State’s fourth Fun Trade opens at the mall
By John Harrington - Open for Business - 11/30/08
Gibby Carlascio chose the Capital Hill Mall as the right place to open his fourth store in Montana.
After opening for a few Saturdays to get the word out, Carlascio held a grand opening Friday for Fun Trade, specializing in used and refurbished video games, DVDs and other electronic media.
In addition to video games, movies and compact discs, the store features guitars and other music equipment, skateboards, body jewelry, toys, T shirts, incense and a few other product lines.
Most of the space belongs to video games, though, and it was through the bins of refurbished games that a steady stream of customers picked immediately after the store’s 11 a.m. opening.
“Video games are our strength,” Carlascio said. He said it’s difficult for small stores to get copies of new releases, so he makes his living on games that have been out a while. There’s still plenty of demand, he said.
The 38-year-old opened his first store in Billings nearly a decade ago. Today there are two stores in Billings and another in Missoula in addition to the new outlet here. Carlascio said he believes the mall will draw the traffic his store needs for buying, selling and trading.
He gives store credit for used games, then refinishes and shrinkwraps the discs for re-sale.
“The mall was willing to work with me to get me in here,” he said. “They made it very easy for me to come in and get started.”
More mall: Fun Trade isn’t the only new business bound for the Capital Hill Mall. Near the main entrance, work is ongoing on a new branch of First Interstate Bank.
It’s not all good news, though. A longtime mall tenant, Corral West Ranchwear, is holding a going-out-of-business sale.
The closure isn’t unique to Helena. The store’s parent company, BTWW Retail of Dallas, is liquidating 78 stores as part of a bankruptcy proceeding that began earlier this month. There are nine Corral West stores in Montana.
E-mail your Open for Business ideas to john.harrington@helenair.com.
After opening for a few Saturdays to get the word out, Carlascio held a grand opening Friday for Fun Trade, specializing in used and refurbished video games, DVDs and other electronic media.
In addition to video games, movies and compact discs, the store features guitars and other music equipment, skateboards, body jewelry, toys, T shirts, incense and a few other product lines.
Most of the space belongs to video games, though, and it was through the bins of refurbished games that a steady stream of customers picked immediately after the store’s 11 a.m. opening.
“Video games are our strength,” Carlascio said. He said it’s difficult for small stores to get copies of new releases, so he makes his living on games that have been out a while. There’s still plenty of demand, he said.
The 38-year-old opened his first store in Billings nearly a decade ago. Today there are two stores in Billings and another in Missoula in addition to the new outlet here. Carlascio said he believes the mall will draw the traffic his store needs for buying, selling and trading.
He gives store credit for used games, then refinishes and shrinkwraps the discs for re-sale.
“The mall was willing to work with me to get me in here,” he said. “They made it very easy for me to come in and get started.”
More mall: Fun Trade isn’t the only new business bound for the Capital Hill Mall. Near the main entrance, work is ongoing on a new branch of First Interstate Bank.
It’s not all good news, though. A longtime mall tenant, Corral West Ranchwear, is holding a going-out-of-business sale.
The closure isn’t unique to Helena. The store’s parent company, BTWW Retail of Dallas, is liquidating 78 stores as part of a bankruptcy proceeding that began earlier this month. There are nine Corral West stores in Montana.
E-mail your Open for Business ideas to john.harrington@helenair.com.
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Reader Comments:
player wrote on Nov 30, 2008 8:08 PM:
" I've been to Fun Trade and was impressed with Gibby Carlascio and his Fun Trade. Glad to see Capital Hill Mall is thinking outside the box. I've known Montana business owners who could not secure a lease at a Mall location as Mall owners only wanted National chain stores. Now we see these same Malls emptying as National chains pull out. The small business owners, like Gibby Carlascio and others are our local, State and Country's strength. A Montana business owner will put his heart and soul into his business and make it succeed with hard work and sacrifice. There by strenghthening in his own State's economy. These big guys come in demand special privileges and when they pull out leave behind damaged people and a local economy. Gibby Carlascio is an impressive man with clear insight into his market. I wish Fun Trade ongoing success. I Thank you for a well written story. "
monarch wrote on Nov 30, 2008 7:32 PM:
" Great story. Here a young Montana Entrepreneur, Gibby Carlascio is expanding his Fun Trade stores across Montana. At the same time foreign corporations are closing their doors, laying off Montanans around Christmas and hurting our State's economy.
Fun Trade further strengthens the local economy by purchasing inventory locally. Gibby Carlascio pays a fair price for inventory that comes in from the locals. A friend of mine was desperate for gas money in Billings. The pawn shops offered him $2.00 for 2 games. Fun Trade paid way over $25.00 believe it was $35.00. Gibby paid a fair price for games Fun Trade considered hot sellers. Fun Trade stores rock. Helena should be proud Fun Trade chose the great City of Helena for Store #4. Great insight for this article. "
Fun Trade further strengthens the local economy by purchasing inventory locally. Gibby Carlascio pays a fair price for inventory that comes in from the locals. A friend of mine was desperate for gas money in Billings. The pawn shops offered him $2.00 for 2 games. Fun Trade paid way over $25.00 believe it was $35.00. Gibby paid a fair price for games Fun Trade considered hot sellers. Fun Trade stores rock. Helena should be proud Fun Trade chose the great City of Helena for Store #4. Great insight for this article. "
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zoie wrote on Dec 1, 2008 3:20 PM: