The Upper Deck Company Opens New Retail Store in Huntington Beach, California

"This will be a terrific opportunity to showcase our best merchandise and partner with some local sports favorites to make our retail store debut a most memorable one," said Tim Muret, Upper Deck's vice president of Sports Cards and Memorabilia.

Upper Deck's retail store grand opening will have something for every collector on the planet! Boasting exclusive autograph relationships with long- time sports legends like Michael Jordan, LeBron James,Kobe Bryant, Ken Griffey Jr. and Tiger Woods, Upper Deck produces some of the most sought-after signed memorabilia keepsakes in the world. In addition, the company produces and distributes two of the most successful trading card games (TCGs) ever developed: Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME and World of Warcraft(R) TCG!

"Upper Deck is strongly committed to supporting hobby stores everywhere," said Greg Goldstein, Upper Deck's vice president of Gaming and Entertainment. "The Upper Deck Store is a perfect place for us to test out new products and to see first hand how customers respond to hobby promotions. The ultimate goal of everything we learn here is to help hobby stores increase sales and more effectively host in-store events."

On Friday, Feb. 22, the Upper Deck Retail Store will be a celebrity home base including Lakers fan favorite Luke Walton, who will be signing free autographs from 6 to 7 p.m. Huntington Beach City Council Member Joe Carchio will assist with official ribbon-cutting duties at 5:30 p.m. And AM 570 KLAC Radio will be broadcasting from the Bella Terra Shopping Center on Friday evening just outside the store's entrance to chronicle the store's historic unveiling.

On Saturday, Feb. 23, former Dodgers great Steve Garvey will be in attendance signing free autographs from 1 to 3 p.m. Renowned World of Warcraft Trading Card Game artists will be sketching live each day.

The Upper Deck Retail Store will serve as a true testing ground for new products and marketing programs. Lessons learned at the store will be fine- tuned and then rolled out to more traditional hobby stores. The Upper Deck Retail Store is just the latest initiative engineered by the industry leader in an effort to build a better hobby experience for future generations to enjoy.

"Our plan is to open a store where we can test new products, kid friendly marketing initiatives, and promotions and retail merchandising solutions. We also want to figure out ways in which we can work with local hobby stores to attract new collectors and create excitement," added Muret. "It is our intention to continuously test ideas and programs and share those results with the hobby community. There is no better way to learn than being at street level."

During the fourth quarter of 2007, Upper Deck officials met with owners of Orange County hobby stores to discuss ways to work collaboratively and effectively together. Local hobby shops were invited to attend an open forum where Upper Deck listened to their concerns. "We appreciate the participation and feedback provided by the hobby store owners as we are passionate about creating and implementing innovative marketing concepts that will be mutually beneficial to everyone," said Muret.

"This is my life," said Brian Farole, owner of nearby Baseball Cards Plus. "I have a store three blocks away so it just makes sense that we should be working together. This is something positive that we can be a part of and that will help to keep the industry going."

Upper Deck will utilize the 2,100-square-foot retail facility to showcase both sports and entertainment products, with a specialized gaming area for TCG and other tournaments and additional space for guest signings by superstar athletes. Added features of the store will include a spacious lounge area with interactive desktops with access to the Upper Deck Websites.

    Upper Deck Retail Store Location
    Bella Terra Shopping Center
    7777 Edinger Ave., Suite D-150
    Huntington Beach, CA 92647
    714-898-8000

About the Upper Deck Company

Founded in 1988, Upper Deck is a premier global sports and entertainment- publishing company that delivers a robust portfolio of products for sports and entertainment collectors alike. For more information, visit http://www.upperdeck.com or http://www.upperdeckstore.com.

SOURCE The Upper Deck Company

Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: Wal Mart, Sears, Nordstrom and other Retail, Sports, california

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