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The pandemic has caused events nationwide to be canceled left and right.
That’s the case for St. Petersburg-based Ronnie Lee, co-owner of Cheers! Events and event and music venue St. Pete Side Lot with his wife, Kristin Coffey. “Everything came to a screeching halt,” Lee tells Coffee Talk. “It created a lot of idle time.”
Instead of sitting around, Lee made use of his newfound free time. He looked around at boxes filled with pop culture items he’d been collecting for years, from vinyl records to magazines, and decided to create an online store to sell it.
The store, dubbed DowntownPete.com, sells pop culture collectables and miscellaneous items from Lee’s warehouse. He’s also introduced the concept of mystery boxes. Along with selling individual items and collections of items, Lee’s $30 mystery boxes include pop culture and warehouse items, like oversized dice, a straw hat or a No. 2 pencil. “You open it up and say, ‘I got my money’s worth with the pop culture,’ but then it’s filled up with nonsense that will make people laugh — that’s really the concept,” he says. “It’s a great way to get rid of stuff — props, decor, pop culture and giveaways from past events.”
With every order, Lee includes a note that says, “I hope you enjoy this. I’m glad it’s going to a new home.” It’s a personal touch that could go a long way to building a brand — and a base of loyal customers.
So far, sales have been better than Lee expected. An app on his phone makes an old-fashioned cash register sound every time he makes a sale. Even if it goes off at 1 a.m., he gets up to see what sold. He says hearing that sound is one of his favorite parts of the new business. “It’s a side hustle now, but it definitely could turn into a main hustle,” he says. “If you are finding yourself in a situation where money is difficult or you have nothing to do, this is the time to reinvent yourself. Let other doors open. Don’t be stuck on what was. Move forward and don’t be afraid to try it out. You never know where it’s going to go.”
Editor's Note: This article has been edited to reflect that the name of the store (DowntownPete.com) includes ".com."
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