The Pennysleever is offering top quality supplies at a fair price according to their motto. Since 2023, Pennysleever owners, Isaac Alpert and his wife, Maggie, have brought their card collecting hobby to North Adams by providing protective sleeves and other supplies to card enthusiasts nationwide.
What products or services does your company provide?
We are a brand of protective hobby supplies, primarily soft and hard plastics designed to display and protect sports cards and other collectible cards. We have a catalogue of nearly 100 products, including some which are exclusive to us.
What makes your products or business unique?
We are looking to serve overlooked niches within collecting, including vintage card collectors. We also try to remind collectors that cards should be a fun hobby, something that is too often overlooked. We've introduced a lot of bright colorful toploaders and magnetic card holders, for example, that are a great way to display cards without having to spend a lot.
What inspired the business or idea originally?
There was not a single "a-ha" moment, but rather a collection of thoughts. If it had to be distilled down to one moment, though, it would have to be back around 2018. I have been a card collector on and off since childhood, and I was lucky enough to get a patch card that was special to me. I wanted to get a magnetic card holder, which is a hard plastic case to display cards, and I found that the size I needed cost about $8, which seemed outrageous. I asked myself why this was so much more expensive than other sizes, and did some digging into it, and discovered that there was no reason except greed on the side of the manufacturer. Later on, when we were thinking about what sort of business we'd like to get into, we saw an opportunity to get involved in collectibles, from the mindset of collectors, and the rest is Pennysleever history.
Why has Berkshire County been a good place to build your business?
We chose to move to North Adams almost without ever having been here! Before The Pennysleever, I was a teacher for almost 20 years, most of it overseas. When we started getting serious about moving from Hong Kong, where we'd been for eight years, we started researching places we could start a business.
I grew up in eastern Massachusetts, and had little connection to the rest of the state, but when we started looking at the cost of living, we knew right away that trying to start a business from scratch, using our savings, was going to be impossible in Greater Boston. We did a lot of virtual touring and Google Maps road tours, and just loved what we saw of the Berkshires. After years living around skyscrapers and fast-paced city life, North Adams just offered a more rational lifestyle, without sacrificing culture and the arts.
The enthusiasm we encountered did not hurt! Neither of us had experience starting, or running, a business, but the resources that we found here before and after moving were super beneficial. Ben Lamb (vice president of economic development at 1Berkshire), in particular, was amazing about connecting us to people who could help us get established. It's been amazing learning as we go, and feeling like there are people around us willing to help out.
How important is the local community to your company?
Despite being a web-based business, the local community, both collectors and others, has been very important to us. We've met a lot of people at card shows who started as customers but have become our biggest booster. We're proud of our high quality products, but it means a lot to us when members of the collecting community show so much passion for our supplies.
Do you source locally or work with other Berkshire businesses?
It's a point of pride that we try, whenever we can, to work with other local businesses. Operating an e-commerce business is essentially a lonely job, and it isn't always easy to get out into the community. At the same time, we think it is important to try and do our small part to build a healthy ecosystem. We switched to getting our promotional materials made locally, at Beck's Printing (in North Adams), for example, and have been so pleased with the quality and the flexibility that they offer. We love banking with Adams Community Bank, since they have really made an effort to get to know our business. The emphasis on great service and a personal touch is something we value in our own business, and we love being able to work with others who share this ethos.
What do you enjoy most about running a business in the Berkshires?
We love the advantages that come with working in a small town. We have the luxury of having our warehouse within a short drive of where we live, so going home for lunch is a nice perk. Having everything we need, from banking services to the post office, within a short drive, makes things so much easier, and being on a first name basis with everybody from the building maintenance team to the local merchants is something that should not be taken for granted.
What have been some of the biggest challenges for your business?
Right now we are unfortunately facing the same headwinds that many small businesses are, as everything we rely on, from shipping services to fuel costs to packaging, has become much more expensive. Being in a hobby means that when people need to start reducing spending, card collecting is likely to take a hit. More unique to us is that we've decided to challenge some multi-million dollar companies that have been around for decades. We, perhaps naively, believe that offering a superior product with strong customer service can still be a winning combination.
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
First and foremost is simply surviving to our second birthday, which was in early May, 2026. We work hard seven days a week, and have learned so much along the way! We're also proud of how well received some of our exclusive products have been. We operate a lot on instinct, and it has been gratifying to see that collectors appreciate and share our passion for our high quality supplies. Finally, we are proud that we've been able to keep complete control of our vision by financing the whole project from savings. It has not been easy, but finding this level of trust within ourselves has been gratifying.
What keeps you motivated?
Aside from the fact that we've sacrificed everything to start The Pennysleever and keep it running, we are motivated by an enthusiasm to see what challenge tomorrow will bring. Every day our virtual cash register resets to zero, and it's fun (and nerve-wracking) to see what's going to happen.
What advice would you give someone looking to start a business in the Berkshires?
Go for it! There are so many wonderful people around town just waiting to help, the only thing you'll be wondering is why you waited so long.