TRAINER'S EYE #151 - "Kyogre’s Rise from Drizzle to Water Spout" ft. HTXPokeCollectors

TRAINER'S EYE #151 - HTX Pokemon Collectors

[00:00:00]

HTX Pokemon Collectors: I'm Ricardo. This is your head Pokemon trainer in charge of Houston Pokemon Collectors, and this is my Pokemon story.

David Hernandez: Welcome to as the Pokemon Ball turns, where we interview people about the experience with Pokemon. My name is David Hernandez. I'm here with Ricardo, owner of Houston Pokemon Collectors, he's your go-to shop for authentic Pokemon merch, from Plushies to TCG [00:01:00] accessories. They bring the best from Japan to add to your Pokemon collection. Ricardo, welcome to as the Pokemon turns. I'm excited to have you.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Thank you very much for having me. I really do appreciate it and I'm, excited to be on.

David Hernandez: Absolutely. And I love talking to people who are like entrepreneurs and business owners, because it's just a different kind of mindset, right? To get your business started. I wanted to ask like, what made you want to just start into becoming like the owner of Houston Pokemon Collectors?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: the idea has always been there in one shape or form. It all really started around May of 2021, so right after the pandemic, you know, we were all stuck inside. Conventions and things like that started kind of popping up and all that. and, the TCG side of, Pokemon was really starting to, to really flare up and all that.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: But one of the things that I just kind of didn't see at the, at cons or in person really was. the other side of, Pokemon, like the merch, the plushies, the toys and all that stuff. 'cause you know, [00:02:00] mad love and respect to the TCG side. But, you know, I felt like there wasn't a lot of representation on that side.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: 'cause I do also, you know, from collecting some cards as, on my own personal side. Uh, but I also do have like little toys, little, plushies that I collect, uh, from places that I've been. So I just felt like, the in-person scene, there was always that part missing and I felt like, Hey, you know what?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Let me put my hat in the ring and serve him in terms of, uh, bringing this out and, bringing the toys for, people to see and, and, and look at. And, you know, gawk at.

David Hernandez: Now when it comes to just bringing the toys, how important was that for you as a young Pokemon fan first being introduced to the franchise? Like what role did the having toys and pluses play for you as a Pokemon fan?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: So that was, uh, one of the biggest parts of, my Pokemon fandom. So the way it started was with the video game. Uh, I started with Pokemon Yellow. I was about nine years old when I got my copy of it. Um, and the thing was, is that. didn't grow up with, the best financial [00:03:00] situation?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, so one of the things that we kind of struggled or as a family was, um, you know, making sure that hey, we, we always have the things that we need. You know, I. Food and clothing, right? But whenever you have a game boy color, you need batteries. Batteries are not something that you, you can really sustain yourself on.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: So that was always in the back burner. So, yeah, you know, I would get some batteries here and there, and sometimes I'll steal them from the controller. Uh, when I was young,

David Hernandez: Yes.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: you're right, like, like every kid does. Um, but. The part that helped me out a lot was the toys, right? So around that time, we had like a flea market, right? Like we had a little flea market right behind us. Uh, and I would go in there and, you know, they're, let's be a hundred percent honest, they're not necessarily the most authentic toys, but to me, you know, being a 9-year-old kid, hey, like they had Pikachu there, they had charm mander there, and I always had those.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And it was something to play with, uh, and something to Sustain me while I was waiting for the next [00:04:00] fresh pair of batteries or something, or the ability to play, uh, my uh, game boy color.

David Hernandez: You know, the struggle, the reason why I was laughing is the struggle was real because, um, I would always take my dad's remote control batteries for my game boy color and he'd always be like, why is my phone remote not working? 'cause he always used to change the channel. And that's what made me laugh.

David Hernandez: 'cause it's like the struggle was real. I don't know. I'm sure you did. Did you ever like place batteries in like the refrigerator or keep 'em out to try to quote unquote recharge him?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: No, no, I, I had some friends that did that. I know when I would go over to some friend's houses, their parents would have a little dedicated. Cubby hole in their fridge. That was nothing but batteries. And I, I always found that weird. I'm like, Hey, but you know, if it works, it works. But it's a rite of passage to, take the batteries from like other devices.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: It's, it's a rite of passage.

David Hernandez: Absolutely. And you know, you said you went to these flea markets, which, they aren't obviously the best, you know, authentic quote unquote Pokemon items, but they were like the only way you could really get Pokemon items at those times because otherwise you'd have to pay like top dollar

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Oh, yeah, yeah,

David Hernandez: that time.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: [00:05:00] yeah, yeah, of course. And, it was easy for, for my parents to be able to let go of, I think back then a little toy was like 50 cents or a dollar, which, you know, it's not necessarily breaking the bank. So it was easy to spend that kind of money for that little toy, for that little bit of enjoyment.

David Hernandez: Now, when it came to playing Pokemon Yellow, What was your first experience playing Pokemon in yellow that you remember when you were a young kid? So it's, it's a two-parter for that one that combines together. So

David Hernandez: all

HTX Pokemon Collectors: on the Game Boy Color, when you turn it on and you see that little red light turn on, but then you hear the

HTX Pokemon Collectors: right, the Game Boy boot up light.

David Hernandez: Yeah.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: the second, the, part that, you know, kind of dives into that part. if you remember the intro to it, it's Pikachu running from the horizon towards you, right?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: So it's Pikachu running and then outta nowhere you see Pikachu surfing on a Wave. I'm like, yeah, that, that was, just seeing that for the first time and seeing it over and over and over and over again in my childhood was just phenomenal. The noise and surfing Pikachu.[00:06:00]

David Hernandez: And then I think there was also part of it. I think there was. It was there one where it was like doing a, a, uh, it was doing like a kick and you had

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: side. Then

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Like, just like kind of like a, yeah, exactly.

David Hernandez: Oh my gosh. That's still I think one of the best intros. I think

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Oh, it is.

David Hernandez: gets miss out a lot, you know.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah. And I, I think, there's a lot of great, uh, boot up, uh, little videos for, for all of the generations. Uh, but like I said, surfing Pikachu for me was one of 'em. Uh, balloon Pikachu, just seeing it all together. Uh, but like I said, just seeing it when you first booted up and you see Pikachu running from the horizon towards you, it's just, it, it was phenomenal.

David Hernandez: How were your parents when it came to Pokemon? did they understand the idea of Pokemon or were they just kind of indulging you just for the sake of, because you were a kid kind of thing?

David Hernandez: I.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: I think at first it started off as just indulging. You know, it's a 9-year-old kid, let's just. You know, let's get him some toys so he can shut up real quick. Um, but as, as time went on and, uh, they started seeing the, the bit of, uh, fanaticism that I had towards it, or [00:07:00] the, the affinity for it, uh, they were, they started, you know, warming up to it for the most part.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Um, but. the thing was, and I'm, I'm not sure how your parents were, if, uh, you were, uh, or if your parents had, uh, like the, the Hispanic tv, like Telemundo or Univision,

David Hernandez: Yep.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: you know, uh, one of the things that happened during that time was the Satanic panic, kind of with, uh, with Pokemon, where you would see videos, uh, or TV grabs of like.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Priests from church burning, uh, Pokemon cards and toys in merch. And, uh, it kind of got weird for a little bit. Uh, but then, you know, I had the chance specifically with my mom. Uh, so for, for the majority of my childhood, uh, I lived only with my mom. Um. So explaining it to her, she was more of a sympathetic person to, to speak about that.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And I explained to her like, Hey, like, I personally don't think it's, you know, something weird or Satanic, and she agreed with me for the most part. Uh, so like I said, at first it was, yeah, just indulging. And after that it's like, Hey, you know, it's something to [00:08:00] keep him off the streets. It's something to keep him, you know, kind of busy.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: He's not doing anything bad, so, hey, you know, good for him.

David Hernandez: I mean, you bring up a good point. 'cause during that time and even we saw a resurgence, although it wasn't a strong thing fully in 2016 with Pokemon Go

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: especially you know, the Christians or religious groups. who grew up in the church thought that, oh, this is like witchcraft, or it's teaching evolution.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: of just labeled it as like sinful, whatever you wanna call it.

David Hernandez: you know, for you, you saw the side. Thankfully, your mom was more the shang. For me, my mom saw it as more, she's not, I wouldn't say like authentic, but she's more closer to her Mexican roots than I am. Him

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: for her, she didn't quite understand why I stuck with it for so long because she's used to seeing like, you know, the whole Mexican stylist and the Mexican music

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: like the dress shirts, cologne, like she was used to that kind of Mexican culture.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: I'm a nerd. I love Pokemon. So it was, it was, that was the odd part for us.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah. No, no. It was, uh, kind of the same thing for me. Like I said, uh, my mom was a more of a sympathetic [00:09:00] figure in, in my life, uh, for the most part. Yeah. You know, she still had, she was still sitting her in her ways, uh, sort of. So, um, she didn't necessarily see it, but like I said, it was one of those things that hey, it keeps 'em off the streets.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: But, um, I think with Pokemon, that kind of did set me apart too. Uh, sure. My other brothers, my other sisters, my other, uh, relatives, uh, they were doing their own thing that might, you know, you might say, Hey, it's quote unquote Mexican, right?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, these,

David Hernandez: exactly.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: I, I guess that's the best. I, I'm not, you know, I'm not sure how to like. Say it

David Hernandez: get it. 'cause

HTX Pokemon Collectors: correct.

David Hernandez: we, no, you can say it however you want. We get it. 'cause we grew up with it. It's like

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah. Yeah.

David Hernandez: or certain acceptable way the closer you are to your Mexican roots. Um, like going out outside, doing landscaping, working with your hands,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: Like if you are from Mexican stint of any point, you know what we're talking about.

David Hernandez: And

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: we're trying to struggle with trying to word it. 'cause we, I don't think we, I've ever had to really word it before,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah. It's it.

David Hernandez: exists.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah, it's one of those things that, uh, you just don't [00:10:00] necessarily talk about in a sense, just because, for me, no one really tells me like, oh, well, you know, hey, uh, were you nerdy when you were in, uh, when you were young? I'm like, well, yeah, but you know, it's, to me, I'm like, eh, whatever.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: It doesn't mean much. But yeah, like I said, you know, growing up, luckily enough, I did have a bit of a sympathetic, uh. I for, you know, from my mom and, and all that. So, which, you know, did help with me growing up and, and still sticking with Pokemon to a certain sense.

David Hernandez: So we continue with Pokemon Yellow. Did you stick with the franchise? Did you go into like the Jodo Ho end games?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: into this journey?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah. So after Yellow, uh, I stuck around with that one for a, uh, a good minute. I went to gold, and then after Gold I went to Ruby. Um, Ruby was the last one where I took a break, you know, I was starting high school. so, you know, you're, you're growing up and you're in high school and you know

David Hernandez: up, man.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Right.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Exactly. How dare you grow up? Um. But yeah, like I said, you know, you're out. You [00:11:00] know, you're trying to meet girls, you're trying to make friends and, all that stuff. So those little things kind of take a little bit of a back burner for me. It took a bit of a back burner in my life.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, got back around to it. Uh, I skipped. black and white. Uh, I think I didn't get to black and white too. Um, and I kind of got back like really, really into it with Pokemon Go in 2016.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: at that time I had just gotten, you know, um. Uh, uh, a good paying job. So I had a nine to five, you know, Monday through Friday, weekends off.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Fantastic. Uh, I had my cell phone. Great. And at this point, you know, boom, you see this cell phone game, I'm like, oh man, this is awesome. I get to go outside and, play Pokemon again to a certain point. And it just reignited my, passion, my fire for it, my love, for the game. Just seeing it come to life, quote unquote.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Right. Or it, it's, there, you're, you're, you can see it if you turn on your camera when you're playing this [00:12:00] app, you see the Pokemon right there in front of you. And with Pokemon Go in 2016, it kind of just. Brought everything together, but before Pokemon Go, yeah, I did a little bit of, um, uh, with, the second coming of, Ruby and Sapphire. Um, sun and Moon. I did a little bit of that. didn't by the games I was, I just kind of casted it aside. But like I said, at 2016 when Pokemon Go came out, that's when I was like, yes, I'm back in it again, baby. Let's do this.

David Hernandez: The prodigal son has

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah, the prodigal son has returned.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Exactly.

David Hernandez: When it came just to Pokemon Go, you know, came in 2016, we saw a lot of people come back. What was it about, I guess, Pokemon Buzz specifically that compared to Omega, Ruby and the other games you maybe dabbled in that kept you, I guess, hooked within the Pokemon franchise?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: The ability to actually hang out with friends and do this in real life. Right? it was one of those, Hey, we want you to go out and explore the world. Uh, we want you to go out and hang out with your friends and [00:13:00] do this while you're hanging out with your friends.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: That's what kind of brought me in because yeah, the, the games are great. Uh, but let's be a hundred percent honest. During that time, it was more of a one person game or, you know, yeah, you can get your friend, one friend together and you can one v one. And yeah, sure, there were some competitive scenes, but for me it just, the competitive.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: video game scene never really stuck with me. So I'm like, oh, well, it always felt like a one person game. Except like I said, when Pokemon Go came out, like, oh, man, like, I can just get tons of my friends together. We can just meet up at this one point and we can just go from point A to point B to point C and just hang out all of us, like a bunch of crazy kids and just go out, you know, and, and explore.

David Hernandez: I think you touched on something that's maybe not talked about enough to where Yes, Pokemon early side, they had those kind of interconnectivity sides of the game, but nobody ever really dived into it. And you didn't really have those close friends

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: limited. 'cause most of [00:14:00] it was online, or I'm sorry, in person

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: Go was the first time you really saw. I guess you were forced to kind of meet people

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah. Yeah.

David Hernandez: you know, nowadays, you know, they're more spoiled with it. 'cause now you got the whole shiny hunting within the

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: You got the whole interconnectivity. You don't have to just do VGC,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah,

David Hernandez: Go was really the first time where y'all could go, Hey, let's go to a park, let's go see what we can catch.

David Hernandez: And y'all could all meet in a park and play Pokemon. And you have that Pokemon experience. Exactly.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: exactly. It, it felt more human. I think, uh, it had that more human aspect of, friendship and, actual teamwork getting together, uh, around the time when they started introducing rays and things like that. Like, hey, actually teaming up with a bunch of strangers and, and doing this. One mission or action, uh, was, was, like I said, one of the things that still kept me hooked in, uh, for, for a very long time.

David Hernandez: Now during 2016, like where were you going? Like did you have any crazy stories of when Pokemon Go was debuting? Like how late did you stay out? I.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: So we stayed out for, for quite some time. I think one of the ones that we did was until 1:00 AM [00:15:00] but we just stayed in big areas. So here in Houston, uh, we did, um, Memorial Hermann Park, which is one of the bigger parks, in the medical center. We did Discovery Green, which is in the downtown area, uh, just like the big parks.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: That's what we did. And luckily enough, uh, you know, they're all lit up. It's the downtown area, so there's tons of light.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: it was one of those things that we couldn't really do it as much, either. Number one, the game was new. So, uh, when you saw A group of young people or just a group of people walking around, you kind of get suspicious, especially like 11:00 PM midnight, like, Hey, what, what are they doing?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And why are they, you know, with their cell phones out, what exactly are they doing? So,

David Hernandez: Right.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: but no, nothing too crazy. Luckily enough, we were safe. you know, we were never, mugged or anything bad happened. We made sure to be as safe as possible. We didn't go into, like, closed businesses, or we didn't go into like, uh, abandoned buildings or anything like that.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: So we, we kept it safe. But, but you know, you still get, you still got those awkward eyes, you know, sometimes the security would come up to us [00:16:00] and tell us, Hey, whatcha guys doing? Just tell 'em, Hey, you know, we're playing this game. You know, we're, we're not. You know, we don't mean no harm. But yeah, luckily enough, nothing crazy, nothing bad, nothing crazy.

David Hernandez: Now you said Pokemon Go is what brought you back into Pokemon. So where did that, uh, lead to afterwards? Did you still engage with Pokemon Go or did you dive back into the games training cards?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: So around that time, I really got into Pokemon Go heavy. I was really, really into it. I was like, yes, this is, this is my jam. I loved it. Um, and I wasn't paying too much attention to the TCG side. Um. Uh, I did collect a card here and there if, if something looked cool to me. You know, I think, uh, a few of the, the cards that I was kind of, uh, looking at was, like the sun and moon cards and stuff like that. So,

David Hernandez: yes.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: yeah, so, you know, I, I wasn't really doing any TCG stuff or, or uh, video game stuff. But then the one game I. That brought, that, reeled it all back again was, um, let's go pick at you and let's go Evie, for the switch.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: So like, I, I have the, the most biggest spot in my [00:17:00] heart for anything. Gen one, uh, especially, Pokemon Yellow related, right?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And then when I saw that, let's go Pikachu and let's go. Eevee had just, uh, got announced. I'm like, yes, this is it. This is for me. I am absolutely in love with it. Obviously, it's gen one, right?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: It's, it's a retelling of, the Gen One games, but on top of that, it had. Pikachu like this, this Pikachu that you can play with and, and you can, uh, have matching, uh, suits with or matching clothing with. Uh, but also it had a little bit of Pokemon Go Mechanics in it too. I'm like, okay, this is a nice little kind of, uh, congruent of two things that, that I really, really enjoyed at the time, uh, was, you know, the switch had just started coming out and Pokemon Go.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: I'm like, oh my God, this is so amazing. Even though, let's go Pikachu and let's go. Ev has. Some haters and you know, I'll be a hundred percent honest. It's not, what you would expect a, a regular, Pokemon game to be. It's a little bit more kid fight, I guess. It's a little bit more kid gloves.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: It's easier. Uh, but like I said, it was a, it's a, it's an amalgamation of the [00:18:00] two things that I really enjoyed was, uh, gen One, Pokemon Yellow type game and, uh, Pokemon Go Mechanics.

David Hernandez: I think, Pokemon Let's Go is honestly an underrated game. I think it's, I honestly think. As dares, I say I think it's top three. If you really think about, like, I know that's blamy, but you know, it has such a very clean aesthetic with the Pokemon

HTX Pokemon Collectors: yes. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: hard, gold, soul, silver, but Pokemon, let's go. Did it better.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: you know, yes, the battles the rival. You're never remember his name because he was easy and he was useless. But the hunting part, the

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: is still probably one of the best ways that I had always hoped Pokemon to lean towards.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: this day. So that's always been, that's probably my spicy take, I think let's go, is honestly,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: You know what I, I, I agree with you. One, one, I'm looking at this through rose tinted, uh, glasses and, and, uh, my, my heart is, is full of passion for, for the, for Pokemon Yellow. So that's why I might be just, you know, completely biased about it. Uh, but yeah, no, [00:19:00] I, I agree with it was just. Such a great game. Um, now looking at it by, you know, looking at it in, in the past and, and seeing how, how it matches up with a lot of the games that we've recently gotten, the video games, uh, uh, you know, sword and Shield, uh, uh, violet and Scarlet.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, It felt great for, for its time, and it was such a great in introduction, uh, to me, uh, for all these other younger people, uh, who were just getting into the, the video game as well, like seeing, hey, you know, it's not a rough and tumble game. I can just, Use the motion on my, on my switch and, and then I can just catch this Pokemon real easily.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And, uh, with the Pokemon Go Mechanics and, you know, if I have a buddy next to me, I can get the other JoyCon and two buddies can play at the same time. And it was, it was just great. It was great.

David Hernandez: Now with all your experience with Pokemon, do, what is your favorite?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: if I had to pick one, uh, it's. Kyogre. Kyogre my absolute favorite, uh, Pokemon.

David Hernandez: Ooh. Why do you, why Kyogre? 

HTX Pokemon Collectors: I felt like it, it, it just had such a menacing, formidable look, It's [00:20:00] this whale looking. Pokemon, with this massive wingspan and just the blue body, with the red ridges with the white face, and just like it looked incredibly, you know, formidable and, and menacing.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And, um, I don't know if you've seen those videos of like where, where you can see like, uh, orcas just swimming underneath the water with their shadow and it's just like, it looks. Like it's pacing around and it looks like it's about to jump at you. It's that same idea that, that I see when I, when I see Kyogre, um, and especially when, when, uh, when the Omega versions of it came out, the Alphas and the Omega versions of it, uh, it just took that to, to the next level.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And, uh, but yeah. Yeah. I think it's a Cuo.

David Hernandez: and especially 'cause that's the last generation you left off before you

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yes.

David Hernandez: Go too. So did you get the chance to experience Calgary, I guess during their first initials, gen three, or is it primarily from the Omega Ruby Alpha Sapphire games?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: No, no. I, I experienced both of them and, but I, I put in a lot of time in, uh, Ruby and Sapphire.

David Hernandez: Wow. [00:21:00] What'd

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: the primordial, uh,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Or primordial. There we go. The primordial forms.

David Hernandez: Yeah.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: like they, they were fantastic. I loved the designs.

David Hernandez: Well,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, I.

David Hernandez: because it's your favorite.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Um, it was, it was okay.

David Hernandez: Oh, okay. So you don't

HTX Pokemon Collectors: It was okay. No, it's, it's okay. Uh, I think the designs were great in, in terms of like how they wanted the, primal look to be of it.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, but overall just the og OG Kyogre is killer. For me, it's, you know, number one.

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[00:22:00]

David Hernandez: So when it came to you starting your business in 2021, you noticed something that was missing,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: toys and Pokemon Pluses. How did you, I guess you start getting the Pokemon toys and collected and pluses to go to these conventions. Like was it something you had to kind of look for? Like what was the process to that?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: So it, it was, uh, an interesting choice at first. So, um, myself and my girlfriend, we did a lot of, uh, kind of like arts and crafts once again. Uh, revisiting the whole, Hey, we're just getting out of, covid lockdown. So we did a lot of arts and crafts during that time, right? And so a lot of it kind of stuck around.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And so we're like, Hey, you know, and some people had asked, Hey, are you selling that? I'm like, not really, but you know, if you want to buy it off of me for a couple coins. Sure. And so that's how it kind of started or that's how the, the, the initial spark had just [00:23:00] started.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Right? And so then we're thinking, okay, well there's people that, that are selling tcgs and stuff like that. Um. And then we thought, okay, there's this missing piece, the toys for, in real, IRL, events that are starting to pop off. So, uh, the first way that we started was actually, um, reaching out to a friend.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: A friend had, uh, moved over there, uh, for a little bit for work. Uh, and we reached out to him and like, Hey, 'cause at first he got me a Nintendo Switch from Japan. Uh. And so we were kind of thinking and kind of got the wheels turned. He is like, Hey, you know, maybe we can reach out to him. Uh, he lives somewhat nearby.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh. Uh, in person Pokemon Center in Japan. Uh, I think it was in Osaka, if I'm not mistaken. So we kind of reached out to him, um, and he's like, yeah, sure. So we sent him some money. He got us the, the stuff he, he shipped it out, right? Couple things here and there. But as the interest started getting, uh, more and more and more, we actually, uh, decided, okay, well let's, um.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Figure this out in terms of [00:24:00] shipping. Uh, so we started reaching out to, um, um, like these warehouses and, uh, these people that are able to, you know, kind of package everything up and ship it out to us. Uh, so that's, that's kind of how it, it all snowballed, uh, into getting all the, uh, merchandise and product in.

David Hernandez: And then, uh, you started attending these trade shows as a, a vendor. What was

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: uh, I guess. Being a vendor at Ike as Poke Houston, Texas, Pokemon collectors.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Oh man, it's, it's an experience. The first time you do it. Uh, it, I was a nervous wreck. I was a nervous wreck. I was sweating. I was second guessing everything I was.

David Hernandez: Did you even sleep the night before? I'm,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Oh, I didn't even sleep for the, the, uh, the week, the week before the event. I was, like I said, I was just thinking of like, okay, um, I gotta make these signs.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, I gotta, I gotta make sure that, uh, I, I get my, my flyers up and, and I, I gotta make sure that I get my cubes to set all the merchandising. And I, like I said, I the. Seven days. I was just a nervous wreck The day of, I was just a sweaty [00:25:00] mess. I was overthinking everything. Uh, but it was a lot of fun. It was a lot of fun.

David Hernandez: When it came to, you know, you had your vision, you finally see it come to fruition, what was the reception like? Did you get kind of the hope that you saw with the fans and the kids? I.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yes. Uh, one of the things that I always, think about and I tell myself, or I repeat in my mind, is the second. Trade. The second show or the third show, They were like college age kids. they were coming in and they're like, oh man, we haven't seen this.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Or Hey, it must have been, or it's so hard to get this, or, I've only seen this in Japan, and just seeing the, the, the light. In their eyes, the twinkle, just seeing the, how excited they get to see these things that they've probably only seen on the internet on a webpage. Uh, or, you know, maybe something that they've seen their friends get because they did travel to Japan or to some other, uh, location.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, just having them see this and, and it being available to [00:26:00] them and just Being absolutely stoked for it. Uh, like I said, it just every single time, I, I remind myself of that, and it just, it gets me just, you know, fired up.

David Hernandez: And I think it's something like you pointed out that such overlooked often, 'cause a lot of people really focus heavily on the TCG side, which.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: because it's the money maker. Like let's

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah. Yeah, of course. Yeah.

David Hernandez: But there's a place for people who just don't have the financial needs to afford a game system like you

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: who

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: family especially, you know, you growing up for me and my mom, she worked her butt off my dad, he [00:27:00] worked his butt off to give me what they could.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah,

David Hernandez: No, but they did the best they could

HTX Pokemon Collectors: exactly.

David Hernandez: to reward that. Be like, Hey, I know y'all may not know Pokemon. I know you don't even have the money to buy a wristband for each one of y'all,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: I want y'all included in the Pokemon experience. 'cause that's for me what Pokemon's all about.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah, exactly. And you know, we try to do the same thing. Uh, so one of the things that, that we. You know, first and foremost we do sell authentic merchandise. So this authentic merchandise, unfortunately is a little bit, you know, it's not a dollar plus or $5 plus or something like that, so, you know, they're gonna be a little bit more expensive.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: But we do what we. Do, uh, on our end is, uh, we'll have either like little sticker packs or we'll have like a little 20 cards of some bulk where we will give them out to kids, uh, uh, with some nice hollow foils on them, or some, you know, nice cards in there. So when they, they look at 'em like, oh man, this is how I'm gonna start my, uh, collection.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And we also have for sale, like the more recent modern, uh, TCG cards, but like, you know, they're not [00:28:00] terribly expensive, I think, are. Price point is like between a dollar and $5. Yes, we have some, we have like a, a light splattering of like $10 $15 cards, but. 90% of our cards are between one and $5. Uh, and As, and what we're doing now is we're also doing 3D prints of little small, uh, Pokemon toys, like a dollar, $5 toys.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: That way it's more accessible for, for the kiddos. Uh, and yeah, what you just said, we've noticed that too. Like, hey, uh, parents, uh, that come in with their kids, uh, or single mothers that have, uh, come in, they're. Taking their kids out to, to enjoy this thing. And so, hey, if they can leave at it here with a little extra in their hands, a little toy that they can enjoy and play with, Hey, you know what?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: everybody wins.

David Hernandez: Now, are you doing this full time now or is this still just kind of a side job with your nine to five? So

HTX Pokemon Collectors: At this point in time, right now, it's, uh, still a side thing. Um, I'm hoping at some point, um, to kind of start doing this full-time. And the reason is because we, [00:29:00] we have started getting a little bit more popular. We've started getting, uh, we've opened up our online store last year, so we've been getting some orders, from all over the us.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: So it's starting to snowball a little bit more. And, uh, it's. It's really starting to grow and having a nine, a nine to five and doing this, uh, luckily enough, I'm, I'm still young, I'm 35. I still got, you know, still got a lot left in me. Uh, but I can tell you that, uh, it's gonna be one of those things that at some point, hey, gotta start of figuring out like how, like I can't do two things at once.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, so I'm.

David Hernandez: you could maybe, have you tried to like maybe multiply yourself like a double

HTX Pokemon Collectors: I, right, exactly. Just kind of just, uh, dito, ditto myself a bunch of times or something. Uh, but, you know, hopefully, uh, hopefully I can do this. That's my, my number one thing is at some point my ultimate goal, my absolute ultimate goal is to have my own little retail. Coffee bar area. I want to have a little area where [00:30:00] everybody can come in re regard whether you like Pokemon or not.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: You know, it doesn't matter. You can just come in, hang out, have a cup of coffee, but hey, you know, if you see a, a cool little, you know. Ditto plushy. Or if you see, uh, some, some pretty red, uh, Pokemon blind boxes that you wanna pick up, hey, it's there too. But, you know, you can always chill here too. So that's the ultimate goal.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: That's my five year plan. Uh, but you know, I, that's, that's, uh, I'm, I'm manifesting it right now.

David Hernandez: Let's segue real quick. So why

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Okay.

David Hernandez: shop of all things

HTX Pokemon Collectors: I absolutely love coffee shops. I went to college for a full semester, and the fond memories of me going to school, uh, or to, to college was just doing my homework at a coffee shop and just seeing all the different people that come in, uh, whether it be students, whether it be just people working, whether it be just older folks on their day off.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Wanting somewhere to hang out. Uh, I've always enjoyed coffee shops, the vibe, the way they can just bring a community together. Uh, that's kind of what I wanna do. So I, like I [00:31:00] said, I just, I have an affinity for coffee shops like that.

David Hernandez: Now, as you know, our business owner with the Houston, Texas Pokemon collectors, what's been, I guess, the challenge you've encountered since starting this whole process?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: it's always going to be sourcing product.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: especially, you know, we've gone through so many tariffs or iterations of them.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: and before this whole tariff stuff, it was, um. Bringing everything in in a cost effective way where it doesn't mark everything up crazy.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: and that's the kind of like the financial inventory side of the business. But, uh, the other side of, of that coin too, I think the, the other part is, uh, doing the. IRL events. Um, and you've, you know, like you said, you've done a couple of them, so you've seen how, how much of a, like right before you, everything, uh, starts or before they open the doors.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: It's a huge hustle and bustle. It's like putting the biggest puzzle piece that you can in less than two hours. Um, so that's the physical IRL aspect of it. And then the inventory side [00:32:00] is just like bringing it in. Making sure that it's at a very reasonable price, what's the point of bringing in this really cute, plushy when it's a palm size plushy and you have to pay $25 for it, no one's gonna wanna buy that.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, even if you're the biggest, collector, uh, that everybody has a, price point and, uh, you know, everybody has stuff. Bills to pay first too. So,

David Hernandez: it works both ways. You know, as

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Exactly.

David Hernandez: as well as the consumer. Like they

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: product and they see it's high up there. It maybe, you know, there could be an argument that it may be worth that 'cause you know, your

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: is, but also the flip side is they have to be willing to spend it.

David Hernandez: If people don't wanna spend it, then

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yep,

David Hernandez: tough conversation in the mayor sometimes.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: yep. That's, that's exactly right. And it's, it's what? It's that conversation that's always going, like for me, uh. You know, like I said, with the most recent, uh, iterations of, of these terrorists, it's just going back and forth and trying to figure out, hey, how, uh, me as a business owner, how much can I afford to, to absorb this pain?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And how much of it is the customer willing [00:33:00] to, uh, take? Uh, 'cause at the end of the day. Pokemon doesn't necessarily put food on the table, uh, for, for a lot of these folks. So they, the customers also will make that decision and say, Hey, you know, I love, this is a very cute item that you have, or this is awesome merchandise that you have, but, you know, might be a little bit too much out of my, uh, my price.

David Hernandez: Do you have any concerns about the whole changes with the tariffs affecting your business to the point to where you might have to consider some things or some decisions at some point?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: It's, it's been an everyday thing, you know,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: when they fully got announced I sat down with, with my girlfriend and we had a conversation and I was like, you know what? This, this might be it. This is gonna be one of those like. I have enough inventory to last me maybe one more trade show or one more con and a couple online sales, and that's going to be it.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And, uh, it's been an ongoing thing, uh, it's just been an on and off thing, just thinking about it. And, uh, sometimes it looks like The gates are closing, it feels like, or it feels like the walls are [00:34:00] closing in sometimes in terms of the business. And, it's still an ongoing conversation that I have with myself.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Hey, uh, am I gonna still be in business today, tomorrow, a week from now, two weeks from now, a month from now? So, yeah.

David Hernandez: Last question is in regards to this, so say you do have to close the business down, what would go through your mind that you know, it's gone? Like do you see it as a success? Do you see it as something that you could have done better? Like how would it if it does go eventually and.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: If that were to happen, I think I would it. Incredible sadness, right? It's, it's something that I really cared for. It's something that I absolutely loved. Uh, it's something that I've put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, literal, um, and money. Let's be a hundred percent honest. You know, a lot of this stuff, uh, I've.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Started off with this inventory straight from my pocket, no loans, no nothing, uh, just myself taking out for my own savings account, uh, and stuff like that. So it would just be one of those things that yeah, I would be, I would be incredibly [00:35:00] heartbroken, but

David Hernandez: you're fully all in too. That, I mean, you

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm, I'm, I, I am all in, you know, chips on the table, everything.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, I got skin in this game, but, uh, no, like I said, I, I would be incredibly sad. Incredibly sad. But, uh, on the flip side of that, I would be incredibly happy that I did it, um, ecstatic that I did it. Uh, because, it sucks to live life always thinking, you know, what if I did, or, you know, always thinking that like, Hey, you know, I wonder what would've happened if I did do this or I didn't do this.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: So, hey, you know, better to have loved. Then lost. So it is what it is. Um, but that's how I would feel if, if, if it were to go down like that.

David Hernandez: I mean, I agree the same way like, you know, I started this podcast 'cause I wanted to see what I could do creative wise, you know, and

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: three years later I'm still doing this and you know, I don't make much money off it,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: at all. But I enjoy it. And like you said, my biggest, was anything that haunted me at night. It would always be the stuff that I wish I had done or I wish I had

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yes, exactly. [00:36:00] I.

David Hernandez: it does end, I'm not saying I'm ending anytime soon. I'm going to look on it fondly

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Oh, yeah, yeah, of course.

David Hernandez: I want it to be on my terms

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Exactly. Exactly.

David Hernandez: understand that's probably what you would prefer

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: things do work out.

David Hernandez: We don't know what happens. That's

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: of being a vendor as well as being a small business owner.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah, no, exactly. I think, uh, it's, it's a gamble. It's, uh, uh, you shoot the dice every day, hopefully that, you know, it lands well for you, uh, in terms of success, but At least I got it. I got a chance to do it. with this business, with being in person, all the people that I've had a chance to network, I think, uh, I've met a lot of fantastic people, some like super awesome people.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, I've had a chance to network, learn some things, uh, you know, put those, I can say that those skills, uh, are in my toolbox now. And, I would look at it fondly as well. This, this experience that, uh, that I got a chance to do.

David Hernandez: Now we're both from Texas, you know, we're very independent. People are very prideful of Texas. A lot of small business owners as well, and Pokemon is a lot of

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: it.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: was gonna [00:37:00] consider becoming a business owner specifically at Pokemon,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: advice would you give them before even taking the step?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Have fun, have passion, have fire. Be all in. Uh, I think it's one of those things. Uh, one of the things that I look very, very fondly at is, uh, as a kid playing Pokemon Yellow was. The Elite four. I kept getting my ass handed to me over and over and over and over again. But I kept at it and I kept at it and I kept at it.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And finally I beat the Elite four. Right? And I finally, you know, I, I beat, uh, blue and I became the champion, right?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: And it's that same attitude. You just gotta keep going. You gotta have the passion, uh, you just gotta get up, dust the dirt off you and try it again. Uh, so if you're gonna be a small business owner with Pokemon, just think of about those trials and tribulations and get ready to, to just duke it out and have fun.

David Hernandez: Absolutely. And you gotta have that vision. I love that vision. You

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah.

David Hernandez: I get my butt kicked, or I get my ass kicked by the [00:38:00] elite four, but I kept getting back up and that just exemplifies who you are. For me, my podcast has always been, I've always imagined of four people at a table talking about Pokemon.

David Hernandez: That's what's driven this podcast. That's when they keep driving this podcast. If it's over some chips and salsa or some rice or

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Mm-hmm.

David Hernandez: of appetizer, that's how that drives it. You gotta have that kind of vision, otherwise, you're gonna burn out.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah, exactly.

David Hernandez: Well, Ricardo, thank you for coming on as the Pokemon turns.

David Hernandez: I want to finish on one final question.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: All right.

David Hernandez: I want to hear what six Pokemon you would bring to a Pokemon battle.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Ooh, man, you, you put me on a spot. Okay. First and foremost, this is gonna be a little bit of, of the, the team that I did, uh, Pokemon, yellow,

David Hernandez: Let's go.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: uh, and a little bit like more recent stuff. So first off, foremost, Pikachu always, he's the mascot, he's the face of the franchise. You gotta have them.

David Hernandez: Now, are you gonna do gmax or.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Ooh, man, now, now you're throwing curve balls.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Now you're throwing curve balls.

David Hernandez: this is anything, so you can do Megas. You can do

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Oh, okay. Cool. [00:39:00] Alright. You know what, we're, we're gonna go Gmax Pikachu. Definitely.

David Hernandez: Yeah,

HTX Pokemon Collectors: 'cause you know, you gotta, you gotta love your chunky boy.

David Hernandez: course.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Charmander or char? The, the, the full Evol and just no, no X and y or no mega evolutions. No, just your OG Charizard. That's too

David Hernandez: I

HTX Pokemon Collectors: organic.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Og. You gotta, yeah, you gotta, you gotta, man. Um. What was my third? What ma? Champ, definitely. You, you, you gotta have, you gotta have a fighter. You gotta have a fighter both in, in the typing, but also in spirit. You gotta have a fighter.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: number four, spirit tomb. Just, you gotta have a spooky boy.

David Hernandez: I

HTX Pokemon Collectors: You have to have some, some form of spooky boy.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, number five. Oh man, who's my number five now? Now you got the, the wheels turning in my head. Uh, who's my most favorite one right now? C. Bravery. Bravery. I love bravery. Uh, I've been playing some, uh, uh, legends of Archus and bravery has been saving me on those footsteps and just getting [00:40:00] me from point A to point B, so

David Hernandez: doing his Hisuian Braviary?

HTX Pokemon Collectors: yes.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

David Hernandez: Okay? Gotcha.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, and then my sixth and final one because I am a huge, huge syn, uh, Cynthia fan. You gotta have a, a guard chomp in there. I.

David Hernandez: Oh, all right, Ricardo, with this team, I love it. you go, if people want to check out your merchandise, if they wanna connect with you, where can they go? By all means, please plug away.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: All right, well, yeah. Uh, if you guys wanna check out the merch, please go to, uh, h tx pokemon collectors.com. Uh, we do also have, uh, an Instagram HT X poke collectors, uh, and then our Facebook fake, uh, facebook.com/ht x Pokemon collectors. Uh, yeah, so definitely go check out the merch. Uh, if you guys have any questions or you guys just wanna, uh, chit chat, I am always here to, to talk.

HTX Pokemon Collectors: Uh, so yeah, please go check out the merch.

[00:41:00]