The tough economy and impact of online shopping hasn't deterred one southern Ohio sports collector and dealer from opening his own shop.
Mark Fugate was always a collector. When he was 16, though, he sacrificed his baseball card collection to buy a car. That's ancient history now because Fugate is back as a collector --but sports cards and memorabilia have also become his business.
Fugate recently opened Diamond Sports Company in Monroe, OH, near Cincinnati.
Like most sports memorabilia shops, he's had to diversify a bit. His shop carries baseball cards, yes, but also autographed jerseys, game used memorabilia and artwork. He also helps collectors with their display projects.
While the general feeling is that the number of brick-and-mortar stores has dwindled to nothing, it's possible that the dearth of shops has now created opportunity for those willing to make the investment in time, resources and money. The Cincinnati Enquirer stopped by Fugate's shop too---a nice publicity boost for a new venture.
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