North Bay sports cards store sees major success throughout pandemic
For more than 20 years, Robert Collins has owned Ultimate Sports Cards on Cassells Street in North Bay, and recently the store has undergone a massive three-month makeover.
“For years we’ve wanted to expand the store it just took time. We needed more room, definitely needed more room for the inventory and collections we purchase from customers, so now we have the bigger store, said Collins.
“We are literally the only ones in the north so to have a central hub, it’s a good thing.”
Collins told CTV News he consistently has customers who come from as far north as Timmins and from down south as well.
While many businesses have struggled to get through the pandemic, Collins said for him, fortunately it’s been the opposite.
“Everybody was ordering stuff, it was great. We were shipping tons of items, thousands of items during covid, so that really helped us. People wanted to finish their sets and that’s what we have here,” said Collins.
It isn’t just sports card collector stores that have taken off in the pandemic, Collins said it’s any store that offers hobbies.
“Everybody was bored at home, first thing they did was started a hobby and this was one of them that really worked out.”
“Everything from puzzles, to buggies, any kind of things for hobbies took off, didn’t matter what is was.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.