THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 14, 1994 TAG: 9412130082
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALLISON T. WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SMITHFIELD LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
IF YOU'RE A sports fan, particularly an auto racing buff, you might want to check out the memorabilia at Collector's Choice, the only sports collectibles shop in the county.
The tiny store is packed with things related to automobile racing and also stocks football, baseball and hockey items.
Dillard Williams and his son, Glenn, opened the store at 14820 Benns Church Blvd. in 1991 to sell mobile home and recreational vehicle parts.
Until last August, the store stocked just a couple of shelves with sports memorabilia.
Today, the store's walls are lined with shelves of colorful model race cars and trucks. Boxes of collector's trading cards featuring auto racing's most famous faces and figures sit atop a counter. Also available are baseball and football cards.
``People kept demanding sports collectibles,'' Glenn Williams said. ``So we decided to increase our stock of them.''
In recent years, collecting all sports memorabilia, particularly auto racing, has become increasingly popular, Dillard Williams said. He attributes this to the growing number of people following NASCAR races on television.
``Racing used to be an adult's sport,'' he said. ``But I think a lot of younger kids today are going with their parents or are watching it on cable.''
This surge of attention reflects in sales at Collector's Choice, Dillard Williams said.
Models of cars driven by Dale Earnhardt and Ricky Rudd, a Chesapeake native, are among Collector's Choice's hottest selling memorabilia now, said Dillard Williams.
Collector's Choice is the only sports collectibles store in Isle of Wight County, Dillard Williams said. The closest ones are in Franklin or Newport News.
``And in terms of prices, we are a lot cheaper,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by ALLISON T. WILLIAMS
Collector's Choice was opened by, from left: Glenn Williams and
Dillard Williams. Tammy Williams, Glenn's wife, also works in the
store.
by CNB