A father from London has turned a £200 investment into a £1.5 million business selling Pokémon trading cards, describing the growth as 'absolutely crazy'. Thomas Lake, 35, who works as a graphic designer, began his venture around a decade ago by purchasing 20 cards on eBay for £200, intending to resell some for a profit. After making more than double his initial outlay, he expanded his operations, eventually launching Lake Card Store.
Lake, a lifelong Pokémon enthusiast, recalls the franchise's massive popularity during his childhood in London. He and his sister would buy packs from the local corner shop with their pocket money. His favourite Pokémon include Pikachu, Charizard and Gengar. One childhood memory involves his sister pulling a rare Charizard card from a pack at Christmas, which he says 'ruined my Christmas' and still reminds him of the incident.
After a period away from collecting, Lake spotted cards on eBay about ten years ago and bought 20 for £200. He sold a portion for more than double the price, funding a personal collection while making extra money. He said: 'I guess it's nostalgia, isn't it? When you see stuff from your childhood, you just have a special feeling towards it.' The cards sold within a day, and his business grew from there.
Lake continued buying and selling as a sole trader, with sales increasing following the 2016 release of Pokémon GO and during the Covid-19 pandemic. He now operates as a limited company. So far this year, he has sold £450,000 worth of cards. Annual turnover from last year reached around £1.5m, including £250,000 to £300,000 from Instagram. One card recently fetched £27,500.
Lake said: 'It's crazy at the moment, I honestly can't explain what's happening. I thought I was at my peak when I was doing it as a sole trader, with around £84,000 in sales in a year... but I did that sale in three days last week, so that just blows my mind.' He added: 'I've put in a lot of work to be in this position... but I never thought I would get to this stage.'
