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
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'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.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.