Back in 2003 in Suriname, South America, my brother and father brought home two Yu-Gi-Oh! starter decks: Joey and Pegasus. I had already been watching the anime religiously on TV, and when we cracked those boxes open, it felt like opening a portal to another world.
We didn’t care about the rules. We just summoned our favorite monsters and played like we saw on the show. Those early duels with friends and family are some of my most cherished childhood memories and they sparked what would eventually become Evolution TCG.
Yu-Gi-Oh! in Suriname: The Rise of a Local Community
By 2006, Yu-Gi-Oh! had grown into a big deal in Suriname. Flamingo Store hosted its own yearly tournaments with a custom Traditional Format. It was like a glorified playground banlist, but we loved it. Banning cards like Chaos Emperor Dragon and Black Luster Soldier even though they were technically allowed in a Traditional Format. 150-200 players showed up every year.
Unfortunately, I only managed to attend the final one in 2010. After that, the store stopped hosting, but our community didn’t fade. Instead, we adapted.
Two good friends of mine, Rudolph and Jason, stepped up and started organizing Advanced Format tournaments. We didn’t have stores or venues, but we found ways to make it work. Eventually, I began hosting tournaments too. I also liked playing in tournaments a lot and often sold the prizes I won. At that time, it wasn’t a business. It was just a hustle to keep playing the game we loved.
Getting your hands on cards wasn't easy, as we didn't have an official store selling cards, so we had to order everything online from overseas.
Moving to Europe: A Whole New World of TCG
In 2018, I moved to Belgium to study, with nothing but my suitcase and my cards. I soon discovered that Europe had an entirely different scale of TCG culture. When I attended YCS Utrecht for the first time, I was shocked to see thousands of players. I had always thought the big tournaments were only in the US, but Europe was booming.
As a broke student, I couldn’t afford to keep up with the meta unless I found a way to turn Yu-Gi-Oh! into a side hustle. So I did.
I began buying collections at around 80% value and selling them at 100% EU market price, which is pretty terrible. All transactions were exclusively in person, mostly at locals. But when COVID hit in 2020, everything changed. I had to move online.
Going All In: The Birth of Evolution TCG
With the TCG market booming during lockdowns, I made a decision: I was going to make this official.
In January 2021, now living in the Netherlands, I registered Evolution TCG as a business. I started reaching out to distributors, only to find out that most wouldn’t work with online-only sellers. But I didn’t let that stop me. I kept emailing, kept applying, and eventually found a few who were willing to give me a shot.
After the COVID boom faded, reality hit hard. Prices dropped. Demand fell. I took losses on both Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! products. There were moments when I questioned if I had made the right choice, especially after dropping out of college in 2021 to pursue this full-time.
But I kept going. I started networking, attending events, and building a reputation. Little by little, Evolution TCG grew.
Where We Are Now and What’s Next
In 2023, I built this website to take things to the next level. This isn’t just a store, it’s the home of everything I’ve worked for. I’m constantly improving the platform and exploring new features to give players, collectors, and resellers a better experience.
I’ve learned that success in this business takes more than just love for the game. It takes grit, patience, and the willingness to learn from your mistakes.
We’re still growing, and if you’re reading this, thank you. Whether you’re a customer, a fellow seller, or someone dreaming of starting your own TCG shop, I hope this story shows that it’s possible to start with nothing but your passion and build something real.
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