the industry. I always liked games, and so I opened a shop that included other stuff that I was into, like anime and the Funko Pops. I like to think my shop is a place for people to not only find things they enjoy, but finding other people that like the things they like."

Escobar started planning his store before COVID-19. The pandemic ended up inadvertently leading to a surge in interest in cards and collectibles, which ended up providing an ironic twist to the business' name.

"People will make fun of our name, because they walk in and see Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! and they will say that none of this stuff is endangered, they are all super popular," Escobar said. "What they don't realize is that these hobbies were endangered, but the pandemic helped make them a lot more popular."

Japanese media goes mainstream

As landmark Japanese products like Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! near their third decade of prominence, the market value of the industry continues to rise. Grand View Research estimated the anime market alone was worth $28 billion in 2022, and could climb as high as $60 billion by 2030.

Escobar said that over time, that wide-ranging interest has helped remove stigmas associated with the fandom.

"Ten years ago, if you were in high school it might be kind of taboo to be that kid that likes anime, he runs weird down the halls," he said. "Today, people will be like, 'Yo that kid likes anime!'"

Escobar said he finds a lot of parents who have reignited interest in a hobby thanks to their children.

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"We have parents who are coming in and they tell me that they were into Pokemon as a kid, but now they have kids of their own and they are getting into Pokemon for the first time, and now the adults are getting back into that hobby," Escobar said.

He said one of the most enjoyable aspects of the shop is being able to help those people come together.

"I have kids who are home-schooled, and I have moms who will tell me that their kid gets to come in here and socialize and get to talk about Pokemon," Escobar said. "Kids who play sports, it's so easy to find a sports team of other kids, but not every kid is going to like sports. Parents see that they have Pokemon cards all over their house and are looking for other kids that play Pokemon."

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Endangered Hobbies of Natick brings passion and unity for anime fans