Mountain States Collector

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The Santa Claus Shop
The Yankee Trader is selling special memories for the Holidays.

By Jon DeStefano

For this issue of The Mountain States Collector we’re glad to feature a store that captures the fun spirit of the yuletide season.

On a recent visit to The Yankee Trader, I found a delightful surprise at every turn of the store. Located just 2 blocks north of the old Elitch’s on 4000 Tennyson St., the Yankee Trader arguably has the biggest selection of collectible toys in the country.

“We’re a Santa Claus shop,” owner Mike Thompson proclaims and as he began this business 17 years ago it was his love for toys that got him started. “People have memories. That’s what we all live with. I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter if you grew up in the 80’s or if you grew up in the 20’s, we all want to recapture our memories and sometimes that special toy will do just that. Toys got me into this business because there are no bad memories with toys.”

From Tootsie toys to rare Star Wars collectibles, The Yankee Trader doesn’t miss a beat. Toys from all eras adorn the store. You’ll find fire trucks, cap guns, gas powered racers, die-cast from all nations, character dolls, cast iron toys, wind ups, Hot Wheels, trains, Transformers, King toys, board games, and the list goes on and on. The Yankee Trader’s sheer variety and selection of every brand of toy is remarkable. “You may walk into a shop and they’ll have ten Tootsie toys on display, we have a whole case full of them. We also have one of the largest collections of mechanical banks.”

The Yankee Trader also has some unique items you may not find anywhere else. I showed interest in a Star Wars speeder bike that as Mike informed me, ”was only given away at a showing of the movie, you could not buy this commercially. There are only 2 of these in this state.” It is a toy that would probably make a lot more money on the market or in an auction but as Mike insists, “My business is here, I’m a stone and mortar shop. I don’t go on ebay, not that that isn’t a great source for people, but my full attention is here. I want to give my customers first shot at it. I enjoy the one on one with people”

Another impressive feature of The Yankee Trader is how nicely organized it is. A few years ago, Mike and his staff looked at this business and asked themselves what they could do to make their store more convenient for their customers. They decided to departmentalize their store into sections so that someone, for example, who is only interested in dolls can come to their doll section and choose from their collection. It’s fast and it’s easy and you don’t have to search all over the store for two like items.

And if you’re looking for something other than toys, do not fret, The Yankee Trader has many other collectibles to choose from as well. They have a whole sports section which includes such items as collectible baseball gloves, fishing gear, Life magazines featuring Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, Broncos memorabilia, pins and other sports rarities. You’ll also find a whole section of the store dedicated to the Holidays with collectibles for Thanksgiving, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas and so on.

Given the current situation in this country, war is a popular collectible and The Yankee Trader has a room entirely dedicated to war collectibles. You’ll find uniforms from World War 2, Vietnam, the Korean War and the Indian War. Not to mention boots, helmets, medals, shoelaces and more.

And just when you think a store couldn’t be more complete, the Yankee Trader goes that extra mile. You’ll find glassware, children's books, comic books, black memorabilia, boy scout collectibles, pin-ups, Coca Cola, rock and roll items and the perennial seller - jewelry. As Mike will attest, “Jewelry is a collectible that all women love. We may not sell precious gems or gold but we sell fun jewelry—for dances, proms or a Christmas get-together—fun jewelry that is inexpensive.”

Combined with a friendly and knowledgeable staff, a customer oriented philosophy has helped The Yankee Trader remain a successful business for many years and will undoubtedly help them in the unforeseen future. “It’s a fun shop, a family-run operation. We want to get people to their goal. We’re not just selling collectibles, we’re selling memories and helping someone recapture a special memory is a really neat feeling. There is nothing like it. Better than having it yourself is passing it on and getting it into the right hands. That is the fun part of this business.” And Mike’s gregarious attitude doesn’t just stop in his own shop. “If someone wants something that we don’t have but we know someone who does, we’ll happily send the business their way. We just want to make people happy–that’s what our business is about.” Refreshing, to say the very least.

If you’re looking for that special gift this Holiday season or if you’d simply like to take a walk down memory lane, stop by The Yankee Trader, you’ll be glad you did.