Sports Memorabilia Shops Count on Teams, Christmas

For a city that didn't enjoy much success in the 1990s, the current decade has been more than kind to Boston.

A Patriots' dynasty was born. The Celtics finally won that 17th NBA Championship. Even the Red Sox are not only no longer cursed, they're winning big.

It's a great market for sports and sports memorabilia, but dealers in New England are no different than they are elsewhere in that times are tight. They count on the change of seasons to pique fans' interest.

As we head toward the holidays, they also rely on the gift-giving season to help them navigate through some tricky waters. The Lowell (MA) Sun toured a few of the notable shops for a state of the industry report.