By Kate Gassman
Editor
BUCHANAN, MI – Last week Friday 16-year-old entrepreneur Trevin Armstrong held an open house to celebrate the grand opening of The Sport Stash. The occasion also marked almost a year milestone for the brick-and-mortar trading card shop.
Brandon DeJaynes, President of the Buchanan Area Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the crowd and thanked them for coming out to celebrate what may be the city’s youngest business owner. DeJaynes noted how lucky Buchanan is to have a small piece of the nearly-billion-dollar industry.
Building 324 owner, Randy Hendrixson, landlord for The Sport Stash, told the crowd of well-wishers how Armstrong started out as a 14-year-old hosting card shows for 1000s of guests in the far suite of the building. He also reminded guests how fitting it is that the card shop is located in the original home to Buchanan’s only Fortune 500 company, Clark Equipment.
Tony McGhee, Buchanan City Manager, kept his speech short but joked about his favorite sports team and forecasted great things for the business, for Armstrong, and for Building 324.
To cap the celebration, State Representative Brad Paquette presented Armstrong with a State Proclamation, which will also be signed by Governor Whitmer.
Armstrong also spoke briefly, thanking attendees and describing his favorite aspects of the sports card business, before officially cutting the ribbon, joined by his family and City Commissioner Patrick Swem. Other dignitaries in attendance included Michigan Gateway Community Foundation President Michael Rowland and Buchanan Area Chamber of Commerce President Fran Terry.
Building 324 is now home to an informal business incubator of sorts for 31 tenants like Armstrong, many of whom are in their first brick-and-mortar location. Armstrong is in good company, and guests at the ribbon cutting stayed to wish Armstrong well, express their predictions for his success, and celebrate with deals, raffles, and refreshments including a food truck.
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