By BRIAN ARGABRIGHT
The 830 Times
Del Rio’s newest store is hoping to be a home for the community’s ever-growing pop culture crowd.
Gabriella Rosales and Jose “Chuy” Ventura celebrated the soft opening of their store, the COLLEXN, 1300 Veterans Blvd., Suite D, Friday afternoon. The family-owned store, an homage to pop culture, is a labor of love for the couple, but it’s also a place they want customers to feel like they’re visiting a second home.
“We want people to come in and appreciate everything we have to offer. Even if they just come in to look around, we’re proud of having something like this in our community,” Rosales said.
The store began from Ventura’s passion for collecting. A sports card collector in his youth, Ventura said in about 2018 he got back into collecting and visited a hobby shop in San Antonio in search of a box of cards that initially ignited his passion. It wasn’t the cards as a whole, but one card in particular – a 1991 Upper Deck Michael Jordan #SP1. It was the first appearance of Jordan in a baseball uniform, showing him taking batting practice with the Chicago White Sox.
Ventura remembered how special that card was to him and the feeling he had when he pulled that card from a pack. So he bought the box and lo and behold he pulled that card. That excitement and joy bought back plenty of good memories for Ventura and it would eventually lead Ventura from a career as a public school educator to a full-time card collector.
“I quit my 9 to 5 job because the card business was just easier. Going to shows and being able to buy and sell really opened my eyes to the fact I could make enough money without having to go to a job with an office or any of that. I was able to enjoy my hobby. I mean I was having fun and making money,” Ventura said.
“Initially I was just selling at card shows. I would go to shows where there were just 30 vendors to shows where there were, like, 100 vendors. But all of that was worth it because of the people I met and the connections I made. I was able to apply those skills from my job in public education to this new role and succeed,” Ventura added.
About a year ago the idea for the COLLEXN began to materialize. He and Rosales discussed the idea and she agreed to step away from her nine-year job as an art instructor at Southwest Texas junior College to run the shop and make the dream a reality.
Rosales said her favorite part of the shop is the growing display of Funko Pops that adorn part of the shop’s walls. The vinyl figures, which vary in size but are typically four inches tall, celebrate nearly all aspects of pop culture, from television to movies to cartoons to sports figures and more. She said visitors could find at least one Pop that relates to something they enjoy.
But sports cards and vinyl figures are just a part of the visual treat visitors to the COLLEXN will discover. There are movie poster prints autographed by celebrities, each certified by James Spence Authentication (JSA), a leading authority in the business. There are boxes of Pokemon cards and Pokeballs waiting to unveil their secrets to buyers. There are starting decks for new players, and a collection of PSA-certified Pokemon cards, all rated 10.0, for more serious collections looking to add to their investments. There’s also autographed sports memorabilia and more.
“We want people to come in here and see the exclusivity, the quality, the collectability and the varied selection of the items we carry,” Ventura said. “For some of these items, it’s not just that they’re collectible, but they’re an investment as well. We want people to understand that it’s okay to pay more for some items because they are top quality.”
The only things the COLLEXN won’t carry are comic books and anime-related merchandise aside from Pokemon. Ventura and Rosales said that was done out of respect for other local businesses that have been selling those items longer.
Ventura said the store would also evaluate people’s collections and appraise its value. He said they would also advise people on how to go about selling their collections if they choose to and help provide them with the resources to make that possible.
“We will buy, sell and trade with customers. If they have a collection and we’re interested we’ll make an offer. If they choose to go elsewhere, we’ll help them with that, too,” Ventura said.
Rosales added that the store would also hold events to showcase local artists. She also said there are plans to host events to give visitors a chance to create their own works of art, but with a pop culture twist.
“We want people to let us know what they collect. We’re here for the community,” Ventura said.
“We talked to people before we opened and asked what they wanted, so a piece of them is a part of this store,” Rosales added.
While a grand opening is still in the works, the COLLEXN is open Monday to Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. each day. All major credit cards and cash will be accepted. The store will also be online soon.
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