Twin brothers and Jackson natives Marcus (left) and Noah (right) Allen, proprietors of the Twins and Friends Cards and Collectibles shop, are one of the two card shops that will call The Hobby Shop on Broadway home. (Telegram Photo by Alex Shope)
A new Broadway Street store is building interest among the Jackson-area community’s hobbyists and collectors as it continues to grow.
Located at 200 Broadway St., Suite A, in Jackson, The Hobby Shop on Broadway opened on Wednesday, March 1. The spacious building, which formerly housed The Healing Hippie, was packed upon opening by curious customers – both purveyors of collectible memorabilia and model vehicles. The hobby shop sated their inquisitiveness with a blend of content, variety, friendly service and the promise of more offerings to repeat visitors.
While The Hobby Shop on Broadway is mainly stocked with model kits — vintage and modern — of automobiles, aircraft, boats, scale models and miniatures and much more, the stock itself is what sets the new shop apart from others. With build kits ranging from $10 and up, model-building enthusiasts will have their hands full with decisions. Supplies, such as appropriate paints and the like, will be stocked according to customers’ interests and preferences. Most interestingly, the shop will have a regular influx of new options – currently 800 are being delivered through incoming shipments – from which to choose. Customers are encouraged to check back regularly and keep watch over The Hobby Shop on Broadway Facebook page, which will be updated as product is received.
The store is also home to the Twins and Friends Cards and Collectibles shop and will be the future home of another unannounced card shop, the former of which has already seen some measure of success.
The Hobby Shop on Broadway recently opened at 200 Broadway St. in Jackson and features an ever-growing array of model automobiles, aircraft and more as well as miniatures and scale models. (Photo Courtesy of The Hobby Shop on Broadway)
Twins and Friends, run by twin brothers and lifelong Jackson residents Noah and Marcus Allen, started their business as many do in the modern age – through an online medium. Selling sports cards and memorabilia, Funk Pop figures, other collectibles and much more merchandise, their card shop is the first of its kind to be seen in Jackson since, reportedly, the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“It’s definitely something that’s been well needed,” said Noah Allen of the business. “The hobby has grown a lot over the last four, six years, and Jackson’s been left out by not having a place to go to look through cards and get sealed packs. They’re something that, sometimes, can be difficult to come across.”
Allen stated that the interest in collectibles, such as sports cards, saw a huge spike during the stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, such interest has not dwindled since the retraction of said mandates, and the hobby has become one that anyone can enjoy.
“It’s always been a hobby of ours, and we now have the opportunity to try and spread it to everyone else,” Allen added.
Along with sealed packs, boxes, single cards, graded cards and more, Twins and Friends will also be offering a card grading service through the Chillicothe-based UCZSlabs.com, which can identify the value of certain rare cards for collectors at a nominal cost. If a customer comes with a request for an item that the shop does not carry, says Allen, they will do their best to attain said request. Additionally, Allen mentioned that talks were underway concerning card and collection showings, trade nights, build nights – for both the card shops and model shop – and that more information would be available in the future via the Twins and Friends Cards and Collectibles and The Hobby Shop on Broadway’s respective Facebook pages.
Above all, Allen said, the shop wanted to thank the community and its customers for their support, and that he hopes to garner more interest in the hobby realm – especially for children who may need a new interest or outlet.
“There’s a lot of big things coming for the shop!” he said in closing. “We’re here to stay, for sure! If you’ve got a chance, at least stop in and take a look. I don’t care if you’re buying anything or not – come in and you’ll see something cool. With Twins and Friends, we’re the twins who own it, and you’re the friends who come and help us make new relationships and meet new people on top of our regulars.”
Again, the shop encourages those interested to regularly check the available Facebook pages for updates on upcoming events, new stock and other announcements that will make The Hobby Shop on Broadway the next big addition to the community.
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