Crazy Fred’s Cards & Comics

I got a say, I brought my boyfriend here to check out the magic cards and the owner was probably one of the best examples of excellent customer service. He was welcoming, humorous and very knowledgeable. I’m not necessarily into magic myself but I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is!

Haven’t played Magic in a while and wanted to get back into it. Picked this place out because of the great reviews and after going I can see why. This store has the best selection of Magic cards I’ve ever seen. And Fred is more than helpful when it comes to questions. He was very polite and listened to what I wanted. Ended up getting a couple tournament decks and boosters. Will definitely go back.

I recently moved to this area and decided to try out the nearest comic book store, which happened to be Crazy Fred’s. I came in a few minutes after the store opened. The two employees there — a young woman and a young man — hadn’t even started putting new comics on the shelves yet when I arrived. I waited patiently while they stocked the shelves, looking at other merchandise and taking in the atmosphere. One of the things I noticed is a sign that says they’ll kick you out if you don’t spend enough money during each visit. They expect people to come here and play Magic or other card games, but openly declare that if you don’t spend enough money while you’re there, you’re not welcome.
When the «New Releases» shelf was finally stocked, some ten minutes after I arrived, they turned out not to even have all of the comics I was looking for. I knew the comic in question (Star Wars: Shattered Empire #3) had been released because it was available for purchase on the Marvel comics application. I shrugged it off at the time, because I could always come back later for it or find it at a different comic book store. I checked out and went home to read my comics.
The next week I went back almost two hours after they opened. An older man I assume to be Crazy Fred himself entered the store right in front of me to find that his employees had not done any kind of inventory, or taken care of the pull list, or stocked the «New Release» shelf. So despite the fact that I came in TWO HOURS after this store opened, I STILL had to wait over fifteen minutes for them to be ready to sell me any comics.
And while I was waiting, they were having a conversation about one of the comics they ordered that week that they hadn’t gotten the week before. They mentioned some guy had insisted the comic had been released the week previously, because it was on the Marvel app. The employees were so unaware of their surroundings that they did not recognize me as the same customer while they ridiculed me. The real kicker is that they were wrong and I was right — the comic they had received was Star Wars: Shattered Empire #4. I had to go to a different comic book store to purchase the 3^rd issue, and that comic book store — Yesteryear Comics at the corner of Ruffin and Clairemont Mesa — will continue to have me as a customer. I will never return to Crazy Fred’s, because they made it clear that they had no respect for their customers by insulting a customer they couldn’t even recognize directly to his face.

Crazy Fred’s is a large store that is mainly dedicated to Magic the Gathering. The selection is unbelievable, more Magic products than I even knew existed. Also, Fred has an encyclopedic knowledge of the game. The place had a friendly, relaxed atmosphere for the players. Great Magic store!

I walked in to my first mtg card shop after so many years and was greeted by a smile and a loud ‘HI’ by Fred. The store was small but very clean and organized with plenty of room to sit down and play with other people. I needed help building a deck and catching up on 9 years that I missed out of the mtg action. He was very helpful in creating my deck and had it tested out with some of his own sets.
When you have a great shop and a passionate owner, you’ll have happy patrons!

The place is huge, there’s A/​C which is a big plus concidering a lot of places like these seem to skimp out on the A/​C. They have comic books, but not to many back issues. Awesome décor. If you like Magic The Gathering this is your place, if you like any other card game like I do you’re out of luck. I gave it a three since it advertised Yugioh and had non. But for MTG or newer comics I highly recommend this place.

I would like to leave a review of this place but when I drove out to check out the shop on a Wednesday morning they were not open at the time listed on their website. I tried to leave a message on their website to ask them about this but it is impossible to do so.

Very very friendly. A pleasure to visit. Fred attempts to make it feel like home.

Amazing selection for mtg and comic. Runs tournaments daily. Great character, and amazing knowledge of the game.

I want to preface this review by saying that this store is basically a one man shop with nothing but a large selection of MTG and a good size selection of comics. If you are looking for anything else besides these two things, look elsewhere.
I walked into this store around noonish on a weekday. It’s in a small strip of businesses, so I can imagine parking gets a little rough after the work day ends or on weekends. The store was very spacious. It was very well lit and extremely organized. I immediately noticed how clean the store was. I walked past all the gaming tables to the back of the store, where the counter was. I was greeted with a hello by Fred himself and a firm handshake. He asked if I needed any help and I explained to him I used to be a long time MTG player back in the 90s and early/​mid 2000s. I said I was just seeing what was up with the game these days. I asked him if it was ok if I can pester him with a million questions about the current state of the game.
Fred absolutely lit up as I asked him that. I must say that Fred is probably the most knowledgeable guy I’ve met when it comes to anything MTG related. We talked a bit about my past MTG experience, when I stopped playing, what decks I used to play, etc. Armed with this info, he diligently caught me up with how the game progressed and changed throughout my almost 8 years away from the game.
I mentioned to him that I wasn’t even sure if I was going to buy anything. That didn’t change his demeanor whatsoever. He continued to kindly explain and help me with any additional questions I had. He gave me a tour of his store to show me how the products were organized. He has a vast selection of MTG sets which dated back to when I was playing int he 90s. Nostalgia central for me to see packs of sets such as The Dark, Visions, Mercadian Masques, etc available for purchase.
I decided to spend over a bill on some new MTG sets just to jumpstart my old passion again. Again, I was impressed that Fred took his time with me even after I told him I wasn’t sure if I was going to buy anything. After the purchase was complete, I noticed a patron that came in with his decks waiting to play someone. He was kind enough to play with me and let me borrow his decks. I told him it has been many, many years since I was away from the game. That didn’t deter him. He was patient with me and basically helped me through our games as it was my first time playing. I can’t thank that guy enough.
TL;DR — Fred’s is a great place to purchase and play MTG. Incredible selection, spacious, clean, and well organized. Fred is a great asset to the MTG community.

Magic The Gathering took the world by storm. I’ve never played. I’ve never really played any of the trading card games or roleplaying games, but not playing isn’t the same as not understanding their wild popularity today. I tended to think those kinds of games were silly, but conversations with friends about strategy and intellectual effort required to play, led me to rethink them.
Penn Jillette offered some wisdom on this. He said, «There is this tremendous amount of arrogance and hubris, where somebody can look at something for five minutes and dismiss it. Whether you talk about gaming or 20^th century classical music, you can’t do it in five minutes. You can’t listen to ‘The Rite of Spring’ once and understand what Stravinsky was all about.» I still don’t play. I just don’t have the time to commit but I decided that I could add MTG into some of the charitable work I do for kids.
That was how I ended up at Crazy Fred’s. I knew I wanted to pick up a bunch of Magic games. I discovered pretty quickly that you don’t pick up Magic games. You pick up trading decks, packs of cards, and things like that. Fred, the owner, was extraordinarily helpful. When he realized I wasn’t picking these things up for myself but instead to give them to underprivileged kids, he changed course entirely and helped me with purchases that would appeal to players at any level of experience. There’s no question at all that Fred knows this game! I don’t know if Fred is the foremost expert on Magic The Gathering in San Diego, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he is.
He was patient with me and helped me even though I took up a great deal of his time. He kept me from buying certain items that seemed flashy and exciting but wouldn’t help a new player or appeal to a wide range of players. We were interrupted a few times as he helped other customers, but he got back to me right away, making me feel like my purchases (which weren’t as substantial as a customer who came in and bought just single cards from the case and spent much more than me) were the most important thing he was dealing with at that moment in time.
I was struck by his attention to detail and the amount of information he was willing to offer as well as how much he was willing to filter. I think I would have spent much more money buying fewer items if I’d been left to try to figure it out myself.
While I was there, I also bought a great many comic books. I don’t read them very much, at least I haven’t since I was young, but I remembered enjoying them as a child, and it was easy to find a very large selection at the store. They’re arranged in a pretty straightforward way and I appreciated that the store seemed spacious and not cramped.
I like getting kids to read, even comic books. Actually, I think comic books are great reading material. Countless people have been inspired by them including Mark Hamill, who admitted to having to hide his «geek side» when he was in school and TV’s Castle, Nathan Fillion, admits a comic addiction.
Elvis Presley said he grew up hoping to be a superhero, and Megan Fox says, «I’m the biggest nerd — I love comic books and stuff like that!» Umberto Eco, who became one of the most respected literary critics and is especially known for his brilliant novel «The Name of the Rose» said, «As an adolescent I wrote comic books, because I read lots of them, and fantasy novels set in Malaysia and Central Africa.»
I’m sure it’s a bit of a delusion of grandeur to think one of the kids who got some of the comic books would be the next Umberto Eco or Luke Skywalker but a guy can dream, right?
I thought the store itself was warm and very welcoming. With coffee available and a really inviting atmosphere, I was right at home. As a small business owner, I appreciate the challenges Crazy Fred’s must face. He succeeds, I think, because going to this business is just as much about going to see Fred as it is about anything else. I’ve returned a few times and he’s always welcoming and kind.
Sure, there are times when it’s very busy and I don’t get as much time with him as the first time. Sure, he has to put a browsing limit (a very generous hour!) because of traffic flow.
With as many people as seem to sit and play Magic at the center of the store, I’m always amazed at the way the place is crowded. He’s even responded to customer feedback by changing policies. He’s constantly evolving to get better. That just means he’s succeeding, and I hope he continues to do just that.

We stopped in today after getting some yogurt to look for something specific. Although Fred didn’t have it, he was quick to recommend another store in the area that might. I appreciated that friendly level of service, not a lot of businesses are that helpful anymore.
We stayed a few minutes longer to check out the kids section of comics in case there might be something else of interest there. Of course my little guy managed to find a couple comics he liked. Fred was super nice, he took the time to explain how his store is organized and what the Magic the Gathering is all about.
The store itself is pretty spacious. All the comics are displayed on shelves, lined up along the walls. This makes it super easy to find what you’re looking for. In the center of the main room there are tables where everyone plays MTG. When we came in there were about 7 guys playing. I can definitely see how this would be the place to come if you’re into MTG. There was an insane amount of MTG merchandise in the store. It’s a cool shop, I’d come back.

Opening note for those unsure, Crazy Fred’s is almost purely Magic the Gathering and comics. There are not board games, baseball cards, Yu-​Gi-​Oh, or Pokemon. Just a heads up with expectations. Now with that out of the way…
Crazy Fred’s has been my favorite store for Magic in San Diego for the past couple years. I originally came to Fred’s as it was the closest store to my location, and I wanted to make sure and get myself a place to play. Fred is a no nonsense guy (which I like) who happens to be very friendly and knowledgable. The store itself is clean, large, and accommodating and the events are run with frequency. I personally am a fan of the player base as well though I do have a bit of a bias there admittedly.
The largest complaint I heard in the past from others was the pricing, but even in this regard Fred ended up listening to the customers and has adjusted to using the TCG mid pricing (putting him in line with the other game stores). The trade in policy is also very transparent, which I also like, so you will know exactly the prices you are looking at (that being 50% credit, 25% cash I believe). Fred also keeps the best overall selection of singles, so you will not be scrambling for those Elvish Mystics as long as you come soon after a new set releases.
Overall, if you are a magic player then I recommend giving Fred’s a try (Tuesday or Thursday are good times for Standard).

Awesome awesome awesome. Fred is the nicest shopkeep in San Diego county, awesome selection of singles with a bunch of standard and eternal format cards. Also hosts standard tournaments on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons. Very knowledge and friendly staff gets 5 stars.

First update I’ve ever done for a review, so I’ll try and keep it short.
I mentioned previously that Fred’s prices were average.
I may have been wrong in that assessment.
Scratch that, I was wrong in that assessment.
I know, I know, brick-​and-​mortar stores have to charge a bit more to both make a profit and compensate for overhead. Why, then, does every other game shop that I’ve been to in San Diego charge easily ~20% less on all cards than here? And give much more in terms of trade-​ins (20−30%, easy).
As much as I enjoy helping my local, farm-​grown, non-​GMO, gluten-​free businesses, I simply can’t rationalize spending that much more and receiving less at Fred’s.
This doesn’t affect his customer service level. He is still incredibly helpful and knowledgeable about Magic. His draft events run smoothly and he has a very healthy inventory of Magic items.
Simply put, his mana-​curve is just too damn high.
(Get it? Like mana-​curve, but it’s money-​curve? Or is it the other way around. Welp, this joke fizzled…)

I’m one of those closet nerds who used to play MTG back in the day. I recently became injured and randomly decided to pull out my old cards and teach my husband how to play in a moment of boredom.
That moment of boredom became an extremely expensive addiction. Needless to say, I never thought I’d be buying individual cards, but I’m totally hooked (along with about 8 other friends of ours who I inadvertently got hooked also).
I always assumed that a girl walking into a comic or game shop would be treated like royalty. I mean, nerdy girls are typically pretty hot to nerdy guys right? Well, I was quickly proven wrong. Every gaming store I walked into, I was completely ignored. As in, there’s 4 guys behind the counter and here all pretending I don’t exist. Social anxiety? Who knows, but I went to THREE card shops in one day with some very specific questions in mind, and was too intimidated by the boys club that gathered around the registers to ask anyone for help.
I walked into Crazy Freds and was greeted with a smile and a welcoming voice. Yay!!! Fred not only introduced himself to me and shook my hand, but helped immensely with what I was looking for! Ironically, Fred’s was the only store I had been in where I didn’t actually NEED a ton of help finding what I wanted because everything was so nicely organized.
It’s obvious Fred cares about his customers and has a passion for his products. This will be the only card store I go to from now on!!!

I absolutely love Crazy Fred’s. It is a place where all players are welcome– no matter what your level of experience might be. Fred is so knowledgable and he loves to answer questions and help with deck building or explain strategies. At Fred’s you can play lots of different formats, buy cards, trade cards, draft, read comic books or just have a coffee and talk with other Magic friends. I really enjoy having a place to get away that is so comfortable and filled with friendly faces. If you love magic or comics, you should get to know Crazy Fred’s. It is so much fun to play there!!! See you soon friends:)

I’ve been here a few times to buy some singles and/​or get a couple of casual games in with my friends. It’s very clean, well organized, has a TV and even provided mugs with coffee for customers. The atmosphere is really what a game store should be like.
The prices are what you’d expect from a local game store: more pricey than the internet, but you get the cards right then and there and you’re helping a small business owner and the game community which, in my book at least, are great causes.
Crazy Fred also has a vast collection and knowledge of Magic which can be very helpful when selecting cards/​building decks.
But there’s something about the customer service that seems a little biased, in my opinion. Like I said before I’ve been here a few times to buy singles and play a couple of games with friends. Every time that I stepped into the store by myself it felt like Fred was a little short and even a little condescending when I would ask questions about singles, trade-​ins, or some products he was selling.
But whenever I would step into the store with my friends, who happen to be female, all of a sudden Fred would really open up and step up his customer service. The same would apply to what seemed like regulars coming in to buy products; every time a female or a regular would step into the store it felt like he was more inclined to help that person than he was me, even if I was there first and had a legitimate question.
Now, maybe I just happened to step into his store every time he was busy, which makes sense since it seems like he’s the lone employee there (though I have been helped by what seemed like a customer who knew what he was doing behind the display cases). But my advice would be to either put up with mediocre customer service for a while to become a regular or bring a female with you if you want good customer service.

I’ve been going to Fred’s for about a half year now. He’s always been nothing but polite to everyone I’ve seen. It’s a very clean store and well maintained. It is just Magic cards and Comic book, but he specializes in them both very well.
The tournaments are a great place to test out your magic decks. It’s also a very kid friendly environment. Stop by sometime and say hi!

My recommendation: come and play one of the daily events that the store has running!
–MONDAY: Closed.
–TUESDAY: 4:00 Standard Type II.
–WEDNESDAY: 4:00 Peasant Standard.
–THURSDAY: 4:00 Elder Dragon Highlander (EDH),
4:00 Standard Type II.
–FRIDAY: 5:00 Type II Booster Draft *.
–SATURDAY: 1:00 Standard Type II,
5:00 Type II Booster Draft *.
–SUNDAY: 1:00 Legacy.
I was recently at this store and I am so surprised that Crazy Fred’s Cards & Comics is not more popular in the San Diego area. This shop is by far. the cleanest, most well organized, and professional scene for Magic the Gathering in the San Diego area. The store stocks a very large collection of singles, sleeves, playmats, etc. Fred himself is a wealth of knowledge about MTG and runs events almost every day (almost unheard of anywhere else in SD).
Events fire exactly on time and the table-​space is plentiful for even larger events such as pre-​releases. Did I mention how clean and amazingly well kept this place is (Hand sanitizer is on every table.)!? The owner is a great guy and is very helpful and friendly. He seems to enforce his rules strictly (round times during gaming, pushing in chairs, cleaning up after yourself), but this is one thing that I really appreciate as it maintains order, keeps the store clean, and is generally for the benefit of the players and patrons. Would definitely come back here!
One note though: if you are planning on driving from far away for an event, make sure you are there early to register and get DCI numbers sorted out, etc. Also, call earlier on in the day to make sure that the store is open and events are running as planned.